This is the design they have chosen. (There will be colors, of course, but you’ll have to wait for the actual tattoo pics to see that.)

Comparing possible designs.

The “before” shot.

Shannon and the tattoo artist, Jim, discuss the design.

We`re driving to the tattoo place now. Becky and Shannon are considering altering the design somewhat. I`ll keep you posted.

Watching a bit of the first round of the British Open this morning (somehow I always seem to end up staying with the golf-fanatic Zaks during major golf tournaments), I couldn’t help but ponder the somewhat sadomasochistic nature of this particular tournament — sadistic for the viewers, masochistic for the players, that is.

The British Open is the tournament in which top players are consistently brought to heel by unforgiving courses. It is the tournament of high scores (”high” being bad in golf, of course), missed fairways, multiple-bogeys, and general misery. Don’t believe me? Check out the leaderboard. After one day, five players are under par — out of 152. Tiger Woods shot a seven on the opening hole, and is +2 now (and that’s good enough for 19th place). Another player shot an eleven on the opening hole. That’s what happens at the British Open.

The British Open, methinks, is a tournament that only people who are golfers and/or hardcore golf fans can really, fully enjoy. Casual golf fans, who want to see dazzling performances and long eagle putts and spectacular chip-ins for birdie, are inevitably disappointed. But for those who play golf, the British Open is a chance for a bit of schadenfreude — when else do you get to see the pros make the same sorts of mistakes (albeit on a much tougher course) that everyday golfers make all the time on regular courses? And of course, for hardcore fans, there’s nothing like watching the pros tackle a real challenge. It’s sort of like how only true baseball fans can appreciate a pitcher’s duel, while casual fans just want to see lots of home runs.

Okay, gotta go, the X-Files commercial break is over…

UPDATE: Let it be known that I guessed the correct spelling of “schadenfreude” (which, by the way, means “a malicious satisfaction in the misfortunes of others”) on the first try. I looked it up after posting it, assuming my guess would be wrong, and — voila — it was right!

A very blurry shot of Kristy screaming on a fast-moving ride at the Old Homes Day carnival in Williamsville.

audblog audio post

News flash: Becky and Shannon have decided to get their tattoos on their right calves (not their foreheads, this photo notwithstanding :)

This is the tattoo design Becky and Shannon are going to get. (It’s called a Tan Fire.) They haven’t decided yet where on their bodies to put them.

Becky and Shannon just made an appointment to get matching tattoos tomorrow afternoon at this place. Note the slogan: “Hell yeah it hurts.” Heh.

oks like I will be making a brief return to NYC before my likely trip to Phoenix. A legal-assistant staffing firm wants to interview me on Tue. I have a return flight Tue. morning; I was to cancel it, now I plan to use it & then return to BUF by bus.

The planet Mars — which late next month will appear brighter than Jupiter as it makes its closest approach to Earth in 60,000 years — last night had a close encounter (well, from our perspective) with the Moon:

I guess they appeared closest just before sunrise. Vikki, Shannon, Becky and I noticed the pair earlier in the evening, just after moonrise, and even then they looked pretty cool.

Naturally, SpaceWeather.com has more on this.