This episode is equally meant for those who want to know the nitty gritty of tattoo healing and care and those who just like to hear me drone on in the background.  Here I describe both, first,  what I call the old school traditional way of caring for a fresh tattoo and second, the wet method.  I get into the products I like to have my clients use, including a deep dive into what Aquafor actually is and how it works so well, since it's not technically "moistizuring".  I talk a lot about tegaderm/saniderm and what a reaction to these convenient first aid plastic films cou ..read more

This episode is the result of my recent excitement about a few tattoos I've put my whole soul into.  I've been looking for my personal tattoo style for so long, and considering that maybe I never need to find a niche, that doing it all was my thing (not unlike Beyoncé), that I was a little astounded when I realized that doing "weird" detailed color work felt like the work was coming directly from my soul.  I don't have a word for this yet, but I do know the feeling. These are pieces that come without many or even any references from the client. These are pieces that come from great ..read more

I started this podcast to show off the absolute gems of humans I get to tattoo and interact with on a regular basis. I am a very very very lucky person.  Karin is one of those people. I have been tattooing big gorgeous detailed artful realistic  flowers on her for about two years. Our conversations range from the personal/political to the intimately personal, to food, to clothes, but mostly how to be a decent person in this world.  In this interview we talk about what being basic means, and also alternative, how hard it is for those of us raised with little attention to our ne ..read more

For me, turning the big 4-0 comes with its share of introspection. But today's episode is rather the other side of the moon (or the coin) of last week's episode, "Ep. 65: A Few, Namely Five, Reasons I Love Being A Tattoo Artist". Today I tell you five reasons being a self employed tattoo artist can be challenging. I'd say these are the most annoying things about it for me.  In short... 1. Charging people money! 2. email and consults at that awkward time, before the client and I develop trust. 3. not being able to read the client's mind 4. no logistical safety net, no PTO etc 5. taxes b ..read more

I pushed through my hormonal sh*tstorm to come at you with some gratitude. Namely five reasons I love being a tattoo artist. For the full discussion listen of course, and for the short summary peep below: 1. The connections/conversations with my clients. 2. Self determined schedule. 3. Honing my craft, every day into forever. 4. I get to create the environment for myself and my clients. 5. Being a part of a culture that touches most of humanity. Come back next week and maybe I will talk about reasons this job is hard. In this episode I mention a long admired by me tattoo artist, Esther Garc ..read more

Have you ever felt the stir of a familiar yet unplaceable memory, or the pull of a connection that transcends your current life? Well, strap in, because we're embarking on an odyssey into past life regression hypnosis, just a little skill I picked up in the past few weeks.  I will tell you what Past Life Regression is, how it can help a human discover more about their journey, and have a richer more satisfying experience in their current life. AND how it could relate to getting and (giving) tattoos.  Don't worry, hypnosis isn't what you think it is. And neither is this therapeutic ..read more

When I saw Bella's e-mail I felt a sparkle.  About a month later she entered the studio for our in- person consultation and color test. Ten minutes in I knew we would become friends.  Sometimes people have just the sense of humor that feels like a warm steamy shower on a cool day, and quirks you immediately adore. Add some Eastern European roots for what feels like a solid and somewhat unique thread of relating, and queerness, of course. Oh, and also she is just brilliant. And one of my favorite things on humans are our brains.  Listen to us discuss being Eastern European, an ..read more

Are you a reader? I hope so. This episode is all about every book I read in 2023. There were 22 of them and here are my mini reviews.  As your bookish confidant, I'm not shying away from the titles that sparked joy and those that didn't quite hit the mark. Get the scoop on how "Glucose Revolution" changed my plate and my life, and why "The Art of Racing in the Rain" failed to rev my engine. I'm also tipping my hat to Viola Davis for her compelling autobiography "Finding Me," and sharing why "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" left a lasting impression, despite a predictable endgame. Fro ..read more

A little personal update for you, since the start to my year has been a little frazzled with a lack of my usual routine due to too many fun plans.  In this episode I talk about my early year travels and then some hopes for the coming year: Sayler's apprenticeship, my reading plans, my big birthday, my sticker making career, and my wishes to get better with time management and tidying.  Next week look out for my "22 in 2023" reading list as a podcast episode.  You can connect with me, Micah Riot, as well as see my tattoo art on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/micahriot ..read more

As the year wraps up I like to look back upon it with grateful eyes. I like to look back through the photos in my phone (piling up in the tens of thousands), and remember the people I have met and the work I did on most of the new people I'd met.  I like to appreciate all of the ways in which this year was sweet to me, all the things that happened that brought me peace and joy and contentment.  This is how I like to close out every calendar year.  I took some notes as I was thinking about this episode and wanting to share this practice with y'all, and I ended up with fifteen ..read more