When #katvond got her matching #tattoo w #deadmau5

Chest piece. Done for the day… Till we meet again, @jzuker ! [March 16th, 2012]

Detail shot of part of the portrait I started tattooing on@sinister_apples today. [March 14th, 2012]

Stencil. #tattootime [March 14th, 2012]

Lobster. [February 25th, 2012]

Tattooing one of my favorite things to tattoo… [November 1st, 2011]

Ashton getting his ribs done. No pain no gain!! [via HVT twitter October 28th, 2011]

andrealynnc:

I seriously have like such a girl crush on her, ahahha.

She’s just so awesome.

muzikisreligion:

a lil’ quick, random thing i did for HVT. Enjoy!

A KVD [and HVT] flash back

Since i was a teen, I always found writing things down to be a healthy way to process my thoughts, so here goes…

            I went back and forth trying to decide whether I should even write this. I’m sure by the time I’m done I’ll either delete it, or just save it and never post it.  

            Not sure where to begin other than I’m feeling saddened by the way people have been reacting lately.  It’s as if a collective pain has taken over, not only this country, but this world.  Listening to people talk about others lately has made me feel so alien.  i don’t believe I am better than anyone, nor do i believe that I’m less, i just feel disconnected, i guess.  

            There seems to be a lack of relatability with one another lately, and I’m not sure why it feels so much more apparent lately.  It’s like we’ve lost the ability to recognize ourselves in each other.  When i walk down the street and see a homeless person i can see a part of myself in them.  Without any judgment of what kind of person i think they may be, or what they have done to get to where they are now - all i see is a human being with the ability to feel.  That homeless person is somebody’s son, daughter, brother, sister, mother, father… and all i can feel is love for them.  

            The same feelings occur when i see a person driving a fancy car, or an elderly person, an ex-friend, or a child.

            I KNOW I’m not the only person who shares this perspective - and i know this because people smile sometimes. That tiny gesture alone, lets me know that for whatever reason that person chose to share that smile with me, its an act of love.

            I was tattooing this lady who flew all the way from Hawaii today just to get a tattoo from me - she wanted a portrait of her son who got killed in a drinking and driving accident a little bit over a year ago.  What an honor this was for me.  We sat and talked about Life’s “funny” way of showing us the good, even during times of great suffering, and how difficult it can be to recognize the good when you’re in the middle of all of it.  

            I can only imagine how deep the pain that comes with losing a child would feel.  When i asked her about the person responsible for the death of her son, I could tell it was too hard for her to share her feelings.  I could be wrong, but it sounded like there was some anger, and resentment.  There was a war happening inside of her, maybe the idea of making this person “pay” for what he did would make her feel better about everything, and the old me would probably agree with that thought pattern….

            But where I am now, the only thing I could feel was love, not only for her (and for her loss), but for that drunk driver.  Life has already made him suffer the consequences of his choices.  He has to live with the knowledge that the choices he made, cost someone their life… 

            I secretly prayed for peace, not only for this woman’s heart, but for the drunk drivers heart, too.  

            After my tattoo session, I looked at my Twitter like I normally do before posting a photo of the tattoo I just did, or whatever, and noticed a lot of negative comments having to do with an interview Jesse had recently done.  I really didn’t know why people were all up in arms, but after putting two and two together, I managed to find the interview and listen to it.

            I have no opinion on people like Howard Stern, or generally anyone that i haven’t met.  I’m not THAT much of a hermit that i don’t already know the premise of radio shows like his, but regardless, i couldn’t give you an opinion since i never met the man.  

            After listening to the interview, I could see how people could take offense to a lot of the comments that were made and I personally had my own opinion on the content myself.  All of which is not really important   I think it’s easy to read a tabloid’s recap of an hour long interview and come up with a harsh opinion on what was said.  It’s even easier to get upset over something like this when you already have an existing dislike for Jesse based on this last years “scandal” coverage.

Again, none of this is actually important.  Not even my opinion.  

            Maybe I’m just venting at this point but I’d like to share my unimportant opinion with those of you who are still even reading any of this…

            In my opinion, Jesse’s attempt at dodging Howard Stern’s racy questions were never meant to disrespect anyone. There is no comparison. Yes, Jesse is not my first love, and I am not his. The connection we share has nothing to do with any of our past relationships - and it would be silly to even try and answer a question like that.  The love that a couple shares is not a reflection of what used to be - it doesn’t take away from a love that once was, and it doesn’t make the present love any better either.  Ultimately, the two relationships have nothing to do with one another.  

To me, love is the most sacred thing you could share with someone, and it isn’t up for discussion, or comparison.

            Anyone can compare me to someone else, and it will never make me better or less than what I am.  I’m not an award-winning actress. I’m not “beautiful” by many people’s standards. I’m not special. I’m not  ” that girl who’s dating Jesse James.”  And I’m not even “Kat Von D.”   My name is Katherine Von Drachenberg, and I’m just another human being walking past you, with a good heart, just trying my best.

            When Jesse and I first started dating, a tabloid listed the differences between me and Jesse’s ex, comparing everything from our weight, to our income, to our parents occupation.  That to me, was equally as appalling as Howard’s questions about sex, because it strips away what is truly sacred, and important in a relationship.  Money, status, fame, sexual appeal, and sexual compatibility - these “qualities” are the furthest things from what gives a person value.

            I don’t think Jesse needed to write ‘American Outlaw’.  At one point I even told him that.  Not because i think it’s a bad book - on the contrary, Jesse is a fantastic writer, and his life’s story makes for an entertaining read. I just didn’t think he NEEDED to write it.  To me, it felt like there was a need for closure on things, but writing a million books won’t give you the peace you’re looking for.  Tapping into that true inner peace takes a conscious act of letting go of your past internally.  Forgiving yourself is key, not seeking it in others.

             But regardless, supporting Jesse doesn’t require me agreeing with everything.  I can still be his biggest cheerleader, and be proud, by allowing him to do whatever HE feels he needs to do.  If writing the book was a therapeutic way of releasing the past, then I think it is a beautifully honest  thing.  

            In the end, none of this matters at all.  We are continuously looking for things to occupy our minds, follow through on these empty thoughts and judgments that steer us so far away from this present moment, when meanwhile,  there are people out there like my client today who regardless of losing her son is still able to give the gift of a smile, and is just thankful for another day  for the opportunity to try again… 

Thank you for reading this,

Kat Von D