2011 New York Tattoo Convention

On Friday the 13th, 2011, the 14th Annual New York Tattoo Convention kicked off at the Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan. This 3 day affair showcased over 70 tattoo studios and vendors from around the world. It is regarded by some as the biggest convention of it's kind in the United States. The convention often has a large attendance, and there's never a shortage of tattoo art to be seen. Ironically, the 14th anniversary of the convention marks the 14th year that tattooing once again became legal by law in New York. It had been banned by law from 1961-1997.

Chiller Theater Expo April 30, 2011

Zahcerle, "The Cool Ghoul" and Master of Ceremony for
the Chiller Theater Expo.

On April 30th,  I attended the Chiller Theater Toy, Model, and Film Expo in Parsippany, NJ. It's a Horror Convention for fans alike to converge and celebrate the historic local television show of the same name. For those unfamiliar with Chiller Theater, it first aired locally in the New York tri-state area on Saturday nights during the Early 50's as a vehicle for showcasing classic horror movies. It was hosted by Zacherle, "The Cool Ghoul", a character who became synonymous with the show through it's 50 years of broadcasts and many revivals. This Convention (Chiller as most refer to it) offers a stroll down memory lane for all fanboys and fangirls of the horror genre. There are guests abundant for people to meet, and Kevin Clemet, AKA Mr. Chiller, never disappoints the fans by always booking high demand and obscure celebes. Some of the great guests in attendance that weekend included Loni Anderson, Gary Busey, Ernest Borgnine and Dean Stockwell to name a few.

A visit to the Baseball Hall of Fame

Situated in Cooperstown, New York, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum stands as the ultimate monument dedicated to America's favorite pastime. As its motto suggests, the Hall of Fame strives to "Preserve History, Honor Excellence, and Connect Generations." Earlier this month, I took a road trip, or a pilgrimage, as some die hard baseball fans might say, to visit Cooperstown for the first time. It was truly a memorable trip as I got to experience the historic culture of baseball as preserved by the Hall of Fame.

Street Photography: As Inspired by Edward Hopper

Painter Edward Hopper has always been an inspiration to me. After an in-depth College study of his paintings and artistic styles, I instantly began to idolize the painter and his works. For me, Edward Hopper represented an artist who thought outside the box as he went against the popular modern expressionist art movement of his time. At a time when Modern Art began to flourish, Hopper stuck to painting realistic personal visions of everyday life.

Rekindling My Love Affair With Professional Wrestling: WSU's 4th Anniversary Show

I'll never back down from admitting it — I've been a wrestling fan since I was a child. My on and off again obsession with this male soap opera dates back to the 80s when  pro-wrestling began to cross over and explode into mainstream. As a child, I would tune in to see legends like "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Dusty Rhodes, Hulk Hogan, and Ric Flair tell their larger than life stories every week. Catching the weekly wrestling shows became a ritual for me and my friends. We never missed an episode.