As I mentioned back on Thursday, my wife and I just had an anniversary. To mark the occasion this weekend we got new tattoos. Specifically we got each other’s initials on our ring fingers.

We got the work done at Serenity Body Art at S and 12th Street. The shop is only a few blocks from our apartments, so we wanted to give it a try. We’re both very glad we did. Jim, the tattoo artist, and his wife Vicky (a piercer) run the shoptogether and are really friendly people. You won’t get any of the “attitude” that sometimes comes with body art, and as you will see from the link, Jim’s art is top notch.

We’d never been in the shop before, and after getting our fingers done, we’ve both got plans to  go back for more work in the coming month.

Oh, so THAT’S why this place is out-of-network under my dental coverage.

You may have noticed Dr. Woo’s office - seemingly permanently under construction for, like, ever. Last time I was there, their reception was long and narrow, but there was the promise of big things to come behind the temporary construction wall. Yesterday, upon my return, I was greeted with this scene. It’s like a day spa and a hotel lobby had a toothy love child. There’s even a table in the back there with a jigsaw puzzle spread out. Nuts!

I appreciate the quality of care though - everyone is friendly and calm. The exam rooms are ritzy, with TVs on the ceiling to help you zone as they stick uncomfortable instruments in your mouth. All-in-all, if you must undergo dental work, I guess this is the best place for it.

My ringer finger looks like a purple snowman - fat and bulbous between each joint - courtesy of having tripped into my house on Saturday evening.  Taking every opportunity to evaluate aspects of our fair city for you, dear reader, I decided, given the fingers deepening hue and increasing size, to go for x-rays on Sunday afternoon (Happy Easter!).

 I took some reading material with me, expecting a wait, though was pleasantly surprised to wait a comparatively short time (the nurse said always come in after lunch) at Mercy’s urgent care center on Folsom, just east of Alhambra.  I did read this article about the importance of aesthetics in medical facilities: prettier, quieter places speed healing it seems.

Urgent care here fit the ugh-profile well: old furniture, peeling wood veneer, ugly, 80s wallpaper. Though I’m sure it was still clean, the antiquated look felt dirty too, especially where the aged showed in dings, peeling stickers, and tattered posters.

A nicer setting would be amazing and I believe it would make seeking medical help more pleasant and less scary, but I only want facilities to worry about it if it doesn’t increase costs. I don’t want more medi-cal patients going without healthcare because a doctor has to pay for the water feature in the waiting room, instead of covering what the state won’t reimburse.

But the care was speedy and the nurse was nice - I had my x-rays, found out there was no fracture and was sent home to do what I had been doing: ice, advil, and elevation.

By the way, if you’ve never thought about key-strokes per finger, you do, in fact, use your left ring-finger more than you might think in the average blog post. Time for more ice.

Check out the website for the 49er truck stop here in Sacramento, where the I-80 crosses the I-5. I was “blessed” with an opportunity to meet a friend there recently (longer, more convoluted story). And no, I was not purchasing drugs or a companion for the evening, but I suppose you could do that anywhere, even at Mikuni’s or Rick’s Dessert Diner–if you look hard enough for purveyors of such things.

As with all things truck stop like, I was concerned about the appointed meeting place so I looked it up on the web and was reassured. Seemed like a nice place–online. But it wasn’t AS nice and pretty as it is on the website. Overall, though, it wasn’t as bad as a truck stop might be. (I worked at one once when I was in my teens, back in the Dark Ages. Scary.) The staff was friendly and it reminded me of the Midwest–yes, right here within a few miles of the center of the city.
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I had some spare time after work before it got dark out (thanks, daylight savings time!) and decided to walk to my local library to pick up a book I’d requested online. This isn’t your childhood library: not only do they have a great selection of new books, they also carry DVDs and CDs. So, if you’re looking for some good, free entertainment in those last few days before payday, try your local library.

It is with great regret that I noticed the Unicef store on P Street is closing, and the shop has a sign “For Rent” in the window. The regret I feel is that I have walked by that store a thousand or more times in the last 8 or 9 years, thought it looked interesting, but never went in. If you’re at all like me, then no wonder they’re closing.

Meanwhile, the tattoo place next door to Unicef is still open. There is also a new tattoo shop open just down the street at 21st and P. It’s called…”The Royal Peacock”. Hmmm, decidedly fitting moniker.

But this prompts me to ask: how many tattoo shops can you have per square mile? Isn’t there a limit? (It’s one of those questions like ‘how many angels can you fit on the head of a pin?’) Don’t forget the body piercing/tattoo shop down here on 29th and S as well.

Here’s a novel idea (or not) for an all-in-one Midtown Shop Extravaganza: open a tattoo shop that sells gourmet coffee, hamburgers, and sushi. Massage and yoga available for extra. And maybe you can get a Britney (i.e. head shaving) while you wait.

This week I took someone to the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of Northern California located in East Sac on J Street. We were able to get in quickly because of a cancellation.

The reception staff is professional and the doctor we saw was very nice, very efficient. The clinic itself was fashionably “hip”, although I admit that the closest I personally get to hip is when I measure mine. I DO know that Britney Spears probably needs rehab or therapy, so I’m not that out of touch (By the way, has anyone seen baby #2? Why haven’t the tabloids done a ‘where’s baby2?’ cover yet?)

Back to our morning at the clinic, though… They do take insurance, and if you’re female, you’ll be happy to know that the entire medical staff appears to be female, from doctor to clerk. They are also very hush hush about patients–which is good, because you probably wouldn’t want your coworker to know you just went in for botox or collagen on your lunch break.
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Now that you need a passport to travel outside the U.S. (there are some exceptions for cruise & land trips to Canada & Mexico, but not for long), many people–myself included–will be lining up to renew or obtain a passport. Most people know that you can go to the Post Office to get one, but less known is Sacramento City Hall. I can’t guarantee the lines are any shorter than other places, but it’s local and for less than a hundred bucks you too can have a passport in time for that next trip to Cancun or Quebec.

It’s a little bit late to be a Christmas list, and a few days late to be a New Years list exactly, but here’s some things I’d like to see in Sacramento in 2007:

1. A privately financed arena for the Kings (at no cost to taxpayers)
2. A wider Tower Bridge for pedestrians
3. A better waterfront
4. A Rivercats return to glory
5. A livelier K Street
6. A safe, refurbished Tower Theatre (possibly one that sells beer)
7. A less kitschy Old Sacramento
8. A championship for the Kings (now I’m really dreaming, aren’t I?)
9. Expanded light rail service (maybe out to the airport?)
10. A suitable and reasonable replacement for Tower Records on Broadway (h/t to LA Metblog)

That’s all I got for now. There are probably lots more things I’d like to see for Sacramento in 2007, but I can’t think of them. Please feel free to add more of your own or take issue with my list.

Don’t even think about commenting on a post on their blogs, because you can’t. I was reading Mike Dunne’s blog over at SacBee.com and wanted to comment on one of his posts. I looked at their other blogs (Insider, 21Q, BeatNonStop, etc.) and realized none of them permit comments. What surprised me most about this is that you can comment on any of their stories on other parts of the site, including the weather, but never on a blog. Never. Can anyone rationalize that?

Feel free to comment about this post, or any posts on the Bee’s blogs for that matter, where your comments are always welcome.