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This podcast episode was published on 8/22/2019, which would have been Crazy Philadelphia Eddie's 83rd birthday!  I will be raising a two glasses for you, my good friend!  We sure do miss you!

Crazy Philadelphia Eddie had so M e gypsy blood pumping through his pirate heart. If he had some spare supplies, extra flash, and e bit of bank roll, he would stake a claim anywhere. This time, it was San Francisco.

Eddie was willing to explore new areas to open a shop. Some of them made a mint, some of the shops struggled.

Crazy Philadelphia Eddie explains that the ground he built his business shifted on him. It is hard to compete with the oldest profession in the world.

This is the second half of Eddie's story about sitting in at Bob Shaw's tattoo shop in Long Beach, California.  Eddie's experience at Bob's shop was a turning point in Eddie's career.  Eddie used to say that when he walked with Bob Shaw, tattooers would always stop him and ask Bob questions.  Eddie pointed this out to Bob, and Bob replied, "One day, Eddie, they will be stopping you when you walk by, and they will ask you the same questions."  If you are listening to these podcasts, I consider you a friend, and I hope that you are lucky enough to find a mentor like Bob Shaw.

Crazy Philadelphia Eddie had older tattooers in New York City that taught him what they knew about tattooing, and he and friends would experiment with the techniques they learned.  Through trial and error, and with pure enthusiasm, they pushed themselves to be better tattooers.  However, upon meeting Bob Shaw, Eddie found a mentor who helped him foster a professionalism that elevated his tattooing skills.

Even if everything in your life looks perfect, be very wary of the ones close to you that may want to pull the rug out from under you.  When they start to pull the rug, grab your hammer and start swinging!  Check for rattles!