Act 10: Get a Tattoo

For a while, I was under the impression that there was a certain window in a person's life where it was "acceptable" to get a tattoo.  If pressed, I'd have to say that it was probably during college, but most definitely in the 20's.  And certainly not something a grown ass woman (GAW) should be doing.  I was always kind of interested in getting something, but there was nothing I felt strongly about enough to get it permanently emblazoned on my body.   That, and it looked like it would hurt.  I had visions of me going to get inked and crying my eyes out - unable to stand the pain and chickening out with it half done.  (Just like Phoebe did on Friends.)



 Still, the idea kept coming back to me again and again.  So when I started to make my list, "Get a tattoo" was in the top 10. It took me forever to make up my mind.  A quote wouldn't work because it would have to be too big.  I didn't want anything in color.  I didn't want anything too cutesy.  Or pretentious.  I wanted something meaningful, but not too abstract.  I collected images for about 2 years, agonizing on just the right thing.  And then, once you decide WHAT to get, I had to figure out WHERE to get it.  Blah, blah, blah.  It was exhausting!!!

I finally got some clarity when I broke down and consulted an actual tattoo artist.  T.J.  at Dogstar Tattoo was so helpful!  First, he very subtlely and gently steered me away from the cliches.  He also advised me to go commit to something - no hidden messages or anything like that.  If it's important enough to put it on your body, it's important enough to be visible.  Finally, he advised me on body placement - what wears well and what doesn't, what will hurt more than something else.  He very patiently answered every question I had and asked me a few very insightful ones that helped direct me toward figuring out what it was I really wanted.

I pondered it for a few more days.  I sifted through my pinboards.  I looked at a WHOLE BUNCH of tattoo photos.  I tried to piece together elements of stuff that I liked, but nothing spoke to me.  That is until I stumbled upon the VERY FIRST photo I downloaded way back when I first started thinking about doing this.

I made an appointment with Meldy, and suddenly, it was on!

Ready to rock and roll!

It was not nearly as painful as I anticipated.

For the record, that's excitement - not pain.

Voila!  The finished product!

I settled on a variation of a symbol which - very appropriately - means "Courage."  (Well, "courage" or "I'm easier than I look."  My Celtic scholar wasn't 100% certain.  Eh.  Details.)

  The swirly design mirrors a doodle that I have been doing for years.  To me, it symbolizes the endless thinking, considering, pondering, fretting - round and round - that I am prone to.  But the two points reminds me that there comes a time when you have to have the courage to stop thinking and start doing.  It was the perfect metaphor for this whole experiment.

And I didn't even cry!