I miss my in ink buried arms. I let people write their names on my arms to find me on Facebook, and I let someone draw on me. So my arms were covered in memories, but ink doesn’t stay forever. Ink fades away. Now I have naked arms, with only a very small sign of earlier fun. When searching for fitting pictures for a school job today, I ended up on a site about tattoos, with all these people sending in pics of their tattoos, full of emotional meanings and memories.
I want a tattoo. Inspired by all these tattoos, I draw a small feather in the curve of my left arm (I’m right-handed, that’s why) and I was very contented. Feathers are not at all original. While being taped to the screen, I saw many tattoos passing by, and many of them passed by several times. I’m talking of ‘Lights will guide your way home’, ‘Breathe’, ‘Love’, ‘This too shall pass’, feathers and hearts. Even dream catchers and birds are used quite often. But if I ever decide to get myself a tattoo, I want something unique. Something I draw or wrote myself, you know. Something that is me.
But what will it be? Where? Somewhere I can hide it when needed. Not on my face or wrists. It has to disappear when it has to. Next to that: what will happen to the tattoo when I grow old and maybe fat? I don’t want it to deform when my body changes. But there’s goo news: you can have a tattoo in white ink! Very subtle. But do I want it to be subtle.
I want a tattoo. I want it to remind me of this period of my life, in which I’m young and beautiful and good things happen. But before I have decided what I’ll put on my body for ever and always, I’ll be old and averse to ink-on-skin.
Beautiful bird, but so big... But so beautiful...
There is a light that never goes out.
The Smiths!
That's a good one- regretless, for me. But maybe it'll remind me of how useless regret is!
All pics via http://rodeo.net/ .
No Blog Intended 
Addie
/ May 1, 2012You mentioned my mentioning having tattoos–each of mine has a meaning. On my wrist is a something I’ve said to Bud and Anne all their lives. Under my hair it says, [Patent Pending],
one hip has a quarter moon with L&K wrapped around it (for love and kisses), and the other hip bears a beautiful spare Japanese fan. The Japanese writing should (hopefully) say ‘hope’ ‘love’ ‘joy’ ‘believe’. Or, it says, “This is a three razor job”. Either way, it means something to me. 🙂
No Blog Intended
/ May 1, 2012Yes, it was a strange coincidence that I read that about you today! I think that a tattoo with a meaning will never bore you, will it? Have they changed since you’ve got them? How did you decide to get them? Tell me more! 🙂
El Guapo
/ May 1, 2012Hope you can find one you like. My girl has a nice one by her ankle.
George Schulz has tiger on his ass.
The possibilities are endless!
(Just make sure you get a tattoo artist who know how to spell!)
(My friends kid didn’t, and has a massive misspelled forearm tattoo.)
No Blog Intended
/ May 1, 2012That is the most painful thing I can think of! Something wrongly spelled or ugly that will rest forever! Imagine :).
Lily
/ May 1, 2012I love looking at other people’s tattoos, but I don’t think I would ever get one myself. I think I would get bored of it after a while. I love The Smiths one, “There is a light that never goes out” lovely! You should do one of The Cure lyrics that you like!
No Blog Intended
/ May 1, 2012I’m listening to the Cure right now to find a great quote actually! Yes, I’m quite scared of getting bored too, that’s why I want it to have a meaning. Maybe I’ll like it forever then!
mgert123
/ May 1, 2012http://www.twloha.com/ Your post reminds me of this great cause To Write Love on Her Arms. My daughter has “Gravity” on her wrist to remind her of the reality of being grounded to life.
No Blog Intended
/ May 1, 2012That sounds great… I want something similar, something that represents my character or that reminds me of something – much like the ‘regretless’ tattoo. But first I have to find something fitting!
mykingdomforadress
/ May 1, 2012I like tattoos 🙂 I’ve also been anti-tattoo for quite some time, but after my au pair year in Sweden, things changed 😀 I have 2 now, but I’m pretty sure I’ll get some more! I sort of like the idea of white ink, too.. but it looks a wee bit like scars… as if you cut it into your skin 😀
No Blog Intended
/ May 1, 2012Yes, the effect is somewhat different… I don’t want people to think I cut it in my arms :)!
What kind of tattoos do you have?
mykingdomforadress
/ May 2, 2012http://mykingdomforadress.wordpress.com/2012/02/24/sverige-on-my-sleeve/ and http://mykingdomforadress.wordpress.com/2012/03/02/tgif/ 🙂
No Blog Intended
/ May 2, 2012I like them both, I really like them! Do you think you’ll ever regret it?
mykingdomforadress
/ May 2, 2012um, I don’t think so. if at all, maybe the one on the wrist, just because it can be difficult to cover up.
A Gripping Life
/ May 1, 2012Okay, I’ll be the voice for anti tattoo. You are too beautiful to mar your body with some permanent marking. You can’t guild the Lily, you are exquisite the way you are. Do people put bumper stickers on a Rolls Royce or a Mercedes Benz? No. How awful that would look! Tattoos detract from the beauty that God gave you. They NEVER enhance. Have you ever seen an older woman with a tattoo? Gross. Sorry for being so opinionated.
RESIST THE URGE!!!!!
No Blog Intended
/ May 1, 2012Welcome, critical voice! Welcome admist the lovers!
From some point of view, you are right. But by saying what you say, you also disapprove of make up, earrings, hair cuts, jewelry of all kind? I’m not sure if I’ll resist the urge due to what you say, Lisa. Try to convince me more!
A Gripping Life
/ May 1, 2012Those other adornments are not permanent, outside of the small hole needed for earrings but even they can close in time. I know many people who regret their tattoos. tattoo removal is painful, expensive and leaves marks. Would Grace Kelly or Princess Diana have gotten a tattoo. Better to be timeless and full of grace and class than be spontaneous and live with regret.
maybe get someone to draw something with a permanent marker on you and see how you like it? give it a trial run. I’m happy I resisted.
A Gripping Life
/ May 1, 2012Maybe being without a tattoo is your tattoo? Clean, untouched, nowadays- different.
No Blog Intended
/ May 1, 2012There, that is convincing! I want to be unique – that’s for sure. I know it’s for always, that’s what holds me back. But if it’s somehwere you can hide it, isn’t that good either then?
A Gripping Life
/ May 1, 2012Why get one if you’re going to hide it? what’s the point? Get the words to the Cure song printed on a tee shirt and wear it around when you need to express that sentiment/feeling.
El Guapo
/ May 1, 2012Lisa makes great points, and I don’t quite disagree with her. but in the end, if you do get one, get it because it really is what you want, and not because you think it measures up to a standard of cool.
I wear a plastic medallion on a piece of line around my neckwhich looks ridiculous, but says something specifically about me (aside from the fact that I have no fashion sense). If you do get a tat, do it because you have some burning need for that that transcends the fads of the moment.
Lisa is absolutely right. Otherwise, you’ll have a permanent reminder of a temporary feeling. (Unlike Addie, who sounds like she chose significant-to-her tattoos)
No Blog Intended
/ May 2, 2012That’s what causes my eternal doubts. But I believe that if you choose something with a meaning, it will stay good. I can understand all of your opinions, and I share all of your thoughts. Knowing myself, I will never get one, just because I’ll always be afraid that one day, I won’t like it anymore, or that it won’t look good anymore…
A Gripping Life
/ May 1, 2012I whole heartedly agree with my friend El Guapo. This is a permanent mark on your beautiful body. It should be worthy of that permanence. You’re body is a temple, I can’t think of anything I want to permanently mark mine with…?
Addie
/ May 4, 2012Mine are very personal, and, visible only to me (since no one sees me naked except my doctor). It was a long thought out process, and not one I’d recommend lightly. They are called permanent for a reason.
No Blog Intended
/ May 4, 2012But you’re a great example of great tattooing, so I’ll keep you in mind.