Thursday, July 20, 2006

Tattoo Intervention

I want another tattoo. Like, right now.

Tattoos are addictive. Anyone with one or two (or more) will tell you this.

I have never regretted any of mine. They are discreet, feminine, tasteful and they all mean something to me.

I have an idea for a tattoo but it's going to be intricate and expensive. I want JUST the right artist for this one so I'll have to wait on that one. That's ok. I'm not in a hurry.
I've seen so many people with tattoos in the inside of their wrists and I love it.
That's where I want to get one, NOW.
Some people think it's trashy to get a tattoo so close to the hand like that.
However, I like the idea of being able to wear a cuff bracelet to cover it up.

I'm not the tattoo-looking sort of girl. I can dress so every tattoo is covered and if I told a person who just met me that I have 5 tattoos, I'd have to show it to them to proof it. They usually don't believe me.

I don't know why I love tattoos. I waited until I was 26 to get my first one. I didn't really even plan it, but I knew in the back of my mind that I would get a tattoo at some point.
I always thought I was too fat so I told myself if I lost weight and became skinny, I'd get a tattoo as a reward. Well...I'd die waiting, so one day when I was entertaining friends from out of state, we decided to go into a tattoo shop on The Strand in Galveston and I made the decision then and there to get my first tatt.

Now, five tattoos later, I am not done.
I like being able to express who I am through the tattoos. A few represent what was going on in my life at the time so it's almost like a little timeline on my body.

Anyway...I'm trying to talk myself out of a wrist tattoo. I think it's cute on other people, I just don't know how I'll like it on myself.

I hate to say this, as a 34 year old, independent woman but another deciding factor is my mother.
She absolutely HATES tattoos and each time I've gotten one, I've had to endure the lectures and the disapproving glares.
I was raised to respect my elders, especially my parents so I listen, nod, tell her this is the last one and just do whatever the hell I want.
The wrist tattoo will be hard to ignore for her. I, also, think she's a little ashamed of me with all my tattoos.
She always asks for her birthday and mothers day for us to attend church with her. I am the only one who has a dress code.
I have to wear long pants and my hair down. She doesn't want me showing my tattoos in church.
I'm not that much of an angry rebel to wear a skirt or capris and my hair up to openly defy her.
I just laugh and follow her orders. It's HER birthday after all.
But...it bothers me to think she's ashamed of me. It's not her fault. It's just the generation she grew up in. Only biker sluts and trashy whores had tattoos back in her day. She knows that the attitudes toward people with bodyart has changed, it's just hard for her to accept it on her own child. She also truly believes that I'm making a huge mistake and will regret it when I get older.
I continuously tell her that these are not decisions I've made as a young person. I have waited long enough to make a commitment that I know I can live with. But she still sees me as a little girl sometimes.

I feel like if she starts to yell or lecture me on this next tattoo, I might have to get a little harsh.
It's my life, my body and my decision to make.

She'll get mad at me, but she'll get over it.

Now...the next question is...what kind of design will I get?

PS: Maybe I should sell space on my body for commercial tattoos. A company or individual can purchase space for a logo or an advertisement. Shit. I could probably fit a billboard on my ass!
Hmm...great idea. I think I like it!