I've always wanted to get a tattoo...but I'm chicken. I have no judgment about tattoo art, in fact I think it is really cool, but needles and pain...yeah...I can't get past them.
When I was in my 20's I was hanging out with a couple of friends from college and they determined they were going to get tattoo'd. Off they went, leaving me in the dust, to the big bad tattoo parlor. One, we'll call her Swede, she picked out a small monochromatic Chinese symbol. If I had the guts to do it, it is exactly the kind of thing I'd pick out. The other, one of the smartest women I have ever met, we'll call her Cat, she picked out a much different style piece of art.
Not exactly this...but "in the style of..." When she showed me her leg, I thought she was goofing around. I believe my exact words were, "Too funny Cat - so you chickened out and used a rub-on from a cereal box?"
Um. No.
It was permanent. This woman was a CPA in a very conservative auditing firm. I envisioned she would be wearing opaque tights in July.
Fast forward ten years. We all return to our old college town (Can I get a shout out for Geneseo NY?!) and these same two women, who should obviously NOT be allowed to hang together decide to tattoo again. {They don't look like troublemakers do they? For reference Swede on right, Cat on left.}Now we are in our 30s...supposedly older and wiser. Well the Swede decides to go wild on us and gets a stripper tattoo across the small of her back. Again, if I had her bod and her guts, something I'd secretly like to do.
Cat? Yeah. This smart, attractive, successful woman got her funk on and decided to get another tatt...on her ass this time.
I'm NOT kidding. Apparently she was dating a guy with a roadrunner car? She was afraid if she tattoo'd his name or initials on and they broke up she'd be stuck with it. So SHE? decided this would be better.??????
I love Cat. She? is a trip. And I'm happy to report, after a short breakup, she and her roadrunner are getting married this October. But the tattoo will not bear witness to this event. In fact neither will the dolphin. Because she has spent a few thousand dollars getting these two $50 tatts removed with laser treatments.
So you tell me - who has the bigger regrets?
That I never got the tattoo?
Or that she made choices that she later undid?
I'd say me.
Because at least she went out and tried it.
You Go Cat.
14 comments:
Oh honey -- I am too chicken and even though I appreciate and share your "take life by the throat and run with it" attitude, have you seen a tattoo on 60 year old skin? It is not pretty.
Why don't you spend the several thousand dollars that you don't have to set aside for tatttoo removal, use it to climb a big mountain (or fulfill some other crazy dream), and then you won't be a chicken anymore!
you can share "thurston", my peace frog tattoo that I got freshman nyear of college. The stretch marks only make it appear more dignified (riiight), and LP likes to point to it when she potty trains me.
I've always tried to live a life without regrets. It has gotten me into trouble before. None if which I regret. Just learning experiences. I am glad I did every single stupid thing.
I have one tattoo that I got when I married my husband. He has a matching one. It is totally abstract but it means something to us. And I got it where I am less likely to "stretch".
The people who get them on their boobs or stomach are ridiculous. Seriously, do you think it's going to look like that in even ten years? Twenty? Not something I would want to see, especially on myself.
This is one of my favorite posts of yours ever. I like surprise endings, and you surprised me.
I am considered quite conservative, so I shocked the hell out of many (especially the guys at the tattoo parlor) when I showed up for a navel piercing. I've always been way too "chicken" for a tattoo though, worried way too much what it would look like in my sagging years.
Thank you!! I've been to several tatoo parlors with friends and have my commitment issues that limit me. They get them, but I don't. Thanks for reminding me I'm not alone.
I got one when My Hubby and I got married, too... also in a place that's not likely to stretch. And it means a lot to me.
But, oh... sister! Was it painful. I'm not nearly as worried about the permanence of the ink as I am worried about the pain that needle inflicts. :)
That's why I like my tattoo and it's location. A 2 inch angel fish on my left shoulder blade. Granted I blacked out while getting the tattoo, but I did it.
I think it speaks well of you that you didn't get it. And, if you do ever get one you should get it below panty-line so that only someone 'special' gets to see it.
Very funny. I'm another Geneseo buddy with 2 tats - one like Swede's on my shoulder and a really stupid cupid on my upper right butt cheek. The Stupid Cupid was first and the Chinese symbol for "peace" was second - gotten only to make up for the moronic look of the cupid. Now, 20 years later, I pretty much regret them both though at times I want to get another, and another...
Hi.
I've been having trouble leaving you comments lately, which is a shame because they've been very clever.
Tattoos are forever. I wouldn't get one. And according to friends of mine, it does hurt!
My daughter has a tattoo, but I'd don't think that I ever would. However, when I was in college my boyfriend and his buddy had themselves branded with a branding iron and dry ice.
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