Thursday's Tidbit

Tattoos! Do any of you have a tattoo (or tattoos)? I happen to have two - I'm a bit rebellious beneath this demure exterior. ;-) My first tattoo is a starfish on my left foot.

I got this tat one rainy day in Pacific beach, San Diego. I was 18, fresh out of the nest for my first year at UCSD. A friend and I were out for a drive, got lost, and in a whirl wind ended up at a well known tattoo parlor. It was a fun and exciting spur of the moment decision. This tat isn't so much about the image of the starfish, but about the freedom I felt for the first time in my life; it was about marking a significant and formative period of my life. Looking at it still makes me happy almost 10 years later. (yikes!)

My second tattoo is of a swallow on the back of my right hip.

I just got this tat last Sunday - four days ago. This one was a bit more thought out, after much discussion, I went to this local tattoo parlor with my friend Val. Sharing the experience of getting tattooed with a friend was really special (last time I was the only one getting tatted up, my friend did hold my hand though). It was exciting, and more painful than I remember, but I'm really glad we pulled the trigger and did it. I was drawn to this classic tattoo symbol for many personal reasons. Mostly though, I just wanted to mark this special time in my life. Like before, adding an exclamation point to this new chapter feels like a personal way to celebrate what's to come. 


I think my next tattoo (if I get another) will be after we have our first baby ... in a few years. But we'll see. 


Do any of you have tattoos? Did you feel the image was the important part? Or was it marking a significant chapter in your life? Tattoo stories are so fun, I'd love to hear yours.