Tattoos

I was the good kid in school, straight A valedictorian, so when I ame home my sophomore year of college with a tattoo, everybody thought I had gone wild. I hadn't. People get tattoos for different reasons: drunken stupidity, puppy love, symbolism, rebellion, art. I got mine for two reasons: 1) It meant something to me, 2) It's an amazing art form. Every time I have gotten a tattoo, it has stood for something important in my life. So, at times, I resent when people judge me because of the ink on my body. Yet, I find myself judging others with tattoos at the same time. Usually it's "I wonder how drunk he/she was when he/she got that one." But, really, who am I to judge.

My first tattoo was a line of poetry on my right forearm. "I feel my fate in what I cannot fear" a line from Theodore Roethke's "The Waking." It spoke to me because it reminded me that I can't be afraid of who I am or what I will do in life. I was just coming to terms with the fact that I was gay and that I was going to live past the age of nineteen. I needed it somewhere that I could see it every day, so I wouldn't give up.

Tattoo number two was a tree in the middle of my back. That, too, came from poetry, a stanza from "Who goes with Fergus" by William Yeats. There were three images in there that struck me and I plan to get all of them on my back. Tattoo number three was image 2 of 3, a flaming star on my right shoulder blade. These two reminded me, again, to be brave. It also connected to me to the beauty of nature, which has always been important in my life.

My last tattoo was the celtic knot for sisterhood on my left wrist. My sister and I got one together. Now we always have a tie, whether we want to or not.

If you're going to get a tattoo, make sure it means something. Don't get something you'll want to get burned off in a couple years down the road. If you get a symbol or a different language, make sure it means what you think it means.

Picking a tattoo artist and a place are also important. Ask to see their portfolios, pictures of tattoos or art that they have done. Make sure they have Red Cross certification that says they went through a course and they know how to properly handle blood and needles. You don't want a sloppy or messy tattoo artist. Make sure the shop is clean too. If the shop is clean, the needles will be clean. And make sure you're comfortable. If you're freaked out by the atmosphere than your body will be tense and if your body is tense, then the tattoo is going to hurt a lot more than it would if you were relaxed.

Here in Columbia, there are a lot of great tattoo shops with excellent artists. Personally, I've only ever been to Hollywood Rebel Tattoo on 10th street. The shop is clean, well lit, and the rooms are private so you don't have people staring at you while you get jabbed with a needle. There prices are reasonable as well. Touch ups are free, so if you accidentally scratch a scab off and lose some of your color, they will fix, no problem.

Kyle M. did my first tattoo and he has an excellent portfolio. Katie has done my other tattoos and as long as she works there, I will get my tattoos from her. She has the least experience as a tattoo artist but she has a good portfolio and she makes me the most comfortable. My tree was complicated, and Celtic knots are some of the hardest to do, but she did an excellent job.

So, why this long rant about tattoos? Because I got mine touched up yesterday and they are still a little sore and it was on my mind. Last bit of advice, take some tylenol beforehand.