My First Tattoo

A tattoo is a marking made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment for decorative or other reasons...at least that's what Wikipedia told me.  Everyone has their own reasons for wanting a tattoo and there is virtually no limit to what you can get.  For some people, tattoos are a form of self expression while for others, it's a way to rebel.  I know people that have tattoos with a rich & powerful meaning and some folks that wish they could have their marks removed.  The decision didn't come lightly and it's an experience I won't soon forget but after years of talking and thinking about it, I finally got my first tattoo.

the original drawing
done by my brother

A tattoo was something I'd always wanted to get but I was never sure what I wanted to get.  The ever-popular Chinese symbol was an option but it had been done by many before and really didn't hold much significance for me.  Furthermore, since I can't read Chinese and have no plans to learn it anytime soon, how could I be sure of the symbols significance.  We've all heard the story of someone wanting a tattoo that reads "Courage for Life" but ends up with "Cougars for Love".  Getting your child's name seemed a popular choice but since I don't have any kids of my own (at least that I know of), I figured that option could wait.  What piece of art meant enough to me to get permanently branded on my body?  Growing up, my little brother was always the more creative kid in the house.  While I was off playing one of the many sports I was involved with, he could be found creating something cool with blocks or inventing a new comic strip that my parent were sure would be the next hit for Marvel comics.  A few years back I found a piece of paper on my brothers desk with a new drawing I'd never seen before.  When I asked him about it, he downplayed his art, as usual, and told me it was just something he'd been goofing around with.  I fell in love with the character and have envisioned it as a sports team or business venture logo on multiple occasions.  When it came time to decide on a piece of art for my tattoo, a version of this character was the obvious choice.

the blank canvas...ok, so
this may not be my back but
it's pretty close  

Next was the question of location on my body.  While I salute Mike Tyson for getting a tattoo on his face, that spot was never in consideration for me.  I'm very proud and pleased with my tattoo but I'm also happy with my face, just the way it is.  Everyone I spoke with about getting a tattoo was kind enough to give their suggestions and the list included virtually every part of the body.  One friend had a unique suggestion but I had to ask, why in the world would you get a tattoo on the shaft of your penis and do you need to stay erect for the procedure?  Having to worry about what it looks like when your either soft or hard wasn't a concern I needed.  I decided to pass on the genital tattoo since I wanted to share my art with people and have long since retired from my public exhibitionist days.  I wanted my first tattoo in a place that was partially private but would also be easy to share when I did want to show it off.  The short list became my right calf, my left pectoral or between my shoulder blades.  I'm not an overly hairy dude so I'm proud of my chest hair.  Continuously having to shave my chest so I could see the tattoo didn't sound like a good plan..so the left pectoral was out.  Unlike one of my best friends, my back is pretty much hair-free and it provided a nice canvas for my first tattoo with enough room for adding to the art later.  The right calf remained a strong candidate but with a good size scar already on my right hip thanks to a broken femur, the back jumped into first place.  We now had a design & a location.

getting my tattoo...a moment when
she wasn't going over my spine

On Friday October 1, I decided it was time to "shit or get off the pot".  I knew what I wanted tattooed, I knew where on my body I wanted the tattoo and finally, I'd found a place that I was comfortable going to get the tattoo done...it was time to step up, spend the money and get permanently branded.  I chose New Tribe Tattooing & Piercing.  I wasn't too picky about my tattoo artist because I already had the design and simply needed someone to "put ink to skin".  New Tribe had a good reputation in the city and was close enough to my home that if I chickened out, I was only a 5 minute run back to the apartment.  My appointment was scheduled for 3:30 in the afternoon and after only about 30 minutes on the table, I had my first tattoo!  The procedure was relatively pain free compared to breaking ones femur (I'll share that story in a blog post down the road) but I will admit to squirming big time when the tattoo was being done over my spin.  The tattoo is a version of the character my brother created with a few minor changes to personalize it for me...a soccer ball & hockey stick to showcase my passion for sports and a foamy pint of beer in cheers to family & good friends.  My first tattoo is done and, much to my mom's dismay, it likely won't be my last.

my first tattoo