blogger profile

Renee CK

writer, editor, tweetable http://twitter.com/chicskirt

I'm a fun girl who's on a quest to figure it all out. I'm cynical but living the dream- I'm not sure how that happened exactly. Follow along in my blog for fun, mayhem, and merriment. There's never a dull day! (Or, go download my book!)...

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The Story of a Lifetime

does your ink say who you are

Thing to know about me:  I’ve been called a bad influence.  I was called a bad influence after taking my bff to get her nose pierced.  I’m sure the same person probably blames me for the green vine growing up her leg and ending in a beautiful dragonfly complete with celtic knot wings.  I may live in the suburbs, but I do not lead a typical suburban life. Yes, I can find a place to get you drunk, inked, pierced, and talk you into road trips.

Bff had her tattoo done at home.  I know, you’re kinda freakin’ out.  But calm down.  She had it done by a guy who owns a shop in Michigan and brings all his stuff when he travels to Georgia to see his daughter.  It was nice being at bff’s, able to get her some pain meds, a blanket, something to nosh on in the 4 1/2 hour process.  In fact, the drawing of it took 1 1/2 hours.  I had just started my former job with a small minded boss and decided to go check in on the progress during my lunch hour.  The drawing process ended just in time for us to have to go get the kids from school.  Our other friend who was with us left and this being bff’s first tat, I didn’t want to leave her alone during the inking.  It was a slow day at the office so I called to ask if I might stay a bit longer.  When I told boss what I was doing, she asked “she’s doing what?” Me: “getting a tattoo”  Boss: “Where?”  Me: “On her foot and leg, remember I told you-” Boss: “No, yeah, but where are you?”  Me: “Oh!  We’re at bff’s house.”  Boss: “Who is doing a tattoo at someone’s house?” Me: “Oh.  It’s a guy we found on the side of the road.  Apparently he just got out of jail and learned some mad skills while in the big house.”  Boss: gasping for air.  Boss never did get my humor.  Give me some credit. I’m not going to get a tattoo from someone who I don’t trust or let anyone get one from someone with a “will tat for sex” sign. 

Anywho! Time and circumstances being what they were, I decided to postpone my tat work.  Then it was summer and you have to wait for the (self inflicted) wound to heal during which time it can’t be in pool or lake water, and I’m in the pool and lake a lot in the summer.  I decided that I’d have the guy over and we’d do a tattoo party sometime this fall.  Anyone who wants to come can stop in during the day and get their work done.  I still need to coordinate that since I don’t know when this guy is coming back to town.

My friend asked me yesterday when we’re having the party.  Oh, cool, she wants work done on her ivy ankle bracelet.  Yeah, but she wants her husband to have the devil on his shoulder done over and made into a heart.  WHAT?!  SHE wants?  There are a few of us who are wanting to see him get an angel on the other arm.  But no. She doesn’t like the devil (which predates her) so he needs to get it covered and their daughter’s name put in it. 

To me, that is just plain wrong.  I do not think anyone has any right to tell anyone else what their ink should be.  Influence it, yeah.  Give them ideas, okay.  Get matching ones, sure.  But tell someone what to get is like telling them what to wear.  It's just wrong.  Tattoos tell who you are and no one can tell you who you are, not even your wife who is sick of waking up to a devil blinking at her. (And, of course, I'm sure the devil was simply adorable in the dating phase of their life...that's another blog for another day.)  I have an apple yin yang on my inner ankle that is from the period in my life when I was going to be a teacher.  I still love the yin yang, but the apple doesn't tell who I am anymore.  I'm considering having it incorporated into something else, but might just leave it the way it was to remind me of where I've come from. 

For the record, my next tattoo is this.

The colors are the colors of the chakras, the heart is made up of the initials of my son and daugher’s names, and it will go between my shoulder blades- over the spine, the communication center of the body and over the heart chakra.  It’s all me. The fact that my bff designed it from the sketch I had of it (she has her degree in art) makes it all the more special to me.

Yep, body art is a personal choice.  I will take you there and give you my input, but I will not tell you what to get.  And, I think that anyone trying to dictate what someone puts on their body purely because it suits their wishes, not the person wearing it, is wrong.  It’s like putting Elton John in a pair of jeans.  They may fit, but they just ain’t right!

Enjoy!
Renee