Well folks, there are still about 238 hours until kickoff, and it's been a couple years since the last one, so I thought I'd pass the time by discussing one of my on-again, off-again loves: epidermal enhancement, specifically in the form of tattoos. I currently (and much to my wife's chagrin) have five. Growing up, my neutral parents simply stated that if I wanted one, it shouldn't be offensive, and I need to be able to cover it up for my career. Those of you with none, I respect your decision & tastes, but like so many things in life, if you're firmly against them, don't bother asking me why I have mine, as you probably wouldn't understand anyway.
I got three in consecutive springs in college. The first is a tribal on my right upper arm. I really wanted a tattoo, didn't have something specific picked, so I looked through the portfolio of the local artist and ran with it. I've since (ten years later) added on a bit to make it more proportional to my arm, and added a wolf/dog's head to give it a bit more character and a personal flavor (I have siberian huskies). Tattoo #2 is a cross on my left upper arm. Tattoo #3 is an Irish claddagh on the middle of my back. I have to say, this was the least pleasant one I've gotten (spine, nerve clusters, muscles twitching involuntarily, just not fun), and it frankly took the desire for more out of me for some time. Conveniently, I had recently started dating my now-wife, who has none, and was opposed to them entirely, so it was a "mutual" decision that I wouldn't get any more.
However, as a Christmas gift a couple years ago, my wife and my aunt scheduled sessions for my uncle and I to get new ones. With a long delay until my appointment (wasn't until May), I had far more time to ponder what I wanted than the previous three designs. I opted to get a block O on my left shoulder blade. Just like that, the addiction was back in full force. I scheduled an appointment in the fall and added the Ohio state flag behind my block O. This year I added a harp on my left forearm. I've reached the point in my career & life where A. I don't really care what other people think about me, and B. it's frankly time for me to switch from short-sleeved polos to long-sleeved dress shirts anyway.
From time to time, I get on a kick and spend an hour looking at picture to get new ideas for future tattoos. No timeline in mind, but these include a pirate flag, a matching image with my three brothers (we're leaning towards each of us getting one of the four teenage mutant ninja turtles), something matching for my wife and me (in a holding pattern, haven't come up with anything of significance and the right level of classiness/subtlety), adding a shield to my cross, and a couple different quotes of personal significance. Your turn, what do you have, what do you want, what do you regret getting?
