Ink

Mistress Nightengale and Mistress Urban stepped up and subjected themselves to the permanence of ink during Palooza 2007. I cannot even begin to tell you how much I enjoyed being in the tattoo parlor. There is something about the artsy decor and the sound of the needles humming in the background that really speak to me. It took a lot of self control to not get another tattoo while I was there.

After I got my first tattoo, and I now say first because I most definitely will ink again, I thought I would never get one again. I got one for the experience of it. I had no idea of what I wanted and spent a few hours looking through all the books to figure out what it would be. I have an egyptian protection symbol, the eye of horus, on my lower back. It has no significance to me, other than it is a tattoo that I thought looked cool. My neighbors and I all got one together, back when I turned 30. For the hell of it.

Coworkers I had at the time, who were inked all up and down their bodies, said it was addictive and that I would get another. I laughed and said it would never happen. I wasn't one of "those kind of people". But maybe I am.

The permanence of it appeals to me. In this day and age, everything is set up to be so easily disposable and temporary. Marriages, electronics, appliances, games, friendships. It seems that people are so eager to try new things, but not commit to them for the long haul. Go ahead and buy that, but don't get too attached because a better one will be available next year. Go ahead and get married, if you don't like it you can get it annulled later. A lack of commitment? I don't know. It kind of harshes my mellow.

I suppose a tattoo, in its small way, is a reminder to me that there are things that are permanent and that we can choose to commit to them. A symbol. And I like that.