19 January 2009

All Inked Up


So...after at least 15 years of talking about it (yes, it was really that long...at the minimum), I finally did it. I made a decision, and got a tattoo.

Every year around Christmas time, I get a bug in my bonnet, so to speak, about figuring out what I want and getting it put on my body. It wasn't fear that held me back...rather, a total lack of decision-making mechanisms. I had gone into a ton of shops here in SF, one year with my cousin in tow, to find an artist and perhaps some inspiration. Each time, I came out empty handed.

This year, I was in a funk and needed to make some changes. I made a decision on what I wanted -- a climbing, flowering vine on my foot, originally with a hummingbird -- and went to talk to a few artists.

I got the total crazy eyes from one place; largely, I think, because I don't necessarily look the tattoo part. Which, let me just say...the hairy eyeballs I encountered over the years when I walked into shops shows a judgmental side that I don't really like. You never know what a person is really like, or into, until you talk to them. How did these folks know I didn't have ink all over my body, beneath my clothes? Just because my hair isn't in the Betty Page hipster style, and I don't wear skinny jeans and ill-fitting tops from second hand stores, does not mean anything. I get so tired of the judgmental people here in SF (and this sounds like I am judging, but really, I don't care what you look like, just how you treat me and others...my friends run the gamut of looks/styles).

Anyhoodle, I didn't feel comfortable in any of the shops, so I continued my search. I found out about this shop in kind of a random neighborhood (for a tattoo shop). I walked in, and immediately the front desk guy came up, talked to me, didn't give me a weird look, answered all my questions...basically didn't make me feel like the idiot every other shop had. I actually made an appointment for the next day, and put a deposit down...there was no turning back now!

I was completely nervous about the pain. When I went in, the artist repeatedly told me it was going to hurt, I would flinch...just warning me (especially since this was my first one!). He drew up the beautiful drawing you see in the pick, and got to work. And, I have to say...didn't really hurt. Hardly at all. It is on top of my foot, where there is no fat, and it just was a minor annoyance. It has been three weeks now, and the whole process has been too easy, I swear. Not much pain, and after, it just felt like a sunburn...and since then, no scabbing, no nothing. Whoo-hoo.

And...I love it. LOVE IT. It is surprising, kind of peeks out from my shoes, and is a little unexpected. It looks awesome in my shoes, and is exactly what I wanted (dainty, girly, pretty...I think my artist thought I was a looney toon). Of course, I immediately started planning my next one, which will also be beautiful. But...so many people seem to get their firsts on their backs or hips, which is great, but I love that mine is in a place where I can admire it regularly, which I do.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love it! I turned out great. It's very seductive and mysterious, you know? And I am surprised it didn't hurt!

annie said...

Thanks!
I agree, i find it pretty sexy (if I do say so myself)...the shoes I am wearing in the pic really help. And trust me, no one was more surprised than me that it didn't hurt much!