Friday Five: My Tattoos!

I am no stranger to the tattoos. I have been a fan for over 10 years. However, I have not been inclined (most of the time) to just get a tattoo for the hell of it. Below is the story behind my tattoos and some really crappy pictures of some beautiful art. I have 6, but the last two are combined. Read on to find out why!

1. I got my first tattoo in Gatlinburg, TN when I was 18. The guy I was dating invited his father and his father’s girlfriend to go with us on vacation. The girlfriend decided she wanted a tattoo. She ended up getting a cartoon character made up to suit her job in the postal service. It was very cute. The father got something too. I remember it had something to do with Native American heritage but I don't remember exactly what it was anymore. While we were waiting around, my boyfriend’s father made us this offer: He would pay for us to get married while in Gatlinburg, or for both of us to get tattoos. My boyfriend had "proposed" a few months after we started dating. I opted for the tattoo immediately. I got a white tiger cub on my left shoulder that has blue eyes. 
2. A few months later, still 18 years old, I decided I wanted another one. I got a tribal butterfly that has a tiger looking through the wings on my lower back. Typical tramp stamp location. No real reason other than I had the money and time to waste. As a general rule, I don't hate my tattoos nor do I regret them. Though, until recently, this one has been the hardest one to keep covered in a work setting.
3. When I was 22, my brother and Dad decided they wanted new ink while they were in Alabama. I happened to be with them. I felt left out so I found a small tattoo kanji that supposedly means “wild” to go along with my two animal tattoos. I don’t know for certain that it means wild, but I hope it does. As time has went one, I have become unhappy with this one. It is very cramped and hard to see the details. If any of mine become candidates for a cover-up, this would be the one.
4. When I was 25, I got a turtle at the base of my neck. Turtles are my favorite animals. It took me weeks to find one that I liked. I ended up finding the design that looked right except for a stupid flower in its mouth. My tattoo artist took it out for me. I fell asleep while he did it and he woke me up by throwing a wet paper towel on my back. That night, I went to a concert at a bar to watch Cowboy Mouth. The drummer/singer, Fred LeBlanc, invited us to hang out after the show and he picked at me for not jumping around like a psychotic Chihuahua during the show. I explained that sweat was running down my neck and making my tat burn. He asked to see it, very innocent like. Then he poked it. I told him he was an asshole. :D
5. In June, I got a triquetra with an atypical rainbow shading on my right wrist. I got it in celebration of my first book coming out in March. The triquetra symbolizes qualities of 3, like the Holy Trinity in Christian religions and the Triple Goddess in some pagan religions. My triquetra symbolizes 3 qualities that are essential for a writer: passion, persistence, and patience. Yes, it is from Max Adler on The Glee Project last summer, but it just really resonated with me. And the atypical rainbow: what is more magical and appropriate for a fantasy writer than a rainbow? The “atypical” part is because I never do anything typical. Then, in July I got the words “Once Upon A Time” on my left wrist. This is the 2^nd part of my writing tattoo. Eventually, I would like to add to this one with an antique fountain pen, done in black and white, with a rainbow ink trail to match the triquetra.

Tiger Cub 

Tribal Butterfly 

Kanji "wild" 

Turtle 

Triquetra "Passion, Persistence, Patience"

"Once Upon A Time" 

Do you have any ink with a story? I'd love to hear it.

Love is love, no matter the back story. <3 DS