For literally the better part of two decades, I've had two ideas for tattoos that, if I were going to get a tattoo, I'd get.
The first is the cover of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn with a two of hearts playing card being used as a bookmark. I want to play off the following cover.
Does anyone remember the song "She Can't Be Really Gone" by Tim McGraw? There's a verse in the song that goes:
… Her book is lying on the bed
The two of hearts to mark her page
Now who could ever walk away at chapter twenty one
So she can't be really gone
The two of hearts to mark her page
Now who could ever walk away at chapter twenty one
So she can't be really gone
In high school I had a friend named Kim who died in a car accident and they played this song at her funeral. There were tangible pieces of Kim all over the place. She wrote "Kim's brithday" (complete with that exact misspelling) on one of our teacher's desk calendars, there was a cartoon she drew for me hanging in my locker, and there was just a missing place in our lives. That's why the two of hearts playing card.
So the tattoo would look like sort of like this, but not quite because I'm too cheap to actually pay for the AI generator:
I have an image in my head of the sort of watercolor-y nature of the image of Francie.
Anyway, I'd obviously put this on my right thigh.
The second tattoo idea is that I'd get a teeny tiny BGSU Falcon on my right outer ankle.
Do you have tattoos? What are they? If you don't, do you have ideas, regardless of if you'll ever actually get one or not?
I'll never get a tattoo because there are too many decisions involved and it's permanent, so it's too much pressure. Plus getting it done and taking care of it afterwards sounds like a process that I would not enjoy. But to answer your question, I think I would get a tattoo of a German Shepherd on my arm and then I would always wear short sleeves.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I do like other people's tattoos and I think that sleeves are gorgeous.
Ha ha ha re: permanency. I had a discussion with my hair stylist about how I don't have anything too permanent in my life. I don't have tattoos, children, and I didn't even change my name when I got married. I could up and leave with my dog and cat at any time. She was disturbed by my wanting to have an out at any time. I should probably reflect more about what that says about me.
DeleteI have zero tattoos and plan to keep it that way. It's definitely a case of "you do you" - but I have to admit I am pretty anti-tattoo in terms of how they look. But the rest of the world seems to disagree with me because tattoos are EVERYWHERE. I just can't imagine being...like 70...with a neck tattoo or arm sleeve? Also, I find them so distracting if someone is dressed up? Like a gorgeous cocktail dress and then a random smattering of tattoos looks so jarring to me. But, again, they're everywhere so maybe I'm missing something?
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to think of what I'd want to get tattooed and I'm coming up empty.
I love the look of sleeves to be honest. But I agree with you that tattoos in fancy dress are a bit jarring. Eh. It's not for me, but sometimes I wish it were!
DeleteI do not have any tattoos and would never get one! And I can't think of anything I would want on my body permanently! A good friend of mine got tattoos with her sisters. They each have 3 small triangles on the inside of their arm with one shaded in for their birth order (so oldest has the first one shaded, middle has middle shaded, baby has the last one shaded). It is very discrete so I do like her tattoo - yet, I would never want one!
ReplyDeleteThere are some really great tattoos out there! I love this triangle tattoo. I bet it's lovely. I think we're on the same page - I like the idea, but will never get one!
DeleteMy main reason not to get a tattoo is that I am a total wimp for pain, so I just couldn't do it! But the second reason would be the impossibility of deciding what to get, and where. I have seen some that I really loved but nothing enough to overcome the first part.
ReplyDeleteYour book and card one is a lovely idea. I wonder if you could find an artist to draw it for you, not for a tattoo but something to frame and put up on the wall?
That is such a good idea, friend! I don't know why it never occurred to me to get that image commissioned by an artists and just put it up as a print. It doesn't have to be on my body. I'm going to look into that.
DeleteI love your idea for a tattoo (well, both of them, but especially the first one) but I'm with you. I have to wonder how they'd look on aging skin and... yuck. I'm not opposed to tattoos on other people though. I definitely think it's jarring when someone has tattoos ALL OVER THEIR BODY, but that's the look they're going for, so okay. I mean, who am I to talk, I let my daughter get a septum piercing (yuck.)
ReplyDeleteI think between sun damage, skin sagging, and how high maintenance tattoos are to keep them looking fresh, I'm probably out on tattoos. But sometimes I see a gorgeous tattoo and I consider it all over again.
DeleteI also am much more pro-piercing than you are! I think septum piercings look great. And nose and eyebrow. And navels. And other things. LOL. I'm trying to decide if I should do a nose piercing this year or not. I've always really wanted one, but is your mid-40s the time to get one?
Absolutely mid-40s is the time to get one! I love nose piercings- my sister has one and I think it's very cool. And I feel like noses are pretty forgiving too, in the sense that if you ever didn't like it, you could remove the piercing and it would heal up easily.
DeleteAlmost 20 years ago I was learning the fiddle and thought to get a tattoo. Then, I figured that my fiddling days might now last long, and I'd be stuck with it. It turned out that would have been the case.
ReplyDeleteYeah. I 100% get that. I just feel like I've had these tattoo ideas for so long that they're not a passing phase. But I'm not going to get a tattoo. Just thinking about what is meaningful to me.
DeleteI loved the premise of _The Illustrated Man_ and _The Illustrated Mom_ and I love tattoos on other people--especially sleeves! I even had a couple of tees in the oughts that mimicked the look of sleeves.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm too much of a wimp about pain to actually even imagine I'd ever get a tattoo of my own.
I do think some tattoos are meaningful and I don't want to judge them! I just don't know if it's for me.
DeleteI don't have any tattoos, and I don't plan to get any at this point. I totally understand how tattoos can have very deep meaning, and I admire that.
ReplyDeleteThat song gets me every time. I'm tearing up just thinking about it!
That song broke me when I was a teenager at the funeral. It just broke me.
DeleteI'm an outlier in your comments apparently, I have 15! I got my first one when I was 18, and I'm not done yet at 46. Of those, there is only one that I've regretted and that's because of the circumstances around getting it, not the actual tattoo itself- but I still had it covered up with a different design years later so I wouldn't have a bad memory whenever I saw it. All of them are in places that can be covered with long pants and a long-sleeved shirt though, if necessary. I definitely don't plan on getting anything in the neck/face area!
ReplyDeleteOh, I definitely think it's smart for you to get tattoos in a place where they are covered up with work-attire. I think once you move on to face/neck/hand tattoos, you've made a commitment to a lifestyle!
DeleteNo tattoos for me. I am not sure what I would get if I wanted to get one, because I really don't. What if I didn't like it? What if I changed my mind? I mean maybe I'd get a tiny shamrock somewhere like on an ankle, but it's not really my thing. I feel like tattoos have really grown in popularity. They seemed more rare when I was growing up.
ReplyDeleteMy parents were in the military, so I feel like I've always been surrounded by people with tattoos. I don't know if it seems more popular or not to me now!
DeleteI don't have tattoos, but my sons do. I once asked my 94-year old mother what she'd get if she ever got a tattoo, and I was surprised that she actually came up with a really good answer that was personal and thoughtful (she has Alzheimer's).
ReplyDeleteI'd probably get a quote of some kind, likely from Whitman's "Song of Myself"; perhaps I am large, I contain multitudes. That line is beautiful to me, especially in the context of that particular verse, and I remember that each time I'd discuss it with my students, they would be very moved by the meaning behind it.
Interesting! I have never really cared for script tattoos very much. I guess if there was a line that really stood out to me, maybe I'd do it. But, alas, I do not!
DeleteNo tattoos here and no plans to get one; nor do I have any idea what I would get should I get a wild hair...but knowing me probably something very tasteful and discreet. But even so, not for me.
ReplyDeleteI might get a wild hair someday, too. Or maybe not. LOL. I do know what I'd get, though, so I'm a step ahead of some people, I think.
DeleteI do have a tattoo. I was going to get it for my 50th but went earlier because Angus wanted one for his 18th and wanted me to go with him. I would get another one with Eve if she wanted to. I was stuck in endless deferral, so I just picked something I liked. I wouldn't get it again, but I have no regrets. I've never cared about the aging skin thing - I figure if my skin is old and doesn't look good, how much worse will it look with a tattoo on it. I love Angus's second tattoo - will post a pic on my blog if I remember.
ReplyDeleteI think I just don't want my skin to be a terrible canvas for some poor tattoo artist. It seems like their jobs are hard enough when they have a fresh twenty-something's skin to work with.
DeleteNo tats for me either. We used to joke about getting one while in our twenties, but never thought of anything super meaningful. It's permanent. Right? I mean, do people realize this? 🤣
ReplyDeleteI do love your idea though; the book and a tribute toyour friend Kim. Gosh, to die so young is tragic.
I enjoy Tim McGraw and I didn't know this song; thanks for sharing. Xo
Oh, I think that song was a pretty limited hit in the 90s. Probably no surprise not everyone knows it!
DeleteIf I got a tattoo I would get a kidney place over the one I donated to my husband. Just to have the second one back-well in a weird way so to speak. but I don't think I'll ever get one either.
ReplyDeleteDo you have tattoos? No
ReplyDeleteIf you don't, do you have ideas, regardless of if you'll ever actually get one or not? Yes, this is an ongoing conversation I have with myself. I like the idea of putting something meaningful on my body, probably ankle, but I can't decide what it should be. A daisy? A star? An arrow? A dragonfly? Or just a plain old heart? I tell myself, when in doubt, don't.
I definitely think that if you doubt your tattoo idea, you should not get it!! That seems like a solid plan.
DeleteI'm the outlier just like Kate as I do have tattoos and love them and want more. I have 3 tattoos: I have an open book on the inside of my left forearm right under my elbow, an outline of a dachshund with Dutch's name in script on my right upper arm, and a pink Gerbera Daisy with a butterfly and my grandma's name in script as the stem of the flower.
ReplyDeleteI think my next tattoo will be a one-line anchor and tulip on the inside of each ankle for my mom. And I also need a cat tattoo at some point!
I have seen some great cat & books tattoos! I would probably consider that sometime, too.
DeleteI love that I am not the only one who thinks about tattoos (sometimes) although I would never get one. I love these two ideas.. the bookcover of A tree grows in Brooklyn is so cool and I love the idea with the two hearts to memorize your friend.
ReplyDeleteIf I got a tattoo, it would be either a lat/lon coordinate, a tiny flying bird, or tiny a star/stars.
I would love a tattoo but a) no idea what I would get, and b) I'm prone to infections and super-slow healing, so that's a no-go. My doc would kill me. :) The ATGIB idea is fantastic -and I love the idea of making it art, just not on your body!
ReplyDeleteI always wanted a tattoo as a teenager but was one scraed two not allowed. It would have been a tramp stamp and I am beyond relieved that this ddint happen. After working a company producing tattoo equipment and learning more about it I would never get a tattoo for health reasons. Long studies show the ink ends up in your organs... anyways but I do like those very minimalist finger tattoos you see these days.
ReplyDelete