Why I got a tattoo

I don't know why I picked this topic of research, but somehow I feel that perhaps I could relate to tattoos well enough to do so.

No, I am not a tattoo collector; nor do I think I have that level of commitment to be one. Perhaps that is why I only have a tiny one behind my left ear. It's discreet enough and it says "Strange". It is already smudgey after 7 months and 4 days, condition almost likening to tattoos done years ago. :(
Too bad. I gave an apprentice a chance to practise on me and paid for it nonetheless.
Hopefully he gets better (he has to!) and my 'bravery' has contributed to his progress.

Why "Strange"? Or why tattoo at all?

I have had serious doubts on getting a tattoo, and even till now I still have them.
Believe it or not, I am a Christian. Though its tough to see that from my conduct,
I do worry about stuff like that. I have hesitated and thought about it so much that I was sick of doing so. And to top it off, if people are making such a big deal out of it, it must be either horribly traumatic or damn good. Either ways, I was curious, and more so with the ongoing rise of tattoo culture all thanks to "Miami Ink" and "LA Ink".
My mother did not know until I showed it to her out of rebellion one day.
I told her that I need to do what I want.

I think everyone is rather sick of the stories that come along with tattoos on those above mentioned TV shows. And some comments on Youtube sound like this:

"Why do they fucking need stories as an excuse to get a tattoo?
Why can't they get a tattoo just because they want to?"

I think its true. But in a way, I do understand why people need a reason, or an excuse. Say if your inks are just body decorations, meaning that there is a lack of depth in its content, it would be an annoying scar to keep when the trend has passed. We all know that trends come and go, and most people do not keep their old clothes unless they possess a certain amount of sentimental value. So likewise for tattoos, it is definitely easier to commit to a design with sentimental value and therefore the existence of the stories behind them.

As for "Strange", it is my excuse/reason to indulge in this trend as this word carries certain meanings for me.

ONE: My cat's name is Stranger, and I have no difficulty committing to animals, and sadly, this doesn't ring true in the case of my relationships with human beings.
He is a dying cat, and this is my way of keeping him with me.

TWO: My siblings used to call me "Emily the Strange". Just because they find me Strange, and I had that haircut the character has. The funny thing is; Emily's bestie is actually her black cat named Mystery. At some point I shall adopt a black cat and live out this fiction. :)

THREE: I think it is good to be strange and find things strange. That way, you won't lose your amazement with life too quickly and lack the motivation to live.

So, the conclusion : Did that tattoo change my life?
Yes only to a certain extent. The pain is fun, and addictive to a degree, and I am glad to have experienced it. Luckily, I am happy with it so far. Does it make me smile when it reminds me of my baby? Yes. Did it motivate me to be amazed with stuff? No, because I still want to die or not do anything most of the time.
I don't think people change from the outside in, maybe they would alter their actions with a WWJD bracelet(What would Jesus Do?) upon seeing those initials worn on their hands. But hey, for this you can't blame me! Simply because I have my tattoo placed somewhere that I can't even see! Ha, nice try, me.

do I really have to do this?

The origin of the word tattoo is from the Samoan word tatau, meaning "open wound".[1] The OED gives the etymology of tattoo as "In 18th c. tattaow, tattow. From Polynesian (Tahitian, Samoan, Tongan, etc.) tatau. In Marquesan, tatu." The word tatau was loaned into English, the pronunciation being changed to conform to English phonology as "tattoo".[1] Sailors on the voyage later introduced both the word and reintroduced the concept of tattooing to Europe.[2]

Tattoo enthusiasts may refer to tattoos as "Ink", "Tats", "Art", or "Work", and to tattooists as "Artists". The latter usage is gaining greater support, with mainstream art galleries holding exhibitions of both traditional and custom tattoo designs. Copyrighted tattoo designs that are mass-produced to tattoo artists are known as flash, a notable instance of industrial design. Flash sheets are prominently displayed in many tattoo parlors for the purpose of providing both inspiration and ready-made tattoo images to customers.

The Japanese word irezumi means "insertion of ink" and can mean tattoos using tebori, the traditional Japanese hand method, a Western style machine, or for that matter, any method of tattooing using insertion of ink. The most common word used for traditional Japanese tatoo designs is Horimono. Japanese may use the word "tattoo" to mean non-Japanese styles of tattooing.

From the Awful wiki,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattoo

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and Danne said, "Let there be blogs,"


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