03 - Tattoos

“Nevermind” and Mia Wallace both done by @mjtattooing at @baneulnyc

Just like with my sneaker obsession, my love for tattoos came later in life. It took 30 years for me to get my first one - a small, harmless “Nevermind” just below my left wrist, as a tribute to my favorite band, Nirvana.

It took only 8 months after that to give Uma Thurman’s face permanent real estate on 75% of my inner forearm. A depiction of Mia Wallace (her character from my favorite film - Pulp Fiction) overdosing. 

Quite a jump from “Nevermind,” I’d say.

But it was that first tat that opened the doors for something as big and bold as my second one - and wait till you see what I’ve got planned for my third. I’ll be contacting my artist (MJ at Ba Neul Tattoo, who did my first two), very soon.

Still though, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly why I went from admiring tattoos on other people (I think they’re incredibly attractive on women), to deciding to join that ever-growing group myself. 

Crisis at 30? A cultural shift that’s destigmatized tattoos, especially tattoos in the workplace, making me feel more confident in getting them? A desperate attempt to appear more attractive, more badass and thus, help get myself laid? 

I honestly can’t say.

What I can say, is that I now look down at my arms and chest, and see nothing but a blank canvas. 

I have a few ideas lined up, and each of them have taken months to finalize. I like the fact that tattoos are permanent (unless you plan to get them lasered or covered up). It encourages focus, creativity, and seriousness on my part. In my mind, there’s no room for error.

I only have so much space on my body, and once it’s on there, it’s on there. Size, placement, theme - all decisions that require careful consideration and nuance. 

I’d hate to get something tatted on me, only to discover something even cooler while thumbing through inspo on Pinterest.  Because of that fear, it’s gonna take me a while to complete the sleeves I plan on getting (oh yes, both arms are gonna be done up).

All I’m certain of at this point, is that I want my tattoos to be spaced out - so they can be standalone pieces - as opposed to getting my arms completely filled, which tells one big story, but at the expense of each individual tat.

Aside from that, the bulk of the puzzle pieces are still missing. I have three solid ideas, but that doesn’t begin to cover the amount of space I still have left to fill. 

Working under that reality gives me comfort in a way. As anxious as I am to fill my arms up and complete the puzzle - I feel a sense of calm knowing I haven’t made any wrong moves yet. 

For all the people who think getting tattoos are an immature, reckless, or shortsighted decision - planning mine out has made me a more patient, more disciplined person.

One day, my skin will be proof of that.