Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Body of Art

I don't think I ever mentioned to you guys that I have been contemplating a tattoo for quite some time. This pic from Garance Dore shows one of the locations that I have been considering (the others are across my right hipbone, or on my inner wrist on the left - where I wear a watch, so less likely to be noticed).


Gorgeous Aussie WAG Lara Bingle has "wish you were here" tattooed on her inner left wrist (very difficult to get decent pics of this) - in memory of her father who passed away recently. I can understand that sentiment.

The reason I haven't done it yet (apart from fear of needles and pain), is due to an inability to decide what I want. Options I have considered include:

1. My surname (in a beautiful, as yet unidentified, font). It's the name I was born with, but is unlikely to be the name I die with. My family is incredibly important to me, and it would mean a lot for it to be a part of me forever.

2. Family (in Arabic). As a friend pointed out - what the fuck does Arabic mean to you, apart from it being trendy right now? Point taken. So perhaps in a beautiful font as per my surname idea.

3. I shall not live in vain. This is a portion of an Emily Dickinson quote which has resonated with me for a long, long, loooooong time: "If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching, or cool one pain, or help one fainting robin unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain."

What do you guys think? Crazy? Bad location/s? Would you do it? Would your mama kill you? Mine probably would. But in a withering kind of way, like she did when I shaved my legs for the first time: "You stupid girl". Ooooh! It still hurts to think about!

4 comments:

Phuong said...

ouch! you have picked places near lots of bone!

not a big fan of tattoos myself but if i were to choose out of your options i think either family (agree with the arabic comment) or surname

Ally Kay said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ally Kay said...

I have a friend who got 'ouch!' tattooed in french on his arm. I love it.

I think if the idea speaks to you strongly enough, go for it. Surely by the time you're tired of it they will have invented a way to wash them off?

(btw, any tattoo that cops sun is going to look like a faded splotch in ten years.)

Rachel said...

The sun thing is a massive issue, given I am sunbaking any opportunity I get! But the spot on the ribs shouldn't be too badly captured by the sun.... ? Risky!