T is for...

Tattoo.

I wanted a tattoo for many years. But at the same time I didn't want one. I was worried about regret having one, or not liking it when I get older. I usually regret having my hair cut just after a few hours. At least my hair grows back out again, it's a little worse if I regret having a tattoo...

When I finally decided I wanted to get a tattoo I had been thinking about it for quite some time. All I then needed to do was decide what I wanted and where I wanted it.

The where wasn't too hard. I wanted it somewhere I could hide it away or show it depending on what I wanted or needed. Like in case I get a job where they prefer that a tattoo isn't on show. I decided to have it on the back of my shoulder. I also knew I just wanted a small one, I think a big one is easier to regret, and also takes longer to remove if you need to do that.

Then I needed to decide what I wanted.I wanted something that meant something to me, not just something I thought was pretty (although that too of course).

I was living in England at that moment. In England I had learnt more about who I was, and I think my personality and the way I acted had changed a bit as a result. I also felt freer. It's amazing what can happen when you move away from friends, family and everything you know, everything that influences you, and start a new life in a completely new place.

Anyway.

Because of all that I decided on a butterfly for my tattoo. The butterfly stands for Rebirth, change and freedom.

I spent ages looking for the right one on the internet. After all: I was going to have it for the rest of my life. There were many beautiful tattoos, but many of them was too large for my liking, and if I shrank them they would just look weird because of all the details.

While I was trying to decide, my friend "N" and I went on holiday to Marmaris, Turkey. N had two tattoos at the time, one on her lower back and one on her ankle, and she wanted another one. N wanted to get a tattoo in Turkey, she found some nice shooting stars that she wanted on her wrist, and she got the tattooed at the hotel where we were staying. Don't worry, it was safe. It only took her a few seconds to decide when she saw the picture of the shooting stars (it's really pretty as well). She said that when you see the right tattoo you just know, if you have to spend ages thinking about it, then it's not the right one. I had a look at the tattoos they had at the hotel as well, but I couldn't find one. And anyway, I really wanted to get it in England, so that I had a permanent memory from living there. N wanted a permanent memory from being in Marmaris.

When we got back to England another friend said "If you can't find one you like, why don't you get the tattoo artist to draw one free-hand? Not directly on you of course. That way you'll have one that nobody else has as well!" I thought this was a great idea, but all I knew was that I wanted a butterfly of some sort on my shoulder. That's not really much to go on is it?

One day I decided I should have a look at what tattoos the local tattoo parlor had in their books, maybe they had some I liked.

And there it was!

It wasn't completely right, but I got them to make some changes to it.

On the day I got my tattoo I put some numbing gel on my shoulder. I could hardly feel the needle! That is until the tattoo pattern got outside the gelled area. That HURT! But I was happy with the result.

This is the best picture I've got of the one N got in Turkey, she said it was really painful, and I don't doubt it for a second!

There are so many results when you google "butterfly tattoos"...

I'm not very good at drawing, and my memory's not great, but I think the tattoo I've got looked something like this originally.

And this is my tattoo today. It's a lot bigger than I had in mind at first, I wanted something about the size from the bottom butterfly and down, but it turned out okay. I like it.

I look tanned!!!!! Unfortunately I know  it's just the light that does it...

The first time I took a picture of my tattoo something weird happened to the phone I took the picture with. I think the picture is kind of cool though...

Now I'm thinking about getting a tattoo when I go to Australia, for the same reasons as the England one. But what should I get, and where should I have it? I guess that's something for me to figure out while I'm there. Maybe I decide not to have one at all.

Do you have any tattoos? If so, what and where?