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I was away last night having a consultation with my tattoo artist. Yup, I’m going to get a new tattoo. Some of you may know I have a couple already. It has been several years and for a while I thought I might be done. But I have always wanted something bookish. I never thought it would ever happen because every time I thought about it nothing felt right and when you are getting something permanently inked on your skin you want it to be right.
As the years passed I’ve been leaning toward a quote, but what one? There are so many good ones, so many meaningful ones for me that I just couldn’t decide. But about a year ago I landed on a quote from a Sonia Sanchez poem (if you have never read Sanchez, she is a-mazing!) and thought just maybe. I have been sitting with it for months mulling it over to make sure it felt right. And it began to feel so right that I started to imagine what it might look like on my skin. And late in 2015 when I could picture myself with this tattoo I decided it was time to get it.
The shop I am going to is called Jackalope and it is not far from my house. It is a woman-owned shop and I heard about it on public radio. Their reviews are nothing but positive. Their online portfolios are amazing. I sent them an email.
I met my artist last night. Her name is Amo (short for Amoreena). She is twenty-something, has blue hair, a nose piercing, beautiful tattoos. She is perky and confident, loves doing lettering and is also an expert in watercolor technique. Perfect. We talked about what I want and I left feeling like she is going to do a really beautiful piece. My appointment to get inked is April 23rd. I can hardly wait.
Amo is going to design the script herself but I am to send her examples of lettering I like. I am also to send her examples of watercolor tattoo work I like.
At this point you are probably wondering what the tattoo is going to be of. Here is the quote:
The words loved me and I loved them in return
A perfect bookish quote for both reading and writing. The words are going to spiral down my left arm and there will likely be some watercolor ink drops splashed along it in a few places.
The rightness of the quote was cemented even more a few days ago when I found out there is a Sonia Sanchez documentary. The Los Angeles Review of Books has a great article about Sanchez and the making of the film. It has a few examples of her poetry and an interview with the women who made the film that will be airing on March 8 on PBS for International Women’s Day. At first I was worried that Sanchez had died and I had not heard about it, but she is 81 and happily alive and well and participated in the film.
There is no denying now that this is the right quote and the right time to get it. So many things to look forward to in April. Chickens at the beginning of the month and a new tattoo at the end! And yes, I will take pictures so you can see what it looks like.
What fun–and on Shakespeare’s birthday, too!
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Carolyn, I know, I realized it was Shakespeare’s birthday as I was putting the appointment onto my calendar. Very auspicious!
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Oh, that’s wonderful!! What a perfect tattoo for a book-lover to get!
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Jenny, thanks! I’m really excited about it and relieved too because now I can stop thinking about getting a bookish tattoo!
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That quote is very pretty, indeed! 🙂
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Thanks atheinne!
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That is a lovely quote, Stefanie. 🙂 I am so excited for you. Looks like your birthday month is going to be super eventful.
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Thanks Deepika! I don’t know if my birthday month can get any more exciting and if it did I don’t know if I can handle it 🙂
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I never had the courage to get inked! But you go Stefanie!! I love the quote …it is what we bookish nerds would always feel akin to at once!
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cirtnecce, thanks! Tattoos hurt, I won’t lie about that, but they don’t hurt in the way you think they might. The body is amazing and the process becomes meditative and the pain close to pleasurable. So if there is something you can imagine having done, I say go for it!
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Lovely quote and can’t wait to see the ink 🙂
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Thanks bikurgurl!
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You are so very welcome! I’ll have to peruse to see if I missed it! 🙂
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Can we have pics once it’s done? Lovely quote!
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Cathy, oh yes there will be photos when it is done. I might even ask if I can take a few photos as it is being done too 🙂
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Oh my dear. Your body is not made by you, right? Is God’s property, right? So why turn it into a billboard? It does not honour God, my brother. Watch out. Leviticus 28:19 God bless you.
Albert E. Dogbe …making disciples for Christ is my mission….
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With respect, I do not share your beliefs. My body belongs to no one but me and far from being a billboard my body is a gorgeous work of art. Peace.
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Love the quote! I have a Harry Potter one which I love!
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Maitreyi, thanks! What is your Harry Potter quote if I may ask? 🙂
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“The ones that love us never truly leave us” – Sirius Black, Prisoner of Azkaban, it has a paintbrush at the start of the quote. It represents my father who was an artist and is no more 🙂 The tattoo has an error in the quote, but I like the imperfection. It kinda fits beautifully 🙂
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Oh that’s marvelous! What a great tribute to your father too 🙂
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Thank you 🙂 I think so too!!
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LOVE it. Thinking of getting a tat myself in the next year or so, am v enthusiastic to see pictures of yours! ^ ps AED Ministries can fuck off. But not before checking its gendered nouns…
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Thanks Elle! Do you have any tattoos already or will it be your first one? Do you know what you want to get? I will definitely share photos and hopefully Amo won’t mind if I get a few while she is working.
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It’ll be my first, though one of my American friends has got loads and has given me some good advice on how to choose an artist. I know what I want to get–my brother gave me a bracelet over Christmas, which is a gold band with a pewter wing wired to the center, and I wanted to get the wing on my wrist. The “story” I’m going to tell everyone (people seem to need tattoos to have stories) is that it serves as a reminder of my family, who love me unreservedly even though I’m so far away from them (and occasionally difficult!)
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Elle, heh, yeah people do like a tattoo to have a story as if just wanting some beautiful art on your skin is not a good enough reason. A wing on your wrist will be wonderful. I love tattoos on wrists and ankles. Do be sure to share when you get yours! 🙂
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Sure will!
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Love the quote you have chosen!
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Thanks Jenclair!
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I can’t say i am a fan of tatoos, but all my children have one, as do most of their friends. I doubt God gets all that worked up about it, as I am sure God is pretty busy with other stuff. BUT, if I were to get a tatoo of a quote it would probably be “Not all who wander are lost.” J.R.R. Tolkien. I love the quote, Stef. Sounds like you’ve taken the time to get it just right. Looking forward to the unveiling…and of course, hearing all about the chickens!
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Grad, ah that is a lovely quote. You never know, one day the urge to have it written on your skin might strike! 🙂
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The Bears are simply awe struck at your bravery. Come the day they will have their paws crossed for you so that it won’t hurt too much.
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Alex, the first tattoo took bravery after that it is easy 🙂 Oh it will hurt, but it is not unbearable and you actually kind of zone out in an endorphin rush after about 20-30 minutes and then it weirdly almost starts to feel good.
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I only have one tattoo, the word ‘ahimsa’ in Sanskrit on the inside of my right forearm. I got it about ten years ago, when I was 53. A lot of people ask about it and it gives me a chance to explain ‘ahimsa’, the belief that you should do no harm to any creature. It’s also pretty in the Sanskrit lettering. Can’t wait to see your tattoo!
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Joan, oh that’s beautiful!
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Woohoo! I love when people commit to new tattoos! The reasons behind them are always so fascinating. That is a great quote and is perfect for anyone who loves to read and write. I cannot wait to see the pictures when it is done!
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Michelle, thanks! They are fun and I am already thinking about the next one. 🙂
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Look forward to seeing the result, bravo!
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Thanks Claire!
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It’s weird, but I’ve been having dreams lately about getting a tattoo. The tattoos in the dreams are all different – some are quotes, some are images. I wonder what this means? Something about transformation? I’ve always thought that they weren’t for me, but now I’m reconsidering! Anyway, I think your idea is great and can’t wait to see the result.
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Laila, ooh, that’s how it starts, you either start dreaming about it or thinking about it all the time and yeah, it changes and then eventually it starts to firm up and you can begin to imagine it on your skin and then it is time to find an artist and make an appointment 🙂
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Uh oh.
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That is a wonderful quote – great choice, Stefanie! And, I’ve never read Sonia Sanchez so I just went to my library’s website and put one of her books on hold. Can’t wait to read her poetry!
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Iliana, thanks! I hope you like Sanchez I think she is amazing 🙂
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Beautiful quote Stefanie. I can’t imagine getting a tattoo myself – after all, I’m the person who doesn’t even have pierced ears so I’m way back in the dark ages – but if I did a quote like that would be very appealing.
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Thanks whisperinggums! You never know you might decide to get one someday 🙂 You don’t have pierced ears? Between my two ears I have five holes but I have grown lazy and only wear an earring in one of them these days and that only because it is a small wire hoop and I keep it in all the time. Dressing up used to mean fancy clothes and makeup now it means putting on jewelry!
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No, I’m a wuss! Actually I gave a reasonably good pain threshold but I think it’s partly the feminist in me. Why choose pain for a matter of personal decoration? And then have to manage the results! I don’t wear any makeup either, except the occasional light lipstick. Much easier to throw on a necklace and be done with it. 😀
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It’s one of those “hurts so good” kind of pains and it stops right away unlike the ear piercing that hurts for a while afterwards. 🙂 It’s probably a good thing I have to go out to work every day so I continue in the habit of making myself presentable otherwise it would be jeans and t-shirts every day and no effort made to keep my curly hair from frizzing.
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That sounds really cool and I love the quote–how perfect. I am looking forward to seeing what it looks like–I have thought of a quote running down my arm, too, but nothing has popped into my head that is something I would be happy to live with! Isn’t it fun to have something nice and exciting to look forward to?
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Danielle, thanks! It took me years to land on the quote so you never know, you might find the right one for your arm yet! It is wonderful to have all kinds of fun and exciting things to look forward to 🙂
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What a fun quote! I can’t imagine ever regretting a tattoo like that! 🙂
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Geetanjali, thanks! I’m excited about it 🙂
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