posted April 21, 2002 06:00 PM            

[This message has been edited by sweetsnail (edited April 21, 2002).]

posted April 21, 2002 06:33 PM            

Just my two cents.

posted April 21, 2002 06:46 PM            

For example, for me, my favorite poet is Rimbaud. Once upon a time he wrote this poem in latin (it was a school exercise) about "being chosen". He used the phrase TU VATES ERIS meaning (not literally translated. [literally it means "thou shalt be a seer" but something is lost in the traslation here]) YOU WILL BE A POET. Which i find very beautiful and the poem is fantastic and blah blahblah. If i was ever to get a tattoo, i would definitely get that phrase in a sort of quill ink cursive splattered sort of style. But it that is something that only I would love.

WARNING: beware of tattoos in other languages. Why? here is an urban myth. But im sure this always happens.

my friend jake got this cool tattoos of chinese symbols on his arm. they mean peace, tranquility, and balance. then I asked Mr. Cho to take a look at Jake's arm to tell us what he thought of my friends totally rad tats. Mr. Cho laughed and said that those did not mean peace tranquility and balance. They meant Salt, Pepper and Ketchup.

Oh what...you dont think it could happen to you?

Remember, people are going to ask you all the time what it means, no matter what you get. There has to be something behind the symbol or words. Dont let it be "oh it just looked cool, so i scarred my skin". I would think of something like when you watch a movie and you think :that character is just like me:, well, why? what makes s/he remind you of youself? Maybe you could find a symbol that reflected that...

Second thing. Placement. Where do you want it? This is also very important. It has to be someplace where you can hide it (atleast for females. I think men look fine with stuff on their arm But you never know when you are going to have to look conservative ladies, like at your wedding). And there are spots on the body that are inheriently more (ahem) feminine than others. (Not there, silly! Naughy naughty mind.) Like on the small of the back, or lower stomach. But the lower back is a pretty painful place to start with. Maybe the stomach is a good beginner one. You can cover it when you father makes you go to some family Christmas dinner with Grandma Beth and the rest of your scary family youve been SO looking forward to all year! But you can let the tattoo be seen when you are on the beach and in a bikini galloping in the surf and whatnot.

Anyway, have fun! I think its a cool way to express youself and you definitely have to have the innards to have someone repeatedly poke you with a needle so you can have a picture on your skin. Its a cool test of self.

Tell us what you get.

Cool Examples of Cool Tattoos:

Jude Law (achi wawa) has a tattoo on this inner forearm with something his wife wrote when they were first together. It seemed to be written on a small piece of paper and the tattoo is in her handwriting. Sounds like love to me.

Angelina Jolie's tattoo with the giant tilted cross and the latin phrase translated to mean "what feeds me, destroys me" or something like that. Crosses (especially ones like Justin Timberlake's that are huge and bulgy) are always kinda scary to me. That is something that only she is twisted enough to unbutton her fly and allow someone to write on her.

Henry Rollins has a barcode on the back of his neck. Along with many others.

posted April 22, 2002 12:56 PM            

You should get one that means something to you- not a boyfriend or anything like that. Something will be in your memory for as long as you live, 'cos that's how long you'll have to have your tatoo. It should be like a journal or something, you know.

I don't have a tatto!! I porbably will never get one, I'll probably get tired of it, then what?

posted April 22, 2002 11:59 PM            

Think of this, why do you want a tattoo? I mean seriously, be honest with yourself, why? If your answer is just because you want one, or because it looks cool, think harder. If it is something symbolic (and if you are asking us what to get, I am thinking it is not symbolic) go ahead, I mean I know people that have got them to symbolize a divorce or special event in their life. And if it is to prove you could do it, or so people will ask you about it, and think you are cool for it, get counseling. Remember it is the rest of your life, that you will have this mark on your body. If you just feel like doing something, get pierced (you can take them out) but not your tongue, which can cause long term problems (a study was released this weekend, for those who might not believe me).