Tattoo You

I like tattoos, in the sense that they are great to make jokes about, and that some that are really nicely designed can look good on some people. I don't like tattoos in the sense that most of the time they detract more than they add (kind of like brass table decorations, if you know what I mean) and they are very permanent.

For a long time I wanted to get one, a specific one: the Zildjian cymbals logo (just the script… it’s beautiful, isn’t it? And they make fantastic cymbals… *sigh*). I believe that decisions like this shouldn’t be made hastily, and so I wanted to spend at least a year to see if my mind changed. Deep inside, even at the start, I loved the design but felt that it was deeply, unquestionably wrong to put a company logo on my body (even with all trademark issues aside). After a year, and two years, and even now – probably 8 years later – I still love the design, but could not bring myself to become a human advertisement. Except maybe for Pringles, but that’s a whole other issue.

I’m still intrigued by the idea of getting a tattoo. My last idea (as of spring last year) was to get two words in Hebrew: grace and father: “father” both to remember my Father but also to mark who I am, and “grace” because that’s why I am. There are a number of problems that I have yet to resolve about this, though. The most significant of which is where would I get them?

My preferred spot would be on the inside of my wrists, so that I could read them (I mean, theoretically, if I could read Hebrew I could read them) with my arms in front of me and my palms facing up. I love what I read in the Old Testament, where God told his people to bind his word to them to be a constant reminder, and I think that like a band on your left ring finger, this would be a beautiful and inescapable reminder of what matters. It may be a little too visible, though… good for starting conversations, but perhaps a problem for work. As far as it’s ever a good idea to get inked, I think there’s a certain wisdom in having it done in a place that can be covered as needed. So, wrists are out.

My next preference would be on my chest, one word on each side, but, as a friend pointed out helpfully, that could be seen as just a tad aggressive. Plus, I wouldn’t really be able to see them unless I was looking in the mirror. I know what you’re thinking, but no, I actually don’t spend hours with my shirt off staring at myself in the mirror, so it wouldn’t be as practical as it first sounds. And while learning to read regular Hebrew may be something I could spend some time on, learning to read it backwards is a little more of an investment than I’m interested in. On my back, just below my neck, with one word on each side of my spine would be my third favourite spot aesthetically, but then I would NEVER see them, completely defeating the purpose. So that’s a no-go. Tricky.

The second point was one that a few colleagues have pointed out. The possibility of getting strip-searched going into a Muslim country is not that remote: I never had a problem when going into the UAE, but several of my co-workers have, either there or Egypt. And that could be a point at which having Hebrew characters indelibly printed on me could be rather inconvenient, to say the least.

I don’t know… maybe I should just get some henna (or magic markers?) and be satisfied with that. I have a few more months until my self-imposed cool-down period is over, anyway…