She's a Real Mother

Mutha's got eyes in the back of her head.

Saturday, July 29, 2006

Why Don't You Come Over Here and Show Mutha Your tattoo

My mother threatened every one of my brothers, "Don't you ever walk into this house having put a tattoo on the body God gave you."

I never thought I would get a tattoo, but, in all fairness she never threatened me.

Then my father died and I can't explain it, but I had the overwhelming feeling that I needed a mark on me. The change in my life had to be reflected on my body. So, I thought about a symbol. I thought about an Ohm.

But then I thought again and went to a woman I was studying Buddhism with at the time. I asked her if getting a tattoo, a permanent mark, would be defying the Buddhist notion of nonpermanence.

She thought for a moment and then said, "Only if you believe your body is a permanent thing."

I got the tattoo in a shop in Savannah, Georgia. When I tried to bond with my tattoo artist by asking her where she got her first tattoo, she answered, "Prison."

So much for small talk.

That was eleven years ago and I thought I was done. I love my tattoo, have never regretted it for a moment. But I have never had a flash like that again -- when I felt the need to get something else...until recently.

As I mull over this possibility, I got interested in hearing other folk's tattoo stories. If you've got one, lay it on me:
What is your tattoo (or your favorite if you have several)?
Where did you get it (on your body)?
Where did you get it (in the world)?
Got any colorful stories to tell about it?

I'm all ears...

10 Comments:

At 1:42 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

i only have 2, and i love 'em both!

i got my first tattoo when i was a mere slip of a girl. back when "nice" girls didn't do such things. it was a tiny heart on my left breast. the big bruiser of a guy who did it was more nervous than i (not being used to nice girls, i guess) and it turned out great! it was meant as a symbol of independence i desperately needed at that time in my life.

if you're really interested, i wrote about my 2nd tattoo experience HERE (just scroll down to the part that starts with "fast forward" if you don't want to read the whole thing!)

good luck if you do decide to do it again! as i said, i love my tattoos a lot, so much so i'm considering a third, if i can find an artist i like! xoxo

 
At 1:49 PM, Blogger FirstNations said...

I love mine and I need more!
I get mine as 'battlefield decorations' because I think that life should hand these out, but it doesn't, so I award them to myself. They each comemmorate a positive thing in my life. The first one says 'Conquerer of Demons' in kanji (i hope; ignorant gaijin me) and is for finishing therapy. The second one is my pachuco, on my left hand, and comemmorates my marriage. it's a design taken from a wedding ring passed down on my husbands side which dates from the very early 1800's. Honorary German representin, yo.
I need one for my new status as a grandmother. maybe a sailing ship on my chest. or a little guy with a lawnmower buzzing my snatch hair..yeah...that one's growing on me.....

 
At 3:08 PM, Blogger Mutha said...

Neva: I love that you made the big burly guy nervous. Where were you when you got it? I will read on to catch the skinny on tat #2. And you are right: for the second I would go for finding an artist that had chops.
FN: this allows me to ask something I have always wondered...is the picture of that tatoo on your body or someone else's? And Geez, on the hand? That had to hurt...the snatch one will be nothing in comparison.

 
At 5:38 PM, Blogger FirstNations said...

no no no, thats on some other poor doofus. he's going to be lying in his coffin with that thing on him, too.
yeeegh.

 
At 7:27 PM, Blogger Mutha said...

Oy with the corndog!! I'm very glad to hear that FN. Where in the world did you get your tattoos?

 
At 12:51 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have no tattoos but I do admire those of my wife (aka Neva)...certainly not opposed to the notion and may, some day, venture into the land of ink myself.

 
At 10:05 PM, Blogger Mutha said...

Venture Joel! Venture! What do you think you would get if you found yourself wandering into Inkland?

 
At 12:26 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Now see that's the thing...not sure. Something meaningful...philosophical perhaps...hmmmm. Any suggestions?

 
At 3:33 PM, Blogger Mutha said...

It's funny you should say Philosophical...I knew a guy, a philosophy student, who had his favorite philosophy quotations tattooed on his body-- each in a different place, each in a different script, and each in its author's native tongue.
If that doesn't float your boat, I am a fan of simple and bold. I am told these are the kind of tatts that age well too. And if you are going for a specific place on your body, the rule I have experienced is that muscles hurt less that skin and bones (i.e. back of hand, ankle, foot).
Also, be careful to do your homework. Too many examples of Chinese characters that do not stand for "endless devotion" or "double happiness." What they DO mean is too scarey to consider. If you've got a notion that means a lot to you, find a symbol that stands for it. There are some great symbol dictionaries out there as sources too.

 
At 4:32 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good advice...when the time comes, and it probably will, I will follow it. Thanks!!!

 

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