Day 29

I have three tattoos and will probably get more.  I love them, and I’m quite proud of them.  For the most part I’ve tried to be discreet in the size and placement of my tattoos.  I have a small one on my wrist, but that’s the only one that’s visible in my everyday clothes.  I have another on my lower back and my third is on my ribcage.  My rule of thumb is to ask myself if the tattoo will make me look trashy in formal clothes.  So, no tattoos on the bicep or ankles/feet.  Also no tattoos on the upper back.  I would love to get a tattoo on the back of my neck, but I wear my hair short and I fear it may limit my employment options.  So, for now I’m sticking to three.  Though I am toying with the idea of getting a small one on the inside of my arm.  

Why am I writing about my tattoos?  There’s this funny thing that happens when you have a tattoo that other people can see--they have to comment on it.  I imagine this is similar to pregnant women feeling beleaguered by people who want to touch their bellies or offer pregnancy advice.  Now, often I get compliments on my tattoos, so the comments aren’t usually unwelcome.  But there is a subset of people who just seem to lose all tact and courtesy when a tattoo is in front of them.  These are the people who tell me that they hate tattoos and think they’re trashy or awful or stupid.  Great. What am I supposed to do with that information? Do they expect me to run to the nearest laser removal clinic?

Some ask me how I’m going to feel about my tattoos when I’m 80.  They ask in a way that implies that they think old people with tattoos is gross.  By that time my tattoos will be faded, but they’ll serve as great memories from when I was young.  Why wouldn’t I want these reminders?

I have never ever cared what someone has thought about my about my tattoos.  In general I’m not the touchiest of people, and I’m certainly not a people pleaser.  I care about the opinions of people who I like and esteem, but otherwise I’m generally not bothered.  But with my tattoos its even more pronounced.  I used to think of it as escalation of commitment.  They’re painful to get and pretty permanent, so you better damn well love them.  They are so personal, they’re so mine, that I don’t care what anyone says.  Full stop.  

Mood:  Sore and sleepy
Jeans:  Fat jeans
Belt notch:  4th notch in

Food	Carbs (g)	Fat (g)	Calories	Protein
Scrambled eggs	trace	15.2	206
Nandos half chicken	3.2	15.6	352.6	49.9
Nandos mixed leaf salad	3	0.5	20	1
Billtong	0	?	155	?
Salad	2.3	0.6	21	1.4
Red wine	3	0	125	0
Tuna steak	0.3	2.5	340	78.8
Broccoli	6.4	0.4	62	8.8