The girl with the drawn-on tattoo.

[davywavy]

Back when I lived in Manchester, I briefly went out with a girl who I'd originally got talking to because of the big, swirly tattoo she had around the back of her neck. It was the first time I'd seen one of those black, spirally tribal tattoos which got so popular amongst clubbers in the late 1990s, and fat McDonalds-people a few years later, and so I made some comment on it. As I was quite young and impressionable I probably said it was cool, or somesuch witless statement.
"Oh, it's not real", she told me. "It's a transfer. I'll wash it off in the morning."
I leaned in to take a look and sure enough, it was just a stick-on which in low nightclub lighting looked entirely real. Still, it gave me an excuse to lean in so I took advantage. However, I remember thinking at the time what a good idea pretend tattos were over the real thing; I think I've mentioned a punk girl I sortof knew who had ripped fishnets tattoed onto her legs and how I thought it was pretty neat for all of thirty seconds until I realised just how much she'd probably be regretting it by 2010: so right about now I expect she's looking at her legs and realising she'll never wear anything but trousers to the office.

It's pretty much that reason I've never got a tattoo. Like anyone who has ever been young, extremely stupid and above all drunk I have at times thought them a good idea, but the permanancy has always put me off. To indelibly mark yourself - even if it's with a 'timeless' design like those Celtic arm rings which will say "My 18th birthday was in 1994" for the rest of your life - always struck me as something I would inevitably regret because everything changes.

But that's my opinion. Some of you lot have tattoos, some don't. It's Friday, you aren't doing any work. Tell me your reasons.

Comments

[annwfyn.livejournal.com]

The last Christmas card my mother sent me before she died had a picture of a fox on it. On the back of the card she wrote 'I love you - Mummy'. I think that is the last time she wrote that.

I had the fox tattood on my shoulder. I had that done ten years ago. I haven't regretted it yet.

I also have the advantage of having been both a self harmer, and having had an unfortunate medical condition which led to my having (at one point) 13 simultaneous ulcerations on my legs. This means I have a lot of scars anyway - self harm scars on my arms from my angsty teens, and a lot of weird little white circular scars on my legs from that rather painful time in my life. I figured when I got the tattoo done that one more scar wouldn't make much of a difference and at least this one was one which I'd chosen and not a sign of crazy or illness.

I haven't had another tattoo, mostly as I've not found anything which has quite the same weight of meaning, and I suspect I never will.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

I'll be at Borough market for about 10:30 tomorrow. I still dont' have a number for you so drop me a line.

[annwfyn.livejournal.com]

I think you do. I think you just last texted me at a point when my phone was going through one of its extended periods of out of charge.

Anyway, in bad news, my stupid labyrtinthitis is acting up and I can't stand up properly and am hideously giddy which means I can't really leave the house. Very very sorry! Hopefully see you next time.