April 27, 2005 - 7:03 p.m.

Wow... What a day, eh? Crazy!

Happy Tattoo Day. Well, for me anyways. And I am supplying an account of it for my records. Happy fun!

Im up at 8:30. This isnt a big deal so I try to eat. I know I HAVE to eat. I force down some Life cereal (normally I'll eat boxes of this fabulous stuff!) and drink pop. I watch Maury. It's about people who were one gender and decided to switch. It was actually quite fascinating! I pack my orange juice and music and my brother and I head to the tattoo parlor.

I meet Christine at 11:00 and we talk about my little dragon. She says she had to change a few lines and make the eye bigger but I knew that was going to happen so I wasnt upset at all. I was relieved actually, because I was going to bring those issues up. She invites me to make small talk with her husband (who runs the shop as well...he's the counter guy) while she sets up her things. Doug (the husband)is a totally friendly guy! I know I dont look like 'tattoo material' so I appreciate being treated like an equal. At one shop I was in, I was a victim of discrimination.

Christine invites us in! I ask if my brother can join me. "Of course! It's good to show people what this is about. Im glad to see you've brought someone." She talked about the procedure and her machines and needles as well as the inks. I stood in front of her and tucked my cruddy shirt up into my bra and she wiped down my lower back very carefully and placed the stencil on. "This guy is so cute. And he's the right size for your back! I really love him. Go see!" My brother and I approved the placement (a little higher than a standard lower back piece because I didnt want my butt crack showing when I showed off my art...) and I sat down on a chair that was higher than normal. Actually, I straddled it.

Christine dried the stencil, talking to me about life in general. I was glad for an open, friendly artist. She does a dry line: a line containing no ink so I knew what to expect.

Owww... Yeah it stung. Im not going to lie, it stung a lot. But now I knew what I was up against so I gripped the sides of the chair and said "Okay. Let's go."

The outline at the bottom was alright I suppose. She did small lines so I could inhale in between inkings. It felt exactly like it should: pins puncturing the skin in rapid succession. A type of 'hot scalpel' sensation. The top of the piece, where the wings of the dragon met my lower lumbar area of my spine were torture. I guess my spine is bony there.

All the while Christine told me what a great job I was doing and how well I was holding up. I was glad for the encouragement because it was really helping me along. All the while I told myself "Rite of passage. Keep it together. Just a little longer..."

Outline is done! "Half the battle!" I yell, glad for a break. I heard the outline is always the worst. Christine salutes my patience and she gets the colors ready. My brother takes a few pictures. "It looks great!"

Another guy from the parlor, someone my brother knew, came in to see, curious. I didnt mind. He said it looked neat. "That's not on the wall, is it?" I shake my head and grin. Im proud I drew my own. Flash will never be good enough for me.

The color/filling in was just as bad. My brother gave me status reports. By this time Im biting my wrist and breathing out hard to try to compensate for that hot lancing pain. Once again, by the spine is the worst.

"Whoever said 'tattooing is a good kind of pain' is bullshit!" I snap and Christine chuckles. "It's not 'good' at all! Buncha sadists."

She adds some white highlights for the gem my dragon is clutching in his tail and to fill in his eye. She wipes it down. "All done and you did great!" I didnt cry at all. Sure there were tears in my eyes but none were spilled and they dried up as soon as the experience was over. She gives me a sheet telling me how to look after it and tells me to stop by the shop two weeks from today and decide on a touch up then. She takes a picture to put on her website (I was so elateed and flattered she would do this...but she probably does it for everyone.) I go to the mirror to see.

It's perfect. It's exactly how I wanted it to be. There were no regrets, no doubt. Only satisfaction.

I gave her a $20 tip and she gave me a hug in gratitude. Such nice people!

Im home now and I have to leave the bandage on for 24 hours. Oddly enough I dont care how long the bandage is on. Some people get so antsy over that.

And now I am branded as a punk for life. Giddy up.

"I hope seeing me wince and stuff didnt put you off from doing this." - Me to my brother. He was considering a tattoo as well. Thats why he came to watch.

"No no, but seeing you hurting and me not being able to do anything about it was really horrible for me to watch.." - Bro. Isnt he so great? Today was a great day. A painful, great day.

- Lara

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