The Tattoo Dilemma

At age 18, on the fly, I decided to get a tattoo of an ugly bug on my right shoulder. Not just any bug, a dung beetle (aka scarab). Now there is good history on the dung beetle at Wikipedia. I was, at 18, an attractive young woman. From the time I can remember, I was flirted with by men of all ages. I mostly did not like the attention. These were men on the street, in a bar, driving by, NYC construction workers, teenagers whistling from across the street, or snapping their lips, and the list of ooglers goes on and on. So growing up being told I was pretty felt like a jail sentence a lot of the time while I was in NYC.

I was ready to get the ugliest looking tattoo I could get. I decided not to be a typical girl and get an angel or butterfly, but instead, chose to turn people off.... for shock value, I suppose. However, I wanted some meaningful choice as well. Something with depth. I felt deep, mysterious, unique and powerful (typical for a young freshman at Antioch College). Quoting Wikipedia, "The image of the scarab, conveying ideas of transformation, renewal, and resurrection, is ubiquitous in ancient Egyptian religious and funerary art. The scarab was linked to Khepri ("he who has come into being"), the god of the rising sun."

The crap roller had a major following. They had no idea that they were so meaningful.

Anyway, I have been looking for the right design for me to transform my dung bug into something I wasn't ashamed of. The beetle was not only an ugly bug, it was done by a lousy tattoo artist. And so. Choosing a tattoo is very personal. Should it just be pretty, should it have meaning ...? I have been looking and I finally found a design I think is quite beautiful and is beauty for beauty's sake. I found it, funnily enough, at All About The Pretty beauty blog. I love her site and I love the header. So if and when I get it together to finally get a "cover-up", I think I am going to make it pretty, because after all, shouldn't my tattoo accentuate and beautify? And be interesting to look at? So go see the lovely blog and see the lovely header, which was conceptualized by Julia of All About The Pretty and executed by Joy Cho of "Oh Joy" . I LOVE Joy's designs and sense of space. Every last one of them. Love it love it!

When I get my camera charged up, I will insert the photo of my tatt for y'all to see. then you will understand the need to change it.... :)