First ink

I’m what most people would call a “good girl”. I speak nicely, I achieved good grades, I don’t really get drunk (although this has more to do with my allergy of alcohol!) and I don’t smoke or do drugs. Man, I sound boring. But that’s me and I like who I am.

I decided long ago that I quite fancied a tattoo albeit a very small one, somewhere discreet. I’ve been drawing symbols / doodles on myself for the last ten years but nothing really seemed right – the designs were either too impersonal (random star, inconsequential heart) or would be so quick to fall out of favour (paisley / henna designs, symbolic writing) that I couldn’t face branding myself with one forever. However I’ve now found THE ONE. A simple design but one that means a lot to me and something that isn’t out there or for the moment so I’ve booked myself in for Saturday to get my very first ink. Being a total wimp I’m pretty scared about the thought of a needle drilling into my flesh but it’s such a tiny design, I’d be ashamed of myself for not being able to handle the pain.

I’m really intrigued by the range of reactions I’ve had from everyone. Si has no issue as long as I’m happy with everything and when talking with my brother over the weekend, I was surprised to discover that he harbours ambitions to have several tattoos all over his arms and ribs. I had expected the most hostility from my Mum but she told me she wanted a tattoo when she was younger so she didn’t really have much to say against me getting one. Si’s friends (ok, they are technically our friends but for purposes of writing I need to categorize them) have several tattoos between them so they were the most encouraging and have been most kind with their help from finding me the tattoo parlour to making sure I knew which cream to purchase for aftercare and whether or not I had a suitable range of footwear for afterwards (guess where the tatt is going?!) to telling me they were going to pop in during my session and sit with me.

Friends that I have met more recently and mostly through work seem want to discuss the procedure and debate what they would have if they had one or ones that they want next if they’ve already indulged. We talk about it often and they seem genuinely interested. Surprisingly, it’s more my close friends that I’ve known for years who are the ones who take umbrage at the idea of getting a tattoo. Some won’t even talk to me about it; I can almost see them shaking their heads and tutting in a Daily Mail style. I only had to mention the word to one and her immediate reaction was, ‘Eurgh!’. I didn’t even bother to finish the rest of my sentence…

Why is this? In this day and age, it’s hardly a rarity and it’s not like I’m aiming for a look to rival the Leopard Man. Is it because I’d no longer be the “good girl” they used to know? Will my tiny, discreet tattoo taint my image? What do they think is going to happen to me?  Or is it something within themselves that they need to face and have issues with? I have no idea but I’m super intrigued to find out reactions post-inking… Watch this space!