Ink Rulz

So, I'm on the hunt for a tattoo artist (again?).

I have three tats that I have acquired over the last 2 years or so.

Apparently there is some etiquette to selecting an artist and getting the work done, who knew?

Hey, I'm Tattooing Here!

While home sick, I managed to watch an entire season of NY Ink.  Fascinating stuff, they're like bartenders in a way with people coming to tell them stories about birth, life and death.  I didn't realize how many people have tattoos for such a variety of reasons.  I watched a season where Angelina from Jersey Shore, Lamar Woodley of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the lead singer for Slipknot, and Method Man all got inked at this shop in Soho.  Those were just the famous people. For any fans of the show among my readers, I think I'd get ink from Tim Hendricks.  Ami James would be cool, but a little uber famous in his own right.  Tommy is all kind of fun, but I'm a classic guy, and I'm not sure I'd want a portrait of anyone on me.  Tim is the right kind of laid back, not heavy handed, realist who likes to just draw it on and go.

So since you asked (yes, I am writing from the future, where we can see your questions with special glasses) here is my ink and a bit of a story around each one.

AMJ'04MJJ'97CDJ'94

AMJ'04MJJ'97CDJ'94

Tattoo Number One - or "the one where I proved I wasn't scared."  Mrs Mynd has a few more tattoos than I do and had always thrown down a bit of a challenge that I should get one.  I stated the truth at the time that I didn't know anything I wanted permanently imprinted on my body.  So one day, around my birthday 2 years ago, I decide to go for it.  I found a really wicked font (which I can't remember the name of :( ) and decide to get the initials and birth years of my kids as a "tribal arm band" on my right arm.  I got it at Little Vinnie's in Baltimore by an artist whose name I can't remember mainly because I didn't know I was supposed to remember.  I wanted to get the lettering a little smaller, but this turned out to be about the right length.  I also vividly remember thinking I wanted to get some some kind of image to make it go all the way around.  SO glad I didn't, that inside of your arm flesh is tender, y'all.

Tattoo Number Two - or "the last one didn't hurt so bad, let's go again." I decided I liked the Triquetra shape and figured it would look nice on my shoulder, so I found some art I really liked.  Since apparently the Triquetra is used not only for some biblical references, but also for wicken and other pagan worship symbols.  I decided to add a biblical reference to clarify.  This ink was done by Jay Bargoil who at the time was at Black Anchor Tattoo in Denton, MD.  I got this on my left shoulder, because anyone who knows me knows that I have to have some symmetry, even if it is lousy arm band to shoulder ink symmetry. Inked January 2011.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Cor 13:14

Tattoo Number Three - or "the tag along ink." Mrs Mynd and JaysRambilings share the birth month of August and both desired some ink at that time this past year.  I was along for the ride to see Mr. Bargoil again in Denton.  When they had been properly inked, I decided that I had wanted a particular symbol for a while.  I showed my guy and asked if he could make it a bit more masculine and he said "nope."  I'm not a guy who is hung up on that sort of thing, but the ink would have looked funny as a really big tattoo.  I had choices for location, and in the end decided on the inside of my wrist so I could see it all the time.  The tattoo has both the symbol of a heart, but also the symbol for infinity together creating infinite love. I was thrilled that a few months later, Mrs. Mynd got the same tattoo, which in a small way sealed our bond further. (Mrs Mynd will not allow her name to appear in ink on my body and I respect that decision, despite thinking of alternate ways to do it, like binary (geek) or a QR Code)

Tattoo Number Four - or "what do I do now that my artist moved?" So Jay Bargoil has gone on to bless his (and I guess my birth state) home state of Georgia with great ink skills. He's at Forever Yours Tattoo Gallery in Douglasville, GA and he's got my seal of approval.  I thought Denton was a bit far to drive, even though Ken and Mike are awesome artists, but did it to have Jay do my work.  I'm looking for less of a drive than Soho or Douglasville and I may return to Denton, but I know folks here that have got great local art.  I think that one of the tattoos below will be my next choice.

The Future (ererererer, see the echoey thing I did there, now if you can just envision the wavy lines like the Brady Bunch had, you can see it too) holds a few more tattoos for me I think.  Some ideas I am thinking about...

• A Soccer Ball to represent the many years Playing, Coaching and Watching the sport.
• Steelers logo, since I have many fond memories tied up in that logo that include a "bitter" rivalry with my sister over Super Bowl X (my first football game), Steelers Fantasy Camp with three of my favorite friends, a hushed Super Bowl victory in 2006 in Florida while my daughter slept in a hotel room with me and my wife, and my daughter who is the other fan in the house.
• A Mandarin Dragonet which was the fish that I had in mind when I set up my reef tank. Even though I had to take it down, this fish is still my favorite.

• I'm thinking of doing the wedding ring tattoo... trying to decide if X-X-MCMXCIII is gonna be legible and will fit on my svelte finger. (that's fancy for 'skinny')
• My Left Arm "band" is reserved for Grandchildren that I don't want to know about right now, but look forward to spoiling later.  I hope to have a few years to figure out that dang font.