[SimplyTwisted]

I've always been fascinated with tattoos- I remember being 4 and tracing my fingers over the letters of my dad's "sex" tattoo on his shoulder (I was told it said Six :P ), transfixed. The idea of having something that stays with you forever- I always liked the way that thought rolled through my mind.

Then as I got older, it was just something that I knew I would do. I wanted to wait til I knew exactly what I wanted. I knew I wanted something that meant something to me and that I would look at and feel something- what I was thinking and feeling and who I was and what it meant to me- and it would invoke all of that for me. I went through a lot of ideas but it wasn't until I started thinking of my baby brother (who committed suicide 3 years ago) and what I wanted for a memorial tat, that I knew exactly what my first tattoo was going to be. I found one of his guitar picks as I was thinking about the whole idea and him, and the next evening, I went and had it tattoo'd on my right wrist.
It's a green guitar pick with C.P.E. (my brother's initials) and it is perfect. I had never thought I'd want to have any really public tats- like my hands or my forearms, but now I want to get something done on my left wrist. I'm playing with a few ideas right now. I want the artwork on my body visible.
I'm going to put my son's footprints on my back with his name and birthdate as soon as I get the chance.

I love tattoos. I love the meanings behind them, I love the things they represent, I love the way that a well done tattoo is a work of art as valid and amazing and spectacular as any great painting. I love the talent it takes to bring images alive on the skin. I love the history of tattooing and his cultural meanings and impact. All of that made me decide to get a tattoo.