So, I'm thinking about a tattoo.
Specifically, I'm thinking about a bicycle chain tattoo. Riding a couple of hundred miles a week means that I have a constant "rookie tattoo" on the inside of my right calf. Each time I stop my bike, I unclip my left leg, and my right leg ends up resting against the chain. I could stop this, but it's become part of my ride, and by the time I think "damnit, I'm smearing grease all over my calf", it's already too late.
The tattoo I'm contemplating would basically make this truly permanent (right now, I can wash off the "tattoo" if I feel like taking more than 2 or 3 minutes in the shower . . . but that's time that I can be spending on the road). It would start at the back of my calf, twist around the inside, ending right before the calf bone (I should know the actual name of said bone, and I probably do . . . but damn if I can remember). The path would look like a chain that is actively cutting into my leg . . . so we're looking at some blood droplets thrown in for good measure.
I know the anti-tattoo contingent out there are quite vocal:
- What about when you get old and wrinkly
- What happens when you change your mind
- Won't you feel stupid when you stop cycling?
- You work in a professional environment - you're going to get laughed at!
- I don't think my calf skin is ever really going to get wrinkly -- if so, something went wrong with the aging process
- The whole point is that I'll be very careful about what is designed and what I put on my body -- I've been thinking about this for MONTHS, and if I do go through with it, it will be because I'm confident that I want it
- I don't ever plan to stop cycling -- I really am having that much fun out there, day-in and day-out. Injuries heal -- and if I have something so bad that I can't get on a bike at all . . . well, shoot - I'll always have a reminder of something that I really enjoyed doing
- The inside of my calf never-ever presents itself at a business meeting
Of course, Duffy has always harbored the thought of a tattoo for herself . . . and has offered to get one along with me. I pass a pretty highly rated place on the way home - I may stop in one of these days to explain what I want, see what I'm looking at, cost-wise . . . we'll see. I'll keep you all posted.
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1 comment:
Go for it... I've had a tattoo on my left leg for years and years. I've enjoyed having it so much that I ended up extending it outward to cover my leg from knee to ankle. I work in IT dealing with clients day-in and day-out. I know for a fact that only 2 people know I have a tattoo at work and that's because I showed them after getting to know them better.
You're going about things the right way and taking your time. I know that if you go ahead with it, it will only be after much consideration. With that kind of thought going into it, you won't regret your decision.
I like to think of it this way too. If bicycling is that much a part of who you are right now, then you'll never regret having it. Even if you stop riding one day, you'll still look at your leg and remember that it had a huge impact on your life and personality. It's a reminder - a road map of where you've been in life. Some locations just happen to impact us enough that they leave marks on us... why not make those marks permanent?
But I digress... hope you don't mind my two cents.
John Cordiano
http://www.cordianoweb.com/
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