Psychexero

So, my hubby started a blog series about his tattoos and I was inspired to do the same!

People get tattoos for a number of different reasons, but for me, each piece either represents a person or a time in my life... a way of reminding me along the way of my path of where I come from and who has been there with me.  The collection I have now is by no means finished, I have plans for at least 5 more that will come as time and money permits.

My first tattoo was actually inspired by my mom's friend Connie.  I was in the second half of my junior year of high school and I wanted to lose weight, but I hated the thought of running/walking in the desert heat.  Then Connie mentioned to my mom that she was doing water aerobics and wanted to know if I would be interested in going with her.  I thought that was PERFECT! I love the water, and it was in an indoor natatorium.  After our first class, we were in the locker room changing and I saw this tiny little Christian dove on the inner aspect of her heel.  I was shocked.  This woman was in her late 50's, a church going proper lady, and she had a tattoo!  We discussed it for a few weeks, and I had made up my mind.  It was the perfect place, my parents would never see it, and I would easily cover it with socks and/or shoes.  I waited patiently for my 18th birthday... I had been doing research via phone calls and I had a shop and artist picked out.  The day of my 18th birthday came... and I ditched school.  The small town we lived in didn't have any tattoo artists (or if it did, I didn't know of them and I'm not sure I would have trusted them).  I drove the hour to Las Cruces and got my tattoo.  I was scared out of my wits, I was totally out of my element... but I was determined, and I saw it through.  The gentleman who did it was a total sweetheart, especially after finding out it was my birthday, that it was my very first tattoo, and I was terrified.

I left his shop with my tiny little tattoo, feeling like I had a huge secret hidden within my boot.  The secrecy lasted for about 3 weeks when my mom found out.  She was mildly miffed, but no where near as mad as I thought she'd be.  My dad on the other hand... he saw it at Christmas that year.  His reaction was just as bad as I thought it would be, but it was by no means the worst I got from him as my tattoo collection grew over the years. 

That being said, the meaning behind this one: I love Japanese writing/symbols, and I my temper has long been something I've fought to control.  The tattoo is the Kanji symbol for fire, which I thought was appropriate for me to both symbolize my struggles with anger and my fervor for things I love.