My First Time

Not that, ya pervert; get your mind out of the gutter! Yesterday was my first time that I went with someone to get a tattoo. I had lots of fun! I'm so glad I went! In all honesty, I thought I'd get bored, wish I'd brought a book, ask to borrow my friend's IPod, need to wander around the block going in and out of other shops in the area to amuse myself... but no. I sat, happily entertained, and watched and chatted and tried not to lean too close the whole time. It turns out tattoo artists are really just regular people who also have families and feelings and like celebrity gossip and are articulate. Who knew?! Not I, said the super-conservative "nice, Jewish girl from Long Island."

I went here and the artist who did the tattooing is this chick. Every single person who worked there was friendly and smiled and was open to all my many questions (and for those of you who know me, you know I always have a LOT of questions). The bathroom was very clean (my mother would be SHOCKED at that one; I will only admit to being pleasantly surprised at the fanciness of it). When sterilization of tattooing needles came up, the tattoo artist said when couples have told her they didn't mind if she used the same needles on both people, she refuses.

While my friend was getting her tattoo, an English guy was also getting a tattoo. When his tattoo was complete, the guy went to the mirror to check out his brand new tattoo. He looked SOOO happy, and what was super-cute was that his tattoo artist ALSO looked really happy and pleased with herself.

This was not my friend's first tattoo, but apparently you get nervous/pumped up for each one. At least, she did. I consider her to be a professional tattoo-getter. She chugged water beforehand, exfoliated, took no aspirin, etc. She had an endorphin-high/adrenaline rush thing going afterwards, and I honestly believe she could have beaten up Oscar De La Hoya as easily as lifting a random car or running a short marathon.

All my previous knowledge of tattoos comes from what my mother had told me, and the impressions she had of them. They're dirty. If you get one, you'll get AIDS or hepatitis. Nobody will ever hire you for a job. You will not be buried in a Jewish cemetary (ok, that one may actually be true). Everyone will think less of you. People who get tattoos are stupid. You will be considered a lowlife scumball. There's no need to make an appointment to get a tattoo, since so few people would ever want one that tattoo artists are never "booked." Whatever you do, DON'T use their bathroom - it's probably just a bucket further back in the alley anyway!

My mother is so wrong. My friend who got a tattoo has a Master's in Fine Arts from one of the best art schools in the country. I am inspired to look up what I previously did not know because of things she says. She runs her own business. Basically, she ain't no schmucky lowlife scumball with diseases. She just likes tattoos. And now, so do I. Though not enough to get one. After all, I'm still the nice, Jewish girl from Long Island. Now I'm just a nice, Jewish girl from Long Island who can appreciate tattoos.

I'm totally sending my mother a pic of my friend's tattoo and telling her it's mine; they offered to give me one for free so I accepted and here it is, don't ya love it?! Yeah, I'm evil that way.