rat

I have a single tatoo on my left pec, and yes, it is a japanese symbol (kanji) which means death. while it may sound morbid, I have quite a few close friends who have passed in the last 3-4 years, and I' ve had my ink for almost 2 years now. For a couple of them, I was thinking of having their names done in ink, but found one tattoo more economical and sensical. I'll always carry their funerals in my heart, and every morning when I wake up and look in the mirror, I'm reminded of who I've lost, and why I'll strive to never fail them. I get quite a few odd looks from people when they find out I have a tattoo, and even more when they learn what it is. But my tattoo isn't for them, and it isn't for me; it's for those who are no longer with me that have made me who I am today, and the lessons they burned into my being with their triumphs and mistakes. Don't let anyone choose your design for you, and make up your own mind. Also, clean workplace, and DONT DRINK AT ALL before you get the ink put in--it will fade horribly. Pain is tolerable, fading is inescapable.

__________________