Ink

I have three tattoos.  I really never thought I'd have any, but things change.  I thought about what I wanted for literally 4-5 years before I actually got them (with the exception of my wrist tattoo that I only thought about for a few months).  All of my tattoos were done by Cory at Punkteur in Joplin, MO.

I got my first tattoo the summer after my 1st year of vet school.  It's my cat's (Kiya's) pawprint, and it signifies my love for and dedication to veterinary medicine as well as my love for my pets.  It's on my right hip.  I took Kiya's paw and placed it on an ink pad (I'm not sure whether transdermal absorption occurs, but she seemed not to be harmed by it).  Then I stamped in on a piece of paper and several months later the tattoo artist traced it.

I received my second and third tattoos at the same time.  I was originally going to place both on my wrist, but Cory (the tattoo artist) suggested that I find another location for the swallow because my wrist wouldn't have enough room for the detail I wanted.  I'm very glad I listened to him.  I think it would have been way too much on my wrist, and I absolutely love the way my bird came out.  It's my favorite tattoo.  It is on my left hip.

This picture was taken not long after I got the tattoo.  It looks much less harsh now, and the shading is more natural.  I'll replace this picture once I find the memory card for my camera.  This one carries a lot of meaning for me.  There are several qualities about swallows that I like.  They are very strong fliers, they return home once every year, they are monogamous, and they're pretty.  I've always liked birds - not so much the actual animals as what they represent.  Freedom.  I've struggled with low self-esteem throughout most of my life, and I tend to let the way I view myself be affected by other people.  For me, this tattoo signifies freedom from others, and especially freedom from men.  It's not necessary to seek approval from the world in order to like ourselves, but I think women often have a hard time with this.  In addition, I'm very close to my family, so the swallow seemed appropriate since they return home every year. 

My wrist tattoo is the Latin phrase, "Alis volat propriis."  It means, "She flies with her own wings."  It's actually the state motto of Oregon, but that has nothing to do with why I got it.  I've never even been to Oregon.  It's a reminder to be independent and to do what makes me happy.  It also goes along with the swallow in the sense that I need to care less about what others think and focus on what I think instead.  I also like it because I used to be a runner, and "flying" seems to go nicely with that.

 

So there you have it.  I have no plans for any more tattoos, but they say three is the magic number.  Once you have three, it's all downhill and you'll keep getting more.  I don't think that will be the case for me, however.