The Tattoo

On June 3, 2009 I got a tattoo. I had thought about it for years - literally years - sketching designs and talking about it off and on...but it took my upcoming 40th birthday to get it done.

Although I jokingly say that if I don't celebrate anymore birthdays I can stay 39 forever, I am scheduled to turn 40 on July 18th of this year.... I wanted to get a tattoo before my 40th birthday. I got it done.

For years I knew that I wanted a yin-yang center with a sun surrounding it. But I was sort of stuck on what the sun would look like (and where on my body to put it). Since I have a strong attachment to the moon, I really wanted the moon there as well.... And then I decided to throw in a few other symbols - a peace sign, my zodiac sign, and my initials. My own sketches were not quite right, so I perused the internet and found some things on here that I kinda liked, then I sketched some more, and then I took it to the artist and he added his touch to it - and viola! I'm very happy with how it turned out. I do want people to be able to see it, so it is on the back of my neck. I can still cover it with my hair or whatever, but I can also show it off.

I do have to admit that I learned that it is dangerous to not eat before getting a tattoo. My appointment was for 7:30pm, and I worked through lunch and then was too nervous to eat dinner. Although I didn't think the pain was too bad, I passed-out within the first 10 minutes of the work. Oops. I was only out for a couple seconds, and then we took a break and had me eat and get my blood sugar up, and then proceeded from there. The worst thing was that I was embarrassed. I do have to admit that having a tattoo put on the back of my neck felt a little like what I'd imagine a mini-jackhammer might feel like....and it made my skull sort of shake, which is not great for someone who has been known to get seasick. But it makes for some good stories too. :)

I can now check "get a tattoo" off my list. I'm certainly not itching to get another one, but I have no regrets. It turned out even better than I imagined.

Time

Time.... it turns out blogging takes time, so now when I write I feel guilty about the time I am taking away from other things.... grrrr. Tough. I'm taking the time now.

I guess we all have to decide what to spend our time on. I know I am not the most adept at time management and I'm actually quite good at "wasting time" - on things like daydreaming and writing and reading. I will argue that it is not a waste though, of course. But sometimes I do need to focus on more pressing matters.

I am a wife and mother, and my family is still my priority. My kids are now 12 and 10 years old and it allows me to indulge a little in "me".... and that's kinda nice. Some of my "indulgence" is my job - I am a massage therapist and I own my own business. I love it and I feel that it is my calling in life. But it does take time away from my family, and that can be tough sometimes.

I'm also a human being, and there are certain things that we need to do to maintain our health and well-being.... I love to exercise and I am a happier person when I do. But that takes time too, and I haven't been giving enough time to it lately so I need to balance things out more there as well. My favorite kinds of exercise are yoga, pilates, biking, running, weight training and swimming. I would exercise for 3-4 hours a day if I could...but with owning a business and having a family, that really isn't possible. So I am trying to be content with less, and realize that less is better than nothing sometimes! I used to think it wasn't worth going running if I didn't have at least an hour, or biking if I didn't have at least 2 hours... silly, I know. I have been trying to change my thinking on that kind of time.

So much to do....so little time.... family, work, exercise, pets, music, gardening, art, cleaning,.... (guess what gets dropped first?!...if you've seen my house, you know!).

I guess I should end my time writing for now and get back to other things. :)