Don't judge me by my tattoos

It's the year 2009. Gone are the days when having a tattoo (or rather tattoos) mean you are a member of the secret societies. Today, tattoos to many are considered a form of art. For some, it's a reminder of certain very challenging life experiences - just like how it was for me.

Read a fellow blogger's entry and realized her boyfriend is being judged on because of his tattoos. Well, he does have a lot of tattoos all over. Chest and extensions on arms. BUT he is one of the sweetest people I have heard about. He was never rough to her or showing much of that "ah beng" attitude. In fact, from what she writes about, he is quite the romantic, thoughtful kind of guys - you know, the kind who buys the girlfriend a Carebear soft toy in PINK just because she likes it. Get the picture?

I can fully understand how she feels when her partner is being discriminated and can totally feel him as he gets put down for I have a few tattoos myself. Three of them, I have. And each of them carries with them a story. Every one of them carries with them a meaning. People who has judged me before has never asked what they mean to me and immediately classified me as a gone case. I never bothered explaining to these assholes either. Simply because they are shallow and I don't to waste my time on assholes who don't mean a thing to me.

For those who had seen the blog entry on the last tattoo, you know what it means. For those who haven't, click here and read yourself.

So, what did each tattoo mean and why do I get pissed everytime someone criticized or laugh at them.......?

Tattoo number one - a tribal design on my back : This was my first tattoo at age nineteen. I got this when my relationship ended with my ex-boyfriend of three and a half years. It was a bad, bad, bad relationship. A lack of trust, cheating cases, emotional blackmails and a lot of violence later, we ended everything. At that time, I was just relieved to get out alive and when everything came to an end, I heaved a sigh of relief and got the tattoo so I will always remember that kind of pain that pierced through my skin. This pain will always remind me of the abuse I had gone through before and the next time this happens, I have to get out immediately before I end up emotionally and physically scarred again.

Tattoo number two - another tribal on my ankle : This was done a few months before I turned Twenty-one. When I had to say goodbye to someone. That was when I learnt that Goodbye is the hardest word and it was the first time I learnt that Love does not mean holding someone back but it is to let that person leave when you have to. That scene at the airport was heartbreaking but I knew later that it was the the best decision I had made for the both of us. I chose to have that tattoo on my ankle as I want it as close to my feet as close as possible. This tattoo is to remind me later in life that I can walk away when I have to so I can pursue my own happiness and let another find his as well.

Tattoo number three - another tribal on my neck : I had always wanted a fighting fish on my neck. The fish did not make it as all the designs we found were too big. Bleah. In the end, I got another tribal design done. And this is probably the most meaningful of all three. It will always remind me how strong I could be and how I should never give up on Life just because it has once disappoint me greatly.

So, there you are. The story behind each of them. The picture of the last tattoo is up but not the other two as I would like to keep them P&C for a while longer. For those who have seen it, so be it. For those who haven't, if you pray hard enough, I might just post pictures of them up someday. Muahahahaha.....

I can't speak for each and everyone out there who has tattoos on them. While there are some who gets tattoos for no reason, there are some, who like me gets tattoos for reasons. So, the next time you want to criticize or laugh at someone's tattoo, think twice. There could be a meaning behind each and every tattoo and as you criticize and laugh on, we could be rolling our eyes and thinking how shallow and idiotic you are.

Well, maybe just to satisfy some of you...here's the picture of the third tattoo AGAIN....... ^_^

Tattoo Number Three

You read right. Tattoo number three after eight years since the last one! Woohoo! No, not a fighting fish but a tribal design. The fish is too big so after discussing, I am going to have the fighting fish on my hip.

I know many have been wondering why a tattoo suddenly. Actually, it's not sudden. I've been wanting a tattoo on my neck for years but because of QX, I refrained from getting one. When we broke up, I figured it was time to get it but in my state of confusion then, I decided to wait out a while and see if this is really what I want.

Finally, after nearly nine months of considering, I decided that this is what I still want and when this is done, it's all for myself and not for anyone. It may just be a tribal tattoo to anyone but to me, this marks a new beginning of me - a start to my new life, a new found sense of independence, the confidence of going for what I want and believe in. I am not going to tell the old grandmother story again but for those of you who knew what went on, you would have agree that I have indeed come a long way; fought all odds to get here and this is the moment when I should be proud of myself. Ain't I right?

So, yesterday afternoon, I finally walked into my friend's tattoo shop- it's Ins Tattoo at Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre Unit 02-09 - and got my tribal tattoo! Yippee! One of the things I like about having a friend do your tattoo is that they listen to what you want and they make sure everything matches. Because I already have a tribal tattoo on the middle of my back which I will extend in time to come, I can't have anything that looks out of place. So Guowei (that's my friend cum tattoo artist's name) picked a design for me - which I must admit I find too ku-niang at first. But the moment he stuck it on so I can have a rough feel of how it looks, I fell in love with it. It has a sense of toughness in it but not overly fierce looking. So, after fifteen minutes, the tattooing began. And guess what? I must be immune to pain already because when Guowei was doing the tattoo, I was playing some car racing game on my phone. Muahahahaha!

Alright, enough of keeping everyone in suspense......here it is - my new tattoo on the back of my neck !

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Chio right? ^_^

And with flash on, you can see the skin around the tattoo all looking red and disgusting.

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Oh....btw (ah-huh, boasting time), while meeting up with my cousin and her friends on Friday, I was told that I am looking better than before. Muahahahah! Yah, I very hao lian now. So what? Eh....it is hard work getting to where I am today ok? I am putting up my very chio picture now so you better start feeling honoured that you get to see me looking pretty pretty. Wahahahaha!

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