My Whole Expanse I Cannot See…

I formulate infinity stored deep inside of me…

Oct 6

Tattoo #11

Category: Life,Tattoos

So, yesterday I was listening to music and trying to figure out something fun to do with my evening. Tattoos are always fun, and I’d been thinking about a song lyrics tattoo for awhile. Music’s kind of personal to me, I feel like what I listen to tells a lot about me. I’m really particular about what goes on my playlists. I mean, I “like” lots of music, I know the words to everything from The Beatles to John Prine, but everything I listen to on my own is very specific. At any rate, while I was listening to my “Anger and Depression are Fun” playlist, one of my absolute favorite Nirvana songs started playing. I heard the line I wanted etched into my skin.

“And if you cut yourself, you will think you’re happy”

It’s a line from Sappy, such brilliant song. It’s totally open to interpretation, but at its core, I think it’s a song about sacrifice. How we hurt ourselves to make others happy, thinking that we’ll then be happy too. I’m inclined to think the song’s specifically about God, but again, it’s totally open. That sort of constant sacrifice is exhausting, and in the end, you’re really not happy, a fact that I often forget. Hence the tattoo.

My regular tattoo shop was closed, they close super early on Sundays, so I ended up going to where I got my very first tattoo, Phat Katz. It was a pretty spectacular evening, pouring rain, definitely not vent/trache weather. The shop’s layout had changed since my visit almost four years ago, so to get my tattoo, the two artists had to carry me and the chair up two flights of stairs.

The experience was definitely worth the effort. I got to see a girl completely punk out mid-tattoo, and another girl with a wickedly swollen lip piercing that needed yanked. I always find it a little amusing when I’m the toughest person in a room.

9 comments

9 Comments so far

  1. Rachel October 6th, 2008 7:57 pm

    He did a seriously awesome job on the text. I wish all my lines were that straight!

  2. Teresa October 6th, 2008 8:46 pm

    Monday, October 06, 2008
    So the first step in seeking happiness is learning. We first have to learn how negative emotions and behaviors are harmful to us and how positive emotions are helpful.
    – Dalai Lama

  3. wendychloe October 7th, 2008 7:00 am

    I KNOW you were polite and didn’t laugh OR snicker when the girl punked out, right…??? 😉

  4. michael October 7th, 2008 5:10 pm

    Just internally…

  5. wendychloe October 7th, 2008 5:58 pm

    ..which is exactly what I expected you to say, and is exactly what I’d do also.

  6. Jaelyn October 7th, 2008 9:22 pm

    Ha!
    Something tells me your the toughest guy always.
    Dont laugh at the weaker ones ;-P

  7. redandjonny October 9th, 2008 8:22 am

    You need one that says “Bad Ass”

    maybe in your knuckles. that would look awesome.

  8. para_boddah November 12th, 2009 12:35 am

    I Really like sappy, and thats an awesome tattoo. If you want to hear a different version of Sappy, i highly recommend the version from Outcesticide IV: Rape of the vaults. (live 1994-02-16)

  9. Tess April 1st, 2010 1:13 pm

    Your face…. I like it. 🙂