Inked Up

While I am slowly (and painfully) getting back into shape, I thought I would put up some pictures that I haven't gotten around to earlier. These days, 8:30 min/mile feel hard and 8 min mile is about all I can do for speed work. I use the term speed, loosely. Anyway, since mediocre running times aren't really worth writing about, now is a good time to show off what I was up to this winter.

First off, I like tattoos. They're not for everyone and I don't like every tattoo, but I have several small ones in easy-to-conceal locations. Good tattoos are art, or badges of honor, or memories put into ink. At least that's my perspective. If you think tattoos are the hallmark of a subversive personality or criminal in the making, you probably don't want to waste your time on this post.

This winter, I had a very nice and fairly large piece done. I absolutely love it. It took several hours over a few sittings. The ribs are a very tender place to be jabbed with a needle repeatedly. So here's the pictures, as the tattoo progressed.

Day one, before Jessie got started.

She's amazing and now her waiting list is about a year long. I might as well make an appointment for my next one at this rate. Exile Tattoo is awesome - no walk-ins, no piercings, so it's as classy as a body shop can be. Very queit and private. I would highly recommend Exile to anyone.

This was about an hour into day one. Kelly was there the first sitting and took several pictures.

End of day one. The most "interesting" part was the bandage. Since I am allergic to medical adhesive, Jessie couldn't just tape a bandage over it. So she wrapped my midsection in plastic wrap. Good thing it was December or it would have been even less pleasant.

After that, I went alone so I only have pictures at the end of each sitting. This is the end of the second sitting in January. Pardon my undergarments.

Sitting #3 and by far the most uncomfortable. Those were some tender riblets when she was done. You can see how inflamed the whole area was.

Last sitting in early March, a little bloody and inflamed, but impressive. I actually left an engineering conference early to make it back to my appt. With Jessie's waiting list, you don't cancel.

Finished! It's hard to get the whole thing in one picture since it wraps around my torso. (No, that's not a sunburn, just weird lighting from the camera. I know to use sunscreen on something like this!)

Here's a close up of the angel's face and wings.

The angel is an adaptation of Salvador Dali's illustration of Dante's Inferno. The canto I chose was Canto 16 from Paradise, the title roughly translates into "Angel of the Ancestor." Like any good tattoo, there are layers of meaning behind the piece I choose and this post has gotten long enough. So if you really want to know the meaning, or just to see the tattoo, you'll have to buy me a beer sometime. :)