# New tattoo! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 22, 2008, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tattoo/453814 "2008-06-22T19:08:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Daerlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Daerlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daerlyn)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tattoo/453814/1 "2008-06-22T19:08:08Z")
So today I got my first tattoo. Yay me! My tattoo artist was very nice and fun, so if anyone’s in Toronto and looking to get a tattoo, I fully endorse Kelly at [Tat-a-rama](http://www.tat-a-rama.com/) in Etobicoke. A picture of my tattoo is [here.](http://www.pepperbar.net/natprodcaffeine_220.jpg) I got it on my left shoulderblade. One thing I found that surprised me: everyone told me that being tattooed over bone hurts more than fleshy spots, so when she started over the shoulderblade and it stung but wasn’t agonising, I figured this would be not so bad. Then she hit the fleshy part of my shoulder. I don’t think I’ve ever been in so much pain in my entire life. So apparently I’m a freak that way. Tell me about your tattoos! ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tattoo/453814/2 "2008-06-22T19:25:43Z")
Got a pic with it on you? I like the design! Is there a reason you chose that particular compound? (Sorry if it’s not actually a compound… chemistry is my worst subject.) I have one tattoo on my wrist, it’s Sanskrit for ‘‘impermanent,’’ (anitya) and that pretty much sums up the most important guiding principle in my life. I really, really, REALLY love it. Eventually I plan to add ‘‘suffering’’ (dukkha) and ‘‘equanimity’’ (anatman) around my wrist to form a full circle, but I haven’t been able to find the Sanskrit for ‘‘equanimity’’, just in Pali. I’m thinking of just adding them in Pali on either side. I don’t know Sanskrit or Pali, but a lot of the original Buddhist terminology has survived in the original ancient languages, and I wanted to keep the tradition. ---
**Author:** ![Daerlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Daerlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daerlyn)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tattoo/453814/3 "2008-06-22T19:29:30Z")
I don’t have of pic of it on me yet, I’ll be taking a few once the swelling goes down. The compound is caffeine, trimethylxanthine is the chemical name. I am a gamer and tech support geek, and coffee is my lifeblood. I’m also the woman with the coffee maker on her desk, so I keep most of the engineers going as well, hence the ‘enabler’. 😃 What kind of alphabet does Sanskrit use? I definitely like your guiding principles. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tattoo/453814/4 "2008-06-22T20:27:02Z")
[QUOTE=olivesmarch4th] I really, really, REALLY love it. Eventually I plan to add ‘‘suffering’’ (dukkha) and ‘‘equanimity’’ (anatman) around my wrist to form a full circle, but I haven’t been able to find the Sanskrit for ‘‘equanimity’’, just in Pali. [/QUOTE] Your tattoo sounds lovely. You’ll have to attach a pic at some point. Mine is about located over my left shoulderblade, is 3 inches wide, dark, dense, and required a fair few passes with the needle to make it dark enough. It hurt like hell and bled like stink. A minor thought - I’m unsure about “equanimity” as a translation for “anatman”. I would have thought the translation would have been “soullessness” or “impermanence of self”. [I enclose the wikipedia page ([Anattā - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatta))]. I only mention it as you’ll undoubtedly have people asking you the significance of these tattoos when you’ve completed the set. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tattoo/453814/5 "2008-06-22T21:09:44Z")
Cool design! Here’s a [pic](http://s18.photobucket.com/albums/b109/rmix/tattoo/?action=view¤t=DSCF2626.jpg) of mine, on my right shoulderblade. (I’m a Scorpio.) ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tattoo/453814/6 "2008-06-22T21:55:54Z")
[QUOTE=Daerlyn] I don’t think I’ve ever been in so much pain in my entire life. [/QUOTE] Well, that sinks it! I was vaguely considering a tattoo but this changed my mind. Cool design, though! ---
**Author:** ![Daerlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Daerlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daerlyn)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tattoo/453814/7 "2008-06-22T22:00:41Z")
[QUOTE=gigi] Well, that sinks it! I was vaguely considering a tattoo but this changed my mind. Cool design, though! [/QUOTE] Thanks! I should probably point out that I’ve never experienced a whole lot of pain to begin with (never broke a bone or got stitches or had surgery), so my threshhold for comparison is not all that high. I also didn’t cry or scream or faint during or afterwards, although I did leave grooves in the back of the chair I was sitting in. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![PJThompson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e480ec/32.png) [@PJThompson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PJThompson)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tattoo/453814/8 "2008-06-23T02:42:41Z")
Agreed-it does hurt, but in a unique way. It feels like tiny razor blades going in and out of your skin repeatedly. I have one on my right shoulder blade, but will be adding soon. Congrats on your first! ---
**Author:** ![Lady\_Venom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9fc348/32.png) [@Lady\_Venom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lady_Venom)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tattoo/453814/9 "2008-06-23T11:09:46Z")
Cool tattoo!! I want to get one this summer. I’ve been bugging my husband to design the one that’s in my head, but he hasn’t yet. Anyone a good artist? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Daithi\_Lacha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daithi_lacha/32/5430_2.png) [@Daithi\_Lacha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daithi_Lacha)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tattoo/453814/10 "2008-06-23T12:06:55Z")
[QUOTE=Lady Venom] Cool tattoo!! I want to get one this summer. I’ve been bugging my husband to design the one that’s in my head, but he hasn’t yet. Anyone a good artist? 😃 [/QUOTE] M’lady, I’m a graphic designer plus I’ve designed a tattoo for a co-worker (she hasn’t gotten it inked yet, though), so PM me with your idea & I’ll see what I can do! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Contrary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/db5fbb/32.png) [@Contrary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrary)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tattoo/453814/11 "2008-06-23T12:51:27Z")
I just got one of mine re-inked on Friday and it felt as I remembered–it stings but then (at least for me) I sort of get into this zone where it’s almost soothing and I don’t experience it as pain or even discomfort. ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tattoo/453814/12 "2008-06-23T13:29:57Z")
I love your tatt! Very cool. ---
**Author:** ![Daerlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Daerlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daerlyn)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tattoo/453814/13 "2008-06-23T13:31:17Z")
Pictures of my tattoo actually on me: [Full size](http://www.pepperbar.net/images/tattoos%20001.jpg) [Closeup](http://www.pepperbar.net/images/tattoos%20002.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Lady\_Venom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9fc348/32.png) [@Lady\_Venom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lady_Venom)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tattoo/453814/14 "2008-06-23T17:23:20Z")
[QUOTE=Daithi Lacha] M’lady, I’m a graphic designer plus I’ve designed a tattoo for a co-worker (she hasn’t gotten it inked yet, though), so PM me with your idea & I’ll see what I can do! 🙂 [/QUOTE] On the way!! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tattoo/453814/15 "2008-06-23T18:16:27Z")
[QUOTE=Daerlyn] Pictures of my tattoo actually on me: [Full size](http://www.pepperbar.net/images/tattoos%20001.jpg) [Closeup](http://www.pepperbar.net/images/tattoos%20002.jpg) [/QUOTE] Heh, that’s pretty good, well lined and the letters and numbers are spot on straight. I like it. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tattoo/453814/16 "2008-06-23T20:02:15Z")
Very impressive. Your artist is pretty durn talented. Those letters (and straight lines) would look like shit if the majority of tattoo artists tried to do that. ---
**Author:** ![Daerlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Daerlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daerlyn)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tattoo/453814/17 "2008-06-23T20:04:19Z")
Yup, I was very impressed. This is also why it took over an hour to do. I will be thrilled with it as soon as I stop wincing every time I shift my shoulder. 🙂