http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/AprillBrandon/7437 I have to admit, when contemplating what I should get for my next tattoo, an image of Shakespeare or my favorite quote from "For Whom the Bell Tolls" never crossed my mind. But that's what makes America so great, folks. The fact that it did cross someone's mind. Yes, the latest rage in permanent ink? Literary tattoos. (Check out a whole stock of pictures here). Being an avid reader, almost to the point where it's a sickness (seriously, I once read for 10 hours straight...darn you "Da Vinci Code!"), I actually think this is a pretty cool idea. I mean, a quote from the Bible or a portrait of Edgar Allen Poe is definitely more meaningful than having Tweety Bird resting on your forearm. And besides, often times books, really good books, can help us as humans to evolve and grow, to think and change. I can't recall how many times I've been deeply moved by something someone wrote and have carried that with me wherever I go. Now the only question is, do I literally want to carry that around with me wherever I go (Bah-dum-Ching!). Well, I guess we'll see. I have been in the market for a new tattoo and I think an image of Dave Barry standing by an exploding toilet may look nice splayed across my back. Or perhaps Dorothy Parker drinking a martini on my shoulder? Or maybe Nick Hornby on my rear? Ah, decisions, decisions... Sidenote: While I'm all for tatting it up, there is one new tattoo trend you couldn't pay me a million dollars to do. According to the mom-friendly Web site, Mom Logic, the latest rage in ink is getting the inside of your lower lip tattooed. Oh, trust me, you read that right...the INSIDE of your lower facial lip (just clarifying for all those with their minds in the gutter). I don't think I could have come up with a more disturbing and painful place to repeatedly place a needle in than that location. Let's just hope that inner eyelid tattoo doesn't become big any time soon ("But Mom, since I got my eyelid tattooed, every time I close my eyes I can see Kermit the Frog"). I have to admit, when contemplating what I should get for my next tattoo, an image of Shakespeare or my favorite quote from "For Whom the Bell Tolls" never crossed my mind. But that's what makes America so great, folks. The fact that it did cross someone's mind. Yes, the latest rage in permanent ink? Literary tattoos. (Check out a whole stock of pictures here). Being an avid reader, almost to the point where it's a sickness (seriously, I once read for 10 hours straight...darn you "Da Vinci Code!"), I actually think this is a pretty cool idea. I mean, a quote from the Bible or a portrait of Edgar Allen Poe is definitely more meaningful than having Tweety Bird resting on your forearm. And besides, often times books, really good books, can help us as humans to evolve and grow, to think and change. I can't recall how many times I've been deeply moved by something someone wrote and have carried that with me wherever I go. Now the only question is, do I literally want to carry that around with me wherever I go (Bah-dum-Ching!). Well, I guess we'll see. I have been in the market for a new tattoo and I think an image of Dave Barry standing by an exploding toilet may look nice splayed across my back. Or perhaps Dorothy Parker drinking a martini on my shoulder? Or maybe Nick Hornby on my rear? Ah, decisions, decisions... Sidenote: While I'm all for tatting it up, there is one new tattoo trend you couldn't pay me a million dollars to do. According to the mom-friendly Web site, Mom Logic, the latest rage in ink is getting the inside of your lower lip tattooed. Oh, trust me, you read that right...the INSIDE of your lower facial lip (just clarifying for all those with their minds in the gutter). I don't think I could have come up with a more disturbing and painful place to repeatedly place a needle in than that location. Let's just hope that inner eyelid tattoo doesn't become big any time soon ("But Mom, since I got my eyelid tattooed, every time I close my eyes I can see Kermit the Frog"). en-us I remember when people used to think putting a hole in your tongue was the worst  you could do. I agree about the lip tat, tho -- it hurts like heck when I just accidentally bite the inside of my lip. I couldn't imagine 20 minutes of the needle there. Serious Ouch!!! http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/AprillBrandon/7437/#c_49123 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/AprillBrandon/7437/#c_49123 I remember when people used to think putting a hole in your tongue was the worst  you could do. I agree about the lip tat, tho -- it hurts like heck when I just accidentally bite the inside of my lip. I couldn't imagine 20 minutes of the needle there. Serious Ouch!!! Inner lip tat......hmmmmmm. nah. I'd sooner do a tongue tattoo just for the control, surprise element and a poetic justice factor that could only be explained by divulging TMI. I am leaning toward a message tattoo at the moment. Likely a Poe line, as ankle art for starters, though I am also considering "Same As It Ever Was" (Life During Wartime). As far as the piercings........oweeeee. I had a ring in one pierced ear back in the '70s.  The ex-wife of a boyhood tormentor lawman actually did the piercing the old fashioned way. It lasted about a month. Between a rough outdoor job in brush and in the the elements constantly, it never healed properly, so I pulled the ring, and have limited my piercings to spontaneous ones since, most of which healed with a minimum of scarring. http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/AprillBrandon/7437/#c_49129 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/AprillBrandon/7437/#c_49129 Inner lip tat......hmmmmmm. nah. I'd sooner do a tongue tattoo just for the control, surprise element and a poetic justice factor that could only be explained by divulging TMI. I am leaning toward a message tattoo at the moment. Likely a Poe line, as ankle art for starters, though I am also considering "Same As It Ever Was" (Life During Wartime). As far as the piercings........oweeeee. I had a ring in one pierced ear back in the '70s.  The ex-wife of a boyhood tormentor lawman actually did the piercing the old fashioned way. It lasted about a month. Between a rough outdoor job in brush and in the the elements constantly, it never healed properly, so I pulled the ring, and have limited my piercings to spontaneous ones since, most of which healed with a minimum of scarring. Well until Miami Ink I never understood why some people had what looked like just random tats and I always thought to myself if your going to have so many at least follow a theme but now I know each tat can have a different meaning for that person such as to honor a peroson or event in thier life. Although I have none I am not against getting one it would just have to be something I really wanted. Inner lip tat or a literary tat will not be it. I do like David Beckham's (the Soccer guy) back tat but even with that one I find it lacking something. Aprill You should do a story on this. BTW which is your favorite Miami Ink or L.A Ink for myself it's Miami Ink   http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/AprillBrandon/7437/#c_49193 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/AprillBrandon/7437/#c_49193 Well until Miami Ink I never understood why some people had what looked like just random tats and I always thought to myself if your going to have so many at least follow a theme but now I know each tat can have a different meaning for that person such as to honor a peroson or event in thier life. Although I have none I am not against getting one it would just have to be something I really wanted. Inner lip tat or a literary tat will not be it. I do like David Beckham's (the Soccer guy) back tat but even with that one I find it lacking something. Aprill You should do a story on this. BTW which is your favorite Miami Ink or L.A Ink for myself it's Miami Ink   Grifter, I've only caught bit and pieces of both shows, but from what I've seen, I'll have to go with Miami Ink as well. And I think an article on the backstories of tattoos is a great idea. Will have to run that by my editors. Maybe I'll even finally get my second tattoo while researching it, you know to make it authentic (and to see if I can get the Advocate to pay for it...LOL). I'm having trouble deciding not only what to get, but where to put it. I find it's much harder for chicks to find a location for a tat on the body than it is for guys. See, for me, the chest, back and forearms are out, as is the lower back. I'm open for any suggestions of where good spots for a tattoo are. http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/AprillBrandon/7437/#c_49195 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/AprillBrandon/7437/#c_49195 Grifter, I've only caught bit and pieces of both shows, but from what I've seen, I'll have to go with Miami Ink as well. And I think an article on the backstories of tattoos is a great idea. Will have to run that by my editors. Maybe I'll even finally get my second tattoo while researching it, you know to make it authentic (and to see if I can get the Advocate to pay for it...LOL). I'm having trouble deciding not only what to get, but where to put it. I find it's much harder for chicks to find a location for a tat on the body than it is for guys. See, for me, the chest, back and forearms are out, as is the lower back. I'm open for any suggestions of where good spots for a tattoo are. I'll also take any suggestions of good literary quotes for a tattoo. I have some in mind, but I'm curious to see what quotes other people think might make for a good tattoo. http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/AprillBrandon/7437/#c_49198 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/AprillBrandon/7437/#c_49198 I'll also take any suggestions of good literary quotes for a tattoo. I have some in mind, but I'm curious to see what quotes other people think might make for a good tattoo. As you grow older, you'll find the only things you regret are the things you didn't do.  ~Zachary Scott   Dream as if you'll live forever.  Live as if you'll die today.  ~James Dean   And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count.  It's the life in your years.  ~Abraham Lincoln   Faith is reason grown courageous.  ~Sherwood Eddy   The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.  ~Mother Teresa   When love is not madness, it is not love.  ~Pedro Calderon de la Barca   "The only difference between the saint and the sinner is that every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future."  ~Oscar Wilde, A Woman of No Importance, 1893, spoken by the character Lord Illingworth   "Alis volat propiis"  (She flies by her own wings.)   "In Omnia Paratus," Latin for "ready for anything."   Shoot for the moon.  Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.  ~Les Brown   If you want to make your dreams come true, the first thing you have to do is wake up.  ~J.M. Power   Life's problems wouldn't be called "hurdles" if there wasn't a way to get over them.  ~Author Unknown   Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.  ~Author Unknown   Journalism largely consists in saying "Lord Jones is dead" to people who never knew Lord Jones was alive.  ~G.K. Chesterton   We can't quite decide if the world is growing worse, or if the reporters are just working harder.  ~The Houghton Line, November 1965   Journalism is the ability to meet the challenge of filling space.  ~Rebecca West   Harmony seldom makes a headline.  ~Silas Bent   Literature is the art of writing something that will be read twice; journalism what will be grasped at once.  ~Cyril Connolly   Journalists do not live by words alone, although sometimes they have to eat them.  ~Adlai E. Stevenson http://www.quotegarden.com/ http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/AprillBrandon/7437/#c_49304 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/AprillBrandon/7437/#c_49304 As you grow older, you'll find the only things you regret are the things you didn't do.  ~Zachary Scott   Dream as if you'll live forever.  Live as if you'll die today.  ~James Dean   And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count.  It's the life in your years.  ~Abraham Lincoln   Faith is reason grown courageous.  ~Sherwood Eddy   The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.  ~Mother Teresa   When love is not madness, it is not love.  ~Pedro Calderon de la Barca   "The only difference between the saint and the sinner is that every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future."  ~Oscar Wilde, A Woman of No Importance, 1893, spoken by the character Lord Illingworth   "Alis volat propiis"  (She flies by her own wings.)   "In Omnia Paratus," Latin for "ready for anything."   Shoot for the moon.  Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.  ~Les Brown   If you want to make your dreams come true, the first thing you have to do is wake up.  ~J.M. Power   Life's problems wouldn't be called "hurdles" if there wasn't a way to get over them.  ~Author Unknown   Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.  ~Author Unknown   Journalism largely consists in saying "Lord Jones is dead" to people who never knew Lord Jones was alive.  ~G.K. Chesterton   We can't quite decide if the world is growing worse, or if the reporters are just working harder.  ~The Houghton Line, November 1965   Journalism is the ability to meet the challenge of filling space.  ~Rebecca West   Harmony seldom makes a headline.  ~Silas Bent   Literature is the art of writing something that will be read twice; journalism what will be grasped at once.  ~Cyril Connolly   Journalists do not live by words alone, although sometimes they have to eat them.  ~Adlai E. Stevenson http://www.quotegarden.com/ Grifter, thanks so much. I particularly like the "She flies by her own wings" one. Now I just need to figure out where. Is a tattoo right below the back of the neck too cliche? Thoughts anyone? http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/AprillBrandon/7437/#c_49333 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/AprillBrandon/7437/#c_49333 Grifter, thanks so much. I particularly like the "She flies by her own wings" one. Now I just need to figure out where. Is a tattoo right below the back of the neck too cliche? Thoughts anyone?