Thursday, August 16

I'll show me mine, if you show me yours...

Of course I can't force you to show me yours but I'd love it if you did.

HEY! Whoa there. I'm not talking about your ta-tas, whoo-hoos, ding-dongs, or ring-a-ling ding-dangs. I'm talking body art.

I've seen the posts out there, I know there are lots of people out there with tats. Lovely tattoos done for beautiful reasons.

Here is mine:



Least muffiney top photo and due to pasty white flesh, flash makes mine look kinda sorry but I love it.

HEY! Stop making fun of my apple covered undies. Your just jealous and want your own pair.

I had my tattoo done about ten years ago. Dreaming of getting one ever since I was a kid (seriously), I did recognize the permanence and importance of selecting something I could literally live with forever, so I waited what felt like forever.

Elephants have always been that animal for me. Sure, I love cats, dogs, monkeys, tigers, and all the beautiful (and not so beautiful) beasts but elephants fascinate me.

First time I saw a live elephant was at the Circus Vargas. My dad took us to an old school circus when it came to town (complete with freak show - oh how politically incorrect).

The elephants towered over all the beasts and to see small children riding on top during the intermission was awe inducing.

Now don't go all PETA on me, I wouldn't go to an animal-based circus these days even if they paid me, but this was in the early days of animal rights.

The elephants were completely 100% mind-blowing to this seven year old.

Over the years, any opportunity to see an elephant and all animals was not passed up. Demands for zoo visits in every city we went on vacation were high up on my list of things to do. I remember being crushed the day it rained in Quebec City - that was zoo day! I never did get to that zoo. My home town didn't have an exotic zoo. Lots of fun farms and wildlife preserves, but no elephants for me.

When in Thailand, elephants were seen more frequently. Sometimes used for labour and mostly as tourist attractions, it was heartbreaking to see it each and every time. The conditions were sad and maddening inducing feelings of helplessness. Some handlers were better than others, but overall it was a sad experience.

During my psychology undergrad, I took a course in animal behaviour. While elephants weren't part of the regular curriculum, my prof listened to me babble on about my love of the pachyderms (and monkeys) and encouraged me to read the book "When Elephants Weep: The emotional lives of animals" (I was able to do a paper for extra credit - score!). This book was eye-opening and solidified my love.

Elephants are matriarchal, remember their dead, communicate over vast distances via vibrations, to just to name a few fascinating facts (fascinating to me). And any female that can stand being pregnant for 22 months gets a standing ovation from me.

So upon completion of that book, I decided on my tattoo.

[I also cannot help but mention another elephant book that floats my boat: The White Bone by Barbara Gowdy. Think Watership Down with elephants but I read this post tattoo.]

So, wanna share your body art story?

Pictures aren't necessary (but nice) and like other people's purses and bags, I love reading people's stories about body art. Leave me a comment, I want to read your story. Maybe you've already posted about it. So in theory, this a meme - share and I'll make the links here so others can enjoy your story.

BTW - I'm looking for inspiration for my next piece of body art and where else could be a better inspiration but inside the conversation of this loving circle of friends (some new, some old, and some never met).

And don't worry, I won't "steal" your tattoo because tats are like baby names: territorial. I'm looking for inspiration.

33 comments:

Mouse said...

No tat... yet. It's something I think about from time to time. And for whatever reason, it's a desire that has resurfaced with my miscarriages. I've been thinking about a tree with a long root, something about grounding and tapping into my spirit.

Trillian would/will freak if/when I do this.

metro mama said...

I have wanted one forever too, and need to just do it. I want to incorporate Cakes somehow.

NotSoSage said...

I have only one tattoo but have three more (or maybe more) planned as well as another piercing. I'd better hurry up and get out of academia fast or it'll never happen...

I love the inspiration for the tat, the lovely choice you made and the apple undies. I DO want some!

Chicky Chicky Baby said...

Love it! But I love your reason for getting it even more.

Of course, now I want to pick your brain about what you learned in that animals behavior class. Oh yes I do.

Anonymous said...

Cool tat, and interesting story behind it. I love elephants too :) We recently watched a show about them and their memory.

Kyla said...

Cool tat. Cool underoos. Cool elephants. Just cool.

I don't have any tattoos. If it could be tickled on with a feather, I'd totally get one...but the drawing with needles makes me a bit nervous. Of course, with as much drinking as I did at BlogHer, if someone would have suggested it then, I'd have been down for it. *lol*

Anonymous said...

Almost 14 years ago I read the book A Prayer for Owen Meany that was given to me by a person I didn't know very well. It was over this book that we became friends, a friendship that has endured much and lasted long. The armadillo is symbolic in the book, and became the signature of our friendship. We designed a line-art style armadillo and both got the same tattoo. Mine is on my chest, in a place that is covered by most shirts and swimsuit tops, but could be shown if I wanted to without being somewhat obscene. I got it when I was 20. Before I realized what breastfeeding two children would do to art in that location. So, now it doesn't look so much like an armadillo as a stretchy blog. But I still love it.

Anonymous said...

correction: not a stretchy BLOG but a stretchy BLOB.

Betsy Mae said...

I don't have a tattoo. I like yours..and your gitch too! I have toyed with the idea for the past 18 years but haven't ever found the right piece of art to have permantly on my body...yet...I know I will get one eventually. I recently met someone who had tattoos of his sons foot print and daughters hand print which I really liked (and since have seen many of). My husband is ready for one but doesn't want to spend the money...maybe for Xmas or his bday.

mamatulip said...

I love your underwear. Seriously LOVE them.

I have a few tats. The first one I got was when I was 16. It's a sun, the Rollins Band sun, on my right shoulder blade. A few years later I got another tattoo across from the sun on my left shoulder blade. My friend's boyfriend did it in his apartment and I've always regretted it. He did the outline and I never went back for him to finish it, but when I was in college I had the Tree of Life tattooed inside the middle circle, in remembrance of my mom.

I have my zodiac symbol, planetary symbol and the female symbol across my tailbone, a peace sign woven out of seaweed at the base of my neck, a ladybug on my right hip and a swirly line drawing on my left wrist. Before I get another one I want to get my current tats touched up a bit, but once I get that done I want to get a Mexican day of the dead skull done.

kittenpie said...

I like your elephant! My first tat was an animal I loved, too - a dolphin, when I was 17. I had wanted one for about a year, and waited, then sprung after I broke up with a long-term boyfriend.

I will write up this meme this weekend, but I think I will skip the pics... You know me.

Gabriella said...

Love the tattoo and the undies! I've been thinking bout getting one now for hmm over 5 years but am scared of the pain (yes I'm a wuss) and not sure of what image to use. I have a few in mind but as it's so permanent I'm not sure if I want them that bad.

I'm so indecisive.

moplans said...

I am terrified of needles. No tattoos for me.
but I do like the apple undies.

ms blue said...

Oh sure I get to sleep with you but I have to wait for your blog to see your undies.

I love your tattoo! I'm still procrastinating on my Mother's Day gift this year for which I was promised some body art. I'll blog it when it happens.

Stimey said...

Tattoos are addicting. My rule is that I have to want a particular design for a year and then I can get it. My first (at age 18) was a yin/yang encased in a sun on my ankle. My most recent (9 years ago) is an armband of two geckos. My favorite is on my back and is the only one with color. It is based on one of Picasso's dove sketches and is beautiful.

I badly want another one. I just can't decide what yet.

Tania said...

No body art on me, but I think I took the same animal behaviour class as you. All I remember about it is sitting in Queen's Park, documenting fixed actions patterns of squirrels. Not exactly my most academic event.

Tania said...

....and oh yeah, nice undies!

crazymumma said...

Elephants.

nice choice Bumper.

really.

spiritual, moving, deep wonderful beasties.

I am unmarked. As yet.

Run ANC said...

No tats, yet. I have commitment issues. :-)

But I'm thinking about it..

Anonymous said...

Love the unders...

I have a big memorial cross on my middle lower back for the life of my youngest son. Then I had stars and music notes on the side of my neck for my other two, and then I had a big butterfly on my right inner wrist for me. It was to symbolize surviving the pain of losing a child and finding the beauty in it.

And there is a type of beauty in it. Even if it's just the strength of surviving it.

I love the elephant. My next tatty will be a smiling skull on my hip with the letter RNM on it.

Just to annoy the hubs.

Julie Marsh said...

I love the symbolism of your elephant. They are majestic animals. And now I need to go order some undies from H&M.

Jenifer said...

Hey!

My sister is a tattoo artist and I have 5 lovely specimins of her talent. Give me a day or so.... but I'll get a post up with pics on my blog!!!

BITE MY COOKIE said...

i would like to add:
1. hot pachyderm atop some hot unders
2. elephants also have thick skin, and metaphorically speaking (not literally, obviously) i would say so does one motherbumper.
3. i will be tat blogging shortly. it may be too late to be timely for your purposes, but this is a lovely story. thank you for sharing it.

xodt

Anonymous said...

i'm dying to get a tattoo...but i'm so nervous that whatever i'd choose would be the wrong choice...

i love yours! it's hot! and so are the apple underwear!

b*babbler said...

I love your elephants. It is so different - I love it!

I've been toying with the idea of a tattoo for years. I think, though, that I'd finally like to get one to celebrate the birth of my daughter. I'd like to have it done on her first birthday, one year after she surprised/terrified us by coming two months early. I want something that is special to her... not her name or the date or anything like that. I just have to find the inspiration.

Jenifer said...

Ok, my post id up at my blog.... add it PLEASE!

And thanks it was much fun!

Anonymous said...

I don't have any body mutilations but I think that when I accomplish my first Iron Man (or half Iron Man), I will get the traditional one on my ankle.

Great undies MB :>

GIRL'S GONE CHILD said...

I'm so late but I love this post! I love hearing the stories behind tats and I'm a big fan of the elephant myself. And second (third? twenty-third? the hubba! on the undies.) You're one sexy motha-bumpa.

Meanie said...

Since I was thirteen years old, I have been a die-hard fan of the band Social Distortion � their music just does something to me. They have this great little dancing skeleton (skellie) logo and he�s holding a martini and cigarette. Well, fast forward 20 odd years, I�m bunkered down with two kids, a husband and a mortgage, but damn, I still love the band and their music, so the little rebel left in me went and had �skellie� tattooed on my foot

NotSoSage said...

Just posted about a future tat, and linked to this. Thought I should let you know. You know, 'cause of the thousands of hits headed your way. haha.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the inspiration to write about it...i have posted about mine.
way to go shultzie! i did some touring w/SD, mike would talk about how parenthood changed him so much, but he still sang the old songs...you are not the only one!
motherbumper: how about an apple tattoo!? (I don't reccomend tattoing the undies on though)

Anonymous said...

dunno why it didn't post my comment w/ a link but here it tis:
www.motomama.wordpress.com

Nichole said...

Is it too late to share my tattoo with you? No picture, so a description will have to do. (By the way, I can't believe I haven't blogged about my tattoo yet!)

I have one, in almost exactly the same location as yours except mine is on the left of my lower back rather than the right. I got it in March, 2003. It is a blue crescent moon with a yellow star next to it. The star has a smiley face. I sorta regret the smiley face...it looks like the Hardee's star. Therefore, I named him Norm. There is a huge story, and I will blog about it now I promise...and I definitely want more.