.:Permanence
At the moment I find myself sitting in a tattoo shop in Columbia, MO.
The why of it isn’t important (but no, I’m not getting a tattoo).
But I was thinking about permanance.
There was an adage I read recently:
“Buy the best, cry once.”
Essentially it means that if you start off by buying the best of something, it will save you in the long run. For example, buying a cheap pair of shoes versus an expensive pair will cause you to potentially buy many pairs of cheap shoes as they wear down through the years while the well crafted pair last longer and afford more comfort in the meanwhile.
My father tends to buy to hold to the adage, and I suppose it’s been passed down to me in some regards. When it comes to camera equipment or software, I try to save up and get something that will more than suit my needs instead of buying something that would only be a stepping stone to where I needed to be…
But when it comes to media, the better equipment can be the thing that sets you apart (or potentially net you more work because you stand out, thus paying for the equipment faster than the cheap equipment would). It just takes patience, hard work, and a tidy amount of green.
Let’s slide back to permanence.
My dad buys nice things that should last him a lifetime, but he self-admittedly tends to get bored with the things. It might be why he’s so adamantly against getting a tattoo.
Personally, I can’t think of something I want on me that would last my lifetime.
I used to be obsessed with Star Wars to an embarrassing degree (back then it was awesome). I played the card game so I knew all the useless trivia and did quite well the one time I played Star Wars Trivial Pursuit in college, but I remember being 12 and laying in bed and a scary thought entered my head.
“What if I don’t like Star Wars anymore?”
It was almost like my faith had been shaken. I stuffed the thought down and did everything I could to not think about it. How could I not love Star Wars!?
.:Yearbooks
I have a fear of looking foolish to my future self. I do what I can to avoid ‘trendy’ looks so as best to note ‘date myself,’ as best I can. Perhaps it is because I often capture myself in some form of media or another via acting, social networking, etc… and I remember chuckling at all the yearbooks with the cool kids in high school with afros and bellbottoms…
Right now, I adore Steampunk. But I adored Star Wars more in my childhood. Thus, even though I really enjoy the imagery and social significance it entails, I can’t guarantee that in 10 years I’ll feel the same way even though my skin would attest that I most certainly did.
Let’s get this straight: I’m not against tattoos or those who choose to get them. I just can’t think of something personally that I want to ornament my skin that means so much to me that I would always want it on display. Even if it was regarding my faith, I may get tired of the design.
So, here I am, sitting in a tattoo parlor in Columbia, MO. Huh.
-R
