Drunken Ladybugs & Star Signs

I got my first tattoo at 16.  My mom took me while I was visiting her on spring break in Florida.  I spent 5 minutes in the studio looking at flash and picked a ladybug.  Why a ladybug you ask?  Because ladybug was my cocker spaniel’s name. True story.

At 17, I added an infinity symbol of thorns (so so deep at 17) to my cute ladybug.  At 18 I was sick of my cheap spring break tattoo and was looking for something that meant something to me.  I went with my boyfriend of a year and covered up my infinite ladybug with a blue butterfly.  Nothing says together forever like a blue butterfly. Except it doesn’t.

2 years later.  New boyfriend, new tattoo.  We went together, he was getting his first tattoo, I was on my second (technically).  He got an ocean scene, surfboard and all, and I got the Celtic Tree of Life & Death.  Still very deep at 21.  I loved it then and I still love it.

After he dumped my ass I was heartbroken and drunk.  I decided a new tattoo would get me through the pain.  I went to my Cracked out artist and told him I wanted a gemini sign on my shoulder.  This is what I got:

My drunken tattoo

That was 7 years ago.  I have hated it since the moment I saw it with sober eyes.  I have spent hours upon hours redesigning my wardrobe to hide the monstrosity.  I even try to cover it up from time to time with make up.  I have wanted to get it removed since the second I left the tattoo studio but have either been:

pregnant, broke, or both.

Now that I am not pregnant I have finally decided to start the process.  I am still broke but mamma knows how to save.  And the appoints are 2 months apart so that gives me some time.  Today was my first visit.  The doc was cool but basically told me it was gonna hurt like hell.  I told her that I did not do so well with pain and she said that she could shoot my tat up with Novocaine before we started.  All in on that shit.

The Novocaine actually did wonders and I could barely feel a thing.  The worst part was the sound of the laser.  It literally sounds like a bug lamp zapping mosquitoes and it smells like burnt flesh.  Happy morning to me!

10 hours later and I now want to cut my shoulder off while eating massive amounts of painkillers (that I don’t have).  But I can already see a teensy tiny bit of my progress (through the bruising and the blood):

5 minutes after the laser treatment

5 Hours After the Laser Treatment

12 Hours Later

24 Hours Later

One down.  Five more to go.

****When I got home from the appointment a big ‘ol box from the Gap was waiting for me.  Seems my little old blog got selected to be a Gap Brand Enthusiast.  Which  basically means that The Gap is going to be sending me a bunch of their new jeans from their Born to Fit line and I get to have a party (on Gap) to give them all away.  Boo yay. I would somehow like involve some of my Cleveland readers in the fun!  Maybe a contest…hmmmm….must ponder.  More deets soon.

*****I know that I am so annoying about this Nickelodeaon contest but there are only a few days left to vote and I still totally think it’s fixed, but I AM NOT giving up.  If I can’t believe that an interwebs contest is honest that I god damn can’t believe in anything.

Peace & grease bitches.

This entry was posted on Friday, July 10th, 2009 at 7:20 am and is filed under Widow Digs, Widowism. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.