New ink!

So. I have been thinking about getting a new tattoo for a long while now, and finally decided to go ahead with it. Tattoos are an old, old artform, and nowadays they can be frivolous or meaningful--they can simply be aesthetically pleasing, or they can represent something deeper, marking transitions, commemorating life events, acting as talismans . . .

This tattoo, like my last one (ποίημα, "poiema," the Greek root word from which we derive the English word "poem," on my neck/between my shoulders) is a manifestation of my love for the English language and literature. It is also a way to honor my father, who passed away on 3.10.2013. His initials, "rs" are highlighted with a slight drop-shadow in red. It is convenient that they appear next to one another in the alphabet. My father was an engineer--he worked for LILCO (now LIPA, or Nat'l Grid, or whatever it is now) for many years. He was more of a "math guy"--not a man who cared deeply for literature. But he did care for me. And he read to me a great deal when I was young, and instilled in me a love for reading and writing.

My fianceé suggested the highlighting, and I thought it was a lovely idea. The subtlety is rather nice, I think.

The handwriting is my own, and it was deftly inked by Chris at Ritual Ink, in Highland, NY. It's a nice, clean shop, and the artist is talented, proficient, and professional.

Of course, now I'm thinking about what the next one is going to be . . .