That’s New York City in the background. and don’t worry about the guy in the photo, he’s perfectly safe.

Strange though, how many people would comment about how they’d never do such a thing, purely out of fear. Some people never get that tattoo they’d always dreamed of for the same reason and we think that’s such a shame. They have lots of reasons that keep them from taking the plunge, maybe they won’t like the finished product; how much will it cost; what if they can’t take the pain; what if their friends/coworkers/parents/lover doesn’t like it… blah blah blah. All we hear is a life busy being unlived.

You’re gonna die.

Listen, you need to hear that sometime and you need to accept it. You also need to accept the fact that none of us really no what happens after that, other than life for everyone else will go on. So we’d like to strongly recommend getting your feet wet, your hands dirty, and living a little, while you still can. “Try everything once, except incest and folk dancing” is the old quote, I believe Sam Clemens, Mark Twain, said that one. We’d also like to add ‘…and meth, don’t try meth.’ But I digress.

Go on a trip. Have a conversation with a complete stranger. Call your mom. Eat, drink, pray. Find something in this world that gives you some meaning and do it with all your heart. Love like crazy. Tell someone you’re sorry if you mean it. Mean it. Be willing to make a mistake and maybe most of all, be willing to forgive yourself when you do.

And that, kids, is some of why we get tattoos.