{Once a Rock Star, Always a Rock Star}

I was a rebel with a cause.
I moved out at 17 years of age --October of my senior year --
because I just couldn't stand being a Jehovah's Witness in
a house full of crazy for a minute longer.
(Best decision of my life, by the way.)
At 12 years of age, I developed this plan. I knew
there was something seriously wrong with that
organisation and my parents. I wanted out, but I had to
wait until I could take care of myself.
In my infinite wisdom, I did a lot of rebelling.
I guess I felt like I had a lot to prove.

One such moment was my first tattoo.
Not that tattoos are bad or always a sign of rebellion.
I have a second one on my lower back that I love and
don't think of as a rebellious statement at all.
But this one was. My first one.
I wanted to do something different and cool.
I wanted to be a rock star.
I wanted everyone to know I wasn't a sweet, little
Jehovah's Witness anymore that blindly followed
all the rules of her brainwashed parents and her
cult like religion. Instead, I was my own person
with my own power to do what I wanted, when I wanted.

So one summer day, I was sitting outside with a
group of friends, including Travis, my first true
love and Jennifer Truman (then Collins), who is
still my BFF. :) I decided that would be the
day for my first tattoo. And off we went. No harm,
no foul, right?

Until, that is...
I picked a tattoo off the wall with no meaning
whatsoever that actually had an eyeball in the
center of it. No need to go back over those
words. You read it right. An eyeball. And then --
again, infinite wisdom totally in play -- I
asked that it be rather large and on my right
shoulder for the world to see for the rest of
my life.

Thanks to Jen, I have pictures that documented
the day...









This tattoo has made a lot of people gay with hilarity over
the years. For example, anyone whose seen me naked, friends,
in-laws, passers by. And lets not forget the girls at the
makeup counter who I go see when buying tattoo cover up that
never matches my skin. I've had people do a skit of sorts
when imagining what it must be like for me to be around
someone new when I'm not clothed. "I'm lookin' at you," they
say with their shoulder. Good times.

I always thought I'd eventually get it removed, but I've
recently decided I will instead have it remade into
something more meaningful. While I would love to have
bare shoulders and feel sexy in a strapless dress, I've
figured out how to work around it when necessary, and I
don't want to go through the bother of tattoo removal.
Besides, it's part of who I am -- part of my story.
Now I just need to decide what I could change it into.
I'm thinking an earth, but then I still don't know what
I'll have them adapt the little devil tail into. (God,
that thing is horrible.) Time will tell. I'm open to
suggestions!

Thought you might enjoy this story and the pictures
worth so many words.