Tattoo thoughts

[michellina]

So, I think I've thought about it long enough (um, several years): It's time for me to get a tattoo. But considering that this is a forever decision, I'm checking in with my friends list for opinions/advice. Not that any else's decision will be binding here, but I want to get some input to make sure I've thought through anything that might turn out

Comments

[jennrubenstein]

i support wholeheartedly anyone who wants to get tattooed for what i truly believe are the "right" reasons... which basically in my book means doing it for yourself and putting thought into it. few things in life are permanent, it's important to really think through those few things we have control over. this lj entry is detailed, and i'm sure the thoughts and planning has been even more so, and over only you know how long. so i think it's totally awesome and i only wish i could be there with ya =)

as for the tattoos + judaism thing: rabbi scott held a discussion (before your time at osu.. sigh) that was specifically themed for "taboos" in judaism. we had an in-depth discussion of tattoos, covering everything from health issues to social trends to scripture. now i'm not a torah scholar by ANY means, but i will always remember what he told me about tattoos because it meant so much for me to hear. (i already had tattoos... i was planning another... i didn't need approval. but it was really cool nonetheless.) rabbi scott told us that the prohibition on tattoos was related to the commandment regarding worship of false idols; that tattoos were associated with idolatry, the peoples of the time who had tattoos used them as symbols of their idolatry, and usually with portraits of their idols. according to rabbi scott, this carries over to today in the sense that it is not ALL tattoos that are forbidden, but those which represent false idols, therefore this is not a separate prohibition but an extension of the commandment. (i don't know about you, but i don't consider anything my tattoos represent to be idols for me to worship... including myself.) this is all according to rabbi somebody, one of the arguments in one of many books of many arguments because there are so many views on every word of every holy book... but that's party of what makes judaism so interesting. it's not necessarily "this is how it is, and it is written," but there is room for discussion. like everything else, there will be those who are unwilling to budge on anything, those who are willing to budge on everything, and every speck of gray in between. i happen to be very happy with this particular shade of gray.

and your particular shade of mauve is lovely. =)

more rambling from me to come, i'm sure...

[michellina]

Thanks for the background info. :) I knew I'd be hearing from you when I posted this one.

I know that you have a Yiddish tattoo. How did you design it? Or did you have the tattoo artist do that? Did you get that one in Columbus, or DC?