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Wednesday, January 27, 2010

So what made you want to start getting tattoos?


This is one of the questions I get asked a lot. And honestly, it's a fairly simple answer: Because I think they're beautiful..and behind every tattoo, I know there's a story. Ever since I was a little girl, I've been intrigued by tattoos. I also think growing up with two older brothers who were into Heavy Metal and Rock and Roll, and seeing album (yes, actual LP album) covers and rock stars covered with tattoos added to my fascination. I always wondered: why people got tattoos?, what was the story behind it?, is there a story behind it? Anytime I met someone with a tattoo, I would ask them about it, and I find that I could listen to them and not lose interest in their story.

It wasn't until I was about 21 and I went to Florida with my friends that I decided to get my first tattoo. My friend and I decided, "Yeah, we're in Florida! Let's get a tattoo!" SURE!!! why not? Our search for a tattoo shop was easy because there were so many to choose from. It was a really fun experience.. Quick and very little pain. I had one of my friends draw a "Goddess Symbol" and I got it on the back of my right hip. I remember being so excited and feeling like a "rebel" getting my first tattoo. Once it was done, I felt like such a bad ass! It was great. I remember from that day on, always wanting to wear cute little midriffs to show off my tattoo. I seriously thought I was part of the, what I call, the "tattooed world." But really, what I ended up getting was my "I'm on vacation.. WOO-HOO!" tattoo. I like to call those the "Spring Break" tattoos. Anyways, that'll be a different blog post.

I always knew I wanted more... but I didn't want to just get any old tattoo. I wanted them to be meaningful, and this time I wanted them in a place that can really be seen. It wasn't until 10 years later that I finally knew what I wanted. Having 2 kids, I knew i wanted to get something that represented them. I searched and searched, until I found a Celtic Knot that represented Motherhood. I immediately fell in love with it and had it placed on my left shoulder. I think it was after this second tattoo that my true love for getting tattoos started. And because I'm older and am really knowing who I am as a person, my tattoos are very meaningful, and I put a lot of thought into each one I've had done, and to each one I have yet to get done.

So begins my many stories and thoughts about tattoos... and I have many.


Tuesday, January 26, 2010

The way I see it, if you don't take care of yourself, how can you possibly take care of the people you love?

Status Update on 1/24/10
10 people "Like" this
11 people made a "Comment" on this

I've always been a pretty active and fairly healthy person. All started when I was 7 years old, when my mom decided to put me in gymnastics. Which switched to ice skating, which switched to dancing. Dancing stuck. So I truly thank my mom for putting me in different activities. I know she only did it so that I would have something to do after school. But I don't think she realized that because she put me in so many different activities, now as an adult, I want to lead a healthy and active life.

I know as a working mom and wife, it can get difficult to make exercise and eating right a priority. Who has time to exercise when you have a house to clean, kids to drive places, meals to cook... and don't let me get started on meals. Seriously??, a delicious AND healthy meal... yeah right... maybe if I had a personal Chef!!!

But then perspective hits me... I have a family I need to take care of... I have friends who love me...If I were gone, who'd take my place in their lives? I understand that we don't have control over what fate has in store for us. However, if there is anything I can do to help me stay just a little bit longer on this earth to watch my sons grow up into men... then I'll do it.

That's exactly why I make taking care of myself a priority. And I don't mean selfish shit like buying myself new clothes or shoes.. but I mean taking care of my body, my soul, my overall well-being. I truly believe that when you take care of these things first, your overall attitude and the way you deal with people automatically changes... am I right? Think about it... after eating a cheeseburger with fries and a soda, don't you feel like crap afterwards? You feel sluggish, bloated and sleepy. Yes, a value meal is easy, cheap, and convenient... but is it worth it? Seriously, how am I supposed to keep up with my two boys when I'm too bloated to get up and chase after them. Or if I'm sluggish, how can I roll around and play with them.. and how can I possibly teach them right from wrong if I'm too sleepy to even think straight? And of course, if I'm eating this stuff, that means my kids are eating this stuff too... and if I feel like crap afterwards, imagine how their little bodies feel afterwards.

"I just don't have the time, I don't have the energy, Who'll watch the kids?"... ALL CRAPPY EXCUSES!!!! I'm sorry, but I want to be around and alert and present while I'm raising my kids and taking care of my husband. I MAKE IT A POINT to do things like exercise at least 30 minutes a day, throw in some veggies with my meal, take some time to meditate. Because by doing these things for myself, I am a much better mother, wife, and friend. And if I can do it, you sure as hell can do it too!

I really can't stand when people, especially women, use family as an excuse to not take care of themselves and to let themselves go. Women used to make it a priority to take care of themselves before they had a family... why stop once you had your family? Isn't that when it's the most important? Think about it. I get asked all the time, "What's your secret?" Secret? Really?

Okay, here's my secret: DIET, EXERCISE, TAKE TIME TO RELAX and DO ONE THING YOU LOVE DOING..... oooooooo... big secret there!

Now, of course I know it's hard... there are definitely days where I bring home a bunch of value meals because I'm too tired to cook, and there are many nights I just veg out in front of the TV instead of exercising because I'm just too damn tired... but I always go back to: "If I don't take care of myself, how can I possibly take care of my loved ones?" That alone gets me off my butt the next day and I try again....and I try again....and I try AGAIN. I don't stop trying. Because my family is worth it. They are worth me sticking around for as long as I can. They are worth having me happy and alert and ready to take care of them.

LIFE LESSON: If your family, friends, and loved ones are worth it, don't make excuses that keep you from taking care of yourself. Make YOURSELF a priority, and everyone else around you will feel like you're putting them first.



Shoot, why not blog about my tattoos?


It's no big surprise that I like... no LOVE tattoos. Everyone who knows me, knows that I get excited when talking about tattoos, getting tattoos, thinking about what to get for my next tattoo...

So, why not blog about it.. This is a way for people, especially non-tattooed people to understand the mindset of why a person likes to get tattooed. People ask me all the time: "What made you start?" "What do your tattoos mean?" "Is it true they're addicting?"

Well, here we go...

Monday, January 25, 2010

No matter how terrible and wild my boys act... I KNOW i'm doing something right when they say, "I Love You" (on their own) when I tuck them in at nigh

Status Update on 1/25/10
9 people "Like" this
2 people made a "Comment" on this

As a mom of two extremely active boys, there are many moments that I want to pull out my hair and scream... All us moms go through these moments of insanity. Nothing new. Those moments where you wonder why the heck you had kids in the first place. Where your mind goes back to those days when you were free of responsibility, free of worries... and you could just pick up and go out at a moments notice. Remember those days? But now, if a friend calls you to go to happy hour, you're running through the checklist in your mind: "Will my husband be home in time for me to go out?" "Do I have something presentable, besides yoga pants and a tank top to wear?" "Will I be home in time to do homework with the boys?"... all these things go through your head, and add in screaming, fighting, toy throwing little boys into the mix... and you're thinking, "Yeah, Happy Hour? You're kidding me, right?"

BUT... one thing that has always been a MUST in my house.. is no matter how bad my day was, or how terrible the boys acted that day... I will always, ALWAYS tuck them in at night and say, "I Love You. Good Night." Always. And when I look at them, I realize, "They're BOYS... they're 4 and 5 year old boys...it'll always be rough" And when they say, "I love you mommy" and pull me in for a hug... it makes everything that I thought I missed out on go away. Who cares about happy hours, shopping sprees, a carefree life? I got these two lives that the higher being above have given me and I need to raise these boys to be men. Men who aren't afraid to say, "I Love You" to their mommy.

LIFE LESSON: At the end of the day, no matter how rough it was, if you have someone to come home to who says, I Love You... you're living a pretty damn good life.

Apparently, I've been told my Facebook Statuses are interesting... so, I decided to BLOG

So, I've been on Facebook for about a year. I really love how I've reconnected with so many wonderful people from my past. And through my "status updates" I get to tell people how I'm doing without having to take huge chunks out of my day to do it. Having two very, VERY, active boys has left me with little to no time to socialize... Facebook has allowed me to have a social life, while still lying in bed in my pj's.

But one thing I've discovered about my status updates is that people actually like reading them! What?... all I'm doing is talking about my boys, my struggles, my observations... but apparently, the way I say things amuses people. Even though people don't "comment" on what I type, I'll run into someone and they'll say, "... oh, by the way, I really like reading your status updates." or "...your status updates are hilarious!" I've been called "quirky, funny, insightful"... insightful? Really? And this is coming from different people from different areas of my life! Wow, little did I know...

Another thing I've noticed about typing my status updates is that I'm blunt, I'm honest, I put myself on the chopping block a lot... and I get to really look at who I am as a person, and I learn so much about myself... I know, sounds too deep for just status updates. But honestly, I have learned so much from these simple updates....and I don't want to forget a thing.

So HENCE... my blog. This is a way for me to expand from my one sentence "Status Updates" and to keep track of what I've learned from them. So that's what I'll be doing... writing my updates on Facebook, and then writing what it means to me. Anyways... here we go!