Ever since my dad had his Joker tattoo in his forearm, I’ve been wanting to have my own skin art. I do not have an exact design that time though but it’s been on my mind ever since. I envy those who have the courage to ink their bodies. They say it’s so painful that’s why I’m having doubts at first. I’m scared of needles. Hahaha! Until I saw Angelina Jolie’s tattoos. Damn! I want the chant in her left shoulder blade written in Khmer script, the language of Cambodia. It was a prayer to protect her Cambodian adopted son. From afar, it looks like a bar code. That’s the reason why I liked it. And now, I want one on my back as well. I want the prayer for serenity and the passage from Psalm chapter 6. I’m still choosing between the two. So I think I won’t be having this one anytime soon. It’s quite big, I’ll start with something small first.
A friend of mine told me about having my tattoo personalized. To think of why I want to put a certain design on my body. It’s going to be permanent so why not have it my way. It makes sense! Having a tattoo that you can call your own, your own idea and perspective. No duplicates! The Light Grenades album cover caught my eye that day; it was my favorite band’s album, Incubus. It was a heart with an eye inside a grenade. It was so emo, so me!! Haha! Then I thought of having a tattoo on my ankle, an emo heart. But it has so many meanings to it. So, I started thinking why I wanted that. Then I remembered a saying about Love. “Love is not blind, it sees but it doesn’t mind”. That’s how I love. I give it all without asking something in return. Even if I do not get the results I wanted, I still choose to love. Even if it’s painful. Then I told myself, this one, I’ll have it personalized.
I went to Cebu recently and there was a famous tattoo artist in the City of Talisay, Ian Cabrido. I paid him a visit. I told myself that if he is really that great and he can give me a design of my emo heart, then I’ll have my 1st skin art done. I told him the story about my heart. I want people to see love and pain and hope when they see my emo heart. And here it is. A bleeding and hopeful and loving heart. With this, I know I can love again no matter how many times I get hurt.
Artist: Ian CabridoNovember 13, 2009
Talisay City, Cebu
