I have wanted a tattoo since I was 15 or so. I have no idea where I got this urge...until recently I'd never even seen a tattoo I truly liked. My aunt has this big ass ugly red rose on her breast that's kinda stretched out a bit over the years. So, it's not like I've grown up seeing beautiful work.

I have always known what I wanted should I ever get a tattoo -- a maple leaf, just like the one on the Canadian flag. I wasn't really sure if I wanted ONLY a maple leaf, or something else with it as a compliment. I didn't really want a beaver or a moose, and I'm not a big enough hockey fan to get that tattooed.

When I was 16 my friend asked me to come with her to get a tattoo. We had discussed the fact that I wanted one before, so when the urge struck her I was the only one who was told. I felt pretty loved :) Anyway, we went and got her a red rose on her ankle. Well, no offense to those who are fans of the old school tattoos, but I hate them. I also hate the ankle as a placement choice. It just seems so silly to me, and it always has. She was pretty happy about her tattoo tho, so that is kewl. BUT, she always said that she'd only keep it for a few years and then have it taken off. What the hell is the point of a permanent tattoo if you are gonna take it off? Oh well. We aren't friends anymore, she's a psycho, so I have no idea what she thinks about it now. Is removal really as painful as they say? hahaha!

When I was 17 I asked a girl from my high school if she would doodle with some tattoo ideas for me. She's a fabulous artist, and I thought I might be able to get some ideas from her. A few weeks later she apologized...she couldn't really think of anything that would be a nice tattoo. No worries, it was just a thought.

So, I pretty much put the thought of a tattoo to the back of my mind for a few years. I mean, it was always there, but I just couldn't decide. I had pretty much landed on a design - just the simple maple leaf - but now I was stuck on the placement! No ankles or breasts for me! I am not a fan of my chubby tummy, so I didn't want it there. Besides, I want to have kids someday and, while some people don't mind a stretched tattoo, that's not what I want for me. Hmmm, where else? I thought about the upper thigh (too hard to show anyone if I so choose), the calf (I HATE shaving my legs, and they're pretty hairy...), and I never really considered the upper arm. I'm in business, so I sorta have to hide anything I get. I took my roommate to get an angel bear tattoo the summer I was 19, and she got it on her lower back hip. I am a bit chubby there too, so I didn't really wanna be showing that bit off.

Then, and this sounds silly, I was watching Beverly Hills 90210, and I noticed Tiffany Amber Theissen's tattoo on her left shoulderblade. It was in a cute place, and pretty easy to hide or show off. That same summer, when my roommate was putting her deposit down, I ran into a friend of mine at the tattoo place. He was getting his big maple leaf touched up on his left shoulderblade. I started thinkin again....

I left it for a year and then I moved to Ottawa for the summer. I had gotten my tongue pierced in February (this was 1998) in Regina, and my septum done at Universal Tattoos and Body Piercing in May (by the lovely Juliette...she's fabulous!!!). Hanging out at Universal lots, I saw more and more tattoos. I even liked some of them! They truly are beautiful, you just hafta look close! So, I started thinkin I should get one. A friend of mine said that if I'm gonna get a maple leaf, Ottawa would be the place to do it. That's true...having the symbol of my country permanently etched on me while I'm in the capital....

Dammit, I still needed to decide on placement! Shoulderblade perhaps? That summer tho, I saw tons of tattoos on girls' backs, between their shoulderblades. What a pretty place! Easy to hide, yet not too tough to show my friends. So, I went in to ask about price. Colin, the other beautiful piercer, said mine looked like it would be about $60. I printed it off the Government of Canada website because none of the ones at Universal were proportional. I wanted an exact replica of what is on the flag. $60 wasn't so bad, so a few days later I went in to get it.

Ian Rose, the artist, was just too busy that day. He said to come back on a different date...okay. I did and he was working on one tattoo. He said it wouldn't be long, then he had one that would take 1/2 hour and one that would take an hour. Then I'd be next. So, I gave the man my money and went to Coffee Revolution for some food.

Two hours later, Becky and I went back. He had just finished the one tattoo (the 1/2 hour one), and was working on the other one. We weren't told otherwise, so we just sorta hung out. A guy who works there in return for some tattoo work was around, so we talked to him for quite a while. He was a super nice guy, with some really nice back work.

FINALLY, after two more hours (it was 10pm at this point), Ian was done. He wanted a quick smoke break, no problem. He said that the 1/2 hour piece was horrible...the chick kept jumping every time he got near her with the needle. It was a flower on her lower back, and she was being a total wuss. He said he'd love to redo the whole thing because it looked terrible, but he didn't want to have to deal with her again.

So, after the smoke, I took my sweater off. He placed the stencil, but I wanted it a bit lower. No problem, he re-did it. Liking it, I hopped in the chair and stared at his half-naked, tattooed girlfriend for 1/2 hour.

Did it hurt? Yeah, like a bitch. It felt like someone was pinching the skin on my spine and twisting. It wasn't unbearable, and it wasn't long (just 1/2 hour), but it definitely hurt. I figured it was because I was super tired at that point. I had been up since before 7, and he didn't finish til 10:30.

He taped 'er up and sent me home with some aftercare instructions. The next morning when I woke up I noticed the gauze had fallen off. I wasn't too worried, but Ian's aftercare instructions said to leave it on for 24 hours. In a moment of bad decision making, I taped some gauze on it myself. Bad because it stuck pretty good and it was tough to get off later. I don't think it hurt it, but it maybe dried it out too much. Oh well.

It scabbed up that day, and I ended up with bright red scabs all over my house for the next few days! It was gross, but kewl. Then it itched. A lot. And, it faded :(

I talked to Ian and he touched it up for me...all of his tattoos have a one month guarantee. I guess he was using ink that isn't the greatest quality, but he didn't have the stuff he likes (it was on order). I thought that the touch up might be less painful, especially since I wouldn't be as tired. True, but it still hurt. Almost 8 months later, it looks fine. :) I am considering some more tats, I just haven't decided on what yet. I know I want something on my upper right arm....

I like piercing more than tattooing. Piercing is a little more immediate. I like the nervousness and excitement, then the quick, sharp pain (not much in my experience, but enough to feel it), and the huge rush. With tattooing, I found it was the same anticipation, pain for a long time, then relief that it's over. That's no fun! So, as an experience I vote for piercing, but tattoos will still have a place on my body.