It’s Saturday, I have a wedding to go to in a few hours, and I have a one o’clock appointment to get my tattoo (my first ever tattoo, and um… I’m afraid of needles, is that a problem?!). I chose to get my tattoo done by Justin, from Ink Bomb Tattoos on Aurora in Seattle. He kindly let the film Action! (which I starred in, check it out at: http://stiff.bside.com/2009/films/filmchallenge_stiff2009) be shot in his studio. I always thought that if you were going to get a tattoo, you should at least know the artist, or feel comfortable with them, and since I don’t know any other tattoo artists, I figured Justin would be perfect.

I had sent Justin an idea of what I wanted for my tattoo a few days prior, so that if he needed he could draw it out so that when we got there it would be ready to go ( I wasn’t sure how much time it would take to do my tattoo and I didn’t want to be running late to the wedding, plus, I’m a planner).

Getting a tattoo to begin with was a huge decision for me. I shy away from things that are permanent, especially on my body, but even in life in general (marriage also scares me, but luckily I think I’ve found the perfect match). I was also worried about a tattoo for career purposes. Being an actor, sometimes having tattoos are not the best thing, but, I thought I should live outside the box for a minute – and I got one! It actually felt good to get a tattoo… I felt rebellious for the first time in my life (but in a good way), I felt like a rock star, I felt like I was living life on the edge (since I’m normally more safe). Although, to most people what I did wasn’t a huge deal, to me it was.

We got to Ink Bomb about 45 minutes late (thanks to the wonderful Seattle traffic). Justin had drawn up a few ideas, and I went with one that was close to what I had drawn up myself. I chose to go with his drawing over my own because I wanted it to look more professional. He suggested that I do my tattoo in a color, but he was a step behind, I already wanted to get it in pink (my fav color). Pink is totally me, plus I figured it would be easier to cover up when necessary.

Justin takes me into his tattoo room, preps everything, including my left wrist – where I’m getting my new tattoo. He shows me that everything he’s using is sterile (another one of my concerns) and he puts the temporary tattoo on my wrist as a stencil. As soon as I hear the noise of the needle it freaks me out, it’s louder than I expected and wanted. I ask him if he thinks I’ll jump when the needle touches my skin, he tells me that he hopes not (me too, this thing is permanent – no mess ups). As he touches it to my left wrist it feels as if he’s taking a knife and cutting my wrist open (people who continue to get tattoos have to be masochistic) – WOW that hurts! I’m already afraid of needles, and every time I get my blood drawn, I faint… I’m feeling light headed and he’s only to the “I” which is half way through. I remember what my friend Christine said, breathe, and I start to take deep breathes. J’s snapping away with the camera (I asked him to, again for the scrapbook). He sees that I’m not feeling too well, and offers me some water. About a minute later, Justin is done with my tattoo (the whole tattoo only took about 2 minutes). I have to lean over his tattoo table, because I’m going to pass out. Justin suggests that J helps me to the couch in the next room (more sanitary and more comfortable). What a wuss!

I finally feel slightly better and take a look at my left wrist, written in pink is the word “Believe” with a star over the “i”. People always ask what that means to me… It means a lot of things, believe in my dreams, believe in love, believe in myself, believe I can do anything, and also a reminder to enjoy every moment in life.

It’s been a little over a week now, and I still look at it to make sure it’s there, no regrets.