I remeber since I was younger being in complete awe of tattoos I would see. I would to to imagine the story being them and the life that person led. I never saw them as trashy, I saw them as wonderful art on a beautiful canvas. While sometimes this isn't also true, more often than not, there's a story behind the ink that permantely resides on a person's body. Whether it be a story of heart break or glorious memories, you can write a novel over your skin.
I, myself, now have seven tattoos and will be soon getting more in the future. I got mey first six days after I turned 18. After almost a year of research for he perfect artist and finalizing the details in what I wanted, I booked the appointment three weeks out from the date. You can bet I wasn't waiting any longer. So let's go over all of them!
Date: February 16, 2014
Description: Sun and Moon together on my upper back
Tattoo Artist/Shop: Michael "Duke" Nguyen; Fine Tattoo Works
Meaning: Being that this was my first tattoo, I had to make sure it was special and worthwhile. I fell in love with the symbol of the sun and moon from one of my dad's sculptures that he brought back from Costa Rica. After learning the different meanings, it was evident how perect it was. There are multiple meanings but each one applies to why I got this tattoo. The follwoing comes from the website Tattoo Me Now:
The circular shape alone is a symbol of the never ending circle of life.
The sun is often recognized as a symbol of rebirth, strength and power. The moon is associated with the female in many cultures often in the form of a goddess.
You can see how the masculine and feminine in this tattoo complement each other. It’s almost a modern western version of the Yin Yang.
Many people believe that Yin Yang represents the female and male aspects of the human, but it really represent that one side is mostly masculine with some feminine qualities and that the female side is mostly feminine with some masculine qualities. This relates nicely to the sun and moon tattoos because they hold the same qualities and meanings.
Date: October 14, 2014
Description: "It can't rain forever" in scripture on the inside of my right foot
Tattoo Artist/Shop: Michael "Duke" Nguyen; Fine Tattoo Works
Meaning: I went through some terrible shit in high school. I lost a lot of people, I lost a lot of friends. It was honestly unbearablee at times. I randomly came across the quote "it can't rain forever" on Pinterest and it hit me at how relatable it was to my life. At this point, I was starting my senior year of high school in online school but things were already starting to get better. I opted to get this tattoo as a reminder that no matter how terrible things are at some point, it will always get better.
Date: February 18, 2016
Description: XO on inside of left wrist
Tattoo Artist/Shop: Michael "Duke" Nguyen; Fine Tattoo Works
Meaning: This was a connection between my mom and I. She would always sign my cards with an XO after her name. So when I wanted something that represented our relationship, that became evident. Every time I look at it, I think of her. She actually got the same tattoo a few months later.
Date: February 18, 2016
Description: 3 paw prints on inside of right ankle
Tattoo Artist/Shop: Michael "Duke" Nguyen; Fine Tattoo Works
Meaning: I got this tattoo the same day as the XO due to them both being micro tattoos. I was mainly getting smaller tattoos as this time due to the acting I was doing. I had been wanting something small to represent my love for animals and my own pets. At the time, I had 3 dogs so it seemed fitting to get 3 individual paw prints.
Date: December 9, 2017
Description: 2 lavender sprigs on rib cage under left breast
Tattoo Artist/Shop: Michael "Duke" Nguyen; Roseland Tattoo
Meaning: So for those who don't know me as well, I have clinical anxiety which basically means its caused by a chemical imbalance in my brain. I was so susepctible to panic attacks, even just out of thin air. Lavender has always been one of my favorite flowers for numerous reasons. But for this tattoo, it came from the meaning of relaxation. The smell of lavender is a calming, relaxing aroma used in essential oils and sprays. I put this on my body as a reminder to stay calm and relaxed when things get tough.
Date: August 25, 2018
Description: Mountain range on inside of right wrist
Tattoo Artist/Shop: Savage 7; Through Your Skin
Meaning: So this was actually done during a flash tattoo event at a friend's sister's tattoo shop as a fundraiser for a dog rescue. I really had no idea what I wanted going in since I didn't have a chance to see th e flash sheets ahead of time. But as I was flipping through the pages, I came across this mountain range. The coincidence is that a mountain range was on my list of upcoming tattoos I wanted. There are a few different meanings behind it:
I'm named after the Sierra Nevadas
I grew up in the outdoors camping and hiking so it's a huge part of who I am today
The three peaks represent me and my two brothers who are all outdoor enthusiasts
Date: August 25, 2018
Description: Outline of dog and cat on outside of right ankle
Tattoo Artist/Shop: Savage 7; Through Your Skin
Meaning: This was also done at the flash tattoo event where I got the mountain range. I had been wanting another animal related tattoo that was simple and this seemed perfect! I opted to have the heart excluded (you can see the outline) and the lines connected where it wasn't connected before. It just seemed so dainty but really speaks to the most important things in my life.
I really do love tattoos and I can't wait to get more. As that happens, I'll probably just update this current post to have them all listed on one page. So what's next? The roses on my forearms? Hmm, we'll see!
Note: All photos were taken either the day I got the tattoo.