Tuesday, July 03, 2018

Baby You're a Firework

I am, by most measures, a cautious and conventional person. I've a house in the suburbs. I drive a Camry with 215,000 miles on it. I work for a giant multinational corporation, safely salaried with all the necessary benefits. College funds for my kids and a modest but growing nest egg.

As we've discussed numerous times in these pages, I've got tons of ideas and no follow-through. You guys remember Gheorghe: The Book, right? And the Mini Cooper that I first started talking about 10 years ago? (Zman has me pointed towards a Miata now. Maybe when my kids graduate college.) And I've been threatening to get a tattoo for years, but i really don't know how serious I actually was for most of that time. It sounded cool, anyway.

I did jump out of an airplane. That was pretty badass.

But as this anything but a pirate looked at 50, struck by the cliche desire to break out of the deepening ruts of convention (and to get the hell away from the news), I took a risk this week. And even this symbolic risk, doing something that used to be the exclusive province of rebels that's become common among housewives and hipsters alike, is meaningful to me, a consummate rule-follower.

I did this:


As I explained a few months ago, my father took to repeating the phrase 'it is what it is' while he was battling cancer, in hopes of deflecting people's concerns. He hated to be pitied, and he didn't like attention all that much, so he adopted a mantra that let him dictate the terms of engagement. I've worn a bracelet with that saying since he passed in November 2010.

I recorded my daughters saying 'it is what is is' on my phone, then I used the audio file to create an image using Soundviz.com:

When I shared it with my tattoo guru, Mark, he told me that particular design might be tough to do at the size I desired, given the fine lines and detail. He encouraged me to consult with a tattoo artist to see how it might be executed.

And when I first met Corey Wheeler at The Body Gallery in my town, he said he could do it, but only if I wanted the tattoo to span my entire back. I'm not quite there yet, so I asked him to play with it and see what he could do. I'd seen lots of his work online, and I like his informal, almost watercolor style, so I put my arm in his hand. Literally.

When he showed me his revised design, my first reaction was, 'man, that's a little bit bigger than I wanted'. My second, 'fuck it, take a risk for once'. I'm really glad I did.

As the process started, Corey was a bit quiet, working methodically on the outline of the image. As he started to fill in the coloring, he became more and more animated. First, 'this looks really fucking cool', then 'I've never done a piece like this - it's fucking badass' (note: really glad he didn't say that until we were almost done), to almost giddy by the end, calling over his colleagues to look at it. He seemed really proud of the work (he posted it on his Instagram feed a couple of hours later), and I was struck by the sense that I was watching an artist create. That part of the experience was entirely unexpected, and one of the things I'll remember the most.


My 16 year-old daughter was blown away. My sister said it looks like a firework display (and it kinda does). My wife, skeptical of the notion, digs it.

As for me, I'm still coming to terms with this 'new' image, the tattooed hipster dad (as my 14 year-old dubbed me). The design extends beyond the cuff of my dress shirts when I roll them up, as is my custom, so I guess I'm not hiding it at work. I hope that the symbolism will stay with me as I make decisions, even as it reminds me of both my Dad and my kids.

In any case, I'm glad I broke my pattern. I'm really happy with the art, and as much so with the fact that I followed through.

Now I just need to figure out what to put on the other arm. For balance, you know.

32 comments:

Whitney said...

Bravo, Robert

zman said...

rob gets tattooed and all we can muster is a two word sentence (which isn't really a sentence because it has no end punctuation, it's more of a random free-floating clause). I guess everyone took off today and is busy enjoying the brutally hot weather.

Marls said...

We are all just hitting refresh on mike’s watch auction.

Marls said...

Nice job Rob. The content and context of the tattoo will make it so you will never regret it. Awesome tribute to your dad that includes your kids too. Well played, Tiny.

Marls said...

What is the rule on tattoo artists using your body art on their social media? Is that in the standard tattoo release or do they ask separate permission for that?

Dave said...

tattoo looks great! why don't you put some muscle tone on the other arm?

Mark said...

My tattoo artist always asks. Not sure why he even bothers at this point. Rob sent me the picture on Sunday and I told him it looked great. Because it does. He did the right thing(s), in that he didn’t try and go too small (almost always a bad idea for tattoos) and he let his artist be just that. If you’re dealing with an artist who cares and is good that’s always the way to go. Well done, sir.

Mark said...

In other news, this World Cup is just fucking so much fun.

zman said...

There is a not insignificant body (pun!) of case law surrounding a tattoo artist's copyright to a tattoo. I, of course, refuse to read any of it because the tattoo artist should always lose (it's no different from any other piece of art so the copyright transfers upon sale). That said, I'm sure many tattoo artists make you sign a release to protect them in case you get hepatitis from their nasty needles, and they probably include a sentence or two reserving the right to display photos of their work on your body for promotional purposes.

No one made any short jokes? Like a full back tat for rob would be an ankle tat for the Weave?

Shlara said...

Who's watching Billions?
I just finished season 3.

Did anyone else catch the Gheorghe reference???
Axe has someone listed in his phone under "Muresan"
And yes, it's Big Gheorghe

zman said...

Watching zwoman explain time travel and 1.21 gigawatts of lightning to zkids is more fun than watching Back to the Future.

TR said...

Rob - I like the piece a lot. I’m a big fan of geometric styles in tattoos. I found a tattoo artist on IG I want to use if I ever get a 3rd piece. Only issue is he is in Paris. Hmm.

TR said...

Sea Island is going batshit crazy about July 4th. I love patriotism and all, but I am very much against lame local parades. Standing in hot weather while deafeningly loud fire trucks and bicycles w/ streamers pass by me is not my bag. The town where Zman and I live has one every year. Seeing the travel baseball kids waving to me on a flatbed truck seems dumb.

That’s my grumpy old man hot take.

Danimal said...

Currently at my sister's compound in VA. Touched down at Dulles yesterday and drove through Leesburg. Thought of ya's, and if not for having one in tow, would have sought out an evening summit. Tied one on at an old pal's house that found me passed out on his couch and sneaking out of there at 6 this morning. Hur. Ting. Why is it so much hotter here than where I live?

zman said...

This is one of several reasons why TR and I get along so well--we both revel in contrarian/outsider worldviews. I attended the local parade once and it makes no sense to sweat one's ass off to watch one's neighbors walk down the street. There are a number of cool vintage cars in the parade but I'd much rather attend a cars-and-coffee so I could talk to the owners and really ogle the cars. I am greatly enjoying my air conditioned family room.

Happy birthday Murica!

Danimal said...

And Rob -golf clap.

rob said...

i’m in the middle of trump’s america, on a lake in eastern ohio, so i would’ve missed out anyway, danimal. next time, my friend.

zman said...

Viktoriya Tomova seems nice.

TR said...

The targeted marketing from IG is so spot-on accurate at times that it’s scary. I just bought a pair of Nike Metcon camo sneakers that popped up as a sponsored post. The three margaritas I had before noon may have been a contributing factor in the decision.

TR said...

Wizards signing Jeff Green and Dwight Howard is the ultimate LOL moment for that middling franchise.

zman said...

Wozniaki is in a pickle.

zman said...

But Makarova is scared of the pickle!

rob said...

trying to teach my all-but-deaf mother-in-law to use her new amazon echo dot is a newly-discovered circle of hell

rob said...

this is like watching a dog try to do calculus

Whitney said...

Me doing homework right now for my quantitative methods class must be very similar. My brain hurts.

rob said...

look at growns up whitney adulting on the fourth of july!

Mark said...

Fuck parades. All of them. That’s my take.

I’ve also only traveled once for the 4th and that was only to a hotel in Orlando with a lazy river. Sitting in my pool is far more preferable for my personal tastes.

Finally, I always forget how much I enjoy Rob’s frustrations with his mother in law. I’m sure that tattoo went over great.

TR said...

Transitioned from margaritas to Pinot Grigio, because classy. And lunch.

rob said...

drinking presidente, because hot as fuck and it reminds me of being in the dominican

Mark said...

I’ve had Funky Buddha Hop Gun and a Sierra Nevada Tropical IPA. Oh, and a Patron.

Whitney said...

Homework done. Vodka ensues. That’s traditionally Russian, but these days we’re pals with them, right?

Whitney said...

And hey, TR and Mark, I was in a parade for 14 years...


and I’m glad I don’t have to do that any more.