#max-cavalera — Public Fediverse posts

Happy National Tattoo Day!

Rose tattoo on calf

Happy National Tattoo Day!

With only four tattoos, I’m far from being a tattoo person. Back in the day, when I had just two I was critically judged but by the time I was up to four society changed and no one barely notices, especially since so many people have so many tattoos.

Each of my tattoos has deep meaning and there was a lot of thought put into them so there were no regrets. Many years were between each tattoo also. I’d love to get more but as you get older they seem to hurt more. My first two didn’t hurt at all.

#1. The Rose Tattoo. I was 24 and went with my uncle and his wife to get my first tattoo. It was on a whim. I chose my closed rose because flowers will always be beautiful. The way the rose is nearly closed looks kind of erotic.

#2. My 45-rpm spindle.

I get the most compliments on this tattoo. It’s my music charm. (And I’ve met a musician who has the same tattoo!)

This tattoo was my reward to myself when I had my first article published in 1995. It was an interview with musician Max Cavalera for “In the Flesh” magazine. “In the Flesh” was published by Outlaw Biker Enterprises. I was hired as assistant to the publisher. We didn’t get along but for some reason he liked me — probably my work ethic and that I was cute — and pushed me off to assist the vice president of the company, who was also a sales manager. I started selling advertising and was killing it! It was awesome selling ads to tattoo companies all over the United States — and the world! But whenever the president, Casey Exton traveled, I’d go into the art room and help out the editor writing and creating crossword puzzles (from scratch, before you could do it on computers!) I was writing for many of the magazines, “Outlaw Biker,” “Tattoos for Women,” “Tattoo Revue.”

Me at Outlaw Biker/Tattoo Revue.

Getting a tattoo in an obvious spot on my wrist was my promise to myself that I was now a writer and moving forward all my jobs would be creative.

When I left Outlaw Biker, I interviewed for a series of newspapers in NYC — “Manhattan Spirit,” “Our Town,” “The Westsider,” etc., I put on a long sleeve blouse covering my 45 rpm tattoo. When the woman who as interviewing me walked in, I saw she had a piercing on her eyebrow. Feeling a kindred spirit, I rolled my sleeves up, revealing the tattoo on my wrist.

I got the job!

#3. A durian on my calf! I was a raw foodist at the time and was obsessed with durians. I ate about three per week. I’d go over to Chinatown in NYC and carry them home on a bus. The tattoo is my tribute to the King of Fruit! It’s my favorite thing to eat, creamy, custard-like, and tasting like vanilla, banana, and a tinge of onion. It’s weird. People either love it or hate it. (Except for my late mom and my husband — both said they like it but they don’t love it.)

#4. My final tattoo is of a cat on my inner arm. Why did I wait so long? I’m such a cat lover and I should have gotten this tattoo sooner. But after the durian I said I was “retired.” Getting a tattoo on your calf is a tender spot. The durian healing was not a walk in the park. But then I won a $100 gift certificate from a tattoo parlor and I knew right away I wanted a cat!

My kitty Sammy

Over the years I’ve also had the opportunity to write articles about tattoos.

For The Montclair Times, over 20 years ago, I wrote a feature on the four tattoo shops that were in the town at the time. And boy did this piss off some readers! Like I said, people were very judgemental about tattoos before they became so accepted. (Though I do still see some old curmudgeons complaining about them on Facebook!)

Two years ago, I got to write about a Cattoo Fundraiser for Trenton Journal, tattooing for a great cause! Check out my article:

https://trentonjournal.com/cattoo-fundraiser-at-trenton-tattoo-benefiting-trenton-cats-rescue/

Tattooed or not, today is a day everyone can enjoy!

Happy National Tattoo Day!

Rose tattoo on calf

Happy National Tattoo Day!

With only four tattoos, I’m far from being a tattoo person. Back in the day, when I had just two I was critically judged but by the time I was up to four society changed and no one barely notices, especially since so many people have so many tattoos.

Each of my tattoos has deep meaning and there was a lot of thought put into them so there were no regrets. Many years were between each tattoo also. I’d love to get more but as you get older they seem to hurt more. My first two didn’t hurt at all.

#1. The Rose Tattoo. I was 24 and went with my uncle and his wife to get my first tattoo. It was on a whim. I chose my closed rose because flowers will always be beautiful. The way the rose is nearly closed looks kind of erotic.

#2. My 45-rpm spindle.

I get the most compliments on this tattoo. It’s my music charm. (And I’ve met a musician who has the same tattoo!)

This tattoo was my reward to myself when I had my first article published in 1995. It was an interview with musician Max Cavalera for “In the Flesh” magazine. “In the Flesh” was published by Outlaw Biker Enterprises. I was hired as assistant to the publisher. We didn’t get along but for some reason he liked me — probably my work ethic and that I was cute — and pushed me off to assist the vice president of the company, who was also a sales manager. I started selling advertising and was killing it! It was awesome selling ads to tattoo companies all over the United States — and the world! But whenever the president, Casey Exton traveled, I’d go into the art room and help out the editor writing and creating crossword puzzles (from scratch, before you could do it on computers!) I was writing for many of the magazines, “Outlaw Biker,” “Tattoos for Women,” “Tattoo Revue.”

Me at Outlaw Biker/Tattoo Revue.

Getting a tattoo in an obvious spot on my wrist was my promise to myself that I was now a writer and moving forward all my jobs would be creative.

When I left Outlaw Biker, I interviewed for a series of newspapers in NYC — “Manhattan Spirit,” “Our Town,” “The Westsider,” etc., I put on a long sleeve blouse covering my 45 rpm tattoo. When the woman who as interviewing me walked in, I saw she had a piercing on her eyebrow. Feeling a kindred spirit, I rolled my sleeves up, revealing the tattoo on my wrist.

I got the job!

#3. A durian on my calf! I was a raw foodist at the time and was obsessed with durians. I ate about three per week. I’d go over to Chinatown in NYC and carry them home on a bus. The tattoo is my tribute to the King of Fruit! It’s my favorite thing to eat, creamy, custard-like, and tasting like vanilla, banana, and a tinge of onion. It’s weird. People either love it or hate it. (Except for my late mom and my husband — both said they like it but they don’t love it.)

#4. My final tattoo is of a cat on my inner arm. Why did I wait so long? I’m such a cat lover and I should have gotten this tattoo sooner. But after the durian I said I was “retired.” Getting a tattoo on your calf is a tender spot. The durian healing was not a walk in the park. But then I won a $100 gift certificate from a tattoo parlor and I knew right away I wanted a cat!

My kitty Sammy

Over the years I’ve also had the opportunity to write articles about tattoos.

For The Montclair Times, over 20 years ago, I wrote a feature on the four tattoo shops that were in the town at the time. And boy did this piss off some readers! Like I said, people were very judgemental about tattoos before they became so accepted. (Though I do still see some old curmudgeons complaining about them on Facebook!)

Two years ago, I got to write about a Cattoo Fundraiser for Trenton Journal, tattooing for a great cause! Check out my article:

https://trentonjournal.com/cattoo-fundraiser-at-trenton-tattoo-benefiting-trenton-cats-rescue/

Tattooed or not, today is a day everyone can enjoy!