Disclaimer: per usual this blog & the contents are mine & mine alone, and no reflection on my friends, family, or employer.
Part I
For some reason I was thinking about friends today, and my seeming lack thereof. I don't have many friends, but the ones I do are close, and many know me better than I know myself. My closest friends live many miles away, different states most of 'em. But they're the ones I know I'll stay in touch w/'til I die. They celebrate the good times w/me, my victories in life. The mourn my losses & sympathize w/my pains, as I hope a friend would. But I've had many friends along the way, or people that I called friends, and it turns out that maybe that title was inaccurate. My advice is that if you really wanna find out who your friends are, move. Leave town, leave the state, and see who stays in touch w/you. Those that take the initiative to call, e-mail, text message (txt msg), those are your true friends. Even if you don't see them for years on end, they're still the ones that deserve that title. I worked w/some people for years, and thought we were great friends. The relationship extended beyond the workplace, we did things socially, I knew their significant others, their kids, visited their homes. But once I moved, the ties disappeared. If I don't call or e-mail, I don't hear from them, as if I've died or dropped off the face of the earth. None of these were short-term friendships either; I had worked at our common places of employment for no less than three years. We had things in common, shared a sense of humor, non-work interests, etc. But again, once I left town, they're not to be heard from again. I know life moves on, and everyone nowadays is busy, but damn...are friendships that easy to find, and so easily disposed of? Not to me. So again, if you question who your friends really are, move. You'll learn the truth in a matter of months, if not weeks.
Part II
Tattoos....I have four, and am awaiting #5. The artist is currently redrawing the original image I found online to meet my tastes, slight alterations as a tailor might hem some pants or take in a dress. This is the first "custom" piece that was drawn up by an artist, all the others, while somewhat unique in their own way, were taken from the tattoo shop's flash. I got my first tattoo over 15 years ago before they became sheik, commonplace. The artist that inked me said that tattoos become addictive: you get one, you want two, two becomes three, etc. Sure enough, he was right. Approximately a year after my first, I had my second. About four years after that, my third, then two years later, my fourth. And now, after a five or six year gap, #5 is in the works. All my tattoos have particular meaning to me, and none were done on flights of whimsy. Two of the pieces represent happy times, tributes to people, places, and times that I'm fond of & have committed to ink. The other two are reminders of more painful events in my life, and the inner strength it took to truly survive them, and come out a better person on the other side. Both events that spawned that two most recent tattoos were break-ups w/my girlfriend or female significant other at the time. Funny how most people try to forget & bury painful experiences, yet I've decided to keep mine w/me forever. Weird how that works. Each time I look at the tattoo(s) I remember the person & events that caused me to get the tattoo, so even though I've moved past the hurt, gotten over the pain & grown because of it, I carry it w/me forever. I guess that like physical & emotional scars we all have, these are just a couple more visible reminders of where I've been & what I've been through. The only thing I struggle w/is how to remember my dogs. My dogs are more than pets, they are companion animals, and companions in my life. Partners, best friends, but more than just pets for sure. I consider it a privilege to share my home & my life w/them. However, as I have four dogs now, and as they pass will undoubtedly get more, each of them holding a unique, special place in my heart, how do you honor each one? Some people have tattoos of their kids' names, or portraits, but if I did that I'd be covered! Speaking of names, that's one thing I've never had tattooed on my body, and probably never will. You rarely see a marriage or other relationship that lasts, so IMO, getting another person's name (that of a partner, boyfriend/girlfriend, etc.) inked on your body is a foolish venture. I guess for some it's a commemoration of a special time, a special person, but as they so often do you wrong, that's not something I'd choose to take on (or have put on me).
Closing Time
I have nothing more to add for now, my fingers are tired & my brain empty. I hope you have a great weekend, enjoy yourself, live in the moment, and live life!
