It's that time again

Yes, it's that time again. Time for my annual back to school tattoo. What started as a sort of rebellion at the idea of teaching at yet another Catholic school when I was beginning to really settle into who I am as a person (and who I am is not really the stereotypical "good Catholic girl") has now become a tradition. Sure, there's still a little sense of that "fuck you" each time I get a new one, but I also just like getting tattoos. I like all of mine and have put a lot of thought into each one. So, as I typically do, roughly six months or so ago I started thinking about what my next one would be. I toyed with the idea of Tudor roses since I'm a huge nerd about the Tudors (and this nerdery happened LONG before the Showtime show came on, though I do like the show). Unfortunately, the place where I wanted to put the tattoo wasn't really ideal for that sort of design. I knew I wanted it to go on my left ribs and I knew I wanted the design to have a little of the same feel (though not necessarily to match) what I got on my right ribs last year. So, what to do?

I still liked the whole historical tie in and then I had a brainstorm. Besides being weirdly obsessed with Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Mary I and so forth, I am a pretty big Shakespeare nerd. When I went to school for my PhD, the plan was to do my dissertation on Shakespeare. I adore going up to Stratford, Ontario to the Shakespeare Festival. I've taken classes on teaching Shakespeare as literature by using acting and drama in the classroom. I have taught Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hamlet and Much Ado About Nothing numerous times to high school students. I find the notion that Shakespeare didn't exist preposterous. I desperately wish I could teach Shakespeare again where I'm working now but, sadly, another teacher has a death-grip on Shakespeare and, until she leaves, Shakespeare is her baby (it doesn't help that I teach American Lit for two of my classes, that i get, but still.) Yeah...I'm a nerd and proud of it.

So, with more thinking, I came up with a great idea. I've always loved Paul Steck's painting of Ophelia (from Hamlet, in case you didn't know) and it had that great literary tie-in. On top of that, it was the right shape and had the right feel to kind of complement but not match my other rib tattoo. Well, yesterday was the bit day. It's still red and sore (and a bit gunky) but you get the idea. I think Mike (the guy I always go to) did a fantastic job. I'm very excited about it :) It took three hours to do which didn't include the time he took to create the stencil and get set up. Three straight hours of tattooing. Just as I was getting to the point of wussing out and saying I couldn't stand it any more, he was done :) As if the tattooing didn't hurt enough, laying on one side for three hours without moving makes your hips feel like shit and having to keep both arms over your head makes them feel like they weigh 10 tons and become kinda numb. Now, if the feeling of being punched in the side would go away, I'll be fine :) So, another school year begins (actually, it already began, we started on Wednesday, though the kids come back this Wednesday) and I start it the same way I have for the last four years. With a brand new, back to school tattoo :)