Today's fortune: Your qualities overshadow your weaknesses.
January 6 fortune: Do something unusual tomorrow.
January 5 fortune: Now is the best time for you to be spontaneous. Serendipity!
It was a dark and windy night in Westport.
As Jamie pushed me toward the door of a place called Freaks, I was freaking out. The tattoo parlor looked like a dumpy old house and, well, I guess it was a dumpy old house. Inside the living room - or, rather, lobby - glass cases displayed the morbid and peculiar body jewelry designs one could have impaled into their skin.
I was there this very night, my friends, to be tattooed, an act that, for me, was both spontaneous and unusual. What happened was an experience that showed a lot of my weaknesses, but I'm happy to report my good qualities won out to overshadow those weaknesses.
My tattoo artist, Eric, asked me to complete some paperwork, not unlike the documents you'd fill out in a doctor's waiting room and also not unlike the release you'd fill out before jumping out of an airplane.
I had decided on a small and simple tattoo - the words "HOLD FAST" on the inside of my left wrist. "Hold fast" is an old saying favored by sailors. It basically means hold on tight; stand strong; man up. (There's a great blog post here with a more detailed description of the phrase's meaning.)
After I filled out the paperwork, I had to wait in the lobby for a few minutes while Eric prepared his tools. This is where my weaknesses came out. I don't think I was very close to fainting, but I don't think I'd ever been any closer to fainting in my entire life (if that makes any sense). I felt like I wanted to run away. At that moment, I really, really didn't want to get a tattoo.
Then Jamie said something to me. Jamie, who had been goading me to do this ever since I reluctantly told her about my plan yesterday, leaned in and whispered in my ear: "Matt, you don't have to do this if you don't want to."
As strange as it sounds, that's what made me want to do it. And that's what kept me from diving head first out the window.
Weakness itself was my weakness. My quality that overcame it was my own inner strength and my faith in my wife.
So I was fine. I was ready to go. I was excited to get a tattoo. And then I saw the needle.
Rather, I should say, "then I saw the javelin Eric was planning to jam into my wrist repeatedly at supersonic speeds."
After I got settled in the surprisingly (and comfortingly) sterile tattoo room, Eric began laying down the ink.
I'm man enough to admit that nothing in my life has ever hurt so bad. Even now, just my memories of the whole ordeal are painful. With each punch of the needle, I felt like Eric was slitting my wrist.
Eight simple letters. That was all I had to endure. After the first blast of hot searing pain, Eric stopped, and I thought to myself, "Okay. One letter down, only seven more to go." Then I looked at my wrist and realized Eric had tattooed only the first vertical bar of the letter H. Shit!
But I made it through. I held fast. I have a tattoo, and I really kinda like it.
Afterwards, Jamie and I went to D'Bronx, just down 39th Street from Freaks, for a couple slices of meatball pizza (some of the best in the world). After our slices were ready, Jamie took a test bite.
"It's hot," she said, "but I think you can handle it."
"I know I can," I replied. "I can handle anything now."
Then I burned the hell out of the roof of my mouth.
And the good news is, if you decide you don't like it later, you can always change it to say Bold East. Just 3 strokes of the javelin.
ReplyDelete*LOVE*
ReplyDeleteWell done. Good for you!
And, if you're interested, here's a post of when my entire family spontaneously decided to get a tattoo together.
http://sarahjclark.blogspot.com/2008/03/valley.html
You and your wife ROCK. Keep posting!
15929meiqing
ReplyDeletehollister
oakley sunglasses
nike free runs
tory burch outlet
ugg boots sale
kobe bryant shoes
nike huarache trainers
retro jordans
hollister uk
uggs on sale
air jordans
kate spade handbags
adidas shoes
polo outlet
burberry outlet
marc jacobs
lebron james shoes
true religion outlet
gucci outlet
north face uk
football shoes
gucci borse
ugg outlet
nike roshe run women
louboutin
ray-ban sunglasses
mulberry handbags
ralph lauren pas cher
nike trainers
christian louboutin
2015-10-17 xiaozhengm
ReplyDeletelouis vuitton outlet stores
Nike Lebron James Shoes For Sale
coach outlet
ugg sale
michael kors outlet
Jordan Retro 13 Pink And Grey
burberry outlet
michael kors outlet
ralph lauren polo outlet
canada goose jackets
UK Louis Vuitton Handbag Outlet
coach outlet online
Authentic Coach Factory Outlet Online
coach factory outlet
true religion outlet
louis vuitton handbags
Coach Outlet Store Online Official Website
Coach Factory Online Outlet Cheap Purses
uggs on sale
michael kors handbags
Hollister Shirts For Women
celine bag
fitflops
mont blanc pens
toms outlet
Air Jordan Shoes For Women And Men
Authentic Louis Vuitton Handbags Cheap Sale
louis vuitton
Abercrombie and Co Stoves and Awnings
michael kors outlet online
michael kors outlet
louis vuitton outlet stores
uggs clearance
Christian Louboutin Outlet Authentic Sneakers Online
cheap jerseys
cheap ugg boots
ReplyDeletesoccer jerseys
longchamp outlet
the north face clearance
basketball shoes
moncler coats
north face jackets
belstaff jackets
louis vuitton handbags
football shirts
karen millen dresses
ugg boots
ray ban sunglasses
asics
cheap nba jerseys
tory burch outlet
true religion jeans
cheap michael kors handbags
ray ban sunglasses
nike air force 1
cheap mlb jerseys
cyber monday deals
michael kors clearance
oakley sunglasses wholesale
ugg boots
cheap mlb jerseys
cheap uggs
nike huarache
timberland boots
uggs on sale
cai20151031
"I have seen improvements in the last six to 12 months in any case," said Adam Van Slyke, mizuno wave shoes buyer for the fleets Feet Sports in Carrboro, NCAnd Puccini added the new increased space distribution center and updated features will be christian louboutin shoes crucial, since the mark looking to grow its own direct-to-consumer business, and supporting e-commerce with its trading partners. "Channels change and needs mbt shoes change," he said. "We need to be able to serve our customers and consumers on a direct basis and in many ways." fitflop sandals The plans of the brand includes a series of personnel changes.
ReplyDeleteThe CDC data showed that 80 percent of Americans, regular exercise fitflop sale routines missing, although 30 million runners in the US The Mizuno and UNC to the search led to discover what might happen fitflop shoes if all Americans were runners.
announced Wellness brand MBT Thursday that Joe Casagrande will become President of the US and Canadian divisions, christian louboutin outlet since April 4.Casagrande Mark Matheny will christian louboutin sale follow that as interim president since last fall was active, as Paul Grimble leave the company. return Matheny to his previous role as VP of Operations, with Casagrande reported to Jan Stig Andersen, Global President and CEO.Most recently Casagrande headed Sales and mbt outlet Merchandising for New Balance from the Sport specialized, specialty stores, sporting goods and lifestyle channels. He also launched and managed the PF Mizuno Wave Prophecy 2 Flyers brand and GM was the New Balance Lifestyle Division. "We see enormous potential for MBT in the US and are fortunate mizuno wave prophecy 3 at this time Joe Casagrande take the helm to have," Andersen said in a statement. "His years of proven expertise in product mbt shoes outlet marketing, sales and management of both national and global perspective will be a tremendous asset to the company."
chenlina20160716
ReplyDeletetod's shoes
pandora outlet
jordan retro 3
lebron 13
nike uk
michael kors outlet clearance
kate spade handbags
mont blanc pens
cheap oakley sunglasses
jordan shoes
coach outlet store online clearances
ralph lauren polo
air jordans
coach outlet store online
polo ralph lauren
kd 8 shoes
christian louboutin outlet
oakley sunglasses outlet
nike air force 1
hollister clothing
michael kors outlet
nike sb
ralph lauren outlet
michael kors outlet
oakley sunglasses
longchamp handbags
celine bags
tory burch outlet
coach outlet
michael kors handbags
michael kors outlet clearance
hermes bag
michael kors outlet
kevin durant shoes 7
gucci outlet
louis vuitton handbags
cheap ray ban sunglasses
lebron shoes
ray ban sunglasses
coach outlet store online clearances
as
christian louboutin shoes
ReplyDeletefitflops
denver broncos jerseys
air jordans
nike roshe one
christian louboutin sale
coach factory outlet
michael kors outlet
ugg outlet online
retro jordans 13
jordans for sale
tory burch outlet online
polo ralph kids
adidas originals
toms wedges
fit flops
coach outlet store online clearances
roshe run
ray ban sunglasses outlet
christian louboutin pas cher
canada goose jackets
beats by dre
oakley sunglasses outlet
canada goose jackets
celine bags
michael kors outlet
nfl jerseys wholesale
lebron 12
toms shoes
adidas nmd
rolex watches
adidas factory outlet
new york knicks jerseys
burberry outlet
jordan 6s
air jordan 11
coach outlet online
chenlili20160825
belstaff jackets
ReplyDeletethe north face
wedding shoes
jordan 12
nike blazer
coach outlet online
ugg australia
blackhawks jersey
canada goose
nike cortez
20183.8chenjinyan