A Roundabout Tale of a Swedish Tribal Tattoo

Yesterday, I joined my friend Janet for lunch at Chipotle on 45th Street.

There was a fundraiser at which a $5 contribution bought you a burrito, chips, a drink, and an opportunity to meet Yankees manager Joe Girardi. His charity, The Catch 25 Foundation, was the beneficiary of all proceeds from lunch. Here's proof I'm not making this up.

Janet and I were dopey enough to go without any Yankees memorabilia to get autographed. So he signed a flier for me and (yes, there is a tattooish point to all of this) declined to sign Janet's skin, above her "I ♥ NY" tattoo (featured on the blog here). It was worth a try.

And no, Joe Girardi didn't offer up a tattoo.

However, Janet and I grabbed the downtown V train after lunch. I got off at 34th Street and figured I'd cut through Manhattan Mall.

Waiting at the bottom of the J.C. Penney basement escalator was Julio, visiting New York from Sweden.

Now, I'm not a big fan of tribal designs, but Julio had this pretty cool one on his upper right arm:


See! There is a tattoo in this post!!

Julio's tattoo was inked for him by an artist at Magic Man Tattoo and Art in Skövde, Sweden.

Thanks to Janet for lunch, Joe Girardi for the autograph, and Julio for the tattoo. Tattoosday appreciates all you did to make this post happen!

Great Tattoo For Your Inspration

The secret on how to get a great tattoo is to be prepared. If you've decided to get a tattoo, you should research the process first. Many people don't bother doing their homework before they find one and then they run into trouble because they regret the decision later down the line.

The first thing to remember is don't rush headlong into it. Many people choose one on a whim. They rush through the whole process. If you really think about your options first, you'll have much better results.

So, to be prepared, first, you have to come up with a design you love. You can visit tattoo parlors and look through artists' portfolios, research on the internet or talk to friends with tattoos to get ideas. You can consider something traditional, such as fish or stars, or you can opt for something more intricate. The choice is yours.

Many people rush headlong into the choice. They choose something that doesn't reflect their personality at all. Then, they wind up with something that is generic and not at all expressive. Such people do not understand the secret to getting a great tattoo.

The secret to choosing the special tattoo that you can enjoy for years is patience. It may seem like you have to get a tattoo right now, but every tattoo parlor on earth is not going to close tomorrow. Consult several artists because they each bring their own unique talents to tattooing.

Some specialize in tribal tattoos, some in floral work, and some in fine details and so on. You should find artists whose talents mesh with your vision of what is the design you love the most should look like.