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Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Random Thoughts about Random Subjects: Today? Chinese Calligraphy

I have some wonderful fellow Blogger friends who occasionally write blogposts of "random thoughts" (like Kearsie from "Sounds Like Tomatoes", Lynn from "For Love or Funny" ,Brittany from "Barefoot Foodie" , Aria from "Aria'z Ink" , Kim from "A Parent's Life to Behold, full of Insanity and Bliss" and Crystal from "Boobs, Injuries and Dr. Pepper" and they excel in their efforts.

I am often found chortling, guffawing and snorting upon reading them and thinking how crazy funny they are, and always amused on how humorous they think.

Having said this, I also, upon reading their blogposts, think to myself that I should give this free thought-flowing writing a go on my blog.  But then I stop.  Because, do I really want everybody out there to know how CRAZY I am?

To know how I really might think, mind jumping from one crazy thought to another, along with anecdotals and perhaps numbered lists of thoughts? 

Well, as of today, HELL, YEAH!

So, be prepared...because from now on you might see some blogposts entitled: "Random Thoughts about Random Subjects".

And, so that brings us to today's Random Thoughts, which won't be totally random this time in character, but rather a true story this time:

1. When I turned 50, I was on a trip away from home for two weeks straight for work training.

2. It sucked.

3. And of course, when one is turning fifty, you start bemoaning aging and getting old and all those self-defeating thoughts. Like, how long will I live, really? And will I be happy the whole dang time or will I wish I got hit by a Mac truck?  How long do I WANT to live? 80?  100?  I decided to choose 102.  It's a nice round number. And, usually, when I set out to do something, I make it happen. So.
There. It's settled. 102 it is.

 4. So, in a moment of insanity, I came up with a brilliant plan. (Because I am awesome like that in an aging crisis).

5. My plan? Go get my first tattoo to mark this momentous occasion. (Don't judge! I hear you out there clicking your tongue in disapproval). (I also hear those of you out there cheering, saying: Good for you, old girl!....heavy on the OLD).

6. Now, you had to be there.  This was in conservative Ames, Iowa...where men are men and the sheep are nervous.  I was hanging out with the medical work crew that were training me: who wouldn't swear if they had a mouthful of sh*t.  Their idea of a good time was to go for a ride to show me where all the local churches were, if you get my drift.

7. So I set out on my own, to find a TATTOO shop in Iowa. Yeah. I know.  I may have been fifty, but that does not equate being brilliant about local cultures.

8. Laugh if you will, but believe it or not, they had one! I pictured going in and maybe they'd have some samples of the type of tattoos one would want to get.  And, being in Iowa, I figured maybe things like crosses, bible verses and an occasional rose would be there to choose from.....

9. None of which I wanted tattooed to symbolize my reaching half a freaking century.

10. Before going in, I parked my car and watched who was going in and out of the shop.

11. Besides calculating how long it had been since my last tetanus shot.

12. A few people came in and out...some "hard core" and some fairly normal folks were seen.

13. I remembered that I should have had some wine first.

14. I walked in the shop.  Two long haired guys about 25 glanced over and then at each other.

15. One of them raised their right eyebrow. (I saw you do it, Dude!)

16. I nervously asked if I could see one of their (100 pound) photo albums of past tattoos given, to which they half-chuckled "sure".

17. I looked at them all, whilst glancing around their shop to assure they had a sterilizer and that it looked clean and searched for a license on the wall from the state of Iowa (check, check and check).

18. I decided what I wanted. Out of the blue.  No pictures of it existed in their book.

19. I have no idea what possessed me to decide on what I wanted. It just "came" to me. (So NOW the universe decided to give me some Divine Intervention! You know, I could have used it soooo  many other times during my long fifty years on the planet. But NO. This is the time it came.  Who was I to argue with the timing of Divine Intervention?)

20. During the search through the tattoo books,  I saw a TON of Chinese Calligraphy to choose from....which was very tempting...The calligraphy was fluid and pretty with flowing caps and lines to lure one into symbolizing one's philosophy of life.  I mean, how else to signify one making it to half a century than to slap a "forever" philosophy on one's arm, boob or thigh?

21. There were symbols of everything! "Joy", "Hope", "Charity towards Mankind", "Love", etc.  Even "Longevity" which would have been perfect upon this insane occasion of mine.

22. But, then I got to thinking.

23. How would this pastey-white, fifty yr. old U.P. woman ever know if the symbols REALLY stand for what they said they stood for?

24. I mean....I might pick the "longevity" symbol and proudly wear it on my body somewhere.....and a whole culture might be laughing their asses off....because what it really says is: "This pastey white, fifty year old U.P. woman thinks this stands for Longevity..what a dumb ass".

25. Or, it might really say: "All white people are stupid".

26. Or, it might say: "Who has the last word on Communism NOW?"

27. Or, it might say: "This stupid person actually bought the idea that this symbol means something! Gheesh what a flaming idiot...try to sell her something, she'll buy it. I guarantee it".

28. Really, people.  Who really knows what ANY of those symbols really mean?? Who is going to tell us the TRUTH? 

29. (Picture Jack Nicholson:) "you want the TRUTH? you want the TRUTH? You can't HANDLE the truth!"

30. Hey, I didn't make it to fifty by being that dumb.  So, I bypassed the Chinese Calligraphy symbols.

31. Although I did consider looking for one out there somewhere that symbolized: "Not gullible".

32. So, please take heed of my fifty-plus wisdom and bypass the Chinese Calligraphy symbols when you get your tattoo....you never know what it really means.

33. P.S. I really did get a tattoo there.

34. I didn't get any hepatitis or diseases or so much as a skin rash. They used sterile conditions and did not make fun of me when I got it.

35. At least to my face.

36. I put a small wreath of flowers shaped like a heart on my inner right ankle.

37. Can we say (all together now:) "ouch!" because needles boring on your ankle bone hurts, people!

38. My husband loved it.

39. I haven't regretted it yet. It is tastefully done and beautiful. 

40. I made an executive decision that to celebrate living so long, I will continue to get ONE small tattoo every decade beyond 50 that I am blessed with on this earth.

41. Which means 60 is coming yet....and I will have to go through the mental torture of deciding what to get next time. Not to mention the physical torture of a thousand tiny needle pricks again.

42. Which means when I turn 100, I will have a total of 5 of them somewhere on my wrinkling, sagging body. At least I will be entertaining to the younger folks at the morgue when they haul in my wrinkling, sagging, dead ass.

43. Which also means (because I watch CSI, people!) that if my body should ever become dismembered, relatives will be able to identify me by whatever body part they find. (No need to thank me, relatives...I am just thoughtful like that!)

44. Which means when I turn 100, I might just get that Chinese Calligraphy tattoo that stands for "longevity."


45. That is, if I can find some sweet Chinese person who I trust with my life to tell me the truth and guarantee to me that it really says: "Longevity"....
                                                                           
46. And who will also tell me what the other ones REALLY say............(because at 100, I am going to need some humor!)  Just talk realllly loud, Okay?

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18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Now, even after meeting you I never would have guessed your a tattooed woman! But then, when you were here it was cold and frosty! And neither one of us was showing much skin! Enjoyed this post!

Country Gal said...

I love your ramblings. I was giggling the entire read and you think and speak out just like I do. Lord knows half the time what the hell I am ramblin on about but I do !. I have a nutty,goofy who gives a s**t attitude , I say not getting older , just getting better, you go girl ! I think its wonderful going to get a tattoo, I my self have been thinking of it for some time now, hubby says yes go for it, so soon I will, our son has tattoos and I do like them, always have. your post was great ! thanks for sharing your ramblins. Have a good day !

Brian Miller said...

haha. love it. almost got a tat once...may still one of these days commerate a special occassion...your sounds nice and elegant...now where is the pic?

Unknown said...

I loved that! Very funny. and you are gutsy to get a tattoo!

Loree said...

Hilarious thoughts. I haven't seen your tattoo but I like what it must look like.

Pat Tillett said...

Great and funny post Joan!
May you live long enough to get your 5 additional tattoos!

Far Side of Fifty said...

So..show us this tasteful tattoo already..I was all primed for a photo..and there was NONE! :)

Carole Barkett said...

What a wonderful post, just the chuckle I needed

faye said...

That is certainly one way to mark your
birthday..

Be careful with the Chinese tattoo ..
a friend of mine paid a lot of money for
a gold ring with her name cut into the
gold.. instead of Nancy it read TAXI..

Copas said...

I am having a good chuckle about your "rambling thoughts". This is a great story. I really just stopped by to let you know that I hope I did your Upper Peninsula justice. I tried.

Copas

Linda Reeder said...

Well, well, a tatoo huh. So far your journey through random thoughts is batting a 1000. Keep it up!

Kearsie said...

YOU DONE GOOD!!!

Aria said...

I think the 60 yo tat should say The Retirement Chronicles in Chinese calligraphy. You've got plenty of time to do the research on that one. ;-D

Shelley said...

I love your attitude and spirit!! LOL at the chinese caligraphy - you're right - who are we to know what those symbols actually mean!

J.J. in L.A. said...

I hope you know an honest Chinese person! lol!

Personally, I'll chose a Japanese symbol because I have a good (aka honest) Japanese friend but don't know any Chinese people. Weird, considering I live in So. Cal. ; )

SquirrelQueen said...

Love your random thoughts. Even in my younger days I could never muster the courage to get a tattoo. You rock girl!

RNSANE said...

You are so funny. Would Japanese calligraphy work? Ruma has a wonderful website called "Calligraphy in the Landscape" - he's an amazing photographer but he also posts Japanese characters which are so beautiful.

I am not planning to live that long. I celebrate my 66th birthday next week...no tattoos...for the last two birthdays I was in Rome, then did a Mediterranean cruise. Normally, I try to be on a trip, outside the US for my birthday but with my job loss 18 months ago and subsequent retirement and income drop of $90,000 annually, I'm grounded.

-Check out the link for info on my blogaversary giveaway:
http://rnsane.blogspot.com/2010/09/flash-55-friday-happy-anniversary-to-me.html#links

Brenda's Arizona said...

How true about the Chinese calligraphy tattoos. My niece got one, thinking it said "Serenity". Her dad, who is fluent in Chinese, convinced her it said "I'm easy". Now no one knows what to believe. Any my niece? She is only 22. And worried.

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I retired in June 2008 and started my blog in November 2008. I worked at several jobs as a Registered Nurse prior to retirement. I LOVE being retired! Blogging has offered me a whole new venue to start writing again and to share new hobbies such as gardening, birdwatching and sharing my nature photography. If you like my blog, PLEASE click on "follow this blog". Having a lot of followers reading my blog gives me incentive to continue to do photography and to continue to write. I also LOVE comments, so I encourage you to leave me a comment after you read my posts. Thanks everyone, for taking the time to read me!!

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