Of Dragons and Thunderbirds

Got a tattoo yesterday. It's a dragon holding my unit patch. He's big and bright and colorful, and will reside on my right calf for the rest of my life. :D

Matt Gibson is the artist that did him, and I'm extremely happy with it. It was a wonderful experience, I had an awesome time getting inked, and Matt definitely made me happy with the entire affair.

I got up fairly early so I could shower, shave, and go get something to eat before my appointment at 11:00 am, at 15th St. Tattoo Gallery in Edmond. I was excited and nervous at the same time, and really couldn't wait to get there to see what Matt had come up with.

You see, I had gone in there five days earlier, after doing some homework on different shops, and when I walked into 15th St Tattoo, I knew it was going to be where my tattoo was born. I gave Chris (one of the other guys in the shop) a rough idea of what I wanted, as well as a general price bracket. He set up the appointment with Matt, who called me later to make sure about the Thunderbird portion of it. After looking at Matt's portfolio more extensively online, I knew that Matt could handle it. :)

I got to the shop about half an hour early, and hung out in my car until Matt got there. When I walked in, he greeted me like we were the best of friends, and he showed me his drawing. The cool part about it, is that I had a rough idea as to how I wanted the dragon, but I wasn't entirely sure. When I saw Matt's drawing, I felt immediately as if he'd gotten inside my head and found what I wanted. Any nerves I had vanished, leaving pure excitement for me.

Matt ate his lunch real quick, and we discussed coloration while he ate. I had considered getting it in black and grey, but my personality and the dragon deserved color, so I went with that. I told Matt that my favorite color is blue, and he went right for my favorite shade without me having to tell him. (Matt is the shit.)

He turned the drawing into a stencil and we went back into his room (which is covered in Star Wars stuff, I felt so at home, rofl!). He set up, applied the stencil, and let me check it out in the mirror. After giving it my seal of approval, I stretched out on the table and Matt got to work.

Lucas showed up shortly after Matt got started, and he was there for the outline, and Maggie showed up around11:45, so I had company. :P At one point, while Matt was working the outline, Lucas was taking a video, and it got quiet for a second, and Matt popped off with "BIG OLE DRAGON, RAWR!" and I cracked up laughing.

It didn't really hurt. The first thirty seconds, it felt like he was poking a sunburn with a needle, but after that, it just felt like my leg was vibrating. Whenever he would get close to my knee, it would feel hot, but not painful... almost like someone had a space heater on my skin.

Matt was awesome. We talked and joked and laughed, and asked each other questions. We stopped twice. Once for a potty break, and the other time so me, Mags, and Lucas could scarf some tacos, and Matt could stretch. Me and Matt talked about music, and he told me about some tattoos he's done. He laughed when Maggie commented that she was surprised that I'd stayed still for as long as I had, and asked me if normally I felt froggy. He made it an amazing experience.

Lucas had to leave for work around 1:30, but Maggie got to stay, so I had company. I took pictures throughout the process, so I got it documented. :D

When Matt got done, he gave me instructions (in addition to the questions he'd already answered) as to how to care for my new lifemate, and wrapped it up and gave me a hug. He said he even had fun, which was great.

Total, it took three hours. The tattoo is massive, and it's beautiful, and I'm so proud of it that I could sing. I'm so happy with this choice, and I'm so glad that I got Matt as my artist. He really got inside my head, and we clicked really well.

I'm taking Maggie back next Friday so Matt can work his magic on a screwed-up one of hers. He didn't fuck it up, but he's gonna fix it. I've been singing Matt's praises since I got it. My uncle, cousin, dad, and my friends think he's awesome, my aunt likes the artwork, and Mom and the rest of my family are getting used to the idea, lol.

So I have my dragon now. He's been a long time coming, but he's definitely not my last tattoo. There shall be more! :D

Am I even appreciated, or even seen? Or am really as invisible as I feel?

I don't know sometimes.

I want to be remembered as the friend that would give you the shirt off of her back and the shoes off of her feet in a blizzard if you were barefoot and shirtless. That's my goal. I just wanna be a good friend.

... I take my life into my own hands, before anyone else has a chance to take it into theirs.

I put in major overtime this week. I'm beat.

I deploy next month. My feelings on that particular topic are many, and I can't quite organize them well enough to get a post out about it yet. One day, soon, hopefully.

I know you're not reading, but sometimes I wonder... I miss you. I wish you the best, in all your endeavors. I pray that you're filled with the love of God, that you receive all the blessings life and God can bestow, and that your happiness is lasting.

"I spoke to you in cautious tones/You answered me with no pretense/But still I fear I've said too much/My silence is my self-defense" -Billy Joel