BLACKBELT TATTOO

[Don Gwinn]

 

 

I don't think there's anything wrong with a tattoo. I'm designing a large Celtic (two dragons and several knots) for my back. It will be mine, unique to me and with special meaning for me. Now, if you're getting your favorite cartoon character put on there, that's a little silly. I played football with a lot of guys who put their numbers or helmets on themselves, and I think that's a little silly unless you're dedicated enough to football to make a real attempt at going pro.

 

But if you hold three black belts in three arts, I find it hard to believe that you lack dedication or are dabbling.

 

If/when I achieve black belt, I've already decided that my present to myself will be two armbands--Celtic "warrior bands." Much like people who get Kanji done to make the meaning private, most people will have no idea what these bands signify and will assume they're just bands like everyone else has. I will know the truth, which will be enough.

 

I believe in sleepers.

 

Hey, if you want to be an army officer, you can always do it in the U.S. I have a good friend in the Army Rangers. He's a Lieutenant, stationed in Korea right now. He has dragons all over his body. Put him in shorts and a tank top and he looks like the illustrated man. Brilliant guy, very hard worker. His family moved here from Vietnam when he was 11 years old and went from filthy rich to starving poor and back to rich in the span of about ten years.

 

[ This Message was edited by: Don Gwinn on 2002-07-03 14:47 ]

[coltmakai]

thanks alot don. I really appreciate the respect man. What do the celtic warrior bands look like.

 

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[Don Gwinn]

They're just simple bands of woven celtic knots repeated over and over--I think there are six strands, but I wouldn't swear to it. Even I have a hard time telling the different knotwork apart. But subtlety and low profile appeal to me.

 

I knew a kid in high school who tattooed his basketball number over his navel (22) with a sewing needle and an ink pen. It looked like hell and he was only a sophomore in high school at the time. I graduated that year, so I don't know, but I hope he at least got to keep that number until he graduated.

 

One must remember that one will indeed be marked for life and plan accordingly. Yeah, you could get the Budweiser Frogs tattooed on your neck, but what kind of idiot will you look like 60 years from now?

 

Actually, I know a lady from Missouri who had "RKBA" tattooed across one butt cheek on a bet.

 

 

[Bitseach]

Those Celtic knots are pretty nice. I know a few people who have those done and they DO look pretty good. A lot of people get them done because they have Irish ancestors and want to identify themselves visually with the culture, but many just because they look pretty!

 

In fact there is even a bloke who has designed a downloadable program that draws knots for you! Personally (and being Irish myself!) I prefer to use thick paper, a soft pencil, a pair of compasses and a good ink pen but then I ain't tattooing! See http://www.abbott.demon.co.uk/knots.html for the program and examples - interesting!