I just got a text message from Emily that she passed Goldie's Tattoos, the Southernmost tattoo parlor in the USA...AND where I happened to have gotten my tattoo back in 2003. You see, we were on spring break...and I am SO not the girl to be getting a tattoo on spring break (I didn't even drink back then!), but before we drove down to the Keys we were staying at Emily's house in Naples and she just happened to mention that she saw Goldie's Tattoos every year down in the Keys and had always wanted someone to get a tattoo there AND always one to respond to a challenge, I volunteered. Besides, I really had wanted to get a tattoo for a while. The only reason I hadn't gotten one before is I never could decide what I wanted. And so the girls and I set about deciding what I should get. Debbie suggested that I should draw something myself and I liked that idea, so I started doodling little designs that all turned out to vaguely reminiscent of dancers...of Matisse dancers...and so I thought, "Maybe I'll get a Matisse tattoo!" I started Google image searching Matisse artwork to pick something out, and ended up at a page of Picasso line drawings- BLAMO! I was reminded how much I have always loved the Picasso line drawings and realized how great one would look as a tattoo. I searched through all the drawings, but one just popped out at me as MY TATTOO and my friends agreed it was absolutely me. The Face of Peace. I collect artwork from all the places I travel and almost all the pieces are women's faces in extreme close up- with particular focus on the eyes. God knows why, it's just something I've always been drawn to. I also liked the idea of having a tattoo that represented peace. Not only was I actively involved in a conflict resolution program called PEACE by PEACE (or Peace Games) in college, but we were at Emily's house in Naples that week when the first attacks happened in Iraq. Apparently, some other folks were inspired by this Picasso work at that same time.

Anyway, that's the story of my tattoo, which I love dearly. I'm very jealous of Emily down in the Keys right now. Fishing, water skiing, eating good food, enjoying the peace and quiet and beautiful scenery....yum.