--6/11--

Well, it's a week after I got my tattoo, and now it's starting to look a bit off, as the dead skin from the light scarring is starting to flake off, so it all looks rather dingy and grey. Where the skin is showing through, it's a very shiny black, like obsidian. It's lovely underneath. I know it'll be a bit more faded in time--that is obviously fresh skin, after all, and once it weathers, it'll fade the tattoo a bit. But for now it's very shiny.

People are still finding out I have one. I'm thinking of wearing shorts tomorrow to pick out a few more of the lagging folks in the "knowledge of red's new bodily acquisition" department. I'd rather wait until the skin all sluffed, but that may take a bit. Anyway, people were spooked when I first showed them the tattoo the day after I got it. Apparently, it was healing remarkably well. Two of my guy friends stated that usually a fresh tattoo is all bloody and gross. I don't know if their friends are going to the wrong spot, or if it's the simplicity of my design, or if it's where I got the tattoo, or all of the above. I'm grateful any way it goes.

The healing process went by nicely. The first two days after Monday, I felt nothing, save for when it rubbed against my pants too harshly. Rather like having a sunburn, really. On Thursday, it started to itch a little, but nothing too horrid. Friday? It itched like I stuck my ankle in a vat of mosquitos. It was easy to deal with though. I just ignored it and threw lotion at it once in a while. Saturday and Sunday the itching tapered (Sunday it didn't bug me at all) and when I woke up this morning, the peeling had started. So we should be done soon, I hope. Heh.

If any of you out there are thinking of getting some ink, and care at all about my opinion, I'll swear by Lubriderm and Eucerin (dry skin formulas) lotion in small doses (don't douse your tattoo. Seriously, about 4 times a day was good for me,) washing it morning and night in still water (it'll hurt a bit to have it under a showerhead anyway, heh,) and rubbing vitamin E oil on it before you sleep. The oil will make your leg (or wherever else you have a tattoo. Ahem) stick to the sheets (or your significant other, I suppose) which could be annoying (or fun.) So sprinkle baby powder over it. Actually, even if you aren't using the oil, sprinkle baby powder on your tattoo before you sleep. Keeps the bedding from aggravating it too much.

And when you get a new tattoo, always remember to use parenthesis as much as possible when describing how you care for it.

Anyway--one more week of education left, before I am let out for the summer to forget everything I learned this year. I am looking forward to it.

Have a nice night.