"Saying Goodbye, Why is it Sad?"

    

     The other day, I had to take my 12 year old cat to get euthanized. She had stopped eating and drinking for over a month and was in a steady decline of health. So the other day my mom made the call that it was her time and Salem was telling us she was ready to go. Enough details about that.

     So this isn't my first rodeo, I've owned nine cats over my lifespan, and had four pass away on me. It doesn't really make it any easier, the death of a loved one is always tough and hard to deal with. I lost a cat about a year and a half ago, and that one hit me really hard, didn't help that I had to work that day and couldn't be in his company during his last hours. I was with Salem when she was taken in, but had to work later that night. The first cat I lost was back in 2004, I was in eighth grade and was on a band field trip/ concert at Disneyland. When I was returned to the school and being picked up by my mom, she broke me the bad news. It was tough, not just because it was my first lost cat but, because she had been in the hospital for a few weeks, again that lost time to treasure those moments you'll regret not cherishing when you had the chance. 

Tattoodle My Noodle?

     FYI, I'm not planning on actually tattooing my noodley appendage, I'm still somewhat on the fence about getting a tattoo in the first place, but I do have ideas. Now I'm not planning on becoming one of those guys covered from head to toe in tats, but a few here and there I think is okay.

     Looking like that, whats he do for work? With that mentality in mind, (tattoos = less jobs) I'm not too hot on the idea of tattoos visible while wearing clothes. So those trendy finger mustaches are out of luck. :\

     As cool as large, elaborate area tattoos are, even in a hidden place like on my back, I'd prefer a smaller tattoo more of an object as opposed to a full elaborate scene. Also regretting a tattoo later in life is something I'd like to avoid.

     As funny as the cat tattoo is, I'd regret that after three days. So I want tattoos that are meaningful and that won't lead to regret. So I had to see what makes me, Me; after soul searching, research and development, surveys and analysis, I had some things that I could work with. I thought of making my own coat of arms, especially since I couldn't definitively find my already existing one (on both my mother's AND my father's side).  So thats an option, my own coat of arms to herald presents! I have yet to definitively come up with it though. Another decision  to make, just as important as what the tattoo is, is where to put it? I've always been fond of side tattoos.

     As awesome as nostalgic tattoos are, they're not going to be my first choice, not out of the running, but not first up at bat. But since I'm part Scottish, and feel a connection to my Scottish Celtic roots. So having a Gaelic word tattoo seems very appropriate. I have researched Scottish Gaelic via online translators and I would like to tattoo the word "Creid" to my left side. Creid is the Scottish Gaelic word for "Believe." Now I need to find a font. Also, since I was born in Washington state, I have a connection to the Indian art work of the Pacific Northwest (even though I am not myself Indian). So I would also like to have this tattooed on my left side:

     It is an Orca, a.k.a. Killer Whale. With the juxtaposition of my Gaelic "Creid" and this orca would create an addition meaning completely separate from their individual meanings. In my Senior year of high school I had the privilege to take the Apple certification course to become Apple Pro Certified, Final Cut Pro 6, Level One, something I'm very proud of. In that course we edited footage from the the new Seaworld show Believe. So an Orca next to the word believe ("Creid") is a clever way to be proud of that fact where as most people just use the apple logo.