bday plans + tat #3!

yup, today is my birthday day -> it’s the big 4-3. and that’s ok! i feel great about celebrating my bday this year!

as things work out, i happen to have today off of work (wednesday is my usual day off). here is the celebration agenda:

• run 43 miles (joke! although i could go 4.3 miles…or for 43 minutes?? or 7 miles [4+3]??!)
• knitting + blog reading + coffee drinking
• gourmet pizza for lunch (as in that is the name of the pizza place, i am not going out for really fancy pizza)
• shopping around uptown with mom
• baskin robbins for bday ice cream -> it will be my favourite: choco chip icey cream in a waffle cone (this is in lieu of bday cake)
• an evening with tom cruise (going to see jack reacher! never read the books upon which this movie is based, i do not care at all what the film is about or if it is any good, i just want to stare at my tommy for 2 hours on my bday!).

how’s that for a good, good day?! i’m excited!

~*~*~*~*~

and now for the grand reveal…

yesterday was tattoo tuesday. joining mr cardinal (tattoo #1) and the ode to the boston marathon (tattoo #2)…

tattoo #3: “a celebration of life”

[sidenote: this photo was taken right when bryan finished the tattoo which is why there is redness; tats look best after they have *settled* for a couple of weeks].

for this tattoo, i wanted to go with “something pretty” -> i wanted symmetry, colour, vines n flowers…and a bluebird. i did some internet googling a few weeks ago, and found some ideas which i took to bryan at tora tattoo back on the day we had our consult appt:

my favourite designs that i found

from those ideas, bryan came up with…

i took the photo of his stencil once back at home, yesterday aft.

yesterday morning, i grabbed one last pic of  my untouched skin!

no turning back now!

the tat appt went super well: we finished in under two hours and the final cost was less than predicted, too.

self-portrait with bryan! (i cut off his fantastic eyeball tshirt, however!).

so, am i done with tattoos? hard to say. according to bryan, i “sit like a champ” -> i do not find tattooing painful in the least (compared to sports massage and underarm waxing, it is a walk in the park, honest). maybe ONE more??! (i have a body place and an idea ready to go!!). at this time, though, i adore my “pretty tattoo.” as always, i am thrilled with bryan’s artistry, and i am super-pleased with my 43rd bday gift-to-self.

we need one more close up!!!

~joy~

now it’s time to embrace the day!

 

Marathon Monday

Today is the 115th running of the Boston Marathon!

I get giddy with excitement on Marathon Monday. Christmas, my birthday…Boston Marathon Monday ranks right up there as one of my favourite days of the year.

I will never, ever, forget my memories from the three Mondays I ran in Boston! I start to reminisce, and can’t keep the smile off my face.

i have a jacket, photos, tshirts...and a more permanent *souvenir* that i just got last year!...

[Click here for the Boston tat recap!]

Unfortunately, I will have to wait until tomorrow or later this week to watch the three hours of televised coverage – I’ve PVR’d it –  (TSN, starting at 9:30 a.m., if you’re local) because I’ve got my own Marathon Monday going on, today!

Today’s work schedule:

~ 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the store

~ 2:30 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. at another of our locations! Why did I agree to work this double shift? Because it’s a New Experience!

I’ll recap tomorrow!

In the meantime, go racers go!

(source)

~If you aspire to run the Boston Marathon, pursue your dream. The journey will be as rewarding as making it to the special race, itself.~

Will you watch the race, either on TV or online? Some people find it inspirational; others (ie The Brother!) liken it to watching paint dry. Tina‘s got Marathon Fever! A couple of her latest blog entries feature the marathon: Marathon in the Air; Spectator Tips for the Boston Marathon.

One year, I couldn’t find televised coverage from among our regular cable stations on our home TV - we had to go to The Huether and watch the TV there! Thanks to their satellite system, they could capture the feed from the U.S.! I’m so happy that TSN will show the race today!

Gettin’ Ink Done

This was the scene just over a year ago, on Saturday, January 10, 2009. I celebrated birthday #39 by getting a tattoo of a cardinal. It was not a decision I made lightly; I had been considering getting “permanent body art” for several years, and decided to take the plunge for my birthday. The cardinal was an easy choice – some people have a Guardian Angel, I have a Guardian Cardinal.

On that day last year, Brad and I went to Tora Tattoo, here in Uptown Waterloo. This place has a solid reputation, the best in the city. They had been recommended by numerous people, including a couple of friends on the Police Dept. If you can’t trust a police officer, who can you trust!

Bryan was my tattoo artist and I was 100% thrilled with the cardinal design he came up with:

the cardinal

All in all, it was a positive experience all around, and I have not for a minute regretted this choice.

2009: Bryan and the Cardinal

Now let’s fastforward to today, Wednesday February 3, 2010. Another Birthday Tattoo, just a few weeks late this year!

Again, this was not a decision made on a whim. Since last spring I had been contemplating another tattoo. I for sure wanted Bryan to do this tattoo, too, both because of his talent and also so the “artistic style” would match that of Mr Cardinal. I went in to see Bryan a few weeks ago, we discussed my idea, and set the tattoo date.

Whereas last year I had Brad along with me, today I was flying solo. And that was fine – getting a first tattoo is a bit of an unknown, but today I felt confident and comfortable with the process. Bryan had again drawn up a design – we were ready to go!

Bryan at work

I find that the tattoo process really is not painful. If you have ever had your eyebrows waxed (or waxing in any other areas!) or even deep tissue sports massage (yowser!), the pain level of the tattoo is not significant. It truly does just feel like getting scratched with a sharp needle. Today was cool because I could watch the tattoo process. With the cardinal, I was facing the ceiling and could not see a thing.

What I appreciate about Tora is their attention to strict cleanliness and lawful procedure.

the prep area

And the finished product! (The bandage can come off tomorrow – I just did not want to wait to show off Boston Baby!)

to explain: we have the Boston emblem, laurel leaves, and the years I ran the Boston Marathon (with room to add more!)

Am I done? I think so…but then I said that last year, too, after I got the cardinal. Bryan joked, “See you next year” as I was leaving…I don’t think so, but you never know!

Bryan