It's all you have thought about. You really want to get that tattoo. You have told yourself that you will get one some day. You have visited that tattoo shop up the street, and considered it, but never had the money, or weren't sure what you wanted. Before you just drop around $100+ dollars on a very permanent piece of artwork, stop and think a little. If you change your mind, it won't wash off. You can't go back in to the tattoo shop and say, "Sorry, I don't want it anymore. Can you take it off?"

Tattoos are painful, but the removal process is way worse. Make sure you think about this for a little while first. There are a few things you want to do, and a few things you want to avoid.

So, you are really committed to getting some ink done? Good for you!! I have two tattoos and I love them both! There are things you need to do first, though.

• Do your research. You need to find a reputable shop that does quality work. That shop up the street may be close, but if you walk in and it looks like a before picture for a Terminex ad, you might want to look somewhere else. Talk to people you know who have already had ink done. Ask them about their experiences, good or bad. People who have several tattoos usually have a person they go to specifically, and there's usually a good reason why. Check out websites for artists. A lot of tattoo artists have pages on popular social networking sites where you can check out their work, ask questions, get feedback from clients, and get a feel for what style they specialize in.
• Do think about what you want. You want a tattoo that you are still going to like in 10, 20, or 40 years. Find something you know you won't grow to hate a few years down the road. Find pictures online, or in books at tattoo shops to get an idea of what you want. If you like the coloring in one, but the style is a little off, or the lettering is not the style you want, make a note of that. A good artist will work with you, and if you give them a good idea of what you are looking for, they can generally draw something up for you, and work with you on the finer details.
• Don't EVER get a significant other's name tattooed on your body!!!! There is no guarantee that you are going to be with that person forever, and it makes it a little hard to explain down the road. Family members are another story. You want to get your daughter's name tattooed on your body, or a portrait of your father, that's fine. NEVER get a girlfriend/boyfriend's name tattooed on your body! The same thing applies if you are in a band. That band may break up someday, and you are left with a constant reminder of it.
• Don't get a tattoo while you are drunk. Getting a tattoo of Mr. Potato Head may sound like an outstanding idea when you are hammered, but it may not seem so outstanding once the sun comes up and the hangover kicks in. Besides, it is generally a bad idea to get a tattoo while you are drunk for other reasons. Alcohol thins your blood, making the bleeding worse, and making you more likely to overheat and faint. Body temperature rises when you are under stress and in response to pain. Alcohol only intensifies the affects. No, alcohol does not raise your body temperature, but it does tend to give you a sense of being warmer, and can cause light-headedness. Many reputable tattoo artists will refuse to work on you if you are intoxicated.
• Do listen to the artist. If they are skilled, experienced and honest, they will be able to give you insight and advice. They may suggest changes in details, sizing concerns, and pain factors. They know a lot about what they are doing. They will be able to tell you if that art you want on your forearm is too big for the space, and will suggest sizing it down.

I figured I would share my experiences to give you an idea of what I dealt with. I only have two tattoos, but each was a far different experience. I have included pictures of my two tattoos, plus some other artwork by my favorite tattoo artist.

My first tattoo was a birthday present to myself. I was visiting my mother for a month. My mother, my sister and my step-father had all gotten ink done at the shop I went to, with mixed results. They all liked the end result, but the process is where they differed. My sister had already gotten several tattoos, and she said it was painless and didn't take very long. My mother had gotten one tattoo a few years before, but this was a bit bigger than her previous work, and said it was a bit more painful. My step-father had never gotten a tattoo before, and he said that it hurt quite a bit.

After my sister passed away, we had all decided to get tattoos in her memory. My sister loved penguins, and was a huge fan of the cartoon character, Chilly Willy. I chose to get a Chilly Willy tattoo in her memory. The cost was about average (around $125), and it took about an hour. I got that tattoo on my back, on my left shoulder. It hurt a little at first, but then it just felt like someone was giving me a really good back-scratching. The only part that did hurt was the shading he did at the end. That was a little painful. All-in-all, it was a good experience for my first tattoo.

My second tattoo is a much different story. I got this one seven months ago. A friend of mine owns a tattoo shop in New Mexico. He does great work, and had done some tattoos for other friends of mine in the past. I told him about that tattoo I wanted to get next, and he said he wanted to do it. It was something that was very special to me. It is a memorial tattoo for my son who passed away. It is also for my grandfather, who passed away of cancer when I was in high school, and more recently, for my uncle, who died a month ago. They all shared the same name. Each was named Joseph Byrnes. The initials on the tattoo are J.B. I left out my son's middle initial in memory of my grandfather, as well. I plan on having him add to the tattoo, so that everyone who sees it, knows the three great people it is in honor of.

He never got the chance to give me that tattoo while I was living in the Southwest. Then, I decided to go down to Yuma to visit friends, and when he found out I was coming down, he flew down, too. He really wanted to give me that tattoo. He brought all of his equipment with and I showed him a few pictures, and he drew up a very beautiful tattoo for me. He adjusted the size for what would look best. I got this one in the middle of my back, between my shoulder blades.

He did the tattoo right in my friend's kitchen. Everything was done very professionally; gloves, new needles, sterilizing everything, the whole nine yards. It was agonizingly painful!! I made him stop many, many times because my back just wanted to spasm from the pressure and the pain. I cried, I screamed, and I acted like a little girl. A friend gave me a few over-the-counter pain killers and a drink. Yes, it had alcohol in it. I know what I said about not getting a tattoo while you are drunk. I wasn't drunk. It took almost three hours because I kept making him stop so I could deal with the pain. I would tell him to stop, take a few breaths, and then he would keep going. The end result was more amazing that I ever could have hoped for, and it was worth every bit of pain and screaming.

I love both of my tattoos. They mean a lot to me. Your tattoos should mean a lot to you, too. After all, they will be with you for a very long time. If you have accomplished something that you are really proud of, and you want to honor that, or you want to honor someone who has made a real difference in your life, a tattoo is a great way to do it. Just make sure you are still going to love it when you are old and wrinkly. It's never fun when your grand-kids come up to you and ask you why you have a leaf tattooed on your arm, and you have to make up a lie to hide that fact that you are a seventy year-old grandmother with a pot leaf tattooed on your body.