First let me say it is really hard to get a good photo of a tattoo on your forearm.
There is at least one day in everyone’s life where there is before that day and after that day. Those days that fundamentally change who you are. If you’re lucky, most of those life changing days are happy. For me, there are 2 days that profoundly changed me and one is the happiest of days- Sennet’s birthday.
The other day was the most tragic of days- when I got the call from a sheriff in Texas that my dad and step-mom had been murdered in their home. So on each wrist- those dates in roman numerals.
The script on my left arm is ‘choose happy or it wont find you’ and that is something my dad use to say all of the time and it drove me insane. But I get it now.
The script on my right arm is ‘holding on for life’ and that is a song title by Broken Bells. I heard this song when I was in Texas dealing with my dad’s estate. I had just learned my dad’s will was invalid and I walked out to a flat tire on the rental car. I completely lost it in the car while this song was playing- the lyrics were just so completely perfect or imperfect for that exact moment. I was screaming, crying, punching the steering wheel. That sort of moment you see in movies- just angst in the most real way.
I searched for the song by the lyrics I could remember on and off for a year and could never find it. The next time I heard this song was in my car on KEXP almost a full year later- on my dad’s birthday. The next day was the anniversary of his murder- so it was like he was there saying it was ok.
It turns out the single hadnt been released until 10 months after his death and the version I heard was a live in studio performance on satellite radio- thats why I could never find it. The album was released on the anniversary of the call from the sheriff.
Its weird b/c this song does not get a lot of radio play but I will hear it at the most random yet the most meaningful times.
After I got these tattoos, I went to taco del mar for lunch and the song played in the restaurant. I started sobbing. Big ugly tears. The employee thought I was hurt- and in a way I was. But in the most powerful way I was grateful b/c I knew my dad was there.