Starring 50

Blogger's note: I had to change the title of this particular blog because the original title led unsuspecting internet users to my page.  They were certainly not looking for my blog.  I felt it only appropriate to save them from this and so I renamed the blog.  Sigh.  It was nice having like 4000 hits but if they are gonna find my blog by accident, they need to find one of the funnier ones.  Just sayin.'

Rest at ease, friends of the Addiverse—I have finally secured my “I’m Turning 50” birthday tattoo.  It was quite the challenge to figure out what to permanently ink into/onto my body.  I wanted it to be meaningful--even better if I could think of something with a multi-purpose meaning.  I wanted it to be well-done by someone who actually knew what they were doing. (Trust me, I am covered with all sorts of hideous, scratcher-made tattoos and paid a lot of money to look this bad).  I love cartoons but for this momentous occasion, I felt like I needed something different.  It had to be placed somewhere I could see it--most of my tattoos are on my back and I can’t see them.  While I purposefully put the cartoons on my back in representation of those who “have my back,” it kind of sucks that the wife has to look at them and I can’t.  (Such irony--the wife hates tattoos and she’s the one that has to look at them all.)  I have to give credit to the wife for agreeing with my design of choice and for talking me out of Minnie Mouse.

Those who know me know that I am a big, tacky nerd. Those who truly know me know that I am a big, nerdy fan of astronomy. (Surprised?) One of my favorite all-time Christmas gifts was a telescope--4^th grade, in case you are wondering. Yeah for Santa Parents! I was able to see the polar caps on Mars with that thing, which was a delightfully delicious thing to a fourth grader.  I have made (on more than one occasion) a special “sun-viewing box” so I could safely watch solar eclipses. During my formative years, I was introduced to the annual Perseid meteor shower that always seemed to correspond to our annual vacations at “The Cottage”  (mid-August, for those whose interest has now been peaked). I can still clearly envision laying on the pier with my mother, sister and cousins, staring up at the sky, hoping desperately to see a shooting star.  I still go outside every August and take a gander at that meteor shower, not only because I love astronomy but because of the happy memories it brings back of those glory days.

(I also lay claim of my love of ornithology—but, that’s for another nerdy day.)  

Even today, I am always staring at the night sky, torturing the wife with my semi-pathetic celestial knowledge:  “There’s a satellite—see it?”  “Did you see that shooting star?” “That’s the North Star.” “Wow! Jupiter and Venus are aligned.  Look at that!”  I love the fact that the North Star doesn’t “move.” It’s always right there, saying “Hey! This is North, over here!” If you can find the North Star, you can find your way anywhere.

Back to my birthday tattoo. I chose a nautical star, an old-school, traditional tattoo design, best known for being found on sailors. (I'm not a sailor but my godfather was, so that should count for something.) 

• The first and most compelling reason for my choice is that it represents a compass for life.  I can always use a little direction.
• The design supposedly symbolizes protection, guidance and staying on course, a positive guide toward the future. Who doesn't need a little guardian angel action?
• It’s all about finding your way safely back home. Since home is where the heart is, I figured putting it on my chest would be the perfect location.   (This was a bit bittersweet, as putting the star in that location meant I had to cover up my very first tattoo--a little dog with my nickname written over it.  You couldn't tell what it was or what it said anymore, so it really was the perfect place to put the tat, but it's still covering a piece of history.)
• It's always a good thing to reach for the stars...while keeping your feet firmly planted on the ground.
• In addition to being a compass for life, the nautical star somehow this image got tied to the Punk Rock scene, and I did love the punk rock of the late 70’s/early 1980’s.  I'm too old for the Punk Scene of today.  Punks of today need to respect their elders, so here's one for them.
• What's not to love about Sailor Jerry, king of the sailor tattoos, a master of the nautical star?  A star for a star, that's what I say.
• Maybe I could call it a "naughty-call" tattoo.  Or, not.
• And, surprisingly enough to me and most definitely an unintentional bonus, the  star tattoo was used in 1940’s-60s so females leading “an alternative lifestyle” could identify each other.  "Often [they] would get the star tattoo done on the inside of their wrist where it could easily be hidden by a watch during the day but shown off in the evening when out on the town." 

I had no idea. 
(I'm sure that use of the nautical star pissed the sailors of WWII off, but it's probably all good now.)

So, I now have a nautical star tattoo.  I'd post a photo of the actual tattoo, but I've decided it's near impossible to take a photo of a tattoo on your chest, even with my fancy "facing toward me" phone camera.  Here's what a nautical star looks like, thanks to Photobucket.  Mine happens to have blue/green and yellow in it (the green was unintended, a by-product of adding the yellow). For the record, I think the wife likes it.

So, happy 50th Birthday to me and a happy day to you.  And, remember: if you ever get lost, wait til it gets dark, then find the North Star.  It's all good from there.

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(Nerds can join me for the Perceid Meteor Shower....Active: July 17-Aug. 24, 2012; Peak Activity: Aug. 12, 2012. Peak Activity Meteor Count: Approximately 100 meteors per hour. See you in August!)