SAY IT WITH INK..IT LASTS LONGER THAN FLOWERS.

My first ever tattoo was applied with Indian ink and a large darning needle. I did it myself at a rather rowdy party, and it actually came out extremely well. It was a small heart with an arrow through it with the letter D in the top right and the letter C in the bottom left. It was for Christine, my adored motorcycle and it remains on my left forearm still, almost as clear as it was the day my mother saw it and went critical quicker than a Japanese Nuclear power station.

"Go and wash that off now..whatever do you look like?!"
"Mum..It doesn't wash off"
"What do you mean? don't be silly..go and scrub it off"
"Mum..it's a tattoo, I did it with Indian ink"
KABOOOOOOOOOM!!!

My second Tattoo followed shortly after, and was applied again by myself using the same methods. A large 'A' in a circle (The symbol for Anarchy) with the letters B and D either side, spelling out 'BAD'. It was also a roaring sucsess, a near perfect circle and clear lettering. This tattoo was in memory of the square pegs, Jim, Dave and myself..and again, it reamins clear on my upper left arm.

I like tattoos, but only if they actually mean something. These people who run out and get random Bulldogs and Dragons smeared all over their skin for no good reason, or those who think it's cool to have a footballer's name up an arm, spider webs around their neck or half a book recreated on their back..in my opinion..only manage to advertise that their general level of intelligence is much lower than  it should be.
 Tattoos should tell a story, your story..I guess it's their skin, if they want to fill it up with unrelated junk that's their choice. At least it serves to give advanced warning that conversation with such a person is unlikely to be of any real benefit and that where possible breeding should be discouraged.

My Third Tattoo was a real one..the purple yellow and black of my Company flash. Beneath it, in small script C (ESSEX) COY. I had it done shortly before they changed our colours, and not long before I departed the loving arms of C Company forever. I still wear it with pride today, although it could use a touch up.

My Ink represents key moments in my development, stages of life, and up to having my colours added..it was pretty much risk free. That all changed not long after I met Alison.
 I wanted to prove my loyalty, it was not required, she had taken me on despite my history but I wanted to do something to prove without a shadow of doubt that she was special.

And so the coat of arms for Essex, the three curved scimitars on a red shield, were added permanently to the flesh of my right upper arm...and right in the middle, the Red hand of Ulster stood proud.

I am hugely proud to be from Essex, the land of the East Saxons. Essex was the home of the Peasant revolution, led by Wat Tyler and I do not consider myself English. There is no England, in reality it's just an 'Idea' of a place...each area that makes it up has it's own rich history, you can be FROM any of those places...but you can't really be from England. To consider yourself English, is to throw away your heritage, your history.  As for the Red hand, well any Loyalist knows the pride it envokes, the story behind it, and the struggle it symbolises. Right or wrong, and i'm not interested in having a political debate, it is a strong symbol and an equal to my three swords. And so, I pledged my loyalty to Alison with the addition of this new tattoo.

Next came the Ambigram. The letters A,L and I designed in such a way that they read the same up-side down and back to front. ALI of course being an abbreviation of Alison. This I had placed squarely in the centre of my chest a few months later. Big and Bold and Black..it said "I commit"

Then, after our wedding in 2008, I had a very simple tattoo added, just above the shield but below my company flash. BELFAST 06/12/08 in fancy script. For that was the date of the wedding. My best man, Ian, celebrated the occasion by having the very same tattoo. It was his first visit to Belfast, and his first time as Best man. I shall talk more about my 'adopted brother' later, for that is what he had come to be but it isn't time just yet.

And my latest addition was a small Ghecko, the symbol of the island of Ibiza, a place that I truly adore. Not as you may be forgiven for thinking, for the clubs, the booze and the lights..but for it's more peacefull side..across the island in and around the area of Santa Eulalia. The island has become a special place for Alison and I, and the addition of it's symbol to my right forearm reminds me of  the great times we have had there.

I have already picked a space for my next tattoo, and I will be proud as punch to have the name of our son added to my skin-story as soon as he arrives...

And that particular arrival is, as I type this, imminent.