I am a spender of money. I come by it honest. Growing up I learned from my mom how to go shopping and buy new things and then sneak the bags into the house before my dad could see and ask questions. That mentality has been in stark contrast to how Josh grew up when there wasn’t opportunity to freely spend money like that. So our ideas about spending money are very much in opposition with each other. We still make it work though.
As far as the greatest thing I ever purchased, well, I can confidently say it wasn’t my Kia! Have I mentioned that you shouldn’t buy a Kia? I kid, of course I’ve mentioned it, repeatedly, in multiple posts. By the way, I’m giving up my Kia this weekend. That new engine of hers that I waited 6 months to be put in two years ago has proven to not be as long lasting as I hoped. I’m trading her in for a Subaru. I’m sure I’ll be dedicating a post to that at some point. New cars are fun.
But I think the best thing I have purchased, is not really a “thing”. I’ve gotta go with my tattoos. If I was forced to calculate how much money I’ve spent on my tattoos in the past year alone, my best estimate would be around $7,000. Probably closer to $8,000 when factoring in the tips. That’s why people can’t use the insult that tattoos make you look cheap because tattoos are in fact, not cheap.
Because my algorithm on Threads is 90% posts about tattoos, I often come across people asking to share pictures of our favorite tattoos. Honestly, it’s hard to pick a favorite. Some have deep meaning to them, and some are just fun and whimsical, like Fred…the frog wearing a mushroom hat riding a rhinoceros beetle like a horse. I do think for the purposes of “the greatest or best” one, I would have to go with the tattoo that started the year of tattoos last year, my blue “freedom” flowers.
To recap, I got the top half of my left arm covered with flowers in all shades of blue. I specifically told the artist that I wanted the blue to be the same shade that teenagers dye their hair. And the point of that was because I felt like a teenager with blue hair. Specifically, the teenagers that used to graduate from my Catholic school and come back to visit with their hair dyed blue. It was their way of thumbing their noses at our strict dress code and letting us know that we couldn’t control them anymore. I was always envious of the freedom those girls got to experience. My desire to be free of that school wasn’t a last minute decision. It had been building for years before I ultimately had the courage to leave. And when I did, I experienced the best feeling of well, freedom. I was no longer bound by the contract I signed each year that basically said I could be fired at a moment’s notice for any behavior that reflected negatively on the school or diocese, to include posts and other activity on social media. Which is why I wrote on this blog under a pseudonym for so long. Cathy Mack was my name on here. My name is not Cathy Mack, it’s Sarah Panter. Never could put my real name on here because heaven forbid a parent or other snitch from the church found it and shared a post with the principal. I could be fired right then and there. I liked writing anonymously because I could write my true thoughts and feelings. Now that I’m free from there, I can still write my true thoughts and feelings, but I don’t have to hide my identity to do it. Did I already say that my name is Sarah Panter? Because it is.
The freedom flowers tattoo came out beautifully. They took 4 sessions and now that it’s been a year, I kind of need to go back to get them touched up. The artist covered up a tattoo I already had and now that the ink has settled, I can still see the old tattoo. I wasn’t picky about the type of flower he drew, but I did eventually request tulips for the top of my shoulder. Tulips are the favorite flower of one of the moderators of the knitting swap group I’m in on Ravelry. That group of women was one of the only “people” who knew what was happening with me at that school that led to me quitting. Those women, Josh, and my administrative assistant were the only ones who knew. They encouraged me to quit, but also offered to support me if I stayed. They were overjoyed as much as I was when I announced that I had put in my resignation. The tulips are an ode to that group.
Hands down, the best thing I ever “purchased”. No regrets.
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