It's a west coast smackdown! With love at the end.

And despair. Don't forget the delicious despair.

Pothead.

Hey, I'm not the one who went impulse shopping at the concert.

Tattoo talk! Which I want to jump in and join, but my Drama club kids will be here any minute. Grr. Whatthehell.

So I'm going to visit a tat shop tonight with a colleague, to check out designs & pricing & stuff. I've designed something I think I want, and have painted it onto myself and tried living with it for several days - namely a faux silver chain with charms hanging from it, to go round my ankle. The charms being: a Yorkshire Rose, a maple leaf, a thistle, a sunflower, a bunch of grapes, a 'mind the gap' logo, the Buffista B, an ankh and the Buddist flamey flame thing - each being an image that relates to a particular place I've lived in my adult life (albeit one is cyberspace).

Thoughts from those who've had tats? Good things? Bad things? Pain? Etc etc?

It sounds awesome, Fay, but anything that detailed is going to be expensive, and on the ankle (bone), possibly painful.

I would also be very sure of the tattoo artist you go to, to make sure they understand how things should look.

Anyone still around?

But in a positive, healthy fashion forward way, right? Not in a Britney, self-mutilation, I'm-dodging-drug-testing way?

Oh, absolutely! It’s just all shaggy and icky. It needs a good few inches off.

Nora, go see the doctor tomorrow and ask of Diflucan. I can’t do the over-the-counter stuff for reasons you’re describing. Insist on the Diflucan.

I'm still here. Can't get to sleep -- my knees are killing me. I took some Advil, and I'm waiting for it to kick in.

Oh, that's frustrating. I'm sorry, Hil.

It sounds awesome, Fay, but anything that detailed is going to be expensive, and on the ankle (bone), possibly painful.

Hmm. The thing is, I wouldn't consider having a tatoo in any of my better padded places, because of them being - well. Better padded. Plus I like the idea of trompe l'oiel (which I can't spell), so...yeah. Hmm. Damn.

The expense thing is managable though, because I figure I could get a chain done initially, and then gradually add charms over time. (The flamey buddism symbol thing being the last thing I'd have done, before I leave Thailand - because feet are unclean & putting a holy symbol on the feet would be offensive to people here.)

I would also be very sure of the tattoo artist you go to, to make sure they understand how things should look.

It's a girl who's done the tats for the swimming instructor at school and for my colleague who teaches Year 1 (& is head of Key Stage 1). He's got 3 tats from her so far that I've seen, and they've been gorgeous, so I reckon she's probably okay. And I've brought a detailed watercolour sketch of it, to help with explaining. Made to measure with my ankle.

Gotta dash!

Where's my morning shift?