Today I went to the tattoo store to get my tattoo. I've been consulting with NYC's most experienced tattoo artist. He started creating tattoos about 3 years after I was born, when they were illegal, and he had to run an underground shop in the East Village, as if he were selling heroin. When tattoos finally became legal he opened shop in the same spot he'd been using all along, but now he could put a big flag outside with the word TATTOO and get licensed and all that. He is very respectful and sweet and elderly and looks like a reformed biker. His face is not tattooed. That may be the only spot on his body that is not. I've had this idea about getting a tattoo for about 6 years -- at first I was going to get matching tattoos on my calves going up to my knees, but now the idea has migrated to my right arm. I'm getting waves. Just stylized, Asian influenced waves, nothing else. The aged tattoo artist is taking my request very seriously -- I emailed him pictures of the sort of waves I like and he made a copy of the skin on my arm with some tracing paper. Today he called to let me know that he had a draft of the tattoo so I went in, hoping to start. I'm aware that the process will take several months. He had drawn perfect waves, but the size was a little off. So I didn't get to start today. I have to go back on Friday and see his new draft.

It will cost upwards of 500 dollars. Don't try to talk me out of it. I need these waves.