What do they mean?

Hi all!

Today's post is all about tattoos. I have six of them, and I love four of them. One question I always get asked, however, is: What does that mean? Why did you get it?

 Now, all my tattoos have some kind of meaning behind them, but this question does annoy me slightly. If you love a particular design or script, why not get it permanently inked onto your body? There does not need to be a deep or emotional reason behind this. It is your body, do what you wish with it.

The other concern is job opportunities, Two of my tattoos are in fairly visible places, and it is a slight worry, but I do not believe it should be. As I mentioned in my last post, I am currently searching for a job, preferably in an administrative role, and I feel like I will need to cover my tattoos to ensure a job. It should not be this way, and I'm sure in a lot of cases it is not, but there is still prejudice on tattooed bodies. It is a shame, someone with tattoos is no less capable of doing excellent work.

I will now take you through my tattoos:

These were my first two tattoos. The stars were my first, and I got them done on a whim one day at a walk-in tattoo studio when I was 18. They reason I got these were for my late Grandad, in a kind of tribute to him. However, I am not happy with how they were done, and as I was so young I did not really know what I wanted.
The bird is very significant. It is a swallow, and it is exactly the same tattoo, in the same position, as my late step-mother had. She died aged 50 of cancer and it is a very dear piece of art to me. I love this one.

My third tattoo I also love. It is a squid, although it is only black and grey (it was fresh in this picture, and the red you can see is exactly what you'd imagine). I got this one because my dad's nickname for me has always been "squid", and seeing as he hated all my previous tattoos, I thought I'd get this to placate him. Luckily, it is one of my favourites now.

My fourth tattoo, and the second and last one which I am not particularly happy with. I love crosses - although I am not religious, they bring me a sense of calm. However, I wanted something small, maybe the size of my thumb. This is on the back of my neck/shoulders, and it is about 4 inches long. Again, I was young, and didn't feel comfortable to be assertive about exactly what I wanted. It is a shame, but at least I can't see it haha!

  

This tattoo was my fifth, and I love it. It's on my ribs, and is a Shakespeare quote from A Midsummer Night's Dream. I am an English graduate, and I absolutely adore all things literary. I love the font and the quote is perfectly suited to me, as I am no more than 5"2, and I can be pretty feisty!

My latest tattoo - which I still got over two years ago - does not have any particular meaning behind it, it is just a design I like. It is on my upper thigh, and I hope to get it coloured at some point soon. I do really like it, and I think it looks really nice when you can jut see it poking out under shorts or a skirt.

So those are my tattoos. I don't have plans to get any more in the near future, apart from getting my roses coloured in. Next time I do get one, I would like to get a ruby in dedication to my Nan, Ruby, but for now I am happy with those I have.

Let me know what tattoos you have :)

Until next time,

Jo

What Happens Now?

Hi all!

Already on my third blog post! Today's is going to be a bit more serious. I had a lovely day in London with my boyfriend, and it has really made me think. We've been together a little over three years now, and we're both very happy - or at least I hope we are! But we met at university, and now I'm looking for a job in my home town, which is a couple of hours from his. And I can't drive. I keep thinking about how hard it will be when we both have full time jobs and can hardly see each other. We are used to either seeing each other every other evening, or the year when we lived apart we still saw each other for about 5 straight days a month. This will just not be possible with both of us working.

Neither of us are ready to live together, and neither of us can afford to either. We both have to live at home because we simply do not have the money to move out. It makes me so sad that I will maybe get half a day every weekend to see this man who is special and important to me. I love him to pieces and it scares me that we may have such little time together.

I know this is much better than a lot of couples have it. I know I'm very lucky to have someone who I care so much about, and who cares about me. I know that some couples don't see each other for months at a time. But that knowledge will not make this any easier. It's making me not want to get a full-time job, because I am so desperate to still have our special time together. Which is, clearly, ridiculous. For one, I can't afford not to. It's just hard to think about right now.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation? How did you get through it? Let's me know!

Until next time,

Jo.

The Apprentice- Tess Gerritsen

Hi all!
My first proper post is a review of Tess Gerritsen's second novel in the Rizzoli and Isles series, The Apprentice. I loved the first in the series, The Surgeon, which I read over the Christmas holidays, and I was eager to read the second. However, my dissertation got in the way and I was snowed under with Gothic realism and such like.
 I started The Apprentice just four days ago, and have already completed it. It is un-put-down-able. I love the fast-paced action and the grit which is present, and the strong female character is even more intriguing. What I especially loved about the second book is the vulnerability we see in Jane Rizolli, lead detective. She is a strong, fierce cop, but we also see she is scared and needs help, like everyone else in the world: she is not invincible.
The twists and turns in this exciting book keep you on the edge of your seat, and as Gerritsen herself is a doctor we get a very real sense of the autopsy room. I love the more gruesome aspects of the book! As someone who cannot stand horror movies, literature is how I get my grizzly fix!
I know this is in no way a new book (having been published in 2002), but I cannot wait to read The Sinner, the next in the series! Gerritsen is an amazing writer, and I can't wait to explore more of her work.
Until next time,
Jo.

Hello To You!

Hi all!
Welcome to my first blog post. I have just completed my final year at university as an English Studies student, and I am starting this blog as an outlet for my passion to write and create! This blog will mainly include reviews of a few of my favourite things: fashion, make-up, and books! I will also use this as a way to express my feelings on everything going on in my life: I have no idea what I'm going to do after graduation, and so there is going to be a lot to write about as my life develops and changes. This is just an introduction post, but I hope you all enjoy what is to come :) and please leave me some links to any of your blogs for me to check out.
Until next time,
Jo.