EDITOR'S COMMENT
Perhaps you recall the fabulous portrait by Norman Rockwell of a sailor, sitting patiently, sleeve rolled up on his white T-shirt, getting the name "Betty" tattooed beneath a fading list of six past girlfriends' names with lines through them.

The modern take on this kind of record-keeping is to avoid tattooing a lover's name on your skin altogether. The standard response by tattoo artists is to stow any long-winded, philosophic warnings about "What happens if you break up?" and simply tell the customer, "Getting any boyfriend's or girlfriend's name on your skin is bad luck." That would certainly scare most people off. After all, the world of tattoo is so encrypted with myths and legends that perhaps having your true love's name etched on your skin might very well put some mystical kibosh on the relationship. Get a lover's name on your arm and you'll be back in the dating pool by morning.

Perhaps there's another way to look at this. Since most of us not only remember who tattooed what tattoo on us, but also where and when, tattoos are simply reflections of one's life. They are events, meanings and milestones captured in time. Sure, not all these events are positive. A marijuana leaf or NIX ON NIXON may not be appropriate today, or an exploding head with eyes popping out may not be the best choice for a tattoo when you're 50. But back when you were 16, it was just the thing to piss off your parents. Have it erased or lasered? No way! It's an historic place marker. Like a diploma from art school or a discharge from the Marines. You don't carry it folded in your wallet, but every time you see it framed on the wall, it makes you proud. Same with the exploding head; if nothing else, it proves you survived. That in itself is worth documenting. Tattoos are like military medals. Wear them proudly. And, to my way of thinking, the more, the better.

Most likely, your new Gwendolyn or Alphonso would prefer you take down that smiling photo of your last significant other from the mantel. And four-inch letters proclaiming ALL MY LOVE FOREVER, VALERIE, may not sit well with your new girlfriend Alice but, then again, why not? Maybe a sweetheart's name indelibly tattooed on a couple's skin might help keep the two of them together. Perhaps, when they are about to take the plunge, a little careful consideration might be a good thing. Should I ask her to marry me? Should I get the tattoo? The dual decision might help them slow down a bit and make the kind of choice that's permanent. In the best of all possible worlds, relationships are forever—they last as long as ink on skin.

The best advice might be: If you have doubts about getting any tattoo?—simply don't.

—Bob Baxter
Editor in Chief