I've always had this mad hunger for artsy stuff ever since I was little. And though I am very much aware that I'm not the most brilliant artist ever born (well, a frustrated artist I am, if I should humbly mention), I still am, and will always be an art fanatique.
Thing is, I like colors. I adore splashes of colors. You know, they're such pleasure in the eyes. Pero tattoos? Yuck. No. Ang dumi. Ang balahura sa balat. Masakit. Pang-adik.
Little did I know, magiging ako pala yung kung ano 'ko ngayon. Pintada. Burdada.
My journey to being a tattoo enthusiast began when I was 17. I was always up late watching random shows on cable tv. Lifestyle channel, food network, TLC, Velvet, Etc, and the like. Teenager eh. So nasanay na 'kong magtyaga sa mga shows na di naman ako maka-relate manlang. As long as may napapanuod while munching on midnight snack, solb solb na. Then I saw this beautiful woman on TLC. Man, she's a walking piece of art! So I started being hooked sa Miami Ink, then LA Ink. Yes, that goddess is Kat Von D. She's just so beautiful. Beyond perfection. I became a fan of her tv shows not only because I adore her, but also because of the stories behind every tattoo her clients wanted to get. Ang deep. Pero may mga weird stuff din. Like there's this man who got a portrait of his deceased mother on his ass cheek. The fuck, di ba? Pero most of the clients really had amazing stories.
When I turned 18 I decided to get my very own ink. Of course, being a weakling, I had to practice pricking myself with needles to see how high my tolerance for pain was. And yes I looked stupid. Hah!
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I wanted to get a tattoo na meaningful sa'kin, syempre. Jologs pag pangalan ko. So naisip ko, Virgo. I wanted a virgo tattoo. So sige. It was October2010.
I got the Virgo symbol I wanted. My first tattoo artist was sir Lou of Skinworkz (Tribal Ink, SM Annex). Yes, the picture above was taken right after the session. God I was so skinny! I'd trade anything just to have that body back! Haha!
After two weeks, my parents knew about it and yes, sermon galore. Mga good for one year, ganon. Haha! They were like, "Hay nako anong iisipin ng mga tao!", "Ano ba yang ginagawa mo sa sarili mo anak!", and "Have we done anything wrong for you to do something like this to yourself?! Look at yourself! Looook!!!"
Dumugo yata tenga ko. Sumabog eardrums ko. Eto pa malupit, pati inbox ng phone ko, kinabog ang MMK! Oh Ate Charo, paki-reenact nga!
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It wasn't very long until I got my second ink. Dahil nga I've always had this thing for makukulay na bagay, I decided I wanted to get another tattoo na may hint ng ibang color.
Marami-rami na rin ang nakapagtanong, bakit mukha ang pinalagay ko. At bakit sa likod. Sige. Ganito kasi yan.
Sorry sa low reso na photo, again. Kung makikita nyo, pink yung eyeshadow. Arte lang. Sabi ko kasi gusto ko ng kulay. Pero yung lips, green. Why? Because I have a dirty little mouth for those who speak bad about me, my family, and the people who really matter to me. At bakit sa likod ko ipinalagay? Simple. Para malaman nila na kahit maisip nila 'kong saksakin ng patalikod, NAKIKITA KO SILA.
This one's done by THE Anne Macapagal, a Bulakenyo tattoo artist who later then became a friend of mine. November2010.
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####to be continued ;)
I think chivalry still exists. And I think that as long as people know how to love, and I mean how to really love selflessly, chivalry will exist. I think taking risks is a form of chivalry; I mean, accepting a person despite the dirty and sloppy parts of her and all her flaws. That's chivalry. Because you are rescuing a person from the possibilities of being alone and lonely. Because you care. Because you are different. Because you don't care about the status-quo. Because you don't believe in stereotypes. Each of us has the capability of being someone's knight in shining armor. You just gotta be brave enough. 
