We live only once, so we have to live fully. I sometimes do things a little bit too crazy, wise adults tell me to be careful, that I could hurt myself, and regret my choices.

Cause it’s a beautiful night
We’re looking for something dumb to do
Hey baby
I think I wanna marry you

I’ve always wanted to get married in Vegas  just for some spur of the moment fun.  Well, without going so far as to validate the marriage anyway!

I have know Michael, a Californian friend, for 4 years, and we decided to go to Vegas together. I told him about my crazy idea of ​​getting married in Vegas.

Initially, he was reluctant, but after some persuasion on my part he accepted the idea, under the condition that it would be Elvis who marries us, to please his grandmother, who loves Elvis.

The proposal

In the heat of the moment, I also suggested to him we should get “matching tattoos”, which is an identical tattoo on him and me, on the same part of our body. Michael had no intention of getting a tattoo prior to this. From my side, it would be my third tattoo.

Choosing the symbol

He tells me the Om sign has a special meaning for him in his Yogi journey. On my side, no yoga, but a special attachment to Bali, this small Hindu island in the middle of a muslim Indonesia. I have no particular attachment to a religion, but the peace and love that emanates from the Balinese hidouisme attracts me. The Om symbol is a sacred symbol of Hinduism that many Balinese wear as a necklace.

The tattoo parlor

I ask a friend to recommend for us a tattoo place, she suggests me Broken Dagger. We go to the parlor suggested, and after looking at the art of different tattoo artists, we agree on Bob. We meet with Bob, who is adorable, and very reassuring. We go back to the car and Michael says “let’s do it“.

The design

Michael suggested that we customize the design of the Om to make it our own, for it to be unique. We noticed that part of the symbol that forms a sort of 3 looks like a heart. I grabbed an envelope in our hotel room and designed our idea. Michael suggested a line drawing an open heart we both loved it.

Choosing the location

We hesitated, the question was debated: the groin, wrist, calf, ankle… Finally, I convinced Michael to do it on the ribs, against the heart, a heart on the heart, isn’t it a pretty picture?

Let’s do it

For those who wonder : tattoos hurt. A lot. Tattoo on my ribs, not my best idea of a great moment of fun.

The result

Bob has done an awesome job, and we are very satisfied of our tattoo. Do you like it ?

 

To be continued…

A matching tattoo is more than a pretty drawing. It is a real bond to me. It means that all my life, I will have this Vegas trip and Michael etched in the skin. We decided to create our rules to be able to invoke our tattoo, our “bond”, whenever we feel like we should. We read the rules aloud together, each of our hand on the tattoo of the other. Like in movies you know !

What about you ? What crazy thing did you do, on a whim, for friendship or love?