I don’t remember when the idea struck me to get a cooking related tattoo. But struck me, it did. This bad boy was number 4 and is on my right arm and I hope to add to it soon. It was a collaboration between my brain and Gary Thus, tattoo extraordinaire. Well, we didn’t collaborate really. I just threw random ideas at him, and he made it all make sense. I can’t thank him enough.

Because I work in a professional environment, most times you see me in public, you’ll probably see me in a cardigan. So I wanted to give my ‘bitchin’ ink’ a shout out and a little insight to some of it. It means a lot to me.

Sugar skulls represent both the death of a loved one, and the renewal that you endure as a result of it. I’ll spare you the sob story and just say that Mr. J changed my life and this is sort of a tribute to some of it, and the growth I’ve endured as a result. The eyes are sunflowers for his favorite flower, and the glow behind them are like a candle lit in remembrance. (Gosh, I didn’t realize how sappy this sounded once I read it.) The knife and spoon are kind of self-explanatory. He was a chef, and what he taught me about food, love, and life are just some of the gifts he left behind.

Last, but certainly not least is that dragonfly.  Sometime after Mr. J’s passing, Lil’ A was experiencing a sort of separation anxiety about going to school. (One particular asshole summer camp being the blame). One day, after I ripped her death grip off of me and sent her on her way, I hit a gas station parking lot – and cried. Not a little weep, a hefty cry. The kind of cry Dane Cook did an entire skit about. It featured expletives, goo, and a scream something along the lines of “You @#$!*&, I can’t do this alone!”

And with that one sentence, I opened my eyes and saw a dragon fly hovering over my car. It hovered for a very long time. Peaceful and unintrusive. Now, I know Mr. J is not a dragonfly and they’re insects and can be seen anywhere. In that moment though, I realized I wasn’t alone and never would be. I like the fact that I carry forever the same reminder and since that moment, I find dragonflies everywhere and they always make me smile.

Turning the cheese-o-meter off, and on the search for chocolate,

Adryon