Flying Kites

I'm not cool.

I use the word bananas as an adjective. I'd rather stay home and watch the Bachelorette.

But, sometimes, the cool people I hang around let me pretend.

Like last Wednesday night when I got a tattoo.

Well, not officially; I'll never be cool enough for a real tat. My new body art is temporary and for charity. I was stamped at an event celebrating The Temporary Tattoo Project which raises funds for Flying Kites, a Brooklyn-based organization that sponsors needy children in Kenya. Six of the country's top tattoo artists designed limited edition temporary tattoos inspired by the children they support. (More info at http://thetemporarytattooproject.org/).

The designs are awesome- a lion prancing on a retro airplane, a koi fish, a funky looking horse- exactly what I might get if I were cool enough to wear a tat. I picked a colorful flying kite on the lower left side of my back (don't worry- that's just left and north of tramp stamp territory). It came with a postcard keepsake (pictured below).


As soon as it was rubbed on I felt different- hip, edgy, definitely cool.

My boyfriend Jon had a baseball sized roaring lion head printed on his forearm. Even under his preppy button-down shirt and Virginia frat boy hair, he was also instantly upgraded to badass.

After the event we strut through the East Village- Jon over-flashing his arm; Me wishing my back tat was visible to passersbys. I was giggly sitting across from Jon's ultra hip forearm at dinner waiting for the waitress or person next to us to catch a glimpse.

Yeah, we're just hip New Yorkers with tats- no big deal.

Five days later, the roaring lion fell victim to too many showers, and my kite is hanging on by a thin faded string. I'm less and less hip with each wash.

Would I ever get a permanent tattoo?

Well, that's just bananas.