Tattoo Ideas

So I've been itching to add to the tattoo on my ankle. As is, it is a small line of Thai script that says "mai pluu" which means "nevermind" in southern slang. I said and heard this phrase so often that it was a natural choice at the time.



I have not yet come across anything of such significance in Mongolia, especially since I'm not that familiar with the language. I wanted to add onto it in other scripts of the countries that I travel to, so it would come together in a sporatic and evolving shape to make a poem. I asked a few Mongolians if they have a phrase that represents the national psyche the way "mai pluu" did, but no one could come up with anything. I did an internet search of Mongolian calligraphy and found two I really like.

If I were to use this one, I would only use the first two lines, which translate to:

I've known the flying of birds and desires,
I've seen the way of stars and people.


However, if this is to add to the word "nevermind," I wouldn't want to say these things (birds, desires, stars, people) are not important, though one could feel that desire and the ways of people are sometimes problematic..."nevermind" being the response. I think these lines are beautiful, but I may run into a less coherent poem overall.

If I were to use this one, which has a better design and poem, the tattoo would probably be isolated from the first and would be harder to fit into a scheme. It reads:

The Ocean of Existence is impermanent, like an autumnal cloud and life is like the lightning that flashes in the sky; it passes as fast as water flowing downstream.

and then, imagine "nevermind" being a appendenge, a response. Kind of nice, huh?


Perhaps it would have to be moved to another spot. Or maybe I would only take a piece from this, and not do the spiral design.

If you (mom) are worried that I am going to get hepetitis, know that I'll be really careful to make sure the needle is unused and to go to a reputable artist. My Mongolian friend has a tattoo herself, and is a careful person, so I will ask her advice and to come along for translation.

Anyways, I think I like the message of the second poem better, but it is longer and harder to fit stylistically with what's already there. Let me know what you think please.