The Words “Roland Barthes”
You studied semiotics at Brown. Instead of writing that on your arm, just write “Roland Barthes.”
A Dot
You’re going to get a lot of tattoos. They can’t all be winners.
The Word “Everything”
This is to remind yourself that everything can be inspiration for a tattoo.
A Picture of Patti Smith with Her Lightning-Bolt Tattoo
You love Patti Smith. “Just Kids” changed your life. IT CHANGED YOUR LIFE! You want to get a Patti Smith tattoo, but you can’t just copy her and get a lightning bolt on your knee. So instead, you get a picture of Patti Smith, with her lightning-bolt tattoo on her knee, for your knee. NOTE: If you used your dot tattoo as one of her eyes, you have to get a new dot.
A Rectangle
Is it a metaphor? No, it is a rectangle.
Well-Informed State Tattoo
Everyone is getting state tattoos these days, even conventional millennials. Prove how much you actually love the state you’re from by including the state bird saying the state motto. Did you know Texas’s state motto is “Friendship”? You do now, and will for the rest of your life!
The Moon
There’s a lot of symbolism to the moon. You don’t have to know why you’re getting it now. You can decide later. Come to think of it, your dot could be a moon, too.
An iPhone
People say that millennials can’t keep off their phones. Well, this phone can’t keep off its millennial.
A Thumbs-Up on Your Thumb
People will say, “Wow, that’s a really brave tattoo placement. Don’t you worry that it’s going to affect your hireability?" And since you’re a creative millennial with a bad attitude and no desire to hold down a conventional “job,” you’ll respond by showing them the tattoo of your middle finger on your middle finger.
An Owl
Hey man, owls are fucking smart.
