Tattoo, Tattoo

Ok I’m tired (been up since about 5 am) so please excuse me if this rambles; at least Word says the grammar and spelling is right. I wanted to tell a ‘new’ story about my dad and the male relative my brother would have named his kid if it was a boy… And then I want to share a story that happened today that shows the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree (even if I think my older brother takes more after my mom and her bad temper).
My brother IF IT WAS A BOY was going to name the kid after our great uncle on our father’s side (our father’s father’s brother). It is Jewish tradition to name kids after the dead- so if you know a Goldberg JR. His father died between birth and conception.
I gather that my brother, like I, liked our great uncle… He was nice though a tad authoritarian. Our great uncle had married a nice Christian woman and ‘went native’ so even before I was born, or he married a shiksa of his own… my father celebrated X-mas with his uncle and the rest of Clan Harris.
When my mom found out that my brother was THINKING of naming the kid after my great uncle… She started throwing a hissy fit; for ‘some’ reason she didn’t like my great uncle and was none too happy to hear her grandson might be named after him.
Months later I decided to ask my Dad about this… I had a pretty good idea of why my Mom didn’t like my great uncle but I wanted to hear my Dad’s side. I don’t know what possessed me to ask him instead of her… but I found his response illuminating to his character- which I found quite scary. My great uncle it seems disapproved of my mother… and let my father KNOW about this. My mom ended up verifying this, as well as pointing out that she felt my great uncle was anti Semitic. Yes, Jews can be anti Semitic, they can be self loathing and wanting to ‘fit in’ which I guess is why my great uncle married a Christian.
What really made it interesting/scary is when my Dad ‘turned’ on my mom. As said he pointed out that his uncle warned him against my Mom… He then went on to mention how my mom broke up with him shortly after his mother and grandmother had died… His father [my grandfather] had died a year before… so my Dad felt very much alone. He then continued that he had no control over his parents dieing (please no Batman jokes here)… but he DID have control over his relationship with my mom. He was NOT going to allow her to break up with him.
I think I should get a medal for not turning to my Dad and telling him he needs f***ing therapy. I know I’m an adult but a) I don’t think you should marry someone for spite (as I can plainly see how well THAT marriage worked out. And B) I’m not sure you should EVER tell your kid that you married their Mom because you were pissed off at her.
Of course I could fill several posts (and I prolly have and will) about my father’s lack of parenting skills. Right now my favorite (besides the above of course) is how the last two times he’s said how GLAD he is that me and my mom get along NOW. He makes sure to emphasis the now to remind me that I didn’t always get along with her… but then again please remind me if I told you about the time( or if you want to hear about it) that he told me point blank that I wasn’t my mom’s favorite( NO SH*T Sherlock!)

So onto my brother… I called my mom today and asked her about my new niece. My mom had left a message yesterday telling me how cute she was. I called my mom today to find more about her cuteness (blue eyes and dark hair- though that might change as our family has a history of changing hair colours). She hands the phone off to my brother as she’s talking to her ‘in-laws’ and getting things straight. My bro asks me what I plan to do for my b’day… and I like a stup tell him. I say I’m thinking of getting a tattoo and then I describe what I want. He then says “You know Mom hates tattoos?” And I respond that I neither knew nor cared. He then says “Well, you’re not doing this out of spite are you?” And I’m thinking what sort of F’ing question is that? I defend myself a bit by pointing out our younger brother (different mom) has a tattoo and I doubt she approves of it esp. as it is Alex from Clockwork Orange. I just didn’t like his casting aspersions on my idea. It would be one thing if he said HE didn’t approve, which is what it sounds like, esp. as he suggested I ‘double check’ with our younger brother, as I told my older brother that my younger brother when asked approved of me getting one and thought the general idea of getting a tattoo was a good one. I just thought it was a low blow and a mind f*** for him to ask me if I was doing it to spite her.

Oh and in the interest of full disclose- the picture is in the corner above

I want peace in Arabic, Hebrew, and English on my back under my neck in a line. I’ve checked out the price at one place (which I figured would be high and was higher then Evan suggested). Oh and Older brother also mentioned that if I was going to have Hebrew- it was good that I was having Arabic; you know just in case I get attacked by terrorists and they get offended by me having Hebrew on my skin... they will be LESS offended if I have Arabic as well
Was planning on having a lunch and then seeing Hot Fuzz with a friend in a theater… might change that to going to a tattoo place or two for pricing and then meeting friend for movie and then supper.
I also wasn’t happy because I told them what I wanted and I mentioned I wanted it for my 40th- so I was thinking of booking for the 22nd. I then mentioned that I really have been motivated to get a tattoo because of like Miami Ink and I mentioned that I’m sure that does good business for them. And then the guy points out he doesn’t like that show because customers who watch it feel they have to tell him their life story. I was sort of insulted by that… I mean I’m going to be sitting there for HOW LONG while he has a needle in my back and he’s telling me he wants me to keep my gob hole shut. Geez.