Stemming from my own years-old desire to get a tattoo, I’ve begun work on a video podcast cum feature length movie. Stories in Ink will not only chronicle my journey (and it is, and has been, a journey to be sure) to get my first tattoo, but more importantly, a documentation of the stories behind the tattoos many of my friends, colleagues, and acquaintances have gotten over the years.

One of the more permanent body modifications, tattooing has very strong roots with deep meaning for many people. For some, it’s an expression of who they think they are at a given point in their lives. For others, it’s simply a work of art they can display on their bodies. And for a few, the reasons behind getting a tattoo remain a mystery no one but they will ever know. Whether spiritual, religious, artistic, or just plain stupid, the reasons for getting inked are numerous and varied. In my path toward my first tattoo, I’ll talk to people about their tattoos, gaining insight into why one would want to modify their body in such a permanent, and many times, beautiful way.