Friday Flashback #2

The strongest memories from my childhood are almost all Rainbow Brite related. One time when I was visiting my grandparents, I must have been anywhere in between the ages of three and five, my Grammy rented the Rainbow Brite movie for me. I was so excited that I jumped up and down in the store, picked up the video, held it above my head, and started twirling around in circles, almost exactly the same way my daughter does now.


When I was 19, I decided to get Rainbow Brite tattood on my left arm. That day is still so clear in my head. It was cold outside, I had to wear a sweater over my dress. I went to see my friend Kelly, at her studio in Vancouver, Washington. Her work space had a certain scent to it, not like the typical tattoo parlor. If you can imagine it, it was more feminine. Or, if you've never been inside a tattoo shop at all, it was kind of like a massage studio? Very relaxing, very comfortable. Also, that Outkast song, Hey Ya kept playing over the radio. I think I heard it 2 times while I was there, and maybe once in the car on the way over.

After I was all finished and my tattoo was wrapped up, my friend Joner met me in the parking lot for a date. He pulled up while I was sitting outside smoking (shame on me), so he pulled up a chair and joined me. Next we went out for coffee and a movie. Kind of a disaster date, actually, we were much better off as just friends (obviously, since my blog is called Christopher and Tia, not Joner and Tia, hah).

Its weird looking back and seeing how naked my skin looked. That picture was taken with one of those free digital cameras that you get when you sign up for new internet service. Its grainy and awful, but makes me sigh and say "aww", because I remember it so well. Who would have thought that a crappy digital camera from 6 years ago would stand out in my memory and melt my heart.

A few weeks later I went back and had a few more parts added to to my tattoo (lather, rinse, repeat), the end result being a half sleeve with Rainbow Brite as the main character, surrounded by stars filled with the Shirt Tales, all floating on fluffy clouds and a free handed rainbow. Very nostalgic. It makes me happy.

I found the scrap paper from the original Rainbow Brite piece, and had to scan it. Like so many other things, I never want to forget that day. And Hey ya will always remind me of it.