* While attending last week’s House vs. Senate softball game, I noticed that Daily Herald Public Affairs Reporting intern Erin Hegarty had an unusual tattoo on her forearm. We talked about it a bit and I asked her to write something for y’all…

I knew I wanted a tattoo that incorporated both Chicago and the state of Illinois, and while I did take several art classes in high school, I could not come up with a design idea on my own. So, I found out at the beginning of June 2014 that a nearby tattoo parlor was offering $20 pre-drawn tattoos on both Friday June 13 and Saturday June 14. I took a look at the sheet of design options for the tattoos, and I immediately knew I had met my destiny: an outline of Illinois with part of the Chicago flag inside. It wasn’t too big and fit nicely into my budget. I, of course, researched the tattoo parlor and found out a good friend of mine had most of her (very nice looking) tattoos done by the same artist who would be doing mine.

The morning of June 14 rolled around. I biked to Chicago’s Millennium Park for free 8 a.m. yoga, then biked back up north to stand in line for my new body art; running shoes, bike shorts and all. Out of everyone in line, I probably looked the least likely to be standing in a 3-hour line for a discounted tattoo.

I chose to get it on my forearm because I wanted to be able to see it. And I love wearing blazers and cardigans, so I knew covering it up at work wouldn’t be a problem. I caught some flack from family members who said it was unprofessional and something they wouldn’t have done themselves. But I love it.

I argue that as an Illinois Statehouse reporting intern, my tattoo shows a great deal of dedication and love for Illinois. I like that if I ever need to draw Illinois, I can look at my arm and use it as a guide. And I hope to be a Chicagoan, or at least Illinoisan, for the rest of my life, so while some people can live here all their life and not feel the need to have their favorite city and state permanently inked on their body, I think it’s a fine idea.

When I have it more visible during the summer months, I look forward to playing this situation out as it has numerous times:

Stranger: I like your tattoo.
Me: Thanks.
Stranger: What is it?
Me: Oh, just an outline of Wisconsin, it’s my favorite state.
Stranger: (with a puzzled look)…yeah but that’s Illinois.
Me: What?! They told me this was an outline of Wisconsin!

So, of course everyone loves to hate on Illinois, and maybe they’ve good reason to. But growing up in the suburbs, living in Chicago and now living in Springfield, there is no other design I would rather have permanently on my arm.

Pretty cool story.

* Erin…

* Closeup…

Thoughts?

* Erin is also attempting to increase her Twitter following, so click here and follow her if you like her tattoo!

       

43 Comments - AC - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 12:55 pm: It’s time for our elected representatives to stop bashing Illinois, and get their own Illinois tattoos. I’m actually kind of serious. Removal is difficult, so it reflects a certain level of commitment. - Norseman - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 12:55 pm: Whew, glad for the update. I thought it might be the flag of the new Rauner plutocracy. - Never been - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 12:56 pm: Did not know Chicago had a flag. Learn something new. - Anonin' - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 1:00 pm: what a great hire she would - JS Mill - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 1:01 pm: Good, funny, stuff! My kind of sens e of humor. - Tournaround Agenda - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 1:02 pm: @AC I’m eagerly awaiting Bruce Rauner’s Illinois tattoo. I hope he doesn’t accidentally get Indiana instead. - A guy - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 1:06 pm: She’s very sweet and has a great personality! All media should have to start out that way! She’s also extraordinarily polite. And I’m just going to say it…she’s pretty. - Nearly Normal - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 1:07 pm: Love it! Appreciate the humor telling stranger she thought it was Wisconsin! - Barton Lorimor - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 1:10 pm: Good luck to all of this year’s PARs. - HeavyB - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 1:13 pm: It’s a neat concept, I like it. You can always tell them its the state flag of IL, - Arsenal - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 1:13 pm: Love it. So refreshing given all the negativity about the state. - BlameBruceRauner - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 1:13 pm: Not to proud of this state right now or for the last 8 years, NEVER would I get a tat of IL. Guess its a symbol of how wasteful we are. - late to the party - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 1:14 pm: Nicely done, Erin! A good reminder that it’s ok to love Illinois and want it to improve at the same time. - Norseman - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 1:17 pm: For her support of IL, I’m now following her. - Demoralized - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 1:21 pm: I thought people hated Illinois and were leaving in droves. How can anybody possibly be happy with Illinois? /snark - ??? - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 1:25 pm: BlameBruceRauner: How, exactly, is it a “symbol of how wasteful we are?” It’s not like the taxpayers paid for the tattoo, for crying out loud. And she got it at a discount! - VanillaMan - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 1:25 pm: Good tattoo! - Tweed - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 1:25 pm: “- Never been - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 12:56 pm: Did not know Chicago had a flag. Learn something new.” Not only does Chicago have a flag but it has the best flag with a rich history. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Chicago - walker - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 1:36 pm: She’s a star on her own. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 1:40 pm: Ink in the electronic media age. - Juvenal - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 1:49 pm: I heard the design is particularly popular around the yard in Oxford. Hey, if Schock gets one he can tell the folks back home the star is for Peoria! - Just because - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 1:52 pm: that’s a really cool idea. I like it. I also didn’t know Chicago had a city flag. - Under Further Review - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 1:52 pm: Which event in Chicago history does Erin’s star represent? 1. The Fort Dearborn Massacre 2. The Great Chicago Fire 3. The Columbian Exposition (World’s Fair) 4. The Century of Progress (World’s Fair) - Wumpus - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 1:57 pm: Basic tattoo. I will get the same on my forehead, but it will be done by a real professional. - Yep - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 2:01 pm: And how to people not know Chicago had its own flag. So does Springfield. Most cities do. - Stones - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 2:02 pm: I’m not a big tattoo guy but that’s better than many that I see on a daily basis. Very thoughtful! - BlameBruceRauner - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 2:03 pm: Tats and other body art modifications in my opinion a wasteful way to spend money. That’s all I mean. - Under Further Review - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 2:04 pm: I sometimes wonder about Chicago’s inclusion of the Fort Dearborn Massacre on its flag. To be technical, this event occurred before Chicago was incorporated (1833 as a town; 1837 as a city) and the area was merely a frontier military fort and a trading post. - D.P.Gumby - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 2:05 pm: Best post of a bad year! - Because I Said So.... - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 2:11 pm: Erin’s enthusiasm and positive outlook is so refreshing. That was a really nice post and I too am now following her on twitter. Wishing her a long and successful career! - Mad Brown - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 2:14 pm: I love it, I think it’s great. Body art and modification have been around for thousands of years. For some an important rite of passage, an association and identification of clan, tribe, family or social hierarchy or marking an event and are quite beautiful. This means something to her, and that’s what truly matters. - Rayne of Terror - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 2:23 pm: My sister has a 1/4 sleeve Chicago tattoo. It’s an art deco lady holding up a classic 10 speed bicycle and the behind her is the lake, Chicago skyline with the Hancock building & Aon center clear, and sunset. Above the sunset are the Chicago flag stars. The whole thing has a very thin art deco design as the frame. It’s complex. I think it took her 4 sittings to complete. - Michelle Flaherty - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 2:57 pm: You should hear the story behind my James “Pate” Philip tramp stamp. - Prairiestatedem - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 2:58 pm: Great Tat Erin! One day I was down in the Hill Country of Texas (west of Austin, its beautiful if you have never gone) and got in to a conversation with a couple Texans about their lone star pride. I told them as much as you love Texas I LOVE ILLINOIS! They were taken aback to see such pride for our Prairie State. So good for you show the love and the the pride for our home state. Its land and people always amaze and delight me and always will! - A guy - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 3:07 pm: === Under Further Review - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 2:04 pm: I sometimes wonder about Chicago’s inclusion of the Fort Dearborn Massacre on its flag. To be technical, this event occurred before Chicago was incorporated (1833 as a town; 1837 as a city) and the area was merely a frontier military fort and a trading post.=== UFR, it’s been a long, long time since studying this, but I seem to recall that the first star symbolized Ft. Dearborn, not the massacre. It was a symbol of the first establishment of what would become Chicago. The two blue stripes signified the reversing of the Chicago River, an engineering feat of epic proportion. - A guy - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 3:08 pm: ===Michelle Flaherty - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 2:57 pm: You should hear the story behind my James “Pate” Philip tramp stamp.=== I think we should…. - waffle fries - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 3:39 pm: We could all use more ink! - downstate commissioner - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 4:12 pm: Neither pro nor con on tattoos; that one is simple, easily concealed if desired, and non-controversial. Perfect for a professional young lady in this day of tattoos and piercings. - Under Further Review - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 6:11 pm: @A guy: I may be mixing things up a little, but the Michigan Avenue Bridge definitely honors those who were massacred after evacuating Fort Dearborn. There was a brouhaha in Chicago about naming a park commemorating the site of the massacre/battle. But my original point still stands inasmuch as Fort Dearborn predated Chicago. - Michelle Flaherty - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 7:16 pm: The map tattoo is a handy reference to show the Daily Herald editors where the rest of the state is. - Hickory - Tuesday, May 12, 15 @ 8:23 pm: The tattoo belongs in a 4 year old coloring book. - Lynn S. - Wednesday, May 13, 15 @ 1:06 am: Seconding the motion to hear about Michelle Flaherty’s tramp stamp. Perhaps Rich can start a thread that is age-restricted (18+, or 21+) for Michelle to give us all the details regard Pate and her tat… - Ethan Hawk - Wednesday, May 13, 15 @ 8:47 am: Different strokes for different folks I guess. If I was Erin, however, I would first contact the Bazooka Bubble Gum Company (if it still exists)to see if they had a similar looking tattoo that I could moisten and then place it on my forearm. After wearing my fake tattoo on my arm for a month or so for a trial run, then (and only then) would I have a reputable tattoo parlor make the tattoo permanently part of my body. I guess I am showing my age and my being part of the older generation. My son and my daughter (each in their mid-thirties) now wish that they had “not” opted to have had a tattoo branded on to their skins when they were younger. They acknowledge today that they were a little hasty in their decisions back then. It is painful and expensive to try to remove a well-intentioned but poorly thought out choice made while a young person. Maybe Rauner or Madigan will pay you a monthly stipend to advertise for Illinois? Maybe modify it a little so it reads “Visit Illinois” in order to increase Illinois tourism? Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.