An interview with Lindsey Yoneda

How many tattoos do you have?

I have four tattoos. I have a Japanese family crest, a hamsa, a hot air balloon, and Harry Potter stars.

What made you want to get tattoos?

I think it is a good way of expressing yourself. It's a reminder of what is important to me in my life, and I think that it's a creative art form, that you can always have a piece of art on your body.

How does it feel to get tattooed?

It depends on where you get tattooed. It feels how you'd expect it to feel when you get a needle stabbed in your skin continuously. My inner arm (hot air balloon) hurt the most because the skin is more sensitive and thin there. When they're doing long lines, it almost feels like they're cutting your arm open with a knife. But after awhile, you get used to it and it feels more like a vibration on your skin.

What do you think about people getting addicted to tattoos?

I guess some people do get addicted to the feeling of getting tattoos, but if I would say I'm addicted, it would be to the new art that's on my skin that I get to look at every day. I've heard that some people fall asleep while getting tattoos--that's weird.

How did you decide what to get and who you wanted to tattoo you?

I decided what to get by thinking of something that would be important to me for the rest of my life, like family and home, which are what my main theme is. I didn't really look too much into who was tattooing me, I met them beforehand and looked at their portfolios and heard what they had to say though.

Do they have any special meaning to you?

My Japanese family crest was my first tattoo. It's importance is that my dad designed it and each Japanese family has their own crest, so it's important to my culture and my dad and sister have the same one, so it connects me to them.

This is Lindsey, her dad, and her sister.

My second tattoo was my Harry Potter stars.Harry Potter has been a huge part of my life, growing up and now. It's like a family thing, because my sister and my mom would read to me in the summers, and we would all bond over Harry Potter. I think the reason why I love Harry Potter so much is the theme of Harry Potter, which is something I live my life by. The theme being nothing is more important than love and friendship.

Lindsey's stars are from the top corners of the Harry Potter books, and are located on her right shoulder.

My third tattoo was my Hamsa. this one is representative of my mom's Jewish side of the family. the Hamsa means it brings good fortune and wards off bad vibes pretty much. I have the Hebrew symbol for life on the inside of it - "Chai." I thought it looked cool, I drew it myself.

Lindsey's Hamsa is located on her right thigh.

My hot air balloon is my most recent tattoo. I got it because the first thing I was ever obsessed with in my lifetime was The Wizard of Oz. In The Wizard of Oz, the hot air balloon in the movie that is supposed to take Dorothy home says Omaha on it, which is where I've grown up my whole life - Omaha born and raised, represent. Fuck yeah! Coming to college and being away from home, even though it's close, was something I'm not used to. So it's to remind me of home while I'm away.

Lindsey's hot air balloon is on her right arm.

Do you want any more tattoos?

Yes! I have a lot of things that are important to me and I have a whole empty body, so why not!?

Yoneda, Lindsey. Your Tattoos Jenna Brende. 4 May 2014.