"It's all about me!!!!" Basically, this is what I hear the LW saying simply because her cancer is in remission. I don't know what Cary was going on about, but I'm here to tell you that it's NEVER all about you. As long as we live in a social world, it can never be all about us. We must take others into consideration. Because you survived cancer, you seem to think that you are entitled to special privileges in the form of unconditional acceptance. To quote a great scholar: "Homey don't play that!" You say you're married to a great guy and it sounds as if your family has been wonderfully supportive until you threatened to go off the deep end. Well, listen to the people you love and want to remain in your life in a meaningful way. Everybody else can go to the "city of death," as Cary says (sigh). Living your life doesn't mean completely disregarding the feelings of those closest to you. Don't fall prey to your impulses. That can wreak a lot of havoc in your life and in the lives of others. It could be that you're simply having an understandably strong reaction to getting your life back. Make changes, but make them gradually and sensibly. You may find that you can be perfectly happy with yourself without the plastic surgery or that your "boring" job can provide the funding for something you thoroughly enjoy but can't make a living at. Just keep in mind that the misery you're experiencing in your life lies WITHIN YOU. The misery will dissipate when your attitude toward your life changes.

Some of you exceedingly hip and cool (not to mention trendy...) tattophiles seem to believe that those of us who refuse to jump on the bandwagon must be prudish WASPs. Think again.

My question to you all is: Do you actually believe that a permanent tattoo somehow contributes anything greater to your identity (i.e. says something more meaningful about who/what you are) than would the same image as a temporary henna tattoo, or the same image on a t-shirt or handbag worn/carried by you? If so, why?

I have nothing against the displaying of images (well, non-commercial ones, anyway) in any form, but I see no basis for the frankly juvenile notion that having an image set in one's flesh makes one part of some of subcultural elite (while merely displaying the same image on one's handbag, say, would not achieve the same result).

I want to add a few words to my previous rant.

Besides my anti-tattoo, anti-plastic-surgery screed (some day, people are going to look back on tattoos the way people today look back on mullets), I want to add...

-- Skydiving is fun. Try it once. You might not feel a need to do it repeatedly, though. It's a thrill, better than bungee-jumping, more expensive than parasailing. It's a little like committing suicide, except you get a parachute.

-- Traveling the world is a great idea. People should do it anyway, if they can afford it. Don't do a bus tour, see if you are still young enough to go to youth hostels or backpack around. If you speak foreign languages, go to those countries and put your language skills to the test. Anyway, thumb's up on that idea.

-- I also want to mention that I think you owe it to yourself to make things not all about sensations, or a "bucket list" of things to check off, but to make it more about accomplishment. Getting a tattoo is not an accomplishment, it's just slapping down some money and letting somebody do some painful needleework on your bum for a little while. Accomplishments take real time and effort, and often thought and creativity and problem-solving. Bigger boobs is not an accomplishment. Cutting through the red tape and convincing the city council to build a children's park in an impoverished area -- that's an accomplishment. Writing a good story or making a good short film that people actually laugh or cry at -- that's an accomplishment. Or whatever else. But don't set a low bar for this stuff....don't make it about quick thrills and gratifications. Sure, by all means grab a few, but look deeper as well.

LW, despite its almost painless predictability, it amazes me that so many people weigh in with opinions that are self-serving, self-important, and self-centered, all despite the fact they possess neither the experience nor education to rightfully voice such opinions.

This is your life. This is your body. Only you know your needs and desires and obligations. Only you can make the choice that is right for you. If you want a tattoo, that is something we call *personal*... in other words, it's none of my goddamn business, nor the business of the puffed-up blowfish here. Same with plastic surgery. I don't recall your saying what that was for, but the juvenile knee jerks seem to need assume "plastic surgery" means big boobs. One wonders how much snickering projection is going on there.

Regardless of what you choose, and regardless of your reasons, it is first and foremost your life, and you owe it to yourself to live the life that best exemplifies your goals and desires. Good luck with the rest of your life, and remember... some of us don't even get a warning.

Oh, and regarding the Hippocratic oath - it is a physician's oath, not a surgeon's oath, and yes Virginia, there is a difference. It is also not required of either physician or surgeon. It's laughable/sad that people who don't understand it think they score points using it as a cudgel.

People should get tattoos, go skydiving, travel around, etc., even when they haven't had cancer.

It's called "fun that doesn't hurt anybody."

Note about tattoos: there is a new company doing "removable" tattoo inks. Usually tattoos take many laser treatments to remove and are not 100% removable. Check out http://www.infinitink.com/intro/intro.html for a new kind of ink that removes in one laser treatment. Supposed to become available in fall 2008.