No. 6: Tattoos

Ever since I turned 18, I have been getting tattooed by Bobby T. So far I have 11 tattoos and no, I'm not done. They are extremely addicting and probably the most expensive of my addictions. The largest and most costly is yet to come. I have a full sleeve for my right arm planned I just need to save my pennies as it will cost into the thousands...Eek!

My first tattoo that I got is on my right calf and depicts a graveyard scene with a skull at the base of the gravestone and the devil's arms reaching out of the ground. This was the cover of a cd for a local band that I loved so I wanted to pay homage to that time in my life when all I did was go to punk shows every weekend. In the background is a sunset with beautiful pinks, purples, reds, yellows and oranges. These were the colours I saw the day of a friend's funeral. He was also in the "scene" and I wanted to pay tribute to him.

My second tattoo was also a tribute to this special person that passed away but in a more obvious manner. It is a gravestone with his initials and the name of his band with a red rose at the base. After he passed, I brought a single red rose to his grave site from the bouquet I received at my high school graduation that he unfortunately missed. This tattoo is on my left leg, inner ankle.

Also on my inner ankle but on the right leg is my third tattoo. My first roommate and I both got jack-o-lanterns with flying bats in the background because Halloween is our favourite holiday.

On the top of my right foot is my fourth tattoo. This was extremely painful. My foot was swollen for two weeks and my toes looked like little sausages so be prepared if you want to get a large tattoo on your foot. In this tattoo is a beach complete with waves, sand, palm tree and setting sun. I got this because the beach is one of my addictions as you may have read earlier. Because this is a rather "girly" tattoo, I had Bobby add in a pirate ship just to make it more awesome. And it worked.

My fifth tattoo is a black and orange nautical star on the back of my neck. I also got this as a memento of my old punk days. I also got this one to remind me of my best friend back then, Kat. She was pretty cool and was always there with me back in the day.

My sixth tattoo is also on my neck, but on the side, behind my right ear. It is a couple of cherries because that is my "sweet spot." I also think highly of myself and when I see cherries I think they are cute, delicious and sweet, which describes me perfectly. This is the only tattoo not done by BT.

On my back are tattoos number seven and eight. These are two automatic pistols (handguns) pointing up towards my head, one on each shoulder blade. I got these because they are on the back of one of my hoodies for my favourite band, My Chemical Romance.

On my hand is a much smaller but more meaningful tattoo. Tattoo number nine. Between my thumb and index finger on my left hand I have a spiderweb with a black widoe spider and on her back instead of a red dot there is a red heart. I got this one to remind me never to be stupid again. I was in an abusive relationship for two years and my heart was caught in a web of lies, hence, the tattoo.

Number 10 is on my back as well but in the centre between the guns. It is a large, twisted tulip tree. When I was rowing up in Port Elgin, on the corner of my street was this beautiful tulip tree and I will never forget walking past it several times a day on my way to and from the beach. The tree is just a reminder of where I'm from.

Finally, if you've read this entire thing, we've come to my last tattoo story. Number 11 is a work in progress on my chest. So far I just have the outline done but believe me this was the most painful. On my chest is my twisted take on the Claddagh ring, a traditional Celtic ring. The ring has a heart in the centre held by two hands and there is a crown on top of the heart. The heart symbolizes love, the hands symbolize friendship and the crown symbolizes loyalty. I wear mine on my right hand with the heart pointed towards mine to symbolize I am in a committed relationship. So...on my chest I have a skull (the crown), flanked by two roses and two wings (the hands) and when I go back for colour I will adding in a heart-shaped locket (the heart).

As you can see, tattoos are a very important part of my life. Tattoos are like art to me and my body is the canvas. I like the permanency and having the story of my life with me at all times. My tattoos are a part of who I am and always a great conversation starter.

No. 5: The Beach

Not a day goes by that I don't think about the soft sand, the warm sun and the calming sound of the waves crashing against the shore. I love the beach. I grew up in Bruce County along the shores of Lake Huron and now that I live in the city I cannot believe how much I miss that luxury of having a beautiful beach within arm's reach every summer.

Any chance I get between June and October I am up in Port Elgin or Kincardine breathing in that fresh air and watching the most gorgeous sunsets each night over the water. The only good time to swim, however, is during the months of July and August. Any other month and you freeze or get sick because it's so cold. Trust me on that one. Evening dip in June, not such a good idea...

But it's not only the beaches of Lake Huron that I love so much. It's any beach really. My apartment is spotted with shells, pictures of sunsets and palm trees and not to mention my flip-flop addiciton. I have "California" t-shirts and even a wall hanging in my bedroom that says "Life's a Beach." The fact that I'm a water sign doesn't help with this addiction either. I love being in the water, being surrounded by the water and listening to the water. Listening to the waves is the most relaxing thing in the world. Summer cannot come fast enough!

No. 4: Barbie

Looking back on my life, I cannot recall a time when I did not have a Barbie doll. I'm in my twenties now and still love Barbie. She is awesome. Without a doubt. She has everything from planes to cars to RVs and has had every career possible with the most mind-blowing wardrobe of anyone. Ever.

I still have most of my dolls from childhood. Sitting in my mom's basement are three Rubbermaid containers full of Barbie everything. One contains just the dolls, out of the box, just over 50 of them; one contains clothing and accessories; and the other contains collectible dolls that are still in the box.

I am addicted to Barbie because she reminds me that I can do anything, be anyone, have the love of my life and still look fabulous. She has her own paint colour for crying out loud! And yes, Barbie pink is my favourite colour.

And for those that are wondering or are already secretly snickering, there is a Becky Barbie out

there. She is a Paralympic athlete and is confined to a wheelchair. I wish I had her in my collection. I guess I'll be on Ebay for the next few hours...

No. 3: Purses

I am all about accessories and the perfect handbag is a gift from heaven. I do not have a preference for brands like I do with shoes when it comes to purses because even bargain bins and flea markets can bring great finds in this department. I consider purses to be one of my addiction's because I have 31 different bags and the number just keeps on growing bigger.

I have all colours and all kinds of bags including: tote bags, messenger bags, shoulder bags, handbags, beach bags, small, medium and large. They come in metallic, pleather (fake leather), and canvas with stitch details, zippers, adjustable and removable straps and yes, an assortment of brand name, logo's blazin' type bags to go with my shoes.

My most prized purse possession, however, is definitely my glory upon holiness that is Louis Vuitton. Yes, I own a real Louis. I was at a Goodwill one day scoping out the vinyl when what caught my eye? The brown and tan beauty that I now own. I was skeptical at first, and then I picked it up and checked for the tell-tale signs of a knock off. Guess what? There were none. It had all the tell-tale signs of a real, absolute real, Louis Vuitton handbag. I almost died. I took that beauty to the counter paid my five dollars and ran before anyone there noticed what kind of steal was lying in the store. This is why I said earlier that bargains can be found anywhere. I got a $3,000 purse for $5. I live for this stuff!

P.S. I have the third bag labelled in this photo.