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- "This was my first tattoo on my arm, so I wanted to get one that my parents couldn’t get too upset about. It’s based on a photo of my father, who was in the Air Force at the time."
- "Elaine is my mother’s middle name and the flowers are Black-eyed Susans, which are the state flower of Maryland."
- "Marines often get a sailor style tat that says 'Death before dishonor' with a dagger through the heart. Death before decaf was a tongue in cheek way of me getting a coffee-related piece that also referenced tattoo culture."
- "Stretch Out and Wait” is a song by the Smiths, but I didn’t want a tattoo that was obviously a Smiths reference."
- "The phrase 'Where are you tonight?' comes from a Blink-182 song, which is about Star Wars. I’m a huge Star Wars nerd."
- "It’s taken from the cover of Daniel Johnston’s album Hi, How Are You? He’s really weird; a quintessential tortured soul."
- "It’s a line from a Jawbreaker song, which reminds me to be myself no matter what’s going on in my life."