We asked around the ‘Monitor’ to find out who had some tats

Cathy Valley, advertising assistant: I have one on my left inside forearm. It's a celtic triquetra. The flowers are the birthstone colors for my 2 kids, my husband and me and the ladybug in the middle is for luck. It was a birthday present from my best friend last April. I got it done in Newport at Rick's Tattoo. Really nice guy. (Courtesy)

Nick Reid, news reporter: My tattoo is of two geometric-themed mandalas on my upper left arm. It was custom-drawn by Abby Williams, an artist who previously worked out of Brilliance Tattoo in Boston. We talked together about patterns and shapes, and she turned our conversations into a piece of art. (JON BODELL / Insider staff)

Grechen Askins, human resources manager: I have two tattoos. I got one when I was 19, and in college - my roommate and I decided we wanted tattoos, but this was early 1990s so there weren't a lot of tattoo places. We had to drive from Tallahassee, Fla., to Jacksonville, which was the closest tattoo artist. We got lost on the way and ended up driving through a military bomb testing zone (scary!). We finally made it there just before they were about to close up shop. I picked my design off the wall - there was no special meaning, I just liked it. Also we didn't know it would be cash only, so we didn't bring any. We had to find an ATM in a not-so-great part of Jacksonville late at night to get cash! It was quite an adventure. I just had the second one done about a month ago. My daughter (who is 19) and I had been talking about getting matching tattoos for a while. She was home from college for winter break, so we brought our design ideas to Kait at Capital City Tattoo in Concord. We wanted mirror image lizards on our feet, with the tails curled so when we put our feet together they would make a heart. Totally dorky, I know, but that's just who we are! The lizards are a reminder of when we took a vacation when my daughter was little. She loved the lizards that wandered around the place we stayed in Jamaica, and we spent many hours just walking around "looking for lizards" (and she couldn't say her "L's" yet, so it was more like "yooking for yizards"). Now that she is in college, she randomly mails me tiny plastic lizards to let me know she misses me. (And my daughter's name is Elizabeth but her nickname is Lizzie.) (Courtesy)

Leean Hewitt, single-copy manager: I received this tattoo for my 46th birthday in memory of my mother. The tattoo was a gift from my daughter. There are four daisies – one for each of my daughters, one for me and one for my mother. (Courtesy)

Cassie Fitzgerald, accounts payable/accounts recievable coordinator: So I have five tattoos with two to come. Love them! I don't think they hurt at all, minus the one on my wrist that was traumatised before they finished. I think they are addicting – once you get one you want another. The healing process stinks though – they get so incredibly itchy. I have a dragon, butterfly, orchids, my daughter and an arm band. All of them were done by someone different. We used to live on the military base, and that's kinda the thing to do there. (JON BODELL / Insider staff)

Goeff Forester, photo editor: My tattoo is a cross that means everywhere you look is God. My son found the design for me. I got it done at Gothic Tattoo on Loudon Road in 2009. It's my only tattoo. (JON BODELL / Insider staff)