Contrariwise: Literary Tattoos Tattoos from books, poetry, music, and other sources.

So it goes #12

This is Bekka's tattoo:

"So it goes..." has meant a lot to me the last couple years. I've dealt with the loss of a mother, a friend, and a family friend, and "so it goes" has just reminded me that life continues on no matter what the circumstances. Above it is a celtic triskel, which means waaaaay more than I could ever explain in a few sentences.

This was posted as a part of “So it Goes” Saturdays. The phrase “so it goes” appears in Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five 106 times. Can you help me collect 106 “so it goes” tattoos? 12 down, 94 to go.

So it goes #11

This tattoo is on Tana Barnes:

It meant a lot to me.  Of all the quotes I was thinking of getting tattooed, this one I got because it was simple.  I suppose it just summed up a lot of feelings in my life right now.  It's tragic, and it's my sort of comedic relief to just.. keep going, I suppose.  Life moves forward, and that's how it goes.  Plus, it was for my 19th birthday and it was free ;]

This was posted as a part of “So it Goes” Saturdays.  The phrase “so it goes” appears in Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five 106 times.  Can you help me collect 106 “so it goes” tattoos?  11 down, 95 to go.

So it goes #10

This tattoo is on Aaron, who "regardless of the boy spelling," is indeed a lady.

The So it Goes tattoo I got after having my beloved cat Jello Biafra put to sleep last year. He was only four. We never really were able to figure out what happened to him, but he gradually lost the use of his front legs, our vet's best guess was some sort of small tumor on nerve endings. We spent a lot of money and time (driving four hours to see a veterinarian neurologist, taking out a credit card specifically for the vet bills) trying to make him better, but in the end we weren't able to save him. Some of his ashes were mixed into the ink for this tattoo.

This was posted as a part of “So it Goes” Saturdays.  The phrase “so it goes” appears in Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five 106 times.  Can you help me collect 106 “so it goes” tattoos?  10 down, 96 to go.

So it goes #9

This tattoo is on Nikki.

This was posted as a part of “So it Goes” Saturdays.  The phrase “so it goes” appears in Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five 106 times.  Can you help me collect 106 “so it goes” tattoos?  9 down, 97 to go.

So it goes #8

This is Jess's tattoo:

The design is an abstract dandelion. I just thought it exemplified the sentiment perfectly. I got this tattoo about a month after Vonnegut's death.

This was posted as a part of “So it Goes” Saturdays.  The phrase “so it goes” appears in Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five 106 times.  Can you help me collect 106 “so it goes” tattoos?  8 down, 98 to go.

So it goes #7

This was submitted by Chealsye.

I adore Vonnegut, and got this tattoo roughly two months after a serious two year relationship ended. The break-up drove me into depression, and near suicide. When I informed my ex's best friend I had to stop speaking with him, he responded with the quote. Most people see it when I wear dresses and inquire about it, but never fully get it. Sometimes, weeks later, they will tell me they finally really get it, not just what it means to me, but what it means to them too. But for the ones who do not fully get it, they will one day, unfortunately. I believe it takes a lot of hurt, a death or the dying of something important to make someone understand. So it goes.

This was posted as a part of "So it Goes" Saturdays.  The phrase "so it goes" appears in Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five 106 times.  Can you help me collect 106 "so it goes" tattoos?  7 down, 99 to go.

“So it Goes” Saturdays

This tattoo was submitted by Bethany.

I got this tattoo about seven years ago.  I was following a carload of friends to go  play some basketball and we were nearly there when they turned left and I suddenly decided to turn right--I guess I've never liked sports.  Instead I impulsively drove over to a shop and got Baby's First Tattoo right then and there all by myself.  The tattoo artist and the piercer ganged together to try to get me to place it upside from where I wanted it as to make it readable when my arm was to my side.  I wouldn't budge and they were both sure I would regret going against the "tattoo norm".  Afterwords I went home and fell asleep where my basketball friends later woke me up wondering where I had been and why in the h-e-double-hockey-sticks I had a bandage around my wrist.  The end.

The phrase "so it goes" appears in Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five 116 times.

Can you help me collect 106 "so it goes" tattoos?  6 down, 100 to go.

So it goes.

“So it goes.”

- Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five

This tattoo was submitted by Rheanna:

i've always been one to worry about stupid, pathetic things. reading slaughterhouse five helped me to realize that no matter what i do, no matter what stupid mistakes i make, no matter who dies, no matter what celebrity gets breast implants, NO MATTER WHAT - life goes on. so it goes.

I think I now have the definitive Internet collection of "so it goes" tattoos.