When I was growing up, I often considered getting a tattoo.

Nothing outrageous or scandalous, mind you, just something virile. My original idea was to utilize all the initials of my given name, James D. Six Jr. The design I came up with was pretty complex: The J from James and the J from Junior made up the larger center, with the second J backwards and attached to the first J. It kind of looked like an anchor.

Smaller, the D was on the left of the anchor and the S was on the right.

Because it looked like an anchor, I was satisfied it looked quite manly.

And because it was the era of the Marlboro man, who had a tattoo on the back of his hand, that’s where I figured my monogram tattoo should be placed when I got it.

I never did get that tattoo. In the end, it would have taken much too much explaining, telling everyone what the heck it meant.

In fact, I ever got any kind of tattoo. My Closest Companion got a tattoo. Our friend Pete took her to get it.  She wanted to see if if hurt, so Pete got a spider tattooed on his calf. She decided against it, but we figure her tattoo is actually on Pete’s leg!

Now, however, I am considering a tattoo.

Through all that I have gone through in the past several months — colon surgery, a cancer diagnosis, surgery to implant a chemo port, chemotherapy, open-heart surgery and now, finally, cancer surgery on Feb. 15 — my friends and supporters have repeatedly told me how tough I am to be taking this so well, and what a bada** I am to be going through this.

So, as the end gets nearer — I DO expect to be cancer-free when surgery is complete next week — I am thinking about getting a tattoo that says “bada**,” only with the letter S replacing the asterisks. (Although it might be funnier if I got the tattoo WITH the asterisks. I’ll have to think about that.)

Now I’ll be needing your help. I’m open to recommendations for who should do my tattoo and suggestions for where to have the tattoo placed on my body. For the record, my cardiologist has already suggested the tops of my buttocks, but I’d like the tattoo to be small and yet visible, at least on occasion.

So, let’s hear from you out there: Send your ideas to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

I’ll take prayers, good vibes, positive thoughts and terrific mojo, as well.