Will Pearson
Brilliant woman tattoos herself for mental_floss
by Will Pearson - August 29, 2006 - 2:45 PM

atdesk.jpgmental_floss readers have done many things to express their loyalty over the years. We’ve seen great pictures of fans reading the magazine at the South Pole. A group of soldiers sent pictures after enjoying the mag in one of Saddam’s former palaces. And there have been a few expressions that aren’t fit for describing on a family-friendly blog. But this is the first floss-inspired tattoo I’m aware of (besides my mom’s). Here’s what our favorite person of the week had to say:

A heart? Too soft. A fairy? Not nearly hard enough. Tattoos are meant to make statement. After reading last year’s “10 Latin Phrases You Pretend To Know,” I realized the maxim “Memento mori” was the perfect basis for my first tattoo. There’s nothing like the icy scythe of death hanging over your head to get you going in the morning.

Peace and love,
Lanaly (Kauai, Hawaii)

Thanks Lanaly! So mental_floss fans, consider this a challenge. Can you one-up the “MEMENTO MORI” tattoo?

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Comments (12)

  1. That is so cool. I was thinking this two days ago. If I ever got a tattoo I would get Memento Mori and I thought no one would have that tattoo. I am wrong, but pleased to see someone knows what it means and appreciates it. Thats all

    posted by Kyle on 4-14-2007 at 3:37 pm

  2. Remember you will die….

    posted by Sasuke on 5-8-2007 at 11:50 am

  3. No –
    Remember you are mortal.

    posted by Angela on 11-12-2008 at 6:48 pm

  4. I have Memento Mori tattooed across my chest just below my neck. Very cool phrase.

    posted by Blaine on 1-1-2009 at 10:03 pm

  5. I have Memento Mori on my right upper arm, indeed a very nice phrase

    posted by Jimmy boy on 1-13-2009 at 3:08 pm

  6. No-
    “Remember you will die”
    Roman Generals used to have servants whisper it in their ear so that they would not become to arrogant during their victory parades.
    It also serves as a Carpe Diem reminder.

    posted by Kelly on 7-31-2009 at 11:28 am

  7. no it literally means, remember death. i have it tattooed on my right bicep in a big mural

    posted by Josh on 9-15-2009 at 5:23 pm

  8. Nice to see so many people appreciate this.
    :)

    posted by Lanaly on 10-12-2009 at 2:24 am

  9. Damn….I thought I was being original…

    I really appreciate this sentence and want to have a tat with it. Still looking for the design though… I like it in the roman context but much less in the Christian context. What were your motivations?

    posted by chief on 11-7-2009 at 2:07 pm

  10. ok to all that have posted on this… food for thought. if you have this tattooed on your body so do I… what is it that made you do this and what have you done to prove that you still believe in this statement. I believe this means you can never truly be satisfied with your life and that you must always seek more. please enlighten us.

    posted by zach on 4-7-2010 at 2:10 am

  11. Wow, I have been wanting to tattoo myself with this saying for over a year since my beloved Grams died. Thanks for showing your tattoo. I like the design.

    I want this design because right after my Grams died I was looking in a National Geographic and a article showed a ring recently excavated that had a skull and “Memento Mori” on it. I was immediately drawn to it. My grandmother was my best friend and a better mother to me than my own and I wanted to have a tattoo in rememberance of her and all the others that have left me to soon.

    posted by Heather Cummings on 9-3-2010 at 8:27 am

  12. PS In the Nat. Geo they had said it meant “Remember thy dead”

    posted by Heather Cummings on 9-3-2010 at 8:29 am

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