Tattoo removal.

We all make mistakes. But nothing - NOTHING - grinds my gears like looking back at a project I was super proud of, and finding a mistake. I'm furious at myself if it's my fault in any way - if I missed the error in the proof, or if I actually did it myself. The only thing that's worse? When it happened without me even knowing, at the hands of a vendor too lazy to print it on the paper we spec'd, or someone who was multi-tasking while releasing the file. It strips that would-be success of all joy and satisfaction, leaving me with a piece I can't put in my portfolio, won't be proud to share with my designer friends, and can't stand to look at in my box of "actually produced final pieces." Even years later, it burns me to know that mistake is there, even if I've long since replaced it in my mind with many other more well-designed pieces also made with my own blood sweat and tears. That mistake is in print and permanent, like the tattoo of that ridiculous ex-boyfriend's name on your ass, typeset in Hobo, no less - an undeniable mar on the surface of your otherwise relatively beautiful body of work. Come to think of it, kinda hurts like that tattoo, too.