i got a tattoo and want to get more. the way tattoos are applied these days are much better than in the 70's and the ink is much better so your tattoo wont fade like people think anymore

To each his own. I've got one and have no regrets about it. Now let the usual bickering begin....

Nothing says "I'm really hot" like a Chinese Beef with Broccoli crack-tat or a Harley wings tramp-stamp!!

Hey MikeD! You leave my girlfriend Becky and my Aunt Phyllis out of this here deebate! Them tats get my stuff goin' especially the ones on Aunt Phyllis!

Phil you hit the nail on the head....what we think is cool when we are young more than likely turns into something that we think is lame years later. It would be one thing if our bodies did not change, but they certainly do. A few years ago a couple of younger employees of mine were discussing getting a tattoo, and asked my opinion. I said this is America, do what you want, but think about this, what was the band you listened to when you were 14? Now that you are 18, are you still listening to the same band? All of them said they wouldn't be buying that music now, so I said then how do you think your going to feel about something a hell of a lot more permanent like a tattoo? At least think about the location. It may now be cool but a few years down the pike and who knows? A tattoo of a spider on your neck may hurt during that job interview!

The Bourjaily gun show!

Hey, the gyms that way ---> Guy!

When I was in college I thought I wanted a tattoo. I had it all picked out - a Vargas-style pin-up girl riding a guitar. My next door neighbor at the time, a for-real no-$#!+ biker (I won't say what club) grabbed me up and shook me. He told me this:

"Look at me. I'm ****ed for life. People judge me 'cause the way I look. I like you a lot. You have a bright future ahead. I don't. And I know your Old Man ain't here to tell you no so I will - or I can whip your a$$....any questions?"

I tried to take his sage advice and elected not to tote the a$$-whoopin'. And after all these years I appreciate his advice every time I see some of the stuff people are sporting these days. I will readily admit it is personal choice. But when one of my customers(who is a tattoo artist) starts up his conversation with "Guess what I just got into? Tattoo removal!!!!" and is excited about it's prospects, I know that a LOT of folks tote around regret along with that bad ink.

Wisdom is not usually something that testosterone -fueled youngsters have an ample amount of. Luckily I had a Gyro The Biker Dude as my drinking buddy/next door neighbor....Sometimes wisdom comes from strange places.

S Ga

jakenbake,
If an M1 Abrams was as bulletproof as I thought I was back then, it would be the end of tank-on-tank combat as history would know it. Now I am 41, and things are different.

Outsider,
I wasn't bashing on you. I am bashing on folks with the really bad ink that don't know any better, and I bet you take notice of them too. Likewise, I have seen folks with tattoos that really work for them, and I have seen ones good enough that I sometimes still think about having one. If you got it for a good reason and it works for you, carry on sir....

A few years back I was at a party with my friend Rob. A girl we knew came up to us to show us her new tat. The tat was a bunch of Chinese symbols that were supposed to represent family togetherness (her parents had died in a car crash when she was a teen). Rob, who writes and speaks mandarin Chinese took one look at them and called b*llsh*t. He told her that they meant good life. This girls gonna have the wrong thing tattooed on her neck for the rest of her life. If your gonna get a tat at least make sure that it's the right thing. I still laugh every time I think about it.

Even after serving three years in the Marine Corps, I never have gotten a tattoo or any kind of piercing. I thought the practice was dumb 40 years ago and nothing since has changed my mind.

it's your body and you can do with it as you wish. anyone who judges another because of a tatoo is dumber than the one who has it. you'd think adults would be mature enough to not judge people by their looks just like we all teach our children.

jamesti

I say this in all sincerity. Your body may be your own, but it's a gift from God!
Think about it!

I considered a tat at one point in my life. To say I was living on the wild side is an understatement. I worked regularly, but off time was (mis)spent in bars, honky tonks and other nefarious establishments.
The tat I wanted was my name and hometown in small letters on my left shoulder blade. If something happened to me, at least somebody would know where to start looking for family!
Instead, I found God! Thank you very much!
(still no tat!)

Bubba

WAM,

Back then were all the tattoo parlors, strip joints, pawn shops, and cheap motels there like they are now?

S Ga

If'n ye inspects me photo, ye will see Martial Arts Dragons wrapping from my biceps , over my shoulders.

They bespeak commitment.

My IQ averages 145.

AIR BALL!

I always called them tramp stamps. My mother told me if I defaced my body I would surely go to hell. She never even had pierced ears. I am exactly as I was born. Treat your body as a Temple and you sure don't spray paint graffiti on a temple...

I try desperately to not judge anyone, regardless of tats, piercings, race, color, whatever.
What I don't understand, is the tats and studs are there to draw attention, are they not? "Hey, look at me! I have a ______ (tat/stud). Ain't I cool!?"
I approached a concession stand at a rodeo one afternoon.
The young lady who took my order for a Frito pie was just as cute as a speckled pup under a red wagon, despite the fact that there were several studs, wires and other assorted accoutrements hanging from several different places in/on her face.
Laughingly, I asked her to please "...strain that chili before you put it on the Fritos, I don't want none of them wires and things sticking through MY lips!"
She got extremely mad and refused to serve me!

To me, if you're that touchy about what you've done, DON'T DO IT!!!

Bubba

No tattoos on me (or my wife), but I agree with jamesti--judge not ...
Here's what I advise the kids--don't get any tat you can't cover with a short sleeve shirt--the job you save may be your own.

WAM,
Got a few friends in Fayetteville and I can vouch that the Fayettecong is still alive and well. Just got to go to the right (or wrong) places...

I don't have, nor do I intend to get any tattoos. If you want to make the commitment, that's fine. I question the message that many tattooed people are trying to send: if you're an obvious biker badass with skulls and daggers, that's one thing, but I see the same tattoos on people where they obviously don't belong. Other tats I've seen are so intricate that you can't tell what they are without getting close enough to offend the wearer. There are also a lot of tats that obviously weren't done at high end parlors. I'll go along with Bourjailly and buy a T-shirt to get my message across since the only certain thing in life is change, and I don't want to be stuck with a message on my skin that says something I no longer believe in.

Bubba,

I'm not saying that I approve of face bling, but I am saying that insulting comments shouldn't be made to a lady, regardless of how many earrings she has.

I don't have any ink and some of that may be due to a promise my Dad made me. He promised to carve off any ink I might aquire with a hunting knife. He would have too! I can also add that in my formative years as Phil said Ink was not in fashion. We did wear some really bad clothes and some mighty weird hair styles though.

When I was in college there might have been 2 tatoo parlors in Athens GA, one of them close to the Naval school. Now there seems to be tatoo/piercing parlor on every corner there.

There must be a great amount of buyers remorse in the tatoo market these days. I see tons of late 20 something and 30 somethings aparrantly taking advantage of laser removal. The works of art they paid hundreds for fading away with each layer of hide burned off.

When my son was interested in getting a tatoo I told him to take a good long look at David Allen Coe. That convinced him that gravity, age and ink don't mix.

Quiet Loner

Good one! I well remember all the tests you are talking about and I hope your biopsy came back negative. Mine didn't.

I have nothing against ink. I have none but it's ok if others do.

Back in the day when I was still runn'in and gunn'in for girls coming across a nice tat was always a nice surprise. I think now a days it has lost it's luster.

Several times while walking the streets of Vegas (after a few) my wife has tried to drag me into a tattoo parlor. Maybe next year on our 25th anniverary I give in.

Nothing worse than a next day hangover tattoo.

I watched my dad's cool arm tattoos (career Navy from WWII) wrinkle up and turn not so cool ... and he died at only 55. None for me, thank you.

And there is no correlation between IQ and common sense. Reminds me of a guy that put "Schmegma" on his Corvette vanity plate because he liked the sound of the word. Nowadays he probably would have had it tattooed someplace obvious before looking the word up. I'd gladly tell him where to put it.

This is coming from someone with a Master's Degree in Education and Teaching experience ranging from 8th grade to Junior year in College...

Also a Ordained Minister.

Feel free to do ennything thet is not forbidden in the 10 commandments.

WAM, did you ever visit the Barrington's Gold Bar lot for a car, or the Juwan Knight club for entertainment? I have a great war story about the Victory Drive Holiday Inn. Think I shared that one with Bee on the pheasant trip last fall. Can't tell it here on a family blog.
I never even had long hair. Never got drunk, never smoked dope or got in trouble with the law. The old man would have had a cow and tats not even a thought. Pop thought nothing says trash quite like a tattoo.

But it's OK.

Thousands of tatooed men in uniform gave their lives so you would have the right to bray like a jackass!

Could tell a few tat stories. I'll spare you. Enjoy this instead:
http://www.elistmania.com/still/25_regrettable_tattoo_spelling_mistakes/

Carney

They shoulda just been carrying their "Sign" LMAO

Ive been thinking bout getting a tat and what it would depict the last 15 years and the more i see of weird skinny young men and slutty girls have em the more im put off of the idea.. maybe a little one where noone could see it perhaps, but seeing all theese idiots having em, it has just completely lost its appeal for me now..
For women to have tats and piercings, idunno, my trouser snake dont work with those..
And one of my ex had pierced nipples.. ripped both studs out in one week on the door of the shower cabinet. had to take her to the emergency room twice.. in one week.. ripped both nipples in twein and now cant breastfeed..
Selfmutilation for the sake of fashion..
Nuff said!

(and if i should have to get one id have a small biohazard symbol on ma-ass. cos i think hazardous materials should allways be properly labeled :P )

WOW! it seems you have hit a nerver David. I personally, agree with you 100%. i am 53, with no tattoos anywhere. three reasons i guess. 1) my folks and grandparents (and grandpa was a long haul trucker) were definitly against them. 2) my freinds dad had one, that he got when he was in the marines. i was(un)fortunate to see it when he was in his mid 40's. he got it (a naked woman) on his chest and upper belly. it probably looked great when he was 20, but in his mid 40's, and with him proudly wearing his beer gut, it was quite distorted and just plain looked awefull. 3) my uncle also had a couple of them. they were his ex wives names tattooed on his arms. i can tell you that most of his female relationships did not last to long. i would think it would take a very special woman to have some other womens name wrapped around you everytime you get close and not be even a little jealous. i grew up in a triumph motorcycle shop, and i have always thought about a triumph tat. but that is as far as it has ever gotten. thinking about it. i guess to me it is just like riding a harley, just to much "stigma" attached to it. people look at you differently with either one.

Carney-

Watch yer change in thar!

Now, Bubba, you do realize that you too made a first impression on that lowly chili serving wench? Don't worry, I'm sure it was just aces. But let's not forget that you were ordering a freakin' frito pie at a rodeo and not lobster bisque at a sassy little bistro Nantucket. On the bright side, since your IQ is so high at least you won't have to Google map Nantucket.

A "few" years back, when S.F. was just getting started the official attitude toward tattoos was considered. Only one tattoo was considered appropriate, your serial number on the bottom of your foot. Then after a little more thought that was rejected as it could not only identify your body but could prove your association with S.F. and the U.S..
That still stands, a tattoo will show your affiliation long after you may not want it known.

You never said what Dave Petzal's opinion was on this controversy. He is the other nut on the show. When I see a person covered with tats and piercings, I think of evolution in reverse. But enough already! Let the next blog's topic be about guns and hunting. Dove season is coming up. What's your favorite dove guns Phil?

. . . while others rely on cliches and tired one-liners. You got the elipsis right, but do you care to finish your sentence or is that as far as your IQ took you?
I'm just saying that you started this whole thread with a jab. I didn't know that the folks with tattoos were supposed to sit quietly and listen. Buck up buttercup.

Damn, Quahog, you are sure dating yourself!

You're probably right dukkillr. I've always thought that there needed to be a "sarcasm" font for computers. It would really cut down on confusion.

I'm taking deep breaths and counting backwards from ten.

Doc Ralph, sounds like we had the same mom!
buckhunter, my oldest daughter has one of those hangover tats on her ankle, it's supposed to be a butterfly, looks more like some kind of birdfariesnake critter. And the lines are so thick it's almost a solid blob.

I've seen some REALLY nice artistic tattoos that look more like a painting than a tattoo, and then there are ones like my daughter got.......

If you want a tattoo find a GOOD tattooer, ask to meet some of his clients and see what he or she can actually do, cuz if it's a screwed up mess like my dumb blond got you're stuck with it!

Myself personally don't have any, don't want any, that whole PERMANENT thing get's me, as has been said, what if I decide I hate it 20 years down the line? I grew up in the 60's and was quite the hippie for a while but that changed, hate to have something done that can't be changed!

WAM,
That was in 1960. Be 72 in a week, God willing. And blessed with same beautiful woman for 41 years. Can't understand how or why she's hung w/me so long. She's like my dogs though - won't hunt ! LOL

That's actually pretty funny WAM (seriously)--even though it's not MLA or APA format. Anyway, I have to get back to work but as soon as I'm done cleaning this fryer I'm coming right back to check this thread and you don't want me to start posting in caps.

WAM-
I have a double bachelor in biology and chemistry, a masters in microbiology and an MD drgree. I am currently an orthopedic surgery resident, I ride a Harley and I have two tattoos (albeit, they are located so I can cover them up with a short sleeve shirt). I am also in the process of designing a third tattoo in honor of my kids. How does that figure into your "inversely proportional IQ/ink ratio?

bonedoc- don't give him material. He doesn't care what you've done or who you are, he just likes to get you upset. It doesn't matter, if the subject has anything to do with tattoos the insults will start rolling in. Even if the subject is raising $ for charity:

http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/hunting/2009/12/chad-love-outdoor-ta...

It is a personal judgment call, but I have seen too many Marines wake up the morning after with truly spectacularly ridiculous things.

After many years, I did get a small 'USMC' where it is covered even by a t-shirt. Call it my own mark of dedication. But I still feel it represents a part of my life that couldn't be bought. Not as a public attention-getting thing.

You eliminated a single letter and that equaled an abbreviation? Or should I say, "equald n abbrviation"?

Just messing with you, man...

Micro

Please clarify about that good government job in education that you have. Are you cleaning a chicken to fry or cleaning the deep fryer at KFC at work?

Yeah duk, but *I got the abbreviation idea from your screen name*. Sorry, couldn't pass that one up. (can ** quotes denote sarcasm?)

Guilty as charged.

I love the idea about the sarcasm font--we gotta invent one. After reading some of this thread, I almost wish I had a tat so I'd have an excuse to brag about my credentials--especially since somebody just called me an illiterate redneck on another outdoor website.

Come on, guys & gals

Is there anything really wrong with a tattoo? Just stand outside of a tattoo shop for a little while and ask yourself, "Do I really fit in with the majority of those characters?"

And as some have exclaimed, there is an exception to every rule.

Who needs tattoos, been kicked by a horse, carbide lantern burn while fishing and a couple more scares and scraps all natural so who needs a tattoo, I'm running out of room as is!

bonedoc33, the proportional IQ/ink ratio of those who woke up the following morning from a party with a tattoo with an old flame sure doesn't go over easily with the Misses!

IQ/ink ratio?

A certain group of individuals you can tell the age by counting the number of tattoos minus the number of teeth missing!

David, need to do a special on Bee’s and other critters that stings, sticks and bites! Lady the other day died of Prophylactic Shock in about 30 minutes from a bee sting.

Phil,
I omitted all the wonderful and educational things Gyro had tattoo'd on his person. He had ink on his eyelids, the bottoms of his feet, the palms of his hands (God I bet that hurt), all the other usual tat places - and no telling where else. The most radical one he had was the tattoo inside his bottom lip. He'd pull his lip down, exposing the words " **** YOU!" It made for a great parlor trick when he wanted to get his point across with extra emphasis.....

When he said he was marked for life, this was no joke. I have seen pics of people with full body tattoos that were done by very talented artists. At the other end of the spectrum, this guy was fully covered in some of the crappiest jailhouse and biker-run ink you have ever seen. And he knew it. In spite of how folks would prejudge him, he was one of the nicest and most genuine people I have ever met. I'd bet 99&44/100% of folks around that town never even spoke to him because they were scared $#!+less of him.

Phil

Aren't you glad I stirred the pot and got your post onto 2 pages?

LOL

My first one at 18 next 5 at 44, the first was an Bald Eagle our National symbol. Like myself, it ranges from Canada to to northern Mexico, fishes for life. As a refugee from Detroit(1983) I migrated to the only other State I thought could I could live like the outdoor type I am, Texas. A proud bunch of Americans I know I would fight with to perserve their freedom. Which brings me to my last application of ink art, the Gonzalez Banner of 1835, like our National Symbol it represents a deep sense of freedom hard fought for by Americans(Texans). I don't care if you do not have ink or if you do, be law abiding and God fearing Christians(if you can religiously), educate (in this forum @ F&S)people to be sportsman(& women). Lets not name call(some of us need to take that long look in the mirror again)and divide our ranks as it weakens us. Finally, Phil, are you bored ? Gun Forum or Nuts ? or just biased namecaller hunting ? I think your lead off batter fouled ? as a gun nut, I could be wrong ? !

Bubba,you know me,I can identify with everything you've said and am not offended at all. The chili story is hilarious! I do have tattoos and they can all be covered with a short sleeved shirt.I think they aren't the smartest thing in the world and frankly wouldn't mind another.If you can take the pain of getting one you should also be able to take some ribbing about them. Cant tell you what my Father has said about mine!whew! They are permanent and I put a lot of thought of what I got and drew them myself. You WILL be judged by people for having them.That's just life. I don't regret getting them but for one thing, explaining them to my 12yr old son. He doesn't care for them much and that's his right. Hope he stays that way. Know people who have let 14&15yr old kids get them. That's child abuse. If my son ever gets one he will be of legal age and pay for it himself, period!

As that great sage and poet Jimmy Buffett says - "It's a permanent reminder of a temporary feeling."

Bourjaily said: "I’m never sure younger people fully understand that tattoos don’t come off, and that what is important enough to you to have indelibly drawn on your skin at 20 may not matter so much at 40."

Not to pick on ya, but I always find it ironic when a person complains about someone else's lack of understanding, but doesn't try to understand the other person's position themselves. I don't have any tattoos, but know plenty of people who do, and nearly all of them tell me it's not about making sure that you get something that will be important 20 years from now. It's about getting something that's important to you now, and then later having a reminder of who you were when you got that tattoo.

So it doesn't matter if you're not into competitive rowing any more. At one point, you were, and it was important to you. Nothing wrong with remembering who we used to be and where we've come from.

Motojosh -- Not to pick on you back, but I was 20 once. I remember what it's like to be that age, whereas people who are 20 don't know what it's like to be older.

As for reminders of who I used to be, I've got a couple: a 12 1/2 foot sweep oar hanging in my basement and a lifelong habit of running, not walking, up stairs (we ran lots of stadium steps). That's enough for me.

Phil--I agree! Believe me, I'm much closer to 40 than I am to 20, so I hear ya when you say that 20-year-olds don't know what it's like to be older. I'm just saying that reminders of our past come in many different forms, and what works for me may or may not work for someone else.

(And good luck running those stairs! Of all the exercises I do, that's my least favorite . . . but it's a great workout. I was just on a business trip last week, in a hotel that wanted $15 for a one-day pass to their health club. My room was on the 19th floor, so I just ran up and down the stairs a few times instead!)

My father-in-law had a small tattoo on his upper right arm that said MIDWAY SURVIVOR . Just a few days before he died I took him to the Pensacola Naval Museum and he broke down crying. He then explained that besides him, the tattoo was the only other survivor from the guys he was with. He explained that two others along with him had got the tats when they got back to Pearl. Both of his friends were later lost.

SANTA, I think that is a great story and an awesome depiction of a meaningful tattoo and I'm proud to share a commonality with him, even though I never met him. I just hope that everyone who labeled him as a dumbass carnie will take a moment to reconsider.