Monday, August 23, 2010

Inked.














Here are the results for the poll about tattoos: 40% of you said you have a tattoo, 45% said you don't, and 14% don't but are planning on getting one. Here's my answer: No, I do not have a tattoo.

I've never been a tattoo person. I've never really had the desire to get one, and I've never thought too many people looked good with them. I think it might be because I just see a lot of bad ones. Go into a store on any given day and more than likely 9 out of 10 people have tattoos, and they're usually mediocre at best. But then I realized that there are some really cute and unique tattoos out there that defy the negative connotation tattoos sometimes have. I may be reevaluating the way I feel about them, well about good ones at least.

P.S. I thought about changing the title of this post because I heard people with tattoos don't like when they're called "ink" or "tats" but alas, I did not. Is this true, people with tattoos?

8 comments :

  1. my father recently passed away, so my sis + i have matching tattoos. it is on my ribs and it is the outline of the key to our childhood home with a "w" in the head part of the key (for our dad's 1st name). my sis also has a tat on her spine of a feather (also for my dad).

    btw, i don't care about inked or tat or whatever. but i am a novice tattoo-recipient.

    ~pemora

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  2. slang terms like "inked" or "tat" have never bothered me, but neither has being called a "bookworm" instead of a reader. I think that too many of our peers are getting tattooed without considering 1. why they're doing it, 2. how they'll feel about that symbol, phrase, idea or concept in 30 years, and 3. how it will be perceived by future father-in-laws, bosses and business associates. We are an impulsive generation, we act now and think later, we want what we want NOW and we've been raised on this "it's MY body" mindset. I personally have 4 tats but I considered each of them for at least a month (if not 4 or 5) before committing to the decision, and I don't regret any of them.

    One last note about tats, and sorry if this offends anyone, but I would personally NEVER pick a tattoo out of a flash book in a shop right before getting it. Getting a tattoo should be deeply personal- it is a personal statement that will tell people about you before you ever open your mouth, and it's one that you can't undo or take back. Piercing holes heal up, and clothing styles change from season to season, but a tattoo is forever. It's something that will be with you long after you break up with that guy, when your youthful skin starts to sag and your priorities change. Getting a tattoo should be a process that begins with an idea and ends with the fulfillment of that idea in permanent form. It shouldn't be an impulse that punctuates a drunken night out with the girls.

    Whew, that's my soapbox. Clearly this post hit a nerve. By the way, didn't Rihanna just get a tat in French with improper grammar/syntax? That's what I mean- do your research, kids!!

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  3. I have tattoos and tat/Ink as lingo for tattoo kind of bother me, but to each their own, right? I have five tattoos and they all mean something to me. I can see where negative associations can come from regarding tattoos due to all of the horrible tattoos out there, for sure, but I love tattoos. Great photos demonstrating some cute tattoos.

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  4. Pemora- I love that your tattoo is symbolic and sentimental. I like when they have reasons and stories behind them. I'm sorry to hear about your dad, though :(

    Tiffany- I totally agree with you that people act on impulse rather than actually thinking about their decision on getting one and what they get. I hear so many people say they want a tattoo and then I ask of what and they respond, "I don't know yet" so it's like they want a tattoo just to want one and will most likely settle for the first thing that pops into their head, or will randomly pick one out minutes before getting it.
    But on the other hand, I also hate when people are super pretentious about their tattoos, and don't want to talk about them because "you wouldn't understand" This one time my best friend asked this guy what one of his tattoos meant and he's like "it's a long story, I don't really want to explain it" It's like why would you get something on your body if you didn't want people to ask you about it? I don't know. Also, that's really funny about Rihannas tattoo.. there's this one website that has pictures of people with Chinese symbols and what they THINK it means and then the actual translation... and it's never what they thought it meant. It's quite entertaining.

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  5. haha the Rihanna thing is so funny....my French husband laughed when he saw the picture of that tattoo on her neck. He said apparently she has never heard of Google translator. The cheerleader girl from Lost has a tattoo on her rib cage that is spelled incorrectly also. All of my tattoos have a meaning behind them. People that just want to get a tattoo just to get a tattoo end up with cheesy tattoo flash that they picked of of a wall that 79809802345345 other people also have. Lame.

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  6. I've never really been a fan of tattoos but think some of them can be very beautiful. I do love the "This too shall pass" one. I personally don't like the idea of having ink on my body that I can't rub off, but that's me and I don't shame anyone else for having one.

    Saltwatering.

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  7. I love tattoos (and secretly feel like a badass when I refer them to them as ink). I have 3 small ones and I'll likely get 1 or 2 more. I disagree when people say that tatoos have to have a deeply personal meaning or significance. I think it's fine to see an image you like, have no real connection to it, and still want it on your body.

    I have a small cluster of stars on my neck, and my name translates to star in arabic. But if it didn't, would my tattoo somehow be less pretty or acceptable?

    Having said all that, I do agree that people should think long and hard before getting it done. Because I've heard they're a bitch to get removed!

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  8. I have tattoos and I hate it when people assume there has to be some great meaning behind them and that if there is I will share it will them.

    No need for justifications.

    I third the think about it FIRST comments. Also don't just show up and ask for them to draw it on the spot. Be prepared. Tattoos are awesome and I'm glad people are starting to see them in a more positive way!

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