FBOATSB 

+1. I have managed to go 61 years without ink, although many scars. I have a very good friend who has a life time collection of tatoos and still getting more every year. He is currently undergoing treatment for Hep-C and he thinks it might be related.

1WheelMax

I'm tattooed from my left ankle, up my leg to my entire back, and over to my left shoulder down to about an inch above my left elbow. Also several others on the other side.

WizardOfBoz

Nailed it...

mconlonx 

I never got a tattoo because I could never think of anything I wanted to get. It had to be meaningful, man... At age 37 I got my first, it was small and I liked it a lot. Then another. And another. And so on. They all seemed to get bigger with every next one. So far, I am tattooed from one shoulder blade, around my chest, to the other one, and down my upper arms. None show even in a t-shirt, but I do have an ex-wife's initials tattooed on my ring finger.

They are all meaningful to me, but some not in any particularly conscious way. I like them. My partner likes them. She got a couple more, and I'm currently planning on a few bigger pieces -- one would be visible down an arm, another would be a succession of bits inspired by the art of Takashi Murakami, from foot to hand. Thinking maybe a huge Galactus backpiece.

Love to see people with tattoos, especially women.

I do not regret any of them. They are permanent mementos. While they sting going down, pain is forgotten and the image remains. I like tattoo art style and there are some amazing artists practicing the trade. Most reputable shops operate with sterile tek regarding ink, guns, needles, etc.

Plan is to keep getting more, and hopefully die with most skin covered. I'll probably save facial tattoos until after I retire... Visible tattoos, especially on hands and head, are called "job-killers" but I'm not sure I'd want a job where such markings would make a difference.

I'm curious about all those who say they are tacky, or ruin the aesthetics of a human body, or look like graffiti, etc. -- how many of them would otherwise buy into the notion that beauty is more than skin-deep? How many would overlook scars, disease, or deformation of human form in some other way, but denigrate tattoos and those who have them? I don't fault anyone for not having tattoos, certainly, and I wouldn't expect anyone to fault me for mine...

TenSpeedV2

I like how you think.

I have half a sleeve on one arm, and a small memorial on the inside of my other arm in memorial of my Mom passing away. I have never once looked at that memorial and thought it was tacky. The font of the writing is almost exactly in her handwriting so it has a lot of meaning for me.

indyfabz

In case you can't read the fine print, that's (Darryl) Hall & (John) Oates. I am from Philly, and they are local boys. They still play in the area (just did this summer) and are wildly popular, but not in my book.


Oates has gotten odder looking as the years have progressed.

TimothyH

Beauty is certainly more than skin deep. True beauty is hidden and no one knows how valuable anyone else' soul is to God.

Whether tattoos are a willful and purposeful disfigurement of the human body can be legitimately debated but they are not the same as scars, disease and genetic or accidental deformation. One does not choose these. They are not something one does to themselves by choice. Tattoos are done by choice.

To somehow equate tattoos with scars and disease is a complete insult to those who have scars and disease. One does not choose Leukemia or to get in a car wreck and lose a limb.

Saying that I don't like the way tattoos look is not the same as saying that someone with tattoos is a bad person. Tattoos happen to disgust me but there will likely be many people in heaven who have had tattoos in their earthly lives and I would not turn away a fireman with tattoos who wants to carry me out of a burning building. At the same time however, it isn't wrong for me to see someone with pot leaves and F.U. tattooed on their forehead and draw conclusions about whether they are the kind of person I want dating my daughter.


-Tim-

InOmaha

Yes, says the entire fashion world. Just look at any magazine geared towards women. They don't wear uncomfortable high heals, make up, all sorts of uncomfortable clothes for themselves. And they typically (well most) don't dress up for other women. Yet surprisingly, their harshest fashion critics are typically other women.


I'm not against tattoos, but they aren't my thing. I take photographs to remember. If tattoos cover a large area, I like those that are well done and one theme, rather then a series of smaller random tattoos squeezed together into wherever they fit until there's no room left. Face, neck, and hand tattoos are distracting and do count against you in most business settings. So that's likely why the professional racers don't have as many visible tattoos. Advertisers want their logos to stand out and tattoos might distract from a potential sponsor's ads. In that case, you have to be really, really good not to be passed over in favor of one of the thousands of others at the same level they cut on a regular basis.


The sad truth is if there are two equal bike riders and I had to pick which one I wanted to sponsor, it would be the clean slate. Then I'd dress him in what amounts to a full corporate logo tattoo.

The Full Monty

You guys come up with the strangest things to discuss on this board lol.

WizardOfBoz

I went out and tracked down some Hall and Oates stuff on Youtube. Definitely 80s, but very good 80s. Then I caught Darius Rucker guesting on Darryl Hall's show. We're kind of going down the youtube rabbit hole here, but if you like "Hootie", check him out sans Blowfish, with Darryl. What a voice.

Stratocaster

I used to own one of these!

... Hey, wait a minute!!!

Milton Keynes

It's like putting a bumper sticker on a Rolls-Royce, innit?

Stratocaster

Nope. Poetry, song writing, and painting are all acceptable forms of self expression.

Milton Keynes

indyfabz

"She's Gone" and "Sarah Smile" are the only two songs I really like. "Rich Girl" is tolerable. My favorite thing about that song is that it gave me an excuse to say "*****" when I was young. "But mom! Those are the song's words!"

canklecat

canklecat

John Oates just ain't the same without that fabulous '70s pr0n star 'stache.

He should have that mustache tattooed on.

memebag

Daryl Hall wants all deer dead because they gave him Lyme disease.

Fastfingaz

Yeah it washes off but that ball n chain is right back there when you get home,, hahaha,,,,

shelbyfv

My Google skills have failed me, but I seem to remember that there was once an acknowledged limit to the number of affectations permitted a man. Was it only one or was it two? Facial hair, tattoo, a self conscious "hairstyle" such as bun, ponytail or shaved, walking stick or umbrella, pipe.... And maybe what is recognized as an affectation may change with generations? In the 50's facial hair would be "making a statement" and thus affected, but wearing a hat with your suit would have seemed normal. Situation would be reversed today. I guess the bottom line is that when trying to attract attention you have to know your audience and accept that some part of the population will view you as a joke.

rachel120

A lot of my scars were by choice. How can those scars (around 30 visible ones) be not that big of a deal but my husband's name is disfigurement?

Jon T

Personally I can't stand tats and think they're as ugly as sin. My daughter and worthless BF have more ink than skin. It's really disgusting.
Jon

wipekitty

Thank you for sharing this. I'm similar: half sleeve, five medium size pieces, a quote in an Indo-European ancient language that I in fact read fluently, and my first relatively small upper back tattoo. My two main artists are actual artists (one has a BFA in art), and their shop is insanely clean, licensed through the county health department, and has never had a violation.

Maybe my tattoos are trashy. I find Botox, permanent makeup, plastic surgery, and faketan to be no less trashy. The thing is that it all looks bad when you're 80 - but, God willing, I'll be looking bad while riding centuries on a 'bent!

Nice. My husband is similar: started at 38, and kind of went all out. I think it was my fault.

Hardrock23

I'm working towards a sleeve...though it's been really slow going as most of my cash the past couple years has gone to my bikes instead lol. I'll get there eventually...so far, there are 6 between both arms & hands.




It is interesting to read the different views people have on tattoos. I really like the ones that are women-specific though...

leicanthrope

But I thought that the lycra made us effete *****exuals who aspire to be Lance Armstrong?