My tattoo appointment is tonight - please tell me everything is going to be all right

[Anaamika]

@Magiver

If a friend of your’s started wearing a really good/bad/mediocre shirt, every day for the rest of his/her life, what would say? If you were polite and say nothing does it negate any opinion you have?

? I might say something about a shirt, but I would actually be much more careful about what I said a tattoo, unless it was terrible (I mean the art) or spelled wrong or something. Tattoos can be very personal. I know in my case they are.

Hell, I disapprove of people who have kanji tattoos and don’t speak a word of Japanese, all the damn time. I sit there in my judgy judgingness but I never ever say a word to them, and they never know. Of course my close friends already know how I feel about them. But they also know I would still love them if they got a kanji tattoo. I mean, it doesn’t change who they are.

I have confidence I will be happy with just one tattoo. I am not getting it really for the tattoo aspect…so here’s a little background.

I am incredibly Americanized, to an extent that occasionally distresses me. I still speak my language and listen to my music, and…that’s about it. I don’t dress in traditional clothes. I don’t go to temple. I don’t connect in any but the most subtle with my heritage. People have known me, in person, for months and not caught on that I am Indian. (Sometimes they think I am Latina. Sometimes they don’t even think about it.)

The gem in my nose and the Om tattoo are ways of me connecting with the thousands of years of culture and history behind me. It’s my way. I don’t expect anyone else to understand it or subsidize it or like it, except maybe my SO, and even he doesn’t have final say on what I do or do not do with my body. I mean, he has input, and absolutely I talked this over with him before I made my decision. If I was getting a full-back tattoo my head would probably spin by how fast he’d be out the door. I kid. Mostly. But then I would never do that, and he knows it - I lean on the conservative side, too.

Hell, I’ve seen women with bracelets, watches, pretty little scarves, and a thousand other things to hide your wrist with. If a future employer says “You must cover your tattoo to work here”, I can do it. I took my nose piercing out and put it back in every day for years at a previous job where they did not like the image.

MikeF, Next I’ll get my mound of Venus tattooed, with a palm tree and a sun, so it thinks it’s on vacation.

I give blood, and the nose ring was pretty goddamn painful, so I can probably take it.

Oh yes, and lastly, I am thirty-five, so it is not exactly a youthful impulse, either, Mrs. Cake. Then again I got my nose pierced when I was 17…pretty darn youthful!

[Skald_the_Rhymer]

@Anaamika

? I might say something about a shirt, but I would actually be much more careful about what I said a tattoo, unless it was terrible (I mean the art) or spelled wrong or something. Tattoos can be very personal. I know in my case they are.

Hell, I disapprove of people who have kanji tattoos and don’t speak a word of Japanese, all the damn time. I sit there in my judgy judgingness but I never ever say a word to them, and they never know. Of course my close friends already know how I feel about them. But they also know I would still love them if they got a kanji tattoo. I mean, it doesn’t change who they are.

You know I’m fond of you, Mika, but you appear to be confused on what being judgmental entails. It’s not enough to sit in silent and imperceptible judgment; you have to be a bitch about it. If you’re not giving your tattooed friends a hard time either overtly or covertly, it doesn’t count.

This is why you’re not allowed in Hell.

[Marley23]

@Anaamika

(Whew, maybe that is just what I needed! a chance to defend it…)Because this is where I want it and really, their opinions don’t matter that much. Like I said, I thought about both the item (an Om) and the location for years.

The other nice thing is that you know what it’s for and don’t need to give a shit about all that stuff. (And you shouldn’t - I should ignore it more often myself.) If it’s yours and it means something to you, who cares about all the ‘it might look bad when you’re 90’ nonsense?

[Khadaji]

I can’t tell you anything from experience - but I can wish you luck!

[Joey_P]

@Skald_the_Rhymer

You know I’m fond of you, Mika, but you appear to be confused on what being judgmental entails. It’s not enough to sit in silent and imperceptible judgment; you have to be a bitch about it. If you’re not giving your tattooed friends a hard time either overtly or covertly, it doesn’t count.

This is why you’re not allowed in Hell.

Fuck you, asshole.
ETA like that?

[Anaamika]

Well, then fine! I think tattoos in a language you don’t even speak are stupid. I think large-breasted women tattoos are stupid. I think anybody who incorporates their belly button in an animal asshole is downright disgusting and should not be allowed out in polite society.

And I think that people who don’t like at least the first LOTR movie are curmudgeonly and old.

[Lo-Slung_Denim]

I only have one tattoo. I got it nearly eleven years ago, when I was 18. I thought about it for a few years beforehand, visualised it, decided where to get it, tried out a few transfer ones first, then did it.

I’ve always been happy with it. I’ve only recently thought about changing it or adding to it because it’s faded over the years and needs either rejuvenation or removal - I’m leaning towards rejuvenation, it’s only that my SO doesn’t like it that makes me dither.

It is very meaningful to me. Also I was so surprised to find that it really didn’t hurt!

[Skald_the_Rhymer]

@Anaamika

Well, then fine! I think tattoos in a language you don’t even speak are stupid. I think large-breasted women tattoos are stupid. I think anybody who incorporates their belly button in an animal asshole is downright disgusting and should not be allowed out in polite society.

Sorry. The Boss says you’re still not welcome in the Pit under any circumstances. You’re too close to Canada for one thing.

And I think that people who don’t like at least the first LOTR movie are curmudgeonly and old.

And I LOVE the first LotR movie. I love the first TWO, in fact. I hate the third only because it’s such a letdown after its predecessors; it’s easily as good a movie as DRAGONHEART.

@Joey_P

Fuck you, asshole.
ETA like that?

The usual threats.

[twickster]

@Joey_P

Fuck you, asshole.
ETA like that?

Not appropriate in this forum, or, if a joke, not funny. Either way, knock it off.

No warning issued.

twickster, MPSIMS moderator

[Marley23]

Come to think of it I know some people who will probably never going to get a second tattoo. I have a friend who got her only tattoo seven years ago and she’s never considered getting another. I doubt my mother is ever going to get another one either, but it’s only been a few months.

[Anaamika]

@Skald_the_Rhymer

Sorry. The Boss says you’re still not welcome in the Pit under any circumstances. You’re too close to Canada for one thing.

Well, I don’t think I want to be there, anyway. Not sure what living close to Canada has to do with it, though (admittedly it is only about three hours’ drive to the border).

And I LOVE the first LotR movie. I love the first TWO, in fact. I hate the third only because it’s such a letdown after its predecessors; it’s easily as good a movie as DRAGONHEART.

Fair enough. While I certainly didn’t hate the third, there were significant flaws in it that I absolutely acknowledge. That is where the two biggest changes occured, anyway.

But it would be hard for me to hate it entirely. Battles! Fighting! Swords! Whee!

[Lasciel]

@Marley23

Come to think of it I know some people who will probably never going to get a second tattoo. I have a friend who got her only tattoo seven years ago and she’s never considered getting another. I doubt my mother is ever going to get another one either, but it’s only been a few months.

Going on 9 years for me since my first, and I’m only now starting the 2-3 year process of designing and deciding for my second.

For a long time, I thought I’d be a single-tattoo person.

[Little_Nemo]

It’s 2011. Very few people are going to judge a woman poorly because she has a small tattoo on her wrist. It’s about as scandalous as dying your hair.

[Skald_the_Rhymer]

@twickster

Not appropriate in this forum, or, if a joke, not funny. Either way, knock it off.

No warning issued.

twickster, MPSIMS moderator

twix, not to junior mod, but I didn’t take what Joe P wrote as any sort of genuine insult; he was commenting on my remark on Mika not being mean enough to go to hell. 'Twas just a joke.

[Skald_the_Rhymer]

@Little_Nemo

It’s 2011. Very few people are going to judge a woman poorly because she has a small tattoo on her wrist. It’s about as scandalous as dying your hair.

Well, in the North, maybe. Mika couldn’t work for me with that tattoo visible, even though my direct reports, by definition, have virtually no customer contact. It wouldn’t be me making the rule though.

[Joey_P]

@Skald_the_Rhymer

twix, not to junior mod, but I didn’t take what Joe P wrote as any sort of genuine insult; he was commenting on my remark on Mika not being mean enough to go to hell. 'Twas just a joke.

Thank you, also to Twickster, it was a joke based on Skald’s definition of being judgmental. I think you may have misunderstood. Being that this is the first time in 12 years (that I can remember) that I’ve had any kind of a warning, even a non-warning warning, could you show me why it wasn’t appropriate. I don’t think it’s fair of you to slap me for making what you consider to be a not-funny joke.

Also, Skald, thank you for saying that, I assumed you reported me and was worried you didn’t get my apparently bad joke and felt kinda stupid for a minute.

[Miller]

@Anaamika

I think tattoos in a language you don’t even speak are stupid.

I don’t speak Gaellic, but I’ve got this tattooed on my shoulder, for largely the same reasons you’re getting your Om tattoo.

[Sudo_Intellectual]

I got my first tattoo at 21 (after thinking about it for 5 years). Although I was certain I wanted the tattoo I was terrified of the pain and was gripping my best friends hand tightly with my eyes screwed shut when they started. Only to release it when I realize it wasn’t that bad. My second tattoo was in a more painful spot (on the top of my foot) but the artist challenged me that I couldn’t get through it without whining. If I did he would only charge me the shop minimum. Although it did hurt quite a bit more than the one on my ankle, I did it without a peep, so it couldn’t have been that bad.

[Anaamika]

@Miller

I don’t speak Gaellic, but I’ve got this tattooed on my shoulder, for largely the same reasons you’re getting your Om tattoo.

Well here is me being judgy. But honestly, that does speak differently to me - presumably from your post you do have some common heritage to that tattoo (Irish?) It’s a lot different from picking a random tattoo from a culture and heritage that you don’t even share.

Not that I think my opinion should matter to anyone on their tattoos.

[twickster]

@Skald_the_Rhymer

twix, not to junior mod, but I didn’t take what Joe P wrote as any sort of genuine insult; he was commenting on my remark on Mika not being mean enough to go to hell. 'Twas just a joke.

@Joey_P

Thank you, also to Twickster, it was a joke based on Skald’s definition of being judgmental. I think you may have misunderstood. Being that this is the first time in 12 years (that I can remember) that I’ve had any kind of a warning, even a non-warning warning, could you show me why it wasn’t appropriate. I don’t think it’s fair of you to slap me for making what you consider to be a not-funny joke.

Also, Skald, thank you for saying that, I assumed you reported me and was worried you didn’t get my apparently bad joke and felt kinda stupid for a minute.

Okey doke. I did get a report, but not from Skald, and when I read through the thread, it seemed like there were two ways to read that particular post – my headache voted against the benign interpretation. I’ll tell my headache to STFU.

Unwarning withdrawn; note erased.

Sorry for the unpleasantness.

Good luck with your tat, 'Mika!

twicks