# Show me your Tattoo! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 23, 2003, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-me-your-tattoo/150461 "2003-01-23T16:00:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DarkWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee59a6/32.png) [@DarkWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarkWriter)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-me-your-tattoo/150461/41 "2003-01-25T02:57:56Z")
I have a red rose dripping blood on the inside of my left wrist. You can see it [here](http://www.livejournal.com/talkread.bml?journal=setongirl1983&itemid=32164#cutid1). I’d post a picture of the cat on my lower right leg (it’s standing on its hind paws batting at a butterfly), but I have to shave my legs first before I take the picture. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bindrah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@Bindrah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bindrah)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-me-your-tattoo/150461/42 "2003-01-25T03:43:26Z")
yeah yeah yeah…i’m heavily tattooed and it has jack shit to do witha fad…my cheast is done and both my arms are sleeved…as faras a band wagon, bullshit…i’ve been doing this for the last 13 years, not a damn thing to do with trendy flash or counter culture nonsense…all those tattooed to be trendy, cool or neat can fuck off, and to those that assume anyone who is tattooed is doing it becasue of the above reasons can stop projecting and realize that everyone is not a bandwagon jumping idiot…that said and my rudeness out of the way i enjoy the irezumi style, of course no traditional because i’m not japanese, but i have put a bit of manytraditions in my work… as far as counting tattooes, yeah keeping count is lame, kind of like your high school fuck sheet, dumb as hell…just get inked and enjoy, it aint a contest… ---
**Author:** ![Cosmopolitan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/94ad74/32.png) [@Cosmopolitan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cosmopolitan)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-me-your-tattoo/150461/43 "2003-01-25T03:47:21Z")
> [@](#): > > Sorry I like talkin smack on the net it makes me feel good about my pitiful little life for a few minutes. 'S ok, **gris gris** ; everyone needs a hobby, right? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Blunty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Captain\_Blunty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Blunty)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-me-your-tattoo/150461/44 "2003-01-25T03:50:40Z")
I have the Japanese symbol for “Exquisite” on the back of my neck and a rose just below my belly button. My stepmum has got Mickey mouse (when he’s a wizard in Fantasia) on her ankle. ---
**Author:** ![Turbo\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@Turbo\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turbo_Dog)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-me-your-tattoo/150461/45 "2003-01-25T04:38:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gris gris \* > \*\*hey guys try not to break an ankle while you jump on the bandwagon. Hey do any of you guys still have your members only jackets or legwarmers? \*\* I got my tattoos and piercing for one reason. I wanted them for me. I got them in locations so if I’m in shorts and a T-shirt nobody like you can see them. Generally I don’t give a rat’s cornhole what people think of me, but I knew enough at the time that there will always be people like you who would hold it against me for having some ink or metal in my skin. And as a matter of fact, I not only still have, but wear as my regular warm weather motorcycle jacket, my LEATHER Member’s Only jacket, knowing full well that I look like a major dork, but I’m not one to throw away a perfectly good jacket in the name of fashion. ---
**Author:** ![Washte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Washte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washte)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-me-your-tattoo/150461/46 "2003-01-25T10:47:01Z")
**gris gris** , it has been my experience that whilst there are quite a few young people who get _personality through piercing or tattooing_ the majority of people chose their tats for a reason. They symbolise magic, tragic, or important events in life that will last forever. Some people keep scrapbooks, some people get tats. I’ll take my tats, thanks. **Dave** I really like the sounds of your tattoo. Any chance of a photo? ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-me-your-tattoo/150461/47 "2003-01-25T12:23:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bindrah \* > \*\* as far as counting tattooes, yeah keeping count is lame, kind of like your high school fuck sheet, dumb as hell…just get inked and enjoy, it aint a contest… \*\* Agreed that keeping count is lame. The numbered list was just for what we’ll call “the gris gris” effect. I got my first tatoo about 15 years ago, so I’m pretty sure no bandwagon was involved. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Washte \* > \*\* it has been my experience that whilst there are quite a few young people who get personality through piercing or tattooing the majority of people chose their tats for a reason. They symbolise magic, tragic, or important events in life that will last forever. Some people keep scrapbooks, some people get tats. I’ll take my tats, thanks._\* OTOH, some people are just looking for an aesthetic effect that has neither a deep personal meaning nor anything to do with fad’ism. Not all of my tatoos are freighted with deep meaning. And when the tats are in places that aren’t constantly on view, it’s hard to count that as bandwagonning and more likely personal. I was and am fascinated by the ritual aspects of all forms of body mods, and realize that there is less of an institutionalized spiritual meaning to these processes in our country and that the spiritual/metaphysical content is completely personalized. I like to think that tatoos are birthmarks that you choose for yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Washte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Washte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washte)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-me-your-tattoo/150461/48 "2003-01-25T15:19:00Z")
**11811** , I like this: > [@](#): > > I like to think that tatoos are birthmarks that you choose for yourself. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![angelicate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@angelicate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/angelicate)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-me-your-tattoo/150461/49 "2003-01-25T16:04:07Z")
I have three [little blue stars](http://www.stellaluna.org/temp/ink/ear.jpg) behind each ear, my husband and I both have our [wedding ring](http://www.stellaluna.org/temp/ink/ring.jpg) done (It’s a design comprised mostly of our initials.), and I have the beginning of a art nouveau tarot themed sleeve on my arm- [moon](http://www.stellaluna.org/temp/ink/moon.jpg) and [star](http://www.stellaluna.org/temp/ink/star.jpg). I’m not altogether happy with the star, but I figure I’ll have it reworked a bit eventually. ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-me-your-tattoo/150461/50 "2003-01-25T16:35:31Z")
If my body’s a temple, it’s gonna be a damn Baroque cathedral, ok? ---
**Author:** ![JayElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@JayElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JayElle)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-me-your-tattoo/150461/51 "2003-01-25T18:07:02Z")
I have a black line-drawn tortoise on my inside right ankle. I call him _Mi tortuga_ and he marks the occasion of my 25th birthday. I picked the little fella because he reminds me of a petroglyph (anthropology major, here), and I liked the numerous legends and myths surrounding the tortoise - they all connote strength and longevity, and you can never have enough of either! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-me-your-tattoo/150461.md?page=2)