# Teach me about tattoos **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 9, 2025, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-about-tattoos/1019368 "2025-06-09T14:30:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-about-tattoos/1019368/101 "2025-12-06T00:16:45Z")
Hehe, yes, I have hair all over my body… except in my head. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-about-tattoos/1019368/102 "2025-12-06T00:17:36Z")
I love it ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-about-tattoos/1019368/103 "2025-12-06T00:20:55Z")
Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-about-tattoos/1019368/104 "2025-12-06T00:25:25Z")
So, to answer past! Frodo questions: It took 2 hours and a half and cost me about 40 dollars 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-about-tattoos/1019368/105 "2025-12-06T00:27:21Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > It took 2 hours and a half and cost me about 40 dollars 🙂 That’s a deal! I don’t think you could get a 2 hours+ ink job here for under € 200. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-about-tattoos/1019368/106 "2025-12-06T01:51:17Z")
Two and a half hours of skilled labor for $40! It looks nice. Wear it in good health. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-about-tattoos/1019368/107 "2025-12-06T02:02:46Z")
Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-about-tattoos/1019368/108 "2025-12-06T02:58:28Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > Hehe, yes, I have hair all over my body… except in my head. In this world Of toil and sin Your head grows bald But not your chin _Burma-shave_ ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-about-tattoos/1019368/109 "2025-12-06T03:00:46Z")
Not my chin, nor my chest, my back, my legs, my arms… ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-about-tattoos/1019368/110 "2025-12-06T03:57:42Z")
Yeah, it would suck if your 1000th bird was a “Chicken McNugget”. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-about-tattoos/1019368/111 "2025-12-06T04:08:09Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > > [@Yllaria](#): > > > > Some go on special trips to try to make sure that number 1000 is a pretty one. > > I can see them now, riding with their hands over their eyes. > > “Ooooh! Lookit the starling!” > > “Dammit!” You only count a bird the first time you see that species. Every bird watcher has already seen a starling before they get to 1000. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-about-tattoos/1019368/112 "2025-12-06T12:32:21Z")
They’re probably pretty easy to get a tattoo of. So there’s that to look forward to. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-about-tattoos/1019368/113 "2025-12-06T14:17:03Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > Lo prometido es deuda” “What is promised is debt “ is that a reference to the tarot card five of cups? I like your tattoo! ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-about-tattoos/1019368/114 "2025-12-06T14:54:56Z")
> [@chela](#): > > “What is promised is debt “ is that a reference to the tarot card five of cups? It’s a saying we have, meaning more or less that (I would translate it as “A promise is a debt (that must be paid)”. I promised to get the tattoo and I did it, because “Lo prometido es deuda”. No (intentional) relation to tarot. > [@chela](#): > > I like your tattoo! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-about-tattoos/1019368/115 "2025-12-09T07:08:18Z")
What is the significance of the five cups? (I see that Argentina has won the FIFA World Cup three times.) ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-about-tattoos/1019368/116 "2025-12-09T07:31:04Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > Will that tattoo look as good in x years as your skin stretches or sags? In short, no. Both my tattoos are in places I chose to avoid the skin stretching, also if I get obese, which is unlikely given my lifestyle, one might stretch a little but… probably not. The classic “tramp stamp” is done in a place where you’d need to be obese to disfigure - and no, my tattos are on right wrist and left forearm (above the ulna bone)… no trampstamp (yet!) What does happen is the ink starts to blur. Depending on the skill of the artist. My first one is now more than 30 years old, it was not very finely done at the start because it was done by a friend with very little experience and the wrong size needle. But I love it. It is a reminder of him, a really great guy. (He did have a degree im fine art, though) He moved to Italy, so I never see him. But every day I see my right wrist. I think perhaps part of the issues with tattoos are they are not really thought out, or done drunk. Mine are carefully placed. I don’t intend to get another one. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-about-tattoos/1019368/117 "2025-12-09T12:08:44Z")
There was a whole mythology around all kind of signs and portents that announced we were going to win this WC. See this documentary for more details: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/zsPC_c60M14/maxresdefault.jpg "Quilmes - Coincidences (English subtitles) | 2022") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsPC_c60M14) One of those portents was the 5 of cups, as explained here: > [@Teach me about tattoos](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-about-tattoos/1019368/47): > > That would be cool, but I don’t know if it fits with the reason I chose that card. Legend tells that during the 2021 Copa America, in the player’s residence, they were playing a game, taking ten cards and trying to predict at least one of them. Messi chose the 5 of Cups, and won. It’s not clear if he chose that for any specific reason, but the legend soon overtook reality. Messi had played 4 finals with Argentina, and lost all 4, Copa America 2021 was the fifth one, and he won. Messi had pla… ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-about-tattoos/1019368/118 "2025-12-09T12:57:23Z")
Thank you! Sorry I missed that upthread. Nice tattoo…just like you planned! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-about-tattoos/1019368.md?page=5)