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I am thinking about getting a tattoo. It will be my first.
Thinking about a small monocolor (flag blue) "nautical" symbol on my inner right wrist; May be at the southwest of the pulse 2.5 inches away. Not too obvious, since I am in a conservative career. I like a small, cute, intelligent, non threatening tat, but it makes a statement.
Get a small spike, a railroad spike. Get it in memory of my beloved son Spike. I was going to get a Spike tat but I really don't need one to remind me of Spike.
I too have a fantasy about a nautical adornment. It doesn't have to be a tat to make a statement.
Not sure I will achieve mine but it is to legitimately wear a gold hoop ear ring indicating I had sailed around Cape Horn. I don't wear any jewelry, rings or watches included. Never have. Both feet on the table doesn't appeal to me but the gold ring would be a treasure. It will be a large one! Ha! My fantasy is a "wrong way" east to west passage. So I guess it would be the right ear?
It isn't too late, yet! Kids, 7, are all grown and successful. Houses built. Careers over. Hobbies are fun but getting familiar. Latest MRIs look good! Ha! I am feeling healthy but the years are starting to slow me down a bit.
I tell my kids that their income potential will decline by 10% for every $100 they spend on a tattoo. They believe me so far.
It is a macro economic fact that the number of tattoos one has is inversely proportionate to wealth. Not necessarily applicable to any one person and rock stars and professional athletes don't make up much of the population.
One of the smartest, most intelligent people I had the privilege of teaching at University was interesting to look at. In shorts and a tank top she was covered in ink. She was studying Law. In a business suit you could not see a single tat.
Not my personal, private, choice, but for her - it was what she wanted.
Neither of my boys got tats. I just told them what my dear old Dad told me,
"Son, don't get a tattoo. It will just give the police a way to identify you."
A very good friend of mine (who loves ink and worked in a studio) had 'Your Name' tattoed on his left butt cheek. Pretty Funny. He didn't mind fights, so that you know!
As for me? Not a single one. It is not that I am fundamentally against them, it is just that I even get tired of staring at the same beautiful island off my cockpit. I cannot imagine wanting to have anything on my body that I would have to see forever. I am too much of a gypsy I guess.
The problem with tattoos is that they distort with age as the skin/body changes. We've all seen the older lady with what used to be a butterfly on her shoulder now looking more like a vulture
Tattoos I believe have their roots on Polynesia and consequently they are very popular in New Zealand - probably half of the local population has a tattoo of some sort.
And maybe it's just NZ but if wealth were measured inversely to the number of tattoos, we would break all the rules - there are many very wealthy "ordinary" people (not rockstars or athletes) that have several tattoos.
Personally I don't need a tattoo to identify me - I have a lot of memorable scars from stupid things that I have done over the years, my family would have no problem identifying me
I have a couple of tats, and I have worked in offices and been in meetings with VP's from MAJOR oil companies and was not the only one with a tattoo. What I have noticed is that none of them had their baby's momma's name tattooed on their neck where it could not be covered with a polo shirt. If you get a tattoo get it where it is covered when you have on a suit and tie or a long sleeve button up shirt.
Tattoos on the neck and face make a statement..." I do not want a job, ever."
A great friend of mine is tattooed up one side and down the other. Not for me, but no biggie. When he did get his neck tattooed I read him the riot act for the same reasons you said.
"They can't not hire you for tattoos!" he told me
-"Yeah, I guess you're right. Nobody's gonna stop you from laying concrete," was my answer. And that's about the size of it. Not that there's anything at all wrong with laying concrete, roofing, or what have you. But if your goals involve working indoors then tattoos are definitely something you have to consider.
My grandmother smoked her entire life and died at the age of 98 from natural causes. Never a hint of lung cancer or heart disease. There are always exceptions to the averages and I was sure some would identify them.
I have no beef with anyone (other than my kids) having a tattoo. It's a personal decision. I considered it as a kid and am glad I didn't.
But the overal stats remain pretty clear. I've read several articles that draw the same conclusion. The percentage of people with tattoos goes way up in lower income brackets and way down for people with higher education.
40% of high school dropouts had a tat. Only 29% that graduated from high school and 14% that graduated from college. I have seen others will similar findings.
Clearly tats aren't causal to why one would or would not achieve an education. The point is that society will continue to assess the averages and, if they see one, probably assume one is less likely than someone without one to have a higher education. Just a theory.
The study also has income distribution, political affiliation, etc. but I didn't look closely enough to see if they compare it to overall distribution to see if they're different.
40% of high school dropouts had a tat. Only 29% that graduated from high school and 14% that graduated from college. I have seen others will similar findings.
Most actors do NOT have tats. many people think that celebrities are all about tats an stuff but its just not true.
Sure some actors have them but the vast majority dont because it limits them to roles.
Makeup just can not cover tattoos because its rubbed off by clothing, and rubbed by prosthetics and glues, gums and crap splatted all over an actors skin. Sure theres always makeup artists on set but they are busy during 'finals' and unless an actor is paying their own makeup artist they wont get special treatment.
When you see a tattoo in a movie or tv show its not the actors tat... its the designers idea of the characters tat... and its a temporary job.
If young people think tats are cool then tell them they wont get jobs in the too cool to mention dream job!
a. I strictly "prohibit" my kids getting tattoo or piecing (except earlobe for girl).
b. No, running away from home is not permitted either.
c. I told them very early in their life, human right does not apply to them.
However, they only need to do three things in their early life:
1. Study and study more. I only accept A's.
2. Practice piano
3. Clean their room
Lucky me, so far so good. They turned out all well behaved and good tax payers.
Of course I have well passed their age long ago, I can do what ever I want: I want my tattoo. No I don't need you to give me a job. If you are smart and work hard, I won't give you a job, but I can give you a career.
Yes, I have committed to have a small (1 x 1 or 1.5" x 1.5") tattoo, one ink color and simple design (non-intricate). I am still leaning on the anchor design. I am in no rush since I am still sailing others boats.
I am collecting various designs. I have a Suicide Girls model whom is a fourth year U of Art student in Philly and was a Tattoo artist. She will make a design for me to consider. We will see.
Yes, I have committed to have a small (1 x 1 or 1.5" x 1.5") tattoo, one ink color and simple design (non-intricate). I am still leaning on the anchor design. I am in no rush since I am still sailing others boats.
I am collecting various designs. I have a Suicide Girls model whom is a fourth year U of Art student in Philly and was a Tattoo artist. She will make a design for me to consider. We will see.
Cool, I hope you will show us what you come up with here, I would be interested to see it. I have two, and I am not getting any more, but the two are memories that I can look at and they bring me back to the time when each was done.
I have had mine a long time and I never notice them unless I have someone see it and ask me a question about them. One is on my right forearm on the front, and the other is on my right upper arm, the top one no one really sees unless I have my shirt off, which is not often LOL.
I have plenty of scars for memories. Hoping I don't get another of those. Enjoy your tats. A favorite friend, brilliant, gorgeous, fun, collects tats. To each their own. I jst don't get it? Yet! Ha!
I think a nautical tattoo should be something you get in a foreign port at the end of a long night of celebrating landfall after a long sea passage. Something you can either cherish or regret for the rest of your life.
I don't have any tattoos and don't condone them, though my wife is a fan though she doesn't have any either.
My suggestion would be to use a non-toxic light-fast pigment ink, so that it's color is maintained over time, and it doesn't do you any harm. For black there is carbon-black ink, in which the oldest manuscripts in the world are written, I believe from China, non-toxic ones are available such as speedball super black. It's made from carbon, and other than water we're carbon-based life-forms so is quite safe.
For blue, I don't really know any completely-safe ones, though Phthalocyanine Blue is probably your best bet.
I had an old Chief with Port and Stbd running lights on his butt cheeks. Another popular one was "twin screws on the fantail" if you weren't one for running lights.
The best tattoo I ever saw was on a gorgeous Korean girl. It was a "stamp" on her derriere that said "Made In Korea" and looked just like a circular customs ink stamp. Odd time to begin laughing uncontrollably, but you don't expect that one.
I love tattoos, albeit in moderation. I only have a handful, but none are visible in work dress. Tattoo work can be some of the best artwork you'll ever see in your life, and all often it's the worst. You get what you pay for in tattoo work just like everything else.
My favorite tattoo story is when we pulled into Amsterdam. My buddy got the shape of the US tattooed on his butt and filled with the flag. It really did look great. Being July 4th, a local NED news crew happened to be there and put him on TV. American sailor getting flag tattoo on his nation's birthday... they interviewed him in the street and had him drop his pants, peel the bandage and show it off. Good wholesome feelgood TV- in the Netherlands I guess!
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