Tattoo are now becoming something of a norm in our culture nowadays. You're starting to see ink on people in movies and tv shows that aren't the bad guys. Also on normal people that work an 8-5 job like the rest of the work force. Unfortunately it's still frowned upon by most parent's and work places. It's becoming a generational thing where people that have tattoos see it as more of a statement and want to show the artwork that either they've created or something that they feel strongly about. Yeah you could design something and put it on a canvas to be displayed in your home or some gallery, but that doesn't really have the same effect of taking your artwork or your cause and beliefs with you where ever you go! I've gotten to talk to more people because of my tattoos then if I had bare arms. My mother, who I love very much and am on very good terms with, hates tattoos. She thinks that I'm beautiful and that me putting all of this permanent ink on my body is just making my skin look ugly. I do have to agree that there are tattoos that I just do not get why someone would put that on their body, but I've always told myself that I wasn't going to put something on my body that didn't have meaning! Several other of my parent's friends don't agree with tattoos either, and that makes sense. Until recently tattoos where seen as something that you had if you where doing things that you shouldn't or bound to go to jail or just didn't care anymore. Now, for the most part, tattoos are just another way of expressing your self. Things that are on your arm for people to read can almost speak more loudly than you can! I'd hope that if you are going to go through the pain of getting a tattoo, that you have thought about more than a few hours! A good friend told me that if you're thinking about getting a tattoo then think about it for a year and if you still want to get that tattoo after a year then do it. If it's something that you just think is cool but doesn't have any real meaning for you then don't waste your money by getting it! I think that the symbol for the game Skyrim is pretty cool! It's a dragon, but the way that it's designed would make an awesome tattoo! Now am I going to go out and get that symbol tattooed on my body? Not at all! Because it doesn't have any real meaning for me. I have several ideas for future tattoos, that I'm not quite sure on. I know that I will be getting a sleeve done on my left arm that already have two tattoos on it. One of those I have to wait till I have kids. God willing that won't be for a good few years! My next tattoo I want to get a phoenix that I've designed myself with the quote, To Live Would Be An Awfully Big Adventure, on it. A quote that has meant something from my childhood.
For those of you that are considering on getting a tattoo for the first time, please think about it first. It's good to not get tattoos until your at least partially through college, or at least have a good idea of who you are! If you where to get a tattoo based on what's going on in your life then you may end up getting a tattoo of some Justin Bieber lyrics that will mean nothing to you in a few years. Think about where you work, and if you'll have to cover it up or not. I have to wear long sleeves at work now because my tattoos are visible with my work clothes, even though what I have isn't weird or disrespectful in any way. Even though tattoos are becoming more of a norm in our culture, that doesn't mean that they are accepted everywhere. I will still continue to get tattoos throughout my life, because it's who I am.
-Dana
