I thought I wanted one when I was younger, like 18-22YO. I guess I just didn't want one bad enough. Plus, it was before tats became all the rage. That was pre 1984. Once tats went mainstream and everyone and their dog started getting I was glad I never got one. Hell, even old people were getting tats! For me, that really sealed the deal! I was three kinds of thankful I never got a tat! I have never been a conformist. If everyone goes one direction you can bet I won't be one them. As my kids came of age I told each of them that if they want to stand out from the crowd and be unique, getting a tat was not the way to be unique since everybody including their dog and their grandparents were sporting tats proves my point. Same thing with piercings. Of course three of my four kids now have tats. I guess only the youngest one listened.
I still maintain that if one wants to stand out from the crowd the best way today is skip the ink. I have never yet seen even one that I saw worthy of being plastered on someone's body till they die.
Anyone that I ever saw sporting a tat that to should be wearing one were all old vets that got them as young men in the service in far away lands. Most of those tats I ever saw as a kid were all B&W, no color, and had turned into almost unrecognizable black blobs on the wearers body. My Gpa was one of them, got his in "The Great War" in the Philippines. As an old man he was embarrassed by his tats and alway wore long sleeve shirts regardless of the season.
Despite everything I said above, I have no judgment for folks getting tats today. I no longer even comment if one of my kids gets a tat. Who am I to pass judgment right. They have to live with them, not me. I just don't give a shit anymore. I am just another old man with irrelevant opinion right.
Dustin, great craftsmanship is shown in your tat. If you like it that is all that matters. So by all means enjoy it! Take no disrespect in my comments because I am sure I am just an out of step old man! Now, I would tell my kids the same thing. As I age, I have learned to pick my battles and with each passing year there are less that I have any desire to fight! Tats is just not one worth voicing objection to anymore.
