Good evening world! I hope this blog finds you in good health and even better spirits! Today’s topic is something that is very near and dear to my heart: tattoos. I have ink, want more ink and love all the ink I have so far! At first I was gonna try and concentrate this entry on a specific issue pertaining to tattoos in our society, but decided against that.

I got my first tattoo as a teenager and was instantly hooked. Like most people, I was apprehensive about getting ink. I was scared it would hurt too much (what’s pleasure without a little bit of pain?), that the ink wouldn’t show up well on my skin, that I would regret them as I got older, I won’t be able to get a job, etc. All my excuses have been shown to be completely unfounded, especially in today’s society where it seems that almost everybody has tats. Its more of a shock to me to see members of my generation that don’t have ink. Almost everybody I know that has a tattoo either has multiple or plans to get more. There’s something about them that is highly addictive. I know what some of you might be thinking, “Your body is a temple.” That’s very true, so what’s wrong with making the temple a little more aesthetically pleasing? If you have a problem with tattoos, are you against any kind of body modification? Do your feelings extend to piercings? What about hair dye, contacts and plastic surgery? I personally feel like people should do whatever makes them happy, as long as its within reason. And its not my place to decide whats within reason, that’s solely up to the individual…

One of the biggest arguments our parents (or at least those that don’t have ink of their own) used to scare us from getting tatted was that ink would make it infinitely harder for us to succeed in the real world. Everybody can’t be a celebrity or athlete, right? That argument is completely valid and utterly baseless at the same time. Let me explain. Having tattoos in places that can be easily covered up will never prevent a person from getting a job. You might not be able to get every job, but you won’t be chronically unemployed either. If you can’t hold down a job, you should think about examining the type of person you are, not the ink you have. But on the flip side, having tattoos in certain areas can hinder you from reaching certain plateaus in life. For example, nobody will ever give Lil’ Wayne a job as the CEO of a company if he were just Dwayne Carter. While you might be able to cover up the majority of his tattoos, what are you gonna do about the ink he has on his face and neck? The first thing you would think when you see him is that he’s a thug or criminal. It might not be true, but who’s really gonna take the time to figure that out? Your first impression is long lasting. That’s the thing I think my generation and those younger than me need to keep in mind. While tattoo acceptance has grown by leaps and bounds in the last 20 years, there are some stigmas and stereotypes that are so ingrained in the public consciousness that they might just be here to stay. But we also need to remember to not judge a book by its cover. Just because a person has tattoos, that doesn’t automatically classify them as a dredge on society. Its a fine line that we need to walk…

As I look back, I have no regrets about my ink except the fact that I don’t have more and that’s something that can be easily fixed. That’s all the rambling I’m gonna do for today. If you have ink or if you don’t, I would love to hear your thoughts and feelings. Peace and love…