Here's one for Tat

[wordsmythe]

The rule in my house is still, When you're 18, and out of my house you can pay for it yourself.

Forget shopping, tattoo fans prefer to get inked

Forget shopping, tattoo fans prefer to get inked
William Hermann
The Arizona Republic
Nov. 26, 2007 08:15 PM

While business was reported as good to fair in stores Valleywide over the post-Thanksgiving shopping weekend, local tattoo parlors said they were way into the black ink.

"We've been doing so well because everything has changed about tattoos - they're much more accepted now - and you see it on a day like today," said Tattooed Planet manager Amanda Conti Friday as she stood in the midst of the customer-filled Tempe shop.

"Tattoos have gone mainstream, the media is giving it a lot of attention, the public is accepting tattoos as an art form," Conti said. "We had a dental surgeon come in and get a little tattoo of a tooth on his butt. Now, that's mainstream."

Darlene Rivera, of Gilbert, had brought nieces Brandy Garcia, 18, and Dianna Romero, 21, in to Tattooed Planet because the young women each wanted a tattoo.

The two women were very excited about their new skin art.

"I love tattoos," Romero said. "I like the design, the colors, the lines. I'm getting these dragon flies, and I think they're beautiful."

Garcia was getting a design on her right foot.

"I like the beauty of tattoos, how they dress you up," she said. "And I appreciate the talent of the tattoo artists."

Business seemed to be very good over the weekend at other Southeast Valley tattoo parlors as well.

Matt Mooneyham, manager of Hot Rod Tattoo in Chandler, said Sunday that the store had seen a steady stream of customers through the weekend.

"It was very good Friday and Saturday and even OK Sunday," Mooneyham said.

Club Tattoo in Mesa also had a constant stream of customers, said Marcella Murrieta.

"It was going very well the whole time; it has been very steady," she said.

It was, according to tattoo aficionados like Kristina Delos, 20, of Phoenix, a lot more fun getting a tattoo than wandering around some mall. She was among the crowd at Tattooed Planet on Friday and was reveling in the beauty of the tattoo on her right calf.

"Tattoo are so cool," Delos said. "They're an expression of who you are. And they're everywhere now. You see them on everyone. Totally accepted."

[Army_of_One]

I like tat's and think some of them are incredible. Tat's have been popular and accepted for awhile now Wordy.

[wordsmythe]

Originally Posted by Army_of_One

I like tat's and think some of them are incredible. Tat's have been popular and accepted for awhile now Wordy.

I see a tattoo and instantly think, criminal, what an interesting way to limit your life choices or HEY look they are trying to express their individuality like everyone else.

When my sister-in-law showed me she'd gotten one I still ran through all those things and I've known her for years. She's a great person, a RN and pretty well rounded but when I see the ink that's not the first thing I think.

If my DR. had one that was visible I'd get a new doctor. Nothing personal against him I'm just not willing to put myself in the hands of someone I consider to be making bad decisions about themselves.

[Sherry_Giskie]

Originally Posted by wordsmythe

I see a tattoo and instantly think, criminal, what an interesting way to limit your life choices or HEY look they are trying to express their individuality like everyone else.

When my sister-in-law showed me she'd gotten one I still ran through all those things and I've known her for years. She's a great person, a RN and pretty well rounded but when I see the ink that's not the first thing I think.

If my DR. had one that was visible I'd get a new doctor. Nothing personal against him I'm just not willing to put myself in the hands of someone I consider to be making bad decisions about themselves.

closed-minded much?

[hoarsewhisperer]

geez I hate agreeing with Wordy, but....I do the same thing. I guess I'm guilty of pigeonholing. I don't think that makes me closed minded...just makes me more like everyone else. We ALL have our biases. First Impressions are exactly what they are: First Impressions.

We had the same rule in our house, NO tats until they are 18 and hopefully make more adult decisions about their bodies.

[wordsmythe]

Originally Posted by Sherry_Giskie

closed-minded much?

Read much?

[NoLongerInRadioGuy]

Originally Posted by wordsmythe

I see a tattoo and instantly think, criminal, what an interesting way to limit your life choices or HEY look they are trying to express their individuality like everyone else.

I see a tattoo and think...geez, wonder how much that cost!

I always wanted a tattoo...so, when I was about 22, I finally got one. I then I got another one when I was about 27. While I respect your point of view and you, of course, are entitled to think however you want about me because I have tats, let me respond....

1. criminal...if I was, I wouldnt have the job I do, although my wife says I did steal her heart...
2. limit my life choices...how so? my tats are on my biceps and dont show 24/7 for the world to see...
3. expressing my individuality like everyone else...everyone IS an individual. Tats dont make the person. I got my tats because they were cool tribal designs. I know others that get tats to memoralize family and friends. My best friend has one to signify his love of music and his own personal battles with alcohol. It shows a figure breaking out of a bottle with music notes around him.

While I would not go as far as to say you are close minded, I might say a little old fashioned. I am sure you have issues also with men wearing earrings or having long hair, which is your right. But I can tell you - tats mean a lot more to the person displaying them than the person looking at them.

[NoLongerInRadioGuy]

Originally Posted by hoarsewhisperer

We had the same rule in our house, NO tats until they are 18 and hopefully make more adult decisions about their bodies.

I totally respect and agree with the 18 year old part. But would you think less of your child if they did decide to get a tattoo? While you might not agree with their decision, surely you dont love them any less. I got my ear pierced when I was 18 - hey, it was 1991, it was the style - and it drove my mom nuts. But, she shook her head, knew I was able to make my own decisions, it didnt hurt anyone else, and let it go. She didnt understand it, but she knew I was still the same person she raised and that she had done a good job - now it was my turn to make decisions on my own.

[Detector]

Personally I have no problem with tattoos. Now as far as facial piercings, thats another subject.

Although I have no problem with tattoos, to think they don't limit your options in life is wrong. I can imagine any employer that thought they could have customers that would be offended by a tattoo would hesitate to hire someone with a tattoo(s). Not that the employer cares about a person with tattoos, but that for business sake they would avoid it.

Nothing personal, just smart business.

[Army_of_One]

I have no problem with tatoo's. I personally like one's that people get to express things they are interested in or things that have happened in their life. I have seem some extraordinary tatoo's and some stupid ones that someone's "friend did while they were drunk"....

I THINK that the big issue here as it was before is that in the PROFESSIONAL world the tatoo not be visible. While there ARE doctors and other professionals that have tatoo's I doubt if there are many with them on their hands/face/neck. For ME personally that's the line of stupidity. If I see someone with tatoo's crawling up their neck I start stereotyping. I KNOW it's a personal choice but it's also a personal choice for me to think "what a fool". My ex wife had 3 tat's all of which I liked but none could be seen unless she wanted them to.