Tattoos..

[Ruthie Holiday]

Ok, I have to vent about this..

They (the local morning show, who I really get a kick out of most of the time) did a segment about the rash amount of people getting Obama-oriented tattoos. It was a cool, interesting little piece in which they had interview a gentleman getting an Obama portrait on his leg. He said that he wanted it to remember being apart of history fifty years from now. Sharita Hutton made a comment when they cut back to the anchors that in fifty years, his tattoos would be old, wrinkley and you wouldn't be able to tell what they were anyhow.

As an avid collector of tattoos, aspiring apprentice and someone with even just a knowledge of the subject, it irked me to hear this said. People's perception on how tattoos age are based off of the tattoos they've seen on sixty and seventy year old men, most of which recieved their tattoos in the service (a lot of those over seas) or sun-soaked bikers who have never opened a bottle of sunscreen, let alone taken the time to cover their tattoos. Machines today are improved, the ink is improved, practice, sterilization are all improved as well. Simply taking care of your skin and the ink underneath will keep your tattoo looking just as good over the years.

People ask me and my boyfriend, who is quite decorated, "What about when your fifty and sixty years old?" Our answer? When I get to that age, I'm going to be worrying about retirement, my grandkids, getting shorter while my pants get higher and NOT DYING...not how my tattoos look to other people.

It's a question, much like "Did that hurt?", "How long/much?", and my favorite statement "You're going to regret those." Most often uttered by perfect strangers..who have tribal armbands.

[Wink Holliday]

My first tattoo is going on 8 years old now, and looks almost as good as the day I got it. A little faded perhaps, but I'm terrible about moisturizing. Don't let it get you down... but maybe send a note to the folks at the morning show letting them know that with proper care, a tattoo WON'T age like they so glibly noted. Educate them! Heck, invite them to come down to the shop where you apprentice. Free advertising for the shop, and an education for the folks out in TV land.