Anybody Got A Good Explaination For This Question?

[dari]

Once I was out to dinner, actually sitting at the counter in Chow where we had the last LST get together. I was with a girlfriend who was maybe 22, very cute, with huge iris' on her chest. An older man came up and said, "Can I ask you a question?" He never even said the word "tattoo," she yelled at him with great disgust, "no, go away, I'm trying to enjoy my dinner." At the time, I thought she was over re-acting, now I don't. She was young and hot, and this dirty old man wanted an excuse to talk to her and stare at her boobs. Tattoos are not invitations.

On the other hand, on the last long flight I was on, I ended up talking to two people who will never, ever get tattooed, but they were so nice and so respectful that I even let one take pictures on her iphone for her son. Seriously. (And I'm sure he was horrified to learn that his mom was taking pictures of someone's tattoos on a plane for him.) I think it really depends on the person's motivation and their approach, and how burnt out the person is who's being asked. When I lived in SF, I was so tired of people asking me for spare change that I started telling every one of them that "change comes from within."

As far as asking about cost, that super annoying. The last time I got tattoo questions was about 2 weeks ago at 7:30 am when I was pumping gas. He said something like "Blah, blah, blah, tattoo, blah, colorful, blah, nice, blah, how much did it cost?" I just want to stress that this was at 7:30 in the morning. I might often be more polite or helpful with my response, but I just said, "It was free." This was the wrong thing to say, because he then offered "My girlfriend's cousin's friend" (yes I'm serious) "is going to give me a whole half sleeve for only $200."

"Oh yeah, where?"

"At his house."

"Dude, don't do that, go to a real shop."

"No, he used to own his own shop, just doesn't want to deal with paying rent and all that anymore."

And then I realized, it's 7 fucking thirty in the morning, why am I having this fucking conversation?

"Okay, dude, good luck."

What I'm saying, is that for me, I really try to take into consideration the sincerity of the person asking. I've also been on the snub end of the question side. At the beginning of a workshop with a visiting yoga superstar, I noticed tattoos on a guy in front of me for a couple of reasons. One being that he only had three, they were all the same bird in different flight positions, and the placement on his body was cool. The other reason was that they looked familiar, and I had a vague recollection of Scott drawing a similar bird, and I thought perhaps my husband had done them. I asked something like "Can I ask who did your tattoos?" He curtly and dismissively replied "We'll chat after class." Okay, nevermind, you don't seem like the kind of person I'd enjoy chatting with. I wish I had thrown in "Peace out, homo," but I had not yet heard the wise words of Sir Blaze A Lot.

[Ursula]

Tattoos are not invitations.

Now if only everyone else alive could figure that out we'd be set!

One of the best things I ever had happen was I was in a chili's or some place like that with my also heavily tattooed attractive female friend and her father. These two dirt bag looking guys came up and tried to talk to us using the tattoos as an in. Before they could even finish their first sentence my friend's dad looked at them and very aggressively told them to "turn the fuck around and don't even try talking to these two young women". The dirt bags were shocked into silence and walked away with confused looks. All I could do was thank him for saving me from a conversation I really wasn't interested in having.

I mean, if I had a tattoo on my forehead that said "hey i'm a huge slut and you shouldn't respect me" I'd understand the reactions I get from what is mostly men. What I don't get is how having tattoos can make someone who dresses very modestly, doesn't wear whore paint for makeup and doesn't frequent nightclubs, look like I'm going to be like o.k. cool you have tattoos too that means we should bang. This one time a guy on the bus said to me "If I asked to see all your tattoos would you get naked right now". Yeah asshole, I'm gonna take all my clothes off on a bus where I am a)the only female and b)the only white person, good idea dude, cause chicks with tattoos like getting harassed and raped. This is a topic I could probably rant about for at least an hour, I'll spare you all that hour though cause I know you've all had the same things happen to you.

[Tight-Lines]

@dari you have to combined Sir Blaze A Lots quote into one word or else it doesn't count and shows disrespect to his character.

For the subject though... I can easily tell if/when people are being sincere about asking to see my tattoos. If its in a grocery store or anywhere really public, I have no issue telling the person where I got them done and that you should go check out the shop. Its when people start asking me about what they mean and why I got them. I, like most of us LST-ers think tattoos are very personal even though they are often there for the world to see.

My favorite though is if its a nice day and Im running shirtless (Yep, im that dude). All the old people around my running trail stare at me like im the fucking devil. All you can do is laugh at silly people like that.

[Duffa]

I wish I had thrown in "Peace out, homo," but I had not yet heard the wise words of Sir Blaze A Lot.

@dari you have to combined Sir Blaze A Lots quote into one word or else it doesn't count and shows disrespect to his character.

@dari - this is still making me lol, its early but this may make 'quote of the week' status. It'd be a shoe in if it was all spelt into one word though ;)

[Tight-Lines]

Seriously... I typed "combined" in that sentence. Grammar at 5am is no bueno.

[sleepy mel]

my other half and I ended up talking about tattoos in the supermarket with a lovely builder who,d got his arms and legs done at into you it was a really nice chat

[gougetheeyes]

For the subject though... I can easily tell if/when people are being sincere about asking to see my tattoos.

Yep, and it can turn out to be a very pleasant chat, like @sleepy mel mentioned. Had a dude come in the bar, pretty covered, he started asking me about my tattoos, and we just started talking. Turns out he was in town with his lady and some friends to visit and get tattooed.

[CaptCanada]

Had a dude come in the bar, pretty covered, he started asking me about my tattoos, and we just started talking. Turns out he was in town with his lady and some friends to visit and get tattooed.

That is one good thing about working in a bar. When someone comes in and has tattoos in a visible place I'll polity look at them while they talk to other people or watch tv... Sometimes start talking to them about tattoos, asking who did them and what not. If its a slow day Ill take a few tattoo magazines or books that I have back behind the bar and bull shit for a little bit. But most of the time I'll just look unless they seem like they are cool with talking with strangers.

[Johnny]

I'll have you know, I was in Fort Myers this weekend and went to a grocery store. There was a guy in the line in front of me with some beautiful art on his arm. I wanted to tell him the looked great but I couldnt remember what I was allowed to say so I just didnt say anything.

I completely forgot I was supposed to ask him if he was totally drunk when he got them. :)

[Jake]

My favorite though is if its a nice day and Im running shirtless (Yep, im that dude). All the old people around my running trail stare at me like im the fucking devil. All you can do is laugh at silly people like that.

Three words: gym locker room. Get the whole gamut of different looks there.