Colored Guy

I would dig up examples of what you want and bring it with you to the appointment. I bring tattoo books, pix off the web, art books as well. Rob

Things on the lower leg tend to heal slower for some people, I think it may take a bit longer and you'll be fine. I have vascular damage on my right lower leg from an old gunshot wound. Everything is slow to heal from ink to bug bites. I was told I may need a vein transplant or something else done down the road. Rob

Let it heal and go back to the artist for a professional opinion. Rob

I've come full-circle with it. I had tattoos that I wasn't crazy about showing my parents, but I did and never hid them. My mom was one of my biggest fans and loved them.. dad.. not so much. But he had a very strict upbringing. So now I am the parent. My oldest son doesn't have any since he's almost always broke. My youngest is inked, he works and makes a decent wage. But he has some of those $25 gems on him that he doesn't show us. I only found out by chance. He knows that I'd have something to say about him getting cut-rate tattoos by apprentices. I only hope they weren't done in someone's kitchen or bedroom... Rob

MY sister in law was over the other night, she's a big shot in commercial banking and we were talking tattoos, as she has a few small ones. She mentioned that her boss noticed that she still had the one showing on her ankle, like he didn't approve. She does deal directly with clients every day, I'll have to ask if anyone of them ever said anything to her directly. Rob

Some parts of a couple aren't into it at all. My wife says she will never get one, but she likes them on me. My brother has none, but his wife has a few and is getting more. It would be nice to have a partner that you can share it with though. Rob

I can't open the link at work so I'll check it later. I see a lot of people 50 and older at tattoo shops now. I plan to keep going and I'm only 59, got a lot of space to fill in.

Thanks. Last year in a matter of 3 weeks, my dad passed away and my wife had major cancer surgery, so I was spread real thin and couldn't be in 2 places at the same time. Now my dear wife is in chemo and hitting a rough patch but is expected to rally from it.

<3 a cat with a good purr....

I was once getting close to my appointment and came down with a bad sinus infection. It was pretty much over by the time I took to the chair but I was worried I'd have to postpone it. I was on antibiotics for 10 days and over it but still a little weaker than usual. I'm on a roll for the past couple of years with things that may or has derailed my appointment. Food poisoning, death in the family, wife in surgery, etc. Rob

He can probably still hold his own tattooing but really comes off as total elitist-scum on the show. Not that many of the contestants are great artists by any means. They're probably chosen by their douche factor (and going along with the format of the show) over any tattooing talent they may possess.

Honestly, based on appearance and how some of these artists conduct themselves on the show, I'd probably not consider getting anything done by 90% of them. Sausage has done some real nice work on the shows I saw of this season, but I agree...get a real name. Rob

There are people who I purposely don't tell what shops I go to.

My sister inlaw's father had the numbers on him too. Supposedly he was experimented on... I don't know what's worse, that or being dead. Rob

Family gatherings can be weird. On my wife's side, NOBODY is inked. Most of them are real stick-up-the-ass people except for my wife and her nephew. Her brothers & sister... they don't know anyone with a tattoo practically. On my side, almost everyone has a tattoo or more. My one son has about 7, nephews and neices have a bunch, some of the adults as well. My sister's husband is fairly covered with shit work from years back. He's too cheap to get any of them freshened up. So I look good next to him. Rob

I have 2 guys I've known for years at work.... one in January comes down with a major brain tumor, surgery & the works, hear he's doing well but no idea when he's back, if he comes back. The other age 64 or so... suffers a massive stroke in his sleep this past weekend, not expected to come out of it. And these guys sat ACROSS the aisle from each other. Rob - - - Updated - - - Thanks all. Been a real tough road this past month, we thought she was making progress and was back to work almost like normal. Now they have her on a way more aggressive chemo that is taking its toll. We were at Sloan Kettering yesterday from 10-3:30 getting her hydrated, etc. They gave her better pain medication (better than mine...) to take, changed up the anti-nausea medications, gave her some steroids so she can actually eat. It turns out that she does have LTD at work, so she's getting a normal check for staying home, we just found this out. I really don't want her even thinking about working until she gets a lot better. Rob

I have a good support group with family and friends, but am planning on some tattoo work within the next month.

I've just been buried at work with bullshit politics and taking care of my wife who has pancreatic cancer. I make good money and all, have great benefits, etc., but everything is wearing on me. Just hoping for a better outcome with everything. Rob

I wonder what people think of my ink sometimes, I see a lot of people with just incredible things on them. I may be too critical on myself though. I'm in the process of changing shops right now that will take me to the next level. I really don't think bad of anyone with terrible tattoos on them, maybe they're happy with them or don't know any better. Rob

Lots of crazy shit used to go down in shops years back. Drug deals, dog fighting, you name it. I've been at shops that were closed to the public for the night while they inked up a chapter of the 81 or Pagans. And nobody leaves until everyone gets their tattoo, especially the artist who was expected to pull an all-nighter. Some shops, you'd pull up for your appointment and no artist.. the shop was closed up tight, go back the next day, same thing. I've seen shops closed, reopen the next week, new name, all new people, new flash and they sure as hell wouldn't honor anything that I had in progress even if it was paid up. Rob

I got a shot for something a couple of years back in my upper arm. The nurse comes back to see where to place the little bandaid... looks and looks for the mark. I told her to forget it, it wasn't bleeding anyway.

Over the past 30 odd years I've seen the trade become a lot more professional from how the shops are run to how the artist carries him or herself and deals with the customers. There is really no room for anyone to be harassed or made uncomfortable. Word does get around these days a lot faster though. Rob

I don't even think you can say something out loud regarding someone's tattoos at work. At least not something derogatory. We had someone in supervision say something to a tattooed contract worker we had working with us about his ink. The guy says nothing, but filed a complaint through his agency and the supervisor wound up with a reaming.

The worst possible that I've seen... wow. Rob

I hadn't owned a cat in about 35 years, pets make any thread great.