Gingerninja

I think he's at Redemption most of the time now. @marley mission

I've been with my guy for 26 years - over half of my life. I was always crystal clear about my desire to be tattooed. My husband doesn't have tattoo's nor will he ever. But let me just say this...my tattoo's are proving to be better than Viagra. Huzzah!

18 hours ago, blueblur1997 said:

I might just go and check it out. I have an idea of what I want to get for my first tattoo...but nothing concrete yet. If I can get off work one of those days, I'll definitely swing by. Reading is only like a two hour drive for me. Who knows...maybe I'll walk away from there with my first tattoo ?.

It's an unique opportunity to see some of the great artists, get a vibe and just check out the scene in general. Most of the folks are booked in advance and only a few are doing walk ups. If you are on Instagram, check out their feed. pagodacitytattoofest. I think that you're perspective may shift after seeing some of these folks. Go slow and choose the right artist.

Here's another option - August 5-7 is the Pagoda City Tattoo Fest in Reading, PA. I think that's fairly close to you and would be a great way to see great artists doing what they do. You'd be able to get a sense of different styles. It's a small convention and pretty intimate (as far as conventions go). Check it out!

Teniele Sadd and Emily Rose Murray in Melbourne and Tan Van Den Broek in Victoria have done killer work on my friends.

Or the nasty crap from your lips in a fresh wound. @rufio

I bring a wad of cash. Give me art. Take my money. Make another appointment. Repeat cycle.

I wasn't into ladyheads for the longest time. And now, I totally want one.

I'm nailing the flower theme with roses. I only have one skull but have a sugar skull of my boxer but want more skulls. Did you all see the skull peonies that Rubendall posted the other day? Yeah, I want some of those!

That's a good idea! @pidjones I can guarantee this was full on Chapstick. It was the cross-contamination that grossed me out.

Kiku at Invisible NYC? You won't be disappointed. His work is so beautiful and distinctly Kiku. Bold, simple, stellar line work. The shop has a great vibe! Make sure to bring some candy (or sugar of your choice) to munch on/drink after an hour or so. Your adrenaline will most likely crash because you're so excited. :) Enjoy the process!!! @rayray115

I was a little horrified. @Devious6 

So this post isn't about my fresh tattoo but I saw something recently that made me cringe. I was at an aftershow about a month ago. This one chick had a fresh sleeve. She looked at it, pulled out her Chapstick then slathered it all over her arm...then applied it to her lips. How about we *not* do that. She had a purse and god knows that she had room for some lotion.

I get it! I'm thinking about other options for you, though. Since from your description, it sound like you are trying to solve for a specific spot, have you tried massage, caffeine creams? I know that it bothers you butt (pun intended), it may be worth a trip to the plastic surgeon/skin spa to see what other options are out there. As you know, you'll have to get a decent sized tattoo to cover up one area and since most women have cellulite, more may appear as you age... @Ladybird

Duuudee...he did an amazing job. @Wedge

Miss @Ladybird...do you have any other tattoos?

The pain is different for everyone @Throw Bones but the ribs definitely suck. I My recommendation is to NOT plan on more than four hours at one time. Personally, people who can do more than four hours at at one time are living legends. LOL. 

Upper rib cage about four inches down from my armpit. I felt exactly nothing for 2.5 hours Nothing. Nada. Zip.

I find that keeping my eyes open helps. When I close my eyes, I sink into my head. I'm a big fan of counting....I'll count anything and everything that I see. I'll also make myself identify every color that I see. I'm normally very fidgety, so staying still is uber hard for me pain or not.

My exact thoughts, too. @CABS

Enjoy it! Then start planning your next one...

And to think that I sat down to read this thread without my popcorn. I'll get my secretary (read husband) to fetch it for me. Good luck with the tattoo!

That's a fantastic story. Thanks for sharing! @bongsau

That SUCKS. They do not sound like a pro shop and frankly, they sound dangerous. Dolts that have lasers. @pidjones

I'm hoping that you're still feeling pretty f'ing awesome about jamming with your friends and icons. How did this show happen? I love these kind of stories. @bongsau