Colored Guy

I make each and every appointment in person. Some old school shops have a book and if you're a regular, they'll let you leaf through it and pick a date.

Signed & posted to FB.

Wow... having some removed so he can get a girl friend. Pretty hard for some of us with decent tattoos to get a girlfriend...

I'll skip the pits. My last work was right on the edge and that was bad enough.

Like anything else.. the doctor draws blood.. go to the dentist and you'll be in pain to some extent during or afterwards. But do you pass out ( I know people who do at doctor appointments), no. And you go back when you have to. Tattooing, same deal. You know it will hurt, small tattoo, small pain, big tattoo, big pain. I've seen people tap out from a ladybug tattoo the size of a pea. I've seen artists tap out before the client did. In the end, the human mind isn't able to recreate the sensation of pain. I find it to be more of a mental thing than a physical thing. It hurts, maybe a bit as it heals... but most of us do go back for more.

I know many artists who totally shun going out into the sun all year. Some of their work that is 5 years old or more, looks new. I know people (plainskins..) who are 65 and never get sun exposure due to the skin cancer scares they've heard about.. at age 65.. c'mon, live a bit... I tan easily and rarely burn, and I'm in the pool or on the beach all summer. I use a 30 to a 50 spf product, but some of my work does get darker as I tan. But come fall and winter, it gets bright as my tan fades. I believe that any burn is bad for the tattoo and anywhere else on the body, but you have to accept some consequences for what happens to your tattoo if you like to go out into the sun. I try to think of my sun exposure when I get a new tattoo, avoid fine line work also fine detail. I had a dark tattoo from 1979 that was practically a black and blue blob by 2012. It did cover up nicely with new work.

I had two tattoos recently not heal well in some areas, both looked close to being infected. One was towards my elbow ditch and the other on the opposite arm low on the inner bicep. The skin was actually cracked. I did follow the after-care instructions as I always do. No pus or anything, just took a long time to heal completely. Now after a couple of weeks, both areas look perfect, line work and color are fine. - - - Updated - - - More than likely, what you see is normal. And don't be surprised if it goes for a 2nd peel, but much lighter.

My mom liked tattoos, but she was always good about everything as long as it wasn't harmful to me... then why was she my biggest fan when I boxed as a kid? My dad was far more conservative and reserved than she was.

One artist I know had a long session with a visiting artist in NYC earlier this year. Did the whole tattoo in one 8 hour sitting... a bit too much for me, but that's the deal when you only have access to that artist for a day.

My luck should run that good.. but I do attract some lively ladies in the gym, too bad they're all over 75...

Nice when the tattoo comes in under budget. I think the artists want you to come back and don't want all of your $$ at once. I'm sure they lay jedi-mind-tricks on customers all the time.

Most shops will tell you their hour hourly rate up front, so much the 1st hour and a bit less after is the norm by me. I always have a general idea of what it will cost me, but I end up bringing a cushion in case we run an extra hour or so. I've been with the same shop for a long time, I've been using a new artist this year who did some nice work on my son. I find it best to get in with an artist that is easy to work with and you wind up with a good deal in the end.

Cut the living piss out of my left thumb while working on my car almost 2 weeks ago. Took off a big flap of skin off the back of it, just south of the knuckle. I was cleaning out the windshield channel and got caught on something sharp. It was borderline infected too. Doing better these past few days though, still keep it wrapped up when I'm working.

I'll admit to doing some crazy shit while drinking.. this takes it to another level.

All tattoos are totally bitchin' for the 1st month.. then the decline starts. Unless you're an albino and never see the sun. I had one done in 1978 redone and expanded on in 2008, looks 110% fresh. I had some work done around it this year, the artist touched up some of the colors that the sun pulls out of me (red, yellow, orange). Looks great again and nobody believes the OG ones were done 35-37 years ago. So with a little creativity and a good artist, there is hope for older tattoo work. The sun is the worst enemy of tattoo work.

My wife was a big shot in local banking and finance for years and I've been to quite a few parties and events along the way for her job. Most of the time, suits or a tux were required, other more casual times I wore a long sleeved dress shirt and dress pants. Once some people she worked with saw I had some tattoo work, they came out of the woodwork and showed me theirs. One run of management there had a no-visible-ink at work campaign going. I think one girl was fired since she had so many that were hard to cover up completely. I always had them covered when I went to my kid's school events. Some parents knew, but it didn't matter to them. I had one complaint from a parent when my kids were in scouts and I was an outdoor coordinator. The scout master blew her off since her fine example of a husband was in prison for drug dealing. My take on snotty people, they always have to take sides against someone, maybe it would be your house, your car or something else. Rise above it. My wife wasn't crazy about my tattoo obsession, but it was more from a $$ viewpoint than anything. I never took a cent out of the household for a tattoo either.

I'd say go with Purple Drank if you can find some codeine cough medicine. Puts your head in the right place. I had an appointment back in 2010, me and my wife had real bad colds, she was on nebulizer treatments. Mine morphed into a wicked sinus infection. I had gotten steroid shots to help me kick it. We were also getting ready to go to California right after my tattoo session. I was going to my appointment even if I was in a body bag. I just loaded up on CVS brand cough syrup prior to my appointment and I got through it.

I was having something done on the back of my left upper arm just 2 weeks ago, right on top of the tricep muscle. The artist said anywhere you have dense muscle, that is one of those areas on some people. And going back Friday to finish up the background.

I work with 2 people that are now disabled out permanently. One with fibro, this had a quick onset and she was out within a couple of weeks of the diagnosis. The other, also a lady started with psoriasis while on a trip out west, came out of nowhere. This was soon followed by RA. Really took both of them down quickly. If you can manage to keep on working with something like this as well getting tattooed, more power to you.

I'm finding that areas where I have dense muscle, like the back of my triceps, can be almost as bad as the armpit.

I do suffer from terminal flatulence, but do avoid gassy foods prior to my tattoo appointments....

- - - Updated - - - Just finished my lunch.. thanks...

Shoot, I just turned 60 and I'm still in the game. I have had old faded work done over, same tattoo just with a new paint job and they look great. I've had older work expanded upon. I've broken new ground this year too. So aging tattoos.. a total cop out.

Man.. the Chinese restaurant next to the shop I go to had a bad fire a few weeks ago.. now what?

I get lower back spasms every few years. Absolutely crippling at times. In my case, a cold draft (not the drinking type..) can kick it off. Stepping off a curb the wrong way too. I do have to watch the way I sit on couches and soft chairs. My car seat has great lumbar support. I really effed it up doing a tile floor in my bathroom in 1999. To do the grouting, I had to keep giving the sponges to my wife to rinse out & bring back to me. Once down on the floor, there was no getting back up.