General Discussion

sir pball

(4,766 posts) Fri Mar 17, 2023, 12:10 PM Mar 2023

Your tattoo is (probably) not as meaningful as you think it is. [View all]

https://xkcd.com/933/

My wife has probably $10k of ink from one of the best artists in NYC; her most treasured tats are the targeting dots from her cervical cancer treatment. She did have them adorned into little radiation trefoils, it's super cute, but the sentiment remains. Nothing her artist has done or ever will do can compare to those four dots.

81 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Your tattoo is (probably) not as meaningful as you think it is. [View all] sir pball Mar 2023 OP

such a strong generational aspect of this, I suspect NewHendoLib Mar 2023 #1

I dunno, my dad is 75 and a lot of his cohorts are inked. sir pball Mar 2023 #3

perhaps. Peer group? Regional stuff? NewHendoLib Mar 2023 #4

Dad lives in a CCRC in Southern Florida. sir pball Mar 2023 #6

Medical marijuana in Florida is exceptional. rubbersole Mar 2023 #30

Somewhat older than you, grew up in the military all over the country. No tats. niyad Mar 2023 #7

Way, way back in the day I worked at Disney. BlackSkimmer Mar 2023 #16

It used to have strong class connotations Happy Hoosier Mar 2023 #39

I've a couple of years on you and have no interest either. yonder Mar 2023 #35

its amazing how the tattoo wave swept the planet Blues Heron Mar 2023 #2

Probably less than you'd think sir pball Mar 2023 #5

I think the curve would look exponential Blues Heron Mar 2023 #9

Pretty much anti-tattoo. LakeArenal Mar 2023 #8

I'm with you Arenal Captain Zero Mar 2023 #11

Tattoos on Math old as dirt Mar 2023 #10

tzi the Iceman: The famous frozen mummy multigraincracker Mar 2023 #12

Tattoos are not right for me. I made it through the Navy without getting one. Chainfire Mar 2023 #13

College isn't necessarily about curriculum. LakeArenal Mar 2023 #15

Good artist can charge over $200 an hour for their work. Trenzalore Mar 2023 #20

"Who woulda thunk it?" Mariana Mar 2023 #57

Love to hear it. Thanks. Hortensis Mar 2023 #14

More than half of the men and women that go to the gym I go to have tattoos. friend of a friend Mar 2023 #17

Not-really-minor quibble: I'm disappointed to see xkcd use the incorrect "bicep". DavidDvorkin Mar 2023 #18

Obligatory Van Halen song in 3, 2, 1... keep_left Mar 2023 #19

TMI has two meanings for me. roamer65 Mar 2023 #21

A long time ago I read the Massachusetts tattoo law jmowreader Mar 2023 #22

Is it a competition? meadowlander Mar 2023 #23

I almost got a tattoo once. iscooterliberally Mar 2023 #24

in 20 yers they will probably as unliked as your dads shorts........ getagrip_already Mar 2023 #25

Tattoos are gross BannonsLiver Mar 2023 #26

Suspect these queens are too busy being fabulous to give a shit. meadowlander Mar 2023 #27

The top one is particularly interesting. Ms. Toad Mar 2023 #31

Thanks for proving my point. BannonsLiver Mar 2023 #36

Yes, just not the one you think you're making. meadowlander Mar 2023 #45

+1 nt Tree-Hugger Mar 2023 #48

Thank you. Ms. Toad Mar 2023 #49

Message auto-removed Name removed Mar 2023 #71

All my siblings have tattoos. I don't, I'm just scared of needles. hunter Mar 2023 #40

I did that once . . . Ms. Toad Mar 2023 #47

To each their own, but basically I agree Silent3 Mar 2023 #42

"I try not to be too judgemental about it..." Mariana Mar 2023 #56

+100000 Celerity Mar 2023 #61

To cheer on that comment shows you also clearly missed my point. Silent3 Mar 2023 #65

No, I don't think I'm fooling anyone. I meant to point out that my efforts fail. n/t Silent3 Mar 2023 #64

I got my first one in 1991, more than 30 years ago Withywindle Mar 2023 #72

I thinking of getting tattoos.... usedtobedemgurl Mar 2023 #81

Interesting. Ms. Toad Mar 2023 #28

A good tattoo is art, get it and wear it proudly. sir pball Mar 2023 #60

I'm just at the 2-year mark Ms. Toad Mar 2023 #68

Hey, I didn't get my dots when I had radiation therapy. I feel cheated alfredo Mar 2023 #29

I got dots, but they didn't use them. n/t Ms. Toad Mar 2023 #32

So gangsta of you. alfredo Mar 2023 #37

It is kind of fun to watch the expressions of folks who know me Ms. Toad Mar 2023 #43

They call it street cred alfredo Mar 2023 #46

I Got Dots RobinA Mar 2023 #41

I'm with you. phylny Mar 2023 #44

You can have them removed alfredo Mar 2023 #79

this , lydia ,the tattoed lady marx bros . AllaN01Bear Mar 2023 #33

Live and let live, people Beaverhausen Mar 2023 #34

I loved watching those tattoo competition TV shows that were popular a few years ago IcyPeas Mar 2023 #38

My body, my choice Tree-Hugger Mar 2023 #50

+100000 Celerity Mar 2023 #62

I've never understood tattoos (other than those described in the cartoon). How do you decide Vinca Mar 2023 #51

Well . . . at 46 years out from that 20-year old Ms. Toad Mar 2023 #52

Funny You Brought Up Not Wearing... ProfessorGAC Mar 2023 #67

I guess we can only hope meadowlander Mar 2023 #53

Some people will seize on anything to make themselves feel superior. Mariana Mar 2023 #55

my BIL has this on his phone cover Celerity Mar 2023 #59

Love it meadowlander Mar 2023 #66

Tattos are so common and mainstream now Withywindle Mar 2023 #73

You guys have really blown my remarks all out of proportion. I'm honestly just wondering how Vinca Mar 2023 #74

Because your comment was really, really judgemental obamanut2012 Mar 2023 #76

You can tattoo a spider on your forehead for all I care. Sheesh. Get a grip. Vinca Mar 2023 #78

oh brother obamanut2012 Mar 2023 #75

Well this went sideways sir pball Mar 2023 #54

A tattoo is as meaningful as the person who has them gives them. Pathwalker Mar 2023 #58

The earth, sun and moon on my upper back would disagree. sarcasmo Mar 2023 #63

I'm well over 70 and I have no tats. Scottie Mom Mar 2023 #69

I don't have any tattoos Texasgal Mar 2023 #70

Was there an animal he loved? A place? A flower? A holiday? obamanut2012 Mar 2023 #77

I don't care for tattoos Retrograde Mar 2023 #80