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pinboy3niner

(53,339 posts)

21. It's only when I became an old fart that I felt safe to get tattoos

Thu Oct 23, 2014, 11:26 AM

Oct 2014

I'd never wanted to deface my body before, not even when I was in the Army.

It was only decades later, at a Vietnam vets' reunion, that I had occasion to think again about it. I was sitting with a half dozen buddies when one proposed that we all go together to the tattoo tent and get inked. It suddenly occurred to me: Who's going to see it now? My mortician?

So I got a couple on the shoulders, under the shirtsleeves. The red dragon/green bamboo design of the Vietnam Service Medal on one shoulder and the Screaming Eagle insignia of my unit on the other. Just a little something to entertain the folks when they're embalming me.

Oh, and the tattoo artist couldn't do us all that day, so I volunteered to wait until the next day, the last day of the reunion. So (and I never told my buddies this) I got mine for half price.

And we were all stone cold sober when we agreed to do it.

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Man feels misled, frustrated that tattoos cost him job [View all] n2doc Oct 2014 OP

Dress code violations that can't be changed... pipoman Oct 2014 #1

In Brooklyn Dorian Gray Oct 2014 #84

Tats are prolific on the west coast too.. pipoman Oct 2014 #97

The age thing is probably Dorian Gray Oct 2014 #113

I made sure all my tattoo's aren't visible Revanchist Oct 2014 #2

Maybe they fired him for not being able to predict the obvious. nt Nuclear Unicorn Oct 2014 #3

He could apply for a job at hot topic Travis_0004 Oct 2014 #4

or trader joe's lame54 Oct 2014 #14

Or Whole Foods Liberal In Texas Oct 2014 #26

or the Harley-Davidson dealership/parts supplier Blue_Tires Oct 2014 #74

It's always amusing when people who look like the Illustrated Man wonder why they aren't hired. Vinca Oct 2014 #5

Yeah, giant gauges are the dumbest adornment of all IMO pipoman Oct 2014 #99

The mistake here isn't tattoos. It's the TV station deciding to run with this after he contacted it. Brickbat Oct 2014 #6

I need to agree with you here. :-) n/t seaglass Oct 2014 #16

They'll run with anything that will get views... Lancero Oct 2014 #25

His confusion over this matter is a sign the company made a good call. NCTraveler Oct 2014 #7

His confusion seems warranted: morningfog Oct 2014 #9

As in many businesses they often use the "legal" excuse not to hire someone. NCTraveler Oct 2014 #11

What an entitled idiot. eom TransitJohn Oct 2014 #8

He needs to re ink his position. kairos12 Oct 2014 #10

:) pinboy3niner Oct 2014 #20

lol Sparhawk60 Oct 2014 #89

Tattoos look terrible to me but then I am an upaloopa Oct 2014 #12

Right there with ya. As long as they don't screw with me I could care less about appearance. raouldukelives Oct 2014 #13

I've never seen a tattoo that enhanced anybody's looks (in my worthless opinion, of course) Arugula Latte Oct 2014 #15

I have once tabbycat31 Oct 2014 #18

You can't imagine... Erich Bloodaxe BSN Oct 2014 #31

Oh Jesus. AngryOldDem Oct 2014 #87

Wow. Those are disgusting on a visceral, molecular level. hifiguy Oct 2014 #112

Well, I'm not entirely sure they're not just photoshop, actually ;) Erich Bloodaxe BSN Oct 2014 #120

I don't have tattoos Erich Bloodaxe BSN Oct 2014 #30

It's only when I became an old fart that I felt safe to get tattoos pinboy3niner Oct 2014 #21

Ha. 50% off is great anytime. In_The_Wind Oct 2014 #34

A couple of guys got the Purple Heart tattoo in the vivid color ink they have now pinboy3niner Oct 2014 #46

Two good choices. In_The_Wind Oct 2014 #50

I've never understood the purple heart blackcrowflies Oct 2014 #62

The point is to recognize sacrifice pinboy3niner Oct 2014 #64

I think... GummyBearz Oct 2014 #65

Sigh. More French bashing. thucythucy Oct 2014 #109

"always seems out of place on a progressive site" Completely agree. FSogol Oct 2014 #110

Excellent post, through and through. nt Hekate Oct 2014 #117

Old fart here myself, and I agree. phylny Oct 2014 #85

I hear this, 'imagine how it will look when the person is old' pipoman Oct 2014 #101

I don't give a shit, either, and yes, people have phylny Oct 2014 #119

I'm of the generation that has tattoos tabbycat31 Oct 2014 #17

Of coarse some people get them to make a statement, most get them for very personal reasons pipoman Oct 2014 #103

Ink embedded in the skin. JEB Oct 2014 #19

Never understood why anyone would get highly visible tattoos. FLPanhandle Oct 2014 #22

Wear a long-sleeve shirt, Cletus. True Blue Door Oct 2014 #23

That was my first thought. tammywammy Oct 2014 #29

I am a moderately old goat hifiguy Oct 2014 #24

also old...I associate tatoos with hepatitis risk... HereSince1628 Oct 2014 #27

I associate tattoos with old people Retrograde Oct 2014 #78

I am considering irisblue Oct 2014 #28

Right there with you. azmom Oct 2014 #59

I guess I'm really getting old, because I just don't care if someone has ink REP Oct 2014 #32

I agree laundry_queen Oct 2014 #98

Well, that's one way to get yourself politically involved... TeeYiYi Oct 2014 #33

If he's serious hifiguy Oct 2014 #38

if employers practiced that policy in my town, G_j Oct 2014 #35

Ha! nt ZombieHorde Oct 2014 #37

I always try to keep the small mindedness of others in mind ZombieHorde Oct 2014 #36

How you choose to look is part of character Lee-Lee Oct 2014 #39

What method should a person use to determine what is true? nt ZombieHorde Oct 2014 #43

It then begs the question, what specifically does a tattoo say one's character? LanternWaste Oct 2014 #47

That's a red herring, of course. Orrex Oct 2014 #52

Still considered unprofessional my many, me included. nt Logical Oct 2014 #55

When you work for a company, how you present yourself matters. Adrahil Oct 2014 #67

Yes, because so many people are small minded. ZombieHorde Oct 2014 #71

To be fair, so do you. Orrex Oct 2014 #95

I agree that uniforms communicate an assumed role. ZombieHorde Oct 2014 #111

For the record, Orrex blood is delicious. (nt) Orrex Oct 2014 #115

I know. ZombieHorde Oct 2014 #116

Waiting for retirement GOLGO 13 Oct 2014 #40

Certain communities are more progressive than others. dilby Oct 2014 #41

Hell, I thought tattoos were de riguer in Bakersfield. kestrel91316 Oct 2014 #42

My SIL has a *ton* of tattoos -- over 100 at last count. woodsprite Oct 2014 #44

One of my friend's saw a guy bend over Jenoch Oct 2014 #45

The tattoo taboo is rapidly failing Johonny Oct 2014 #48

Pretty much what my 19 year azmom Oct 2014 #53

Tattoos are a sign of poor judgment Man from Pickens Oct 2014 #56

LOL, you can't be serious azmom Oct 2014 #57

I am quite serious Man from Pickens Oct 2014 #61

LOL Iggo Oct 2014 #60

I know of an incident in which Jenoch Oct 2014 #66

Kind of like short skirts are tight fitting pants right? dilby Oct 2014 #76

I'm kind of surprised by azmom Oct 2014 #77

I am not, the older generation equate tattoos to loose morals and criminal activity. dilby Oct 2014 #79

Really? Exactly Which Generation? ProfessorGAC Oct 2014 #88

You're not your generation. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Oct 2014 #93

Wow, Was That Convenient ProfessorGAC Oct 2014 #102

No, sadly, you don't. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Oct 2014 #104

I still say that about Elvis... He was awful! ;) Adrahil Oct 2014 #91

Where? the 909/951? Sen. Walter Sobchak Oct 2014 #73

well, once all the superstar athletes started getting them Blue_Tires Oct 2014 #75

Here is a similar story about a trainee teacher IcyPeas Oct 2014 #49

Another case of, "you didn't see that coming?" Adrahil Oct 2014 #68

I don't have tattoos but my children do bowens43 Oct 2014 #51

Our company will not allow visible tattoos. I agree with the policy. nt Logical Oct 2014 #54

Depending where you're at pipoman Oct 2014 #105

Well, seems not to be a problem now. 150 applicants for every opening. But this is a professional.. Logical Oct 2014 #118

oh, you said visible tattoos pipoman Oct 2014 #121

If they don't show in business clothes we don't care. nt Logical Oct 2014 #123

all he needs is long sleeves and some consealer makeup for the neck tats. Liberal_in_LA Oct 2014 #58

I've never seen a tattoo that wasn't ugly. blackcrowflies Oct 2014 #63

This guy got struck by lightening and his scar (which looks like a tattoo) is very cool riderinthestorm Oct 2014 #82

I certainly have, even though they are not my thing. Adrahil Oct 2014 #90

Here is one of the two worst tattoos I've ever seen. Jenoch Oct 2014 #69

I presume this is the other one... JHB Oct 2014 #94

Actually, I was referrng to the son of the Jenoch Oct 2014 #122

He's living in the wrong city or applying for the wrong jobs. hunter Oct 2014 #70

The article said he was applying for work in the medical field cemaphonic Oct 2014 #80

What's really funny is that the same people who demand that Phil Robertson has a "right" alp227 Oct 2014 #72

My company wouldn't hire someone with a... Adrahil Oct 2014 #92

Yeah that is the reason not whistler162 Oct 2014 #81

Hi, I'm here for the interview Revanchist Oct 2014 #83

those will look really awesome when he 60... ileus Oct 2014 #86

You can sure tell.. sendero Oct 2014 #96

When my daughter entered college, we were warned by the college prez Maeve Oct 2014 #107

Did he think that tattoos would help him find work? SoCalDem Oct 2014 #100

Irony... pipoman Oct 2014 #106

Those of you who sit and judge him CreekDog Oct 2014 #108

I wouldn't mind PasadenaTrudy Oct 2014 #114