Tattoos
I've had to explain my tattoos twice this weekend. Not that I mind. Friday night it was amongst girls and they found my explanation/story behind both sleeves interesting/intriguing/insightful and wondered aloud why more guys couldn't/wouldn't think like I do. I thought that was interesting.
And then today, while working at the gym (Planet Fitness), an old man came up to the desk after working out and said the following:
"Do you mind if I ask you something? And I hope you don't get offended."
"Sure."
"I saw your tattoos and I was just wondering why? What would compel you to do that? Is it some kind of macho-thing? I'm just wondering."
(Yeah, why would I get offended? Right? I suppose it's all in the delivery. But, again, me being me, it takes a lot more to offend me. In fact I don't think it's possible to offend me.)
My reply.
"It's certainly not a macho-thing. Everyone who knows me can certify that I am the least macho guy around, and I don't pretend to be. I teach 1st grade, by the way."
"What is it then?"
"I guess I've always seen it as the way to best express thoughts I have that carry meaning behind them. Both arms come from conversations in the past. And in fact, I get tattoos to really show people that the stigma behind guys, in particular, with tattoos don't necessarily have be inmates/prisoners or bikers or anything else attached to it."
Then he proceeded to tell me about a trip he had taken where he stayed at some kind of commune where the "leader" was covered, every inch, with tattoos and he has always been reminded of that experience, whenever he sees people like that.
"When I started doing it, everyone would ask 'what about when you're 60 or 70 and wrinkly?' to which I would reply, when you're young you tend to not think that far ahead into the future. I just know that it looks good now. That's all that matters. Here."
"Well, I was just wondering. And thank you for sharing."
"Have a great day."
Man, gotta love older people!
And then today, while working at the gym (Planet Fitness), an old man came up to the desk after working out and said the following:
"Do you mind if I ask you something? And I hope you don't get offended."
"Sure."
"I saw your tattoos and I was just wondering why? What would compel you to do that? Is it some kind of macho-thing? I'm just wondering."
(Yeah, why would I get offended? Right? I suppose it's all in the delivery. But, again, me being me, it takes a lot more to offend me. In fact I don't think it's possible to offend me.)
My reply.
"It's certainly not a macho-thing. Everyone who knows me can certify that I am the least macho guy around, and I don't pretend to be. I teach 1st grade, by the way."
"What is it then?"
"I guess I've always seen it as the way to best express thoughts I have that carry meaning behind them. Both arms come from conversations in the past. And in fact, I get tattoos to really show people that the stigma behind guys, in particular, with tattoos don't necessarily have be inmates/prisoners or bikers or anything else attached to it."
Then he proceeded to tell me about a trip he had taken where he stayed at some kind of commune where the "leader" was covered, every inch, with tattoos and he has always been reminded of that experience, whenever he sees people like that.
"When I started doing it, everyone would ask 'what about when you're 60 or 70 and wrinkly?' to which I would reply, when you're young you tend to not think that far ahead into the future. I just know that it looks good now. That's all that matters. Here."
"Well, I was just wondering. And thank you for sharing."
"Have a great day."
Man, gotta love older people!
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