To TAT or not to TAT...

I just finished watching an episode of Miami (or was it L.A.?) Ink...

Ok, I lie! I watched roughly 5.7 minutes of it on the way to the Food Network (Ace of Cakes? Hurray!)...and I wanted to place my own social commentary on the subject of "Tattooing".

First of all, I like tattoos...I really do! But on this particular episode I am reminded once again how much of a trend tattooing has become! Don't get me wrong, I am just as much a follower of this particular trend as the next schmutz but at least I put more thought on my "tramp stamp" and "pelvic pleaser" than the chic on the episode (the 1/25 of it I watched like one would a car wreck). She chose to permanently imprint on her right side a picture of a donut, a cupcake, and an ice cream cone. Yes, that's right, a DONUT, a CUPCAKE, and an ICE CREAM CONE. Why? Because people have always told her she was "sweet". =/

Hmmm. Really, do I need to say anything more? Wait, I do! 65 year old grandma with baked good tattoos. Use your own imagination.

The second thing I wanted to touch upon was this: When I got my first tattoo, I gripped my friend's hand so hard I doubt he has regained the feeling in his fingers even to this day 2+ years later. I'm sure by the look on his face that my facial expressions accurately conveyed the God-awful pain of having a needle carve into your skin over and over and over again. When I got my second one my leg twitched so hard from my nerve endings revolting that finally the tattoo artist had to lean his body onto my legs to stop me from shaking.

Back to the 5.7 minutes of the show. From the look on this girl's face...in fact from the look and sound of everyone I've ever seen on shows like this, you would think their tattoos were being licked on by kittens. I mean seriously!

At first I was shocked and curious...maybe extra strength pain killers? maybe they all tippled from the whiskey bottle before their sessions? And then it occured to me. They were on camera! How much do you want to bet that if they weren't on national cable TV, they'd be grimacing and sweating and tearing up over what I KNOW to be a very painful experience. Well, maybe except for the men. And the ones on denial...

"Oh no, it didn't hurt at all... in fact I didn't want them to be done it felt so relaxing and fun!"

Psshhh!