Tatuajes (Tattoos) Is It Just Me?

living.boondockingmexico@yahoo.com

It seems as though everyone is getting a tattoo. No thats not true. People are getting a lot of tatoos. It may not be common knowledge, but in major Mexican companies a new candidate has to go for a battery of physical and psychological tests. In those tests, one of the exams includes a visual inspection of the outer skin. Any tatoo, no matter how well-hidden, is reported to HR in the final report. Tattoos are not looked well upon as they send a message that the person may not be stable, shows a lack of conviction and overall immaturity. Dont get angry at me, those are the rules.

My female hairstylist is 40 and wants a tattoo on the back of her neck. Sounds okay to me, but what happens when she goes to a formal party or wedding and wears a strapless dress or backless dress?

A butterfly, a ladybug, some under the belt or below the neckline tattoo seems okay to me. I have no problems with self-expression, but as I always say, "express yourself somewhere else". Its just that in these times of uncertainty, violence and overall "me-ness", one would think about putting forth a good image. Sure, actions speak louder than words, but I am still a person who believes first impressions are a big part of what human beings are all about.

I see people today with complete arm tattoos, facial tattoos, and so on. Many of which now give the impression that one belongs to a gang or maybe even a cartel. Lets face it, tattoos can give a bad impression. One interesting part of the long arm swirling tattoo is that most people dont know it is very common with gay porno stars. That would freak out some straight guy who thinks he trying to look tough. I say a San Antonio policeman with one of those along with a Schwarzenegger haircut and wrap around sunglasses. To me personally, not appropriate for someone of authority in a uniform.

I have been turned off by tattoos since I was 16 years old. I was a hospital volunteer and would take patients to their chemo and radiation therapy. It was a stressful job but I felt someone had to do it and it made me, at a very early age, think about life and death and how precious it was. Anyway, I took an 82 year old woman in a wheelchair to her therapy. As I helped her into her chair, the back of her gown opened to reveal a huge black patch on her shoulder blade. I told the nurse who I reported to that the cancer must be really bad. She said that it wasnt cancer, it was a large tattoo that over time lost its elasticity on the skin and was bunched up into a black spot. Had I extended the skin, I would have seen what the tattoo was. Lesson learned for me with tattoos.

I say, "tattoos are tabu" in these days and times. At least the way they are being done now, not pretty, just plain scary. I guess younger folks think their future is very short. Life can be long now, people are easily living to 100 years old. We are still not teaching values, finance, and future goals in school. Everything now is short term. Not an organized religious person, but a very religious person and I believe my body is a temple to be taken care of, cherished and valued or maybe Im just showing my age.