Monday, September 27, 2010

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.

5 comments:

  1. uh, yea Chris, you are making yourself sound a lot older than you are. ;)

    I got a big laugh out of companies thinking a tattoo shows a 'lack of conviction'!! How much more convicted can you get than putting a permanent symbol on your body?

    We own our bodies and to hell with anyone who thinks they have a say in what we do with them. That's what I think, but then, I like tattoos. I may not like some of them or some piercings but I would keep that to myself because even if I don't like that particular example, it's their body to do with as they wish.

    I think many people with lots of tattoos think of them as a sort of social filter, it alienates those they are not interested in anyway.

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  2. I think you hit the nail on the head. It is a permanent decision and one that should not be made lightly. If your life goal is being a model for nails, hands and accesories, I dont think you would want a tattoo of a chain around your wrist.

    A lot of people arent planning for the future and my point is that we dont give them that in school; planning, organization, information and research, self-awareness, problem solving and thinking. Those help us to make good decisions no matter how young or unexperienced we are. Education at home and in school have proven that. We need more of "that" education.

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  3. When my kids were young they asked me why I never got a Tattoo.I said to them " Think about putting on a shirt and never taking it off." They are in their late 20`s now and none have tattoos.

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  4. As Jimmy Buffett says..."It's a permanent reminder of a temporary feeling"
    And my Mother says the same thing that you witnessed as a 16 year old. The first time I saw a female with a tattoo, my Mom said "I wonder how that will look in the Nursing Home" No tattoos and me, hubby or our adult children.

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  5. Good post!
    My CA ER nurse friends used to say patients with tattoos have a direct correlation between the number of tattoos and the number of missing teeth.
    :)

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