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Tattoo You: Young'ns Scream For
Attention
by Suzon Walton
Publisher of Connected Now
 When I was
young, and needed attention (as most youngsters do),
I spray-painted the duck decoys hot pink. Then I got
a spanking. All in all, a good day. I saved a few ducks
from the wrath of my clinking pink bottle and all was
well in my world. Today, the youth of America has a
bit more on its plate. On this side dish of trouble
plops a healthy portion of school. No, not reading and
writing, but experts in test taking. Should I be in
a gang? Should I get a scooter or a bike? How do I carry
50 pounds of books to school without scoring a visit
to the chiropractor’s office? Should I super size that?
Should I get mom a robot vacuum for Christmas? How do
I stand out in a crowd? They might think,
“Hey ? wait a minute…would a piercing or tattoo help
me stand out?” Forget about my future and the impressions
that my boss of tomorrow might format based on what
I do today. Everybody has tattoos – my favorite sports
and music icons, my older brother. Even my best friend
in her 30’s jumped aboard the tattoo express. Remember
when the first thing to come to mind when you heard
tattoo was a vertically challenged man that yelled,
“Boss, the plane!” ? Tip to kids looking
for a lucrative future: Check out becoming a laser professional
with a license for tattoo removal. While
this is a grand generalization, I’ll use it anyway:
Tattoos are often a sign that an individual is rebelling
from society, a symbol to set oneself apart from the
herd. As the wave of tattoos rises, many are turning
to tattoo removal. This usually shows a person's desire
to rejoin society (again, a grand generalization, but
it gets my point across). While the actual process of
tattoo removal may not necessarily be a scream for reformation,
it is certainly an indication of change, hopefully for
the better. Erasing such marks of a rowdy past is a
step toward a brighter employment future, or a step
into a low cut wedding dress without Garfield peaking
out the top. This isn’t to say that one can’t get married
showing off a tattoo, or that all future employments
for those who have been inked will consist of asking
that perennial question, “Would you like fries with
that?”. It just so happens that appearances usually
mean more than they should, say on a first interview,
and someone with a bloody dagger tattoo on their neck
might be passed over for a second interview by the guy
in the Gucci suit. In this world of equality, fair business
practices and anti-discrimination, how we look still
makes a huge difference to the people around us, no
matter how many shouts of denial ring through the air.
Hence, tattoos are a guaranteed way to get attention.
It just depends on what kind of attention one wants,
I suppose. Tip to Children: Draw on yourselves
with washable markers. Wouldn’t “tattoo removal”
be considered an oxymoron? Isn’t it interesting that
we don’t have to fully commit ourselves to just about
anything anymore? Divorces are commonplace, it’s ok
not to finish college, and now you can even get rid
of that one thing you knew was going to last forever
– your tattoo. I wonder how long the slogan “Diamonds
are forever” will last. No wonder kids are more and
more interested in getting a tattoo – if they get something
completely outrageous and ugly now, they can always
have it removed if it threatens to get in the way of
their trip up the corporate ladder. The entire
process of tattoo removal lasts quite a long period
of time: five or more installments are required (the
number varies according to tattoo ink, depth, and skin
pigment) and one to two months must elapse between treatments.
If you wish to completely remove of your tattoos, you
must persevere through many months of making appointments,
fulfilling them, and slathering sun block on the treated
areas in between visits. All appointments must be kept
because a single failure to appear results in dismissal
from the program. It doesn’t sound like a picnic to
me, which is why I suppose they say tattoos are permanent,
even in this era of technology. Final tip
to parents: Hire a face painter but call them Temporary
Tattoo Artists. PS - Henna tattoos are
great because they last longer than a face painting
or store-bought temporary tattoo transfer, and can be
quite beautiful. Shall we wade into the shallow
end of pros and cons? Sure, your dad might make you
do this, but it’s really quite helpful. Let’s venture:
Pros:
- They make a statement
- You can pick from an assortment
of designs ready-made
- You can design your own and prove
what a unique talent you are
- Tattoos are forever
- Tattoos can be removed these days,
what with technology and all
- You can hang out at Ink, a local eatery
and bar, and blend with the décor
- You won’t stick out at a Papa Roach
concert
Cons:
- They are painful to get
- You have the #53, like 5,000 other people, defeating
the purpose of making a statement
- The tattooist may not get your design quite the
way you imagined it
- Tattoos are forever
- Tattoo removal is lengthy, costly, imperfect and
again, painful
- You might not get served if you disappear into the
walls
- Your kids will want one to blend in at the
- Papa Roach concert, too
You may contact Suzon Walton at
suzon@connectednow.com
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