I humbly ask forgiveness in advance.

I’ve been thinking about something and that’s a sure-fire way to get myself in trouble.

But it’s also never stopped me and I have the scars to prove it.

You may write me your most vile comments and I will read them quietly as they travel en route to the trash can.

I am going to walk on hallowed ground and disparage the female fashion sense.

Especially from me, a person who wore checks, plaid and tie-dye t-shirts together in my younger years.

But I speak for the well-known and seldom heard silent majority when I say…

What’s with all the tats?!?

Good grief.

I’m an old guy and that makes me old-fashioned.

That’s not a bad thing.
Really.

It also gives me some perspective a few of you didn’t have when you had too many margaritas and went and got all marked up for some giggles.

A big three-acre tattoo may seem fun to a 17-year old until she finds she’ll need to wear long sleeves to a fancy restaurant.
If anyone takes her out.

I understand the need for self-expression and standing apart.

A small, tasteful bit of artwork in an appropriate place looks nice.

But inking up a large portion of your body is no longer standing apart.

Actually, the kid without a tat is being the different one.

I’ve seen a lot of ladies in their late teens and early twenties marked up like a circus sideshow.

Here’s the reality…

Some day in the not too distant future they’ll be old enough to start wondering, “What the hell did I do?”

A small delicate something-or-other in a not-in-your-face place is fine.
It’s always fun to play “Wanna find my butterfly?”

Six snakes and a turtle – or this thing – winding their way around you are too much.
And you know it – or you will someday.

Here’s where I’m going with this…

The horrible, tragic truth is it will limit what you become in life because people will judge you based on that decision you made one day.

And most will judge you not to be a good candidate for a senior position in their company with chains and ropes stamped around your neck.

Most large company’s have employee manuals with a dress code that clearly states tattoos are to be covered up.
Simply, it’s not professional.

It’s hard to hide that thing going from your feet to your ear.

It’s not important you don’t like that or you think it’s wrong.
That’s the way it is and you’ll have to deal with it.

Apparently there’s a lot of people waking up to some regret because tattoo removing clinics are springing up all over town.

I once thought of getting a small tattoo on my arm.

It’s a good thing I didn’t because it would have been the name of this lady I was dating at the time.
It ended badly and I ducked that bullet.

Yeah, love is blind and frequently stupid.

Tattoos are not bad.
The one with the fish above is really neat.

But going from something small to all of both arms, poor poetry on the chest with an eagle on the back, is.

They call that stuff trash stamps for a reason.

Let the comments fly.
I’m already grumpy.