The first question I get asked when people see my tattoos is, “what does it mean?” Then it’s always how many do you have, and don’t you know those are permanent? With the money I spend on my tattoos I sure hope they’re permanent.
I got my first tattoo when I was 17 in the back of a barber shop (sorry mom and dad) and from there I just kept getting more. I got my next one the night of my 18th birthday. It’s a stick and poke tattoo, which is basically an in-home tattoo. Don’t worry though we sanitized the needles and used real tattoo ink.
I don’t know why, but I’ve never been one to put a meaning behind my tattoos. They’ve always just been something that I’ve wanted and when I have enough money saved up and can still sit comfortably financially then I’ll go get one. I’m not even a big fan of getting words tattooed because I don’t care if my tattoos have a meaning or not. Getting words tattooed is definitely a meaning in some way. That being said I still managed to convince myself to get not one, but two different sayings tattooed on my body.
Now, this doesn’t mean that I think that people who have tattoos with real meaning behind them are silly. It’s their body and their choice. I don’t think it’s necessary for me to explain why I got Saturn, or a skull tattooed on my body. I had the money, I found designs I liked, and I decided to add some cool art to my body.
I’m all for getting deep, meaningful tattoos, but I’m also all for getting something tattooed that you want. If you like giraffes and want to get one tattooed on your body, then get one. Again, it’s your body your choice.
Besides people always thinking there needs to be meaning behind a tattoo, I’ve always wondered why people think they are unprofessional? I understand if there is vulgar language or sexual images tattooed onto a body, but other than that what makes these unprofessional?
The wedding company I work for requires me to cover all of my tattoos when I go to events, so I maintain a sense of professionalism and no, he doesn’t make me wear gloves to cover up the tattoos on my hand and wrist. Thankfully.
Either way just know almost all of my tattoos (and I have quite a few) don’t have a meaning. There doesn’t need to be a meaning behind everything we do.
Alana's Blog 
My friend Nora, bad ass Chicago teacher, spoken in front of countless four time 500 companies, won two lifetime achievement awards…
Your post instantly reminded me of this…you can be a bad ass, and a tattooed woman. Thanks for sharing this post
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Honestly I agree with you. I can get why people get those really deep or meaningful tattoos that only a few people understand, but I just want to get a bunch that look cool. Not everything has to be super deep. Really glad I’m not alone on this one lol
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I do feel tattoos shouldn’t be looked as unprofessional. As long as it’s not super inappropriate, put whatever you want on your body.
I also assumed that tattoos should have deep meanings. After reading your post, I realized that shouldn’t always be the case. Maybe if I ever decided to get a tattoo, I should keep in mind that I shouldn’t overthink the design when sitting on that char before having a needle poke at my skin!
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Fascinating to me how over my lifetime tattoos have moved from something that existed only at the margins of culture into something that is absolutely part of the mainstream.
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Tats are cool yo! I don’t have any because I have very fair skin with freckles everywhere. I’ve never felt confident enough to want to get one. I am also worried that I’ll get something that in the next couple of days I don’t like anymore. My goal is to draw something of my own and have the tattoo artist make it even cooler. Then it’s something I’ve helped work on as well as my tattoo artist.
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I’ve thought about doing something like that too! I’m kind of impulsive when it comes to mine, but so far out of the many I have I only have one I’d even consider getting covered up. Even then it’s like a weird memory for hold onto forever.
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