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Tattoo You

I've never really felt compelled to get a tattoo. I don't believe there is one design, phrase, name or graphic that I would like to have on my body for the rest of my life. I like looking at tattoos, but they aren't for my body.

Besides the permanent factor, another major factor that shields me away from getting one is the pain that one endures during the procedure. No matter where it's done on the body and no matter how small it is, it hurts. I would rather suffer through such pain from surgery, but surgery is done to help something heal, not to decorate. In the last few months, I've seen tats over a place on the body that makes think of even more pain than one placed on a traditional spot: the throat.

The first guy I saw with a throat tat was Jacob Bannon, vocalist for Converge (pic here). Nevermind all the tats he has below his neck (he has plenty), but just one above it makes me squirm. It's hard for me to look him in the eyes with this. Now I'm not saying that people are copying him, but now I see guys like Travis Barker from blink-182, Mike Herrera from MxPx and Dan Weyandt from Zao with ones on their throats. No matter how many times I see these, I keep saying this: "Owwww!"

Why do tattoos on the neck in the throat area make me do this? That part of the neck is super sensitive and getting permanent ink on it just pains me to think of it. I'm a softy when it comes to these kinds of things. Am I alone in this kind of squirming? I don't think so. It's like seeing a broken bone in a cast for me. My imagination of pain goes wild.

Tattoos are still frowned upon by mainstream society. I'm not somebody that hopes for the day when they will be mainstream. Forget how beautiful they can be, they are still seen as tacky by others. If you're willing to stand up for yourself to that level, I think that's brave. It's one thing to stand up for yourself mentally but to do that a visual level too, that says quite a bit about the person (whether you see it as foolish, dumb or brave). Using the body as a canvas is cool, but it's not for everyone.

Comments

josh Mueller said…
I don't think I'd ever read a blog where Converge would come up.
Eric said…
Agree with CBT. Neck tats are not for wimps. I have two tats and neither was too painful. Jacob Bannon is superhuman though. He is tatted seemingly everywhere and also makes some great music as well as being an amazing artist. Viva Converge!

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