Inked Talk

In addition to our original content, we at Inked Talk scour the news media for interesting articles and viewpoints on tattoos to comment on and share with our readers. The media is full of talk about tattoos these days, and while not every article or viewpoint merits its own post here at Inked Talk, there are always great articles and websites out there that deserve at least a mention. So once again, it’s time for the Inked Talk weekly roundup of tattoo links. Take a break from your work, grab a cup of coffee, and enjoy!

An anti-tattoo Letter to the Editor at the Daily News Record opines that people who choose to get neck tattoos “are either convicted of a felony or are doing something to get convicted of a felony.” Obviously, that comment didn’t sit well with a few people , as it prompted a number of interesting comments as well as not one, not two, but three follow-up letters. I noted that the paper’s Letters to the Editor on issues like the economic bailout plan didn’t even provoke that much of a response.

Everyone has to comment on whether tattoos are becoming mainstream enough to be accepted at the workplace. This week’s entry come from WSJ.com.

The Omaha World-Herald has a nice piece on rib cage tattoos. The picture associated with the story is great - probably more script than I’ve ever seen on one tattoo, but it looks great.

A tattooed Suicide Girl, Zui, is in the cast of a new reality show called “Paris Hilton’s My New BFF.”

Creative Loafing has a nice article about the statistics on tattoo regret. Well, the question posed is on tattoo regret. The response is a nice historical perspective on tattoos that doesn’t answer the question, but the writer actually makes the whole thing a nice read.

TampaBay.com discussing tattoos with motocross champ Carey Hart.

The entry of tattoos into mainstream culture happened quickly, but in settings where tradition rules the day adaptation has not come as quickly. Tattooed brides who want to cover their ink for their wedding photos have had to resort to dresses that conceal their tattoos, and retail and corporate employees must select locations for their tattoos that are easily covered up while on the job. Cosmetic companies have seen an opportunity in this, and a few have begun marketing concealers as tattoo cover-up makeup.

Not a bad idea.

One brand, Colortration, markets a liquid concealer that claims to be the best tattoo concealer product available.

Colortration offers a $16.00 custom trial kit consisting of six shades that can be tested to produce the best skintone match. The Colortration Barrier Spray, for an extra $17.00, helps the concealer last longer, particularly on areas like the hands which are much more prone to wear. Colortration liquid concealer runs about $35.00 for a 1.35 ounce bottle.

Another product, Tattoo Camo, uses a two-step process for tattoo concealment. The camouflage paste masks the tattoo, while the setting powder prevents it from rubbing off or smudging. Unlike Colortration, which sells its concealer and barrier as two separate products, Tattoo Camo sells its two steps as a kit for $34.95.

Another option for tattoo cover-up is the Ben Nye line of theatrical makeup, including some developed for tattoo concealment. The Ben Nye formula sells for about $7.00 per 0.3 ounce container, which boasts 50-200 applications.

For many, one of the big questions associated with getting any tattoo is how that tattoo will affect others’ perceptions of that person. A bride may hold off on that large back piece until after the wedding so as not to scare grandma, just as the ink-loving office slaves avoid tattoos on their hands, necks and faces so as not to become unemployable in their chosen professions. An effective tattoo concealer really changes the playing field, making previously taboo tattoo locations available so long as they can be covered up when needed.

Historically, the anchor tattoo had a clear meaning: it was the mark of a sailor who had sailed the Atlantic Ocean. The popularity of the anchor tattoo among sailors was certainly understandable: aside from being a “tool of the trade,” the anchor is an obvious symbol of stability and groundedness - two things that a sailor in perilous waters may long for. Over time, regional variations in the style and color of the anchor tattoo developed, each with their own meanings among sailors.

Anchors also have a connection to Christianity. In times when Christians were persecuted for practicing their faith, the anchor (with the horizontal bar beneath the ring) became a secret symbol of the cross - a connection which is certainly not lost in some anchor tattoos.

Today, people of all professions may find some connection to the anchor tattoo simply as a symbol of steadfastness and stability. Some incorporate text or other images with the anchor to give special significance to their tattoo.

The anchor tattoo has proven to be very versatile both artistically and in meaning. There are nearly as many variations on the anchor tattoo as there are people who have the tattoo, and their reason for choosing an anchor are likely just as varied.

If you enjoyed learning about the anchor tattoo, you may also enjoy a previous Inked Talk article on the heart tattoo.

Tattoos are forever, even the bad ones. Some of the most facepalm-worthy bad tattoos are those that incorporate bad spelling. Bad art can be a matter of opinion, but spelling is something that is easy to double-check and when it’s wrong, it’s wrong. Some incredibly misspelled tattoos have found great fame on the Internet, including a previous post here on Inked Talk.

One famous tattoo typo took on a life of its own. The infamous “Chi-tonw” tattoo actually spawned a few copycats. Most people who are unlucky enough to sport bad ink don’t have the luxury of being able to say that they are trendsetters, but the original Mr. Chi-Tonw has that claim to fame for his poorly-spelled ink.  Even with that fame, there’s little doubt that he would prefer a properly spelled tattoo.

Inked Talk doesn’t intend to call out an artist who has the misfortune of creating a poorly-spelled tattoo, but a tattoo flash book at the Milwaukee Tattoo Convnetion had a glaring typo on an otherwise cute piece of flash, and that inspired today’s piece. (Protip: pluralization of a word does not require an apostrophe.) It’s one thing to make a typo on a detailed or wordy tattoo:  the work was likely done within a relatively short period of time, and let’s face it - sometimes you can look at your own work time after time without catching an error. Like the famous  brain-teaser below, sometimes it takes a second, third or fourth look before a mistake becomes obvious:

A flash book seems like a different animal entirely, though. Unlike a tattoo which can be discussed, roughed out and stitched in within a span of a short sitting, a flash book, theoretically, is assembled over time with plenty of opportunities for review between conception and publication. Sadly, that one glaring typo really clouded the rest of that artist’s work.

Carpenters say “measure twice, cut once.” I think there’s some analogy in there for tattooing.

The Brew City Tattoo Convention was in full swing this weekend.  Inked Talk takes a look at Milwaukee’s only annual tattoo convention

The Good:

There was a lot of great body art on display.  From the artists’ samples to the ubiquitous flash books to the ink being done at the convention to the attendees, tattoos were literally everywhere.    Japanese traditional tattoo aficionados were treated to the work of North Star Tattoo of New York City.  Sailor Jerry fans just had to delight as it seemed that about every other booth was hawking Sailor Jerry flash or Sailor Jerry inspired work.  Body jewelry booths, though far fewer in number than the tattoo booths, presented an amazing range of jewelry not typically found in the average body piercing shop.

There was more to do than shop and gawk at the ink.  Performance artists ranging from burlesque to suspension and music put on shows throughout the day and tattoo artists gave seminars on technique, for a fee.    Tattoo contests were open to all, with enough categories to ensure that everyone who wanted to could display their ink for the judges.

The Bad:

With all of the good, there were some negatives as well.  The most glaring problem was the space in the main hall, particularly during the tattoo contests.  The artists and vendors were set up in the main room of the convention, which is also where the tattoo contests were being judged.  This caused a huge amount of congestion at one side of the room which made it difficult for people who weren’t interested in the judging to move around and look at the artists’ work.  The sheer amount of people watching the tattoo contests combined with the room arrangement made it difficult for most people present to see the tattoos that were being judged, so sadly unless you were a judge or were lucky enough to be right near the judging area, you missed a lot of the contest.  Due to the number of people wanting to participate in and view the contests, they would have been better held in a separate room instead of clogging up the already busy main hall.

The Weird

Granted, weird should be expected at a tattoo convention, but when something stands out as truly weird it merits mention.  I need to preface this by saying that I love to see the nude female form nearly as much as most red-blooded men do, and my mention of this at all has absolutely nothing to do with me being offended.  I was far from offended at anything I saw on Saturday.  The “tits for t-shirts” contests are fun for everyone involved, and if a woman wants to show off her goodies in exchange for some freebies, good for her and good for those lucky enough to watch.  While the convention did an adequate job of making sure that the children present weren’t close to the action for these contests, these contests were probably better kept in an age restricted area of the event to ensure that the convention doesn’t get negative attention from the community that hosts it.

In all, the event was a lot of fun with plenty to do and see.  If you couldn’t make it to this year’s convention, you can still see a lot of the great ink by visiting Black Sheep Photography’s photo gallery from the convention.  Lynn Allen of Black Sheep was in attendance for the entire convention and got some excellent photos of the whole event.

Of all the tattoo blogs that have sprung up on the Internet, this is a personal favorite.  Tattoosday features different tattoos found around the New York City area.  The premise is very simple:  the blog’s writer accosts interesting people with tattoos, photographs their ink, and tells their stories on his blog.  The sheer number of tattoos and the wide variety of stories make the site a fun read, and one that I keep coming back to.

The blogger, Bill Cohen, estimates that only about one in seven people that he approaches about his blog actually participates.  When you see the huge number of tattoos featured on his blog, you have to appreciate just how much work Cohen has done on this project.  The blog has an archive that you can get lost in for a few very enjoyable hours, and then look forward to the next post.

Cohen has a particular rule for finding tattoos to photograph:  “I won’t go to shops to take pictures. That’s just too easy. Like shooting fish in a barrel.”  Cohen puts himself out “in the wild,” approaching people as he spots their ink.

What is the appeal of Tattoosday? Its simplicity is genuine.  The tattoos featured in the blog range from amazing to average, and the stories behind them reflect a wealth of backgrounds, experiences and influences.  The blog isn’t a showcase of the most beautiful ink on the planet - although there are certainly some amazing and beautiful tattoos on that blog.  Rather, the blog is a snapshot of everyday tattoos on everyday people.  The tattoos featured in the blog could belong to any of us.

Author’s Note: I really don’t enjoy picking apart another writer’s concept of journalism. I embrace a “live and let live” philosophy, and I realize that there is a lot of bad writing out there. Today, however, I make an exception because of an article that appears written for the sole purpose of making a sensational headline without any real basis in fact. I find that unacceptable on a personal level. So pardon the vitriol, and don’t believe everything you read.

***
“Does it hurt?” and “Is it safe?” are among the first questions people ask before getting their very first tattoo. We all know the answer to the first question, and as to the second we can only reply that people have been getting tattoos for years, and other than the extremely rare allergy, it certainly appears to be safe. I feel fine, don’t you?

Good news just isn’t as interesting as sensational news, so today we are treated to a headline in a northern Arizona online paper that proclaims “Research reveals tattoo ink contains metals, may cause cancer.” Tattoos can cause cancer? That is a terrifying possibility. But we need to read beyond the headline in this case.

The article itself suggests that the connection between cancer and tattoos isn’t just tenuous, it is so far completely unsupported by the evidence. According to the article, the danger lies in the fact that modern tattoo inks contain “metallic salts, oxides, sulphides and selenides,” and chemicals which were originally intended for use in “writing, automobile paints and printer inks” rather than skin contact. Well, that does sound a little scary, but we need to read on.

As evidence of the connection between cancer and tattoo ink, the article relies on Jani Ingram, an associate professor of chemistry, who has been researching and analyzing the metal content of tattoo ink. She acknowledges that different ink manufacturers use different components to obtain the variety of ink colors, and some inks do have metal components.

Nowhere in the article does Ingram suggest that these metal components are cancer-causing agents. Her only caution is that people getting tattoos should want them for life, as the tattoo removal process involves breaking up the ink into particles that can be absorbed by the body. “I tell folks that if they are going to get a tattoo, that they should want it for life,” Ingram said.

So, where is this cancer connection again?

The article goes on to remind us not once, not twice, but three times that the Food and Drug Administration does not regulate tattoo ink. To illustrate just how shocking that is supposed to be, the article quotes a college freshman, Renee Hamilton, who just got tattooed four months ago:

“I didn’t know that the FDA doesn’t regulate what goes into tattoo ink,” Hamilton said. “I think that’s disgusting. I think that the FDA should regulate tattoo ink because it’s going to have an effect on anybody who has a tattoo and a lot of people have them.”

Mmm…okay. And the cancer connection? I’m still waiting for it.

The FDA does not require disclosure of the components used in any given ink because they can be considered trade secrets. Since these components are not disclosed, “tattoo inks may contain chemicals known to cause mutations, birth defects or cancer, though these symptoms may take years to appear.”

Really? That’s the connection? Because the tattoo ink isn’t required to display a list of ingredients, we should assume that it contains components that cause birth defects or cancer? Why don’t we go ahead and assume it contains unicorns and rainbows and my dead grandmother’s ghost too?

I can conclude from this article that tattoos aren’t dangerous, but bad journalism and unsubstantiated conclusions can cause a lot of undue anxiety. Perhaps there is a connection between tattoo ink and cancer - despite decades of research by the smartest minds in the world, the causes of cancer remain, for the most part, a mystery. Nothing in this article makes me want to think twice about my next tattoo.

Symbolic ribbons are everywhere - cars sport yellow ribbons to support our troops, red ribbons stand for AIDS awareness, and the pink ribbon is the symbol of breast cancer survival. Some cancer survivors have taken the pink ribbon to a new level by getting a tattoo of the ribbon as a symbol of their battle with cancer, or as an emblem of support for a loved one who is fighting that battle.

The most simple emblem of breast cancer survival is the plain pink ribbon tattoo. This woman chose the top of her foot for hers. Plain and straightforward, this small tattoo sends a strong message.

Others have worked the pink ribbon into a larger tattoo concept, adding new symbolism to the ribbon itself. The butterfly ribbon is a popular choice. The butterfly has traditionally been a symbol of change or transformation and beauty, making this tattoo a conceptually beautiful piece.

Another example of the butterfly and pink ribbon, this one with affirmative text: “I Am A Survivor.”

The tattoo community has also found a cause in breast cancer awareness. The Healing Art Foundation benefits from Tats and Art for a Cure, a series of events aimed raising awareness for the fight against breast cancer by bringing together tattoo artists, piercers and fine artists. The Healing Arts Foundation has worked extensively with cancer survivors by tattooing over surgery scars, providing areola re-pigmentation, and simply providing the artwork and ink to make the survivor feel beautiful and reclaim her body.

It seems logical that someone who has gone through a battle with cancer or who has stood by and supported a loved one facing that battle may be reluctant to voluntarily alter their bodies, but that conclusion underestimates the indomitable spirit of so many cancer survivors. A tattoo’s meaning is as individual as the tattoo itself or the person bearing it, but pink ribbon tattoos send a strong message of survival, of overcoming fear and adversity, and of a refusal to let illness win.

Steampunk is a fantasy/fiction subgenre which can be described in its most basic terms as the incorporation of new technology with Victorian style. Imagine a truck powered by a steam engine, or a zeppelin with smoke stacks. Infuse the Victorian style - wood paneling, polished brass, gears and mechanisms - with futurism and high technology, and you have a good idea of what steampunk entails. Sometimes it takes the route of a “path not taken” type of alternate history, and it is in some ways similar to cyberpunk. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is probably the most recent, well-known movie that exemplifies the steampunk style, and the XBOX 360 game Bioshock is an excellent exemplar of the genre.*

Elements of steampunk have certainly attracted the attention of some tattoo collectors. Where tattoos are concerned, the theme of “the machine in the man” has inspired some great ink which its bearers attribute to the steampunk genre. By its very nature, the steampunk feel can make for some beautiful tattoos that go beyond a simple picture on the skin.

Here is a relatively common tattoo concept: the skin appears to be torn away, revealing the biomechanics below which power the man. Strictly speaking, it is debatable whether this is completely “steampunk,” but the blend of machine and man really has a great steampunk feel.

Another great steampunk-inspired tattoo - the cogs at the elbow joint and down the arm suggest something more than human.

This tattoo is a good thematic blend of the two previous - here, the shoulder area appears cut away to reveal underlying mechanical works.

From a visual standpoint, steampunk-inspired tattoos seem almost obvious. When skin is the canvas, it isn’t a stretch to envision what lies beneath. Imagining something greater than reality is, artistically, the next logical step. Steampunk tattoos have such great potential that it is only the genre’s relative obscurity that makes them as uncommon as they are.

*****
*For more of an explanation on steampunk, MTV’s website actually has a nice video that serves as a decent introduction to the genre, with some great accompanying visuals.

The neck tattoo is a bold statement. Like hand and facial tattoos, neck tattoos are very hard to conceal, meaning that every first impression - be it an employer, a police officer, or even a neighbor - can be colored by their perception of tattoos. Tattoos have clearly become more mainstream since the 1990s, but are the more visible and more difficult to hide tattoos following the trail blazed by the tramp stamp?

An article in the New York Times on Tuesday asserts that neck tattoos, once reserved for “gang members, prison inmates, members of the Russian mob and the rapper Lil Wayne,” are now entering the domain of the mundane. However, the article also goes out of its way to acknowledge that those who sport facial and neck tattoos, as well as those with unusual or excessive piercings, still face plenty of obstacles to acceptance in the workplace. Courts have repeatedly upheld workplace appearance requirements, including those that forbid visible piercings and tattoos. However, times are changing and workplaces are certain to evolve as our culture’s perception of tattooed people changes.

While the New York Times piece reads more like a cautionary tale than a real look at the increased prevalence of hard-to-conceal tattoos, the fact that the NYT has taken on the subject at all is a statement in and of itself.

You can find the original New York Times article from September 24, 2008 here at this link.

Readers: what are your thoughts on this? Have you noticed more neck tattoos on “unlikely suspects” in recent years? Tattoo artists - have you found more customers with “mundane” jobs seeking more prominent tattoos?

Much of that tattooed world has looked on with some amusement at the popularity that tattoo designs have enjoyed on clothing in the past few years. While tattoo inspired clothing may be expected at stores like Spencers or Hot Topic, nowadays even the most mundane department stores have featured clothing with tattoo-style designs. With tattoos becoming so mainstream, this isn’t really surprising. What is surprising is just how far tattoo-inspired merchandise has gone.

The Ed Hardy clothing line is probably the most recognizable of the “tattoo-inspired clothing,” with malls everywhere featuring t-shirts adorned with famous skull/snake/geisha-type designs. In fact, the Ed Hardy “vintage tattoo wear” line goes far beyond simple shirts and has expanded into jeans, swimsuits, shoes, belts, and, oddly enough, perfume.

Yes, “tattoo-inspired” perfume for the ladies, and cologne, for men.

One review of the women’s scent describes it as: “a fruity floral with notes of apple soufflé, mango, wild strawberry, rudy red grapefruit, freesia petals, watery muguet, linden blossom, warm amber, musk, tonka bean and vanilla pudding.” The men’s cologne “is a woody floral featuring bergamot, mandarin, clary sage, thuja, mint julep accord with ozone, musk, sequoia forest and amber.”

I like a lot of things about tattoo shops. I love the flash-splattered walls and the buzz of the tattoo gun, I enjoy talking to the artists, I even secretly relish in the palpable tension in the air surrounding a person choosing her first tattoo and wondering whether it will hurt. But of everything I love about tattoos and tattoo shops, none of them are associated with their smell. Really, the tattoo shops I have been in typically smell like the Taco Bell meal that was devoured quickly between tattooing sessions.

Of all of the things in the world that could be used as an “inspiration” for perfume and cologne, I can’t say that I would ever, ever choose tattoos.

The only conclusion that I can draw on this rather bizarre product comes from Yogurt, of Spaceballs fame:

“Merchandising! Merchandising, merchandising, where the real money from the movie is made. Spaceballs the T-shirt. Spaceballs the lunchbox. Spaceballs the coloring book. Spaceballs… the flamethrower!”

Though I confess - I’ll stay tuned for my Ed Hardy flamethrower.

Until recently, tattoos in America have been largely restricted to sailors and bikers. Similarly, tattoos in Japan have traditionally been associated with Japan’s organized crime body - the Yakuza. The Yakuza have historically used extensive full body tattooing as means of identification and as status symbols. For this reason, tattoos have long had a negative connotation in Japan.

Older Japanese still tend to associate tattoos with organized crime, and for that reason public baths in Japan have often restricted the entry of anyone with tattoos.

Even though Japanese water parks are targeted at a younger generation, tattooed people in Japan still have a hard time locating a water park that will allow them in. The business owners reason that tattoos are still frightening to some due to the Yakuza connection, and seeing tattooed people walk around the water park would make some of the customers nervous.

With more and more young Japanese people getting tattoos that are totally unrelated to Yakuza activities, Japan is seeing a slight change in the no-tattoo policies. A small minority of water parks do allow tattooed patrons, but they require that all tattoos be fully covered while in the park. That’s not always an easy task. Long sleeved shirts and long pants make little sense at a water park on a hot day.

In America, the attitude and perception of tattoos has changed greatly in the past twenty years. Japan is sure to eventually follow suit as the association between tattoos and Yakuza activity becomes diluted. Until then, tattooed people in Japan will have to deal with their society’s outdated perceptions of body art and the restrictions that come with it.

A few months ago, Inked Talk reported on the dangers of an allergic reaction to an additive often used to darken the henna used in henna temporary tattoos.

A story in today’s DailyIndia.com reports a young boy’s severe allergic reaction to a henna tattoo. His reaction sounds particularly severe - it required four trips to the hospital and he missed a month of school. The article categorizes it as a “botched” henna tattoo. However, the symptoms described sound much more like a severe allergic reaction.

Worldwide, henna tattoo artists continue to use PPD as an additive in henna to darken the henna and create a black tattoo. With more and more reports of allergic reactions to henna tattoos, it is amazing that little is being done to regulate the practice.

Earthly Body is a company promoting hemp-based skin care, including a new line of tattoo aftercare products. When they were kind enough to send me some samples, I was admittedly skeptical. Earthly Body’s products are free of a lot of the bad stuff that makes other tattoo aftercare products work, so I seriously doubted that a petroleum free, lanolin-free, vegan, paraben-free, cruelty-free product could really be effective. When it comes to tattoo aftercare, I am a firm believer in A&D cream. Nevertheless, I waited until I got a new tattoo so I could try out Earthly Body’s healing products and report my findings to my readers at Inked Talk.

Earthly Body suggests a two-step process for tattoo healing. The first step is their “Tattoo Tonic Miracle Oil.” This fresh-scented oil is applied with an eyedropper to the fresh tattoo until it heals. The oil itself is smooth, and it immediately softens the skin. The tattoo I used the Miracle Oil on is a large, colorful piece on my calf. I’ve had problems with tattoos healing on my leg before, so I thought this piece would be a good test.

The tattoo healed very differently than any other tattoo that I have had. I have very dry skin so my tattoos tend to get very dry and flaky no matter how much A&D lotion I apply. This tattoo experienced very little of the dry, uncomfortable flakiness that I had dealt with for every other tattoo. The tattoo healed smoothly, cleanly, and very quickly. The Miracle Oil is available on Earthly Body’s website for $11.00. I used only a small portion of my bottle on my tattoo, so your $11.00 goes a long way.

Step Two of Earthly Body’s tattoo aftercare plan includes using their Miracle Lotion after the tattoo begins to heal. The lotion keeps the skin moist and is said to prevent fading. In my experience, the lotion worked at least as good as A&D cream. The Miracle Lotion is also available for $11.00 on the Earthly Body website.

So what is my verdict, my overall opinion? I am glad to have tried Earthly Body’s products, and I will continue to use the Tattoo Miracle Oil on future tattoos as I am quite pleased with the healing result.

Thanks to Earthly Body for giving me the opportunity to try out their great products!

For more information, visit Earthly Body’s website!

Salvador Dali, the famous Spanish surrealist painter, is an artist that most recognize by name. Those who don’t know Dali are easily prompted with the reminder that he’s the “melted clocks painter.” Everyone knows the melted clocks (Or, “The Persistence of Memory,” should the question arise on Trivial Pursuit). What does Spanish surrealism have to do with tattoos?

After seeing a lovely rendition of Van Gogh’s Starry Night as a full back tattoo, I have been fascinated by famous works of art as subjects for tattoos. For that reason, I began to do an informal survey of tattoo galleries searching for which famous artists’ works seem to be the most prevalent subjects of tattoos.

In perusing websites with extensive tattoo galleries, it seemed to me that Salvador Dali-inspired ink was far, far more common than Van Gogh, Picasso, and other artists whose works have found their way onto flesh. Why is that?

What is it about Dali that inspires people to carry his work on their skin permanently? His paintings aren’t “pretty” in any sort of traditional sense. Many are nightmarish perceptions - strange, twisted takes on reality. Some suggest suffering, and they present something frightening, unsettling and uncomfortable.

Perhaps that statement explains exactly what the attraction to Dali is for some tattoo enthusiasts. Tattoos aren’t associated with traditional beauty. although it certainly isn’t hard to see the beauty in tattoos and tattooed people. The self-infliction of pain goes against the most basic human instincts, but we do it anyway for the sake of a good tattoo or a well-placed piercing. To many, the sight of a heavily-modified person, be it tattoos, piercings or other mods, stirs a reaction of fascination and horror. A cross between “Look at that!” and “Why would she do that to herself?”

Maybe Dali makes a whole lot of sense for a tattoo.

***
Mom’s Soap Box