MY TATTOOS : THE MERMAID (AND MANNERS)

A reader pointed out to me that it had been a while since I continued my series on the tattoos I have. And yes indeed, I had almost forgotten about that. (I tend to forget about the fact that the tattoos are there, as I am so used to them. Until I start thinking of what I would want next and where ether would fit properly.)

So this one is about my mermaid.  I had it done by hand in Thailand, when I was with my friend on the Phi Phi island. By hand means that it was not made using a tattoo needle machine, but instead bamboo needles and a hammer. They did traditional bamboo tattoos in a lot of places on Phi Phi and I came up with the idea to have the mermaid, one of many ideas I had been thinking of, done. The tattoo guys gave me some paper and I drew it in our bungalow and had it done the next day. My own mermaid was a bit bigger and more Mucha-esque than how the tattoo turned out in the end, but it din't bother me then (I was happy with it), and it don't think about it that much now either, although if I' was getting the picture again I'd do it differently.  The colours were very bright and strong at first but they have fade and the piece become rather blurry now. So it is not actually that pretty anymore. Which doesn't really matter. My ink is not some sort of prestige project that has to be perfect. It may sound odd to some, and it's a little hard to explain. And that's half the truth. On the other hand yes, of course, I want the pieces on skin to be great and perfect. But, also, as I have had my items one by one they are all part of something I've done, and they all tell story in one way or another (however, as you may remember I have said that the story does not always have to be that deep). Which in my opinion is better than inking yourself from top to toe within a year when your 21 with whatever is the current trend. Which of course is totally fine too as long as you are happy. 

The tattooing took about eight hours I think, with one guy stretching out the skin and the other tapping the drawing in with thousands of dots with the bamboo. It hurt much less than being tattooed with a machine, and healed faster. It was a good day and the guys were nice to hang out with and two months later the tsunami came and destroyed the island and I've wondered what happened to them (and all the other people I met too, of course).

Well, that was it about the mermaid.

 I’ve always written bit about tattoos in general in these posts as well. This time it’ll be about some people's attitudes. Not all people like tattoos, of course. Personal taste is called personal taste for a reason; it's personal. But what I find odd is the dislike for tattoos combined with a need to point it out in public. Shout it out.  Apparently the moment you have visible ink on your skin it gives strangers a pass to openly comment on your appearance as they please. Or so it seems. Don’t read me wrong, it doesn’t bother me that some persons will not like my tattoos. Not everyone has to like tattoos, not everyone will, I get that, no prob. But what I don't get is why not just look away or think about something else? Why would that other individual on the street or wherever be interested in what You think about their style? Why does it bother you so much?

Having that said, I have received mainly positive comments about what I have put on my skin, very few negative. Surpriringly often elderly ladies have told me they find my tattoos pretty, often when at places like the public swinning pool and so on where my skin is very visible. But I’ve also had a Burbrerry lady at Stockmann stop me and compliment me on my arms. Well what do you know :) Those few times when something negative has been said, it has always been by a man. My fingers are enough to count the times so it’s not often, but one time should be enough. I know this has happened to a lot of my friends and people I know as well (women. Also women who have shaved their heads). Interesting, to think of from a social point of view.
And annoying.

Is it just here or does it happen elsewhere too?

Last week at the gym I was working out with my personal trainer (best investment for years I tell you, but that’s another story) and these men were biking or what the fuck ever thread milling behind us and they decided to turn up the volume of their conversation all of a sudden. “I never got why women would tattoo themselves /can’t see the point of that /it does not look good on a woman to have tattoos” and so on. Oh jeez. That’s all right guys, you have your thing I have my, we have different lives and styles, so wtf was up with the WE JUST NEED TO SAY THIS IN A LOUD VOICE RIGHT NOW-thing? It made me want to laugh but also raise an eyebrow to wonder over their manners and psychological wellbeing. I've always laughed at this one memory I have from the time I found myself at a “trendy” club I’d normally like to avoid and these guys next to me were talking about me by the bar "what about that blonde one there" until I moved and they apparently saw my arm  - I could then hear one of them disappointed say “oh damn, she’s got tattoos and stuff”. Eyeroll - yes, too bad guys, but it was not going to happen anyway.

Last year I was walking with Dag in his pram and one of those typical Finnish shabby aggressive drunks raised a finger and waved to my son and said “look, your pretty mommy has destroyed herself by getting ugly pictures ” . Yes yes whatever, I just grinned and walked pass in a usual manner when I suddenly got so pissed I had to turn around to tell him he had no right to sit there and just shout out whatever disrespectful things about others he came up with. Well, he of corse told me I was a cunt was and that I should fuck off . “But your tattoos look very pretty” a woman bystander said. That was however not the point - I didn’t care what that loser on the bench though about my looks, it was the fact that he declared it out and loud and to my child, that bothered me.

And it’s just not about tattoos. This is spinning away from the original topic here, but - there are a lot go these men who think they can say whatever they want to women.  As teenagers, girls who were unknown to one another might say nasty things at parties or so to bitch each other up, but from the later teens and on, if something insulting was said it would come from a man (From a Not going to happen anyway-man, may I add, which probably is a big part of  the explanation). I’ve been told that I have a huge broad ass when I was 17, said by some random much older man, for example. My friend always remembered this guy walking up to her from nowhere at a bar saying “do you really think you are sexy with those calves?”. A few years ago some total loser in a tram interrupted a conversation  between me and my friend to tell her that he thought she had a really ugly mouth when she spoke. What the hell!? (Believe me, I really told that asshole off!). Once still in high school out on town we were eating some pastries or so and some old fart came and told us that we shouldn’t do so and think about our figures. Well, the story goes on and on and on with cases like these, but to sort-of sum it up - a lot of people, mainly men, seem to think it’s acceptable to just walk over to women and comment on their looks. And, if that woman happens to be tattooed there's even the more reason to let her know what they think. Seriously, just get over it, let it be.

Like said, this is no issue for me per se, I don't get offended, it’s not something that has happened that much. It turned into a long post all of a sudden. But whenever it has happened -every time is one time too much- or I hear someone else saying their WTF’s about similar situations it does make me wonder what’s wrong with people. It would never cross my mind to ever say anything about the appearance of another person to that person, unless I had something nice to say.

I haven't had my last tattoo done yet :)