Painful yes, but I love having them once they are done.

I have no tattoos and will never get one. I prefer clear skin.

The one tattoo I've been thinking about goes like this: The word tattoo on my back, cancelled with a red circle !!! ...... Of course I know, once I start....

I'm getting a strong sense you wouldn't understand. It's like wanting to do anything, you have to want to do it to understand it. Many things you do have some kind of pain involved, financial/ physical/ emotional but there is a pay off. If you've never wanted to master an instrument you wouldn't go through the hours of playing badly and playing the same tune over and over again. If you've never wanted a tattoo you'd never understand that the pain is just a vehicle to get that image on your body, be it as a rite of passage, a memorial to a loved one or simply a symbol that has meaning for you at one stage of your life.

I have 5 so far. My first is my son’s name in the same place as his tattoo on his leg. I’ve got him skating on my leg, also. My arm has his name, his number of years of existence, and a tally counting the years since.
I like the pain. It’s simil to a slight burning sensation. I like to watch. I like to see my skin forever changed. I like to design them. I’d never just go in and pick something from the wall. That is foolish in my opinion. I never knew what I’d want, but now I do. To me, they are necessary. Damn, I need some money...

I do have a tattoo, that my wife and I obtained at a wedding anniversary. It was not painful actually, although I can understand that some will. Still I don't understand why people fill all of their body with inked pictures. I understand it from an artistic standpoint, but putting your skin full (or less) with non-erasable pictures, I don't. And it has become a pretty expensive hobby apparently.

I'm 63, got my first tat about 15 years ago. My second (pictured on my profile) for a birthday present in November. Depending on where you get your tattoo the pain is minimal, tho there are some very sensitive spots. Neither of mine "hurt" except for an occaissional sting here & there. My latest tat is to put myself "out there" if anyone wishes to engage. I plan on a third as soon as I put the money aside for it, but books are expensive, too!

I don't have one but I want one. I use to think like you but after seeing more of them, some very beautiful and watching people on TV, I decided I would like one. It probably won't happen because I don't have it in my budget but if I did I would. When I was watching the TV shows, people got tattoos for a bunch of different reasons. Many would get one in memory of a loved one that died, some honoring their children, some to signify a hurdle they conquered (addiction, weight loss, education, illness, etc.). But humans have been decorating their bodies for thousands of years. Sure there are some I don't understand, but who am I to criticize?

I always thought I never would until I dated a guy who had a lot of them. Then, I started to think about if I got one, what would it be, and where? Once I had that figured out, I simply had to have it done. I'll explain in a reply tomorrow, I've got to sack out.