No, "it" isn't an open invitation for you to ....

My "it" is kickboxing. People find out I train and prove that there is such a thing as a stupid question....

No, I can't knock out a bear.

well, have you TRIED?

I've got the one really hairy Lithuanian guy at our gym that weighs about 280... and, Lord willing, that is the closest I will ever come to finding out.

I guess I look way too boring to have random people asking me questions or giving me advice. (I live in San Francisco -- I am definitely not the most interesting looking person people here have seen....)

But I suppose my "it" might be having a PhD in linguistics:

- No, you don't have to "watch what [you] say around me." Linguists are interested in the way people actually USE language, not the way someone says you "should" use it!

- No, I'm really not interested in hearing about whatever grammar/misspelling/punctuation thing bugs you. That stuff not only bores the heck of out most linguists, but you also probably don't actually want to hear my thoughts/explanations of peoples "egregious errors."

- No, I don't speak hundreds of languages.

- No, I can't translate for you.

- And no. I don't know what I'm going to do with my degree. :bigsmile:

I think my 'it' is the same - have two tats on the back and the amount of people that approach you from behind (yeah classic and very good idea to approach someone from behind, who might just turn when grabbed and break your nose).. grab your shirt and have a look. Hell I even had people traching the tat, random strangers.... like... I have a written invitation on my back
Although in good memory I have to admit that this can be quite sexy *chuckle*
Once had a bloke, who I thoughw as really nice looking, who had eyed me half of the eveing, when I then stood with the back to him, he gently traced the tat, as to see if it was real, and when I turned and looked at him, gave me a beaming smile, gently bit my shoulder and walked off into the crowd....
Heck, thinking about it, I have never seen him again and he was like the proper dream come true looking bloke... lol if you ever come across this post, you bum... say hi:bigsmile: :glasses: :flowerforyou:

wow, to the original poster...

do you think people are creepy if they compliment you on your tattoos?

im generally an outspoken person and enjoy being social.. your post makes me never want to say anything nice to someone again about their awesome artwork.

thanks for that.

I love it when people approach me about my ink. It's an easy conversation starter and I don't mind answering any questions. In fact, I look at it as promoting my friends tattoo business. I have had one person, ever, comment that they don't like ink, I responded, then you shouldn't get one. I got the ink for me and no one else, I could care less what others think.

Ad OP, c'mon... no one goes full-sleeves unless they enjoy being on display.

If your tattoos weren't intended to differentiate and distinguish you from the herd, they'd be someplace concealable like mine are.

I'll be the first to admit you are totally right. I never said I didn't like attention. I just don't like the stupid attention. tell me you like em - sweet! Chat a bit about who my artist is - awesome! Ask me to explain the deep meaning (because dont' ALL tattoos have meaning) of each and every one of them while in line at starbucks? really?

Fair enough.

My experience with this is people are trying to show appreciation without just being the "Durh, pretty colors!" guy. They're just being curious and don't really know how to approach you... and people with lots of ink can be kinda intimidating. They think maybe if they ask a smarter question then you will less likely to become enraged and set their face ablaze.

I used to get "Did that hurt?" all the time regarding my wrist. I thought people were idiots until I realized most of them were actually shopping... if my experience was so negative that I wouldn't do it again, there was no way that they were going to do their own wrist. If I told them it wasn't that bad, then that encouraged them or kept them from ruling it out.

Hmm... Pretty much everything on this list, minus the sports stuff.

I'm a woman with multiple amputations (just above both knees and just above left elbow) I have a few tattoos (nothing to write home about though) but I am visibly pierced, I have naturally red hair and at one point it was down to my *kitten*. I'm also a single Mama who babywore/breastfed/cloth diapered. Oh, and I'm vegan...

No, I was not in some horrific accident, I was born without my limbs.
No, my mother was not a drug user/abuser.
Yes, my mother is a good person, and I am not her Karmic payback.
I don't know if I was a horrible person in a past life, I'm too busy focusing on making the most of this one!
No, I have never wished for limbs, you can't miss something you've never had.
Yes, I am able to have children, I don't have legs, my vagina and uterus are fully functioning. (Prior to having my daughter)
No, I will not list other piercings that I may or may not have for you.
No, I will not tell you if you are right when you start listing piercings that you think I may or may not have.
No, you may not see other piercings that I may or may not have.
Yes, my hair colour is "real".
No, you may not touch my hair without my permission, by the way, who are you???
No my partner is not a "nice" person for being with me, maybe he just sees how awesome I am?
No, you may not touch my pregnant belly without my permission, by the way, who are you???
Yes, I am fully confident in my ability to care for and raise a child, if I didn't think I could do it, her father and I would not have planned a family.
Yes, I'm raising my daughter on my own.
Yes, she still sees her father... Every Sunday and every other Saturday night.
No, I will not discuss the demise of my relationship with my daughters father with you.
No, breastfeeding is not perverted... What do you think your Jesus ate? They didn't have Similac back then.
Yes, babywearing is perfectly safe, my daughter is fine, see, she's smiling.
No, you may not kiss or otherwise put my baby's hands in or around your mouth, by the way, who are you???
Yes, cloth diapering takes a little bit of work, but I prefer cloth to disposable.
Yes, my daughter is being raised vegan. No, she's not being deprived.
The list of foods we can eat is far longer than the list we choose not to consume.
No, I don't miss *insert animal based food product here* there are so many great plant based alternatives that I prefer.


Ok, I need to stop now...

Go ahead and respond with your version of what "it" is ...


For me - it's my ink. Okay, I've got tattoos. So does a crapload of people. BUT, the fact my arms are visibily covered to my wrists does NOT give you an open invitation to ...


~ show me your ink. We're not all in a club. Having a tattoo isn't special. I don't put on a bra in the morning and then run up to everyone else wearing a bra and tell them HEY! LOOK AT MY BRA! I HAVE ONE TOOOOOO!!!!!

~ ask me any personal question under the damned sun. "Where do you get your work done?" Sure. But "How much did it cost?" and then following that up with "What do you do to have so much money to spend on that?" If/When I give you an answer. "what does it MMMEEEAAAANNNN?" Oh good lord. Shut the hell up. I LIKE it, okay? I'm not an episode of LA Ink where everything has to have a freaking deep meaning to it.

~ tell me the tattoo YOU want to get or your sister wants to get and ask my opinion. I'm just trying to buy a coffee, I don't care. And I'm pretty sure the tweety bird design you want is going to be awesome.

~ tell me why YOU would never get a tattooo. I don't come up to you and tell you why i would NEVER wear the hairstyle you are wearing.

~ explain to me how you don't like tattoos. Hey, I don't like those jeans you're wearing either but you don't see me giving you my reasons why.

~ touch me. Seriously. Stop touching me. I can't tell you how many people have just grabbed my sleeve or back of my shirt to look under my clothes to see what else I've got going on.


Do you have one??

My "it" is my job. "how can you work with those people?"...I work in a prison. Then, they want to tell me how bad the system is or that the inmates have to many goodies!

As to tattoo's, I just got into the habit of "Reading" them. No offense, but I look for gang tats all the time!

Where are the Philosophy jokes anyway??

Question: What do you get when you cross the Godfather with a philosopher?
Answer: An offer you can't understand.

My "It" is my toys... don't touch them. I don't care if you just want to scare your friends or used a frat paddle in collage hazing. This is my work equipment. If you want your own we can talk about having a set made for you, but these are custom made to fit my tiny hands. It cost about $80 to get a new handle put on per piece. Not to mention you just wacked your wife in the kidney. I hope she enjoys pissing blood for the next few days. You clearly don't know what you are doing. If you like I offer classes that start you off with safety props til you learn something. There is big signs everywhere saying don't try this at home, I am a professional and even I am continuing to take classes for your safety. Why do you think you can jump in and do what I do at my level?

My other "it" is my boyfriend at events. Yes he's a big guy, yes he's wearing a medical alert bracelet, no they are not related. No you don't need to know what his medical issues are. I don't care if you have medical training. The staff where ever we are knows in advance. Not to mention if there is an issue I'm right here and I am his handler. He does not leave my side at events and yes that includes going to the bathroom, but none of that is any of your business either.