Why I will keep getting tattooed

An awesome person spoke to me last weekend and said "if you are getting all these tattoos when you are in this dark place do you not think you will regret them when you come out the other side?" (this was the basis I may have some words wrong)

My answer is now, and will forever be, no. I have no regrets around any of my tattoos. They all have a separate little meaning deep down in my heart that I will keep as my dirty little secret. I'm not talking about them bullshit stories off of Miami or LA ink that would not look out of place in the X Factor sob story section. Just little memories from the day or around the time that make me smile. These little bits of happiness are forever mine and they keep me sane during times when I feel alone.

I have said before and will say again: Tattoo the memories and the things that make you happy. Don't tattoo the moment because in a second it could be over. All but the matching tattoos are things that make me happy. The matching tattoos are moments. Perfect moments. But moments that were over so quickly and caused so much pain.

I know being the painted little twerp I am makes people view me differently and often in a stereotypical way. I don't see this as my problem though. I see it as a challenge to change people's views, a way of starting conversations and meeting probably the coolest darn people on the planet.

Tattooed people are not only the most fun to look at naked but they just seem to have a different outlook. The are genuine and heartfelt. Don't get me confused on this, I am not talking about the girl with the dolphin or the bigger boy at the gym with the tribal. I mean real pieces of art, the kind of art that makes you say wow even if the subject is not one you personally choose.

Tattoos are not some underground thing. Look around you I am sure a lot of people you know have tattoos. And the ones who choose to have more than the average are not satanist intent on kicking your kid in the shins. We are not uneducated villains who want to be centre of the worlds attention.

We are probably sat next to you on a train reading Sophie's World or at work doing that same mundane office job you do.

And we most definitely do not all have Harley Davidsons (we have a time share scheme).

So I will keep getting tattooed because I love the art, the people and where it takes me. I have plenty of skin and plenty of ideas left and I would hope I have plenty of time left in this world to seek out amazing artists.