According to this article, 1/4 of people between the ages of 18 and 50 have a tattoo and 15% have a piercing.

I guess if you were to put Kyle, my roommate, his girlfriend and myself in a room, the tattoo statement would ring true. I have a few and it seems like they’re becoming a lot more popular these days.

I got my first tattoo when I was 18, after I had graduated from high school and moved to Kamloops. I drew it up myself after hours of boredom in my first-year Microeconomics course and after thinking about it, I got tattooed…

My first tattoo!

It was an interesting experience, but in the end, it was worth it. I’d eventually like to get it touched up since I was a little jumpy in some areas, but the pain left me wanting more! I eventually got a few more tattoos:

Cherry blossoms. They go from my left hip to my right shoulder.

Chinese characters. My grandparents gave me a Chinese name when I was born and also wrote it out in REAL Chinese characters.
This says “Miu Seng,” which if I remember correctly, translates into “beautiful flower.”

My dog paws are the most visible tattoo I have.

It’s interesting to hear people’s comments about my tattoos; Once a random stranger actually grabbed my shoulder (gently-ish) and demanded to know what my Chinese characters meant. That was weird, but I expect it because people have a natural curiosity.

My ears, however, are the modification that get the most attention:

Okay, so I get bored …

I started stretching my ears when I was in Grade 12 and finally stopped a couple years ago. They’re about 1/2″ in diameter when I have jewelry in them. Needless to say, I get a lot of comments on them, most of them neutral, curious ones, some good and hardly negative. The most common question? “Did it hurt?” My answer? A little, but not quite. It’s not a stinging sensation, but  more of a burn I guess. I’ve always got a professional to do it with a taper and lots of lube, lol.

The next common question is “Well, what are you going to do when you’re older?” (which is usually asked by older citizens) to which I respond “Well, I figure I’d hang my cane from them so I don’t misplace it.” Like my tattoos, I started stretching my ears knowing that people were going to ask questions. I didn’t do it because I wanted attention, I did it because I like the way it looks, but I was very well prepared for comments and remarks.

My biggest concern has always been whether or not my stretched lobes would hinder my ability to get a job. Personally, I think businesses have become more relaxed about these kind of issues. My current boss actually bought me a pair of awesome plugs for Christmas! But still, it’s a concern. I try to keep my hair covering my ears for important events where I have to meet bigwigs and especially at job interviews. I figure, if I’m the perfect match for the job, who cares what my ears look like? Of course, if it’s a conservative business, they may have concerns, but they couldn’t fire me over it, could they?

Anyway, I like my ears the way they are, and a random stranger recently told me that they suit me very well :)

I’d like to know, and be honest, What are your opinions on people with tattoos and piercings? Is there a line between “too much” and the “perfect” amount of piercings or tattoos?