Five Questions for the Unin(k)itiated: Nate's Hobbesian Dilemma

It was another cold day, so I cut through Penn Station on my way to the bank. It appeared as if it was going to be another tattoo-less sub-30-degree day in the Big City, so I stopped and chatted with a nice couple from Washington D.C. about their lack of tattoos.

So begins another chapter of “Five Questions for the Unin(k)itiated.” Today’s installment was better than the premiere one on the previous day.

Name: Nate

Q: Do you have any tattoos?

A: No

Q: Why not?

A: They’re expensive and I can never decide what to get.

Q: So you have considered getting a tattoo?

A: Yes, off and on for about four to five years.

Q: If yes, what would you have inked, where, and why?

A: Hobbes [The comic strip stuffed tiger from Calvin & Hobbes] on my right shoulder. I love Calvin & Hobbes, and Hobbes is the best comic strip character.

Q: If you could be a tattoo on any famous person, what would you be, on whom would you be, and why?

A: I’d be a Hobbes tattoo on Angelina Jolie’s lower back because she’s hot.

On an interesting side note, check out a photo of Angelina Jolie’s back, for real:

She already has a tiger tattoo there! Is it me, or was Nate’s response, uninformed by what Jolie has inked already, incredibly funny, considering?

Thanks to Nate for chatting with us here on Tattoosday!

Introducing: The Unin(k)itiated

What’s a tattoo blogger to do?

Or, more specifically, what’s a Northeastern tattoo blogger to do?

Sure, this is a site dedicated to tattoos, but there’s a central character here, as well, which is the city of New York. And whereas there’s a vast array of visible ink from May through September, and occasional sightings in the late Fall and early Spring, December through February are tough times for those of us in colder climates that thrive on the public spotting of a well-crafted, nay, any tattoo.

Just to illustrate my dilemma, since December 24, I have posted 21 items, only 5 of which were tattoos from people I had never met before, and all of them were initially noticed inside a building.

Anticipating this seasonal slow-down, I had been batting around some ideas on how to expand the format of Tattoosday to pique interest during the colder months. One such idea came to fruition today in a segment I will be calling “Five Questions for the Unin(k)itiated.” That is, a series of questions for people who do not have tattoos. And if you think its tough asking strangers about their ink, try asking strangers about their lack thereof.

Astonishingly, the first person I asked was happy to oblige. It was 23 degrees outside when I stopped to talk to a young woman out on Penn Plaza.

So, without further ado, here is the premiere installment of Five Questions for the Unin(k)itiated:

Name: Anna

Q: Do you have any tattoos?

A: No

Q: Why not?

A: I don’t want one.

Q: Have you ever considered getting a tattoo?

A: No

Q: Is there a specific factor that causes you to feel that way? For example, religious, cultural, etc.?

A: It’s a personal preference

[Okay, I’m going to interject something into the discussion here. Right about now, you’re probably thinking, “Gee, Bill, this is kind of boring. Are you sure this is a good idea?” Remember, folks, this was my maiden effort, and this feature may evolve. Plus, one should keep in mind, if Anna did have a tattoo, voila! Instant Tattoosday Post. Just add Curiosity. But I saved the best question for last.]

Q: If you could be a tattoo on any famous person, what would you be, on whom would you be, and why?

A: I’d be on Johnny Depp, because I like him. And I would be a palm tree on his arm, because it represents where I’m from originally, The Phillipines.

Thanks to Anna for humoring me as I questioned her in the frigid January afternoon on Penn Plaza

Do let me know in the Comments section what you think of this piece. Remember, it’s better than nothing!