I wasn't trying to bash you Shadows. I don't have any reason to, I like you more than than most people on this board, you seem like a decent human being. But as most people here have learned one way or another, I don't have any hesitance in expressing my thoughts. Some people take it the wrong way and get offended, but the reality is that my intention is usually not to offend, but to open people's eyes a little bit. I have a bad habit of getting a bit too caustic on people sometimes, but hey, nobody is perfect. I'm glad you understood that I wasn't trying to offend you.
Anyway, back to the subject at hand. I have to say - I'm a little concerned that you just seemingly waltzed in to the tattoo studio with little idea of what you wanted or what you were going to get, and furthermore you let the guy talk like that to you. That's not how it's supposed to work. It's none of the guys fucking business to tell you not to get something you might regret or to patronise you in that way. He ain't your god damn daddy.
A tattoo parlor is supposed to be a haven for people who appreciate body art. It's supposed to be a safe place, a comfortable place, and rudeness like that should not be tolerated. I'll tell you something, if an artist talked like that to me, I'd be straight out the door, because they don't deserve my business. I hope you wouldn't consider going to the same place again, and I HIGHLY suggest the next time you get a tattoo you plan it out first, know what you want, and have thought about it for a long time before you do it.
Nobody knows this, but I want to own my own parlor someday. All cyber and futuristic with a juice bar and maybe a recording studio attached it as well.
When I was making the BBC documentary about 'Pac in LA, I interviewed Mark Mahoney at Shamrock Tattoos on the Sunset Strip. Mark is one of the most legendary figures in the world of tattoos, and he did a lot of 'Pac's tattoos, as well as other artists on Death Row and other artists and musicians in general, people like 50 Cent, The Game, Limp Bizkit, KoRn, Britney Spears. We hung around at his place for a while after the interview but had to leave because Bruce Willis walked in to get a tattoo and wanted the place cleared out for his people. Anyway, it was such a great environment there. It had a whole chillout, social club type section with a pool table and shit. I'd love to run a place like that.