Getting Inked, Slave to the needle?

So I'm reading Fort James blog, he's thinking of getting a tattoo. He's going through all the phases. What about at work? What will they think? What will my parents and friends think?
We all tattoos are for white trash, convicts, bikers and other non desirables.
But as Neil Young said "You don't meet interesting people in the middle of the road, you meet them in the ditch". So I headed for the ditch. I tested the waters with a tiger and a bit of tribal on my ankle. Before it was done I was thinking of how to finish the ankle. about a year later I met a man who I thought was my life partner and got a scared heart and the same design as our bands around the rest of the ankle. He's gone it's there. Thats OK. Next it was new pattern around the left ankle, maybe It represents chains to our thinking about society,maybe not. That was followed with fire and water. It's been commented on that I had flames on my ankle I'd better be fast on the bike. Then I stayed away from the needle. I drew others flash for them. I kicked around the elements design a long time. Then I did it,bigger than I thought,but it fits the arm nice. Said I'd never do my arm. Sure and never the chest. Maybe not the back. If I can't see it I can't relate. Then one of the best people I've known was taken by cancer from us. How can do the chest now?
So for Dave, I have the date and a DNA strand coming into water and a koi. Dave always wanted me to draw him a samurai slicing though the cancer cells for his next tattoo.
He was never able to get it. But when I ride, Dave rides with me and many other feel the same way. He's there He's cheering us to dig a little deeper. He showed us all how far someone could go to beat something. It was always about you with Dave. Never him.
So go ahead get the tattoo. When it's healed and you've had it awhile, you'll forget about. You'll talk to others about theirs.Maybe ask who did it? Or that's cool. Or God why would you get that? My advice get someone to draw out your ideas. Don't just go get number 112 cause it's cool. Make it yours.
Soon enough you'll be going back. Advice part two. No TAZ or black panthers crawling up your arm.
Oh and James, shave those legs.
Oh and does it hurt? That's a personal thing. My sternum killed but I read a book during the rest of it.
Do they bleed? I do. See first post. I'll try to show the progress.
I just want to celebrate.