Tats...........

When and why did tattoos become so popular? I remember when just sailors got them, had MOM or some old girlfriends name on his arm, and hung out in pool halls and bowling alleys. We had an old family friend who had a tattoo on his arm, Nils Olson, and I always looked at him in awe.

Nils was from Chicago, born in Sweden, and was a master carpenter for the Baldwin Piano Company. Nils was a friend of my Aunt Eva's, who lived in Marion, Indiana. They went together for many years. He was as nice as they come.

We moved in to a new house which had a pool table in the basement, I spent a lot of time practicing, thought I was pretty good. Nils came over for a visit, accepted my challenge. He had spent his off hours in pool halls for many years. He was gracious about it, but, well, he cleaned me. He and his tattoo.

Saw one guy today, arms and legs covered with tats, nickle sized rings in his ear lobes, tats on the back of his neck. I guess. I guess one of the reasons athletes get payed so much money is so they can pay for all those tats. Just wonder when that mindset came in that you needed ink all over your body. In years to come I can hear little children saying, "Show me your tats, grandma."

What is happening to this world?

What is happening to this world?

People dying all over the world, earthquakes, floods, snow and the top headlines are about Ben, did he or did he not rape that girl, and Tiger, well he paid for all of his. He got upset on the golf course. My Dad, the Doctor, his last golf game threw a whole set in a lake, one club at a time, and then went home.

When and where did the tattoo craze start? And I suppose, why? You almost have to go down to  high school basketball to see un-tatted arms, and I have seen a few there. I can just hear some sweet little grandchild some day saying, "Show me your tats, grandma."

One tat artist here in town went from an old Chevy to a new Caddy. Business is good. But I still wonder, why?

You used to see tats in bowling alleys and pool halls, and a few old seamen. You almost looked down your nose at someone with a tat, only second class citizens had tats. And in those days, where to get one done (the old Seven Seas in San Diego) if you wanted. Now you can go to the mall or your neighborhood tattoo artist.

I think the first tat I ever saw a tattoo was on old Nils Olsen, a Swede, nicest guy on earth, dated my aunt in Indiana. He was a master carpenter with the Baldwin Company, piano makers. He was in Dayton on a visit and we went to our rec room, oddly enough, to shoot a game of pool. Heated game, he rolled up his shirt sleeves, and lo and behold, a tattoo on his right arm. I was embarassed to look. He had been in the Navy in Sweden and got one then, I later found out. Nothing was ever said about Nils's tat. In those days, tats and sex were not discussed.

Why do people think they are flattering? I saw a lady in Meijers today, legs and arms covered with tats. She was  not a thing of beauty anyway, in my book, and the tats did nothing to enhance her. Don't know what the tats cost, but she paid for her groceries with food stamps.

When did shaved heads start? Everywhere you look, shaved heads. What is with that? Are they going bald so they just shave it all off? The human head, shaven, is not a thing of beauty. Do they have to shave them every day, maybe it was Gillettes idea. If they shave their face and head, it must take a while. And at the cost of the new 4-blades, that vibrate, lot of money.

(Don't tell anyone, I store my razor in Olive Oil when I am done, a little talc in the Olive Oil, let it vibrate a little, been using the same blade since early last December). I shave slow, works great, four months going on five, not bad.

Like the rest of the world, just waiting for the next disaster, or like the Republicans, "Wait till November."