If tattoos only lasted for one year, would you want one?

What if they only lasted for one month?

Goofy

Nada. Nein. Non. I see no compelling reason to have a tattoo, even if it would only last a year ... or a month. There is nothing that appeals to me about a tattoo on others, so why would I want one?

Here's how I see it. I'm something of a private person, don't always want to be noticed, and certainly don't want to be 'branded,' physically or otherwise, and thereby subject to extra and unnecessary assumptions about who I may be.

I change my clothes daily, and virtually everything else, over time. Rooms are added or remodeled and repainted, the car is occasionally traded, pictures and wall-hangings are added and removed. On and on -- the yard, the garden, .... Perhaps not frequently, but changing the surfaces around me is an integral part of not letting things grow too stale. That's why I may sometimes grow a beard, other times have only a mustache or a Van Dyck, sometimes have a clean-shaven face. Variety is refreshing.

So, why would I want to go under someone's needle and allow them to inject a multi-hued design into my skin? I'm sure I would grow tired of the design after a while, so why waste my time, money and effort? If I really want a temporary tattoo, I can go to a children's store and buy some rub-on, wipe-off silly tattoo.

Time changes everything, including how I look, how my body looks. And my activities sometimes make changes happen more rapidly. Exposure to the sun makes me tan and tends to wrinkle my skin. Bicycle accidents have left some permanent marks, too, and though I could have cosmetic surgery to remove them, I don't. Maybe because those marks are "earned" through challenging effort, aren't designed, and came at the cost of real pain.

This tattoo thing? I don't need such an overt-yet-passive attempt to stand out in a crowd. No need to intentionally add more nicks and scratches. I'll pass, thanks.