| I'm Chinese. And bilingual. Unfortunately over the | | | | properly licensed. |
| years my mindset has become too "westernized" for | | | | Just imagine - we've (unwittingly) beaten the |
| my Mandarin standard to keep up with my English | | | | Americans in democracy and freedom rights in the |
| one. So each time my Dad brings home a copy of | | | | most unlikely way! I bet you are surprised, aren't |
| the Chinese evening daily, I'll half-heartedly browse | | | | you? |
| through it looking intently for crime-related or trashy | | | | But is this the right way things should be? So what |
| celebrities news, which are far more exciting. | | | | does this mean for the young and restless who are |
| But a few days ago while lazily flipping through the | | | | seeking to get their first tattoo? |
| reports, something caught my attention. Right before | | | | Well, my first piece of advice would be that serious |
| my eyes was an astonishing report on tattoos, a | | | | thoughts must be given on whether to even go for |
| topic that is rarely discussed in local media, let alone | | | | a tattoo. Consider this: according to the American |
| making it to a tabloid circulated nationwide. | | | | Society of Dermatological Surgery, 50% of the |
| Being an admirer of tattoos and art form, I knew I | | | | millions of Americans who get a tattoo eventually |
| had to read the entire report. And I did. Excruciatingly | | | | want it removed. Yes, in other words, they |
| slow though, due to my lousy command of Mandarin. | | | | regretted getting a tattoo. |
| (Yeah, go ahead and laugh all you want.) | | | | I am sure you would rather have a tattoo you are |
| In the report, a local tattoo shop owner gave a true | | | | proud of, wouldn't you? |
| account of an "inspired" 10-year-old boy who walked | | | | Second, if you live in an area where there is a |
| into the shop asking to be tattooed - at 10:30pm! My | | | | minimum age requirement and you happen to just |
| eyes popped. Why wasn't the boy at home in bed | | | | meet it, you must first seek the advice of a |
| preparing for school the next day we'll never know. | | | | trustworthy senior who has tattoos. You should |
| The reporter also interviewed two youths who got | | | | question him clearly on what went through |
| their first tattoos when they were just 15. One of | | | | psychologically and emotionally as he readied himself |
| them has since regretted his rash decision. | | | | for a tattoo. Going through this activity will help you |
| I live in Singapore where there are already too many | | | | to establish the correct frame of mind to go about |
| official rules and regulations. But amazingly, not only | | | | selecting a suitable tattoo design for yourself. |
| are there no rules governing the minimum legal age | | | | If you are underage when it comes to getting a |
| for tattooing minors, there is also no proper registrar | | | | tattoo, chances are you will inevitably regret it soon |
| for tracking tattoo artists. | | | | enough. |
| I was totally taken aback to discover this, to say the | | | | Also, seek professional advice from a good tattoo |
| least. By comparison, things are a lot stricter in the | | | | artist for ideas of tattoo designs. Check if he is able |
| US. Do you know that in almost every US state, it is | | | | to custom-design one for you. |
| illegal to get a tattoo anywhere other than a licensed | | | | For the record, the 10-year-old boy was prompted |
| tattoo shop? And yes, the tattoo artist must be | | | | turned down by the shop owner. Phew! |
