I am but a lightweight. Five piercings that I recall, four the hard way. One of them closed up. It was the safety pin I jammed through my left nipple, and I couldn't keep it when I got into full contact martial arts. I often have to remove my piercings to train and just jam them back through later.
I have a few tattoos and more coming. I just like them. I don't show them off but I don't hide them either, I just get them for me. Hard to explain. They are all custom, original, and have deep significance, usually planned out for years to pay tribute to some major influence in my life. I want to remain nebulus to protect some sort of anonymity on this public forum, so I won't go into details, but one of them does involve a fifth generation Black Cloud Fighting Bowie.
I am discreet about them though. My dad taught me old school values that people with tattoes were losers and troublemakers. and guys with earring were fags. I have found that to be not true today, and am enjoying persuing my own interests while still succeeding in life and being a good guy on the straight-and-narrow. I will never get a tat where I can not cover it up though. Like I said, I am but a lightweight.
So far I have patronaged Streamline tattoo and Avalon, both right off Mission Beach and I highly recommend them. They are regularly awarded and in the magazines. I get top notch work or none at all. After all, it is forever, or until you get laser removal.
Longest time in the chair at once: 6 hours with no break and yes, I am not going to be macho and lie: that one friggin hurt. A few hours of inking is okay, but when you reach that 5 hour mark of getting drilled in the same tender area, it starts getting old and it took everything I had not to jump up and straight blast the artist out of instinct.
thaddeus