> So, what I want to ask is if anyone here has a tattoo, and how much did it hurt? I know a lot of people who say it doesn't hurt, but... well...
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> I'd appreciate the input. Thanks.
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> Sundragyn.

I have a tattoo about six inches in diameter in the small of my back. It's a Celtic knot, and it took only about an hour to do.

There are two flaws in the design, because at those places, the needle seemed to send a surprise jolt of pain that made me jump a bit. The artist was kind of mad at me for that, but I really couldn't have stopped it.

When I got in the chair, I was imagining that it would be excruciating pain, and I was considering asking for a pencil to bite down on or whatever, trying to remember what I learned about Lamaze from TV sitcoms.... Of course, after that anticipation, it wasn't nearly as painful as I thought it would be. It felt sort of like a honeybee sting. You know, a bit of *yeow!* but not the searing agony of a yellow jacket sting.

The coolest part about getting the tattoo was when the needle was right over my spine, and it was sending vibrations through my whole skeleton. You won't get that on your arm, but it's just as well, because tattoos over bones are supposedly the most painful.

Too bad pain is different for everybody....or this info would be more useful. But I'm sure that after that initial prick, you'll be thinking "Hey, this isn't that terrible," as you grit your teeth and clench your fists.

--Jez"just don't let it get infected....bleah"zika