A Child Of Atom

Getting a tattoo has more rules than owning a Mogwai, I swear. For the first five days I am not supposed to soak in water, so no swimming or long baths, and I also have to apply antibiotic ointment four times a day. When I shower, which is allowed thankfully, I have to be sure to not let the spray hit it directly, and to pat it dry, not rub it at all. After 5 days I can switch to moisturizing lotion instead of antibiotic cream, but I have to keep that up for two weeks, and I have to be careful not to OVERmoisturize it. After that week I have to be sure not to expose it to direct sunlight for long periods of time, for a whole month. If I do I have to apply sunscreen. I also can't scratch it, rub it, lie on it, put a great amount of pressure on it, or pick at any scabs that may form. I keep having the fear that I am going to somehow screw the whole thing up and end up with this blotchy red THING on my arm for the rest of my life. Then I remind myself that people have been tattooing themselves for millennia and THEY didn't have antibiotic ointment, or showers for that matter.

This may be one of the gayest things I've ever said out loud but... Was I supposed to tip my tattoo artist? This little bit of protocol slipped right by me until Alison asked. Since then I have gotten dissenting opinions from the people around here that have tattoos. No one that actually went this time tipped them. Have we committed a tattoo faux pas?