What’s made you happy for a change

[DD67]

I'm also having this put into it in full with Bad Luck Duck written underneath in German style writing...How cool is that...View attachment 12385

Surely you are Good Luck Duck these days

I haven't had a tattoo for 20yrs due to the mental prices now

In the swimming pool on holiday a good 15yrs ago a guy commented on the one I have on my back. He reckoned it would have cost someehere in the region of a couple of grand even back then. I assumed he was pi$$ed up or/& exaggerating.
But having checked the prices several years after that conversation. He may well have been correct? He was also an Essex boy. So I dare say tats would be more expensive in his neck of the woods.

I know it takes an incredible level of skill & it can take the equivalent of a couple of days in labour time. But the materials/equipment aren't expensive.
A good tattoo artist must be on the equivalent of £200-£300 per hour. Nice work if you can get it

 

[MartytheMartian]

No idea what the going rate for tattooing is now but I don't think it's as lucrative even these days as everyone thinks. Remember that, if you are legit, you have Rent and rates, any wages, income tax, national insurance and electricity for light and heating to pay plus liability insurance and VAT then there is 'disposeable' equipment that costs a fair amount of loot and 'sharps/biohazard' disposal costs. There aren't that many millionaires in the tattoo business as, whatever your hourly rate there is only one of you to earn it with. One of the biggest tattooists in Scotland supplemented their income by dealing drugs through the studio so they can't have been making that much and they were the 'name' in tattooing for many years.

 

[DD67]

No idea what the going rate for tattooing is now but I don't think it's as lucrative even these days as everyone thinks. Remember that, if you are legit, you have Rent and rates, any wages, income tax, national insurance and electricity for light and heating to pay plus liability insurance and VAT then there is 'disposeable' equipment that costs a fair amount of loot and 'sharps/biohazard' disposal costs. There aren't that many millionaires in the tattoo business as, whatever your hourly rate there is only one of you to earn it with. One of the biggest tattooists in Scotland supplemented their income by dealing drugs through the studio so they can't have been making that much and they were the 'name' in tattooing for many years.

Next time you're passing a reputable tattoo parlour.
Pop in & pick a reasonably complex design at approx 9"x6".
Then tell us the price you're quoted Marty.
If you aren't shocked, I will be!

That's why when you told me that one of your many skills is tattooing. I suggested that you did it on a very part time basis. Picking & choosing the work you do & the hours you're prepared to work. That way you'd get to enjoy it & earn a good few quid into the bargain

 

[half ton]

My youngest lad is having a full front..belly button to collar bones done, it has been on going for a year or more and about half way now, he is in over a grand so far and has to get it done as he finds spare cash, gone to Uni now so probably on hold for a few years

 

[DD67]

My youngest lad is having a full front..belly button to collar bones done, it has been on going for a year or more and about half way now, he is in over a grand so far and has to get it done as he finds spare cash, gone to Uni now so probably on hold for a few years

My back-piece is a personal interpretation of this. With several adaptations...



Although it covers most of the back of a self confessed salad dodger. IMHO it still ain't a £2000+ tat. Unfortunately today's mental prices say otherwise!

I was offered two prices.
If I was a pussy & kept asking for a break. The price was open ended. However, if I sat there whilst the guy outlined it. Without wriggling about like a ponce. Then came back in a couple of weeks & did the same whilst it had the colour & other details added. Then the price was only £250.
I was so impressed with the finished result (via a mirror), the guy got £260 for his efforts

We are talking 20+yrs ago though. Not only have the prices gone crazy. The quality of the artwork has increased massively as well

@Flynnt20 posted tattoo artwork examples on our previous home. That blew my mind in terms of quality/detail. Some of his examples looked like photographs

 

[BAD LUCK DUCK]

I won't be paying the going rate..
I like my tattoos to have a certain roughness to them..I know a lad that had George and the Dragon sleeve done.Photo quality and it was OK but it lacked soul or character as it just looked like a photo wrapped around his arm...you glance at his tattoo once and you've seen it and that's that...
It's like looking at someone's holiday photos..you show an interest to be polite...
Now when I have a tattoo done it ain't to try to impress or look cool...
Each of my tattoos as a story to tell and most actually makes a statement of some sort...

 

[BAD LUCK DUCK]

Surely you are Good Luck Duck these days

I haven't had a tattoo for 20yrs due to the mental prices now

In the swimming pool on holiday a good 15yrs ago a guy commented on the one I have on my back. He reckoned it would have cost someehere in the region of a couple of grand even back then. I assumed he was pi$$ed up or/& exaggerating.
But having checked the prices several years after that conversation. He may well have been correct? He was also an Essex boy. So I dare say tats would be more expensive in his neck of the woods.

I know it takes an incredible level of skill & it can take the equivalent of a couple of days in labour time. But the materials/equipment aren't expensive.
A good tattoo artist must be on the equivalent of £200-£300 per hour. Nice work if you can get it

Good luck..Bad luck..
It's all a matter of perspective...

 

[MartytheMartian]

I used to love tattoos. As a kid I always wanted a tattoo - a proper one not the sewing needle and ink garbage that a lot of kids did to each other. As soon as I was old enough I got my first one, a wolf on my shoulder and also went into partnership with a mate and we set up to do tattooing ourselves. Then tattoo's became 'trendy' and, as some of y'all might have figured, I am an ornery, contrary bugger and I hate swimming with the tide and so the more popular tattoos became the less I found myself wanting more. It's hard to explain as well but, as time has gone on, I have found that, for me, the art form has fallen flat. It just can't say enough for me to want to permanently put anything else on my skin. I get that if you're a Maori or a Micronesian etc. then your tattoo's are like badges of rank with each one meaning a specific thing, although even in those communities I suspect they are losing a lot of their meaning but in the West they have become something akin to T-shirt art. In the days of the sailors and soldiers they had meaning and importance and, of course supplied identifying marks in the event you were found floating in the sea or there were only a few bits of you left but now, with footballers and movie stars covered in meaningless ink they seem pointless.

 

[Big Sandy]

Germans on my left and British on my right...

Shouldn't the Germans be on the right? The far right.....




I'll get me coat.

 

[Doc Strange]

A few weeks back I purchased something on Ebay. But the dumb@ss seller sent the wrong item.
I eventually got a refund but it was a lot of messing about.
So I left neutral feedback highlighting the issues I'd encountered. Nothing foot stamping or OTT. Just an explanation of how difficult it had been to get the matter resolved.
The seller got in touch to apologise & ask me for further feedback directly to them.
Long story short I did as requested & they seemed genuinely appreciative

Then this evening, this turned up out of the blue as a thank you
View attachment 12336

Not hugely valuable, but still a nice touch

I reckon they were just clearing out the back of a cupboard and decided to get rid of what nobody ever used - I mean who can't boil a fucking egg ffs and need a special device to do so!

DS

 

[DD67]

I reckon they were just clearing out the back of a cupboard and decided to get rid of what nobody ever used - I mean who can't boil a fucking egg ffs and need a special device to do so!

DS

It was a large company Doc. Not a private seller.
According to them, anyone with a feedback score in the 1000's at 100% positive. That leaves them anything but good feedback. Should be taken very seriously as it's potentially damaging to their business.
Also they treat a rational neutral feedback. As worse than a hissy fit rant in a negative feedback.

I agree 100%, but it's rare to find any company these days that thinks like that.

I'm sure the gadget will collect more dust than eggs. But I still think it was a nice touch

 

[half ton]

It was a large company Doc. Not a private seller.
According to them, anyone with a feedback score in the 1000's at 100% positive. That leaves them anything but good feedback. Should be taken very seriously as it's potentially damaging to their business.
Also they treat a rational neutral feedback. As worse than a hissy fit rant in a negative feedback.

I agree 100%, but it's rare to find any company these days that thinks like that.

I'm sure the gadget will collect more dust than eggs. But I still think it was a nice touch

Yep I can see it now.....Gents buy one of my disc alarms and get a free egg boiler.....well not free but only £20 extra

 

[DD67]

Yep I can see it now.....Gents buy one of my disc alarms and get a free egg boiler.....well not free but only £20 extra

As if I would HT. What a thing to say mate
I do have a few of those beautiful stainless steel wine racks available though

 

[DD67]

About time to

BBC News - Social care: MPs back change to funding of £86,000 cost cap

Social care: MPs back change to funding cost cap in England

Critics say altering the way the cap will be calculated could disproportionately hit poorer people.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Don the Don]

About time to

BBC News - Social care: MPs back change to funding of £86,000 cost cap

Social care: MPs back change to funding cost cap in England

Critics say altering the way the cap will be calculated could disproportionately hit poorer people.

www.bbc.co.uk

"Nice" but it's a shame that they have a debate about how those who have paid into our system all their lives and then need help, yet hand out money to Ethnics landing on these shores who only take from day one, lets have a debate or referendum on "Do we won't all these immigrants"

 

[DD67]

"Nice" but it's a shame that they have a debate about how those who have paid into our system all their lives and then need help, yet hand out money to Ethnics landing on these shores who only take from day one, lets have a debate or referendum on "Do we won't all these immigrants"

I've posted this before Don, possibly on our previous home?

My Grandad used to hand over his wage packet to my Nan. She'd take what was needed for the running of the house/kids & give him the remainder back.
He'd then invest it wisely in beer & baccy
But when it was gone that was the end of his fun. Consequently he'd budget to make it last him until payday. That probably meant 15 pints on a Saturday night but 5 pints every other night of the week?
One of his drinking buddies used to say he was under the thumb if he left the pub at 9pm on a Tuesday night.
But he still did, & took such criticism on the chin.

Years late he & that gobshite ended up in the same care home.
Gobshite was getting exactly the same level of care for free. That my Grandad had to pay for because he (via my Nan) had savings.

F#ckin annoying but when I pointed it out to my Grandad. His response was..."I can hold my head up high son. He's a parasite!"...

A very admirable take on the situation. But Mr Parasite was still laughing!

 

[Don the Don]

Mr Parasite was still laughing

Home grown or imported we have always been far too generouse to those who want something for nothing

 

[DD67]

Home grown or imported we have always been far too generouse to those who want something for nothing

My Grandad was ex Royal Engineers. I think Mr Parasite was just infantry?
He'd often say that Mr Parasite must have hidden from any genuine conflict. Cos he didn't have the balls to face a fire fight.

What always amased me is why my Grandad never leathered him for all his "under the thumb" jibes?
My Grandad was a fairly tasty boxer & apparently could have turned pro? Unfortunately he got his right hand badly burnt by a phosphorus mortar. And it was "sorted" with 1940's surgery. Consequently, after the war he couldn't make a proper first.

It didn't stop him teasing me with the offer of chocolate in a sparing match though. If I managed to plant a fist on him?
He wasn't a big guy but his reactions & hands were lightning fast!
As a toddler I used to flail about trying to land a punch on him. He'd laugh his boll#cks off. Then pick me up & rub my face on his sand paper like stubble (much to the annoyance of my Mum)
Before I finally got the chocolate as a consolation prize

Happy days!
It wasn't harsh it was genuinely fun. It's also what makes anyone that grew up in the 1940's to 1970's far more robust than kids of today.
Not everyone though. Some slipped through the net. But it's ok coz they populate our previous home, not here!

 

[Scrappy]

"Nice" but it's a shame that they have a debate about how those who have paid into our system all their lives and then need help, yet hand out money to Ethnics landing on these shores who only take from day one, lets have a debate or referendum on "Do we won't all these immigrants"

Agree!!

This change is meaningless to almost anyone owning their own home, as they will have assets over £100k, so after working their entire lives and paying taxes and the mortgage, etc their home is effectively going to be stripped from them, preventing them from passing wealth and assets to their children. Whilst illegal immigrants are given housing, money, healthcare from government money raised from the very people they will be stripping it from again for social care

Its like inheritance tax, it is short sighted, and unjust IMO. Most people are not multi-millionaires and will only have moderate wealth in assets (usually just their home) the income which funded it they have already paid tax on and they will have paid land registry and council taxes etc related to their home also. By preventing people passing wealth on to their children, the government are perhaps increasing welfare costs in the future, and reducing the overall wealth of its citizens, thus reducing their spending power, thus reducing tax revenues from that spending etc. Government does not want the plebs to have assets and wealth, if the plebs were more wealthy they could make their own decisions and would be less reliant on nanny government, therefore government would have less power... can't have that can we

 

[DD67]

Only 27, but it's a start

BBC News - Many migrants heading for UK die after boat sinks

Migrant tragedy is biggest loss of life in Channel

Boris Johnson says it is vital to stop people trafficking gangs after at least 27 drown near Calais.

www.bbc.co.uk

The last time I posted such a comment elsewhere. A bunch of spineless, virtue signalling lefties told me to stand in the naughty corner
@Public Enemy, what do you reckon mate? The naughty corner again, or a thumbs up?