Tattoos make it mainstream
Today’s Sound Off is about tattoos and body piercings:
Dear Heloise: Two weeks ago, I went to a wedding where I knew the groom, but had never met the bride. I was shocked when she came down the aisle in a beautiful, strapless white gown with two full sleeve tattoos! Every inch of her arms were covered in ink.
I know this is popular now, but in truth, I don’t like it. That goes for excessive body piercings as well. This may be all the trend right now, but I wonder how they’ll feel in the years to come. My dermatologist told me he and his two partners remove about 2,000 to 3,000 tattoos every year. My neighbor’s son has had six tattoos removed, so there are times of regret.
I’ve also been told some colored inks, such as purple and green, are nearly impossible to completely remove. I just wish more young people would think very long and hard before allowing someone to cover them with tattoos. — Diana J., Dallas
Diana, many people regard tattoos as a form of expression or to commemorate some event in their lives. Opinions vary, with some people applauding this new trend, while there are others who see it as a form of mutilation. The stigma that was once associated with tattoos has changed, and it’s becoming more mainstream by the day. Still, there are people who regret the tattoos they receive and want to have them removed. So, as you say, it’s important to think carefully before getting inked. — HeloiseSEND A GREAT HINT TO:
Heloise
P.O. Box 795001
San Antonio, TX 78279-5001
Fax: 1-210-HELOISE
Email: Heloise@Heloise.com
FAST FACTS
Got a lot of leftover wrapping paper? Here’s what you can do with it:
n Use it to line drawers.
n If it has a grid on the back, use the grid to plan the layout of a home or room or design furniture.
n Use to cover a cork board.
n Cut out pictures of flowers, birds, etc. from the paper and paste them on homemade cards.
n Use it to make origami figures.
BEE STINGERS
Dear Heloise: Last month, my 6-year-old grandson was playing outside when he threw a rock at a bee hive. I bolted outside, grabbed him and ran for the house. I got stung seven times on my left arm, so I called my doctor and asked how to remove the bee stingers. He told me to take a credit card or gift card and scrape it along my skin to push the stingers out. It worked, and I got the stingers out with little trouble.
Of course, afterward, I used hydrogen peroxide to clean the wound sites, but the credit card trick was one I thought should be passed on. — Patricia L., Conover, North Carolina
STORING SHRIMP
Dear Heloise: We love shrimp. They are great when you do stir-fry or gumbo, or wrap them in bacon. Several years ago, someone told me to get a quart-size freezer bag and put about 10-12 shrimp in it. Fill the bag full with enough water to cover the shrimp. Then burp out the air in the bag. (You’ll have a freezer bag that looks like a water bladder with shrimp in it.)
Put this bag in the freezer for long-term keeping. I have kept shrimp up to eight months without any problem. I just run warm water over it and into the bag to defrost the shrimp and enjoy them. — D.H., Houston