Tatted UP!

The other day I had a thought...in 10-15 years from now what will the world be like.  I thought of the mohawks, the guys wearing skinny jeans, the preteens who wear a face full of make up and then I thought about the TATTOOS. In 10 years from now the younger generation of today will be the older generation tomorrow and what will that look like?

In today's world having a tattoo is very common, almost expected.  Teenagers are getting them, older people are getting them, middle age people are getting them, its almost scary just how common tattoo's are becoming. Wheather its the tramp stamp or the full back design the tattoo industry is really making a killing right now.

When I first got my tattoo at 18 it made me unique.  Everyone wanted one but back then few people actually got it.  As bad as it sounds I got it as a mark of Independence. For me it was a rebellious act that paved the way for me start making my own decisions.  It was not a form of  body art or a silly act of having a boyfriends name on me, it was simply something cool to do so I did it.

Looking back, I would have made a different choice and did without the tattoo, but in today's world a tattoo is a form of expression. Its body art.  It can be a canvas for an artist, a declaration of love for a parent, child or lover, or it could be a symbol of something memorable.  Either way I wonder what the work force will look like when the teens of today are adults running major corporations with tattoos peaking from sleeves, pantyhose, wrists and necks.

A few weeks ago my best friend attended a wedding and as he recapped the highlights for the day he told me how appauled he was at the number of overly detailed tattoos peeking out under beautiful gowns and dresses. Tattoos that went from the right shoulder all the way to the left.  Tattoos that boldly decorated cleavage and necklines.  And lets not forget the tattoos that subtly peaked out on ankles and feet. 

While I am indifferent to how others decide to design their bodies, I wonder if the world has gone too far with the tattoos.  If teens are averaging 1-3 tattoos now, what will it be like in 10 years?

          What do you thing of the tattoo epidemic? 

           Do you have one and has the world gone too far?

10 Things I Love About New York

I spent the 4th of July in New York and the past few days have been amazing. As a recent resident of North Carolina, New York will always be my home.  It is absolutely hands down one of the best cities on earth to live in.  If by some anomaly you have never been to New York before you are truly missing out and must plan a trip ASAP.  With that said, I thought it would be fun to highlight the top 10 things I personally love about New York.

1. EVERYTHING is for sale.  There is absolutely nothing you cannot buy in NY.  If New York does not have it then it does not exist lol.
2. THE CITY NEVER SLEEPS- there is always something to do at any given time.  Parties, beaches, lounges, restaurants, boutiques, bookstores, bars, parks, theatres, coffee shops, pool halls, free concerts, museum parties, tea lounges etc.  You are only bored in NY if you choose to be, because the options are endless.
3. ITS THE BEST PLACE FOR FASHION- If you are like me and love to have new looks but need ideas, you can always find them in New York.  Whether its 5th ave, the Village or Harlem etc, everyone makes a statement in how they dress; and, on any given day you will see some of the best and worst displays of fashion.
4. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION-  The subway runs 24 hrs, and the trains are always filled with people coming and going.  Yellow taxies also run all night as well as buses.  I love the fact that you can get around at any hour without actually NEEDING a car.
5. THE STREETS WILL MAKE OR BREAK YOU.  New York will toughen you up, make you street smart, yet still leave you with a little bit of a heart.  The cab drivers are crazy, there are homeless people every where but the truth is, if you pay attention and learn quickly you will never  ever be a sucker in life.
6. IT NEVER GETS BORING- There is always something new. No matter how long you have lived in New York there is always a new sight to see or a new place to go.  A new restaurant, a new stadium, a new island, a new park, there is always something that you have not seen yet.
7. OPPORTUNITIES ARE ENDLESS- If you desire to be a singer, a actor, a rapper, a artist, a musician, a writer, a entrepreneur, a designer etc, New York is the place to be. I can't explain WHY but I can tell you that New York is where dreams are made.
8. BROADWAY- Whether its a play, a musical, the ballet, the symphony or he Rockettes, the shows on Broadway cannot be beat!  Even if you can find the same show playing at your local theater, New York gives it a different touch of elegance. Celebrities show up, red carpets are laid and who knows, depending on the show it is possible the First Lady could very well be in attendance.
9. THE BROWNSTONES AND LOFTS-  To sum it up simply, think of Carrie's Bradshaw's brownstone with the beautiful hardwood floors ,and double door bathroom on that quaint little street.  Now think of the upscale, luxurious, fabulous lofts you have seen on shows like Gossip Girl. The brownstones and lofts in New York are amazing.
10. ITS LIKE ONE BIG PARTY- No matter what you do its fun! Solo or with a group, even if you are simply laughing at a crazy person, New York is a party within itself.  Everything is an event to remember and the air is just filled with spontaneity, excitement and opportunity. The party never stops.

The phrase "I Love New York" did not come from nowhere.  There are so many reasons to love New York if I haven't convinced you, go see for yourself.

For my New York natives and re-locators, what are some of the things you love about New York?

White Collar vs Blue Collar

At a recent dinner with the girls I was accused of being "classist".  I was horrified that my own line sister would say such a harsh thing to me especially since I felt that comment was 100% incorrect.  The snide comment originated during girl talk when I was telling the girls about some of my exciting and not so exciting adventures of being single.  I mentioned that the "new guy" was blue collar and how much I hated it.  I liked the guy yes, however his blue collar tendencies NO!

What are blue collar tendencies you ask? Ok, I will tell you, just keep in mind this is my blog my opinions
 ;-) 

-Inability to plan, dates/dinners everything is last minute preferenced by "I'm spontaneous".

-Inability to dress appropriately for the occasion. Dinner date includes me dressed up in an after work outfit and him in jeans, a shirt, and sneakers even though it is a Thursday at 5:30.
-Inability to be assertive in everyday life usually taking the more laid back approach, thus making me make all the decisions.

So what are white collar tendencies, I am sure you are wondering.  Well white collar tendencies usually include a man who will always be dressed correctly for a date, he will always have a plan and we will usually have a pretty decent allowance for dinner.  The drawback, is that white collar men can sometimes be playboys, workaholics and sometimes just too arrogant/self absorb.

Nonetheless, for the purpose of this blog I want to explore the psyche of the blue collar man.  Their good traits usually include: humbleness, kind heartedness, and hardworking.  However, despite these good traits for me I have always found it somewhat challenging, to date a blue collar man.  The saying fail to plan means you plan to fail was very prevalent in my house growing up.  So at a early age my mom has always taught us to plan.  Even if I do not have a solid plan out loud I have one strategized in my head.  These days when it’s time to go out, it is not a foreign thought that the guy will leave the date for the night up to me.  The place, the activity, the time, everything. Which leaves me to wonder what happened to the days when men were go getters and had a plan in mind and all us ladies had to do was look pretty and be ready?

My experiences do not apply to every man and it is indeed possible that the results have no correlation to ones career path. However, it is what I have witnessed thus far. My most recent encounter included my blue collar date asking me if I wanted to share an appetizer as the meal? Yes folks the meal.  Now maybe this could have occurred with a white collar guy but I don't know if I believe that.

Share some of your thoughts and experiences on the white collar vs. blue collar man? I am curious to hear your thoughts.