October 21, 2008 - New Business Venture

As I mentioned in my last PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM), I had some down time recently in Florida. While lounging about the pool I was shocked to see many young women with tattoos on their lower back. These tattoos are also known as Tramp Stamps.

I previously blogged about this affliction last summer. I coined a term, METS, Mothers Exhibiting Tramp Stamps.

It appears the desire to ink one’s lower back has reached epidemic proportions. It is striking at younger and younger females. It is almost deserving of a telethon: paging Billy Ray Cyrus.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines will commission a ship in 2009 that will have an on-board tattoo parlor. Gosh, what a great combination: unlimited alcohol, no curfew, no designated driver or voice of reason, AND a tattoo parlor with direct billing to your cabin.

While discussing this topic with other pool patrons, I came up with the idea of a new game. We have all played other travel games like “Slug Bug”, “I Spy”, and “License Plate Bingo”. Why not combine the best of those games in a new entertaining game, wait for it, wait for it, …

TRAMP STAMP BINGO

The basic rules would be that you have 9 spaces. The first person to call out a Tramp Stamp (TS) gets credit, but another player must confirm it. You can play Full Card Bingo, Four Corner Bingo, or basic Tic-Tac-Toe Bingo.

I’ve designed the initial prototype of the Tramp Stamp Bingo Card below:

Starting at the top left corner and moving clockwise you have:

- A Cartoon Character
- A Man’s Name
- A Foreign Language Phrase (Latin is preferred)
- A Corporate Advertisement
- A Religious Symbol
- A Butterfly
- A Woman’s Name (You also get ANY other square as a BONUS)
- A Rose or Other Flower

While still at the pool, I ran my idea past my fully clothed bar waitress. She immediately spun around lifted her top and displayed her own Tramp Stamp. She exclaimed, “You have to include dragons!!!" I’m sure Milton Bradley experienced the same inspiration.

From additional research, I’ve determined that other TS Bingo cards should not only have Dragons, but Angels, Barbed Wire, and regional symbols like Buckeye Leaves.

I still believe that a profitable 2015 business will be a “Tattoo Removal Service”. Maybe I could open franchisees on Cruise Ships.

If I were a Tattooist or Inkster, I would design tattoos that could easily be morphed into birthmarks. I’ve heard where one person covered over a Male-named tattoo with a Rose tattoo. However a Rose (tattoo) is still a Rose (tattoo).

I’m still in the Research and Design phase. I’m sure the IRS will approve the business expense deduction.

At any rate, please look for Tramp Stamp Bingo to be the “must have” game for Christmas 2009. If that doesn’t work out, I’ll be selling the film rights to Cinemax.