I'd have to say that, if you agree to pick up the tab, you agree to the whole tab. If I were your uncle, I'd be checking to see what you were planning to order before I make my final decision, so I could get a feel for what your budget for the evening is. But I would feel weird if I asked my dad (for example) not to order the beer or manhattan if I had already told him I'd be paying for dinner that night.

But, I don't know that actual rules of etiquette in this situation.

I would find ordering a bottle of champagne or something really out of the ordinary to be taking advantage. Drinks with dinner that are in the range of what you would normally have - quality and quantity - are part of buying dinner, to my mind.

Drinks with dinner that are in the range of what you would normally have - quality and quantity - are part of buying dinner, to my mind.

Yeah, I'd think that "dinner" would include a drink or two (but maybe not an expensive drink). If someone offered to buy me dinner and I wanted lots o' drinks too, I'd just pay for my own drinks.

Yeah, if I were paying, I would expect to be paying for alcohol, too. Although with my religious company, it tends to be the awkward little dance while we figure out which brand of religious everyone is, and if they expect to drink or not.

I'd forgotten that Dana & I are non-pierced-ear-twins. I never did get them pierced and at this point have no interest in it. It's not like I wear any other jewelry, either, so it would be unlikely that I would wear earrings.

How long do tattoos take to heal? Does it depend on how big they are?

If you are buying someone dinner than you are buying whatever accompanies it. You're stuck with what they drink, be it beer or sodas. Now, you would expect "buyee" to follow your lead or say "do you mind if I have a beer?", but sometimes they won't. If you don't like it, don't offer to pay for dinner.

How long do tattoos take to heal? Does it depend on how big they are?

From what I remember, all of my tattoos healed up in about the same amount of time, no matter how big they were. The GCS bats on my forearm took about three weeks, which is how long I vaguely remember the giant wings on my upper back taking, too.

I really really want the next set of GCS bats on my other forearm. But I must first save up the money for that AND pester Pete into finishing the designs.

Is it itchy that whole time? I'm really bad about scratching itchy things. I might not make it three weeks.

Is it itchy that whole time? I'm really bad about scratching itchy things. I might not make it three weeks.

Not so much. When it gets too bad, I put a non-alcohol-containing lotion on it (like Burt's Bees Milk & Honey), which helps.

It's itchy for about the first week, IIRC. And my healing time was about 2 weeks, total - maybe closer to 3, like Jilli's (it's been well over a decade since my last, so my recollection is imprecise).

And the itch isn't OVERWHELMING. The answer is to lightly SLAP the tat, just don't SCRATCH.

Is it itchy that whole time?

Nope. I was only itchy for about a week and a half. The best way to combat the itching is to take a washcloth, run it under VERY VERY HOT water, wring it out thoroughly, and then press it against the tattoo. The ZOMG HOT! sensation cancels out the itching.

My tats probably had healed faster than three weeks, but that's how long I was told I had to wait before I could submerge them when taking a bath.