being someone who used to be rather unhappy with needles I can safely say that tattoos are a completely different experience and not as near painful as some people make out - though it does depend on where you put them obviously.
start small, work up :-)

Have you considered just having someone draw on you with permanent marker and then see if you like it?

as has been mentioned, tattooing is totally different sensation to being injected.

The pain thing is completely different person to person, and where you have it done too. Mine is across my spine, some parts were pure agony, others oddly relaxing.

If it is something meaningful to you, then you won't become tired of it/change your mind.

For big tough guys like us tattoo's don't really hurt that much anyway, unless you get in somewhere there is a lot of bone and nerve endings close to the skin.

It's also quite addictive and a natural high.

When you're ready, let me know as I have a few friends who are tattooists.

I'm petrified of needles but I'm fine with tattoos so you're not the only one :)
And who cares what others think of your tattoo, you're the one that has to like it :)

Hah. I spent all day yesterday in a parlour trying to make an appointment for a custom work. I've had a small one for years, and now I want a big piece. And yeah, people will think it's crap but I LOVE it.
It's your body and your ink. Enjoy it. :D

Yep they hurt! But you just kind of relax into it, and it's kind of cool. Get something you'll still want to see when you're 80. I can reccommend getting an original design, something no-one else has, rather than working from the tattooists flash. Pick your artist carefully, I went to a tattoo fair and chose one gyuy from about 100 artists. Or you can look online. BMEzine (I think) is quite useful. There is nothing quite so personal as a tattoo, and it's worth some travel or inconvenience to get work you are really comfortable with.

My first one took about two hours, and my second one took five and a half in two sittings.

Or you could just get something cute on your bum..... ;-)