I was going to tell you all about my insane weekend -- about how I ran around like crazy on Friday, the bridal shower and bachelorette party, Teener's birthday party and random cops, and Bloody Brilliant on Sunday. But really, let's just cut to the chase to the big news:
42. Get a piercing in addition to my positively chaste one-hole-in-each-ear
I got my eyebrow pierced. What do you think? Does it suit me?
Q: Did it hurt?
A: No, it didn't hurt, not really.
On the way to the parlor Kelly turned to me and said, "Ooooohhh! Are you nervous?"
"Not really," I responded. "I don't think it will hurt too much. No more than giving blood anyway."
"Uh, No, it's going to hurt A LOT MORE than that."
Gee. Thanks Kelly. In case you're wondering, she was wrong. It didn't hurt much more than giving blood. It was more uncomfortable than painful. And it was over in like 2 seconds.
"You're such a BIG GIRL!" Kelly exclaimed when I got it done without flinching or anything. "So brave!"
It's still a tiny bit tender when cleaning, and it looks slightly swollen in the morning, but it seems to be healing nicely. The barbell is a bit bigger than I would prefer, but the starting barbell needs to be larger in order to compensate for initial swelling. In about a month or so I can change the jewelry and I plan on getting something a little smaller, tighter, and discreet.
Q: What has the reaction been like?
A: Generally, pretty positive.
I would say about 97% of people have given it a thumbs up. My brother (after taking 4 hours to notice it) said, "It's not without its charms," which I take to mean that he's not wild about it and was trying to be polite. Everyone else who has wrinkled their nose at it were people who don't like piercings in general and they informed me that they wouldn't like it prior to me getting it. So I'm not so offended. There are, of course, the people who have said nothing at all, and I'm assuming they are either being polite and not mentioning it because they are from a different generation and don't understand or because they haven't noticed it yet.
The best reaction by far was from Miss J who actually screamed when she noticed it, most likely since it hadn't even been 24 hours since I last saw her and suddenly I had extra holes in my body and she was So! Shocked! After she was done screaming, she excitedly admitted she loved it. Another good reaction came from Renee who yelled, "When did you get that done! Are you trying to be like me? Are you going to move to Chicago and fall in love with a boy too?!" Renee, I will always strive to be as awesome as you, so: maybe. Justine also had a great reaction after taking forever to notice it by demanding to take multiple photos of it and then telling me at random intervals how "hot" it was.
Q: WHY???
A: Why not?
I, uh, needed more jewelry in my life?
No, for real. It was time. I sort of regret not getting it done earlier, like in college when it was more acceptable to punch holes in random body parts. I feel sort of old having it now. But then, you're only 25 once, right? I don't have much time left to do crazy random shit, so I might as well do it now. And I'm tired of being prissy and boring and dull and plain. I needed to do something. I needed to do something bold. Something crass. Something...effective. It's a "Sack up, ho" message to myself. It's a reminder to me that I'm tired of living in limbo, to just shut up and DO SOMETHING already. Grow some balls. A promise to myself that I'm going to take better care of myself, be better in general, like myself more. To remind myself that I may hate my futzy hair and crooked ass smile, that random mole by my lip, my too-large birthing hips, the way my one eye gets squinty and small when I grin, but that this is me, damnit, and that I have what I have and I better start appreciating it for no one else will. For a thousand reasons.
Q: You do realize that people are going to have a harder time taking you seriously and earning their respect with this? That there is a negative stigma on "pierced" people?
A: Yes. Don't think that I didn't think about that before I got it done, or that I didn't stand in front of the mirror Monday morning staring at it and breathing heavily in an oh-my-god-what-did-I-do way because I just put HOLES in my FACE and I had to walk into my CORPORATE OFFICE in 15 minutes. (The office, by the way, is fine with it -- which I knew they would be, it's just...you know.) And then I had a little Come to Jesus with myself because: I like it. And you know? In this day and age it's pretty tame. And on the flip side, there is a different "stigma" that comes with pierced people and that I don't mind having. I am different.
In other news, I have to figure out how to tell my parents who are going freak out.
Well, as Miss J said, at least it's not a tattoo, right? Wink
42. Get a piercing in addition to my positively chaste one-hole-in-each-ear
I got my eyebrow pierced. What do you think? Does it suit me?
Q: Did it hurt?
A: No, it didn't hurt, not really.
On the way to the parlor Kelly turned to me and said, "Ooooohhh! Are you nervous?"
"Not really," I responded. "I don't think it will hurt too much. No more than giving blood anyway."
"Uh, No, it's going to hurt A LOT MORE than that."
Gee. Thanks Kelly. In case you're wondering, she was wrong. It didn't hurt much more than giving blood. It was more uncomfortable than painful. And it was over in like 2 seconds.
"You're such a BIG GIRL!" Kelly exclaimed when I got it done without flinching or anything. "So brave!"
It's still a tiny bit tender when cleaning, and it looks slightly swollen in the morning, but it seems to be healing nicely. The barbell is a bit bigger than I would prefer, but the starting barbell needs to be larger in order to compensate for initial swelling. In about a month or so I can change the jewelry and I plan on getting something a little smaller, tighter, and discreet.
Q: What has the reaction been like?
A: Generally, pretty positive.
I would say about 97% of people have given it a thumbs up. My brother (after taking 4 hours to notice it) said, "It's not without its charms," which I take to mean that he's not wild about it and was trying to be polite. Everyone else who has wrinkled their nose at it were people who don't like piercings in general and they informed me that they wouldn't like it prior to me getting it. So I'm not so offended. There are, of course, the people who have said nothing at all, and I'm assuming they are either being polite and not mentioning it because they are from a different generation and don't understand or because they haven't noticed it yet.
The best reaction by far was from Miss J who actually screamed when she noticed it, most likely since it hadn't even been 24 hours since I last saw her and suddenly I had extra holes in my body and she was So! Shocked! After she was done screaming, she excitedly admitted she loved it. Another good reaction came from Renee who yelled, "When did you get that done! Are you trying to be like me? Are you going to move to Chicago and fall in love with a boy too?!" Renee, I will always strive to be as awesome as you, so: maybe. Justine also had a great reaction after taking forever to notice it by demanding to take multiple photos of it and then telling me at random intervals how "hot" it was.
Q: WHY???
A: Why not?
I, uh, needed more jewelry in my life?
No, for real. It was time. I sort of regret not getting it done earlier, like in college when it was more acceptable to punch holes in random body parts. I feel sort of old having it now. But then, you're only 25 once, right? I don't have much time left to do crazy random shit, so I might as well do it now. And I'm tired of being prissy and boring and dull and plain. I needed to do something. I needed to do something bold. Something crass. Something...effective. It's a "Sack up, ho" message to myself. It's a reminder to me that I'm tired of living in limbo, to just shut up and DO SOMETHING already. Grow some balls. A promise to myself that I'm going to take better care of myself, be better in general, like myself more. To remind myself that I may hate my futzy hair and crooked ass smile, that random mole by my lip, my too-large birthing hips, the way my one eye gets squinty and small when I grin, but that this is me, damnit, and that I have what I have and I better start appreciating it for no one else will. For a thousand reasons.
Q: You do realize that people are going to have a harder time taking you seriously and earning their respect with this? That there is a negative stigma on "pierced" people?
A: Yes. Don't think that I didn't think about that before I got it done, or that I didn't stand in front of the mirror Monday morning staring at it and breathing heavily in an oh-my-god-what-did-I-do way because I just put HOLES in my FACE and I had to walk into my CORPORATE OFFICE in 15 minutes. (The office, by the way, is fine with it -- which I knew they would be, it's just...you know.) And then I had a little Come to Jesus with myself because: I like it. And you know? In this day and age it's pretty tame. And on the flip side, there is a different "stigma" that comes with pierced people and that I don't mind having. I am different.
In other news, I have to figure out how to tell my parents who are going freak out.
Well, as Miss J said, at least it's not a tattoo, right? Wink
Labels: 101 in 1001
11 Comments:
Hey...I live my life in a perpetual state of wanting to get another tattoo...let's DO EET!
I was kidding. I don't mind tattoos. I just thought it was a funny thing for Miss J to say.
If I were going to get a tattoo, I have no idea what I would get.
You could always get the Pete and Pete tattoo...
Dance! Dance!
It looks great on you! I'm sorry I screamed in your kitchen--it was an exciting moment, though!
But...NO TATTOOS, young lady! [wags finger]
I am ready for another tattoo, let's go to the cowboy ranch!
Old Lady -- You screaming in my kitchen was hysterical. I loved it. And look who's talking, Miss I Used To Have A Hole In My Nose. You'll be singing a different song after you come back from Chicago, I'm sure.
MA -- Can you handle it? No fainting allowed this time!
We can start a new tourism campaign: "Come to Chicago. Get a hole in your face...in a good way!"
I can take it, I only fainted 3 times with my last one. I bet I can do it in 2 fainting spells this time:)
pretty sweet. i did my eyebrow once and you're right it's not big deal. then i did a bar through the top of my ear ... that ... was ... a big fucking deal. that hurt like a bizzzzzz ... otch. and if anyone says a needle going through two points of cartilege in their ear doesn't hurt, they're a moron.
you look hot, 8K. What's next?
If I get anything else done, it will be my ears again, I think. But eyebrow is probably as daring as I will get.
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