At A Glance Author anonymous Contact [email protected] When N/A
When I began my journey into the world of body mods, I was sixteen years old and quite honestly, looking to impress upon people that I was, in fact, different. Of course, at the time I never would have admitted this, because I truly believed that my intentions were merely for the love of it. So, it was under this pretext of thought that I received a nose piercing, free of charge, from my boyfriend in his apartment. Although this is my no means a good idea, unlike some that get a home piercing, I was lucky enough to have had a fresh piercing needle used and a steady hand using it. There I stood, modified! From there on out, I was addicted to facial piercings. Holes in eyebrows, lips, and tongue; purple hair and doc martin boots. That was me at sixteen.
It was not long after that a friend of mine had constructed a homemade "tattoo" machine which he planned to use on anyone that was willing to endure the stuffy fumes of his smoky garage. Wow! Now THIS was something that I could really sink my teeth into; not only could I show my individuality, but I could also infuriate my parents who I felt at the time had an iron reign over my every move (never thought about the fact they may have just been concerned for my well being) Problem was, what would I put on my body? A band logo maybe? Or "fuck the man" written across my wrists? Or something across my knuckles! I was ready for anything, as long as it was big, bold and.... wait a minute, homemade looking? What the hell am I thinking? PERMANENT flashed across my mind and in a moment of insight I decided that I would think long and hard about my tattoo.
That's what I did. I thought about my tattoo for years and years. As those years passed, my piercings slowly came out, my hair went back to it's natural color and I traded in my docs for a pair of sensible heels that I wore to my nine to five job. Sellout you might say? Well maybe, but when you don't have parents paying for your education, you make damn sure that you can do it for yourself, and sometimes, that requires a compromise.
I'm in my thirties now. I'm in my career, my passion, and I look the part of a "normal" woman (whatever that means). Little do most people know, under my business suit I have roughly 50% of my body covered in ink. Beautiful work that flows perfectly with every move that I make. It fits me because I thought long and hard about what I wanted and how I wanted it done, and I made sure that I found the right artists to do the work that I would wear for the rest of my life.
I'm not saying that everyone is like I was at sixteen, seventeen, eighteen years old...There are people that really DO know what they want out of life and who they really are. The question you have to ask yourself is, are you SURE that you are that person? I was sure that I was. I was sure that I would never change and I would always hold my beliefs, social and otherwise. I was SURE that I would never have to explain my tattoos or piercings to any employer and if they had a problem with it, they could fuck off, because I was an individual and I had a right to look however I wanted. Of course there is a truth in that, I do get to look however I want, but the fact of the matter is, this isn't an ideal world and you will always be judged because not everyone is as open-minded as you would like them to be. Employers and peers do look at these things and it is often taken into consideration. So, if you plan on getting work done in public areas that can't be hidden, or getting a homemade tattoo, or even a tattoo from a professional that you've only given 10 MINUTES of thought to, or you're doing it because your friends have it and you think it would be cool, let me give you a little bit of advice:
-You probably won't regret it fully, but you may not love it completely. I think about what I wanted when I was younger and it seemed amazing at the time and I just knew I had to have it right away (!) but now I think, "well, I could have lived with it but I'm glad I don't have to."
If you plan on getting tattoos that can't be covered really think long and hard if you decide to make a commitment such as that....Be prepared to realize that you have handed yourself a sort of "lock" to some parts of this world. Are you willing to make that sacrifice?
Most importantly, DO NOT BE CHEAP! If you have an idea that's so perfect for you that you dream about it at night, why in the world would you bargain shop for it? This isn't K mart, this is your body!
The creativity and beauty that goes into self expression is an incredible thing to witness and I believe it's important to do it for the reasons that you feel are essential to you. Just please people, think carefully before you commit to the permanence of it. That butterfly or homemade tattoo that you can't possible wait another second for? I would hate to say it, but maybe it's just a whim. For me, the tattoos I wanted instantly, without a doubt in my mind (or so I thought) where not the ones I committed to eight years later. It just goes to show that a little bit of thought is worth the commitment of a lifetime.