You know what happens when you assume?

You take things for granted. More importantly you take things without proof.

Our current society is one that loves to assume. We've built a culture rooted in lust and loathing. So naturally love and hatred are also key players. 

Now that I've gotten you started on today's lesson in sociology I'll get you started on some anthropology as well.

By definition Body Modification is: 

"any method of permanently adorning the body, including tattooing and piercing"

This practice goes pretty deep (pun intended) and I'm not gonna get specific with time frames and all that things with numbers stuff cause I WILL confuse myself and probably misquote something.
But in generalities, body modification in most cultures is associated with pride, wisdom, maturity and many other traditional beliefs.

Somehow this has become lost in translation.
Like all things once sacred to the counter culture, modification has become a trend.
Kids are "gauging" their ears in mere weeks.

Anyone can give and any one can receive a tattoo.

[note: Tattoos are another touchy subject. I'll come back to that later]
Hell to 1-up temporary tattoos you can now buy fake "gauges" at Claire's!

{you should totally get them kids. OMG mom will totally freak!}

My personal grievance is that thanks to the popularity of Suicide Girls and Scene Queens my personal movement has been declared trendy for the sake of fashion and attention. Don't get me wrong I love the Suicide Girls for what they originally stood for and were founded upon, but that message has become a bit diluted. 

[SG was founded on the grounds that girls outside the "norm" are also beautiful, inside and out. Tattooed, pierced, 1/2 fish, whatever]

That being said... Yes, I am a young woman who happens to have a few body piercings, I do dress slightly outside of the norm and I am known to sport non-traditional hair colors and styles. Only recently could I add "tattooed" to that mix. I am very comfortable in the skin i have adapted to myself.

Wish I could say the same for others. The majority of people (my tattoo artist included) always assumed that I must own a plethora of skin based artwork. Many people also assume i have a myriad of piercings, I only have 5; my septum, a set of 7/16 stretched lobes and a set of standard lobe piercings. That's not very many my dear readers. And believe it or not, I have a story for each one. Ready for it?

My stretched lobes started about 26 years ago when I had them pierced as a child. This is pretty standard cause in most cultures a young girl getting her ears pierced is "pretty" and quite normal. About 5 years ago I got interested stretching my lobes. I had seen it on a couple of people/musicians/things and I started to look into it. I read up on the cultural meanings of it in tribal societies and was very intrigued by the symbolism. Significantly about how stretching ones lobes were a symbol of patience and wisdom. Back before pens and pencils, way before iPads and Nooks, stories/history were passed down from person to person. One would have to sit around patiently and listen to gain this wisdom. Impatience would only lead to forgotten stories and foolish actions and words... much like a lot of  kids today who rush the process in their beliefs that bigger and faster is better. The history struck me in my core, I slowed down my life and took everything in so i wouldn't miss another beat. The other point I made to myself when i began this modification was that I lost most of my hearing at a young age. My ears don't function the way they should, but I have to face the fact that I can't do anything about that. Stretching them even to a measly 7/16 of an inch has showed me to slow down, take things as they come and don't miss a beat, its the only way to understand and gain control of yourself.

My septum came next, I had it done in 2008. I can't talk about the motivation to have it done because.. well it's just too personal. But what it represents is that there's 2 sides to every story whether you see it or not. I can wear it visibly or i can easily hide it with a flip of a bar. 

And my second set of lobe piercings? They're for balance. They visually balance out my stretched piercings and give a little bit of "normal" to the mix.

My hair is constantly evolving and is just an extension of my moods.It calms me when i change colors, it invigorates me when I style it. Some people do drugs.. I do my hair.

My Tattoo is brand new, and states "too weird to live, too rare to die" with a Deathbat . I firmly believe that I'm the last of a dying breed, maybe even one of a kind. In my 27 years of blood, sweat, and tears I cannot stress how much.. well stress I've endured for being "weird" and "different". Well I'm not sorry for that. So screw you, {you know who you are} don't ask me to change for the sake of fitting in.  The source of the line comes from two places near and dear to me. Its originally found in "Fear and Loathing in Las
Tattooing is a tricky think in pop culture, they've become popular and literally everyone and there mom is getting one. Yet some how owning one will get you lumped into a pile of mischievous delinquents with no care in the world or concept of civil living. I completely disagree with that because that pile of mischievous delinquents holds some of the most intelligent and interesting people in the world. Besides, how many civilizations do you know that were build on peace and calm? A little raucous never hurt anyone.. [well it did but that's not the point]

Now that you know a little background on what I have, I ask you... was that what you expected to hear?

I take pride in breaking the molds that have been set. And I get to do this quite often in my public life. By trade I work in Management, retail specifically, and I love nothing more then to blow the minds of the close minded and ignorant by looking like your standard IDGAF punk but speaking in a very articulate and professional manner and actually having answers to their retarded questions. I'm often told that I'm smarter than the average bear and that my looks catch them off guard. Fine by me, cause I didn't get this way without busting my ass.

That being said, there's a price to pay for vanity. You can go the quick and foolish route, or you can take the slow, steady and smart approach.

BTW, don't assume you know my story... you'll just make an ass out of u and me.