rules schmules

There are basic social rules that we all live by. These rules can include anything from holding a door for someone entering a building behind you to not burping loudly in public.
However, under the right circumstances, certain people are excused from some of the rules of life. For example, only a child can stare down a Hell’s Angel on the subway and receive a smile in return. Or consider male wrestlers. They are the only straight guys who can wear spandex and roll around caressing each other without it being considered fruity.
So what about us modders? Despite all of the restrictions on us (tattooing bans, heavy modding laws, job-hunting troubles anyone?), do we still have special privileges in the world to call our own? I’ve been taking notes, and it seems that we certainly do!
1) Only modders can strip in public to show off a hidden tattoo.








2) Only modders can pick their noses in public if their septum piercing needs adjusting.
3) Only modders can tell graphic stories to strangers who ask about their unusual mods or scars and have it not be inappropriate.





4) Only modders can explain their life motto to everyone they come in contact with (without saying a word).
5) Only modders can use Listerine or apply Aquaphor every hour without seeming narcissistic.





6) Only modders can hang their bodies from flesh hooks without being considered insane (well at least by most people).







7) Only modders can turn a wound into something beautiful and meaningful.

See! We’re speeeecial. So next time you feel jealous of the little boy doing backbends in the middle of the mall food court, you can whip out one of your mods, lean over to the nearest table, and proudly inquire “Does this look infected to you?”

the next generation: are we there yet?

I'm pretty lucky to have my current job situation. If you've read my blog before, I'm sure you know that I've had serious issues finding work as a modified college student. For a while there no one seemed to trust or respect me, for no other reason than my...questionable...appearance. Then I got lucky this past December and randomly found a temp agency on CareerBuilder.com that was located in my home town. Perfect for when I'm home from school! I got all set up with them, and before I knew it I was workin' away at some health center and thus achieving cash flow during my winter break. It couldn't have been a better arrangement.
So I gave the temp agency a call prior to my Spring break (which I'm still on), and they immediately found me a position at a Mercedes dealership in Fairfield, CT. Nice :o) I didn't really consider the issue of my lip piercing - until I was getting ready for my first day. I never really notice it anymore, and hoped they wouldn't either.
The first of the two days I was scheduled, a Saturday, everything went perfectly. The other employees helped me out when I needed, and I made sure to do everything they asked. I had an awesome time chatting with customers while they waited for their cars to be serviced, and some even wanted to talk about body modification after seeing my wrist piercing peeking out from my sleeve. I got lots of thanks on my way out, and went home expecting to have a comparable experience my second day there. Any anxiety I had had about my piercing was gone, and I smiled to see that effort really can be more important than appearance in the working world.
When Monday came around, I woke up at 5:30 am so I could shower and look Mercedes-worthy by 7. After primping myself up, I drove in traffic to the dealership, and settled in at my desk immediately because people were already waiting to be helped. About 30 minutes into my shift, one of the nice service managers came up and awkwardly addressed my lip piercing. He said that a particular supervisor who hadn't been there my first day of work had a problem with my "presentation." He told me that he was on my side, and had tried to get her to forget about it, but she wanted me to take it out. I informed him that the hole would probably close up if I had it out for my full 10 hour shift, and he left it at that. I thought I was safe....until...
So here I am, keeping things in working order, getting people helped immediately, and generally just keeping a happy atmosphere goin' on in the waiting area. All of a sudden a woman walks through the doors, and I can't help but notice that her face is plastered with about 6 layers of makeup and more eyeliner and lipstick than Mimi from the Drew Carey Show. Of course I smile and say hello, but to my surprise she knows my name. "Hi Tanya! I'm Carol, the head supervisor! Megan from Office Team (my temp agency) wants you to call her."
With that simple phrase she turned her back to me and began walking away.
"Um, excuse me, Carol?" I was timid, I didn't want to sound stupid but I had no clue what she was talking about. "I'm sorry but I don't understand. You want me to call Office Team and tell them what?"
She turned and yelled back to me "Oh, Megan called me and didn't know how to reach you (mind you, Office Team calls my cell phone at least a few times a week). So she wants you to call her!"
"Oh, ok..." I picked up the company phone in front of me, dialed, and was soon informed by Megan that Carol had actually contacted her. Megan gently addressed the issue that Carol had brought to her attention, my "presentation, for lack of a better word." I guess Carol had requested that I either remove my piercing, or leave the job.
She had actually called and asked my temp agency to do her dirty work, and without ever having met me in her life. Plus, the first and only time I did meet her, she lied to me. Nice people they have selling you cars these days. Honestly, I think people would rather buy a luxury vehicle from an honest individual with one classy piercing than from an old, clownish hag who lies through her lipstick-stained teeth.
BITCHY!
Since she was of a totally different generation than myself and her other employees, I can understand her aversion to my "presentation." But on my way home I began to think about the situation, and became sickened at realizing that they had no one else to work the front desk for the rest of that day. I had only worked for one hour, and I was signing people in until the moment I walked out the door. They literally would've rather had no one attending to their customers than me. All because of my miniscule lip bling. Damn.
I guess I could complain, but whatever, the day they let me go was beautiful, and I wouldn't have been up early enough to enjoy it otherwise. Gotta focus on the brightness.
This siuation made me wonder how long it will take for old farts like her to cash in on their soc. sec. and finally be able to keep their prejudices to themseleves. I'm aware that I was taking a risk by accepting a job at a high-end car dealership, but I went through with it just hoping that they would appreciate my work and disregard my apparent presentation flaw. I may not be a genius, but I can take on almost any task that's thrown at me. Just don't mess with my metal. Thanks.

eBay update...

So since the last set of auctions ended, the seller "artallnight" has listed over 20 new pieces of tattoo themed necklaces! Check 'em outttt!
In addition to the new eBay items, this seller also has her own website where you can order completely custom necklaces! She can even take a picture of your own tattoo and transform it into a wearable piece of art. Some of the examples she displays on the site are ridiculously realistic. And the girls wearing them are ridiculously hot. Genius.
Also, thanks to the site I can now tell you that the artist is a 26 year old cutie named Emily Pericht. As I mentioned in the previous post, she handmakes and handpaints all of the items she sells, which also include purses and art prints.
Oh, and by the way, I'd like to start taking suggestions for blog posts. Anything that has to do with body modification can be addressed - Ask me questions, tell me your stories, send me photos, hell you can even send me pieces of your scalpeled lobes if you want (I really shouldn't encourage people....). I just LOVE body modification, and opening up a dialogue about its many aspects.
If you read this, you must be interested in body modification. So what's goin' on in your modified state of mind?

Shoot it all to: tikay@sbcglobal.net
<3

nice chestpiece

We all have our addictions. Some people live on coffee, others can't go without their Blackberry. Personally, I'm stuck on eBay, which I see as basically the biggest, best online flea market ever. I've purchased everything from snowboard bindings to scarves to my very own 2001 gold Honda Civic on eBay, and there always seems to be something I'm looking for.
Recently I was surfing around the 'Bay and came upon a seller who creates her own tattoo-themed necklaces. They are all literally handpainted and handcrafted, some with customizable banners. The detail in these things is insane! Unfortunately, the auctions for the particular necklaces shown here have ended, but I trust she'll be featuring some new items soon enough. Fellow eBayers, put her in your Favorite sellers and get an e-mail notification sent when she does list new goodies! And at $15-$19 a pop, you might have trouble keeping your mouse pointer away from that "Place Bid" button. Happy Bidding!

wow...

Ok so I guess Blogger has been undergoing some changes, because I just recently switched over to their new system and found myself bombarded by a slew of comments from my readers! I'm sorry to anyone who made a comment and did not see it appear on MSOM until now, I swear I wasn't trying to censor my critics! Well anyways, in light of this new discovery, I thought I might quickly respond to some of my readers' comments in order to explain my purposes a bit more clearly and also apologize to anyone I may have offended - here I go...

At 1:28 PM, Anonymous said...

I just finished reading ALL of your posts. They're great! Keep up the good work. I'm going to try to find out how to contact you because I want to get your advice. I too am in post-secondary school, and I want to involve my interest and love of body modification in my studies.

You inspire me. Thank-you.

-Anonymous-

Thanks for your interest and praise! My e-mail is tikay@sbcglobal.net and I'd be happy to help you in any way I can. Thanks again :o)

At 1:32 AM, A maori in Montana said...

...Ta moko, as you will know by now is a very special and prestegious thing to our people. It shows your whakapapa, your mana, things very important to us. It is not a design like I heard you mention. It is also reserved for only maori people. In a world where traditions are dying, its one of a handful we have left and keep to ourselves. Kirituhi however, is a design, and is for anyone who choses to get one.

Just thought that I would play devils advocate and say that Im sorry that that was your experience of who you think Maori people are, but please dont label us all as being close minded, sarcastic bigots, because were not. Some of us are even educated and quite worldly.

-The Maori in Montana-

Hi there! I wanted to respond to this portion of your comment in order to clarify my use of the word "design." (I quoted "Even after finding out that some Maori believe it is cultural appropriation to acquire a moko without some Maori background, I thought a small design with special meaning would be the perfect memento.") I should have, but didn't, specifically mention the concept of kirituhi, which I learned about while in NZ. Kirituhi is, as you noted, a form of tattooing done by a Maori moko artist on a non-Maori person. The style of kirituhi appears similar to that of the moko, but their meanings differ greatly due to the cultural background of the tattooee. To have a moko is to be a Maori. In the eyes of the Maori, it is impossible to be a non-Maori and have a moko. I understand and respect this custom, and never meant to imply that I desired to appropriate one of the sacred rites of the Maori.
I also want to apologize for apparently portraying the Maori as "close minded, sarcastic bigots", which was not my intention at all. In fact, I made sure to note:
"It may not be my place to make such observations, but I’m just recounting my experience – perhaps it was a singular one." AND
"I don’t want to offend any Maori by suggesting that they are all the same, which I am certainly not attempting to do."
I truly didn't mean to imply that all Maori are the same. In fact I met a few very kind and compassionate Maori individuals who did not display their mana in the slightest. I try not to generalize, especially about a certain group of people- stereotypes don't help anything. Like I mentioned, I was only trying to truthfully recount my experience. Thank you for your comments, and I hope that I did not offend you or your people with my post.

At 8:17 AM, Rebekah said...

The difference is that pot bellies and large hands are genetic (some people are pre-disposed to where their weight goes) and piercings are a choice. Therefore, the media wants to continue to pick on the modified for making choices that aren't THEIRS! By not following the stereotypes that THEY choose for us, we are WRONG!
/sarcasm

At 7:54 PM, Rebekah said...

Did you go? i got to the bbq yesterday afternoon and left this morning and didn't know how to find you :(

-Rebekah-

Thank you for your well-placed sarcasm :o) And I'm sorry I missed you at the BBQ! I slept over both nights, and got absolutely POURED on the second night, so my friends and I left before the party got moved to the falls. Hope you enjoyed it, and perhaps I'll see you next time!

At 6:50 PM, henry slash matt said...

...Just to play devil's advocate:

You might need to rethink your defense of modification, i.e. "if you don't like it, don't get mods." Just seeing radical mods disgusts some people- that's like saying "if you don't like to hear people swear, don't swear." It's not bigotry or tyranny; it's just an ingrained impulse towards revulsion, and until you can convince everyone that pierced flesh isn't scary, you'll be fighting the innate human fear of(apparent) mutilation and pain.

-Henry slash Matt-

First off, it was awesome to see you briefly at MTB in Boston, I'm sorry we didn't get to chat more! Also, your response made me think about how people outside of a certain subgroup are often well-intentioned, but ignorant in their comments. Think about all of the inadvertantly racist things a person can say, and how dumbfounded they seem when their error is pointed out. Matt, although you're a friend of mine, I must say that it offends me to think that you might see my mods as repulsive. And I think that the swearing comparison is a bit flawed, in that cursing can negatively influence children in earshot, and in that hearing is not as easy to control as sight. If we are nearby someone having a vulgar conversations, it's very difficult to tune them out. But when one sees a modified person (whom you seem to be saying has a dirty appearance rather than a dirty mouth), they can easily avert their eyes. That is if they're not compelled to gawk. It's not easy doing something you believe in when others tell you it's wrong or disgusting. Gay marriage anyone?

And I'm sorry you see pierced flesh as representative of "the innate human fear of mutilation and pain," because I don't believe that any such perception could be referred to as "innate." That's a very sensitive word to use, because in the modern world we often mistake cultural conventions for the "way things SHOULD be." Be careful people! Just think - after the Big Bang, upon the appearance of human beings, was religion immediately a part of life? How about sex? Beauty ideals? Monogomy? What is real? Really?

Thanks for your comments anyways my darling :o)

At 11:58 PM, killa kellyyyyyy said...

hey thats dave's tattoo!
hahah =)

my family is also extremely close minded about tattoos\piercings. my dad said he went to a locel deli in town and someone who worked there had arm tattoos and facial piercings and he said he's never going to go there again because of it. he says that society looks down on people with them and automatically assumes they are dirty. i honestly threw a fit with him, especially because i worked at that deli and i had pink and purple hair and a nose piercing at the time and i cannot communicate with him that it does not mean you are dirty, he's just extremely close minded and i feel like i can't do anything about it... i just hope he doesn't spit on me when i get visible tattoos.

-killa kellyyyyyy-

Hello love! All I can say is that your dad is a product of his generation. When you grow up being told that minorities are dirty, cheating, lying assholes, you're going to be one racist-ass adult. No worries baby, I still think you're drop dead gorgeous and far from dirty :o)

I'd like to thank ALL of my readers for giving my thoughts some attention. I hope to bring you all kinds of goodness in the future! Check back tomorrow for a post on awesome DIY tattoo necklaces!

<3

damn it feels good to be a gangsta

So the topic of the day is: Grills. No, I'm not referring to those metal hunks of junk that your dad inadvertantly singed all of his facial hair off with. I mean the Grillz that were first worn by the likes of Flava Flav and Big Daddy Kane in the 80s and 90s. These sparkly numbers, also called fronts, come in thousands of styles with unlimited metal and stone options, and have even been spotted on such unlikely characters as Marilyn Manson.
Since grills were first brought to the States in the 80s by a guy named Eddie Plein, the trend has been growing among an elite membership of rappers including Outkast, Ludacris, and Lil' Wayne. For the majority of it's life, the grill has been available only to the rich and famous, but has recently become more easily accesible to the rest of us.
Around 2000, more and more rappers from the "Dirty South" began appearing on the hip-hop scene. And if you're familiar with names like Paul Wall and Nelly, you know that in actuality these figures are far from filthy. In fact, they're typically outfitted with enough immaculate bling around their necks to give a grown man scoliosis. And as of recently, many rappers out of the Dirty South also rock a set of mouthguard-esque grills, often jewel-encrusted or fashioned completely from precious metals. Thus with the popularization of Dirty South hip-hop came a huge demand among its fans for grills, and in response came a flood of supply from a growing number of grill dealers across the country.
Many suppliers offer their grills online, but the process of purchasing one isn't as cut and dry as snagging a vintage dress off of eBay. To get a custom grill, one must first have a substantial savings account. If you've got that issue covered, then simply send out for a dental mold kit. Once you've received the kit, follow the instructions to make a plaster mold of your pearlies. Send the mold on back to the company of your choice, and voila! A few weeks later you'll be strutting around blinding people left and right with your untouchable bling.

If you're thinking about copping a grill for yourself, you might want to consider getting your mold made at the dentist rather than using a do-it-yourself kit. That way the fronts will be sure to fit correctly and slip on and off easily. Plus, it is actually illegal in many states for anyone other than a dental professional to make a mold of someone's teeth. Not that we care...come on now, what else am I gonna do with a mold of my teeth? Use it to identify my own body at the morgue?

Ok, so you may be wondering, what the hell does all this have to do with body modification? Well, although many grills sold out there are temporary accessories that allow you to turn your gansta-ness on and off at will, others are quite permanent. They're typically cemented onto teeth in either a set, or one by one like caps. Upon learning that some grill connoisseurs will be chillin' out 50 years from now with the same sparkle sparkle they acquired in their twenties, I couldn't help but think back to some of the...immature...tattoos I've seen over the years. Some people are just in total denial that their Playboy bunny tat won't be so appealing to them 30 years from now.
Grills also have something else in common with modding. If you or a friend have ever gotten a labret piercing, then you may be familiar with the ever-annoying issue of gum recession. The metal disks affixed to the back of labret jewelry constantly rub against the gums, and over time the gum actually begins to wear away. This damage is totally irreversible, causing many labret fans to lay their adornments to rest when recession first becomes apparent.
Just like labrets, grills are a major cause for concern in terms of oral hygeine. The removable kind must be taken out before eating or sleeping, and cleaned often. Otherwise, bacteria can build up on the grill as well as on your teeth, resulting in 24/7 morning breath. Other risks that can be avoided by removing your grill often are cavities, gum disease, tooth decay, and even bone decay.
There's also another danger inherent to copping a grill set. Some companies that claim to have "years of experience" are in fact newbies looking for actual experience. This brought me back to a few conversations I've had with mod artists who are now long-time professionals, but spent their early years in the business under a veil of a 3-4 more years of experience than they actually had. So, the lesson is, get your body altered however you want, but be sure to know a little something about the person who's doing the alterations. You don't want to end up with a botched tat or a snaggletooth, so please, I beg y'all, LOOK AT PORTFOLIOS! What could serve as better insurance that you will receive high quality work than a history of high quality work?
Ok, one more thing. It seems to me that someone who is made uncomfortable by a face full of piercings might also be wary of grillers, looking fierce as they do. I found one article in a Louisiana newspaper that addressed this issue briefly: "Students with grills don’t like being stereotyped as mischievous...people don’t need to fear that people with grills are going to rob or hurt them.
'The average person look at them as a bad thing. They say he got golds, he probably ain’t doing nothing positive, but little do they know. People are going to miss out if they do that,' Harper said."
Although less than eloquent, the message comes through quite clearly. "People are going to miss out" if they have preconceptions about someone's personality based on their appearance. Schools in Alabama, Georgia, and Texas have already taken measures to outlaw the wearing of grills in school because of unfounded negative assumptions about the accessories. School is a fashion contest anywho, with all the expensive jewelry and trendy shoes and labels galore - so why are grills such an issue? People need to open their minds, man. Looks aren't everything, and are often misleading rather than revealing.
So there's my lil' blast from the hip-hop world. I personally enjoy the schtuff of some hip-hop artists, but despise that of others, so finding a connection between my favorite subject (uhhh, mods) and this alien culture was quite intriguing to me. And hopefully to y'all too. School's back in session, so as always I'm busy with all that jazz, but I'm going to try and post a few times this month. Wish me luck :o)

Me want mods.

Well, it's currently 1:00 am, less than 20 days from my birthday, and I'm hours away from a long winter break. But my mind is, out of necessity, filled with thoughts of my only scheduled exam and the 10-page paper for my medieval literature course that I HOPE to have finished by this Tuesday morning. My alarm is set for 7:00 am...Sunday. Sunday = sleep day for much of my generation. But I won't be doing anything of the sort.
I scope out Modblog one last time before snuggling up with my passed out Boston terrier, and of course I begin to think about my plans for future mods. I notice that a weight has been lifted.
Why are mods so fulfilling? Why do they make me feel like I graduated high school, won the lottery, and fell in love, all in one day? The power of mods...
I need to get a (winter) job, get cash, get modded. ASAP.
But more urgently, I need to get some sleep.
<3

no dope

So I had a weird encounter last night. I was hanging out with some people I had just recently met, and one of the kids happened to be quite interested in my piercings. In an attempt to delicately ask me if I'm "taken seriously" by my professors, he prefaced the question with "So you have to know that looking like that, you're just inviting questions." I politely told him I'm aware that people may be interested in learning more about my mods and why I do it, but I did not get the mods specifically for the attention (he had babbled something about me doing it for the attention during that lovely preface).
I then went on to address the professor issue. I told him about the Body in Human Experience course I had taken my freshman year at Wheaton, and how that furthered my interest in the psychology of body modification. I told him about the independent study course and blog that resulted from my taking that course. Then I told him about how Wheaton sent me to New Zealand to study Maori body art, all expenses paid. He shut up.
We continued to talk, specifically about literature (I'm an Enlish major :o) ) and found that we had the same favorite book. I spit a lil knowledge about some post-modern authors, and he offered an alternate analysis to that favorite book of mine. Around this point in the conversation, I felt a distinct shift. Somewhere along the way the piercings had fallen from my face, one by one, and I became person to him.
It just made me think...I really want to keep my mods around forever, of course because I love them to death, but also because I have a HELLUVA lot of ambition and I know I am going somewhere in life (hopefully becoming a freelance writer eventually). I want to make my mark on the world and have a positive effect on people's lives, and maybe help eradicate the discrimination of modded folk along the way. If I can show one person that modified doesn't equal unintelligent, or delinquent, or rebel, I'll be satisfied. Actually I'll be satisfied regardless, but that'll make me feel good, like I have the power to change someone's perspective on something, perhaps without ever having met them.
Oh and also last night, we couldn't take our eyes off of this documentary on CBS. It was about heroin addicts living on the streets, and basically followed them through various difficulties they encounter daily. About 5 minutes into the program, I realized along with the rest of the kids watching that 3 out of the 5 addicts had septum piercings. I think I began to get looks. This is where stereotypes come from. 3 out of 5. That's the majority...
I may like my ganja but heroin? I'm no dope (hardy har).

So yea google gave me this for "dope." And I thought she was cute.

oh just nail me already.

People are always looking for new and interesting tattoo concepts. Most of these ideas end up inked onto flesh (even those parts where the sun don't shine), but Scott Campbell of Saved Tattoo in Brooklyn offers a service out of his shop that involves tattooing a body part other than the skin. No, I'm not talking about tattooing eyeballs (although this does occur, oddly enough), but the fairly rare practice of tattooing fingernails.
As a kid, I applied temporary nail tattoos almost as often as regular temporarys tats, which makes me wonder why no one has attempted to popularize the concept of tattooing fingernails until now (aside from one guy I found who was DEFINITELY not qualified to be doing such procedures). I'm glad to see that we've come far from the glittery little nail stickers that lasted all of 5 minutes, now being able to retain nail tattoos until the nail grows out.
Judging from the account of this procedure that I found in the September edition of Nylon magazine, it seems that Campbell uses a regular tattoo needle loaded with ink to etch what is often a quite detailed design into the customer's nail. Various themes are often followed, such as a sparrow on one nail with feathers daintily dotting the others.
Although I'm not usually concerned with price issues when acquiring a tattoo (as it is often thought to undermine their significance...I think that this concept is easier to understand if you're a devoted modder), I couldn't help but be curious as to how much a temporary mod acquisition such as this might set me back. I rang up the folks over at Saved Tattoo, and was informed that the cost to adorn only ONE NAIL was a whopping $100. Upon hearing this I tried to hold back a shocked scoff, but failed miserably. I mean...come one. Piercings are also considered temporary, but they can last for years or even an entire lifetime if well cared for. With nail tattoos, their days are numbered.
Aside from the issue of nail tattoos, I think that the quote on Saved Tattoo's homepage is worth noting. "Established worldwide as an effectual remedy for societal dejection; Guaranteed to promote a gleeful countenance amidst the harshest tribulations, further the abolishment of mediocrity from the visual presentation of oneself: Scott Campbell Tattoo, est. 1968, World Traveling Tattoo Artist Extraordinaire; Remarkable!" I absolutely love this quote and the website in general, with its style reminiscent of a 19th century advertisement.
So I don't think I'll be getting my fingernails tattooed anytime soon. I'd like to pretend it's because I'm too cool for school and think that it's a dumb concept, but in actuality I really like the idea and am just a poor college student. Now leave me alone, I have to find some safety pins and a broken pen...

underage or overly ignorant?

In my last post, I forgot to mention an interesting tidbit that I learned from a tattoo artist I met in Rotorua named Elton. We were hanging out in a trendy café across the street from his shop, Globus Gallery, and he happened to mention that New Zealand law states that persons of any age can acquire tattoos and piercings. A parent must accompany anyone under the age of 16, but in many cases this is no hindrance. Elton has even tattooed children as young as 5! This got us into a conversation about the appropriateness of tattooed minors, and gave me a flashback to a post I wrote for Modblog only a few months ago.
I wasn’t completely convinced that kids as young as 16 were ready for tattoos, but as a result of the highly significant Maori tattoos I had seen while in New Zealand I wondered if perhaps some kids truly were ready. I will forever (probably…) hold on to my belief that if a person is old enough to drive a car and have sex (yes parents, kids these days have sex at about the same time you were starting to eat solid foods…okay maybe that’s an exaggeration, but you get the idea…) then they are certainly old enough to get pierced by a professional piercer. Odds are that if they aren’t allowed to, they’ll do it themselves (read: INFECTION). And what’s the worst that can happen? Parents just need to watch their pierced kids to see if there’s any need to remove the piercing, in which case there will be nothing more than a tiny scar to remember it by. But I digress…
So, I was torn. Are kids as young as 16 ready for the lifelong commitment that is a tattoo? I got my answer this morning while reading The Connecticut Post. In today’s edition, there’s a student-written article entitled “Tattoos, Piercings: Controversial as Ever.” Basically, the authors went around to various high schools in the area to interview other students and get some perspective on the issue of tattoos and piercings. What they found is quite revealing, to me at least.
The teens asked their peers 5 questions regarding mild body mods: Would you get a tattoo? How would your parents feel if you got a new tattoo or piercing? Would you support a friend’s decision to get a tattoo or piercing? What kind/amount of tattoos and piercings is appropriate for a young adult? Does “freedom of expression” in the Constitution cover body “art?” and “How would you react to your own child wanting a tattoo or piercing in the future?”
The answers they received were full of misconceptions. Some kids did get it right (if there is such a thing…but at least they weren’t being ignorant), such as one young girl who was quoted in saying that she would get a tattoo in memory of her deceased uncle. Others were obviously not so thoughtful about their answers, and seemed like they were just pulling stereotypes out of a hat. One such answer was that of a boy from Seymour High School. In response to the question about tattoos and piercings among peers, he said “I’d tell them they’d regret it and [that] it’d be a bad mistake.” The same kid is quoted again later in the article, and with an even more ignorant statement than his first. In response to the Constitutional rights issue, the boy said "Sure, because people can 'express themselves' by showing how often they make bad decisions.”
Well it’s obvious that this kid is NOT ready for a tattoo right now, and probably never will be. I’m sure that he would come to love a tattoo if it had special significance to him, but his closed-minded attitude already predisposes him to never even try it. Although some of the other kids interviewed had more neutral opinions on body modification, I still get the feeling that they don’t understand it as anything more than a fad, or something that only rebels and impulsive people get.
“…a tattoo can tell you a lot about someone.” I wonder if this student is referring to tattoos in general (a generalization about tattooed people), or each individual tattoo (a comment on the story a tattoo can tell). I also see the word “regret” used a number of times in response to the various questions. If these kids think of “regret” when they contemplate tattoos and piercings, they are most definitely not ready. Sure, some of us enthusiasts get tattoos that we look back on and think “Wow, I can’t believe I wanted that on my skin,” but I don’t think that true modders understand the concept of mod regret. Mods represent a time in your life, an experience, a person…they tell the story of your life. And regretting life is just plain futile.
I've been contemplating the issue of modding minors for some time now, and this article gave me the unique opportunity to gain some inside perspective on the issue. Mods are an extremely personal choice, which makes generalizations about anything mod-related pretty much invalid. However, one can plainly see from the article that many teens are too immature to handle the concept of permanent mods like tattoos. In many other cultures, kids are taught about the significance that mods can hold, and are therefore prepared to take on the responsibility of choosing and bearing a mod that they will appreciate for the rest of their lives. Perhaps if American kids were more educated on the truly unique concept of body modification, they would make better mod decisions and parents wouldn't have to worry about their child coming home with "SLAYER" scrawled across their chest in ink.

The only time the words "tattoo" and "regret" should be used in the same sentence.

i am not a crook

So I’m finally back in the States, at school, living my normal life, after the most incredible experience I have ever had. My entire journey to New Zealand was filled with amazing food, exceedingly hospitable and chatty people, the most stunning scenery I have ever set eyes upon, and of course some knowledge that I’m sure I couldn’t have acquired elsewhere.
Now the question you may be asking…and the first one my mother asked when I arrived home…did I get any new mods to remember my trip by? Hell fucking yea I did :o) I began considering what kind of permanent souvenir I would get months before the trip, but it was not until I had spent almost a week in New Zealand that I finally knew without a doubt what I wanted. As my tattoo artist, Chriss, and I were cruising among the lush hills and countryside of New Zealand’s North Island, I stared dreamily out the window, trying with all of my might to capture mental images of every spectacular sight we passed. Somewhere along the way, the blur of greens and yellows and blues seemed to clear up for a moment, as we passed a bouquet of my absolute most favorite kind of flower: calla lilies! I shrieked at Chriss to pull over, and he hesitatingly agreed after traveling a short distance more. I got out of the car and ran over to admire the first calla lilies I had ever seen growing in the wild – they were pure white, delicate, with stems that seemed to hold them up upon a pedestal. I knew from that moment what I wanted to represent the absurdly amazing experience that was my trip to New Zealand.
Upon first making plans to travel, I wanted to get a tattoo in the style that I was traveling to research – the Maori moko. Even after finding out that some Maori believe it is cultural appropriation to acquire a moko without some Maori background, I thought a small design with special meaning would be the perfect memento. However, after having many conversations with both contemporary NZ tattoo artist and Maori moko artists, I decided that a moko was definitely not for me. It’s not that I don’t like the style – I saw some of the most intricately beautiful pieces while I was there, and also gained a new appreciation for the use of negative space in tattooing – It was more that I came to have little respect for the way that many Maori conduct themselves. It may not be my place to make such observations, but I’m just recounting my experience – perhaps it was a singular one. In any case, I found the Maori to be quite unlike the friendly, open-minded New Zealanders. While walking down any street in New Zealand, whether it be in a large city like Auckland or a small town by the sea, nearly every person smiles at you or says hello. In contrast, the Maori villages and historical places of interest that I visited held rude, bitter, sarcastic Maori. The Maori men like to maintain their “mana,” which means power and is exemplified by a stone-faced expression. Even after breaking this initial image, those Maori who led us around their villages spoke sarcastically and made obvious jokes behind the tourists’ backs. We were even forced to participate in “the Maori version of the Hokey Pokey,” which was an obvious attempt to humiliate the visitors. I realize that it must be difficult to have people gawking at your normal day life every day, but the tourism business for Maori in New Zealand is booming. For them to hate the tourists is to hate their livelihood.
There were many other examples of disappointing behavior on the part of some Maori, which I will choose not to mention – I don’t want to offend any Maori by suggesting that they are all the same, which I am certainly not attempting to do. I will, however, mention that the opinions regarding cultural appropriation varied greatly depending on a who I spoke with. The Maori who were involved in the business of tattooing tourists and other non-Maori were completely open to the idea, but anyone else was completely opposed to it. I felt as if it was another way to take advantage of the vast amount of tourists who visit NZ each year. Oh, and how does one know whether or not they are of Maori descent, you may ask. Well the NZ government has decided that anyone who is 1/16th Maori is considered to be Maori and therefore has access to various scholarships, health benefits, and other advantages that New Zealanders do not enjoy. Finding out is as simple as handing over NZ300 for a DNA test, and voila! I don’t think I’d be particularly overjoyed to be part of a people who previously practiced cannibalism and genocide anyways…
I feel so bad to be recounting my experience with the Maori in this way, but I can’t deny the events that happened over there! I know you guys crave the truth anywhoo...
I'm struggling to catch up on the week of schoolwork I miss while I was in NZ, so it's been hard for me to get a blog in, but Friday is finally here and I had a few minutes before a enjoy my first night out since leaving the land of the long white cloud...I'll be sure to post again soon - I learned a lot and need to do a lot of research once I get some time! Butttt before I leave you I have a few pictures for show and tell today:
These are, in order: A Maori ceremony that concluded with the Hokey Pokey: Maori Style!.......; A traditional Maori meal, called a Hangi, it was steamed in a hot spring (kinda cool....); An overview of a Maori village, called a Marae; Some traditional Samoan moko tools, made of boar tusk; The gorgeous calla lilies of NZ - I have about a million more pictures of lilies from all over the island :o) ; An apprentice from Moko Ink in Auckland, giving himself a moko to represent his apprenticeship, and to get some practice non-liability style (note the gorgeous moko on his arm).

land of the long white cloud

Well I've been here in New Zealand for a little over a week now, and it's been...well...breathtaking. The views, the people, the food...have all been spectacular. As for my moko research - not so good. Don't get me wrong, I've done a ton of research including interviewing contemporary New Zealand tattoo artists and visiting a real Maori village, but I've been kind of disappointed with what I've found. I'll explain more when I get back home and find some time to blog it all out of my system. As for now, I'll just tease with a few pictures that only hint at the beauty that I've been surrounded by for the past week and a half.

YAY

Sorry that I haven't posted much lately guys, but It's been a busy few weeks! My boyfriend just got back from a life changing experience in China, and I'm about to have my own in about three days! That's right, the time is finally here: I'm leaving for New Zealand on Monday to study Maori ta moko! And to top off my last weekend in the states, I'm about to leave (6:21 am) for the Rites of Passage BBQ in Pittsfield, MA. I'm heading up with two of my best girlfriends, so it should be an amazing (and dirty, no showers) few days! If you live in the CT/MA/NY area, check it out! There will be suspensions going on from today till Sunday.
I'll be posting as soon as I can get an internet connection in NZ, so be on the lookout for my reports back. Have a great few days all, and be jealllous :o)

on losers.

I’m constantly trying to figure out what it is that makes us modders tick, and an advertisement that I recently saw led to some thinking that might give a clue. The ad was for a popular online dating website called True.com, and involved a caricatured man and woman. The man was caricatured with certain “nerdy” (i.e. large glasses, highwater pants, slicked hair) features accentuated, and the woman was caricatured with certain “attractive” (i.e. tiny waist, blonde flowing hair, blue eyes with eyelashes that were actually batting) features accentuated. The caption read “Lose the Losers. Find a Better Boyfriend”. Upon further study of the ad, I noticed that the woman’s hands were excessively large. That was the part of the ad that really made me think. What if, in our society, large hands on a woman were considered completely grotesque and a potbelly was an attractive feature? Or what if large glasses and slicked hair on a man were a total turn on? The ad would then take on a far different meaning! Instead of seeing a woman who needs to lose her “loser” boyfriend, we would be immediately aware that this ad was geared toward hunky men who need to drop their slim-waisted honeys for some beer-belly beauties.
So what does any of this have to do with body modification? In her book “In the Flesh: The Cultural Politics of Body Modification,” Victoria Pitts writes about the use of body modification to reject the beauty ideals that are more or less forced upon us. I would like to believe that society and culture play no part in my conception of beauty, and that I live by my own opinions regarding physical appearance, but this is just not so. Society instills us at an early age with the belief that our cultural beauty ideals are inherently correct. As a result, no one questions an extremely skinny young girl as to whether she has an eating disorder, but many people are quick to make comments regarding a little lip ring or gauged ears.
I don’t know if standing up for my right to be modified has changed anyone’s view on the subject of beauty standards, but it seems to me that if someone is open-minded enough, they will eventually re-examine their aesthetic preferences once aware of their ignorance. Such an awareness on the global scale might even eradicate the concept of racial discrimination. If there is no “preferred” way to look, we would all really be equal. Finally.
Hell, I bet that even my body mod preferences are culturally influenced. Why am I drawn toward certain piercings, and repelled by others? Would I want a tribal design on my lower back if it wasn’t considered overdone and cliché? I don’t know…this is just another one of my ramblings that I hope will eventually lead to the answers I’m searching for.
Oh yea, PS, yesterday I was linked to by one of my favvvvorite modification blogs, Modified News. You can check out the post here, which includes a link to a blog I wrote for BME’s Modblog last week.

we can make a difference...

I could probably spend hours just writing about the wonders of body modification. I believe that from mods we can achieve a more confident, hopeful, and open-minded state of being, among other things (such as a lifetime of intensely pleasurable s-e-x...).
One particular aspect of modification that I recently began thinking about relates to the plethora of tattoo art galleries popping up around this country and the world. Upon comparing the world of fine art to that of tattoo art, I came to realize how much of an impact the audience really has on tattoo art. There has been obvious progression in terms of tattoo style over the years, and it seems quite natural to assume that the Inked are the ones behind this change. Not to say that the artists have had nothing to do with such evolution, but the sole fact that tattooees have the majority of the say in what an artist ends up creating is enough to convince me that we aren't just passive admirers of the art. We are the art. And as we grow, the world of tattooing grows with us. It's a beautiful thing :o)
It's in this phenomenon that we find the line drawn between fine art and tattoo art. Think about it...the world of fine art is a helluva lot stuffier than us inked folk. We don't waltz around, hands clasped behind backs, lifelessly staring at dead art. We wear our art with confidence and pride, allow it to act as a reminder of times past and present, and hopefully realize the amazing fact that we play an active part in the future of the art form.
I did a lil' post for Modblog today if anyone's interested in checking it out. That is if you haven't checked Modblog yet, as I do every 30 minutes or so hehe. I don't know when it will be up, but yea, it'll get there eventually.
QUICK update on my job search: IT SUCKS BEING MODDED AND TRYING TO GET A JOB! Especially in suburbia sheesh. I've been looking all summer, applying like a mad woman....and I get nothin'. Oh well, at least I still have my trip to New Zealand to look forward to. Ahh...those crazy Maori :o)

dees ees boulsheet

Ya know, I'm not even heavily modified, and just because I live in a small town, I get looks of disapproval everywhere I go. I went grocery shopping this afternoon, and a friend who I was with informed me that every woman over the 30ish age range gave me a dirty look as I passed by. I don't know about you, but when I go grocery shopping I don't care to judge those around me. I just want some cereal and milk goddamnit. Sans the negative vibes.

metallic magic

A good friend of mine from home is a newcomer to the world of body modification. I can't help but take a little credit, after all I did introduce her to BME's modblog and other favorite sites of mine such as Needled and Modified News. After joining me for some hours-long tattoo and unusual mod viewing sessions, she gave in to curiosity and got a lip piercing. She then began to stretch her ears with some exquisite 6g hand-blown glass earrings. Finally, after experiencing the positive (emotional) effects of her lip piercing for about one month, she decided to go for something a little more unusual. We hopped a train to NYC and eventually found our way (not without a few mishaps) to Pure Body Arts in Brooklyn, NY. Both herself and another friend of mine were there for the same wonderful reason: to acquire a set of clavicle surface piercings from the world-renowned body modification artist, (and apparently the inventor of the punch-and-taper surface piercing method) Brian Decker. We enetered the shop and I was immediately overwhelmed by the pictures of flawless scarifications and complex piercing projects. Although I hadn't originally planned to get any mods on this day, I couldn't fight the warm, slightly anxious feeling I get when I consider getting modified. I needed something :o)
So back to my friend, the newbie. I know that her self-confidence isn't so great, and I've been wondering whether the new piercings would help boost it at all. In addition to this issue, I wondered whether she felt "changed" at all, or saw society in a new light as a result of the new additions to her body. So I decided to find out!


MSOM: Now that you have your clavicles pierced, do you think it was worth the pain, and is it worth the fact that they prevent you from doing some things you used to do?
CF: I absolutely believe that my clavicles were well worth the pain. First of all, the pain wasn’t even that bad. Having my friends in the room to distract me and putting my mind somewhere else definitely helped. The only part that hurt even a little was the punching part, the rest just felt like someone was touching my chest, but I wasn’t sure what exactly he was doing. When it comes to not being able to do some of the things I used to do before, that’s a little different. I guess in some ways it is worth having them still because I really really love the way they look and to be honest, I like the reactions I get from some people. But on the other hand, lately I’ve been wanting to run and I can’t really because they’re still really sore, and sometimes I’m scared they’ll feel like this for a long time. Another thing is having to hide them. I can’t let anyone in my family see it, well at least the older people in my family, especially my parents. They would never approve. So this means I’m going to constantly have to watch what I’m wearing when I’m at home, and make sure they’re covered at all times, this is going to be a seriously difficult task for me.

MSOM: How did you feel the first time someone asked you about your piercings, and how do you feel now when people ask you?
CF: Ok, well the first time someone asked me, it was on the subway ride back to grand central station form Brooklyn which is where I got the piercings done, and honestly, I loved it! The girl was extremely interested in what they were and how they were done. She thought they were cool, and it made me feel even cooler ☺ Now when people ask me it’s a little bit different. I get a wide variation of reactions from people that first see them. “Why the hell did you do that?” “That’s so weird” “what made you do that?” its actually pretty annoying when people react in a negative way, and to be honest.. whenever someone does it, I get so upset with the person for making a comment to me that might hurt my feelings. Don’t get me wrong, it definitely doesn’t hurt my feelings at all, but people don’t ever make negative comments about anything else. I dunno, maybe its better that people are being honest, but I just think a lot of people are really ignorant and way too quick to judge people that have something “freaky”

MSOM: How do you feel in general now that you have the piercings? The same? Different? Better? Worse?
CF: A lot of aspects in my life are different because of my piercings, but I still feel like I am the same person, regardless. Sometimes they make me feel very confident, when I’m around like people my age, people that I know will be sincerely interested in what they are and think its awesome. I’m definitely self conscious when I’m around my family and when I’m at work. Simply because I don’t want to get in trouble. For the most part, I think I feel better with the piercings, they haven’t brought me any serious distress or problems so I’m just gonna love on them til they do!

MSOM: How do you feel about your body in general now that you have the piercings?
CF: Hmm, well I'm not all that happy with my body in general to be honest. I’m not completely unsatisfied, but sometimes I wish it were nicer. But I must say, I love what these clavicles (piercings) do for me and my chest! They look so awesome, they don’t even really look like piercings! I don’t think I’d like them half as much if I got them done with balls rather than disks! Oh, and it draws more attention to my boobs, mm.. I guess that could be a good thing? ;)

MSOM: If you had seen clavicle piercings on a person walking down the street, say 3 years ago, how would you have probably reacted?
CF: Lets think about where I was 3 years ago. Summer before my senior year. Hmm, that was a pretty awesome time in my life, and Im pretty sure I was very open minded then, but not the way I am now! Honestly.. I just saw clavicles for the first time a few months ago probably, and when I first saw that I was just like, wow, that's intense, but at the same time I had already been exposed to things like a corset piercing and a nape, wrist, things of the same nature.. so it wasn’t as bad. But 3 years ago, yea.. they definitely would’ve been weird to me.

MSOM: Do you think that you will acquire more unusual mods in the future? If so, why?
CF: Hmm, unusual? Who knows. Surface piercings are definitely cool, and there are a few others that I would probably consider getting in the future, but as far as other things go, I’m not sure. Scarification, suspension, amputation, things of that manner.. I probably will never get into. I respect the people who choose to do it, its their lives, do whatever you want, but I’m straight with that. I’ll probably get more tattoos though, absolutely! ☺

I wouldn't necessarily say that these piercings completely fixed her confidence issues, but they surely helped. And if nothing else, my friend is learning the difficulties of living as a modified person, and hopefully she will become stronger and less judgemental because of it. People say that body modification is addicting, and I whole-heartedly agree, but I sometimes wonder what exactly makes this so. Is it the attention? The unavoidable life lessons modding teaches? Or is it simply the pleasure of adorning one's body? Whatever the case, I'm glad my friend has entered into a world which makes her think, feel, and act a little differently. A little better even.
P.S. I got my wrist re-pierced with a surface bar :o) More on this new development to come.

what the hell...

Sometimes I wonder....is the system trying to send society subliminal messages saying "tattoos are dangerous (AKA bad)"? Some warnings geared toward tattooed individuals don't even make sense. MRI-related warnings aside, take hair dye warnings for example: the side of my Garnier Nutrisse hair dye box holds a warning that reads "IF YOU HAVE A TATTOO the risks of allergic reaction may be increased." Upon reading this warning I was confused as to why having a tattoo would affect one's susceptibility to allergic reactions. After some research, the only explanation I can come up with is that the FDA got confused and started assuming that since some people had developed a hair dye allergy as a result of improper 'henna' tattoos that people with normal tattoos might develop the same allergy. Now I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure that henna tattooing and needled tattooing are VERY DIFFERENT. Not only are the inks used in regular tattoos nothing like the PPD laced ones used in sketchy henna tattoos, but the respective methods of application are a world apart. One is PERMANENT, and the other can become permanent due to the blistering caused by PPD 'henna' tattoos. So the only explanation I can come up with for the warning is that the FDA is afraid we'll get too excited and dye our skin instead of our hair. We may be "freaks" but we're not idiots...

the 'dangers' of being tattooed

As I noted in the most recent post, my mother recently got word that she is cancer-free. This news was made possible by an MRI scan that she underwent last week. While in the waiting room prior to the scan, my mother was sitting next to me and filling out some paperwork. As MRIs produce a magnetic field 10,000 times the strength of the Earth's magnetic field, I had expected that she would be required to remove her earlobe studs before the procedure. However, I was quite confused when she noted with some satisfaction that the paperwork warned tattooed patients that their ink may heat up and cause burns during the scan. "Seeee!" was her only comment, as if this warning meant that I would never be able to have an MRI. But with all of the tattooed people I've seen in my life, it's unlikely that none of them have ever had one. So I decided to do a little research on the subject, and here's what I found...
First off, there have been situations in which a patient with tattoos did experience minor burns as a result of an MRI scan. The good news for us youngens is that this type of reaction is unlikely if you have acquired your tattoo within the last 20 years. The recent developments in tattoo equipment and ink have resulted in a lessened amount of trace metals (namely iron oxide) in the ink. Nowadays, the only real risk of reactions to MRI scans involves cosmetic tattoos such as eyeliner or lipliner, whose inks often contain higher quantities of iron oxide metal.

Tattoo that has been burned as a result of an MRI scan.

All in all, the risk of reaction for us tattooed folk when entering that claustrophoby capsule is quite low. The one thing you will want to remember if you are tattooed and must get an MRI is that your body does not lie to you. If you feel tingling or heat on or around your tattooed areas, inform the technician immediately.
Now you know! :o)

cancer-free gum

I'm very happy to report that after a long, hard 6 weeks of chemo and radiation therapy, my mother just got word that she is officially cancer-free. Over these past few months, I’ve become closer with her than I have ever been before. I felt that this time would be my golden opportunity to finally convince her that my modifications are merely physical adornments, and should not instill her with the anger and disappointment that they previously have. Alas, no…
I came out of a recent discussion with my mother on the insignificance of body modification as it relates to our relationship with a new realization. I have come to see that she is more resentful of the embarrassment that I have caused her as a result of my mods than she is of the mods themselves. Apparently, some 'friends' of hers recently mentioned my mods to her. Although they merely made casual comments, my mother seems to have taken them as insults or criticisms. Such assumptions make her feel as if she has to "stick up" for me or "explain" for me. I don't even want to know what these supposed defenses might sound like. All I know is that they surely don't portray me in a very positive light. I mean, how can someone who doesn't support or understand my interest in modification accurately "explain" why I do the things I do? And who said I need explaining anyways? It just irks me that, with all of the commendable things I might do in life, people are more concerned with how I look. Just let me be, please. If it bothers you, don’t get modded. It sounds so easy…so what’s the problem? I just wish that my mom would take the time to listen to what I have to say, and be open-minded enough to realize that she truly is in the wrong here. Her arguments against me never go anywhere, and I have finally figured out why. She’s embarrassed of me...sheesh.