I'm rather impulsive...ish. Don't get me wrong--the idea wasn't out of no where. When I get something on my mind I obsess about it. I tend to be instant-gratification about everything and when the opportunity to get my belly button pierced arose (I had friends with me, a ride, some courage, and felt the time was right), I knew that if I didn't take it I may not bother getting it done for an indefinite amount of time. My friends and I were just going to head over to the mall when I brought half-jokingly up how I wanted my belly pierced.
At A Glance Author anonymous When It just happened Artist No clue, actually haha Studio BODYTECH Location Gainesville, FL After fruitless shopping (on my part) with the friends, the idea of getting my navel pierced--today--was really, really, really starting to grow on me. I asked Friend A if she'd call 411 and ask the studio how much it cost to get a navel piercing. $30 dollars for a ring, $40 for a bar. Being a poor college freshmen made the choice for me: ring it would be!
I don't think they really took me seriously. We were headed back for campus when I asked to be dropped off with Friend C at the studio. Friend A and Friend B had somewhere to go--I didn't think they'd stay with me. After we'd parked though, all of them exited the car with me. I guess it wasn't something they'd dare miss haha. I walked into the studio and breathed a sigh of relief to find that it was very clean and organized looking. After statements of, "I can't believe you're so random" from the buddies I walked up to the man behind the counter, filled out a form promising I don't have diabetes or a tendency to faint, passed over my license and forked out the $40 for H2Ocean spray and the hoop. And I waited. Starting to get nervous. My hardcore friends got drawn to the airbrush tattoo display and excitedly picked out designs of dolphins, a petite flower and stars respectively. They're so tough. (: Friend A was getting her tat sprayed on when my piercer called for me. I asked if they could come too and he said sure. They practically left a dust trail as they abandoned Friend A alone to come accompany me. "Well hers is much more interesting!" Friend B later explained to our indignant and freshly abandoned Friend A.
First thing I notice is the little setting of metal pieces and iodine swab. I really didn't focus on all those pieces I must say. Tra la la I'm not looking I'm not looking! I got marked up and was told to inspect it in the mirror. Being a perfectionist, I cocked my head and was like..."IS that centered?" and quickly turned to my friends for a second and third opinion. Friend C quickly replied, "Yeah that looks good." Friend B leaned in closer and after a few moments replied, "It's good enough I guess..." to which I quickly exclaimed, "WHAT? No it can't be just 'good enough'!!" Ahhh lovely. I asked the piercer to check it again and he said, "I think it's center. I'll be piercing a bit to the left of the mark so it will look more center when you're done." Ehh...comforting I guess. He's an artist--I trusted his aesthetic eye. A bit wearied I trudged on.
I laid down on the chair and got swabbed. The clamps were applied which were like a steady, firm pinch of pressure. Soon after I was told to take the standard "deep breath" and got pierced. Couldn't see a thing from the laying down position. I wish I could've seen it. My friends got the show--lucky! Did it hurt? In a word. "yes." I hate those bullshitters who say that you "don't feel a thing." Are they alive? I think it's not so much a matter if you feel it--I don't know how anyone couldn't. It may be more that you feel it, and later forget about the pain because the end result is so gratifying and exciting. It IS pretty hard to explain. It's a very intense, real pain that you're very aware of in that moment but after it's over....that's it. When it's gone you may even wonder if it just happened. Stubbing your toe really major may hurt even more. After that might-as-well-be-fatal blow there's that persistent, nagging ache, the gasp for air. A piercing is like that sharp moment when you receive the blow but immediately after the sensation dissipates. And you're like, "I am fucking awesome. Look what I did." I don't know how to explain it other than that.
Telling/showing people what I got done is too fun. And did my piercing come out centered? Dear god I hope so. In my opinion it looks like it's leaning to the right which disagrees with me because I'm a liberal and if anything, my piercing should be too! Maybe I'm imagining things. Maybe the hoop is distorting the symmetry. Maybe I'll post a picture for affirmation that my ring is nice and centered and affirmation that I'm just being picky. Who knows. Let's just hope for a happy healing!