At A Glance
Author	Nikki
Contact	snickypie@gmail.com
When	It just happened
Artist	Lumpy
Studio	Level 8 @ Goodtimes
Location	Manchester, NH

So, recently I removed my three year old industrial due to strange summer heat irritation and a slight dent in my cartilage. My ear was never really suited for the piercing, but since I was really stubborn and had just turned 18, I wanted it bad. Now, I'm realizing that having a dent in my cartilage wasn't worth the look of the piercing.

Anyway, my ear got happier, but I couldn't help feeling that it was a bit too empty. I had only a 0g lobe on my right ear and nothing else. My left ear is happy with a single (soon to be double in like 6 months) helix, tragus and, again 0g lobe. I went back and forth with myself on what new I wanted done. I mostly decided I wanted a rook sometime in the future.

Yesterday one of my friends called me and asked if I wanted to go down to Manchester with her so she could get her tongue piercing redone and something else possibly done. She picked me up today and since I hadn't seen her in a while, we spent most of the drive catching up with each other. Then she was telling me that she used to have her lip done too, but she took it out and she didn't know if she wanted that redone along with her tongue or something on her ear. I told her I didn't really have money, but I'd ask about prices on some ear piercings.

We got in to Good Times about 30 minutes to closing and were warmly welcomed by Jonah who asked if either of us was getting anything done. My friend said what she wanted and I asked my questions about getting a rook done.

I looked in my wallet. $25 and I wasn't sure when I would get more, since I don't have a job. But, I really like the look of the rook piercing. So I asked how much it'd be and he said it would be $25. I couldn't decide if I should use all my money in one sitting or not, but then my friend said she'd help me pay, so I thought, what better time than now and said, "I'd like my rook done with a little CBR please."

So we waited until everything was set up and ready and it was time to get pierced. I sat down on the bench and Lumpy explained the process and all about the sterilization and about how the needle was one time use, etc. He cleaned my ear, changed gloves, marked the dot, changed gloves, and pierced me.

I felt a little heat and didn't notice any popping noises or any real intense pain at all. He put the ring in and then we had a lot of trouble getting the bead in. After fiddling with it a bit, he got it in and I looked in the mirror. I fell in love immediately. I like it a lot more than I liked my industrial, actually.

Then it was my friend's turn to get pierced and he went through the same process twice, since she ended up doing her tongue and tragus. Her tragus looks great and she's excited to have her old tongue piercing back.

We headed out to the front desk and they asked about the usual solutions and stuff for cleaning and I said, "well, I have had good luck with doing my own sea salt soaks, so I'll just do that for right now."

Then Lumpy went, "oh yeah? explain to me how you do it, then," jokingly.

"1/8 to 1/4tsp of sea salt mixed with 8 ounces of very warm water. Then soak your piercing for about 10 minutes 2-3 times a day." And then he looked around the room and said, "Damn, this girl knows her shit." Then we paid, my friend got her H2ocean and Provon, because she's more of a girl on the go than I am, so she doesn't have much time to soak whereas I have plenty of time to do them.

I decided on a CBR even though a lot of people have trouble with them. I just much prefer the look over a curved barbell. I'm pretty good at healing the piercings I've had so far, which include two cartilage piercings with CBRs and an industrial barbell. Of course, only time will tell though. I'm off to a good start because I haven't touched it yet and I got it done around 8:45 and it's 12:45 now. I really want this to heal as quickly and well as possible.

If anyone is looking for good piercers, go over to Good Times in Manchester and get pierced by the guys who used to be at Spider Bite. They're absolutely wonderful and totally awesome to talk to about the most random things during the prep time.