Prenote; I wrote this last November, so just about 6 months ago. This was designed as an open thing for the pupil, all you needed to do was pass this test. Which I thankfully did. The question I was answering is featured just above the introduction.
At A Glance Author wiccan3 Contact wiccan3@bme.anon IAM wiccan3 When Six months ago Artist Myself Studio My room Location Scotland I also, since November have managed to stretch my right ear to 8mm from 4mm then, and also get a septum piercing. So this writing test is not now 100% accurate as it was at that point in time.
Other than that, happy reading!!
"Choose an experience where you felt most pleased in and could see the outcome changing your life"
Looking back to two days before my thirteenth birthday when I was going to get my ears pierced, I was so nervous. And little did I know what would happen later in my life. I always knew I had an interest in things unusual, but I'm just beginning with my lobes. I always knew I didn't feel and fit well in the skin I was given. I was almost complete for most of my life, but had to know and find out what it was to complete me, or at least begin to complete me.
November 2007 and that little girl who sat and got her ears pierced and all her ideals in life are all gone. Unknown to the younger me, would be the disliking of the ear lobes she had had pierced. At least now, I can see how much I disliked them due to stretching. Stretching works by taking a taper/expander and slowly, over a certain period of time, inserting it into the pierced hole thus making it ever bigger. And in my opinion, making the lobe which is normally so boring become a beautiful object of admiration, time and dedication and a true reflection of the inner person.
Now, I feel like I've got my own identity now by stretching. I just remember the feeling when I first stretched my ears, I felt like a zebra with its stripes finally being painted on, it was so right for me. And I just loved the feeling of upsizing a millimetre every week until 6mm. I could feel my body's limit of pain, and with stretching, sometimes I passed that pain barrier, and so now, can take any amount of pain.
Before the stretching, I felt like a nobody, like it wasn't me that people saw. It was a different person. Whereas now, I feel I am part of the sub-culture of bigger stretched lobes, but as a result I can't wear "normal" sized earrings. I'm also less shy, as I feel I have more things in common with people through my piercings as tight lacing with a corset is a little more discrete than stretching and piercings and I think more frowned upon than stretching.
After receiving the opportunity to reflect back upon this issue, I can see how I could have bettered the way I stretched my ears and am working on it. After doing a lot of after reading, I should have theoretically waited a month between the stretches of a millimetre and then waited to stretch up two millimetres. Of course, this varies with everyone, and so to a certain extent, this is right. But then I'm not trying to sound like I know everything. I don't. I've not even scratched the surface of body modifications. But the most important thing about changing the appearance of the body is that I feel you can learn so much from your mistakes and can continuously evolve. I've stretched from a 1.2mm to a 10mm hole in my left ear, and am now stopping to allow the right ear to be tapered to the same size.
I'm beginning to get happy now in my skin because of my modifications. I've had mainly positive experiences, but there are always going to be people who are scared of something new. I mean, you see it throughout history nothing too major, but it is annoying and even gets you down sometimes: especially with the family not being able to get their heads round the fact that I feel this is my life and my way of being complete. They just don't seem to think that their granddaughter/daughter is capable of feeling wrong inside the body she was given. That seems to be the biggest problem so far and this is the once thing I hate about letting people see what modifications I'm doing or working on. It annoys me sometimes the ignorance of the people around me who can't open their eyes to the world, tribal arts and new culture embracing older methods and thoughts.
So far, I'm led to believe I'm the first one ever in my school to stretch their ear lobes. I love being different, and this for me makes this journey even more special because I am finding my own path, making myself different from everyone in the school and having a great time. It also allows everyone to react in many various ways and for me to note the reactions as common.
Later on in life, when the time and I am right, I plan on getting more modifications. Maybe a tattoo and some more piercings, as three is my current number and so I want to at least triple it by 2009. Then I can at least feel like I am modified and I can then definitely create my own designs on my body. I feel like this body I am in is like a canvas, and as the canvas begins to get a bit fuller, it can evolve and change and be something so hideous in one moment, but with a bit of time and energy, it can become a world famous art piece, to me this symbolizes the healing time for piercings and tattoos –they look hideous when just in the skin, but after time and energy is put into them, they reward you back.
Overall, I've found this experience totally worthwhile. The negatives which you can come across very easily are definitely outweighed by the positives, but it's always better to try something new and to then assess the whole experience at the end. You also meet a lot of great people who are at a similar level to you, and so make more friends than at the beginning of the experience. So in that respect it is definitely worth doing. I've waited a long time to start the modifications legally, and so I know it's not a "teenage phase" and that I definitely do want the work done on me. I'll be perfectly happy when I'm older if my ears don't heal up, in fact, I'll probably stretch them some more. And when you're older, the ear lobes sag anyway, so it's all good.
At the end of the day, it's better not regretting what you've done, but than regretting what you've not done when you're older. At least now I know I have made a change for the better and there are people, outside who accept my choices and I see them as my equals.
Historically speaking, it's been great to research the elements of stretching the lobes. It's so amazing to think that our ancestors had piercings, and it was just throughout 1400-1900 when piercing and tattooing in the western world was seen as a sin. So, basically speaking, we were tattooed and pierced and that was the normal thing for our ancestors. Therefore, when I stretch, I can visualize one of my ancestors repeating the same process but with equipment they could find. Now, there are acrylic tapers, glass, silicon (not really recommended though) and stainless steel.
And for this precious and valuable connection with my ancestors who walked the same earth as I do now, I stretch. I make myself right in my opinion and I feel right. My background is always important for me, and following the traditions that used to apply has become me. Therefore, at the end of this, I am moving into the future, but always retaining my past and history.