at this point in my life body modifications are nothing new to me. 2 tattoos, a genital piercing, several facials- you know... but i haven't had anything done that made me stand out from the crowd as much as my SEPTUM piercing has. i am not sure why that is exactly but it has become the one bodmod that i have received that has had the most impact on those who look at me.
At A Glance Author bean Contact bean@bme.anon Studio BPU Location Anch, Alaska (Fireweed &C) i remember the day that i went down to get it done. i wasn't too sure what more i wanted to have pierced or tattooed. at that point i was on the verge of dipping into new things(branding or something along those lines.) at work i had just received another lecture about how visible piercings and tattoos were shunned upon and to have anything done that could been seen by the public could result in "IMMEDIATE TERMINATION". (what-evah!)
needless to say i was feeling a touch on the rebellious side. so when a friend of mine called me and asked if i wanted to take a trip down to our favorite body piercing "hang-out", i was definitely down. i was still undecided as to what i was in the mood for when she mentioned that she was getting her septum pierced. i had just been introduced to the concept of the CBB which made it possible to have your septum pierced, but flipping it back up into your nose, making the jewelry undetectable.
i grinned as it dawned on me how pissed off my boss would be to realize that i had "gone and done it" but there was nothing she could do to reprimand me. the thought of her staring me in the eye and talking to me while trying to NOT look up my nose to see if she had any grounds for writing me up made me laugh. so, of course i just had to go through with it. plus i always thought it would look good on me when i was able to wear the CBR.
so we walked into BPU (Body Piercing Unlimited) and they asked the usual "what are we gettin' done today?" she stepped up to the plate and told them what we were up to for the day. we filled out some paperwork and grabbed some magazines and waited while listening to was some lady ahead of us squealing about getting belly button pierced...whining i should say. ("ow! that HURT so much, wahhhhh!" hahah)
my friend decided that she got to go first (she was paying for the both of us, so by all means...) they sat her down in the chair and began digging around her nose. once they had completed it she was sitting there, tears in her eyes, smiling. "YOUR turn," she said with a grin. my only thought was "how bad could this possibly be."
now... the piercer (who's name escapes me at the moment) warned us both that at times it does become difficult to pierce the septum at times if ones septum is too high or too short, myself, i never realized there any difference. he stuck 2 laytex glove covered fingers into my nostrils and began trying to gauge where the hole was going to be. after a couple of tries i asked if this was going to be "one of those times" and he replied "nah! looks like it should go rather nicely." LIAR!!!
me with my head raised and him with a needle and tube in my nose... we got down to business. after seeing how smoothly things had gone for my friend i remember thinking "..its NEVER that easy for me." this experience was no different. i heard the *SNAP*, felt the sting and my eyes began to water like i had been peeling onions all day. he tried to work the CBB through, then again... and again. by this point i don't know if my eyes were teary because thats what happens or if i was crying as well. i played it off well, my friend asked if i was alright and she had this look of pity on her face, i smiled as best i could and let a couple of more tears escape "no, i'm fine- thank you, heh!"
blood all on his gloves, the piercer had finished (thank GAWD!!)he wiped the sweat from his forehead and handed me a mirror. it looked o.k. i guess. i wasn't sure whether or not i was impressed with it yet. he told us the standard spiel the aftercare and whatnot and then we were on our merry way.
the first place we went was to the store to buy some supplies (dial antibacterial handsoap, Q-tips, that kind of thing) and thats when i got my first real dose of the impact that a little piece of jewelry can have. people that knew me tried not to look, people who didn't know me stared, children pointed... it was a rush for me. not that i like being put on the spot... i LOVE it!
since then it's been like a beacon almost, nothing attracts attention like this CBR in my nose. people feel free to tell me how tight it is, people tell me how disgusting they think it is, people tell me when they can see the shining from the CBB in my nostrils (why they are looking up my nose i have no idea.) people who have their septums done say "hey!" like we are part of some secret society... its all kind of amusing really.
if i was into modifications just to "make a scene" i picked the right one that day. i have to say, i have mods that i may let retire in the end but the septum piercing is here for good. whether or not its symbolic of anything- to me, no. its such a part of me now though that i have to admit that i feel somewhat naked when i take it out. so thanks to my boss, my friend and that piercing guy that i love but who's name i always forget, this bull has a shiny new ring!