So I am 21. And impulsive. Actually, I'm extremely impulsive. That's how I got my tongue ring and one of my tattoos (I got both on the same day, because I had a hundred bucks burning a hole in my pocket). Now, I've wanted to get another piercing for a while, but I couldn't decide what to get done. I've been off and on for about a year as to whether to get a labret piercing, my nipples, or maybe my eyebrow. But I've never really come to a decision. Plus, I am poooooor.
At A Glance Author Cole Contact Cole@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Kathy Studio Big City Tattoo Location Orange Park, FL So last night, I went to the movies with my ex (we're still buddies to see Kill Bill vol. 2 (it is fantastic). I bought tickets at 9:00. The movie didn't start till 9:45. So, I decided that, to waste time, I'd go ahead and get a labret piercing. I went across the street to Big City, which is a pretty good studio, and it turns out my ex-girlfriend's cousin's boyfriend is an artist there. An odd, extended relation, but still. We talked for a couple of minutes and then the piercer, Kathy, came out. She's from New York. We talked about random things before starting in about what exactly I wanted. I wanted the labret, but she busted out with "I think a lip ring on the side would look better." I was all "what?" Anyways, to get to the point I decided to ignore her advice and get the labret done. We went in and she set everything up. Everything was autoclaved and pretty and white. BUT, it turned out that their credit card machine was down, and I had no cash, and by the time I ran to an ATM, got money, and got back, they'd be closed down for the night. So, I decided to go see the movie, go home, and come back in the morning and get it taken care of then. The good thing is that because of that extended relation, she was going to do it for fifteen bucks instead of forty five bucks. Yeah, I bet you thought that the extended relation comment was just in there to add to the length. Nahhhh.
Best. Move. I. Ever. Made.
I checked out this site after getting home and looked at all of your pictures, and I read the stories. Like all things, they contradict. Some of the pics looked great, some of the pics looked stupid, some of the stories said their experience has been great, some said it sucked balls. I basically looked at all the pics and was like, wow, labrets don't seem as edgy or different any more. I thought about how three of my friends have labrets. I thought about how it's the standard in rock music. And I realized that I hated the labret. It's the new tongue ring. It's the new tribal tattoo. It's the new "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?"....which is not my cup of tea. I got my tongue pierced before it had become the status quo, the marijuana of piercings (think gateway). So, I thought about what I thought was different and awesome. Now, I'm a huge fan of AFI. And I realized what I wanted. A lip ring. On the side.
Fast forward to this morning. I am not a morning person at all. So I got to Big City late. My piercer, Kathy, couldn't do it for the low, low price anymore. But, the lip is $35 anyways. So I still paid less than I thought I would. I got up in the doctor chair and swished that nasty shit around in my mouth. I laid back, and she marked my lip. I asked for it a little lower, so she obliged (my boss has a thing about a piercing actually going through the lip as opposed to right below it. Don't ask.). I laid back again. She put the clamps of dooooom on my lip, and i closed my eyes. Now, have you ever given blood? The way that feels, it felt like that. Only through my lip. It wasn't bad. It wasn't cool, or painless, but it wasn't excruciating. She put the ring through (a 3/8" captive hoop) and then closed it. Now, that sucked. It was like she was tugging. And tugging. For an hour. Not really, but it seemed it. We sat and bullshitted for a couple of minutes, then I paid her. She ga ve me all the directions for aftercare, like don't swish with alcohol, and try not to play with it too much.
Cut to now....
I absolutely love it. THe reaction has been mixed, as my friends are very surf-prep, but you know what? Fuck them. I love it. And I wouldn't change it for the world. That night of thinking really made the difference.