It all began when I was 11 years old and my mom decided that we would have a second hole pierced in our ears. I thought it was great and went on to add 7 more.

At 13, I was put in a private school and had to take out all of my earrings. I just about cried. For two years I was in that school and didn't wear a piece of jewelry.

Last month I got kicked out for dying my hair (they said it was purple. it was malaysian cherry. what idiots. lol.) and I immediately got my ears repierced. I now have five earrings. Four in my left ear and one in my right.

Last week I decided to have my navel pierced. I told my mom and she immediately called to find out when they opened. The very next day I was sitting at the door when Tattoos by Drew opened. I was so nervous I could barely stand it. I knew my mother didn't care if I got pierced, but I didn't think she would ever actually get around to taking me to get it done. I didn't have much time to prepare mentally. Which may be a good thing because thinking about it overnight and on the car ride there scared the hell out of me. And it was freezing in there.

Mom and I spent a while looking at books of tattoos. Then, it was time.I wasn't taken to a private little room. Nor was I put in a dentist-like chair. I was pierced in front of about fifteen people on a narrow little bench. I watched as Tom opened all the little baggies and cleaned off my belly. Next he marked a spot and put the clamps on. This part definitely was the worst. It was slightly painful, but nothing unbearable. The clamps left a nasty bruise on my belly. Tom remarked that I was almost too skinny and he couldn't find any fat to grab. Thankfully, his humor calmed me down slightly. Before I knew what happened I heard my skin pop and looked down to see a needle through my precious little belly button. It hadn't hurt a bit! I didn't even know he had done it. The ring (14 gauge. silver with a black bead)was slipped in and it was over. It had taken less than ten minutes and I felt like an idiot for being so afraid.

He gave me a sheet explaining the aftercare and we chatted for a minute, then I got really hot and everything began to look purple. I could hardly see the guy and it sounded like he was really far away.

Tom told me to sit down for a few minutes, then I was fine. Later he told me that my eyes had gotten really dilated and my mom said my lips turned white. I almost passed out! Wow! I wasn't in pain. I was told that it was quite normal.

He and Drew (the guy that does all the ink) said that people pass out in there all the time. I was even told that a guy passed out once from watching a girl get her tongue pierced.

Anyway, its been a week and I love it. I think I may have gotten addicted. Mom and I are going back in a few weeks to get my eyebrow done. I'm so excited, I can't wait. But mom says we have to wait a while to see if my navel is going to get infected.

We surprised my dad with the navel ring, but mom said I had to tell him about the eyebrow before I got it done. At first he said no. His only defense was "What if you decide you dont want it in a few years?" How clueless can you get. Though I was quite happy with his response because I knew I had him beat. And he, ofcourse, in the end agreed, after being informed that the jewelry could be removed. I'm not sure exactly what his thoughts on that were... Did he think that I would be stuck in that same piece of jewelry until I was 90? Well, whatever he thought doesn't matter because I won and next in line is my left eyebrow.

I've been cleaning my navel twice a day with Bactine or Dial soap. Everyone seems to have different cleaning rituals, so I wasn't really sure what to use at first. Even though I had a sheet with aftercare instructions. I assume its all just personal preference. Everyone thinks what they use works the best, so I'm just going to stick with this and hope I don't get infected.

Sooooo... If you are considering a navel piercing... Do it! It's great. Feel free to email me if you want to chat about piercing. I am very enthusiastic about having a few more needles shoved through various parts of my body.

Mehndy    [email protected]