Piercings

When I was growing up, my parents made me wait until I was 7 to get my ears pierced.
I had to wait until I was 14 to get the upper part of my ear pierced.
It wasn't until I was 15 that they'd let me get my navel pierced.

And that was the last piercing they actually "let" me get.

When I was 14, I gave myself my very own surface piercings over my hips... since I did it myself, that didn't work out all so well and I took them out soon after. My mum saw the scars a little while later and I told her they were mosquito bites or something.

When I was 16, I got my second holes done in my ears over in Windsor. I asked. My parent said no (I don't even know why. It's such a basic piercing.) and then I did it anyway. When I was 17, I got my 3rd holes done without even asking.

I didn't bother asking when I was 17 and got my tongue pierced with my friend just after we won marching band finals. They'd specifically told me at some point that I definitely couldn't get my tongue pierced until I was no longer living with them.

When I was 16, I saved up for months to have a bunch of my own money for our summer trip to the UK. I figured I'd be left on my own at some point in Edinburgh, and planned on it. Checking out the local piercing parlours on the net and seeing which I could get to pierce my nipples. Unfortunately, all of my money and passport got stolen while out shopping the very morning I'd planned to visit the parlour! Worst luck ever and I was ridiculously pissed.

When I was 17, my mother took me to get my first tattoo. A week later, I got my tongue pierced. And exactly a week after that, my friends and I went to go get her tongue pierced, and ended up both getting our nipples pierced as well. Finally.

On the first of January, 2008, I got my inverse navel pierced as my friend got her regular one done.

In the summer, just after I'd turned 18, I got my tongue pierced twice on each side, which is called "venoms", if you didn't know.

In October, I got my upper lip pierced twice, which is "angel bites". That's the last piercing I got while still living with my parent(s)... they didn't even live together then.

In December, I got my lower lip pierced twice on one side, a "spider bite".

And then I moved to Toronto and in March, got my septum pierced, which is the one that sometimes hides up my nose.

In the summer, I got my right nipple re-pierced as I'd taken my old piercings out nearly a year previously for rugby. I'd actually meant to get my inverse navel re-done, but they refused to do it as it's a spot that is prone to rejection. Clearly I'll have to get around to getting it redone elsewhere.

In August of 2009, I got a surface piercing over my collarbone, which I loved and was awesome. It was my third surface piercing, and the only one I'd had professionally done.

In early November, I got snakebites, which is two lip piercings, one on either side of my mouth. I'd rather like to get them re-done, as obviously I no-longer have them.

And I've not gotten any new piercings since then... that's an entire year.

If you've been paying attention, that's a total of 25 piercings. I currently only have 3. And there's only 4 that my parents ever actually let me get.

I don't even know why they were always so anal about it. "Oh, you have to be sure." No you don't. That's such ridiculous bullshit. Piercings are so temporary. If they weren't, I'd be full of holes. Obviously. But am I? No. You take them out. They heal over. No harm done.

"Oh, what will people think?" Do I honestly seem like the type of person who cares what people think? I've got my fucking fingers tattooed. Why on earth would I care?

I'm sure it had more to do with "What kind of parents will our friends think we are if our daughter is full of metal?" Well, I'm (not) sorry to break it to anyone, but I really don't care what anyone thinks. If I ever convince myself that vomiting isn't *THAT* bad and manage to become a parent, I'll be so much more lenient about piercings. Like really.

So Mum. I know you read my blog. Tell me, what's the real reason I wasn't allowed piercings growing up?