Listening: an episode of Sex and the City on DVD

Reading (perhaps quality): deciding whether or not to finish Sex, Art, and American Culture: Essays by Camille Paglia

Reading (definitely pulp): Nothing.

Drinking: A diet coke.

June 29, 2003
9:23 pm

Yes, it hurt.

Got my nose pierced yesterday. Have been thinking about doing it for a while but finally had decided to do it with my 29th birthday approaching and no more wedding party pictures to pose for.

Had talked with Carrie and Mel about going but since they were considering navel piercing and tattoos and the recovery time for those wasn't well placed for them they begged out. Enter Demmert.

She got her navel pierced a while back and when I was searching for a place to go I asked her for a recommendation. She said she'd had good luck at Rick's Tattoos over on Lee Highway. Then she asked if I wanted company to go get it done. Since Carrie and Mel were no longer game I said hell yes and we arranged to meet up. Then we realized we all needed to get together to pick up Leigh's bridal shower present so D said she'd meet up with us earlier to go to Crate and Barrel and then come along for my hole punching.

(above) my nose, sans hole

So Demmert picked me up at 10:30 and we met with D and B at the Crate and Barrel in Clarendon to pick out the gift for Leigh and Porter (believing in economies of scale -- multiple people pooling together = a cooler gift). Spent a while wandering through the store and registry list. Bought the present and Demmert bought a kitchen cart she'd had her eye on. After all that hard shopping we decided that some lunch was in order -- headed over to Taqueria Poblano in Arlington (same owners as the one in Alexandria). Yummy chips, tacos and a glass of sangria later we were ready to head over to Rick's.

We'd been warned that Rick's was a little, interesting. But I had read the excellent review of the place on the GothDC web site and I'm from Berkeley for God's sake so I figured it couldn't be too too crazy scary. I was a taken aback when the guy told me that the piercer was the one with the animal print hair but once I found her in the small warren of rooms Jacquie reassured me right away. The cheetah pattern on her hair was cool and her manner consummately professional. She answered all my questions completely and repeatedly (okay, I was nervous). She marked a place on my nose I checked it out and it seemed fine. I then laid down on the table and Demmert gave me her hand to squeeze. Jacquie put a clamp on my nose, then told me to take a deep breath and she put the needle through.

Demmert says I almost broke her hand and I believe her. Damn, it hurt as the needle went through. I swear I could feel every millimeter of cartilage that was being pushed through. I'm trying to think of something else I've volunteered for that hurt that much and am coming up short. Don't know if that means I've lived a tame life or that it hurt that bad. Am voting for the latter.

Then it was over. I started questioning exactly why I wanted to do this in the first place until I took a look in the mirror and saw how cool it looked.

(above) my nose, with an extra hole

Then I took a look back on the table where the tools were and saw a bunch of Q-Tips with my blood and felt a little woozy. Whew. D and Demmert said it was fortunate I didn't see the crazy long needle that had been shoved through my nose otherwise I really would have passed out.

So now I'm pierced. Word is it'll take 4-6 weeks to heal and in the meantime I need to wash it four times a day with antibacterial soap and Bactine it as needed. A day later it no longer actively hurts but it's sore.

(above) Bactine and antibacterial soap - my new best friends

My family's reaction has been a little funny. My mother at first freaked a little - she was concerned that it could limit my career options (I told her that it wasn't a really noticeable piercing and that things are a little looser in my field than somewhere corporate), then about what TB would say (I told her it was sweet of her to be concerned about him but it being my nose he didn't really have a say). Then after I deflected her she said she thought it was cool and that she'd thought about doing it but was concerned about the pain.

She's a wise woman, my mother.

Doing (life and related tasks): Just taking care of my nose.

Doing (crafty stuff): Nothing right now.

Wanting: This thing to heal fast.

Anticipating: Hmmmm. Not sure.