29 November 2008
logos
some random images I found on my computer, saved for some reason, once.
Gorgeous.
I have no idea why I have this, but I like it.
My piercer, whom I find quite attractive. You have to be in his presence to feel his magnetism.
Central Arizona Project canal - what I am writing my thesis on.
by Sally Mann.
25 November 2008
reflect
17 November 2008
intrigue
What the hell are those, you ask? Called dermal anchors or microdermals (I prefer the latter), these are a new type of piercing that is only a couple years old. The jewelry has been perfected to minimize the chance of rejection and to enable easy insertion. Before microdermals were created, the only option if you wanted to pierce the skin like this was a surface piercing, a regular piercing that is in my opinion unattractive as well as quite likely to reject. Microdermals are really exciting because they enable almost anywhere on the body to be pierced, since they are anchored (hence the name) in the skin enough to thwart rejection (unless inserted by an idiot). They seem healed in a couple of days; I've had mine for two weeks now and they look like I've had them forever, although I was warned that it takes a few months for the skin underneath to heal (the pictures above were taken three days after insertion). They are on just the right plane on my skin to avoid getting caught on clothes or by absent-minded hands. Seatbelts are the only culprits.
They look kind of insane, but they are far easier than many other piercings; each one took less than five minutes to insert. First, my piercer Tyler pierced the skin with a needle to create a small pocket under the surface. Then he slipped the base of the jewelry into this pocket, and gently pushed it down and tugged it back and forth a bit to get the base to "set". The holes in the base are there to let the skin grow through it, anchoring the jewelry in place. To finish, he screwed on the round disc, which can be easily changed (different shapes, jewels, etc) [For a diagram, click the first link in the paragraph above.] The whole thing was more uncomfortable than painful; the sensation is very strange but I wouldn't really call it painful. What is pain anyway? According to Tyler, "pain is just intense sensation. We choose to give it a negative connotation."
They are called semi-permanent piercings because they are more embedded than a piercing that breaks the skin on both sides (as in the case of ear cartilage, for example) but they are not completely encased by skin as in the case of implants. Microdermals can't be taken out by the wearer; you have to go back to the studio and have it scalpelled out. Scalpel? The horror! Removal only takes a few minutes and if done correctly leaves no scarring. My best friend Eva got one in her temple by her eye last spring, but had to take it out two weeks later because her mom flipped (I witnessed both insertion and removal, and was clearly undeterred). You can't tell anything was ever there.
The studio I go to is called Anomaly Studios in Pasadena and is one of the best in Southern California; I've been pierced by all three piercers there (Sque3z, Tyler and Stephen) and they are fantastic. Anomaly has been doing microdermals since high quality titanium jewelry came out in spring 2007. Most people I encounter have never seen microdermals before; the majority of piercers are not experienced enough to do them although that doesn't stop them from trying. I've read awful experiences on BME of unqualified piercers putting in shitty jewelry and causing all sorts of problems. Seriously, 95% of problems with piercings are a result of poor piercing skills and/or a lack of attention during healing. Choose a quality studio and don't be an idiot afterwards, it's not that hard. I've had at least two dozen needles go through my skin by choice, and taken out a good number of them later and I've never once gotten an infection, keloids or scarring. I have a feeling that microdermals are going to be really hot soon, and everyone'll have them. But maybe they're off-putting enough to discourage widespread adoration (a la the navel and eyebrow piercing craze of the 90s).
Anyway, I'm loving these. People don't really know what's going on, and that's always fun.
Most common question: "How do those stay in?"
The 2nd question: "Did they hurt?"
My sister's reaction (on facebook): ah ah ah its like you have metal designs meant to be on jeans on your skin painful
07 November 2008
twentyone
Tuesday could have been one one of the best days of my life. I turned 21, I wore sexy boots all day, I voted in my first presidential election, Mudd's dinner was fantastic, Obama won the election, and I managed to watch his acceptance speech while working out. I couldn't have asked for more awesome things to happen in a shorter period of time.
I didn't have my first legal drink until last night, though. There was a Pomona-Scripps senior drinks night at Walters, a restaurant/bar in the Village, and my friends and I wandered down there at 10 o'clock, squeezed our way through the unbelievably packed bar, and sipped gin-and-tonics and sangria while reveling in the fact that we are all finally old enough to do this together now.
I am thrilled (and relieved) that Obama won. I think he really knows what he's doing, and he is clearly aware of the huge challenges he faces. It was one thing to get elected, it's quite another to actually fix the huge mess we are in. I don't expect miracles, but I have a lot of faith in him. For the first time in memory I am proud of my (soon-to-be) President, and not ashamed to be American.
02 November 2008
flux
My parents and sister came to visit yesterday for my 21st birthday on Tuesday, and my big present (not including the amazing dinner we had last night at Valentino in Santa Monica) was a Canon Digital Rebel and it is SO. COOL! Its a digital SLR (single lens reflex) camera so you can manually play with the shutter speed and aperture settings, and I got two lens! Here are a few pictures I took with it today (minus the sunrise):
Tattoo basically healed:
I also cut my hair short the other week, and even a bit shorter yesterday. I had also decided to end my five year hair coloring saga and was slowly highlighting it back to dark blonde, but yesterday I decided to screw that plan and keep it dark... beautiful dark plum black.
Despite the title of this entry referring to a damn good Bloc Party song, I am definitely in a state of flux right now. I'm trying to enjoy it.