Alterations.

As I stated in my previous post, 2-1/8" is now toast, and then some. Hopefully I'll stack some paper at the Annual APP Conference and be able to pick up some new 2-1/4" jumpoffs while I'm there, assuming of course I have the money left over from setting aside what I need to pay for certain paperwork to be processed first. It's a necessity that someone buy some of my old jewelry, basically.



I'm getting very fed up with being broke. It's incredible how my body and my mind refuse to let me quit smoking. It's retarded that I spend as much as many of my friends do each month on their apartments or car loans just to light carcinogenic-ally delicious tobacco and burn it. I could reduce most of my money problems in my current living situation almost over night IF I could just stop. I'd also like to unveil the Einstein Wardrobe Project sooner than later, as it's point becomes all the more apparent each time I subject myself to social and/or public situations. On a good note, though, I'm gaining weight and I'm up to doing 60 pushups a night in 6 sets of 10. At least my body isn't totally being a douche.



I scheduled an appointment with Shawn for the end of July to finish my stomach. As it stands, I'm about 2 sessions away from completing it. At this point, I just want it done so I can start working on other projects; most urgently, my left arm. I'm hoping to have the entire thing, possibly including my hand, outlined in one sitting. That means, in about a year, I'll be in the market for sick neck tatz, and within two, I'm hoping to start on my noggin.



Dan and I are planning to begin my gnarly tongue piercing project as soon as I get back from APP. We are going to pierce each half of my tongue twice; a 10g behind a 12g barbell in each side. We will be doing the 10g piercings first. Soon enough, as well, my conches WILL be fully removed (mark my words) so I can unleash that epic jewelry idea on the world as soon as it's completed.



Basically, this whole post boils down to the reluctant patience I'm dealing with looking into a mirror and those I am surrounded by. I see the vanity I am surrounded by on a daily basis and its implications and can't help but feel the need to pick it apart. Everyone tailors their appearance to make a statement, consciously or not, about themselves to the outside world. In a way, the clothes we choose to wear and the styles we adopt classify us into a particular subculture, thus we make the choice to abide by a stereotype already set forth and live in a vein and follow general ideologies which are staples of a particular group. The irony is that those particularly adamant in their styles and ideals as forms of "individual expression" are merely cookie-cutter reproductions. Even the most passionately anti-conformity groups have uniforms. I am not trying to say that this is necessarily a bad thing, but I can't help but laugh in sarcasm at the contradictions. With the life choice I have made to be a collector of body art, I have already made the conscious decision to manipulate my image into something different than I was inherently given out of a passionate drive and love for the art of aesthetics. I have decided to explore this idea on another level and, while I feel it is almost excruciatingly vain to be so tied up on my appearance, I feel driven to explore this idea and make calculated decisions to achieve my end goal of social ambiguity, other than the apparent body art interest, and observe how my outward changes affect social interactions. I will also be quite mindful and try to retain the utmost level of self awareness while undergoing these changes and try to document anything that may change about me personally.