What I did and why I did it

So  . . . long time, no blog! Life got busy and crazy, readers! (All 5 of you.) And, since I’m not making money off this little venture and doing it really for myself more than anything, I don’t feel too bad about not posting for a while. Now let’s just jump right in, shall we?

Here’s the short version for those with no attention span/interest in this topic:

I got my nose pierced because I wanted to and couldn’t see why not. The End.

You could stop there, but if you want, here’s the longer version for those who are reading blogs because they are procrastinating something they actually should be doing right now:

Last week, while my good friend Kim and I were visiting our other good friend Bethany up in New York City, I got my nose pierced. There is, at this very moment, a small, white gold (gold is apparently the best thing to pierce with but I’m not a fan, so white gold it is) stud on the outside of my left nostril. It’s a little larger than I wanted it to be, but in 3 months or so I can change it out for something smaller. Even so, I like it. It is – at the risk of sounding immodest – cute.

I didn’t get my nose pierced on a whim, by the way. I’ve wanted a nose piercing for at least 8-10 years (no, really). But various factors – mostly work – made it impractical or impossible and so I never seriously considered it until recently, then realized this is the perfect time. Work is certainly not an issue; I work at a state university, for pete’s sake – if you think I’m the only teacher with a nose ring you need to think again.

What I think is funny are the reactions my nose-piercing has provoked from people. It is an understatement to say my parents were not thrilled. My boss stared at my nose for a few seconds with a puzzled look on his face, as if wondering, “Has Jennifer had the entire two years she’s been working here?” My fellow teachers’ reactions ranged from carefully neutral to enthusiastic. My sister declared it “weird” which is her default position on pretty much anything I do. My 7-year-old nephew said it was “gross” while my 5-year-old nephew said he wanted one, too (I love those kids).

My favorite reaction has come from a couple of friends I see on a semi-regular basis – after talking with them for a while, I eventually brought the subject up with the awkward opener, “So, I got my nose pierced.” They both replied that they knew something was different but thought maybe I’d always had my nose pierced. I consider that a sign that it doesn’t look too out-of-place on me. Victory!

Through all of this I’m reminded of how powerful the image of ourselves is that we put out into the world every day. I don’t want to put words in my mom’s mouth, but it’s probably fair to say that – in her mind – sailors get tattoos and rebellious teenagers get facial piercings. (Mom, just to reassure you, I’m stopping with the nose piercing!) She’s having to reconcile the image she has of me as her “baby girl” with the idea that I’m not a member of a biker gang, or a circus performer, or an undercover FBI agent in need of a good disguise but I chose to do this anyway.

There is, it must be said, a part of me that loves confounding others’ expectations of me. Now, I don’t think that’s why I did it. I didn’t do it to be rebellious – seriously people, it feels like 25% of the people I know now have their noses pierced – but it’s kind of a lovely side benefit when people think they have you all figured out, in your safe little box labeled Jennifer (or whatever your own box might be labeled, I’m presuming for the most part NOT Jennifer) and you do something that doesn’t fit in the box. I think the unexpected is a nice shock to the system for the people around you as well as for you. It keeps us on our toes.

And not to over-spiritualize this, but I’ve been learning some lessons about judgment from this, for sure. When people look a certain way think we know how to deal with them, how to approach them (or not approach them, as the case may be) and what their personalities are going to be like. Well, now I’m an educated, well-read, articulate 34-year-old woman with a nose ring and otherwise poor fashion sense. No biggie. See if people know how to handle me now.

So those are my Saturday ramblings. Would YOU get your nose pierced? Do you have a picture in your head of the kind of person that does?  Anyone thing I should get a chain that goes from my nose to my ear? (Just kidding, Mom! I promise!)