Good Morning: I was discharged, at the tender age of 22, I imagine, before you were born, July 7, 1967 (a Friday), if memory serves. Four and out. I certainly understand your feelings for wanting to get out, but you're only 9 years from a retirement, and a short step from 'the cap'. It's not always enjoyable looking back, at my age, wondering what could have been.
Anyway back to the ear ring and pierce. I thought I'd try to attach, here, a photo or two of the hoop that my wife got me for Christmas this past year. She did my second ear piercing, the first one and only one she has ever done. I thought the first one was not exactly where I wanted it, we still had the 'starter' ear ring and I suggested she 'just do it'. I was going to let the top one grow closed but ended up keeping both of them. It went darn good, she was sweating bullets, I was sipping on a WT & W
Again, I would suggest a stud, then when healed properly alternate it with a rather thick hoop.
That looks pretty cool. Thats funny you said your wife was sweating bullets and you were sipping on a WT. lol. Now the tricky part. Obviously I cannot take leave for 6 to 8 weeks to let this heal. How can I do this and not have them in while in uniform at work. Wont it close up if I take them out for a few hours during the day?
yes, and mine started to close with hours of the pierce that my wife did. We were on vacation when she did it, then we had to meet friends for dinner a night or two later, and I didn't think the 'cultural' shock to them would have been the thing to do, at that moment in time. So I took both of them out and had to work to get them back in. It was a couple months before I could take them out, and feel comfortable with not having them in for a day. So you're probably not going to do it, until your discharged.
I agree with cvasara that one ear piercing in the left ear is the way to start: well, it was for me anyway. At the moment I'm wearing a huggy-type ring, as seen in the picture below, but not visible in my avatar. I used to wear a hoop, and have been thinking about getting something a little heavier.
Love the hoop your wife got you for Christmas, cvasara: really cool looking, and definitely the sort I like.
Thanks for the nice complement, Rob. Mary (wife) and I have been reading this and she is just besides her self. Smitten, is a good word for her, at this point.
Further up this thread, is a photo and probably some discussion about the Howie ear rings. I, (we) would just love to have ones like that. And, for me, that would give a spare. Left ear only, and one in the case.
that's nice to know, cvasara: what I said was true.
Mary has good taste!
Yeah: I like those Howie ear rings too, and I too would have a spare. It's a long while since I changed my ear ring, so maybe its time I did!
My hair was my source of power, and without it I thought I could just fall into being a "normal" guy. That "normal" guy has been struggling this past decade... trying to live life tame hasn't been too kind to me and it's about time to take some bold steps towards asserting my individuality again.
In my experience, there is no "normal" only people who are more or less outwardly individual. Some people seem to struggle to find the level of outward individuality that best suits them. And for many, that level can change over time, in either direction and back again.
Remember that someone consciously trying to live at a different level of outward individuality than feels natural for them tend to appear uncomfortable in their own skin and that tends to be picked up on by folks around them. Just saying.
So forget about "normal", and maybe go for being "normal for me". And don;t be surprised if your personal "normal for me" changes from time to time.
I never got my ears pierced because I was always self-conscious about them. I always obsessed over how they stick out from my head and the right one does moreso than the left. I thought getting ears pierced might just draw attention to that... but maybe just a subtle bit of jewelry in the ear might help accessorize this newly Sly skull.
They say that the things we dislike about ourselves we either try to hide or we decorate.
I, personally, think just about every guy with a shaved head looks good with earrings, but I may be a little biased, as I clearly lean toward the more decorated kind of self expression. If you wanna go heavier gauge, just remember that you can close fully if you change your mind, generally until you hit 0g (general rule, not a law, each body and ear lobe is different).
But whether it'd be right for you means taking a lot of things into account (i.e.;Job, Significant Other, Lifestyle, etc), but ultimately the only reason you need is simply that you want to have piercings or not.
Most importantly, as with most things in life... trust yourself.
best of luck
Vash, I could definitely relate to what you posted. I grew up in an environment where I was invisible due to my mother's illness. Then, after she passed away, I wasn't allowed to express any sort of opinions or preferences. I'm still trying to find my way, sort-of-speak, and I'm 51. As it is, I was influenced by a very legalistic Christian denomination. I still hold to Christian beliefs these days, but I'm definitely about as laid back as it gets. BTW, I am planning on being in PDX for Brewfest in July.
But what I was trying to say is that I'm still struggling to figure out who and what I am. I'd classify myself as straight, (married w/ kids), but the majority of my male friends are gay leather type guys. What I appreciate about them is that they're able to freely express affection between themselves, and it's ok. I grew up in a Middle Eastern culture, where no one thought any differently about two guys holding hands or kissing and hugging.
speaking about bald heads and earrings I though I could post few pics of mines
At present am wearing 4mm/6ga segment rings: actually they are open in the pics cause I still dont' have pliers strong enough to open them
You can see closeup, side and back view of my bald head showing the rings.
Am now waiting for new 5mm/4ga to arrive... look forward to get them!