have been comeing to BME more often than not lately. Doing a bit of research on a piercing I've wanted so dearly. My rook. I have a total of 13 piercings, both ear cartlidges, and three in each lobe, both my nipples, naval, and tounge. I decided I wanted something not as common as the next person.

After months of debating whether or not I wanted to go through the pain, and healing of another cart piercing. You all know what a pain in the ass they can be. I finally got he courage three days ago to get it done. I called 21st Century Studio of Tattoo and Body Piercing, got a list of prices and the directions to their store. About 11:00pm I entered the building.

The place had changed so much since the last time I had been insde. They moved to a new location, and it is just huge. Really bright and flashy. And you could totally tell how clean it was. I never had anything pierced there, and I didn't want to go to my usual piercer. He'd never done the rook before, and I really wasn't about to let him practice on mine.

Jennifer, the gal who was on duty that night is so amazing. She knew all the right things to say to get me to calm down. I was really nervous about this one, the cartelidge is so thick there, and I was really worried about the pain. Really worried!! She called me into her small room, and it was really super clean. Everything was really organized. She unwrapped the needle, I believe she pierced me with a 14ga, but it could have been a 16ga. And got her tray set up.

She cleaned my ear with some bactiene, and then wiped it dry. She began to mark where the piercing would be. After a few mintues of a good place to pierce she held out a small mirorr. I agreed it looked as good as she said it did. She really kept the conversation moving, telling me what she was doing when, and to concentrate on my breating. My heart was really pounding at this point.

She opened up a clamp and rubberband it. Clamped it to my ear and asked if it hurt. I told her no, and she removed it. She then looked at my ear a few minutes longer, getting the jewlery ready and what not. I decided on an 18ga ring to start with, but plan on getting a 16ga barbell. We began to talk a bit more, she told me to really concentrate on my breathing, and I felt a tug, and some preasure on my ear. A few more shoves, and it was through. I must have some thick cartelidge there. And I didn't hear the crunch people talked about.

She left the needle in with a cork at the end while she changed her glove and got rid of the extra stuff she was holding in her hands. She ended up not using the clamp because it was easier for her push the needle through without it. I didn't argue, cause there was a needle through my ear and it wasn't the most comfortable feling. So there was no pain in the piercing itself until she started to take the needle out. That sucked is all I can say. It felt as if someone was taking that part of my ear off. The cart was so tight around the needle I couldn't help but go down with her when she started to pull it out. Finally after a couple of minutes the needle was out and the jewlery was in. There was no pain again. It all went away when the needle was taken out. And the small 18ga ring was really comfortable.

She wetted some gauze with bactiene and cleaned the blood off my ear. Went over some of the after care with me and decided she wanted to take my picture. I was only the 3rd person she'd ever done a rook for, and said she probably wouldn't get another for a long time. So she shot a couple of pics, we talked a bit about other piercing, and I bought some cleaning solution, that I am still unable to use, and I went home.

Its been three days, I can sleep on it as long as its not directly touching the pillow, and I can't move it freely yet. Its still pretty tender, but by no means does it hurt. People who see it have different reactions from "oh my, that is so cool" to " ewwww groos... why'd you do that" I love it and that is all that matters. =0)

Nikki