Huh?

[Roo St. Gallus]

I'm an increasingly out-of-touch old geezer. A codger, as it were.

There are occasionally things I see or hear that puzzle me. So...I'd like to ask here and see if anyone can enlighten me about 'new trends'.

What prompts me to start this thread is that I've taken to riding the bus to work since they changed my hours back to a semblance of what the rest of the world (in these parts, at least) tends to follow. My first week riding the bus has been a matter of getting used to getting up early, getting to the bus stop on time, and checking out my fellow riders. Amongst them is a young woman, in her early twenties, I'd say. She seems a prim and proper young woman, too, considering her carriage and general attitude, but she is distinctly in the generation following mine, as she's young enough to be my daughter and she has at least one piercing. That's what is bothering me...her piercing is through the septum that divides her nostrils and has a curved stud with two (screw-on) tiny bulbs. This creates a visual of what looks to be a metallic booger permanently suspended from her nostrils.

Why would anybody, particularly a prim and reasonably attractive young woman want to go about in public with a permanent booger hanging out of her nose?

The aesthetic completely alludes me...can anybody clue me in?

[Gooch's Dad]

Eludes you, you mean?

Yeah, it completely eludes me, too. I have zero interest in getting any kind of piercing or tattoo, and they almost always are a complete turn-off to me, too. The nose piercing that you're talking about is really disgusting.

I'm comforted by the fact that the children of these 20-somethings will someday manage to find something that will horrify and offend their parents.

[espritch]

Eludes you, you mean?

Yeah, it completely eludes me, too. I have zero interest in getting any kind of piercing or tattoo, and they almost always are a complete turn-off to me, too. The nose piercing that you're talking about is really disgusting.

I'm comforted by the fact that the children of these 20-somethings will someday manage to find something that will horrify and offend their parents.

Of course the bad news it that it will probably be something that we did when we were young.

[Free in Freeport]

I'm glad that fad didn't arrive until I was well beyond the attention-seeking stage. Even more glad that my daughter has more sense than to mutilate her beautiful face that way.
When it was time for her to get dental braces, I made her sign a contract that if she ever pierced her lip or tongue, she would reimburse me the full cost of her orthodontia.
I wasn't about to shell out thousands to fix her teeth, only to have her risk chipping them or getting infections from that crap.

[Matty]

meh, i had a bunch of piercings when i was in my late teens and early 20s and, with my all seeing hindsight i looked a total tool. Chances are they change their mind. My crux point was working on a farm for a while, not only was i treated like a circus freak by al lthe farm boys, but being covered in cow shit all day makes you kinda aware opf having too many holes in your skin so i took em out and never got round to wearing them again/

I can still put a ring through three ear holes and one nose one at a push. but i havent worn any bling in donkeys years.

The septum one i never understood, apart from anything else it must crust up something awful if you have a cold.

the other no no for me was a prince albert. My mate became a piercer whenwe were about 23 and once day did his own bellend (i know i know. it gets worse) Went pretty well apparently apart from he bled in the night and glued himself to the sheet, had to take sheet plus himself in the bath tub in order to peel his blood crusted cock from his bed linen and reckoned he damn near fainted as he puled it off. At about that point i figured whatever sensual advantage there was to having a cock ring, was just not fucking worth it.

I have zero issues with tatoos though, i have 2 and am considering a third. I dont really know why they get lumped in together TBQH apart from the old school "only gyppos and carnies have them" type type puritan take

[Free in Freeport]

Tattoos can look damned hot, or damned ridiculous, depending on the wearer. I don't have any, but strongly considered a small one when I was approaching 40. I occasionally toy with the idea of getting one above my ankle. The blunt truth of the matter, I'm too damn cheap to spend the bucks.

[Rie]

But piercings through the septum??? Think of the GERMS! I still have all my ear piercings and I'd fight to keep them.
Even with the ear you have to keep it clean and dab it with antiseptic if it gets inflamed or what ever.

[Daydream]

I don't get it either. I'd hate to see her sneeze.

[sohy]

http://www.helium.com/items/1818600-indian-jewellery-significance-nose-rings-in-india-nose-ring-culture-in-india

Regardless of how much they might gross us out, nose rings have been popular for centuries. As you might have guessed, historically, there was some woo involved in this practice.


In India, the left side of the nose is generally regarded as the ideal position for nose rings. According to the Ayurvedic belief, the spot made by piercing of the nose is associated with the female reproductive organs. It is generally believed that women who have their nose pierced on the left side experience less pain while delivering the child, and they also have less menstrual pain. It is a common belief that wearing nose rings makes the process of childbirth easier.

Nose rings as a symbol of marriage in India

According to Indian traditions and culture, a nose ring is considered as one of the signs of marriage and is an integral part of traditional bridal jewelery. In the Muslim culture, a nose ring is very auspicious and is a mandatory marriage ornament to be worn by all Muslim brides. These days, the unmarried girls in India have started wearing nose rings as a fashion accessory without any religious beliefs or traditional significance.

I would think that today's youth just likes the idea of looking a little bit different, or maybe those inclined toward New Age ideas think there is some kind of magical benefit. I think it's pretty icky too, but I'm also an old geezer.

[Silly Sausage]

When I was younger, I had five ear piercings and had my nose pierced. I can just about re-pierce the top of my left ear but the others have now closed over time. I can re-pierce my nose whenever I want to, but I think I'm past that stage now.

I do have 4 tattoos though, 3 I'm fond of and 1 that I regret. Its not that its ugly or badly done, but I had it done for all the wrong reasons (no, its not someones name or face, lol). I keep all my tattoos covered as I know that some people are judgemental about them, and also as the one that I dislike is on my arm. I'm never going to be able to pay to remove it, but I've learned to live with it now.

[Preno]

Why would anybody, particularly a prim and reasonably attractive young woman want to go about in public with a permanent booger hanging out of her nose?People like to differentiate themselves from others, often to gain attention from society at large or social status within a subgroup. For the average person, the simplest way to achieve that is by some trivial change in clothing / hairstyle or body modification.

[Rie]

It was common at the time I had my ears pierced to do so. A funny thing happened when my little daughter asked if she too could have her ears pierced. We were living in a suburb known for its 'dicey' connections but hey hoh off we went to the Chemist.

Before us in line was another little girl having her ears pierced and we, my daughter and I, almost died of fright as remarks from the Chemist indicated that the little girl was the adored offspring of a honcho in the Mafia!

Should we stay or should we go, we semaphored to each other??? We stayed.

[Ray Moscow]

I don't get it either, but it does remind me of a country song:

My girlfriend got a nose ring,
And then she got a cold.
There it was just hangin'
A muscus Cheerio!
And it was SWANGIN!

[Alex]

I don't like body piercing or tattoos, but I can't think of any objective argument for prohibiting people from mutilating or illustrating themselves if they want to.

[Rie]

It doesn't hurt a bit Alex. A:Dll you feel is a little prick (as Doctors often say)

[DGoeij]

At 30 I guess I'm as old as you Roo. I don't get it either and never have. Granted, adults should be free to do such a thing, but the point of it totally goes beyond me.

[Rie]

It's a visual thing Alex. Humans have always liked to look a certain way to add, say, colour or form to their body.

I bet you look in a mirror and choose a tie or shirt that you think 'goes well' with your general look. Or you might ask if this suit or this jumper with this or that pair of jeans ... See what I mean.

I don't know the history of fashion but it isn't the look of the 18th century and tight breeches that a man chooses to wear in this day and age.

And what about your hairdo? Short back n sides or longish? Every choice you make is going to put forward a certain sort of 'you' and above all, the main thing is we as a species do love adornment . It's mostly women who are the preening peacocks but men are catching up and it's all very fascinating.

[Bane]

I'm a body mod enthusiast, myself. :) I don't care for some mods, like septum rings (those just make you look like Ferdinand the Bull) or anything bigger than standard gauge rings and things. The most extreme mod I'd have would be microdermal implants.

Full list of my current piercings:
left eyebrow
right ear cartilage
both earlobes x2

Tattoos:
2 runes on my upper back
spider tramp stamp
lizard on left arm
Jolly Roger on right arm

[Berthold]

At 30 I guess I'm as old as you Roo.
Don't underestimate average age on this forum! :D

Roo is so friendly to write his full date of birth (1953) in his profile, and he's nearly such an old fogey as me (1951), and I'm by no means the eldest!

[Febble]

1952 here.

I had my earlobes pierced to take the diamond and jade drop ear-rings I got for my 18th birthday.

Nothing else. I've lost the ear-rings.

[Silly Sausage]

My mum had her first tattoo at the age of 50!! She'd seen mine and kept saying she wanted to have one done, and as much as I tried to talk her out of it, she did it anyway!!
It was quite a feminine and discreet one, but still, I was quite surprised by her insistence on having one done. I sat with her in the tattoo parlour while some 25 stone dude was having a tattoo done (I'd met him in there when I was having my third tattoo done) and he was winding my mum up by saying "oooh, ouch, oooh, the pain is terrible". I was trying to stifle the laughter as the tattooist prepped to ink my mum. I don't think any age is too old.

[David B]

My mum had her first tattoo at the age of 50!! She'd seen mine and kept saying she wanted to have one done, and as much as I tried to talk her out of it, she did it anyway!!
It was quite a feminine and discreet one, but still, I was quite surprised by her insistence on having one done. I sat with her in the tattoo parlour while some 25 stone dude was having a tattoo done (I'd met him in there when I was having my third tattoo done) and he was winding my mum up by saying "oooh, ouch, oooh, the pain is terrible". I was trying to stifle the laughter as the tattooist prepped to ink my mum. I don't think any age is too old.

I, on the other hand, think every age is too old:p

David

[Silly Sausage]

To each their own David B ;)

[Rie]

I play it safe. I put on these fantastic tatoos that my grandson gave me. You just add water and they come off but they last for ages and are sogroovy.. er, 'cool'.