how much fun would the world be if everyone looked the same?

The History Behind Piercings: Where it all began…

Many people get Piercings for all sorts of reasons. Some include aking a fashion statement, to rebel against society, to look “cool”, and for self expression. But I’m sure if you were to ask 20 different people who were the first to get pierced and what do they really mean, maybe 2 out of those 20 people would be able to answer. In this paper, you will see where tattoos originated, the issues people with piercings face, and what is currently being done to fix these issues.
Piercings, which started as far back as 5 thousand years ago originally identified with royalty, and represented courage and virility. Piercings were done for many different reasons. Egyptian Pharaohs would get their naval (belly button) pierced as a rite of passage (a ritual that changes a persons social or sexual status), Roman soldiers would pierce their nipples to represent manhood, and Mayans would pierce their tongues as a spiritual ritual. Many of the piercings people get today have much more reason then they will really know.
Earlobe piercings, practiced as early as 5 thousand years ago, were the first piercings ever attempted. During this time, many tribes believed that evil spirits and demons would enter a person’s body through their ears, and metal would keep them from entering. So, by piercing their ear the metal from the jewelry would prevent the spirits and demons from going in. Sailors believed that piercing their ears would improve their eyesight while on a voyage. In many other societies, they were a sign of puberty, and in some cases, both parents of a child would pierce one side of their ear to show the dependency of the child.
Nose piercings originally came about in the Middle East 4 thousand years ago. In the Bible’s Book of Genesis, it was known that Abraham had given a “shanf” also known as a golden nose ring to his son’s first wife Rebekah. Nose piercings were originally brought by the Monghul Emperors, and were mainly used by females in India. They believed piercing the left side of their nose would make child birth much easier and less painful. The ideas of nose piercings were later taken by the hippies that had traveled to India. This was later taken by the punk rockers that used this idea as a form of rebelling against the conservatives.
Labret piercings go all the way back to Dogon tribes where they were used as religious sacrifices. Tribes in Africa would get their labret stretched large enough so that wooden plates of clay could be inserted. Getting a labret piercing in Ancient Aztec and Mayan tribes meant they were members of a higher social class. In the Makololo tribe, members, especially females, would get their upper lip pierced as a sign of beauty. Men wouldn’t really want to marry any female without one. It brought something more appealing to a woman’s face, as a beard would for a man.
Tongue piercings were used by the Ancient Aztecs and Central Mayans to draw blood to please the gods. They were also an altered state of consciousness so priest can communicate with the gods. Naval piercings as stated earlier, were used by Egyptian Pharaohs as a sign of manhood. They are more of a modern society piercing. They became really popular during the bikini period in the 1980’s. They were considered sexy, yet provocative.
Nipple piercing originally started as a fashion statement in the 14th century. Originally men would carry capes on them. Before clit piercings were used as a sexual stimulus, the clitoris was considered the “devils teat”. Females who were caught having one would be accused of being a witch and prosecuted. Penis piercings also known as the “Prince Albert” originally got its name from Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. Not only was the “Prince Albert” used for sexual pleasure, but it was originally used to hold the penis down on one side so the bulge wouldn’t be seen though the men’s tight pants.
Piercings have their own significant meaning. They were more than just something nice to look at. They were gotten for religious purposes; they were used to show a distinction between social classes. They were a form of showing a females coming of age. In addition, were a type of beauty and self expression. The meaning behind piercings hasn’t changed so much over time either. Today, they are still a form of self expression and beauty, and they hold meaning to anyone who gets them. We owe a lot of appreciation to the Egyptians and the Japanese. Without them, piercings wouldn’t be around and we wouldn’t have another more entertaining yet meaningful way of expressing ourselves.
Although piercings have so much meaning behind them, they still aren’t appreciated for what they are worth. They have become the latest trends, but they still aren’t accepted everywhere. In fact, a lot of discrimination that takes place today has to do with piercings. In more places than others. Today in the working environment, piercings are something that has yet to be accepted. People actually get into trouble, and even fired if caught with something pierced other than ones ears.


So what’s going on with piercings today?
As someone who has more than just two ear piercings, I have experienced my share of unfair judgments and discrimination. Especially in the working environment. Last summer while applying for jobs, I applied to three different StarBucks, all in different locations, and all interviewed by different managers. I am guessing they liked what I had to say on my applications and I had some good references because right away I got a phone call back asking to come in for an interview. Right away people asked me if I was going to take my piercings off for this interview and right away, I answered no. The way I see it is, if a job is going to hire me, I want them to see me for who I really am. And this means accepting me for my piercings and all.
I figured that it wouldn’t be much of a problem being that StarBucks is known all over the world and they get all sorts of customers. Its just coffee I thought. Unfortunately, I was wrong. After the interviews were done, I was being told the basics about the store. I was supposed to be hired on the spot, because one of the top managers that work for starbucks referred me. I knew her through my brother. Who is actually a current Starbucks employee. Once the interviews were done, I was told the basics (as stated before). At the end of my day there I was told that my piercings, could not be on while working. I had an issue with that, so with all three, I told them I was not taking them off and I never got my phone call back.
This isn’t something that only takes place in StartBucks and to people in Manhattan. A former Costco worker was fired after she refused to take her eyebrow piercing off. She was apart of the Church of Body Modifications, in which piercings, tattoos and other body modification was a form of celebration. She was terminated after refusing to cover up the eyebrow ring or take it off. She asked to be excused and was denied. Men also face discrimination in the working place. An optometrist was terminated after refusing to take off hit earring at work. He sued the company saying the company was discriminatory because if allowed women to wear ear piercings where men weren’t allowed to.
How are these forms of discrimination? Discrimination is Treatment or consideration based on class or category rather than individual merit. When someone is fired because they refused to take out their piercing that’s discrimination. When someone isn’t hired because of the way they look, that’s discrimination. These type of actions are not only discriminatory actions but also a form of rejection. Believe it or not, although piercings are becoming more mainstream, people who don’t have the usual plain ear piercings, or just your plain Jane studs on the nose etc. are rejected amongst society and looked down on.
Personally, I was always looked down on because of my piercings. People usually accuse me of being depressed or gothic or even my favorite a “freak”. I was told that I would never get hired for a good job because no ones is going to take me serious. When in fact, the place where I’m currently working at now believes I’m an excellent worker. What I never understood was what does your appearance have to do with how well someone works? Why is it that in a working environment if those who don’t follow the “traditional appearance” are quickly terminated? And most importantly what is this “traditional appearance”? What does it look like? Who came up with this idea?


Dress codes are similar amongst all businesses. There is the traditional suit and tie for men and the traditional button down blouse with a skirt or slacks for a woman. Facial or tongue piercings are not acceptable and neither are visible tattoos. This is considered “unprofessional”. Businesses have a certain reputation to keep. They feel piercings will make the company look bad and unprofessional. In addition, they are believed to be unsanitary. Many people believe that people who get pierced have bad hygiene and that piercings are one of the many causes of diseases, because adding a hole to your body with a needle will bring HIV / AIDS and other diseases. When in fact, those who are pierced with the gun are at higher risk for catching a disease. Getting pierced with a gun that a hundred people before you were pierced with sounds unsanitary to me. No? So which is more unsanitary?
Where does the idea of piercings being unprofessional come from? These ideas are made out of ignorance; they come from society and from what people learn from TV, or from their parents and friends. Usually, when people think about piercings they right away jump to the conclusion that the person is rebelling against society. When in fact as stated in the beginning they were used mainly for religious purposes. Those who were royalty had numerous piercings. They are a way to become more connected with God.
The first piercings were traced back as far back as four thousand years ago. Where they were used to determine a social class and were symbols of wealth and courage.
And although these beliefs are less common in the United States, peoples still follow these beliefs. And to be rejected, and fired from a job, and looked down on because of it, is wrong. Its discrimination. It’s just as bad as not being able sit in a certain seat on the bus. Or not being able to go to the same schools as everyone else because of your skin color. People don’t see it that way because they don’t think a stud, or hoop means anything. And not accepting or hiring someone because of it is just wrong.
The way I see it is whether you work in a store, or a law firm, everyone in the world is different. If you take a persons self expression what would we be left with? And the way I see it is, people and businesses may think it makes the company look bad, but I think it gives the company more of a stronger appearance. It’s showing that you are accepting those who look different. And believe it or not this attracts more people. It’s more welcoming. And it gives the company more of a stronger name. And besides, “how much fun would the world be if everyone looked the same?”

end of the year....

yea so i guess its tradition to write about the end of the school year and whats going through my head right now. papers due, finals, moving out of the dorms....tons and tons of work to do...
i guess thats the joy of being a robot...
but, what if i decided that i just wanted to stop and not do anything...and explained to my teachers that i decided to not take any finals, and not do my research projects and not do my papers because grades are meaningless, and they dont really show what kind of person i was?
you think they would give in, and respect my decision and still pass me with a good grade?
maybe they'll respect me, but im sure they'll fail my ass on the spot lol....so i guess im doing that hw lol

this year was eh...
as a freshman i was expecting more...but instead i got less. although ive had my share of 2 to 3 good teachers this year...i still think it couldve went better. both my part and the teachers part.
i notice that just one teacher makes a difference...so that wasnt so bad.

my main complaint is how unsocial the people are in this school...its like
once people found their click...thats it...there closed off from everyone else...what are we in high school?

its just funny to me because, not even people you see in your class, who share the same professor as you do say hi to you when they see you, they do the put my head down before they see me kind of thing...i just laugh it off and say wow...and this is college...

what can you expect i guess...

im just hoping next year things will be better. hopefully ill make more friends, maybe the professors wont be so anti-social either...
ill hope...just wont hold my breath...

some more articles

even people on myspace want to speak out...

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=37060398


and heres another article...lol

http://www.gcglaw.com/resources/employment/tattoos2.html

biiig proof of discrimination

http://www.bmezine.com/news/guest/20040405.html

They Perch On Their Stilts Pointing And Daring Me To Break Custom

On my face I scratched out something like a silhouette
around the golden ten like lambs on my face
I've hidden away any embarrassment,
away from my acquaintances
I'm not sold on anything but half a dreamI'm not sensing a thing

I see a blank notebook page
and it's my life and there is nothing I can think to write
I fear the thought of not sensing a thing

I hope you don't see a thing
I said, smile through everyone you ever see
(so what you gave him the time of day)
twist back and end this sufferingI'll dance around,
I honestly give up and de robe

I see a blank notebook page
and it's my life and there is nothing I can think to write
I fear the thought of not sensing a thing

Right side falls
heavenly grace to you I owe you too
Right side because heaven and I should be so easy
[to fade]

(this is one of my favorite songs by a band called saosin)

some of my research...

here is an article that shows that piercings has nothing to do with your performance at work...

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/17679/body_art_discrimination_in_the_workplace.html


here is a site that discusses employment discrimination...

http://www.heart-intl.net/HEART/100405/EmploymentDiscrimination.htm


here is an article that talks about a woman who worked at cosco and got fired because she refused to take off her nose piercing, that was in for religious purposes...

http://www.law.com/jsp/ihc/PubArticleIHC.jsp?id=1134641110551


someone was angry in this one....
http://www.angelfire.com/retro/purple_vinyl/anti_piercing.html


has to be my favortie article yet....im all for it!
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=52496

this dirt road...

walk with me down this dirt road,

hold my hand and tell me you were wrong,

wrong for breaking my heart,

wrong for not saying sorry,

wrong for deciding it was ok to hurt,

where are you now,

where have you beenall this time?

i hope your nights are as long as mine have been.

walk with me down this dirt road

and tell me you love me over and over again

and watch these tears of pain fall down my face

the pain you've caused me,

the pain i've felt for so long

walk with me down this dirt road,

and apologize to me a hundred times

watch me walk down this dirt road

as i wave goodbye to you...

and i'll watch you stand there in amazement

because you'll realize now it's you walking

the same road as i did...

piercing petition

while doing some research online i came across a petition that i thought would be interesting for my project. the mission of this petition is to stop descrimination against piercings in the working environment.

i signed it....check it out...maybe you should sign it too...=-)
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?Piercing&351

heres another one...

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/212577812?ltl=1177413620

the things you see on the train....part 2

if anyone has taken the F train im sure you have seen this add.it is a condom add. but not just any condom add its a nyc condom add. i thought this was interesting because i remember readin an article about a year ago where they spoke about making condoms with the nyc logo on the wrapper and i was against it. just because i felt this was a way to advertise nyc and not the condom. although it is a condom inside i just felt like thats not why they added that logo to it. now, i find this even funnier because ive never seen a condom more advertised as i see this one. sure they have commercials on comdomd, but on every other train, or every other add i see in ny its this one....now you tell me...are they doing this to show kids about condoms, or are they trying to advertise ny, and feel this is more of a tourist thing? you tell me...

what is happiness?

its funny how everyone in life wants to be happy, but when asked why, nobody has an answer. theres always the i dont know answer, or the i dont want to be sad answer. and im curious as to why no one knows why they want to be happy? so im going to take it as no one knows the definition of happiness...but...how is it that we want something without even knowing what it is? i mean..people say there happy, but i think there confusing it with contentment. the way i see it is contentment is a way of settling for less...
it makes me think, what if happiness doesnt exist...or what if this is as good as its going to get? should we even continue to try and be happy.
what if pain is happiness? ...

maybe i over analyze things to much..i dont know...but this is something people should think about before they say all they want is to be happy...

go figure...

this is an article i found that i think would interest everyone....



Schools for scandal


Every year, millions of students and their parents go deep into hock to pay for a college degree. The last thing they need is to get bad advice on student loans from people who profit from their ignorance.

Now, an investigation by state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo shows that this is exactly what is happening around the country.

Cuomo's probe of 100 colleges and six lending firms has exposed a slew of dirty business practices among private lenders, a largely unregulated industry that affects 90% of U.S. college students and did $85 billion in business last year alone.

Schools get bonuses from private lenders when their students take out loans; the bigger the loan, the bigger the payoff. They get even more if they put the companies on preferred-lender lists. College administrators get gifts and trips. The companies even staff university financial aid call centers, passing themselves off as school administrators giving students unbiased advice.

No wonder many parents suspect a huge scam.

Subpoenas issued by Cuomo's office have found that, for example, a financial aid officer at Columbia made more than $100,000 from stock options in the Education Lending Group. He was suspended, as were officials at the University of Texas and the University of Southern California. SUNY Chancellor John Ryan sat on the board of a company called CIT Group, a preferred lender at SUNY Maritime College, where he was president. An official in the federal Education Department whose job it was to oversee student loans earned $100,000 from stock in Education Lending Group.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. the probe is due to last another four or five months, and other states' attorneys general are expected to get on board.

Already, some prominent players are scrambling to clear their names. NYU, Syracuse, St. John's, Fordham and the University of Pennsylvania are paying back a total of $3.2 million to students. Citibank is putting $2 million into a fund to educate students and parents about loans. Yesterday, CIT put three top executives on paid leave. And dozens of universities, including 29 SUNY campuses, NYU, LIU, St. John's and Fordham, plus Citibank, have taken Cuomo up on an offer to adopt a code of conduct: No more so-called revenue sharing; no more gifts; students will be told why a company merits preferred-lender status.

The colleges should be deeply ashamed, and they owe students far more than just a promise to behave. They can start by getting out of the loan business altogether.

In this information age, there's no need for a university to be sponsoring a preferred-lender list. Students would be better served by a loan discussion board that listed all possible lenders, with interest rates and terms. Then the parents could rank them. You get a far more honest assessment from people paying the bills than from people taking money under the table.

wait....u can read?

is the hype over?

in the begining of the semester when we were asked to make a blogger account and write blog entries on whatever we want. people were writing all the time including me. now, the professor says he notices that people arent writing as much or even writing at all. but why? the way i see it is people have lost the hype of writing in a blog, and its not fun to them anymore? i know in my opinion i run out of things to write about. and its like i can only write about so much.
and yea when we have the free time we should right, but what if you dont have any free time? and you base your whole life on school and work. i know it gets really hard for me to even study because i get out of work so late, then what? and sometimes when i get home i always mean to do it but at times it doesnt seem like its as necessary as other assignments in the class or as other hw assignments.
in the beginning it was exciting, because i could write about what i want, and i had all these things to talk about and now its like...wheres my time and what should i write about?
im sure im not the only one who feels thisway. and i feel like i have more stuff for my Cbook than a journal entry. and its not like we can have tons of cbook stuff and not journal entries. keeping up isnt as easy and as fun as i thought it was gonna be.
not only that but writing in the blogs isnt as fun anymore. yea i think its a great idea and think its something completely different and i like the idea that as long as we write then thats fine, but its like whats next?

(heres a little something extra...this is a response i had to someones comment on the professors blog on people not writing in their blogs

when it comes to blogging i dont feel restricted. if i have something to say or i want to express what im feeling about a certain situation it will be expressed.
my only issue is not having time and not knowing what to write about. and i dont like to sit there and write about the generic stuff...such as how my day was or where im going..no!
if im going to write a blog i want it to be something interesting and something that will catch peoples attention when they read it.
why write about your interest and dreams when in reality no one cares but yourself. (keep it to yourself its better that way)
i think if someones going to write something in a blog make it worth the write!! and dont just take up space to take it up...because then its boring!

and whether im the only one who agrees or not i dont care)

role model?

while in english class an article was passed around talking about the brats dolls. they were stating the issue on how they dress and how promiscuous and unapropriate those dolls are. its funny, because when i read this and i wonder were they reading my mind? everytime i see these dolls or even some barbie dolls i say to myself "wow what a nice example their setting for little girls with the tight ass short skirt and the extremely little halter or tube tops with the high hooker boots or sexy shoes." and its not even bratz or barbies who are setting bad examples for little girls. also the little take care of babie toys they have. why the hell would they sell these types of toys.
but, we cant only blame the providers and the people who make and sell these things,because hey even i can understand they need to keep business going, and if it sells then fuck it sell it, because people are stupid enough to buy it! like the parents, there worse. why set that example and buy the toy. your basically telling your child its ok to dress that way and its ok to be a young mom and all that extra shit...i think both parents and society shoul know that children are going to follow what they see and think its right.
it just doesnt make sense to me how society works today. i think parents should know not to get these type of dolls / toys. whatever happend to role model toys like dentist barbie? i know growing up she was my favorite barbie. she was succesful, and pretty. isnt that a better example parents should be teaching? you dont have to hoochify yourself to go somewhere. you dont have to wear the smallest, tightest, clothes to be prettym like the bratz dolls (they're all ugly either way lol). you can be successful and pretty like dentist barbie. =-)

change can be good...when its needed...

My report wasn’t a basic literary or history essay based on current events or something that was affecting NY or the world as a whole. I wrote about something that since I was a child I had an interest in. Which is tattoos and piercings. But in order to like something completely it’s best to know where it comes from. So I decided to base my research paper on the history behind tattoos and piercings. It was a very interesting read and a fun paper to write. I think writing is more fun when it’s a topic you like.
After reading over this paper I ask myself a couple of questions. Staring with was the topic I chose a good one? In my opinion, yes. This is not a topic that a lot of people would write about. This makes it much better for me. I like to be different, and I think this paper shows that. It’s not your everyday topic of discussion, and I think this is a topic that would keep the reader(s) wanting more. so was this a bad topic, my answer is no.
Another question that came into my mind when reading this is there anything I would change about how it was written. And my answer is yes. The essay seemed more of a long descriptive list. Next time I would change it so it won’t be a list. Maybe ill write about tattoos or piercings and not both. Or maybe I can just pick one type of tattoo or one type of piercing and write about it. Also, another thing I would change, well try and improve on is my grammar. Obviously I’m not the best writer grammar wise, and there’s always room for improvement. Other than those 2, I don’t think there’s anything else I would change about my paper.
I especially liked this assignment because I felt like I can actually write about something I love and not just another silly assignment. I feel I was able to show me and who I was. I also learned a lot in doing this paper. I learned the history behind all my piercings and this one little tattoo that I have. And I can now educate people on the history behind them. I think for my next assignment / research paper I am going to continue to write about tattoos and piercings.

what are grades?

grades are unfair label that decides our future. if you get an A right away your considered successful. if you get an F right away your considered stupid, lazy, or your just not trying and you dont care. which in my part is unfair.
today i got a psychology test back and yes i failed. something im not proud of but i did and i wasnt the only one. the professor right away came to the assumption that all students who dont do well dont have a passion for learning and that we just dont care. which offened me. if i didnt have a passion for learning i wouldnt be upset that im paying 43 thousand dollars for a bullshit education. i love learning anything and everything. i like to know the asnwer to a question. i like to be asked questions to show what i learned. learning has always been apart of my life.
i am a student who gets good grades and if i dont i wokr hard for whatever grade i earned. whether i failed or not. it may sound funny but its true. we may not always succeed, but to know i tried, and did the very best i could works for me. call me crazy but fuck it thats how i am. i like to know that no matter what grade i earned whether it be good or bad, that i worked and tried for it. and whatever happends happends. honestly, who is the professor or anyone to say what kind of a person we are just by grades. people dont know other peoples situations, they shouldnt judge. i know people who are brilliant and never finished school. isnt the richest man alive a school drop out?
whatever...the way i see it is...just try your best, and go with the flow, whatever happends happends. as long as you know deep inside that you tried your hardest then thats all that matters.

i am a robot...

in the vision quest book a good student is someone who is defined as a student who waits to be told what to do, and they are comfortable with the "chains" teachers have on them.
we were asked to answer whether or not we consider ourselves to be good students. i answered yes...but im more of a robot...and its actually kind of sucky that i can admit that. but when we think about it...arent we all robots in our own way??
in school, a student (who wants to do good), does what they are told. they meet the criteria the teacher wants, they do all the hw, they study and do exactly what the teacher says. and its all for the grade.
students (well those who want to go far) base their whole school life, and spend their whole time trying to get that grade. why? because without it there is no going far. and it is society and its rules that put this idea into our heads. and unfortunately its true. nowadays you need a degree for everything.
i am the grade...i need to be the best. so i over work myself and when im not the best i stress out. but, i kind of liked those chains that im attached to. it keeps me in check, and focus. without them i'd probably be doing nothing with my time. and that would suck even more...lol
but i mean hey, it'll pay off sooner or later....i hope lol

a little harsh but whatever...i love it

"You're Cute When You Scream"

(Fuck with my heart)
I'll teach you what it's like.
(To be so used)
That you'll have to clean.
That dirt stuck in
Your plastic finger nails.
And just the scent of you is enough
(To make me sick)

And all I know is revenge is sweet when...

You know that you are worthless
And I am better than
The games that you play princess.
(I've played) and always win.

(I'll take my time)
To slowly plot your end.
(But now I will)
Spit bullets with my pen.

And all I know is you're cute when you scream.

You know that you are worthless
And I am better than
The games that you play princess.
(I've played) and always win.

I'll take you to the top,
Of this building and just push you off.
Run down the stairs so I can see your face
As you hit the street,
the street, the street, the street.

You know that you are worthless
And I am better than
The games that you play princess.
(I've played) and always win.

(This time I win. So here's your kiss goodbye.)

something cool to look at

i was searching this website....in which i forgot the name lol
and i came across this picture. and being that im very into astrology it caught my eye real fast. this picture is called the eye of god... and i thought to myself, what if that really existed, what if god was really watching us...and it was caught in a pic? i think it would be scary..yet cool...but...what if this wasnt the eye of god and the eye of something else....maybe the devils eye...plotting...i mean come on...you never know... =-/

is it art? ... the history behind tattoos and piercings

The history behind tattoo’s and piercings


Many people today get tattoos and piercings to make a fashion statement, in remembrance of someone, to rebel, or just to look cool. People do things to be able to fit into what’s “in” today in society. But, I’m sure if you were to ask 20 different who were the first people in history to bring about tattoos and piercings, maybe 2 out of those 20 people will be able to answer that question. Here you will learn where both tattoos and piecings originated from.
Tattoo in Greek is tatu, which means mark something. Tattoos began during the construction period in Ancient Egypt in 2000 B.C. They were most common on female Egyptians who would have various patterns and figurines from this time period tattooed on their bodies. Tattoos developed from Nubians and later flourished in the Middle Kingdom, where women would get tattoos done for ritualistic processes. It was found that women who got tattooed were either dancing girls or were concubines to someone of royalty. (“ A brief history of tattoos.” Tattoo You http://www.traifire.com/nuttyguy/marks/37895?hideheadrer=1.)


It later became popular in Japan, and other Asian cultures, especially during the Yayoi period. In which during this period men were tattooed accordingly to their rank. The Ainu people in Asia would tattoo women according to their religion and social status, and the coming of age and growing up. During the Edo period, tattoos were marks of criminals and those in gangs. They were marked with stripes either across their face or on their arms. Tattoos later became something voluntary. In Borneo females were the tattoo artist. It was tradition for the females to design tattoos that represented their owner’s status and the tribe they belonged to. The Kayan women would get delicate tattoos that looked like lace and the Dayak warriors would get tattoos on their hands representing them “taking a head”. (“A brief history of tattoos.” Tattoo You http://www.traifire.com/nuttyguy/marks/37895?hideheadrer=1.)


Piercings which started as far back as 5 thousand years ago originally identified with royalty, and represented courage and virility. Piercings were done for many different reasons. Egyptian Pharaohs would get their naval (belly button) pierced as a rite of passage (a ritual that changes a persons social or sexual status), Roman soldiers would pierce their nipples to represent manhood, and Mayans would pierce their tongues as a spiritual ritual. Many of the piercings people get today have much more reason then they will really know.


Earlobe piercings, practiced as early as 5 thousand years ago, were the first piercings ever attempted. During this time, many tribes believed that evil spirits and d emons would enter a person’s body through their ears, and metal would keep them from entering. So, by piercing their ear the metal from the jewelry would prevent the spirits and demons from going in. Sailors believed that piercing their ears would improve their eyesight while on a voyage. In many other societies, they were a sign of puberty, and in some cases, both parents of a child would pierce one side of their ear to show the dependency of the child. (Morrison, Cheyenne. “Body Piercing History.” 1998

Nose piercings originally came about in the Middle East 4 thousand years ago. In the Bible’s Book of Genesis, it was known that Abraham had given a “shanf” also known as a golden nose ring to his son’s first wife Rebekah. Nose piercings were originally brought by the Monghul Emperors, and were mainly used by females in India. They believed piercing the left side of their nose would make child birth much easier and less painful. The ideas of nose piercings were later taken by the hippies that had traveled to India. This was later taken by the punk rockers that used this idea as a form of rebelling against the conservatives. (Morrison, Cheyenne. “Body Piercing History.” 1998

Labret piercings go all the way back to Dogon tribes where they were used as religious sacrifices. Tribes in Africa would get their labret stretched large enough so that wooden plates of clay could be inserted. Getting a labret piercing in Ancient Aztec and Mayan tribes meant they were members of a higher social class. In the Makololo tribe, members, especially females, would get their upper lip pierced as a sign of beauty. Men wouldn’t really want to marry any female without one. It brought something more appealing to a woman’s face, as a beard would for a man. (Morrison, Cheyenne. “Body Piercing History.” 1998

Tongue piercings were used by the Ancient Aztecs and Central Mayans to draw blood to please the gods. They were also an altered state of consciousness so priest can communicate with the gods. Naval piercings as stated earlier, were used by Egyptian Pharaohs as a sign of manhood. They are more of a modern society piercing. They became really popular during the bikini period in the 1980’s. They were considered sexy, yet provocative. (Morrison, Cheyenne. “Body Piercing History.” 1998

Nipple piercing originally started as a fashion statement in the 14th century. Originally men would carry capes on them. Before clit piercings were used as a sexual stimulus, the clitoris was considered the “devils teat”. Females who would get caught having one would be accused of being a witch and prosecuted. Penis piercings also known as the “Prince Albert” originally got its name from Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. Not only was the “Prince Albert” used for sexual pleasure, but it was originally used to hold the penis down on one side so the bulge wouldn’t be seen though the men’s tight pants. (Morrison, Cheyenne. “Body Piercing History.” 1998

Tattoos and piercings have their own significant meaning. They were more than just something nice to look at. They were gotten for religious purposes; they were used to show a distinction between social classes. They were a form of showing a females coming of age. And were a type of beauty and self expression. The meaning behind the two hasn’t changed so much over time either. Today, they are still a form of self expression and beauty, and they hold meaning to anyone who gets them. We owe a lot of appreciation to the Egyptians and the Japanese. Without them, tattoos and piercings wouldn’t be around and we wouldn’t have another more entertaining yet meaningful way of expressing ourselves.

the history behind this thing called body art...(draft)

The History Behind Tattoo’s and Piercings

Many people today get tattoos and piercings to make a fashion statement, in remembrance of someone, to rebel, or just to look cool. People do things to be able to fit into what’s “in” today in society. But, I’m sure if you were to ask 20 different who were the first people in history to bring about tattoos and piercings, maybe 2 out of those 20 people will be able to answer that question. Here you will learn where both tattoos and piecings originated from.
Tattoo in Greek is tatu, which means mar something. Tattoos began during the construction period in Ancient Egypt in 2000 B.C. They were most common on female Egyptians who would have various patterns and figurines from this time period tattooed on their bodies. Tattoos developed from Nubians and later flourished in the Middle Kingdom, where women would get tattoos done for ritualistic processes. It was found that women who got tattooed were either dancing girls or were concubines to someone of royalty.
It later became popular in Japan, and other Asian cultures, especially during the Yayoi period. In which during this period men were tattooed accordingly to their rank. The Ainu people in Asia would tattoo women according to their religion and social status, and the coming of age and growing up. During the Edo period, tattoos were marks of criminals and those in gangs. They were marked with stripes either across their face or on their arms. Tattoos later became something voluntary. In Borneo females were the tattoo artist. It was tradition for the females to design tattoos that represented their owner’s status and the tribe they belonged to. The Kayan women would get delicate tattoos that looked like lace and the Dayak warriors would get tattoos on their hands representing them “taking a head”.
Piercings which started as far back as 5 thousand years ago originally identified with royalty, and represented courage and virility. Piercings were done for many different reasons. Egyptian Pharaohs would get their naval (belly button) pierced as a rite of passage (a ritual that changes a persons social or sexual status), Roman soldiers would pierce their nipples to represent manhood, and Mayans would pierce their tongues as a spiritual ritual. Many of the piercings people get today have much more reason then they will really know.
Earlobe piercings, practiced as early as 5 thousand years ago, were the first piercings ever attempted. During this time, many tribes believed that evil spirits and demons would enter a person’s body through their ears, and metal would keep them from entering. So, by piercing their ear the metal from the jewelry would prevent the spirits and demons from going in. Sailors believed that piercing their ears would improve their eyesight while on a voyage. In many other societies, they were a sign of puberty, and in some cases, both parents of a child would pierce one side of their ear to show the dependency of the child.
Nose piercings originally came about in the Middle East 4 thousand years ago. In the Bible’s Book of Genesis, it was known that Abraham had given a “shanf” also known as a golden nose ring to his son’s first wife Rebekah. Nose piercings were originally brought by the Monghul Emperors, and were mainly used by females in India. They believed piercing the left side of their nose would make child birth much easier and less painful. The ideas of nose piercings were later taken by the hippies that had traveled to India. This was later taken by the punk rockers that used this idea as a form of rebelling against the conservatives.
Labret piercings go all the way back to Dogon tribes where they were used as religious sacrifices. Tribes in Africa would get their labret stretched large enough so that wooden plates of clay could be inserted. Getting a labret piercing in Ancient Aztec and Mayan tribes meant they were members of a higher social class. In the Makololo tribe, members, especially females, would get their upper lip pierced as a sign of beauty. Men wouldn’t really want to marry any female without one. It brought something more appealing to a woman’s face, as a beard would for a man.
Tongue piercings were used by the Ancient Aztecs and Central Mayans to draw blood to please the gods. They were also an altered state of consciousness so priest can communicate with the gods. Naval piercings as stated earlier, were used by Egyptian Pharaohs as a sign of manhood. They are more of a modern society piercing. They became really popular during the bikini period in the 1980’s. They were considered sexy, yet provocative.
Nipple piercing originally started as a fashion statement in the 14th century. Originally men would carry capes on them. Before clit piercings were used as a sexual stimulus, the clitoris was considered the “devils teat”. Females who would get caught having one would be accused of being a witch and prosecuted. Penis piercings also known as the “Prince Albert” originally got its name from Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. Not only was the “Prince Albert” used for sexual pleasure, but it was originally used to hold the penis down on one side so the bulge wouldn’t be seen though the men’s tight pants.
Tattoos and piercings have their own significant meaning. They were more than just something nice to look at. They were gotten for religious purposes; they were used to show a distinction between social classes. They were a form of showing a females coming of age. And were a type of beauty and self expression. The meaning behind the two hasn’t changed so much over time either. Today, they are still a form of self expression and beauty, and they hold meaning to anyone who gets them. We owe a lot of appreciation to the Egyptians and the Japanese. Without them, tattoos and piercings wouldn’t be around and we wouldn’t have another more entertaining yet meaningful way of expressing ourselves.

is it art?

full body tattoos ------>
<----- a pierced corset into someones back

so now i ask you, is this art? or nonsense? want my opinion? im going to give it to you anyway.
i call it beautiful. i call this art.




When people think about art the most common things they come up with are drawing, painting, coloring, graffiti, the mosaics they see in the train stations, collages, or just anything that is used to express yourself nowadays. So why is it when I say piercings and tattoos are a form of art, I get looked at as if im crazy, or weird. I mean wouldn’t tattoos and piercings be considered art? They are a form of self expression, and isn’t art all about expressing yourself? I would think so.
Today the main question with tattoos and piercings are why did you get that? And there are many reasons as to why people get tattoos and piercings. Some are as follows. Many people get tattoos and piercings because they think its attractive, they want to stand out against society, or to sometimes even fit in with a group, to remember an event, or in memory of someone who passed or they loved. Some people even get them to “reclaim” them selves after a break up, some couples use it as a sign of making their relationship more official. But mainly people get them as an expression of themselves, their attitudes and what they believe in. They are not afraid to stand out against societal norms.
Although, nowadays tattoos and piercings have become more acceptable in society, it wasn’t like this in the past. Back in time, tattoos and piercings would be something too extreme to be right. And even farther in time, pirates and people who were in gangs were the ones with the tattoos. Tattoos and piercings where also used in different tribes. In many religions today tattoos and piercings are not very acceptable. To very religious people, piercing or tattooing your body means you are not happy with what god gave you as a person. And changing it would mean god did something wrong, which is wrong because god is perfect.
Although today they are becoming more acceptable with teens and adults, it is the seniors of our times who don’t find tattoos and piercings to be too exciting.
If you were to ask a grandparent who was in the early 1900’s they would tell you that their either unnecessary, or it’s a mess. And my favorite, its unnecessary pain that you’re putting yourself through. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not only the seniors that think its extra pain and nonsense, there are many teens and young adults how believe tattoos and peircings are a form of self mutilation. Those who get tattoos and piercings like pain. And are rebelling against the social norms in society.
Society becomes more accepting when the tattoos and piercings can’t be seen. This in my opinion is ridiculous. Although tattoos and piercings are for a persons own liking and use, I don’t feel the need for them to be covered up. I feel it’s a form of expression. In my opinion tattoos and piercings are a form of art. They are beautiful. Regardless if the piercing is visible or not. In my opinion I say let them show. If the person wants to express themselves in that way let them, it’s not like their hurting anyone in the process. This is how they express themselves. This is their form of art.

chills ---->people?

ok so a little while ago i was online talking to some people on AIM when all of a sudden i started getting a bad case of the chills. at first i thought i was cold, but then i remembered the heater was on, then im thinking maybe im getting sick, but i dont feel any different. so then i thought long and hard and came to the conclusion that as soon as i started talking to one specific person i got these chills. and i started to question why? well recently me and this person had tension between us. so im guessing the reason why i got these chills was because of the tension me and this person has. its not bad tension, its just we have some questions up in the air and some issues we havent resolved. so i thought, am i the only one who goes through this? why does it happend. and i found out im not the only one this happends too. and my reason for this happening is simple.
u know when you get butterlies when you like someone and their talking to you, or when you get nervous around someone...?
this is sort of the same thing. being that theres tension and unfinished business with me and this person its a combination of my nerves and coldness that runs through my body when i speak to this person.
now, i dont know if this is a bad thing or a good thing, but i sure would like to find out. i dont get these chills very often, not with people at least...something i may need to look up for myself =)

quote from the labyrinth

"not all are so fortunate as to discover the stone, and those who find it do not always know how to use it effectively"

not everyone is lucky enough to have it all. theres people who dont have anything. who have to work hard for what they need and want. and then theres those people who have it all. who never had to work a day in their life, who had everything handed to them. these are the people who take things for granted. i feel the less you have, or the harder you work, the more you appreciate the smaller things in life. i feel everything has a more special meaning. and you never take anything for granted.
and this has a lot of meaning to me. just because ive alway had to work for what i need and wanted. and i value anything and everything. im sure im not the only one.
just something to think about...

the things you see on the train....

i was on my way to work when i came across this advertisement for halls cough drops. if you cant see what it is, its a rollerblade and on the break is a halls cough drop. the slogan is "protect yourself". i thought this was one of the best advertisemnts ive ever seen. why? its so simple....

the break is supposed to be what helps a person, it stops them from falling. and the job of halls is to protect a person from a cold, or to help "slow down" and keep the person safe and healthy. just as a break would do for a skater.

just something interesting i wanted to share with you guys =)

another quote...im gonna choose to elaborate on this one =)

"it's so simple to be afraid"

this is a quote from a song called its so simple by saosin. i chose to post this quote just because i agree with it. when things get to hard for people they run and hide. it's easy to run from the things your afraid of. but its not easy to have to face what your afraid of. when people are faced with a challenge some reasons they run from are failing, rejection, falling down and not being able to get back up. but in my opinion, the hardest part is falling down, but when you get up, it gets easier everytime.

lady madeline in her coffin

There was a time when stillness meant nothing to me
Once, silence meant lack of sound;
Fall came once a year
I danced, redcheeked, Each year's first snow,
Tongue out to taste each flake's welcome sting
I laughed, distinct from nature's cycles,
A scrap of wonder, floating in a torrent of sorrow I couldn't grasp
That laugh, mouth open, sums up my past,
I craved fulfillment, too shallow to knowI could never be fully filled again

~i am ghost-lady madeline in her coffin~

"Blueprint of the fall"

Imagine a place where freedoms just a word on the wall
surrounded by the wreckage of towers that could never fall
the company will avenge imagine the lies like bombs turn the shock and the awe
for justice in time and a land for justice never was one thief
to rule them all along the Potomac and west toward the sea through the ghettos past the monuments we all built to house the weak
it's the blueprint to the fall of our place in history
the end to what we all believed to be the hope to save this place and I walk among the flagstones through the graves an apocalypse is blooming in the sage dead presidents lined coffin text in biblical unrest the blind pride home genocide and the secret wars we all missedit's the blueprint to the fall of the entire human race the end to what we all believed would be the hope to save this placeand I walk among the flagstones through the graves

~strung out-blue print of the fall~

different quotes i like...

"life is to short to be taken seriously"
~oscar wilde~

"the only normal people are the ones you dont knw very well"
~anonymous~

"die young and save yourself"
~brand new~

"i know now this is who i really am"
~30 seconds to mars~

the theft

He bends and he breaks
If he gives they will take awayHis passion, his pain, his grace
He exhales,A thousand black flowers explode
Into butterflies as they're away
Rip them out, take them,Burn to coals as they crush and leave nothing
That resembles a soul of a man
See him numb, see him crushed (see him numb, see him crushed)
Rip them out, take them Burn to coals as they crush and leave nothing That resembles a soul of a manLeave them numb, leave them crushed (leave them numb, leave them crushed)
Took the fire inside One too many times He's burning over and out now,He flailsUp against the raging tides,
No more sides Everything you ever wanted to see,See it in his eyes
One more time, one more time
Climb down to test the waters,My hands feel like they're rusting away, yeah, yeah, yeah,So I'll pace around like a limb before the slaughterI'll stay here as long as you let me,
Decision's been made obvious so I will returnWhere I started I'll stay hereWhen I'm finished I'll whither away

Atreyu - the theft

WTF?!?!?!?!?!

ok...so can we talk about how expensive college is??? its like im paying so much money and to be perfectly honest its being wasted!!! im not learning anything....i came to college to learn. i like to be taught new things. i love to learn and i dont know if its stjohns or all colleges but im not learning anything. i feel like im forgetting everything instead of learning anything.
and why is it if every professor in this school has their PHD, why am i teaching myself. yea whatever...i know this is the time where im supposed to be all independant and blah blah blah. but being independent is not something that should be brought to my attention. i have been independent since as long as i can remember.
but when someone tells me to read a book and learn on my own because we're gonna be tested...i ask myself...what the hell am i paying 40 thousand dollars a year for? i can learn from a book for free...im so dissapointed in college right now its not even funny.
everyone said college is going to be the best 4 years of my life...well i would like to know when does those 4 years start because i still feel like im in high school. its kind of sad because as much as i love school, being in college has given me second thoughts on whether or not i should stay in school or not. but i stay because i have too, because to get somewhere in life you need to have some type of degree. and its sad that i have these thoughts because shcool has never been a question to me. its just i go and thats it, i love it. but now its like going to class is a drag. because either the professor rambles, or is getting off topic at least 10 times in every discussion.
and what makes it more upseting is im paying for college by myself. i wanna get my money's worth. i work hard for the money i make to pay off my tuition. i want to get something out of it. AN EDUCATION!!!!!

But what does it mean???

"we get used to the chains we wear and we miss them when removed"

In other words, after we get attached to something or someone, we adjust our lives to being a certain way. we become comfortable with these changes, and when they are gone / removed, its hard to feel the same way you did before you got attached to these things or people. and you begin to miss it because you've been attached to it for so long and it changed everything.

example:
when people are in a relatinship whether it be romantic, a friendship, or a relatiomship with a family member they adjust in ways that make the relationship work. instead of it being just one person to think about it becomes more. and when you break away from it, whether it be going to college, breaking up, a death, moving away, or anything that just seperates you from that relationship you miss it. just because you were used to a certain way for so long.

another example that we can use is when people are in abusive relationships. it becomes so normal for them that after the relationship is over they start to miss the person and the action. same thing goes for when someone is abused as a child. they have become so used to it, that when they get in a relationship and it is abusive they dont see it as anything wrong. when in fact it is completely wrong.

one more example that fits perfect with this quote is the movie the shaw shank redemption. brooks was an old man who was in jail most of his life. who was later set free after his time in jail was up. when he got back to his old neighborhood everything was so different. he tried to adjust to it, but being that he was in jail for so long he just couldnt. he found himself not sleeping at night and thinking about commiting crimes just so he can go back to jail. but instead of doing so, he gave up, the changes became to hard for him and he decided to hang himself.

its dangerous to get to attached to something or someone. all i have to say is be careful and always have some type of guard up. its good to be prepared...=-/

what it must feel like to be a computer....

i was walking back to my dorm one afternoon and being that im pretty random i have some pretty random thoughts haha. andone random thought that popped into my head was i wonder what it must feel like to be a computer?? random right?? yea i guess. ok so i thought and thought and ive come to the conclusion they must feel hurt and used more than any human being could ever. why?? its simple.
think about what it must feel like to constantly be opened and closed. to have your heart on your sleeve or to have every single or thought you have had laid out in the public?
to be used for all that you have and then be turned away when your not needed anymore. to have your buttons pushed on a regular basis. all the little things that go on with a computer are things we as human beings cant deal with for to long.
if computers were human beings, im sure they would be the most screwed up, depressed people in the world. haha...think about it though. if they had feelings and could speak imagine what they would say. imagine your a computer and someone is typing a hw assignment that they've been typing for 2 hours now, and did 5 hours of research on it, and listening to music all at the same time. how would you feel?? i know i would be ready to break down. as a human its hard to deal with just one issue let alone having to deal with 3 at once.
so the way i see it is, let your computer rest sometimes...give it a break. you dont want it to have a breakdown...then you'd never be able to use it again...LOL ~.^

is marriage really neccessary?

When people think about marriage the first thing they think about is the nice church, the bride in her beautiful white dress, the groom in his black tux waiting for her, while the priest holds his bible and smile and waits patiently, and the flower girl walking down the isle while everyone has their shares of oohs and awwws cause she's so pretty in her little pink dress. Or my favorite. the big wedding that takes place in the big beautiful garden on that beautiful spring day. while the sun is beaming beautifuly on the bride and groom and everyone is smiling. and theres this biiiiig happy ending.

want my opinion on marriage? Here it goes. it's not neccessary. many people believe in order to stay with someone your whole life you have to be married to them. i disagree. i believe you can love, be in love (cause it's two different things), and be with someone your whole life and never have to get married. i actually think the love is stronger that way and the relationship grows more. just because they both have no legal ties, this helps them stay commited to one another and like this they grow.

I think people have forgotten what real love is and are looking more into materialistic things. right away when people are getting married they have to plan this huge gorgeaous wedding. with tons of people that im sure they haven't seen in a while or bairly even know. and i think marriage is to public. i think that a relationship should be private, and when you want to make it something very serious, only involve those who truly mean something to you. not people who bairly know you or have very little involvment in your life. dont you agree?

so yea, thats my opinion on it. also, if ever you want to end a relationship its much cheaper to say its over then to get a divorce...=) hahaha

online discussion vs. face to face discussion

so whats the difference between talking online and talking to someone face to face???
i feel that some people preffer to talk online because it's easier for them to say what theyhave to say. for example, say your talking to someone you have a crush on and you decide you want to tell them. it would be muuuuch easier to do it online just because you can't se them and they can't you. it saves you from actually having to see their face expressions (which can also be a bad thing), and they can't see yours. And if they don't feel the same way, it saves you from dealing with it in front of them, and it saves them the trouble from feeling really bad for rejecting you.
not being able to see their face expressions can also be a bad thing, just because you can never really tell if someone is telling the truth or not. this is a bad thing because you cant tell if that person on the other end is taking you serious.

when people are talking face to face, it makes them more voulnerable. just because theres no escaping your face expressions. actions speak louder than words, and once your actions are done it's done. theres no denying them. i personally think that talking face to face is better. i like being able to see how the person feels about a topic by there face expressions. and i like when people get to see mine too.

but it really just depends on the person and how comfortable they are talking about whatever it is there talking about. i say whatever makes you comfortable do it.as long as your getting your point across and you feel like its working then do it... =)

what time is the best time to write??

Our first real assignment is to answer a question from a survey that we took in class. I took the easy way out and decided to write about the best time for me to write. To me, writing isn't something that someone should have to think about, it should just come.
I can write at all times of the day or night. It's easier when I get to write about something I like. But writing comes natural to me. And although im not the best writer I enjoy it either way.
Writing while listening to music helps me too. Music helps me relax and I think to write one has to be relaxed.
People have their own preferance when it comes to writing. All i have to say is if it works for you then do it.

welcome to my blog ^.~

Hey everyone,
My name is Anna and this is my blog. I created this blog for my freshman english composotion class. Our professor wants us to write and write and write until we can't write anymore. I'm sure to some people this might be corny, but in my opinion this will be a good experience. One because I like writing and two, any where i can express myself and get away with it works for me. Just because I don't like to be held down from what i have to say.

Basically,
the purpose of this blog is to welcome you all to my exciting writing life. Either you like my writing or you don't. You make the choice. I hope i didn't come out rude...but that's how it is. If you want to subscribe to my blog i'll be more than happy to accept. I will do the same in return.

WELCOME TO MY BLOG.

ENJOY=)

what's my name?

My name is Anna Lisa Villanueva. I'm choosing to give you my full name just because it's my name. ^.~
I'm not to sure as to which parent named me, but I do know that my first name, Anna, comes from my grandmother on my father side. As you can guess her name is Anna. My middle name, Lisa, comes from my aunt, also from my father side. Her name is Lisa also. And my last name, just like pretty much everyone comes from my father.

Anna is used in many different languages. Such as Dutch, French, Scandinavian, Russian, Polish, and more. It is also used in The New Testament prophetess who recognized Jesus as the Messiah. It was also borne by an 18th-century empress of Russia and by the main character in Tolstoy's 'Anna Karenina', a woman forced to chose between her son and her lover.

Villanueva is a spanish name. In english, Villa is a village in english, and nueva is new in english. Therefore, my last name means new village....funny i know =) I like it...it's different.

In kabalarian philosophy, people who are named Anna are usualy spontaneous, and enjoy the company of others. It's not hard to make friends, and people are usually attracted to our generosity and comfort. This is so true =) haha

I never knew where my name came from so, i'm pretty amazed right now....haha