APP 2016

My very first year

Being a hermit kind of affects every single little aspect of who you are in its own way. Some people may end up having issues in social situations. Some might even develop a problem with just getting themselves out of the house. Some gain fears and anxiety over everyday tasks. And things like that change a person.

I grew up with friends. I don’t really know how genuine any of the relationships were, but there were people in my life that I felt totally comfortable with. Looking back, it’s hard to know how I treated those people or how I came off to everyone, but I’ve realized in my older years I didn’t always project myself in a way that was appropriate, and that likely plays back into childhood in some form or fashion.

Going to Vegas for the Association of Professional Piercers conference was something I had thought more seriously of in the last couple years. Last year, management at work became a little messy, and it got me thinking again about my future and where I should be. Distraction has been the real root of it all—from health issues for both Jessy and myself, to getting caught up working the grind day in and day out. Deep down, I’ve wanted a piercing apprenticeship for the last thirteen years, but it’s been suppressed for a lot of it. I’d remind myself of how difficult it would be to start where I wanted to, to get the kind of training I was looking for, to have enough money to support myself, and all of the other typical concerns when considering a career like this. Having little work experience, no car and no full driver’s license didn’t help my train of thought on this topic. So I got a shitty job, retained it, and kept telling myself I wasn’t good enough for anything else. It will be my fourth year at the dry cleaner’s in February. It feels like every year I dislike it even more. Around December of 2014 I reached out to the APP member nearest me and inquired about an apprenticeship. He knew of me through my previous internet presence and I had found him looking for a BVLA retailer that wasn’t in Cambridge (where I usually go to get work done). As much as I am grateful for him taking a chance with me and passing on some of his knowledge, I didn’t feel I really fit in with his shop and his crew, and although I wanted to stick it out, I just couldn’t join a team that loved where they were and what they were doing when I just didn’t. Someone else is a perfect fit who will enjoy every moment. This experience did reignite the passion for the industry and the community though, and the idea that I have my part to play in them. I took the Progressive Mentorship level one class and got my CPR and first aid certification. I thought about going to Vegas that year (2015), but I wasn’t ready, and I was okay with it that. But I knew I’d really have to consider 2016.

The one (if not only) benefit of my job is paid vacation time, and I booked off the week of the conference a few months earlier. At this point I hadn’t registered and didn’t even plan on attending. I thought about it—which is why I booked that week off—but it wasn’t in any way definite. I brought up my interest in the conference when I got my lobes pierced near the end of June, and got talked into making up my mind. I felt ready for it this year, and it turned out that feeling was right.

I’ve flown before, it’s not that bad. But I hadn’t flown by myself, or traveled further than Ohio on my own. Company would’ve been nice, but even if Jessy wanted to go, he had just started working with another company only a few months earlier. This was a test for me.

Vegas was on my mind, and I registered for the conference at the very end of June. Nerves weren’t really a part of it until a week out—realizing I would be alone with a whole lot of weird looking strangers that I kind of knew who probably kind of knew me too but wouldn’t recognize me, and of course me with the horrible bonding skills always brings the anxiety. I started worrying about my actual trip a little more too (I landed on a review page of the site I booked my flight through… some foreshadowing here).

Customs in Toronto was a little slow even though it was quite early. Flight was a little turbulent, but direct. Two ladies beside me were going to a hairstyling conference for a few days, which I thought was neat. They said I had balls for going to conference on my own for the first time. Slowly the landscape became barren and dry through the plastic halo. My butt and legs totally fell asleep. I chose the cookies over the crackers when I actually wanted the crackers. I didn’t sleep.

Jesse Villemaire was waiting for me to arrive at Bally’s to help me navigate a little. I shared a shuttle that was packed full but it didn’t seem to bother me. Vegas was definitely different to my small home in the Niagara region. And very hot.

Checking in took a while. Jesse helped me with my bags and we met up later at the pool. There were a few people around, it seemed sparse, but I had also arrived on the Sunday—a day before classes actually began. I was so grateful to have Jesse’s help and kindness throughout this week. There are a few aspects of my life that I’m not so proud of or happy with, but being lucky enough to have made connections with people I’ve admired and respected within the community is something that still blows me away. He was always there for me, reaching out and making contact throughout the week. I also got to meet his new apprentice Nicole Goad who turned out to be an equally beautiful person. It was great to see such a fresh perspective of the community and industry through her, and see the passion she had for it even though she might not know as much as some of us. It was awesome to have her company and it helped me feel a lot more comfortable. They have an amazing dynamic and I wish them all the best along this new path.

The first night was brutal. At the pool, I managed to handle some new interactions fairly well, as well as converse with others I sort of knew. So maybe it wouldn’t be too tough for someone else to consider going if they were in my position. I knew some people a little bit already, yeah. And some people might recognize me from the internet, too (which I later discovered ‘not really’). There’s jewellery, learning, cool people doing cool stuff, what’s the problem? Socializing is the problem. Deep friend connections elude me. I don’t understand how that kind of relationship works. It’s been a very long time since I had a best friend that I didn’t go to bed with at night.

I try to hang out at the bar that evening, but everyone looks so invested in their conversations that I’m too intimidated to pop into anything. Someone from the bodymod.org days recognized me and said hello earlier on, and he waved me to a table. I kind of talked? I tried at least. It was very overwhelming. Most of my time was spent checking everyone out in the middle of it all, totally silent. I was waiting on Jesse who later called it a night, and I went to my room and got ready for bed as soon as I got the memo. I think I may have cried a little in bed that night.

I woke up discouraged and nervous. Buffet breakfast with Jesse and Nicole—who just flew in late that night—made me feel a little better. I also went to the first few classes and presentations with one or both of them. Whenever classes were done with time to spare I went to my room… until the expo began. Alone time was good to relax and adjust. I checked out the gym, the yoga class and did some ROMWOD exercises which were all pretty calming. It wasn’t until later on in the week that I began making some connections and feeling a lot more comfortable, which led to me actually enjoying my experience very much. I checked out the 10th anniversary of the swingshift sideshow with a bunch of people on a shuttle (which featured modification related goodness), smoked weed with a handful of people who knew me but didn’t realize who I was at first, chit-chat at the expo while browsing (and purchasing) gorgeous jewellery, attended a very touching banquet service dressed as an alien, got to celebrate Jesse’s raffle win dressed as an alien, got to interject a fight and protect a stranger’s life with my own body from the boyfriend/husband that was beating her into the ground at 3:30 in the morning that I wouldn’t have otherwise heard nor seen if I weren’t going up to my room to smoke weed with three french canadians… dressed as an alien. I got to be inspired by so many new faces and speakers, and be reminded of why I admired individuals I already knew. I saw many new perspectives and learned lots of new things, especially about myself. I got the opportunity to be touched by and feel for stories of others willing to speak. I got to create the beginnings of something, whatever they end up being. And of course most importantly, I attended all my classes and wasn’t late once. 😀

It couldn’t have been a better first time for this weirdo. The atmosphere was so uplifting and positive. Everyone was very open to socializing that I came across, even if they needed to warm up a little, just like myself. Everyone was completely welcoming, even though I personally felt a little out of place just because I wasn’t a body piercer. I’ve got things to look forward to and to plan out now. I passed my test.

 

My expo haul! Buddha Jewelry Organics Zahara weights (8g[3.3mm])/Uzu Organics hanging wire design by Miss Cale (handmade with love!)/Quetzalli Jewelry Shri hammered yellow brass hoops/Tawapa Classic Rectangle hoops