What Have You Done to Your Body?

[G. S. Carnivals]

Out of curiosity concerning the Thomas Ligotti Online demographic...

What have you done to your body? Do you have tattoos? Have you had your flesh pierced in order to display baubles? Or other more unusual things? I fully understand that this is highly personal information, but would appreciate any feedback if possible.

Personally, I have no tattoos, body piercings, or lip augmentations (as seen in National Geographic). I suppose that the shade of John Labatt is slowly carving his initials into the bark of my liver, though...

[Steve Dekorte]

No tattoos or piercings. I also avoid ornament (watches, jewelry, labels, buttons, pins, patches) and cologne.

I'm not sure what motivates people to employ unnecessary ornamentation. Territorial marking behavior? in-group signals? Perhaps the ego can only fill the spaces where it sees the self as being different from others.

[Joe Pulver]

Nothing. I have a fur coat -- a rather heavy one. It would make seeing anything nearly impossible.

In a former job, my friend and line manager was drawing me a picture illustrating precisely where a ring had been attached to an...ahem, sexual organ...when we noticed a shadow falling across the desk. We both looked up at the head of the department who was clearly horribly embarrassed. He spoke directly to my friend keeping rigid eye contact and pretended not to notice the crude but distinct illustration on the desk.

I have no objections to body piercings per se but think there's something oddly disturbing about tongue-piercings. And while some small, strategically placed tattooes can be stylish, David Beckham is proof positive that taken to Rod Steiger extremes, they can also look hideously awful.

[The New Nonsense]

Oddly enough, out of my entire group of friends I am the only one without tattoos or piercings. I guess that's now the new abnormal, that is, sans body art. Most of my friends have multiple tattoos (some very well done; others -- not so much), piercings wherever something can be pierced, brandings and other scarification, you name it. My girlfriend has multiple tattoos and has her eyebrow pierced with a hoop. It looks good on her, but same would look silly on me.

I've never really had any desire for body art. As far as tattoos go, I can't think of a single image that's important enough for me to want to look at it for the rest of my life. I suppose if I did, I'd probably get one on my back so I wouldn't have to see it all the time. But in general I avoid things that draw more attention to the flesh. I generally avoid wearing bright colors for the same reason. I find colorful clothing distracting to my eye and makes me constantly aware of my physical self. When I wear dark clothing I can sort of disappear into it, especially at night. To quote Christopher Walken,

"I wear a lot of black because I think it’s attractive, but also because it looks neat and clean and sensible. Hundreds of millions of Asians wear black - they know what they’re doing."

The only unusual thing I used to do with my body rather than to is, I used to grow my fingernails extremely long and sharpen them. However, that doesn't fly at my current job.

[Aeron]

I look like someone who should be covered head to toe in tattoos but have none. My ears are pierced from my teenage years but haven't put anything in them since. Amusingly, the day after I got my ears pierced I was in a horrible car accident where I was bizarrely unaffected while the driver was thrown out of the car and two other passengers had serious injuries, broken bones. But, when the paramedics put the head brace on me I expressed pain in my ears. They thought it was an injury from the car wreck but it was my ears still being in pain from just getting pierced.

[dante1991]

I can only speak for myself, but my body art (tattoos) are an expression of my personality. I make myself think about it for at least two years before I get a new tattoo, to be sure that is what I will be able to live with for the rest of my life. All my tattoos have a personal meaning. I'd go into all of them, but that would make an over long addition to this thread. I like jewelry for the simple reason that I find it fun. And with my almost constant migraines, I'll take my fun where I can get it. The only piercings I have are in my ears. I even have an earring that's a hangman's noose. (Yes, I do have a strange idea of "fun".)

[sonadoramuerta]

What have I not done to my body.....(The constant abuse shall continue 'til my vices kill me) I have two tattoos--Cthulhu and....ugh....Hello Kitty on my back. No piercings, yet. Ornamentation? Yes. Unfortunately, I am attracted to shiny things...(hey! I am a girl.)

[Soukesian]

Tattoos on chest and upper arms. (And, now that I am older, I can confirm that I've never regretted it for one moment!) Had my left ear pierced, but haven't worn anything in it for over a decade.

[Dr. Bantham]

Regarding tattoos, I share a very similar viewpoint with The New Nonsense and agree that to some degree the new abnormality has become normality. I am far too indecisive to choose a tattoo are far too picky to allow someone to have a go at realizing my vision of the finished product. I also prefer to remain plain and refrain from calling attention to my person. If were to ever waiver in my lack of decisiveness, I might choose a design akin to the image herein.

Re: What Have You Done to Your Body? 

However, when I was 19 and less stable I turned to cutting and burning my body as both a punishment and distraction. I first cut a four inch line on my forearm just above my right elbow. It was a deep cut, approximately a quarter of an inch deep, and I distinctly recall the curious moment when I could see the flesh fully parted and exposing a distinct pink valley with no blood evident. It bled profusely thereafter. I recall that at the time my intentions were to slit my wrists, but instead I lashed out to inflict pain when I could not follow through. I learned that inflicting pain was an alluring path, but it was such a mess that I decided to choose another method. I was a heavy smoker at that time, and began burning myself. I would repeatedly engage in methodical sessions of burning four circular areas to align with the cut mark, and later a corresponding burn scar at the cut by way of squeezing the cigarette into an elliptical tube prior to igniting. I would carefully press the ember into the skin for extended periods of time while blowing on it to maintain the heat. I suppose it could have also been a feeble cry for help, but I was typically careful to hide this and evasive when others inquired regarding the origin. I had never heard the term scarification and struggle to stifle contempt for those that adorn themselves in in this manner during these times of identity through trend distinction, though a small subset may no doubt do so for the same reasons that I found while banishing myself within the confines of own mind and the isolation of four walls one window one door one year on end. The resultant scars are permanent but not so evident after twenty years, as my pasty complexion likely helps camouflage them. For me, they serve as a grim symbol of my true nature and destiny, and for that I am neither ashamed nor proud - only resigned to a haunting indifference. I held a Ticket to Oblivion in my hand, and though my trip has been delayed, the destination was then stamped as validated.