A New Milestone

Recently it was brought to my attention that my blog is kind of (okay, really) boring. Basically I've been using it more as a photo album than as a place to express my opinions and share anecdotes from my life. Starting today, that's going to change.

First, a little background to put this post into perspective:

Ten years ago, when I moved back to D.C. from Brussels, I stumbled past a jewelry store in Georgetown that did ear piercings. On a whim I decided to get a small gold hoop in the upper cartilage of my left ear. I'd always wanted one, but never had the nerve to actually do it. I was raised primarily in the South, by a mother who prioritized propriety, particularly when it came to the appearance of her daughter. She made sure my hair never grew past my chin, and that my clothes were impeccably clean, starched and totally uncool. Even in high school.

It took me until I was 21 to realize that I could wear whatever the hell I pleased, and that I could get my ear pierced if it made me happy. In the end, my mother had more to say about a multi-colored crocheted scarf I took to wearing that winter than the earring, but even so, the piercing was a real milestone, and in hindsight, it kick started one of the happiest periods of my life.

When I moved to New York two years later, I took the earring out. Don't ask me why; I can't remember.

But recently, after a couple of unfortunate run-ins with the New York Post, I started missing the earring. It represented the side of me that the press has completely missed, and that, I now realize, only my close friends get to see. It's the side of me that's vegetarian on a good day, can do a headstand and other tricky yoga moves (flying crow, anyone?), believes in karma and the power of music, love and positive thinking. It's also the side of me that's free, happy and doesn't give a lick about what other people think.

It's my inner bad ass. And she wants out. Which is why I got my ear re-pierced when I was in Denver for my book signing.

It didn't even hurt.

Okay, maybe just a little.

But it was pretty exhilerating, too.