(This is a guest post I did for @cecilyk over at Uppercase Woman. I wanted to repost it over here so that those of you who didn't get a chance to see it, well, could. Plus, I wanted to add the pictures that go with it.)
With Cecily gone to Blogher, she needed somebody (or a few somebodies) to take care of Uppercase Woman while she was gone. I happily (and quickly, I'm first, I WIN!) agreed to blabber for a little while over here to take up some space while she's in NYC being Honored as Blogher's Voice of the Year. How cool is that?
So, what does one talk about on a blog that gets 100x the traffic of one's own? I couldn't think of anything interesting, so I decided to talk about my mother. When you think about gifts for your mom's birthday what do you think of? Pot holders? Knitted footies? A new quilt? My mom would surely bop me over the head (or punch me in the face) if she unwrapped any of these items from me, so this year gifting was a little difficult. I took into consideration the fact that she also had just retired from a 33 year teaching career, and now that school is out my mama is ready for the party! I've heard off and on since I can remember about how if she weren't teaching she would do this, that , or the other. What better to get mom for her 55th than a nose piercing?!
On her birthday we headed up to a gritty little tattoo shop on Main, and I threw out a couple twenties to a very heavily tattooed man at a counter. He took her (and us, the entourage) to a small piercing room with a chair and all of his scary equipment.
My mom had brought her boyfriend (a.k.a. her camera man) along with his camera just to capture this rare and beautiful moment for (what else but) Facebook. See, I'm pretty sure that since people talk to her on Facebook regularly, my mom thinks she's a celebrity. Every random event that happens in her life she forces poor Rick (her bf of 8 years) to come along with his photography equipment to document it for her friends. After all, who wouldn't care about every waking moment of her life? I often hear the phrase, "SMILE! This is going on Facebook!!!" at family gatherings, so it was only appropriate that she make the tattoo/piercing artist Scott get in on the fun.
"Act like you're attacking me! This is going on Facebook!" she demands, and gets into a pretending-to-be-soooo-scared position.
He just kind of looks at her, then us, sighs, and obliges. How can he tell this poor fragile old lady no? The crazy ensued.
I couldn't help but feel embarrased at the act that mom was forcing this poor guy to perform. I'm pretty sure I may have even blushed. It had to be perfect though, you know, for Facebook and all, and after 10 million poses and 12 different positionings mom finally got the photos that she wanted. Guess where they ended up? On Facebook, and yes her community (of rather old) friends are amazed and stunned. Once again, mom wins!
So, thanks to me, her loving daughter, mom not only got the ultra cute nose piercing she has always dreamed of, but got a super juicy story for Facebook. Double win! All those ladies logging on from the retirement home are surely jealous.
Happy Birthday, Mama!
Oh, and Scott, if you get a flock of spicy (over the hill) southern ladies in your shop soon, it's totally not my fault.
P.S. I am well aware that 55 isn't considered elderly or geriatric, but mom and I poke fun at each other constantly. She knows I love her regardless of what god-awful name I call her.
