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Birthday Present Birthday Present At A Glance Author Gabrielle When A year ago Artist Scott Studio Milano body Piercing Location Milwaukie Well, there I was, a 13 year old wanting a navel piercing. Typical, right? So one day I looked it up, just out of boredom. And I soon found out more about them, standard gauges, jewlery website, all on piercing website. I suddenly became fascinated with piercing (not on myself...just in general) and learned alot. So, I decided that I was going to go for a navel piercing for a present to myself to starting high school/finishing middle school. My mother insisted that I get my nose pierced and I said no. I know, isnt it a little strange...it's usually the other way around. Anyway I didn't ask my dad because I knew that he'd say no because he doesnt even understand why people put holes in their bodies when he spent his entire life trying to keep them out. So I ask my mother and she says "Yeah okay whatever I dont care, its your body, do what you want." So school is about to start and she suddenly has to look into it and is indescisive. Finally she says yes and I decide to lose a little weight so that my stomach will be more attractive and then go for it. Yeah well that fell through anyway...but whatever. I postponed the piercing to my birthday (September 28th) and picked a few piercing places and called them up asking about the procedure. Some places you had to be 15 so I couldn't go there. I really wanted to go to a place called the Catalyst in downtown Vancouver, Washington but the piercer was out of town when I wanted to get it done. I settled on Milano Body Piercing and told my mother. She again was not sure and had to research it and all of that crap, which I had already done. So she finally agreed. She couldn't take me on the 28th because my stepdad had the car, so we did it the 29th afterschool. She picked me up from school and we drove to my dad's house and I dropped off some stuff. She pretended like she forgot about her and then rolled her eyes but drove me to Milano none the less. I wasnt really nervous and wanted the piercing, and was ready for any amount of pain at all. We find the place with directions from MapQuest and walk in. The place is empty and there is a girl in her twenties behind a glass counter. I say that I'd like a navel piercing and we sign forms and I pick out a stanless steel banana bell with 2 crystal gems. Being half black half white I liked the look it had on my caramel skin and picked it way before hand. The guy came out and nodded and slapped the girl at the register's butt which was a little...strange but I ignored it. Anyway the guy took me into a room like a little dentist and had me sit down. He market it and layed me back and I objected and stood up to make sure it was straight. He then lifted it up right way, and put on the clamp. I was a little creeped out about how fast he did and asked if I was nervous. I said no and looked at the ceiling. The clamp did not hurt. He put on gloves sterilized the area an (well actually he did this before) and then pierced me. The pain felt like a pinch and didnt hurt! I thought "That's it...?" Then I felt a tug and another tug and then looked down and my jewlery was in place. He then sprayed it with a product called H20cean and I was good to go. It took about a min. and a half, very fast! I went out and payed and was very pleased. I also bought the same sea salt spray and payed and was on my way. I had always had trouble with my ears. I was extremely worried that the piercing would keloid or migrate out if I lost some weight (I was just curvy). I got home and cleaned the piercing with anti-bacterial hand soap and sprayed it. It stung a little but after a while it was fine. Months went by and it was still healing. Around december I noticed that the bottom was getting darker and looked like a keloid was forming. I flipped out. I had also run out of H2Ocean so was using regular sea salt soaks and the shot glass cut around my bellybutton so I had a half moon scar next to it. I bought more H20cean and cleaned it. The bump at the bottom went away but then came back. I got irritated again and then started to religiously clean it even though it looked 80% healed, twice a day, sea salt sprays 5 times a day as recommended on the spray can. Low and behold the keloid completely dissapeared and now my navel is pretty much healed. Around my birthday it will be healed, which means it took it around 1 year. Its strange because I usually heal really quickly except with piercings. Anyway, H20cean was a God sent and my navel is good to go! What a great birthday present. Disclaimer: The experience above was submitted by a BME reader and has not been edited. We can not guarantee that the experience is accurate, truthful, or contains valid or even safe advice. We strongly urge you to use BME and other resources to educate yourself so you can make safe informed decisions. Return to Navel / Standard

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Gift Ideas - Gift Basket Idea - Unique Gift Ideas Gift Ideas - Gift Basket Idea - Unique Gift Ideas Gift Ideas Gift Ideas from Harry and David can help make your next Gift Baskets purchase even easier. We have come up with tons of great Gift Ideas to make your Online Catalog Shopping experience even easier. Our Gift Ideas cover everything from an Anniversary Gift Idea to a Birthday Gift Idea . No matter what the occasion, look no further than HarryandDavid.com for Gift Ideas. Gift Basket Idea Look to Harry and David for help with the Gift Basket Idea to suit your needs. Our experienced customer service personnel can help make your Online Gift Shopping experience a bit easier. They can help you choose the right Gift Basket Idea for your occasion. Or, if you have a Gift Basket Idea already in mind, one of our representatives can help choose the gift basket to meet your needs. Whether you are searching for Holiday Gift Baskets , Birthday Gift Baskets , Get Well Gift Baskets , Birthday Gift Towers or Chocolate Gift Boxes we can help turn your Gift Basket Idea into a reality. Unique Gift Ideas Finding Unique Gift Ideas is no easy task these days, so why not give them unique Gift Boxes from Harry and David? Our Unique Gift Ideas can out a smile on anyone's face. Regardless of whether you are searching for Organic Fruit or a Military Gift we go out of our way to cater to the needs of those looking for Unique Gift Ideas. So, before you make your next Gift purchase, look to Harry and David for Unique Gift Ideas. Gift Ideas - Harry and David are the prefect source for a Gift Basket Idea or Unique Gift Ideas Having trouble finding what you want? Simply enter the type of item you would like to find by using the methods below: Search by: Keyword: Category: All Categories NEW Healthful Gifts Chocolates & Bakery Extra Savings Floral Gifts Fresh Fruit & Vegetables Fruit-of-the-Month Club Gift Baskets Gift Boxes & Tins Gift Towers Gifts By Price Gourmet Food Holidays Home Decor Occasions What's New! Price Range: Doesn't Matter less than $50 Greater than $50 Our Guarantee : You must be delighted, or we'll make it right. Subscribe to receive special updates and exclusive offers. Services: Register Now | Customer Service | Gift Services | Gift Card | Catalog Quick Order | Same Day Delivery Gift Finder | My Giftlist™ | Order History | Catalog Request | International APO/FPO Information: Homepage | Harvest Report | Privacy Policy | Browser Requirements | Site Map | About Us Order toll free anytime 1-877-322-1200 © 2005, Harry and David. All Rights Reserved. Harry and David is a registered trademark. [4]

College Gift

Calvin College - Planning Ahead - The Tuition Gift Certificate Program Frequently Asked Questions about Calvin College Tuition Gift Certificates Home Tuition Gift Certificate Other Ways to Plan Ahead To Apply FAQ Contact Us Home FAQ Who may purchase Calvin tuition gift certificates? Anyone may purchase Calvin tuition gift certificates for anyone. You do not have to be a parent, grandparent, or relative in order to purchase a certificate for someone. You may even purchase a certificate for yourself, whether you are a current or future Calvin student. Download an application How do I designate or re-designate a tuition gift certificate beneficiary? When someone purchases a certificate, s/he must designate the beneficiary for whom s/he is purchasing the certificate. The purchaser may, at any time before the certificate expires, re-designate the beneficiary of all or some of the certificate units. This can be done by contacting the Calvin College Financial Services Office. If the beneficiary of the certificate is re-designated, the expiration date will be adjusted according to the new beneficiary’s age. The purchaser may give someone else, or even Calvin College, the power to designate or re-designate the beneficiary of the certificate. Alternatively, the purchaser may give someone a contingent power of appointment, which will permit the appointee to designate or re-designate the beneficiary only in the event that the purchaser is unable to do so because of incapacity, death, or any other reason. Do tuition gift certificates expire? Yes. The expiration date of a tuition gift certificate is determined at the time of purchase based on the age of the designated beneficiary. If the beneficiary of the certificate is re-designated, the expiration date will be adjusted according to the new beneficiary’s age. If the certificate expires before it is used, the purchaser is not entitled to a refund of the purchase price. The value of any unused, expired certificate units is credited to the Calvin College Scholarship Fund. If the purchaser has kept his/her address current in Calvin College’s records, the college will give the purchaser a charitable gift receipt for the value of those certificate units, based on tuition cost on the date that the units are credited to the Calvin College Scholarship Fund. What happens if applying tuition gift certificates to a student’s account results in a credit balance? If a student applies units to his/her account and then has a credit balance on the account, s/he has the option of carrying the credit balance forward or having a certificate reissued for the amount of the credit. No cash refunds will be given for credit balances resulting from the application of certificate units toward tuition. What if I need an itemized statement for tax purposes? Calvin College bills its students for a total amount per semester that includes tuition, room, board, fees, and miscellaneous expenses. Certificate units may be applied to part or all of the bill. The college will itemize expenses for anyone who needs an itemization for tax or gift credit purposes. Will tuition gift certificates reduce a student’s eligibility for scholarships or financial aid? Tuition gift certificates do not affect a student’s opportunity to receive merit scholarships. These scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic excellence without regard to financial resources. On the other hand, need-based scholarships and financial aid are based upon student and family resources. If a parent or student has purchased a tuition gift certificate, s/he must report it on the Calvin College Supplemental Financial Aid Form. A financial aid representative from Calvin’s Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid would be happy to discuss how the ownership of a tuition gift certificate might affect a student’s eligibility for need-based scholarships or financial aid. If a student is a beneficiary of a tuition gift certificate purchased by someone other than his or her parent or the student him/herself, the certificate is not considered a family resource. However, when the units are applied to payment of tuition, they become a resource and the student's need-based assistance will be reassessed. A financial aid representative will be happy to assist you in planning the most beneficial use of the certificate units available to you. How do I make changes to a tuition gift certificate? The certificate is documentation of the tuition units that are purchased. The official record of the certificate units resides in the Calvin College Financial Services Office . Any changes to the certificate must be made in the records of Calvin College, not merely on the paper certificate that the purchaser holds. How do I purchase a tuition gift certificate? Calvin College tuition gift certificates may be purchased only by giving the college an original, completed application form and personal check. The college cannot accept credit card payments for the certificates or a faxed application without a personal check. Financial Services Calvin College 3201 Burton Street S.E. Grand Rapids, MI 49546 (616) 526-6127 (voice) (616) 526-8480 (TTY) Fax: (616) 526-6532 finserv@calvin.edu Calvin College does not discriminate with regard to age, race, color, national origin, sex or disability in any of its education programs or activities. Go To Calvin's home page News and events Information Calvin College Contacting Calvin Admissions Search People at Calvin Departments Calvin's website Contact Angela Peterson Last updated Tuesday, August 30, 2005