[Me] I am: 26 I am: straight I am: creative I am: Welsh I am: a poet, an artist, a playwright, a photographer, a film maker, a web designer I am: an X Phile I am: trying to get fit but not succeeding very well at the moment I am: a Buddhist Pagan atheist (yeah, I know) I am: considering applying for an MA in Religious Studies next year I am: a HR admin officer for the Civil Service and a part time private tutor (English, religion and philosophy) Like: storms, tattoos, piercing, books, words, music, learning, philosophy Dislike: rudeness, racism, ignorance, bad grammar, cruelty to others, pop music, confrontation, idiot drivers Music: VNV Nation, Apoptygma Berzerk, CombiChrist, Covenant, Icon of Coil, Suicide Commando, Echo Image, Assemblage 23, Iris, Cruxshadows, Wolfsheim, NIN, Rico, Mesh, The Cure Authors: R.S.Thomas, Patrick Jones, Milan Kundera, Neil Gaiman, Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus, Terry Pratchett, Jeanette Winterson, Louis de Bernières, John Irving, Poppy Z. Brite Films: Nightmare Before Christmas, American Beauty, The Cider House Rules, The Virgin Suicides, Pirates of the Caribbean, Edward Scissorhands, The Cat Returns, Spirited Away, Laputa - Castle in the Sky [Current mods] Piercings: 1.6mm labret 1.6mm tongue 1.6mm earl 1x1.6mm cheek piercing 2x 1.6mm eyebrow (right) 1.2mm tragus (right ear) 1.2mm cartilage(right ear) 5mm flesh tunnel (left ear) 10mm flesh tunnel(left ear) 5mm flesh tunnel (right ear) 10mm flesh tunnel(right ear) 1.6mm stud (left ear) 1.6 mm stud (right ear) 1mm nostril 1.6mm industrial (left ear) 1.6mm vertical hood surface piercings on both upper arms two vertical microdermals on my breast bone (just below my tattoo) Tattoos: Runic inscription on right arm ("Not all those who wander are lost" - J.R.R Tolkien) Runic inscription on left arm ("There is eloquence in screaming" - Patrick Jones) Japanese style dragon on lower back Celtic/gothic-esque design on middle back Custom design on chest - celtic symbol for protection with three entwined crescent moons and celtic design on either side Text from VNV Nation song ("I know in darkness I will find you giving up inside like me") going across shoulder blades Tribal-esque design from joint to knuckle on the middle finger of my right hand Left half sleeve - tree in spring Right half sleeve - tree in winter [Future mods] [Piercings]: Industrial (left ear) Nose Venoms 2 Eyebrow (left) 2 Eyebrow (right) Nipples (horizontal and vertical in each) Navel (3 in triangle shape) Earl (bridge) Hood Labia Right cheek Various surface piercings [Tattoos]: Text from VNV Nation song ("I know in darkness I will find you giving up inside like me") going across shoulder blades Text or runic inscription on neck (not sure what text yet though) Dragon backpiece incorporating the celtic/gothic-esque design already there Several more that I haven't thought of in detail [Implants]: Horns on both temples Transdermals running down both arms Subdermals on both breasts [Other]:Split tongue [Retired] Right cheek piercing Both horizontal nipple piercings 2 rings from left eyebrow rings from right eyebrow Nostril piercing Off set lip piercing Earl (bridge) piercing Surface piercing on left upper arm Surface piercing on right upper arm [Links] Scar Tissue Website Scar Tissue Messageboard Written on The Body Messageboard Questionable Content Queen of Wands The Other Side Submissive Reflections The Creatures in my Head Vasily Kafanov Rust Boy Gothic Miss Manners Happy Tree Friends Terminal Winter Bunny Dogwitch PostSecret Suscons: Wales and West [Forums] Are you experienced? Postcard Exchange IAM: Penpals IAM: Book Exchange IAM: Teacher Depression IAM: Self Injury - graphic IAM:Hurt BME Phonebook IAM: A Sponsor IAM: Artist IAM: Bookclub I Need A Place To Crash IAM:Pagan IAM World of Warcraft IAM: Vegan Recipes iam.photographer Wishlist Trader Enlightenment - Quotes IAM.Crafty Writers Anonymous The Custom Jewellery Forum IAM: Learning Another Language IAM: Photography your artwork Craft Forum OF DEATH IAM.crush2 IAM: Fitness IAM: Weight Loss Wales and West Suspension Group [Self Injury and Mental Health] I have suffered with clinical depression, anxiety and borderline personality disorder for a long time. I have also self harmed for a long time. I know that it's not the best thing to do, but for me it's a coping mechanism, a maladaptive one admittedly, but it's the only thing that seems to work for me. I have hundreds of scars - literally. I have cut myself everywhere I can reach and somehow I can never seem to cut deep enough. It's something I'm dealing with every day and not many other people understand, at least not my family and friends. It's hard to deal with it if you've not experienced it yourself, but I'm trying to help others, both those who do self harm, and those who don't. I'm currently admin of a large SI community and I also run a board offering support for family or friends of those who do self harm - the link for both can be found below. Why it's important to let young people cut Shannon's experience Young People and Self Harm The UK government's national inquiry into self harm Scar Tissue Website A website with a list of resources dealing with self injury. Also includes links to two message boards. Scar Tissue One of the messageboards from the Scar Tissue website providing support to those who self harm. Written on the Body A support site for those who support the people who self harm - family, friends, teachers, etc. [Contact] Homepage:[/fangsandflames] Artwork:Abstraction Art | wolfbane:the art conspiracy wolfbane.etsy.com Myspace: thewelshwitch Facebook: Bethan Jones (if you're adding me on Myspace or Facebook let me know you're on IAM as otherwise I'll ignore you) e-mail: thewelshwitch@hotmail.com msn: thewelshwitch

My experiences:
Mods and Jobs
First Bridge Piercing
Industrials Hurt!
Latest Tattoo Experience
Plain 'ol Nostril Piercing
Warning
The Importance of Words (or A Blank Canvas)
Nipple Piercings for New Rocks
A Lesson Learned: My Thoughts on Self Piercing
My First Convention Tattoo
You Do The What Tip Test?
The First International London Tattoo Convention 7,8,9 October 2005
Should We Be Role Models?
Becoming Visibly Modified
Do We Deserve This?
The Little Earl That Couldn't
The Start of a Surface Project
Dirty Studio/Clean Kitchen
Not Quite A Cover-Up
When They Say It's a Bit Too Short But It'll Be OK You Don't Nod...
The Return of Earl
Becoming Visibly Modified
Love Me, Love My Mods
Shiny Metal Between My Boobs (Or Microdermal Implants)
The End of a Surface Project
So you think you can tell heaven from hell, blue skies from pain
This, Too, Shall Pass
Microdermals Part Two (More Shiny Metal)

Peeps

cuthalcoven	Ebowlotus1960	Scaredycat	athanasia	Lozza_mc	Momentary_Seizure	Sterling
Queenie	Azelma	Bot	northern lights	deadly pale	unknownstar	neek

Other than that I've been stupidly busy - haven't been on here in ages! I'm not ignoring anyone - there just aren't enough hours in the day. I promise I'll get back to you soon.

I did an interview on Friday with Wales on Sunday about self injury and raising awareness, and this is the result. I think I'm happy with it; a lot of what we talked about was left out - I wanted to focus more on setting up a charity in Wales than on my own experiences, but I guess those are kind of essential in setting the story.

But at least it's done now and hopefully it'll raise awareness and get me some positive responses for the Welsh charity.

It's This too shall pass on my wrists - this too on the left and shall pass on the right.

Very apt for the way I feel at the moment too.

If you would like to support Scar Tissue there are several things you can do. The most obvious is to continue using the site and the messageboard, but also by spreading the word. Tell your family, friends and colleagues about us or download some of our posters and display those. We can also be found on various other websites, including MySPace, Facebook and Bebo, and we could use your support there. Check us out (links below) and add us to your friends list.

Bebo.com/ScarTissueonline
Scar Tissue on Facebook (this is invite only so you'll need to contact me to join).
MySpace.com/scartissuest
Scar Tissue at All Poetry
Scar-Tissue2k.DeviantArt.com/
Twitter.com/scar_tissue
scartissueonline.blogspot.com
feedburner.com/blogspot/scartissue

You can also get information about Scar Tissue and self injury by subscribing to our newsletter. Published on a regular basis it provides informative and interesting articles on self injury as well as readers' letters and experiences.

Like most non-profit organisations, Scar Tissue is funded by myself and Alison (the co-owner), who pay for the site with our own money and dedicate our time to running it. If you would like to help cover the cost of running Scar Tissue (all money raised will go back into running the site) you can buy our self injury awareness wristbands and keyrings. The wristbands are made of orange silicone and are embossed with the Scar Tissue name and website address (coming in adult and youth sizes), while the keyrings have the Scar Tissue logo and website address on them. Prices start at $2 (or £1) minus postage and can be shipped anywhere in the world. Check them out (and order online) at our services page.

You can also take Scar Tissue with you wherever you go, and help raise awareness of self injury, with our online shop at Cafe Press! We have a range of items for sale that promote the organisation, and all profits go straight back into running the site. All our products have the Scar Tissue logo or website address on them, and the things we sell include t-shirts, mugs, stickers and teddy bears! You'll find us at www.cafepress.com/Scar_Tissue.

Now I'm just testing my logo!