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Point Journal issue #56 - Association of Professional Piercers

Point Journal issue #56 - Association of Professional Piercers

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Al D. Scholar<br />

Kendra<br />

Berndt<br />

Eye <strong>of</strong> the Lotus<br />

Edmunton, Canada<br />

A wise woman once told me,<br />

“Conference will change your life. When<br />

it is done you will either know this is<br />

what you will do forever, or you will know<br />

this is not for you.”<br />

The past year—basically, my<br />

entire apprenticeship—caused me<br />

to question my abilities, knowledge,<br />

skills—everything. But getting the Al D.<br />

Scholarship and going to my first APP<br />

Conference gave me a sense <strong>of</strong> validation,<br />

justifying all <strong>of</strong> my hard work, sweat, and<br />

tears. I tried to embrace this opportunity—<br />

even though I was frightened like a<br />

schoolkid—and took it as a challenge to<br />

educate myself, build great friendships,<br />

and present myself as pr<strong>of</strong>essionally as I<br />

could in my future career.<br />

Conference week I had little sleep<br />

and even less food, but I can proudly<br />

say I faced its challenges and embraced<br />

all its opportunities. I shook hands with<br />

people I have watched on television and<br />

became friends with people I have read<br />

about. I found a great sense <strong>of</strong> family and<br />

a few very special friends. I questioned<br />

my existing knowledge and gained a<br />

priceless education, making me a more<br />

open-minded piercer with an unbounded<br />

passion for what I do. Most importantly,<br />

Conference taught me that I will be able to<br />

handle whatever my career or my life may<br />

throw at me with grace and confidence.<br />

I look forward to next year’s<br />

Conference, from the new friendships<br />

to the education. Thank you to everyone<br />

who made this a pivotal experience in my<br />

life. I hope to one day give back to this<br />

community a fraction <strong>of</strong> what was given<br />

to me.<br />

I now know this is what I will do forever.<br />

Topping <strong>of</strong>f a thorough revamping <strong>of</strong> the<br />

APP’s graphic identity over the last five<br />

years, Jon Loudon—the APP’s graphic<br />

designer—redesigned and re-imagined<br />

the APP’s booths at Conference this<br />

year. Jon has been instrumental in not<br />

only creating and solidifying the APP’s<br />

graphic identity—designing everything<br />

from brochures to business cards—but<br />

has also been responsible for the design<br />

and layout <strong>of</strong> The <strong>Point</strong> since <strong>issue</strong><br />

#35. The organization owes him our<br />

continuing thanks.<br />

Sure, you can learn<br />

a ton from the classes<br />

and buy a lot <strong>of</strong> cool<br />

jewelry, but the real<br />

knowledge you learn is<br />

that you are not alone.<br />

Al D. Scholar: Aaron Foster<br />

Pino Brothers Tattoo, Cambridge, Massachusetts<br />

38 THE POINT ISSUE 56

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