Half Sleeping

C: Hey you want to go get tattoo tonight.

Me: What? Sure. I am going back to sleep now.

C: Okay we are leaving at 7:30.

Me: Okay, see you then. (roll over and back to sleep)

And that is how I decided to get my first tattoo. I was taking a nap between classes my Sophomore year and one of my best friends woke me up, I told her what I needed to so I could go back to sleep. I was 19 and stupid.

I now have 4 tattoos and I want 2 more (at least).

The tattoo looks like a Japanese character to most people at first glance but it is a cross with a Christian fish on it. It is not artistic, and at this point in my life I would choose different symbols to express my faith. Nonetheless, I love that when I was teaching English in Taiwan my students thought it looked cool and would doodle it on their school work. I often think about covering it up with a more artist image, but I kind of love the memory of being young and stupid (because at 27 I am now old and wise, obviously). I think it is funny. I have had it for 8 years now. That seems like a long time until I remember that by the time it is all said and done I will hopefully have had it for 80 (assuming I love to be 99).

I am not at all sure why I am writing this post, except to say, I love that at 19 I thought it was such a big deal that I was getting a tattoo. I am amused by the fact that I made a choice to permanently alter my appearance while being interrupted from a nap. And I wander if at 35 I will look back on this year in awe of the choices I made while half sleeping.