Body art.

No I'm not talking about body painting where some girls get naked and wear only body paints as 'coverings'. I just realized that I want a tattoo. Years back I went to a talk with a friend because they said that there'll be free henna tattoo after. Curious and bored, I pestered my friend into coming with me for the talk. We were on the same floor where the event is happening, so why not, right?

Michael Andrada (one of the most loved profs in my university because of his intelligence, humor, and friendliness [he always says hi to his students and never finds it difficult to smile first to his former students! talk about awesome!]) gave a cultural perspective to the talk where he mentioned how important for it for the men in the northern part of the Philippines to have a tattoo as it is a status symbol. I cannot remember quite well but it goes like the more tattoo you have, the higher your status is. What's interesting is that it's a sort of a test for manhood too as the number of tattoos you have on your body is indicative of your level of pain threshold. Maybe that's why a lot of guys are addicted to tattoos. Tattoos, in my opinion, may stand for many things; boldness, hotness, courage, or rebellion. Whatever it is, it looks cool to me. Other than cool, it gives you something to remember to mark an important event in your life. Just look at how Angelina Jolie famously has so much tattoo on her body. The most interesting for me being the geographical coordinates where she got her adopted children from.

A friend of mine tattooed the name of his partner in his *believe me you don't want to imagine where*. I just hope that they don't break-up because his body may look like a memorial park with all his ex-partners on it if it becomes a way for him to show his affection. One guy from a jeepney (this story was told by C) had his girlfriend's name tattooed repeatedly all over his body. His legs, arms, and face had 'Kate' tattooed on it. Talk about looking like a living Louis Vuitton bag. :/

During our high school reunion, I saw two of my batchmates sporting tattoos. I secretly liked the one with a tattoo on his neck better. It's dreadful to imagine how the tattoo artist had to run over the needles through his neck but it looks really good on him.

Most recently, T decided to have a tattoo too, on her chest! It was a Chinese character which means love. The tattoo made her all the more attractive in a badass way. You know the tank top wearing hot girl with a black bomber jacket? That's T.

Love in Chinese

Another friend of mine, V has tribal designs and inscriptions on her arms and nape. I like how I feel when I look at her tattoos because it brings me back to the time when we had a different alphabet and makes me think of how awesome it might have been if we had our own writing system. We'll probably have difficulty learning English as was demonstrated by Thais, Cambodians but if my country's as rich or is richer than Japan is (or was?) then everyone will have to learn my writing system. How terrific is that? The world making an effort to understand my country's language rather than take my language for granted just because the country speaks and understands English. English has its perks, I know, but it feels great when someone from a different country makes an effort to learn to speak a couple of sentences in my language.

What am I getting at? Goldfish slap slap

I want a tattoo too!!!except that...

• I'm scared of the pain. And the needle (the last time I had my blood drawn I got sick right after). 
• I'm pretty sure my father will freak out.
• To get a good (this means safe and hygienic in my dictionary) tattoo, money is needed. And right now, I'm a pauper. It would probably take my 3 months worth of weekly allowance before I can go to a decent (this means safe and hygienic in my dictionary) tattoo shop.
• I heard about tattoos making it difficult for anyone who wishes to leave my country (especially for the States) to get a visa. I still haven't confirmed this but just to be safe. 

If in case I do get one (in the farthest possible future), I'd probably place it on my left hand in between my thumb and my point finger. In alibata, I would like to have the word 'tibay' (strength) or 'tapang' (courage), I'm still thinking over the gravity of the two words, to remind me whenever I write (which would hopefully be most of the time someday) of these two important things that would get me through life.