So yeah – last weekend before I went to Texas (which would explain the elongated absence) I got a new tattoo. It’s one of those Baybayin tattoos that all twenty/thirtysomething Filipinos get to show that they are Filipino and that they are cool.

Mine says Ti agmúla, agápit, which in Ilocano (a Filipino dialect), it translates to “He who sows, reaps.”

The tattoo also says, “Yeah, I’m Filipino and have somewhat of a grasp of my culture’s history, but in reality, I think it just looks really cool.” I mean, I could claim that I am hardcore Filipino, but I am past that now. I did the whole spoken word militant bullshit. The tattoo is just a way to celebrate my culture and to permanently mark my body with something that helps me also celebrate myself as a human (how profound). Plus, the literal translation is something universal and it makes me feel kind of smart. It’s a mantra that I live by in more ways than one. In reality, I am not that deep. For crying out loud, I just did a fluffy post on Sex and the City.

The design was by this dude Christian Cabuay. He founded PinoyTattoos.com. Another dude by the name of Oey, the owner of Sacred Tattoo in Oakland, actually carved it on to my skin. I interviewed them for an Asian tattoo article I did that ran on Monday. By their powers combined, they created one helluva tattoo that is looks like a flawless piece of art painted on to my skin.

I feel so tough.