Tattoo in Leh, Ladakh

I will definitely get a tattoo in Leh if I survive there. It will be something between my thumb and forefinger, where I've always wanted one, (even before I saw Helen Mirren's). I work in a school so have to be careful. It can't be anything too much. Maybe a half-moon, or a star...whatever seems right when I am at the top of the world, on the Tibetan Plateau, for the one time in my life.

I remember when I was in Mexico 40 years ago and nearly got the Virgin of Guadalupe tattooed on my hip by a very old (and I'm sure holy) Indian man, having had at that time a feeling of adoration for Mary, that particular religious image with the babe and roses at her feet and the beams of light emanating from her, but then I stopped, thinking "What would my mother think?" I asked the guy to stop and ended up with one simple blue dot on my hip forever. I remember we were in an adobe shack in a desert at the time, and his delicate pens and bottles of ink were laid out so neatly in this little place that had no water.... I felt fine. Well my mother is long gone now, and it's 40 years later, and I can do what I want. I'll take it from here mom.

Let's see what happens. It's gonna be great. It's gonna last forever. Me and Otzi the Iceman from 5000 years ago, who had dozens of tattoos. Maybe a dot or two on my left knee and my right ankle, like him. We'll see. It'll definitely mean something.My daughter might feel that way too.

While I'm at it I'll get some henna on my hair to make it more natural looking than the hair-gadgeted girl today made it. Time to rise and shine and give God our glory, glory, children of the Lord!