Best tattoo question ever.....

I've mentionied it before, but I'm one of those folks that has no problem talking about my tats. In fact, I'm actually kind of bummed that more folks don't ask about them.

It's always fun to talk about tats with people.

Now, as you all may know, I have a kanji tat on my left inner forearm. I got is as a memorial for the folks I've lost in my life, and at the time I actually got it, I had lost four people in 5 months.

Now, given the preponderance of bad kanji tattoos out there, I did all my own research, and printed out a copy of the character that I wanted, and while I was 99% sure that it said 'death', as I'd intended, there was always that nagging little 1% of me that wondered:

Did I find the right kanji? Did the artist tattoo it on right? Would anyone really be able to read and understand it?

Well, the dilemma was solved for me this past Sunday. I was at work, and a lady I'd not seen before (but whom i now to to be japanese) asked me why I got/wanted a tattoo that said death.

I told her the story behind it, and how it was to remind me of all those I'd lost, all the while, brimming with joy that she'd seen and read it, and it actually said what I'd hoped it did.

Needless to say, I was in a great mood for the remainder of the day, and I still get a little grin when I think about it.

Buenos con queso,

T.