What is ‘Needle Butt’?
Needle Butt, or 屁股長針 (pì gu zhang zhen) is a Chinese saying literally translated to “needles growing out of one’s butt.”
This means that, due to the prickle of all the needles on the butt, the sufferer is unable to sit still for long periods of time because…well…it’s uncomfortable.
I’m not sure exactly where my wander-lusting ways came from, but for as long as I can remember, my mother has enjoyed commenting on how I have needles growing on my butt.
“My daughter can’t sit still to do her homework. So many needles on her butt.”
“My daughter never comes home for dinner. So many needles on her butt.”
“My daughter is flying across the Pacific Ocean for the third time this year. So many needles on her butt.”
“My daughter just quit her job and bought a one-way ticket to Europe. So many needles on her butt.”
A Life of ‘Needle Butt’
And so this is my life, always wandering from place to place, seeking new sights, new friends, new adventures—unable to handle routine lest I grow bored and complacent, feeling as if my life has become stagnant and lost meaning.
And why would anyone run the risk of becoming complacent in this vast and wondrous world?
Yes, life is challenging and filled with responsibilities, finances, resumes, interpersonal relationships, etc. etc. and it’s easy to get bogged down in the nuances of the day-to-day. It’s easy to forgo dreams in a mountain of bills. But if you only have courage and determination, you can stand up and claim what your heart desires. Take it from me.
I am a girl who stands on her own two feet and builds her own fortunes with her own two hands. I’ll chase my dreams until I fall off the edge of earth.
