--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first thing I noticed when I woke up…" description: "\"“The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the hippo squatting on my head.”\" — Gemma Halliday" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16e/gemma-halliday-13972_quote_the-first-thing-i-noticed-when-i-woke-up_1518637.jpg" --- # The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the hippo… ![“The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the hippo squatting on my head.” quote by Gemma Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16e/gemma-halliday-13972_quote_the-first-thing-i-noticed-when-i-woke-up_1518637.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16e/gemma-halliday-13972_quote_the-first-thing-i-noticed-when-i-woke-up_1518637.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16e/gemma-halliday-13972_quote_the-first-thing-i-noticed-when-i-woke-up_1518637.jpg) > ““The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the hippo squatting on my head.”” [Gemma Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-halliday/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights the absurdity of waking to an unexpected, humorous situation. **In simple terms:** Waking up to a funny surprise. Key Takeaway Find humor in the unexpected. Themes humor surprise absurdity Mood playful light‑hearted Type humorous inspirational When to use this quote - morning routine - travel - creative brainstorming - stress relief Key Concepts unexpected events mindfulness light‑heartedness Practical Applications - May not translate to serious contexts. Questions to Reflect On - What unexpected moments have you experienced? A Different Perspective How can humor shift your perspective? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hippo/) [Hippo Squatting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hippo-squatting-5607789/) [Noticed Woke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noticed-woke-5607792/) [Squatting Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/squatting-head-5607791/) [Woke Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woke-hippo-5607790/) ## Related quotes > [Curled up at the base of the scales, fast asleep, was the oddest monster I'd seen yet. It had the head of crocodile with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/curled-up-at-the-base-of-the-scales-fast-asleep-was-the-oddest/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [I'd say the best is when I was in Africa, I saw a hippo in a house. Someone had a pet hippo. And they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/i-d-say-the-best-is-when-i-was-in-africa-i-saw-a-hippo-in-a-house/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/come-unto-me-all-ye-that-labor-and-are-heavy-laden/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [“attacker. The tusks on a hippo too are formidable weapons that are used to good effect against rivals, or as a threat display (their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-brakspear/attacker-the-tusks-on-a-hippo-too-are-formidable-weapons-that-are/) [Patrick Brakspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-brakspear/) > [ “Back in the kitchen, Mummy was trying to make her \[knitted\] hippo stand up on the table. I had to swallow a gasp of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hester-browne/back-in-the-kitchen-mummy-was-trying-to-make-her-knitted-hippo-stand/) [Hester Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hester-browne/) > [Grant what Thou commandest, and command what Thou wilt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/grant-what-thou-commandest-and-command-what-thou-wilt/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [We wandered the halls of an infinite magic nursing home, led by a hippo nurse with a torch. Really, just an ordinary night for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/we-wandered-the-halls-of-an-infinite-magic-nursing-home-led-by-a/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“I am she who lifts the mountains When she goes to hunt, Who wears mamba for a headband And a lion for a belt.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/i-am-she-who-lifts-the-mountains-when-she-goes-to-hunt-who-wears/) [Nancy Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/) > [“Don’t worry, Houndstooth. This hippo caper will go off without a hitch.” Houndstooth”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-gailey/don-t-worry-houndstooth-this-hippo-caper-will-go-off-without-a-hitch/) [Sarah Gailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-gailey/) > [I'm not fighting with myself. Oh, my God. That's how I am. You know, the story of the hippo? The hippo comes to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marat-safin/i-m-not-fighting-with-myself-oh-my-god-that-s-how-i-am-you-know-the/) [Marat Safin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marat-safin/) > [The fact is that philosophy has been a decisive source of inspiration in all the great crises that Europe has faced. It has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-esposito/the-fact-is-that-philosophy-has-been-a-decisive-source-of-inspiration/) [Roberto Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-esposito/) > [“idea of whacking the hippo.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-gibbs/idea-of-whacking-the-hippo/) [Stuart Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-gibbs/) > [Hippos kill more people in Africa annually than any other wild animal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ayittey/hippos-kill-more-people-in-africa-annually-than-any-other-wild-animal/) [George Ayittey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-ayittey/) > [For what is faith unless it is to believe what you do not see?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/for-what-is-faith-unless-it-is-to-believe-what-you-do-not-see/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [The hippo of recollection stirred in the muddy waters of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-hippo-of-recollection-stirred-in-the-muddy-waters-of-the-mind/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More by Gemma Halliday > [“Connor Crane was currently the secret crush of half the female HHH population. And a couple of the males, too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-halliday/connor-crane-was-currently-the-secret-crush-of-half-the-female-hhh/) [Gemma Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-halliday/) > [“If my tiny studio apartment in Santa Monica were, heaven forbid, to go up in a blazing inferno, the one thing I would rush…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-halliday/if-my-tiny-studio-apartment-in-santa-monica-were-heaven-forbid-to-go/) [Gemma Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-halliday/) > [“The first thing I did was run. Okay, actually the first thing I did was scream, lose my balance, flail my arms in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-halliday/the-first-thing-i-did-was-run-okay-actually-the-first-thing-i-did-was/) [Gemma Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-halliday/) > [“Ramirez and I wanted to spend our first Christmas Eve together with just a nice, romantic, quiet evening at home.” “I never promised to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-halliday/ramirez-and-i-wanted-to-spend-our-first-christmas-eve-together-with/) [Gemma Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-halliday/) > [“That craptastical, gutless, son-of-a-cactus-humping butt monkey!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-halliday/that-craptastical-gutless-son-of-a-cactus-humping-butt-monkey/) [Gemma Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-halliday/) > [“So, really, this was all Ramirez's fault. (What can I say? Twelve years of Catholic school had taught me how to reassign guilt with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-halliday/so-really-this-was-all-ramirez-s-fault-what-can-i-say-twelve-years-of/) [Gemma Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-halliday/) > [“Jax Cassidy is a brilliant new voice in contemporary fiction. Full of heat, seduction, and romance, her winning characters are sure to capture your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-halliday/jax-cassidy-is-a-brilliant-new-voice-in-contemporary-fiction-full-of/) [Gemma Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-halliday/) > [“Holy effing crap, that sucks!" I turned to her. "Effing?" Sam shrugged. "What?" "We're censoring now?" "Kyle says I have a mouth like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-halliday/holy-effing-crap-that-sucks-i-turned-to-her-effing-sam-shrugged-what/) [Gemma Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-halliday/) > [“I need to be casual but not too casual. Dressy but not too dressy. I need him to think I just threw on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-halliday/i-need-to-be-casual-but-not-too-casual-dressy-but-not-too-dressy-i/) [Gemma Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-halliday/) > [“Tell you what," I said. "I'll learn to cook when you learn to scrub toilets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-halliday/tell-you-what-i-said-i-ll-learn-to-cook-when-you-learn-to-scrub/) [Gemma Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-halliday/) > [“Do you ever tell the truth?" "Once. In fourth grade. It was overrated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-halliday/do-you-ever-tell-the-truth-once-in-fourth-grade-it-was-overrated/) [Gemma Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-halliday/) > [“Okay, if there's one thing you don't ever say to a woman on the edge it's that she's hormonal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-halliday/okay-if-there-s-one-thing-you-don-t-ever-say-to-a-woman-on-the-edge/) [Gemma Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-halliday/) > [“My philosophy: if the heels are high enough, everyone looks like they have runner's calves, right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-halliday/my-philosophy-if-the-heels-are-high-enough-everyone-looks-like-they/) [Gemma Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-halliday/) > [“but unless I wanted my mom's neighbor's second cousin's milkman attending my special day, it looked like an afternoon with The List was in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-halliday/but-unless-i-wanted-my-mom-s-neighbor-s-second-cousin-s-milkman/) [Gemma Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-halliday/) > [“While it wasn't a total given that all members of the Color Guard also belonged to the Chastity Club, twirling flags was considered one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-halliday/while-it-wasn-t-a-total-given-that-all-members-of-the-color-guard/) [Gemma Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-halliday/) [Explore all 48 Gemma Halliday quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-halliday/) ## More Hippo quotes > [Curled up at the base of the scales, fast asleep, was the oddest monster I'd seen yet. It had the head of crocodile with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/curled-up-at-the-base-of-the-scales-fast-asleep-was-the-oddest/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [For what is faith unless it is to believe what you do not see?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/for-what-is-faith-unless-it-is-to-believe-what-you-do-not-see/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Hippos kill more people in Africa annually than any other wild animal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ayittey/hippos-kill-more-people-in-africa-annually-than-any-other-wild-animal/) [George Ayittey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-ayittey/) > [“idea of whacking the hippo.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-gibbs/idea-of-whacking-the-hippo/) [Stuart Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-gibbs/) > [The fact is that philosophy has been a decisive source of inspiration in all the great crises that Europe has faced. It has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-esposito/the-fact-is-that-philosophy-has-been-a-decisive-source-of-inspiration/) [Roberto Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-esposito/) > [I'm not fighting with myself. Oh, my God. That's how I am. You know, the story of the hippo? The hippo comes to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marat-safin/i-m-not-fighting-with-myself-oh-my-god-that-s-how-i-am-you-know-the/) [Marat Safin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marat-safin/) > [“Don’t worry, Houndstooth. This hippo caper will go off without a hitch.” Houndstooth”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-gailey/don-t-worry-houndstooth-this-hippo-caper-will-go-off-without-a-hitch/) [Sarah Gailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-gailey/) > [“I am she who lifts the mountains When she goes to hunt, Who wears mamba for a headband And a lion for a belt.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/i-am-she-who-lifts-the-mountains-when-she-goes-to-hunt-who-wears/) [Nancy Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/) > [We wandered the halls of an infinite magic nursing home, led by a hippo nurse with a torch. Really, just an ordinary night for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/we-wandered-the-halls-of-an-infinite-magic-nursing-home-led-by-a/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Grant what Thou commandest, and command what Thou wilt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/grant-what-thou-commandest-and-command-what-thou-wilt/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [ “Back in the kitchen, Mummy was trying to make her \[knitted\] hippo stand up on the table. I had to swallow a gasp of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hester-browne/back-in-the-kitchen-mummy-was-trying-to-make-her-knitted-hippo-stand/) [Hester Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hester-browne/) > [“attacker. The tusks on a hippo too are formidable weapons that are used to good effect against rivals, or as a threat display (their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-brakspear/attacker-the-tusks-on-a-hippo-too-are-formidable-weapons-that-are/) [Patrick Brakspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-brakspear/) > [Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/come-unto-me-all-ye-that-labor-and-are-heavy-laden/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [I'd say the best is when I was in Africa, I saw a hippo in a house. Someone had a pet hippo. And they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/i-d-say-the-best-is-when-i-was-in-africa-i-saw-a-hippo-in-a-house/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [The hippo of recollection stirred in the muddy waters of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-hippo-of-recollection-stirred-in-the-muddy-waters-of-the-mind/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) [Browse all 61 Hippo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hippo/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the hippo squatting on my head.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gemma Halliday" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-halliday/the-first-thing-i-noticed-when-i-woke-up-was-the-hippo-squatting-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hippo" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-halliday/the-first-thing-i-noticed-when-i-woke-up-was-the-hippo-squatting-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16e/gemma-halliday-13972_quote_the-first-thing-i-noticed-when-i-woke-up_1518637.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16e/gemma-halliday-13972_quote_the-first-thing-i-noticed-when-i-woke-up_1518637.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16e/gemma-halliday-13972_quote_the-first-thing-i-noticed-when-i-woke-up_1518637.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the hippo squatting on my head.” — Gemma Halliday", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Gemma Halliday", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-halliday/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The first thing I noticed when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-halliday/the-first-thing-i-noticed-when-i-woke-up-was-the-hippo-squatting-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-halliday/the-first-thing-i-noticed-when-i-woke-up-was-the-hippo-squatting-on/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```