101 Things About Me

1. I was born midnight of August 23rd in 1981.
2. So it’s safe to assume that on that day, on that very particular day, I was the first to come out in the world. Unless someone had overtook me by a nanosecond.
3. When asked what I wanted to be when I grow up, I answered “Doctor.”
4. “Or lawyer.”
5. I became neither.
6. I am not that good in photography as people claim.
7. I am super good.
8. Haha! Kidding!
9. I can play the violin.
10. I won first place in a regional proofreading and copywriting contest when I was 15.
11. My classmates pulled my hair in frenzied joy when my name was being called so I was a little groggy when I accepted the award.
12. I often won in “the most fragrant hair” competition versus my best friend Kuri. We compete every morning during our senior year in high school.
13. But I often cheated by putting perfume on my hair before judgment.
14. She gave me a simple personalized mug on our graduation day. It is the most wonderful present I have received. So far.
15. My all-time favorite fictional character is Holden Caulfield.
16. One of my teachers commented that I have a beautiful handwriting.
17. I can drive a motorcycle.
18. But not a car.
19. I have seen all the Presidents from Cory to Gloria, in person.
20. And Marcos too. As corpse. In Batac.
21. I have first been to Boracay when I was 8.
22. I don’t like riding in airplanes, taxis, FX, air con buses, elevators, or any closed automobiles. I easily get drowsy.
23. I used to collect Marvel super heroes cards.
24. I had a yaya named Marilyn until I was 5.
25. I had a suking barbero when I was still a child.
26. I also had a suking magxe-xerox in Public Ad.
27. The three reminds me that change is the only constant thing in the world. Excluding stupidity.
28. I have already seen the largest fish underwater.
29. I was a member of the Super Kids Club.
30. I have seen a falling star… fall right in front of me.
31. I don’t drink coffee anymore. I won’t drink coffee anymore.
32. Unless its coffee Alamid.
33. I love dining al fresco. But please not in turo-turo.
34. The first mountain I conquered was Mt. Makiling.
35. My first real job was being a coder of human ailment and diseases.
36. I’m not fond of my surname.
37. It was always the butt of jokes.
38. And don’t try to crack any jokes about it because I’ve heard all of them.
39. I worked as a student volunteer in the Foreign Affairs and Bilibid.
40. I had my first accident when I was 8.
41. I was hit by a motorcycle.
42. I had asthma when I was still a baby.
43. I don’t have it now.
44. But I still am lanky.
45. My favorite games when I was still a child were patintero, taguan and syato.
46. When she was still alive, my grandmother used to take me to the beach.
47. I used to steal money from mom.
48. But not that much.
49. Only enough to buy me books. Lots of books.
50. I have a collection of books and toys. Under lock and key.
51. I was a CAT officer.
52. I almost didn’t graduate because of ROTC.
53. I used to have a skateboard.
54. I’m 5’8 tall.
55. I can swim.
56. I can sing.
57. But not that good.
58. I don’t smoke.
59. I don’t drink.
60. I don’t wear any accessory.
61. You got the picture - pretty bland and boring.
62. I’m a registered voter.
63. But I never voted since I registered.
64. I am the eldest.
65. I usually eat the dessert before the main dish.
66. I had my first operation when I was 12.
67. It wasn’t fatal.
68. All boys willing to be man undergo it.
69. I ran for vice president in my last year in high school.
70. I didn’t win.
71. I wish I haven’t collected Sidney Sheldon books.
72. It was a little too late I realized they’re full of craps.
73. My first story was published in Funny Komiks.
74. I have visited the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Philippines except the Subterranean River and Tubbataha.
75. I love crabs and shrimps. My siblings don’t.
76. I don’t like dinuguan or any dish with atay or balun-balunan. My siblings do.
77. I never liked dogs.
78. I was bitten once.
79. But I didn’t get rabies.
80. I have milked a cow.
81. I get claustrophobic when I’m wearing goggles.
82. I don’t look at the clock after 11 pm.
83. I got exempted from taking the civil service exam.
84. But I took it anyway.
85. And got 89%. I was second placer in our batch.
86. I can speak Tagalog, Aklanon, Ilonggo and a little bit (little bit here means very basic words like hello and goodbye) of Spanish, French and Bahasa.
87. I passed the qualifying exam for German class at FSI.
88. But I didn’t pursue it.
89. Because I got accepted in my Masters.
90. I used to fly kites, cross the river and wander in the forest with my childhood friends.
91. The only thing my sister and I say to shut my brother up amidst a fight when we were still young was “You are adopted!”
92. But of course, he isn't. I could still remember the day he was born.
93. I love spelunking.
94. I went to Corregidor all by myself on my 22nd birthday.
95. I was almost incarcerated in a prison bus for jaywalking in Cubao exactly a year after.
96. I have already appeared in a Japanese cable TV show.
97. It’s not porno.
98. I thought I would never finish this list.
99. But I did.
100. I might write a sequel to this titled “102 More Things About Me.”
101. Or maybe not.