115 things about me

This post is lifted from my friend Jerome's blog. The idea was actually simple - find out how many items apply to you (and hopefully help you get to know yourself better). I know, I know I am intellectualizing it (a common lament about me! hahaha). So here's my version of it - naturally and very typical of me, with corresponding comments and opinions (shempre pa!).

01. I miss somebody right now.
I actually miss many people right now. Five of the people I miss the most: my youngest brother Cy who is somewhere in the waters near Pakistan, my College best friend Arthur who is at Louisiana State U (am very proud to add that he has a Ph.D. already and is Assistant Professor there), best friend Franz who is Department Head at Bicol U, Tatay who is probably the person who understands me the most, and someone I used to do baby talk with.

02. I watch more tv than I used to.
The TV is always on in my room. Even when I am not watching it. Even when I am listening to music. Bad, I know.

03. I love olives.
Only when it is in putannesca (yummm!). I haven't developed a taste for alcoholic concoctions that have olives in them.

04. I love sleeping.
Not really. If I can do without it, I would. What I actually dread about sleeping is that I have difficulty doing it. If there was an honorary doctorate degree for tricks done to get to sleep I would probably win it hands down - from taking all kinds of pills and concoctions, to imagining all sorts of things from sheep to running water on a stream, to reading really boring books, ad nauseum.

05. I own lots of books.
I own more books than I can read in two lifetimes. I have accumulated books gathering dust in my library reserved for retirement reading (when oh when!?).

06. I wear glasses or contact lenses.
Yes and Yes.

07. I love to play video games.
Nah. It's not for me. I remember one time when a friend stopped talking to me because I could not get the whole point of that computer game called "Doom." I kept asking "what's the point?"

08. I’ve tried marijuana.
Okay, students who are reading this: just because I have doesn't mean you can or should.

09. I’ve watched porn movies.
Who hasn't?

10. I have been in a threesome.
Ehem. That's actually a low number. Hehehe.

11. I have been the psycho-ex in a past relationship.
Nah. If there is anything I am proud of about my past relationships, it is that they all ended quite well. I always made it a point to end amicably - no bitterness and regrets.

12. I believe honesty is usually the best policy.
Usually is the operative word.

13. I have acne free skin. (mostly anyway)
I never had acne, but lately I have stubborn fat deposits that just won't go away!

14. I like and respect Kris Aquino.
Ewwww. Read a previous post please.

15. I curse frequently.(I try not to)
I actually do not like people who curse.

16. I have changed a lot mentally over the last year.
I would like to think so, but I never really got to learn the things I intended to learn last year.

17. I have a hobby.
I have lots of them. I just don't get to do them more often. My collection of dendrobiums are in pitiful state, my arts crafts are gathering dust, and the books I am supposed to read are accumulating. And oh, we haven't done in a long while the usual "judging" my long-lost barkada used to do whenever we went out.

18. I’ve been told I have a nice butt.
Never. Not even by those who were strangely attracted to me. Sigh.

19. I carry my knife/razor everywhere with me.
I actually do not own one. Somehow, I believe that possession of a defense weapon merely invites an assault.

20. I’m really, really smart. I’m not a genius, just smart.
Ehem. Modesty dictates that I pass on this one. Hahaha.

21. I’ve never broken someone else’s bones.
I am not proud of it, but I have. When I was ten, I accidentally pushed a cousin during child's play. He broke a wrist.

22. I have a secret that I am ashamed to reveal.
I have too many. I am sufficiently ashamed.

23. I love rain. And thunder.
Yes and No. I do love it when it rains - when I was in College, my friends knew I would definitely show up at a gimik when it would rain. But I hate thunder. My mom likes telling people that my first "fear" ever was "dander." The easiest way to scare the hell out of me was to threaten me with "dander."

24. I’m paranoid at most times.
Sad, but yes. The concept called "psychosomatic" was named in my honor. And I tend to imagine the worst affliction. When I get a headache, I begin thinking of tumors.

25. I would get plastic surgery if it were 100% safe, free of cost, and scar free.
I would. I really would. Honest. Doctora Belo are you reading this?

26. I need money right now.
Yes, lotsa lotsa moolah.

27. I love sushi.
Yes. I can survive on sushi. I am sushi monster... growlll.

28. I talk really, really fast. Really, really fast.
Guilty. It is a running gag among my students and training participants.

29. I have fresh breath in the morning.
I wish. And darn it, I still have to meet someone who has fresh breath in the morning.

30. I have semi-long hair.
I used to have really long hair. I had it cut two weeks ago. I am still feeling a bit disoriented that I do not have long hair anymore.

31. I have lost a lot of money in gambling.
Nope. I do not know how to bet or gamble. I have been taught how to play mah jong many times. I still need to be oriented everytime I sit down to play it. I just do not have the aptitude for it.

32. I have at least one brother and/or one sister.
This is actually complicated. I have a half brother and a half sister on my father's side. I have one full sister. I have four half brothers and a half sister on my mother's side. We are a classic example of an extended family. But truth to tell, we do not consider each other half siblings.

33. I was born in a country outside of the Phils.
Nah. I am Pinoy all the way. And I wouldnt have it any other way. Pramis.

34. I shave my legs.
What the heck for?

35. I have a twin.
I probably have, given the fact that I have been rumored to have been seen in places I would never dream of being in (although I honestly would not mind doing the things I have been rumored to be doing in those places). But no, I was a solitary fetus.

36. I couldn’t survive without a mobile phone.
I was one of the last among my friends to own a cellphone. And if JT did not sell me her old 6100 for a song, I probably would still be lugging around a 3210. That's how unimportant a cellphone is to me.

37. I keep a to-do list.
I try, but I am not good at doing it. I still miss appointments because I forgot to write them down.

38. I like the way that I look.
Hmmm... I can lose a few more pounds.

39. I have lied to a good friend in the past 6 months.
Yes. Guilty.

40. I know how to do cornrows.
What are cornrows?

41. I am usually pessimistic.
I am eternally optimistic. I believe that the Philippine economy will recover soon. I believe that the political turmoil will settle down soon. I also believe I need a reality check.

42. I have mood swings.
No, I do not have mood swings. I have mood rollercoasters.

43. I think prostitution should be legalized.
I think prostitution exists precisely because it is illegal. If it were, it would just be plain sex work. Should sex work be allowed? Absofuckinglutely! I think that it is hypocritical to think it would ever go away. The fact that it is illegal prostitutes those who are in it.

44. I think Britney Spears is pretty.
Nah. I think she is a bimbo.

45. I have cheated on a significant other.
I reserve my right against self incrimination.

46. I have a hidden talent.
Who knows? I think I will still be able to surprise myself one of these days.

47. I’m always hyper no matter how much sugar I’ve had.
I can be hyper without the benefit of sugar.

48. I think that I’m popular.
Notorious is more like it.

49. I am currently single.
By choice, by choice. Or that's how I try to justify it.

50. I have kissed someone of the same sex.
If done by two consenting adults, I don't think there is anything wrong with it.

51. I enjoy talking on the phone.
Not really. Unless some heavy breathing is involved.

52. I practically live in PJ pants.
I don't wear PJs anymore. I have outgrown them.

53. I love to shop.
I find shopping a chore. I can shop in 30 minutes. I did my whole Christmas shopping last year in three visits to the mall. Seriously.

54. I would rather shop than eat.
Yes. Definitely.

55. I would classify myself as ghetto.
Nah.

56. I’m bourgie and have worn a sweater tied around my shoulders.
When I was in high school, yes. But I was a leftie in college and was a "camisa chino" guy for years. My dad's friends actually asked my dad if I had any other clothes other than white camisa chinos.

57. I’m obsessed with my blog.
I need therapy from this blogging thing.

58. I dont hate anyone.
I try not to. I really do.

59. I’m a pretty good dancer.
Dancing and Bong Austero do not rhyme. Period.

60. I don’t think Mike Tyson raped Desiree Washington.
I think Mike Tyson is capable of anything. Heck, I think he should be blamed for the sinking of the Titanic.

61. I’m completely embarrassed to be seen with my mother.
Hmmm. Not really. My mom is pretty cool in public. It is being alone with my mom that embarrasses me. Hahaha. My mother tends to smother me in private.

62. I have a cell phone.
Yes.

63. I watch MTV on a daily basis.
I don't get what is cool about MTV. I prefer conjuring my own images to go with my favorite songs.

65. I have passed out drunk in the past 6 months.
Never. I am amazed that some people claim amnesia the day after they got drunk. I always remember the day after everything I did and said while drunk. Even the most embarrassing details. That is why I do not like getting drunk. The memories haunt me.

67. I have never been in a real relationship before.
I am a relationship person. It is an affliction. I do not just fall in love - I plunge, sink, crash into relationships.

68. I’ve rejected someone before.
This brings back painful memories of someone I loved but rejected because I was in another relationship at that time.

69. I’ve graduated college.
I am extremely proud of my Alma Mater. I hope the feeling is mutual.

70. I have no idea what i want to do for the rest of my life.
On the contrary, I have clear ideas about what I would like to do for the rest of my life. Get rich. Buy a farm. Grow plants. Hang a hammock. And read, read, read while I watch plants grow.

71. I want to have children in the future.
I already have. I am not looking forward to having grandchildren yet though. Please god, not yet. Lol.

72. I have changed a diaper before.
I was barely 13 when I first did it. My youngest brother was born when I was 13.

73. I’ve had the cops called on me before.
Not deliberately. But yes, I was part of a rowdy bunch that the neighbor complained about and a policeman did ask us to keep it down. I stopped talking to that neighbor for two years.

74. I bite my nails.
Nope.

75. I am a member of the PBB fan club.
Nope.

76. I’m not allergic to anything.
I used to be allergic to crabs but luckily I overcame it. Now I can't eat crabs due to hypertension.

77. I have a lot to learn.
Oh yes. I still have to learn how to read the stars, how to fix car trouble, how to speak 10 other languages, etc. So many things to learn!

78. I have dated someone at least 10 years older or younger.
Guilty.

79. I plan on seeing Ice Cube’s newest “Friday” movie.
I would rather pull my nails with my bare hands.

80. I am very shy around the opposite sex.
I am never shy, except when selling something.

81. I’m online 24/7, even as an away message.
Nope. Mahal ng internet.

82. I have at least 25 away messages saved.
Nope.

83. I have tried alcohol before.
Yesteday, today, tomorrow. And the day after. And the day after...

84. I have made a move on a friend’s significant other in the past.
I wanted to, but had an attack of ethics. Darn. I still regret not doing it to this day.

85. I own the “South Park” movie.
I don't like South Park.

86. I have avoided assignments at work/school to be on my blog.
Not inconceivable, but so far, not yet.

87. When I was a kid I played “the birds and the bees” with a neighbor or chum…
Oh god! snicker, snicker.

88. I enjoy country music.
Some. I owned a John Denver album when I was in High School and was a total Jim Croce junkie when I was in College.

89. I go/used to go to the gym.
Used to. I will go back soon. I swear I will.

90. I think that Pizza Hut has the best pizza.
Hmmm..not really. I like Cosa Nostra pizza better.

91. I watch soap operas whenever I can.
Guilty. I try to follow the convoluted affairs of Jang Geum.

92. I’m obsessive, retentive, and often a perfectionist.
Obsessive only.

93. I have used my sexuality to advance my career.
I wish. I do not think anyone would take me up on it even if I were crazed enough to try though.

94. I love Michael Jackson, scandals and all.
I honestly do not have an opinion about Michael Jackson.

95. I know all the words to the Sesame Street opening song.
I was not into television when I was younger. I was the nerd who preferred to read rather than watch TV. Now I am making up for lost time.

96. Halloween is awesome because you get free candy.
I think Filipinos should not even celebrate Halloween.

97. I watch Spongebob Squarepants and I like it.
Ewww. I dont.

98. I have dated a close friend’s ex.
No.

99. I’m happy as of this moment.
I can be happier.

100. I have gone scuba diving. And snorkeling.
Snorkeling yes. And I miss doing it. I don't know if I will ever take up scuba diving.

101. I’ve had a crush on somebody I’ve never met.
Not really. How is this possible anyway?

102. I’ve kissed someone I knew I shouldn’t.
Oh yes, and I will do it again. Lol.

103. I play a musical instrument.
Two: the guitar and the piano.

104. I strongly dislike math.
Dislike is a strong word. Let's just say I will not volunteer to do it.

105. I’m procrastinating with something right now.
Two. Three. Four. Five. Darn it... the count can go to double digits.

106. I own and use a library card.
Yes. I actually suffer from withdrawal symptoms when I don't get to visit a library.

107. I fall in ‘lust’ more than in ‘love.’
I wish.

108. Cheese enchiladas rock my socks.
Nope. They melt my socks.

109. I think The Lord of the Rings is one of the greatest things ever.
Yessss!!!! Yesssss!!!! Oh yesss!!!! I think JRR Tolkien is a god.

110. I’m obsessed with the TV show “Lost.”
Nah.

111. I think Beyblades is the coolest show in coolsville.
Nah again.

112. There are more things I could be better at, if only I tried harder.
I think that this is a good mantra. I honestly think that people could always do better than their previous effort.

113. Sometimes I don’t like food.
Never. I think eating is underrated.

114. I worry sometimes that I’m not being the best friend I could be to the people I care about.
This is something that I worry about constantly. I worry that I am letting down my friends.

115. I desperately want people to respect me, but it rarely happens.
I just want them to recognize me. If they respect me as well, fine.

You're still reading this? I actually surprised myself that I reached item 115. Thanks for getting this far - I am touched. Hahaha.

Comments

Anonymous said…
f#@!k self-incrimination!
for the record, can you answer #55, please.
weng
Anonymous said…
can you give more specifics about #68, please.
weng
Sean Saba said…
LOL along with Weng!
Bong C. Austero said…
for the record, weng, number 68 happened in 1996.
Anonymous said…
1996...if that's what you say;-)
but i would still like an answer for #55, pleeeeeaaase ;-)
weng
hi sean!
Anonymous said…
1996...if that's what you say;-)
but i would still like an answer for #55, pleeeeeaaase ;-)
weng
hi sean!
Anonymous said…
1996...if that's what you say;-)
but i would still like an answer for #55, pleeeeeaaase ;-)
weng
hi sean!
Bong C. Austero said…
weng,
unresolved issue ba ito? lol. baka you mean #45?
Anonymous said…
i do mean #45, what was i seeing...we have differnet numbers in french kasi LOL.
ingat,
weng
Bong C. Austero said…
Here's the answer then. Deep breath. The sins of the past are never truly buried, they fester and come back to haunt you in the future, specially when exes come forward to put you to task for them. Hahaha. Yes, I cheated on my significant others. I am not proud of it. But heck, they built my character. hahahaha.

TAMA NA!!! lol

Tawa ka jan sean, baka gusto mo idamay kita.
Anonymous said…
i didnt read the whole question and answer about you, but i know you are really smart!
Anonymous said…
Bong,

So tell me about #10.

Arthur
Bong C. Austero said…
Hi Arthur,

So you finally found your way to my blog. small world indeed. about no. 10? nah, don't want to make you feel envious my friend.

but good to hear from you!

bong
Anonymous said…
Sir I'll grab this and answer it in my blog. I also created a link to your page. Thanks a lot, and keep safe. :)

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