It's not easy being “JEANS”

This 'tag thing' started in facebook. Tata, Wowie, Jaye, Bing, Cachelle, Bevs, and some other friends tagged me. So I tagged them back plus more peeps I would love to know better. It's funny, poignant and but admittedly infectious.

so i listed down random things about me and if you choose not to participate, no problem. otherwise, you better sit down and share your "deepest, darkest secrets"...NOW!

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1. I AM DIFFERENT! My rules are not conventional. I am, by my personality and inner strength, a BORN REBEL. Telling stories about the dumbest of things was my favorite; that is why since Grade 4, I already knew I wanted to be a writer.

2. I AM MAD AT MATH. If I could write a song about it, I would. But since I’m not a composer, borrowing Oscar The Grouch’s “I Love Trash” song would be a splendid idea! (To prove this, check out Phil. Daily Inquirer’s “Youngblood 2.0”(page 23!) for my essay entitled: “My Wrath for Math”.

3. I LOVE EVERYTHING IRISH-the culture, language, people, the landscape. Chin-Chin Gutierrez used to call me a “true-blue Pinoy-Celtic Kid” and if there’s one place in the world I could be (except for where I am right now), it would be Ireland.

4. “LIGHTHOUSE” IS MY PERSONAL METAPHOR…it stands as a reminder of how I should be strong and steadfast despite my solitude. As a result, family and closest friends come to me for warmth and enlightenment. I believe I am put here in this lifetime to guide “lost souls” in the sea of life. Because of this, I have an extensive lighthouse collection. As of writing, there are exactly 223 lighthouses (frames, doormats, wallclocks, mugs, plates, coloring books, wipes and more) nestled at a corner of my pad. Two magazines and a TV show have expressed desire to feature me and my collection…will have to think about that.

5. My British mentor told me that I am the ONLY FILIPINA who plays the Irish Tin Whistle (like The Corrs!)

6. I used to love all things with the word “RED” attached to it: Redbolts, Red Bull, Red Horse beer included…But when I’m sober, BLUE has always been my favorite color.

7. While I loved brandy, cigars and Swiss Thin chocolates, I remember I would also die for Tanduay, Chocnut and a stick of Philipp Morris.

8. Although I have a fully-loaded bar at home for my friends who visit, I believe that I have reached my “drinking quota” for this lifetime thus I gave up on drinking 4 years ago…

9. Used to be a proud member of the LFS, UP-Samasa and the Sec-Gen of Samahan Ng Malalayang Kababaihang Nagkakaisa—about which my dad would call me long-distance each time he sees me on the news, headlining a rally (God bless my father’s soul!)…

10. Some career highlights include having to represent the country during the United Nations’ Int’l Decade for Women (in New York), having lunch with Hillary Clinton and being 5 meters away from Pope John Paul II (as part of the international news team who documented his visit for the World Youth Day-Philippines). Career “lowlights”—being paid to write speeches for senators I didn’t really like. Thus, I gave up my political career 8 years ago.

11. I love shopping and dining! But while I cherish the mall’s midnight madness and the most hip & happening hubs, I would rather go to quaint shops, street food festivals and open flea markets anytime!

12. The only good thing about losing my mom at 12 years old is the realization that I wouldn’t have been half as strong as I am now if that didn’t happen.

13. As a retirement job, I dream of singing in a bar where broken hearts and wounded souls go for refuge. My kindred soul, Herdy promised to frequent that bar even not for such reasons (yay, at least I have one fan!)

14. My rather out-of-the-ordinary hobbies include pennywhistling, firing, diving, tapdancing and poi/fire twirling. Hooray for planetzips!

15. I’M THE REAL BIGGEST LOSER. I’ve turned pesco-vegetarian since 4 years ago. From whence, I also stopped drinking anything (no soda, etc) except water in room temperature. Used to weigh 154lbs; the last time I weighed I dropped to 121lbs (and still counting…)

16. I JUST TURNED 40. My classmates in tapdance are 8-12 year old kids but I still feel so at home especially when I hear Missy tell me every Saturday: “Ate Jeans, you are just the cooooooolest person in this whole wide world!” Awwww….

17. In Grade 1, my art teacher (excuse me, Miss Acanto!) gave me a “zero” in art because I refused to draw an apple tree the way she wanted me to. I started oil painting when I was in Grade 3, had my first group exhibit by Grade 5. In Grade 6, I won Gold in the National painting competition and I got the “Artist of the Year” awards both in Grade 6 and 4th year graduations, given by who else, Miss Acanto! (ahhhh…justice!)

18. I love long drives, dawns and long drives at dawn!

19. Along with my Shakespeare and other literary classics (including my fave Walt Whitman books), I have a vast collection of Children’s Books. But they're not just any other children’s books…it has to be Politically Correct or satirical. Examples are “The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig”(for the classic Three Little Pigs…), “Laddle Rot Rotten Hut” (for Little Red Riding Hood)

20. My “other” collections include stamps (my stamp albums are more than 25 years old!), cocktail rings, pandas (have 700+ panda items tucked in 3 boxes at home), sea stones and colored bottles that catch the sunlight from my kitchen window…

21. In this lifetime, I would like to fly a bi-plane, be invited into Robert Fulghum's boathouse, finish my “Lighthouse Chronicles” (and submit it to BBC) and meet/jam with Enya, Loreena Mackeenitt, The Corrs, Michael McGoldrick, Maire Brennan, Clannad and other new age-Irish-celtic geniuses (not exactly in that order)

22. Even when there’s a new addition to the clan every year (nephews, nieces, apos), I will always be and be called “Bunsoi”…Ironically, being "bunsoi" means my advice, suggestions and word is valued by everyone in the family. Thus, I proudly wear a virtual pin that says: “JEANS—lola’s girl, daddy’s little girl, manong boy’s girl, Mumo’s girl, Toto Fred’s best sis, Tito Rudy’s favorite niece, Japoi’s idol, Mia’s most favorite tita, etc…” darn, I miss my family!

23. I AM SINGLE, “QUIRKYALONE” AND LOVING EVERY MINUTE OF IT! I am the head quirkie of QHQ (Quirkyalone Headquarters)-Philippines. My article entitled “A DIFFERENT SELF-PORTRAIT-Welcome to Planet Quirklyalone!” has been blogged about thrice locally, twice internationally and has been featured in 2 newspaper columns. Since it’s weeks to go before Valentine’s Day, I have received invitation for TV guestings about how single and quirkyalones celebrate the day of hearts. Again, will have to think about that...

24. I KILL PEOPLE WITH KINDESS…EVERY SINGLE DAY!

25. In UP, I took Math 55…Oh no, it wasn’t a new curriculum or subject. It was just that I took Math-11 five times! (whoa, I got my multiplication right…finally!)

26. Because of entries #1 and #2, I listed 26 things, instead of only 25…Oddly, I think the feeling is mutual…MATH IS ALSO MAD AT ME!