101 things about me

1. I was born and raised in the Philippines until I was 12 years old.
2. I was an only child for 8 years until my younger brother came along.
3. I had a pretty amazing childhood.
4. How many other people can say they had a pet monkey when they were little? Mine was named Rufus. Yes, he was a real monkey.
5. Then my family moved to Los Angeles, California in 1988…or 1989? Don’t remember.
6. I still speak Tagalog, but I have always thought in English (as far as I can remember).
7. I lived in Los Angeles until July 1995 even though my parents moved to New York City in 1993.
8. I lived with my friend’s family in LA until I graduated from my tiny private school.
9. I haven’t fully lived with my parents since 1993.
10. I graduated 7th out of a class of 19 seniors in 1995.
11. I met my first love when I was in the 8th grade (circa 1991).
12. I broke up with him in March 1996 while I was a freshman in college.
13. I went to an all women’s college and have a degree from an Ivy-League University.
14. I majored in Sociology.
15. I met my husband-to-be sometime in 1997.
16. Frankly, I didn’t care for him and tried to avoid hanging out with him.
17. Yet we started dating around November 1998 and the rest is history.
18. We had a civil ceremony on September 20, 2000 which most people don’t know about.
19. We had a big, religious wedding ceremony on June 1, 2001 which most people know about.
20. I got married right before my last year of law school.
21. I was 24 when I got married.
22. We hardly ever fight, which is great.
23. I became a mom at 29.
24. Giving birth to my son was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever done in my life. A baby changes everything in all the crazy clichéd ways.
25. I think my first-born son is the sweetest baby in the world!
26. I call him my rockstar baby and I love him to pieces!
27. I can’t wait to have another baby!
28. But I try not to lose my own sense of ‘self’ just because I am a mom.
29. I play in a band called Plastiq Passion.
30. I even played gigs up until I was 7 months pregnant! (and went to a few concerts as well).
31. I have played in CBGB’s (which will alas be closed for eternity by the end of 2006).
32. I play lead guitar for my band.
33. Despite my rockstar leanings, I can’t read notes.
34. I can play by ear or read guitar tablature (and I prefer the former).
35. I love watching shows and buying new music.
36. My favorite band in the world (and for all time) is The Cure.
37. I have been to more than 40 shows and concerts so far (this includes seeing The Cure about 6 times).
38. I’m a trial attorney by day and work for the government.
39. I don’t consider myself to be a brilliant attorney (unlike my dad).
40. My true passion is writing –I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was 4 years old, a year after I’ve learned how to read (according to my mom, I learned to read at age 3).
41. I’m always working on my novel (and this includes just thinking about it).
42. There’s some mermaids involved in my novel because when I was little, I wanted to be a mermaid.
43. I have seen Splash, The Little Mermaid (non-Disney version), and The Little Mermaid (Disney-version) more than 15 times altogether.
44. I also have a mermaid tattoo on my right hip, as well as 5 other non-mermaid tattoos.
45. I’m a voracious reader and have read hundreds of books.
46. I actually bought a book recently and when I started to read it, realized that I had already read it a few years ago! Ha!
47. Some of my favorite authors are Gabriel Garcia Marquez, J.K Rowling, Margaret Atwood, and Chitra Divakaruni.
48. I read a lot of “chick-lit” books, contemporary fiction, novels from new writers, and everything in between.
49. By the time I was 13, my reading level was comparable to a college senior (according to some test I took).
50. I’m a stickler when it comes to spelling, but grammar not so much.
51. My claim to fame in high school is getting a perfect score on our Advanced Placement English test.
52. Right now, I’m thinking of a career switch and focusing on writing. I really wish I had just pursued this from the get-go. It’s scary to leave the security of a nice, family-friendly job.
53. I’m a big fan of pop culture –I love watching TV, films, and waxing poetic about the people behind them, plots, celebs, and everything in between.
54. My favorite shows include The Gilmore Girls (love the pop culture references!); Project Runway, Grey’s Anatomy, Family Guy, Alias (forever gone!), Prison Break, Monk, ER, The Simpsons, Best Week Ever, Robot Chicken, and many more.
55. I also love actions flicks, martial-arts flicks, sci-fi, period pieces, indies and foreign films, and comedies.
56. I’m not so much a fan of romance or “date movies” but will watch if my friends are watching it.
57. I also love to eat and trying out new restaurants.
58. My favorite foods are: pork sinigang, pork ribs, ice cream, Vietnamese beef pho, Magnolia cupcakes, Cupcake Café cupcakes, Thai food, Indian food, Japanese food, big fat juicy hamburgers, chocolate, kare-kare, bulalo…heck, you name it, I probably like it!
59. But I don’t like dinuguan.
60. And I don’t eat goat or lamb. Ew!
61. I’m also addicted to Starbucks Mochas.
62. I should really watch what I eat though since my cholesterol level is a whopping 226 right now!
63. I’m also very lazy when it comes to working out –as in I don’t. I will though, soon!
64. But I love to snowboard and I’m learning to surf.
65. I also love to travel and plan to travel more once rockstar baby is a little older.
66. I have been to about 17 countries: Belize, Canada, England, Fiji, France, Hong Kong, Mexico, Philippines, Portugal, Spain; plus the following islands: Aruba, Bahamas, Curacao, Puerto Rico, St. John, St. Maarten, and St. Thomas.
67. I have been to 27 U.S. states: Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington.
68. My next dream destination would be Greece.
69. Another dream of mine is to move to a bigger home complete with a fireplace, a study/library, a nice roomy kitchen, and walk-in closets.
70. And while we’re at it, I wish I had enough money to buy a brownstone in NYC.
71. And an authentic American Fender Stratocaster.
72. I love shopping!
73. I am a former fashionista. I have more than a dozen purses by Gucci, Prada, and Fendi and yet my everyday bag is my $3.50 satchel from Old Navy.
74. I used to dress a lot more stylish and trendier, but now my look is more ‘urban, laid-back, rocker.’ This really just translates to: jeans or a skirt topped with some sort of band or concert tee or a tank top.
75. I also look at other people’s outfits and tend to critique them in my head.
76. My fashion pet peeves include people who insist on wearing necklaces with turtlenecks, and people who dress like slobs to work.
77. I don’t like floral or fruit-scented lotions and candles with the exception of lavender (the real kind).
78. I tend to overspend.
79. But I’m trying to be more frugal and be more financially responsible.
80. I would love to invest in real estate, but alas, don’t have the funds for it.
81. I would love to own my own car one day.
82. I would love to master HTML and Photoshop. I’m an HTML idiot at the moment, but I’m learning.
83. Even though I’ve lived here in the U.S. since 1988/89, I’m still waiting to become a U.S. citizen. Any day now. Really.
84. My mom thinks I’m a fast driver. I’ve tried to explain to her that if you’re driving below 75 mph on the N.J. Turnpike, then you are just going too slow and trucks will cut you off. No joke.
85. Most of my driving has been in NYC and as a result, I tend to be an aggressive driver.
86. I also tend to be cranky, moody, and snarky on a general basis.
87. If I don’t mask my emotions around you, then congrats! It means I consider you to be a good enough friend! Hahaha.
88. My favorite swear words are: bitches and shite.
89. I like to pretend that I’m British and will sport a Brit accent from time to time.
90. I love going to London, Brit bands, and fish and chips.
91. I’m also very proud of my culture, but hate the colonial mentality that Filipinos sport from time to time.
92. I also don’t like the term “Fil-Am” –to me, I will be always be a Filipino who happens to live in America. I don’t need to tack on “American” to describe myself. But that’s just me.
93. I’ve done a lot of things I’m not proud of.
94. But I do accept that these things make me the person that I am today.
95. I try not to compare my life with anyone else’s –I can only be me.
96. But okay, I do wish I was taller, thinner, and toned and had Jessica Alba’s abs. Sometimes.
97. I am pretty happy with my life and I really have nothing to complain about.
98. Except the fact that I really wish there were less workdays and 3-day weekends.
99. I try to “live a life less ordinary” as much as possible.
100. I love spending time with my little rockstar and the hubs. I’m already missing my little guy as I type this.
101. I love being a parent and unless you experience it yourself, there’s really no ample way to describe it.
     

my *turning 30* wishlist

a wishlist of 30 fun, frivilous, essential and non-essential things i want for my 30th birthday (or any other birthday for that matter):

1. a facial: from Salon 5 Spa or Bliss -- i may not be a girly-girl and i hate getting massages, but i will go for a much-needed oxygen facial.
   
2. cool guitar diaper bag that i really dig! (see, this list isn't all about me ;)
   
3. a BOSS super chorus guitar pedal: to make me sound like i know how to play guitar!
4. silver mini cherry charm necklace from White Trash charms
   
5. a starbucks card: to feed my addiction to mochas and java chip frappucinos.
6. a target card: i heart target, one of the best stores in the world! clothes, books, and everything else, oh my!
7. queen-size duvet cover and pillowcases from Crate & Barrel
   
8. a box of Jer's handmade chocolates --the original 'IncrediBall' (saw this on the Food Network and was positively drooling)
9. depeche mode: the singles: either 86>98 or 81>85 (or both!)
10. black onesies for rockstar baby
11. this cool Joy Division shirt for rockstar baby
12. a barnes & noble gift cert -- i heart books, 'nuff said.
13. this book: what do you do all day?
14. an urban outffiters shopping spree (but a gift card will do)
15. this lightning necklace
16. a haircut cuz i need one
17. an H&M gift cert
18. movie tickets for national amusement theaters --cuz going to the movies isn't cheap
19. a rockstar baby stroller! a stroller! named after rockstar baby! in black!
20. a baby bjorn carrier for rockstar baby
21. a full tank of gas!
22. this book
23. this other book
24. Brainy Baby DVD for rockstar baby
25. acoustic guitar set - the Ephiphone DR-1S Acoustic Player Pack is a steal!
26. new yorker subscription
27. everyday italian cookbook: i love giada!!
28. star necklace
29. the red hot chili peppers' new album: stadium arcadium
30. LeapFrog TouchPad for rockstar baby