27
1. I am a Martian. Well, I used to be. When governments in
Mars argued that the planet is becoming too hot and found out that I was the
cause, they threw me out. Now, planet Earth is complaining of global warming
and climate change. I have strong reasons to believe that they’ll deport me to
Pluto next.
2. People say I am extremely and chronically occupied most
of the time. But I guess not. Mass is relative to size. And I am 8 kilograms
underweight. So I guess they’re extremely wrong and chronically mistaken.
3. Most of the time, either I am seriously joking, or joking
seriously. People got confused with my sense of humor, but I can tell they like
it. Jooooke!
4. I belong to the 18th
century and I am a proud disciple of the Romanticist Movement. As a self-proclaimed
romanticist, I believe in the grand notion of selflessness, idealism, heroism and
true love…or otherwise known as fairy-tale. (Just kidding, I really believe in
true love. Boom!)
5. My greatest crime is procrastination. And it really
sucks. Maybe I will figure out what’s wrong, but not today.
6. I have so many reasons to believe that the brilliant
writer-speaker Patricia Evangelista is my soul-mate. I just can’t figure out
‘why’? LOL.
7. When I drink my coffee this morning and it immediately
created in me that drowsy sensation that wants to send my body back to bed, it
confirmed my long-time suspicion that coffee does not actually reduce
sleepiness but does exactly the opposite. I was planning to inject some dose
into my heart when I realized, it already belongs to someone else. (Ayiie! I don't like logic. Kape
pa!)
8. I was usually the very reclusive type of person who keeps
it all to himself. But when I learned that not even my own self wants to listen
to me, I decided to become a public speaker. Man, it’s an effective catharsis.
And I love it! I’m not just sure if the public does, too.
9. Rain is my very good friend. It’s a good literary mentor.
I’m not sure if it’s any connection, but when dark clouds pregnant with rain
gives birth to countless droplets and kiss the parched ground and ram the roof
and everything around seem to morph into something inexplicable that touches
the soul, that I can write with sense. Well, it’s raining today and clouds are
pregnant with rain and I can’t write with sense so perhaps it’s just wishful
thinking.
10. I love travelling. I’ve already been to many places
around the world—brewed coffee in Paris while waiting for the sunset; watched
an orchestra play classics in Prague; chased a serial killer throughout Europe;
cruised the Atlantic on the largest steamship ever built; strolled the megacities
and outskirts of Japan while solving a dystopian puzzle and many more. If you
want to hitchhike in my next travel, I’ll let you borrow my books. I’ve learned
that reading can be all you ever think it could be, and more. Ah, I love
reading!
11. One of my biggest dreams is to collect books that have
won the Pulitzer Prize, fiction and nonfiction. I now have a decent number of
titles in my prized collection—the old ones are really hard to find though. My
books are a great part of me, and they would be a sentimental gift for my
future children. I’d like to share to them and make them appreciate the
invaluable joys of reading.
12. When I was a baby, my mother used to tuck a book under
my pillow to sleep on. It was an aged English grammar textbook. Old folks from
the barrio believe that a baby can ‘absorb’ the book’s content in his or her
sleep. As they say, ‘pampatalino’. When it turned out that I actually came to
love English subjects, it seemed that the magic worked out. But then again I’m
so bad in numbers and even failed my Algebra. I really wished they’d made me
sleep in libraries instead.
13. I am an introvert. That’s not a confession to make, if
it’s already stating the obvious. I can be best left alone in my thoughts and in my own personal world. I prefer to work things out in my mind. But then again,
I graduated from a course that demands that I should be with people; my first
job after graduation was teaching, and I enjoyed it for four years; and now, I
coach and lead young people and students and encouraging them to find some
meaning. What was the lesson? It is this: a person is not defined by some
psycho-sociological classification; that the only inability that causes one to
not fulfill his or her reality is the inability to go beyond himself or herself.
I was glad to have overcome. I am now an ‘extroverted introvert’—whatever that
is!
14. I’m into drugs. I tend to get hooked into something that
gets me high and free. It’s called IDEALISM and FAITH. Being idealistic doesn’t
necessarily give you the food to eat, but it is the only one that can feed the
soul and satisfy the spirit. And having faith they say is counterproductive and
meaningless? And who said that? People who believe in ‘nothing’? Well, I find
them hard to believe.
15. I still believe that the best presidents we never had
are Jovito Salonga and Raul Rocco. Today, true statesmen are really hard to
find, but they are there. They seem to happen once in a million lifetimes.
Crooks, on the other hand, are in abundance. We seem to have a supply of them
that can last a million lifetimes. As senator Mirriam says, “well, stupid is
forever”. What can I say further? #Mirriamfor2016! Hashtag on that!
16. I have many reasons to believe that the Philippines will
someday be a great nation again. We are blessed abundantly with resources, we
have talented people in all fields, and our courage and strength as a people
always frustrate natural calamities by failing to bring us down. And though
they say that we are a corrupt nation, we still have leaders who are dignified,
upright, and have vision. We have to be wise. We have to give them a chance.
17. My real writing heroes are Anna Quindlen, Patricia
Evangelista, Conrado De Quiros and F. Sionil Jose. I thank Ms. Quindlen for the
unforgiving and sentimental portrayal of realities that made her won the
Pulitzer. I thank Patricia for her gut-stabbing stories full of visuals and
courage that won my heart. I thank Conrado De Quiros for the words that rub
deeply to the bones. I thank F. Sionil Jose—the Filipino quintessential writer
who deserves a Nobel Prize—for his nationalism and for claiming that progress
can be attained by decolonizing the Filipino mind. (Alright, I thank Bob Ong
for the humor. That’s all, please.)
18. I'm dreaming of winning a Pulitzer Prize someday. Or a Nobel. Or maybe I could drink my third cup of coffee today.
19. One of my worst moments was when I figured in a
motorcycle accident that broke my arm while on the way to a birthday
celebration of someone who would later break my heart. I thank God it’s already
healed and mended. I mean my heart.
20. One of my most favorite quotes is from the greatest poet who ever lived; I’ve said that with no bias. His name is Rumi and he said it this way. “You have to keep breaking your heart until it opens.” I have allowed my heart to be broken by many things. But the greatest of them was when God finally came through and broke my heart. It was a turning-point. God breaking my heart was and will always be the greatest, sweetest heartbreak ever.
21. I’ve learned that your choices in this life will highly be affected by your set of values. So if you want to make the good choices, be sure to have good values. All other things done without values are just compromise.
22. I’ve learned that you cannot really detach yourself from life’s realities. It is not fiction, though you are an actor. An actor must be active. Be aware of the script, read the dialogue, consider the phasing, prepare to adlib, and most importantly, contribute significantly to the story. It’s your life story anyway. Make it worth reading.
23. And when it comes to romantic love, I decide not to settle for anything less than a God-glorifying relationship. I’ve been to a few bumps and twists in the high road of searching for fulfilling relationship, and I thank God for making me realize that the only way is straight ahead in His will for me. So now, I insist on the non-negotiable: either she's a PASSIONATE CHRISTIAN OR A PASTOR’s DAUGHTER, OR I’D RATHER BE SINGLE. (Whoa, I said that with fear and trembling).
24. I desire to see a generation that is sold out for Jesus Christ; a generation whose thirst for godliness and righteousness can never be quenched by a society which is easily becoming devoid of meaning; a generation whose passion is set for the LORD and His work; a generation whose heart is broken by the things that break God's heart; a generation that will love the LORD with all heart, soul, and strength. I intend to reach out for this generation and to nurture it for the journey of faith; to raise up warriors who will courageously stand for the KING and carry His banner to the ends of the earth. And at the end of the day I'd say just like Max Lucado: "only one life will soon be past; only what's done for Christ will last".
25. I’ve learned that the best life is the one that is spent
‘running the race for Christ’ (Philippians 3:14) and ‘fighting the good fight
of faith’ (1 Timothy 6:12). Anything done without Christ is meaningless and is
chasing after the wind (Ecclesiastes 1:14). So I intend to wait upon God, to be
enraptured by His unfailing grace, to be consumed daily by His will, to relish
in His great love.
26. I’ve decided that if my life is not offered fully to the
grace by which God has called me, then my life would mean nothing. I concur
with what the Christian best-selling author Dr. Larry Crabb said, “I have come
to a point in my life where I have to know God better or I won’t make it in
life. Unless my passion for God surpasses all other passion in my life, I’d
rather die.” Following Christ has always been this way.
27. “I have decided to pursue nothing except Jesus Christ
and Him crucified” -1 Corinthians 2:2. Nothing more, nothing less.
There! Taking so much time filling out these 27 entries really
proves that I am not getting any younger. I know there will come a time when I’d
write something like this again and all I can do is to stare at a blank screen
and could only write one thing: “God is faithful, to Him be the honor and
glory!”
