Hump Day Liebster

My heartfelt thanks to pinaymamasg.com for making my first Liebster post possible. It took five years-plus having a blog up to be included in the chain. In any other avenue, say on social media, I ignore chain requests. But for this one I’m making an exception because it’s the first and I came to this space to share things about myself and get used to doing so. I’m bending the rules a bit by welcoming everyone to answer the 11 questions, which I will embed within my 11 fun facts. That way it will more resemble a continuing getting-to-know-you conversation, which is the point, isn’t it?

Here are the rules:

• Thank the blogger who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
• Answer the 11 questions given to you.
• Name 11 fun facts about yourself.
• Nominate 11 other bloggers. I am nominating you. Yes, you, whether you’ve been here before or merely found me by chance. If you want, you can devote an entire post answering one question. No pressure, of course.
• Ask your nominees 11 questions.

1. What are the top three movies that you like to re-watch? Black Swan, Age of Innocence, Blue Valentine. I have a thing for contrasting colours and ultra-organized interiors.
2. If you could eat one dish for the rest of your life, what would it be? – Bistek Tagalog or anything cooked in soy sauce or bagoong. I have the sodium equivalent of sweet tooth. It’ll be the death of me.
3. If you can speak to any person in the world (living or deceased), who would he/she be? My maternal grandfather, Lolo Emilio. Never met him. He passed away when my mom was still in college, I think. Everyone describes him as a loving man, someone incredibly kind and doting. I feel like I missed out.
4. If you could choose one movie director to “direct” your life, who would that director be? – Sofia Coppola–I’d like to see my life rendered in soft, muted colours. If I get to look like Kirsten Dunst that would be a bonus.
5. Are you a cat or dog person? Neither, but I’m often compared to a cat.
6. What makes you happy? Things running on time/ on schedule
7. What do you wish more people understood? Grey areas in life. I wish people were more open-minded.
8. Name your #1 pet peeve? Delays. Habitual lateness (see answer to #6 )
9. What’s your favourite movie to quote? – Not a favourite but I’ve often used the line from that iconic Ishmael Bernal’s film, which works for life’s many non-ideal scenarios: waiting for a perennially late group-mate, failing to recover a corrupted file, a lost Canucks playoff game. “Walang himala!”
10. If you had a superpower what would it be? To be fluent in all of world’s languages.
11. Do you have a favourite post? Please share it. Because I never thought I’ll actually write about this: Baygon Man.

My 11 facts and questions

1. If not for Covid, I would have been a Mrs. as of last Sunday. Wedding’s moved to June next year. Question: How would today be different if Covid didn’t happen?
2. We were in Las Vegas when WHO declared a pandemic. We flew home soon after and, of course, had to complete the 14-day quarantine. Question: What was the last place you visited abroad before the pandemic?
3. The pandemic saw me increase my caffeine tolerance. I can now have late afternoon / early evening coffee and be sleepy around ten. Question: What changed about you during the pandemic?
4. My debut novel is coming out with Edmonton’s NeWest Press in fall 2021. I will post about this eventually. Question: What is your proudest achievement?
5. I hated penmanship exercises as a schoolgirl, more than Math even. It was boring and I did so badly. Question: What subject/activity did you dread most as a student?
6. I never learned to ride a bike. Didn’t have the chance and never took the time. Question: Name a skill that most people know that you don’t.
7. I took swimming lessons as a kid and in university (college-level PE is a thing in the Philippines), but I only learned how to tread deep water summer 2019. Question: What is a skill that, surprisingly, you only learned recently?
8. My most cherished celebrity encounter/experience is watching Carey Mulligan in the one-woman play Girls and Boys in NYC, summer 2018. Question: Share a memorable experience with a celebrity in the flesh.
9. I am an Aquarian. I don’t live by horoscopes and such, but I do give Astrology a bit of weight when getting to know a person. To an extent, of course. Question: Do you believe the traits attributed to your zodiac sign?
10. In my most recent vivid dream, I was at work but the office was unfamiliar. I wasn’t feeling well and my colleagues (whom I also don’t recognize) brewed some tea. Then I was walking outside, came upon a Manila-style wet market. I walked past it and ended up on a Vancouver street I recognize from my bus route to work. I said to myself, aba my shortcut pala dito. Question: Share your most recent vivid dream.
11. And let’s end with a bang: blue is my favourite colour. Question: What’s your favourite colour?