'25' Random things about me

(This is a re-posting of a note I have in my Facebook account. At first I wanted to change into the '25' things about me and traveling but then I feel tired now so that will have to wait for another day)

A friend of mine posted a note entitled “The 25″. It is a list of 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about herself that she wanted to share with her friends. In turn, the friends whom she tagged were supposed to write their own list of 25 and pass it on to 25 more friends. She said she did it for fun and did not tag anyone but then decided to tag me when I commented.

Anyways, I decided to do this as well for fun, though all the things I will write are indeed true, to the best of my knowledge. I do know myself by now, well almost!

Bev, here is my 25. For those whom I tag here, you may want to copy and paste only the intro but change those that do not apply to you.

1. I like shopping and I only buy when on SALE. I am not brand conscious but there are four brands that I really like. First one is SAMSONITE. I wish I am part owner of this brand. LOL! I can never have enough of Samsonite luggage and locks and pouches. When our office used to be in Suntec, everyday, during lunchtime I will go and look inside the shop just to see what new stuff they are selling and if they have anything on SALE. The second brand is LACOSTE, I like their caps and flat shoes, v comfy and colourful. The third is RALPH LAUREN. I like their petite shirts as they make me look smaller. The fourth one is BRAUN BUFFEL for their wallets and their keychain holders and passport holders. Deep down I know I still am not that brand conscious though more and more I value quality. Of the four brands I like, Samsonite is the only one I can say I am near brand-conscious. So far, that is the only brand I can buy in full price. LOL! And this is my litmus test of being brand conscious- if you buy something that is a brand and you pay in full price. The other test is if I can walk out of the shop and still feel happy. LOL! Samsonite is the only brand I have walked out of and felt unhappy. LOL! I always feel like I want to buy something from the shop. Good thing now I am so far away from Suntec and this shop.
2. I am a v good bargain hunter and I have mastered the art of bargaining. My main philosophy in bargaining- ‘I don’t really need to buy. I can always walk away from the shop without buying anything and I will still be happy in my life.’ Unfortunately, the only exception I may have on this philosophy in bargaining is when I shop for shoes. LOL! Yes, I love shoes and this is one thing I can never have enough of. Every year, I always send back at least 5 pairs of shoes to my sister (who is the same size as me) so I can always say, I don’t have that many so I can still buy one more pair. LOL! The most expensive shoes I owned was bought from Bass shop in Makati and the cheapest shoes I bought is a Jessica Simpson flat shoes from Shanghai, which will bring me to my 3rd random fact.
3. I like Shanghai as a city. Of all the cities in Asia that I have visited these past 11 years, Shanghai is in the top three of must visit for me, especially for Asia. I like it because of the river, the charm of the ‘old Shanghai’ area, the bars and the night life, the shopping and the people. I just feel there is more life there as a city than SG. The only thing I don’t like there is when people spit. The shouting I still can bear.
4. I really don’t like to visit the US of A. LOL! No matter how many times my friends have invited me to visit them there and even my youngest sister now is based there, I still have no inspiration to go there, except for New York City. For me, it seems to be the only city there that is worth exploring. I still look forward to a work related reason so I can go and visit New York for free. LOL! But I would like to have the chance to visit and see old friends and especially those that I have not seen for a while. These friends of mine are now based in different parts of the US. More than the place, it is the friends I have who live there that continue to make me keep US in my soon-to-visit country.
5. The other city I would like to visit and still waiting as well a ticket is London. LOL! Some of you may think it is because of my bao bei but actually I have always longed to go there even before. However, it does not mean I will mind being pampered once am there. I still want to experience watching a show in London and to experience to shop in Harrod’s, not when it is on sale though. LOL! Japan will continue to be a dream travel for me and unless the universe grants my childhood wish, I may have to pay for this trip. LOL! My childhood dream is to be the Philippines’ Ambassador to Tokyo.
6. I like working and living in Singapore. I feel blessed because I managed to find a good job here working in something I truly enjoy-working with people. I have grown to love working with older people and I like what I do. I like the people, the environment and the v orderly system and the food. After living here for 8 years, I now look forward to going back to this city state after every trip. The only thing I don’t like here is when I have to speak in SINGLISH. I feel like ‘Barok’.
7. I feel distanced now to what is happening in my own country. No matter what I do I cannot rekindle the same passion I had before. I don’t event want to hear anything about politics in the Philippines. My boss wants me to go back home one day and run for Presidency. LOL! I ran for the university student council once as an independent candidate and lost though I gained a lot in terms of being a student leader. I think that was enough sacrifice for me in this lifetime. LOL! But I still believe in DS principles and philosophy.
8. I don’t watch shows on TV and I can live without a TV though I like following gossip news, especially from back home online. LOL! I am a Sharonian by heart but I have outgrown that idol-ism. The only show I watch and I can watch nowadays is Kris A’s ‘Deal or No Deal’. LOL! I wish one of these days I can join this show and win ONE MILLION PESO so I can give the money to my mom as a birthday gift.
9. I like photography and I wish I have more money to invest in SLR camera and learn more about this art. This is a skill I would like to hone when I have the luxury of time and money. Or maybe I should trade in some of my shoes to raise money to buy an SLR camera.
10. I love flowers and I like receiving them, especially when there is no occasion and it’s a surprise. My favourite flowers are ROSES.
11. I like collecting stamps. Even stamps from letters I receive at the office I cut and keep. One of these days, I will have to find the time to sit down and plow through my hordes of stamps collection to sort and file them. I also like collecting coasters. In every city I have been, I always buy coasters. I have more than enough to last me a lifetime. The other thing I like to do when I visit a new place is to buy a coffee table book about that city. I have a collection of books about cities I have been the past 11 years.
12. I like buying books, reading them and then passing them on to friends. I have stopped keeping books to myself. For I believe that books are meant to be read and not to gather dust in our bookshelves. Though I still dream of owning and running a second hand bookshop down the road. Maybe all those books which I have passed to friends will come back to me tenfold in numbers so I can open the bookshop.
13. I am also an OC, like some of my friends, but maybe not as OC as them. LOL! I am a v well organized person and I plan ahead what I am going to do with my day. I am a creature of habit and once in a while I do something un-me (that means something normal) like ‘wish for someone to be swallowed up by the universe.’ LOL!
14. I have a v strong intuition (a.k.a. sixth sense). There were occasions when I dreamt and felt that something not good is about to happen before they even happened. The most famous dream I had was of the ‘Twin Towers’ burning a few days before it happened back in September 2001. Though thank God I have not had one for a while now.
15. There are three things I never like doing (akin to hate I think). One is waiting for people to show up. I hate it when people are late for appointments and they do not tell me beforehand that they are going to be late. Second is when people are dirty at home. I like a house to be a home so that means it should be clean and comfy, a place of refuge and sanctuary and somewhere I can put my feet up and relax. Believe it or not, am a homebody or should I say ‘roombody’ since I don’t really have a house to myself here in Singapore. Third is asking people. I hate asking people, especially to ask them to do something for me. I always feel insecure and do not feel good about myself when I do that.
16. I keep a diary and I like writing letters. I always carry my diary when I travel and when am up there on the sky, I write in my diary. I also like writing poems when I am in the mood. I would like to write, maybe about my travels or my journeys and have it published. I aspire to be like my idol- Paolo Coelho- and be an inspiration to others.
17. I still dream of one day walking down the aisle. Hopefully it will be one of my dreams that can come true soon. But I don’t have a dream wedding, like some of my other girlfriends. A few of them have it to a T. Maybe I will hire a wedding planner. LOL! Any takers?
18. My favourite cartoon character is Winnie the Pooh. I have a copy of the complete series of the story of Winnie the Pooh and his friends. I would love to be able to read this storybook to my child but I am not sure if I still can have one in the future or if we would want to have a child once married. For me it is not a ‘must have’ as part of being married.
19. I like caps and I have a small collection and whenever there is an opportunity, I do wear one. The other thing I collect and I like buying before are socks. LOL! I used to own more than 20 pairs of socks, most of which were hardly worn as I hardly wear shoes that require socks. But I used to buy them a lot before. Thank God I have stopped now.
20. I like wearing jewelries, especially of semi-precious stones and diamonds and pearls. But I feel like I have enough and do not really want to add anymore unless they are of gold and diamonds, which I can count as an investment. LOL! So to my dear friends, please stop giving me jewelry as a gift this year.
21. I like frozen lime juice margarita as a drink and white wine for me rather than red wine tho I can enjoy red wine whenever there is. LOL! I hardly drink beer now but I enjoy more SAN MIG LITE than TIGER BEER.
22. I hardly watch or know something about football, but recently I have decided I will support LIVERPOOL. I still don’t understand how the game is played and has yet to watch a full game but I support LIVERPOOL. For most women, we don’t get this game but what the heck if it would add fun to your life right?
23. Hmmm… I don’t know how to drive and I don’t really want to learn how to drive unless someone buys me a car. I know I can live without a car, though I am really grateful for having a car and a driver (thanks to my sister and brother in law) whenever am in Manila. LOL! Speaking of cars, my dream car is a VOLVO. But it will remain a dream I think for me unless I am prepared to drive it alone and clean it myself. LOL! I am changing my dream car now to a BMW. Maybe it will come true then. LOL!
24. I know to a large extent we determine what happens to our lives. But it does not stop me from reading my horoscope once a month, buying 4D once in a blue moon, buy TOTO tickets together with other colleagues whenever they ask me to join them and buy every year the Hong Bao draw ticket here in SG in the hope that I can win and become an instant millionaire and then I will have enough money to give away to those that I would like to help. Since I have moved here I have only won two times and they are both less than a hundred dollars. LOL! So I continue to dream and when I can remember I will try and queue up, like so many other hopefuls.
25. My favourite holiday is Christmas and I will always miss it more and cry over it whenever am not spending it in Manila. For me the best Christmas season is still in Manila. Well so far at least. I like buying gifts for family and friends and I also like receiving gifts. Deep down I think I still believe in Santa Claus and I wished I did not discover my dad putting gifts in my socks when I was a child so I could have kept this belief longer. LOL! I wish all moms and dads will continue this tradition and to allow your child to keep the faith not in Santa Claus as a person but in the value of giving and of being grateful for every gift we receive, no matter the size. And I like opening gifts (all of them) before midnight and before I go to bed on Christmas day and not during the day. LOL!