I WRITE. I DANCE. I LAUGH. I LOVE. I LIVE.

My birth name, which I seldom use, means “heart” in Spanish.

While growing up, I preferred to be called by my nickname – - which actually came from the name of my very first life-sized doll.

I was born a Virgo, which somehow explains my overly critical and perfectionist nature.

I belong to a very talented brood, all my brothers and sisters have an uncanny inclination towards the arts and music.

My ultimate dream is to see my name imprinted on books lining the shelves of bookstores. The nearest I ever came to realizing the dream is seeing my name, and my articles, imprinted on the Life and Times section of a national newspaper, The Manila Times.

Along with books, coffee and conversations with The One Up There, writing gets me through anything.

I am not a heavy sleeper. I usually survive on only three hours of sleep to function normally at any given day. Lack of sleep and torrents of caffeine in my bloodstream has become a way of life.

I will always have fond memories of school as I would probably never fall out of love with UPLB.

My earliest childhood memories are filled with images of pink leotards and thights, willowy tutus and fuschia grass skirts with beads noisily rattling on its waistband. I learned how to dance probably just at the same time I learned how to walk.

A lot of people do not have positive first impressions about me. I have been consistently “suplada” all my life, and I think it is one of the few traits that I have been notoriously known for all these years. It’s just too bad that being “suplada” almost always elicit negative connotation from other people. As if we are all wired to give out a wide smile and make “beso” to anyone we come across.

My affinity for music at an early age didn’t spawned delusions of a future singing career. I was perfectly happy to hum along to my favorite songs in the privacy of my room, or sometimes infront of the big, old Akai stereo when everyone is not around.

I had the privilege of interviewing renowned British author Tony Buzan for one of my Manila Times article.

I still believe in relationships. I have not yet forgotten the feeling of having someone you love love you back the same way. I don’t totally shun it from my system, but it’s not as if I would go to great lengths to alter my unattached state.

I am comfortable with the fact that I do not know everything, and that I will continue to learn things day by day.

I am a breakfast person. I cannot possibly start the day on an empty stomach.

I hate nosy people. I hate the fact that I am obligated by some to tell them reasons behind each and every move I make. I hate persons who ask why, what, where, how, etc., etc. whenever they see me frown, or hear me yell, or see me pounding on my computer keys like some drug-crazed maniac.

Back in college, I used to down 12 bottles of beer in one sitting and still be able to walk back to the dorm without being hit by a speeding vehicle.

Despite my naturally straight hair, I was eternally “kulot” (curly-haired) for as long as I can remember. Every year, from kindergarten to 1st year high school, my mom would take me to the parlor and have my hair permed. I only had the gumption to say “enough!” to all the curls and chemicals in sophomore year.

The way I look at marriage and relationships can be summed up in six words: “it will come if it comes.”

I don’t have any complaints about this whole “why are you not yet married?” running joke, save for the times when it gets too repetitive enough that all I want to do is glare and shout out “what the fuck is wrong with you?”

I have inherited a part of my sister’s vast collection of books and it’s a constant source of frustration that I cannot find time to actually start reading seriously again.

I still find myself tuning in to “Sesame Street” and grabbing a coloring book once in a while. It never hurts to keep in touch with the child within all of us.

Graduating from the University of the Philippines gave me enough ammunition to face the world, give it the finger and say “you can’t break me, I’ve prepared for you all my life.”

In a nutshell, whatever came my way, more or less, I deserved. I don’t blame the world or some stupid idea such as destiny with my life or whatever came out of it. Mistakes are highly underrated, and it’s mostly just being exploited as a launch pad for all the dramatic hullabaloos in our life. If we really, truly learn how to utilize the mistakes that we make, probably we’ll all be a little wiser and tougher by now.