Me, Mii and my Wii

The most complicated gadgets I own are my Canon Ixus camera and my Treo 650 not until Orie and I recently bought a Wii. I confess, I am not a techie. Even it the gadget comes with an instruction manual, I'd have somebody read it for me and tell me how it works. Being techie has the same effect on me as solving mathematical equations - brain freeze. It was in Vancouver that I had encounters of the 3rd kind that I shall call Wii. I was in the mall strolling with Jen, my friend Abbey's younger sister, when she pointed out that straight ahead was a booth selling Wii Fit. Wii? What is that? Jen explains that it's a gaming console from Nintendo and it allows you to virtually play the game. Sounds interesting. As we approached the booth, I saw a Wii board where one had to step on, play and exercise. Did you say exercise?! My bulging tummy needs exercise badly and I thought a Wii would help me get back in shape or so I thought. Notwithstanding the fact that I still have an ongoing membership at Fitness First, for the most part, I'm just simply lazy to exercise.

A few weeks before, my sister Orie asked me if I wanted to purchase one. Her co-worker was selling one for Php 8,500. Hmm, that's cheap. A unit sells Php 20,000+ in the mall. Was thinking maybe it looked like Wii on the outside but it was an Atari in the inside. I never had my own Atari when I was younger but I got to play one using a joystick. I was playing Pacman. I try to stay away from gadgets because for one, it's too technical. Secondly, I have a bad case of eye and hand coordination. I tried playing Mario Brothers using my brother's Nintendo years before and all it does is toughen up my muscles and whenever Mario needed to jump over a hurdle, I unknowingly jump as well. I cannot restrain myself from feeling so into the game. I never thought of it as a way of relaxing just because, I play really uptight. There's all the screaming that I'd be eaten up alive by the dragon and at the same time, I have to step on a flea looking creature. It's just too much for my simple mind. Even a Game and Watch has that effect on me too. So why buy a Wii right? Besides, I wanted to save money since I'm in between jobs. Ok. That's final. No Wii for now.

After a few days, I got a call from Orie asking me if I wanted to buy the unit and I said I wasn't interested till she said "Atchie (that's ate in Chinese), hati na lang tayo." Thinking for a few seconds, I said yes. This is where my techie life begins. It wasn't long when I finally came face to face with my Wii. It had to be converted so it can play pirated games. Orie brought it a few days ago in Greenhills and she had to pay Php 2,500 for the conversion. Now, it was my turn to install the unit in our bedroom's TV. I dread it until Orie installed it on her own because she couldn't wait. Yey! Maybe that was my way of stalling. What a way to be techie. After it was installed, Orie played Wii Sports and I enjoyed seeing her play tennis with the remote securely strapped on her right wrist and she was on her feet. She was virtually doing her swings - forehand and backhand. Cool.

I tried playing Wii Sports yesterday as well and I had fun. It proved a lot of things that I'm still bad with my eye and hand coordination. I did pretty well with tennis and bowling but not in ping pong, golf and baseball. It was quite common to see YOU LOSE on the screen. I also tried to do some training to get a feel of the games and according to the game, my Wii fitness age was 52. Yikes. I enjoyed playing tennis and my right arm hurt. I'll play another round today and see how I'd do.

What's interesting about Wii is that you can create your own Mii. Mii is your character. You can program your built, features, height and weight to recreate your look virtually. Orie did it for me and when it came to height, she kind of shortened it. Hmp! Needless to say, she made me a bit chubbier too to make it realistic. Here's a picture of the Mii creator. I even got to choose the color of my dress. Of course I chose the color pink. How gay is that?

I was telling Robs, one of my best friends, over chat last night that maybe I could use Wii to improve my eye and hard coordination. Maybe it'll even help me in driving. For someone like me who can be oblivious about my surroundings, a Wii might just be helpful. Well, I'm working on my boxing skills too. It kind of takes awhile to get used to having the nunchuk on my left hand and the remote on my right hand. The nunchuk is what I attach to the remote. I still haven't really figured out what the nunchuk exactly is for but for now it's for boxing.

Maybe a few months from now, I'll be an expert on this and who knows, I might just join a Wii tournament if there will be one. This is something new to me. For now, my whole family has to put up with my screaming and selecting PLAY ANOTHER GAME till I get it all figured out.

Trapped

Don't we all get caught in different situations when we feel trapped? Everyone gets stucked one way or another and I for one have been trapped whether it was emotionally, physically or even mentally.

1. Great job offer but horrific work culture - Last Thursday, I received a phone call from the HR head of one of the companies I was applying for. After a two week hiatus, I got a SMS from him asking if he could call me. He wanted to see me the following day so I met him at 3 PM. I was motioned to the conference room where I was to meet him.

him: Hi Melissa, how are you?
me: Ok naman po. And you?
him: Why didn't you call me?
me: Uh, the last time we talked, you told me that you'll have the hiring memo signed by the President and I was asking for a job description.
him: Ah ok.

Isn't that strange, he hardly remembered what we talked about.

him: Melissa, just like we have discussed over the phone, here is our offered salary.

I thought he was going to hand me a formal job offer. It got me excited to know what it was going to be until he handed a small piece of white paper with their logo on it and turns out, it was a company Post It! A what? A Post It with a breakdown of my taxable and non taxable salary. I only use Post Its to remind me of my things to do or to flag my documents but for a job offer, no.

After explaining the breakdown, he smiled and said "That's it." Geesh. A Post It?! How strange. I was left to probe what other benefits and perks I'll be receiving. Admittedly, the package was great. Very tempting. It was more than what I had asked for and and it even comes with a car among others but something just didn't feel right. Mid-way through our conversation, I asked what the position would be. What he did was to open the flap of the brown short envelope on the glass table and peeked at the paper inside.

him: You will be the (position withheld to protect the company).

Then he closed the flap and looked at me and smiled. I don't think I'll ever get to see what was verbally relayed to me in black and white. I was informed that I will only be able to see a formal job offer once I said yes. Would I want to relive the same work culture from where I came from and way of doing things?

2. I am claustrophobic. I never was one till the year 2004. When I have my anxiety attacks, I can take hyperventilating to a whole new level. One of the things I dread is being trapped in an elevator. Oh my. A few years back and I was on my way to work and I took one of the four elevators at the lobby. A few floors up, the elevator stopped. The lift was full of people and I was beginning to panic. Breathe in, breathe out. I visualizing some other situation so I could get my mind off the fact that I was stuck and I don't even know if there was oxygen good for 25 people. I was standing near the control buttons when I heard someone at the back say ...

him: Matagal pa kaya to?
her: Di naman siguro.
him: Buti na lang walang claustrophobic sa atin dito noh?

If I had a thought bubble pop up, it would have said "Waaaaa! Shut up! I am claustrophobic. Don't rub it in and don't even mention it!" As the seconds passed, I wanted to get a brown bag and breathe with it. Hi hu hi hu. This is a brown bag moment and I'm near hyperventilating. The seconds felt like hours and thank goodness, the building engineer got the elevator up and running before I'm featured on Saksi - Mahigit trenta anyos na babae, hindi nakahinga sa elevator! Live! Pasok Macky Pulido!

3. I hate math. It can never love me back. I remember Ma preparing reviewers for my periodical exams back when I was in grade school. I would never forget the moment when I was having a brain freeze when I was in first grade.

Ma: Meh!!! 150 minus 32 equals?!
me: Ma, pagod na ako.
Ma: Meh, paano pag subtraction and the number ends in zero? Di ba you borrow 1 from 5?!
me: Ma, di ko na kaya. :( (You have got to see my face. I was sulking and in tears.)

Ma's patience was tested many times over and she had to give me a hour's break just so I could relax myself and refocus. I was mathematically trapped. I could still add, subtract, multiply and divide now and I'm glad the calculator was invented. Look Ma, no more tears.

4. Two hours of driving class everyday doesn't get me really far. I'm usually around U.N. Avenue, Paco or Pandacan. I'm always stuck in traffic. My classes are from 10 AM to 12 NN and around this time, I drive with container trucks. Lots and lots of them. I didn't even know they were allowed to drive around that time. I know that a truck ban was imposed and they are only allowed on the streets from 9 PM onwards. The trucks weren't imaginary that's for sure because they dwarf the Toyota Vios that I was driving. Being sandwiched in between 2 container trucks can be quite challenging on my driving skills. I can't get too near and I have to maintain a safe distance.

5. There's also this feeling of being trapped at work. Don't you at times feel that what you're doing just isn't what you really love to do. It took some time for me to decide to change careers and pursue what I wanted to do. You have got to have the right reasons to accept a job and it pays to have a plan and know who you really are. When I was younger, I would simply go with the flow and allow other people to maneuver my life but that took its toll on me. I realized that I had to live my dream, make my own music and sing my own song. Much as Pa wanted me to be an accountant, please refer to number 3 - I hate math. When I was applying for La Salle, my first choice was Accounting. This says a lot how much I listen to Pa and how he can greatly influenced me to do things even when I didn't want to. I'm glad I didn't get in Accounting and I got myself into the double degree program. I almost got trapped there. That was close.

6. Don't we all at one time have chosen to be with a friend, co-worker, business associate, boss who wouldn't really do us good? Knowing someone takes time and it also helps to see things from another person's perspective. Being affiliated or being close to someone blinds you. You kind of feel your gut tell you something is just not right but in the end, you'll be able to confirm that after all, you perceived the person correctly and you move away. I've had the experience of being surrounded by characters who after all only thought of themselves. Breaking free was difficult to do but when I found my cue to cut my ties, I chose to be free.

Life gives us so many choices and we can choose where or who we want to be. It's inevitable to fall into traps but I try my best to steer clear more so that I am now free. Should in the future I find myself in another pothole, I'd like to think that I am better at getting myself out of it faster and most importantly, unscathed.

Address: Manila, Philippines

A common question to me nowadays is if I'll ever consider moving to the U.S. I have the papers and the visa to find work there anytime but migrating has never crossed my mind (for now). Notwithstanding the fact that my sister Marissa and my mom's whole clan is there, the U.S. never appealed to me more than a vacation destination. I love San Francisco and how the city spells cosmo and chic. The place has character and great vibe. Choosing between Manila and San Francisco, I'd choose the former for so many reasons. Call me crazy but there a lot of great things about the Philippines. It's a blessing to be here.

1. My family is here. Though we're not complete with Marissa in San Francisco and Koc in Xiamen, home is where my parents are. I live with my parents and it can be crazy at times living with Pa but Ma balances it out. Pa is the human bundy clock. Orie, the youngest sister and I have got to be home before 12 midnight otherwise, we turn into hamsters in tattered clothes. Even at 31, my dad will always see me as a girl in pigtails. That's part of the package of being here. Moving out is not an option because it just can't be with Mr. Tong.

2. Friends, amigas, amigos, kumare, kumpare. When I want to have coffee, lunch or dinner and vent about the traffic or the government, friends are there. They make everything bearable. For me, I have different sets of friends. High school friends. College friends. Beijing friends. Work friends. I kind of fit in any group so I'm very mobile.

3. Life is more comfortable. There are house helps who make my life easier. Someone prepares the meals and washes and irons my clothes. I don't have to worry about doing the groceries or what meals to eat. The extra help allows me to do things for myself but I do have to give credit to Ma for running an efficient household. It's superb.

4. Services are cheap. I can enjoy an hour's home service massage for Php 250. My therapist is really good. Well, for those who want to try her service, call Rose at 0917-2432261. She knows how to relax my tension muscles and she knows when to soften hear kneading and when to toughen it. When I have my schedule with her, everyone in the family will also have a massage. I have my massages weekly. Also, where else can you also find cheap nail work for both hands and feet for Php 140. In the U.S., if my memory serves me right, a manicure costs $20 and a pedicure is even more expensive. For haircut, I only pay my stylist Php 220. Her name's Remy and she's one of the senior stylist at Fix Robinsons Place. She used to work at James Cooper. She's been doing my hair for maybe 4 to 5 years now and she's also doing Ma and Orie's hair.

5. The malls are real. Not that the malls in the U.S. are surreal but it doesn't fare to our malls here. We have Mall of Asia and who can ever beat that. There's also my favorite place on earth - Greenbelt. It has so many good restaurants. The choices are varied and the ambiance is great. Serendra does not appeal to me that much but it's where I can find one of my favorite restaurants Abe. The size of the malls in the U.S. are comparable to Harrison Plaza. Boring.

6. Lots and lots of good restaurants. Name the cuisine and we have it. Of course the best would be Filipino food. Try Cafe Juanita in Barangay Kapitolyo, Pasig. It has quaint interiors and you'd see brick a bracks that are for sale. The theme is more like Bohemian to me and I love it. There's also a pianist during the evenings to lighten up the mood. Call 632-0357 and 710-1562 to make reservations. Try their kare kare, bagnet salad and sans rival. Have some tea after. You'll need it to unclog your arteries.

7. Travel destinations are limitless. You have Boracay, Bohol, Cebu, Palawan, Batanes to name a few. Well I've been to the first three and I'm thinking of going to Palawan next. I'm actually off to Iloilo next weekend with my college friends. We're visiting Guimaras and other places around the province. Domestic travel in the Philippines is fun. It has become cheaper and cheaper with low fares from Cebu Pacific but you've got to have patience because the flights are always delayed and it gives you a reason to actually fight. Better to purchase your tickets online than go to their outlets. One of my dream destination as well is Amanpulo. Rates are in US dollars I heard but it's paradise. You also have your own butler.

Every time I pick up the paper over breakfast and I read the horrendous headlines in PDI, I still think that the Philippines is a great place to be in. This is my home amidst the traffic, pollution, corruption and hot pink MMDA lines on the streets (no matter how stupid it is), I'm on auto pilot when I'm here.

Shifting Gears

Fasten your seatbelt. I'm going to drive. I've had two driving classes so far. My starting point was SM Manila and the farthest I've been to was U.N. Avenue. Somewhere near the plant of Coca Cola. I am finally driving at a safe speed of 20 kph. This pace is even slower than how a pedicab driver would get his bike up and running. Two days into my lesson and I've got a lot of stories I should have taken on video.

1. Being the vertically challenged person that I am (I'm just 5' tall), I had to move my seat really close to the steering wheel. Proper distance to the wheel should be observed at all times. How? Stretch your arms and make sure that your wrists rest on top of the wheel.

him: Mam, paki check lang po ang distance sa steering wheel.

I was stretching my arms to see the distance. Perfect!

him: Mam, paki tapak lang po ang clutch all the way down to the floor.

So I stretched my left leg and tried to press down the clutch.

him: Mam, parang di pa nakadiin ang clutch. Paki lapit lang po ang upuan.

At this point I moved the chair a few inches.

him: Ok Mam, paki tapak po uli.

So, I stepped on the clutch again.

him: Mam, konting usog pa. Parang nahihirapan kayong tumapak.

After the nth time, I figured the right distance to the clutch and not the steering wheel. What am I to do with the steering wheel if my leg could hardly step on the clutch right?

2. Pedestrians have the right of way. This holds true most especially if you are near the cross walk but for me, even when they are walking towards the car from a far distance, I feel that I'm headed for a collision. One instance was when I was heading towards the car park and I saw an old lady walking on the right side of the car. She was at a good distance and quite far I would say. I was panicking alright.

me: Kuya!!! Si Lola!!! Naglalakad papunta dito!!! Baka mabangga tayo!!!
him: Mam, malayo pa tayo kay Lola. Hayaan mo sya. Ang delikado yung naglalakad na ang likod ang nasa harap natin.

Sigh. Lola, why did you even have to go to SM in the first place. Maybe she had an eyeball. Yeehee Lola.

3. Forward, backward. These were the basic movements taught to me during the first day. We were somewhere near Adamson University where the traffic was bearable. Step on the clutch, release the handbrake, shift to gear 1 and press gas. The car was moving. Good girl. To move backward, I had to do the same steps but this time, I had to shift the gear to reverse. The car was moving. So on and on it went. Forward, backward.

him: Ok Mam forward na po tayo.

Ok I was able to move the car forward.

him: Ok Mam backward naman.

Again, I moved the car backward then out of nowhere I saw students crossing the street.

me: Kuya!!! May tao sa kalye!!! Baka makasagasa tayo!!!

him: Mam, pag ang kotse nasa 20 kph lang, kayang kaya to.

At this point, I figured out that my instructor had a brake of his own on the passenger side. Whew, ok. I guess it never hurts to drive faster.

The past two days, my heart has never beated this fast. I haven't been to the gym for almost two months and driving I suppose is good for the heart. Better than Omega 3 and it's some sort of exercise. I've been palpitating like anything and driving is also good for the vocal chords. I've been doing a lot of screaming the past two days too. My instructor had a piece of advice "Mam, ang kaba, iniiwan dapat sa bahay." Opo Kuya.

Breaking Bondages

What a day it was. I came from an 11:00 interview this morning with a global company at The Fort. I loved it. The moment I stepped in their office, I felt a sense of calm and professionalism with how they do things. The premises were squeaky clean and the floor was carpeted. I saw work stations filled with people who seem to be happy with what they're doing. How I'd love to be part of that team. After lunch, I went to my first driving class. The mere fact that I'm writing this meant that I survived the streets of Manila. I'll write about my first driving experience in a separate blog. It deserves a space of its own with the numerous pedestrians I've allowed to cross and the cars, buses, pedicabs, taxis that I allowed to cut my path. I will only be this generous while I'm a student driver!

What I really wanted to write today is how divinely guided I am. I've been in search of my spirituality for several years now and for the past couple of months, I felt a guiding hand leading my way. I've successfully picked up several Christian books and last Saturday, I bought my very own Bible. I love the leather like camel and tan cover and the verses came with notes so it's easy to understand for someone like me who is starting to read. I'm a soul longing to connect and comprehend my being and purpose. Everyone goes through this pattern of thought and we are all bound to something. More often that not, these bondages do tie us down.

I'm blessed to have found this path of reconnecting. If not for the pain I recently went through, I would not have embarked on this journey. This is the first time that I'm openly discussing the other side of my laughter. Admittedly, I'm still in the process of healing. The past week, I felt the anger and hurt resurface. They felt real and I knew I had to work on it so I can let it go one time or another. It'll take awhile to forgive but I have decided to move on. Unleashing myself from the bondages of doing my daily routine and breaking away from the autocratic place where I used to be is a herculean task in itself. I am unlearning several things from the past and learning new things so I can propel myself to the future. Despite all that has been said and done, I am grateful that it was my past that opened doors of opportunity for the future.

I thought that I would always be at the same place but I was called to reinvent myself. I was temporarily sheltered until I found where I was meant to be. I know that I will bloom where I'll be planted and when that happens, it will be easier to release myself from the seven-year bondage and I can truly say that I have forgiven.

Driving Me Crazy

It took 3 years for me to enroll in a driving class. Back in 2005, I even took the written driving exam in California. I got myself a handbook in DMV and I reviewed it like a diligent student. I even highlighted what I thought was important. It did pay off as I only had 1 mistake during the exam. Funny but I never got myself to take the practical exam because I didn’t know how to drive. I was hoping to stay in Los Angeles a little bit longer to learn how to drive SANELY.

Last Tuesday, Pa accompanied me to the La Loma branch of LTO. It looked more like a warehouse to me than a government office. The galvanized iron ceiling and monoblock benches made the whole place seem primitive. I felt like I was in some sort of a warehouse where I needed to carry sack loads of NFA rice. Anyway, a lady brought my application inside the office and instructed me to wait. So I obediently took a seat and hardly moved. The place was dirty and one wrong move, I felt I will be struck with tuberculosis or worse, SARS. The floor was wet and a man somewhere in his late 40s used a dust pan to put the water in a bucket and guess what? The dark, murky water was used to water a plant in the middle of the waiting area. We (meaning me and the rest of the Republic of the Philippines waiting for their licenses) were watching him pour the water. Think the problem was solved? Hell no! The excess water from the plant was again overflowing on the floor. Really smart. I got my student permit in less than an hour.

After two days, I got myself enrolled in A1 at SM Manila. Boy, it was quite a wait. I was at the office around 12:30 PM and the office was closed and I saw the sign BREAK by the counter. So I guess this will be quite a wait. I decided to have lunch at Pho Hoa and enroll after I enjoy my chicken pho. I could see from afar that after quite sometime, the office was open. Yipee! I signaled the server for the bill and I hurriedly left. When I reached the office, for some strange reason, it was again closed. Again, there was a sign by the counter that read OUT FOR C.R. This enrolment is taking longer than expected. I don’t know if this was some way to drum up excitement for my much awaited driving class. Sigh. So I got my phone and fixed my schedule and texted a few friends and my parents. Ten minutes has passed and finally a lady opened the office.

her: Matagal ka nag antay?
me: Medyo. Kanina kasi naka lunch break ka tapos nag C.R. ka naman nung bumalik na ako (Feisty!).
her: Hindi naman ako nagtagal. May binili lang ako. (She raises her hand showing me her National Bookstore plastic.)
me: Mag e enroll ako ng driving. Manual car tapos 20 hours.

At this point, I was reading the schedules posted by the counter.

me: Miss, ano tong Orientation class na to?
her: Ituturo sa inyo yung pre-routine bago mag drive tsaka yung basics.
me: Ah ok.
her: Pero optional lang yan.

I’m like WHAT?! Optional?! How can one learn how to drive without knowing the basics. So I continued …

me: Mag a attend ako nyan noh!!! (I was in disbelief hearing this.)

Being the ever observant person that I am, I once again asked.

me: Eh miss, ano naman tong Lecture Schedules na to?
her: Tuturuan kayo ng road signs, defensive driving. Pero optional lang din yan.

DUH?! Optional again?!

me: Mag a attend din ako nyan noh!!!

So I scheduled myself to these two classes. I attended the Orientation class yesterday and the Lecture would be next Saturday at the Mall of Asia office. How the hell can these classes be optional? I don’t get it. No wonder the Philippines is abound with drivers who leave professionals no option but to blow their horns away or worse ...

Yesterday’s two-hour orientation was pretty good. The lecturer was very intense. He hardly grasped for air while explaining the basics of driving. I wanted to hook him to an oxygen tank. He was animated. To illustrate, he wrote the letters C, B and G on the white board. C for clutch, B for brake and G for gas. He explained what these were for and taught us the basics of how to get a car started. So he gave us a scenario - how to start the car and which gears to shift. What he did was to place both his hands on the white board as if these were the pedals over the letters C, B and G and asked us “Paano ko ista-start ng car?” Everyone gave different answers on what to step on and which gears to shift until he said “Hindi ako gagalaw dito hanggat di nyo nasasabi ang tamang sagot!” Well, nobody gave the correct answers (of course we were beginners!) and the lecturer answered his own question lest he wanted his hands to be forever stuck on the white board.

I can’t wait to have my first driving lesson tomorrow. Honestly, I’m having a mental block as of this writing and I could hardly recall what pedals to step on. Heaven forbid I run over a cat.

Could Have Been and Could Be

I woke up today to the sound of rainfall. It was past 7 AM and I could hear my alarm go off. As usual, I ignored my phone and tried to catch a few minutes of sleep. As if it'd help. Wrong. I spent the next hour rushing to have one egg sandwich, take a bath, dress up and do a little make up. A little make up meant just putting on foundation, concealer, eyeliner, blush and lipstick. I may sound fully made up but I wasn't. I wasn't strikingly glamorous. I had no eye makeup! I needed to be out by 8:30 AM to make it to my 10 AM interview and I was running late.

Generally, the interview went well. It was for an executive position that had to deal with financing. The interviewer did most of the talking and I could tell, he was good at what he does. As he was telling me what the job was all about, I was close to having a nose bleed. He was talking about project finance, loan structuring, financial ratios, financial statements and all that time, I had to keep my composure. I felt I wanted to phone home. E.T. phoooone hoooome. Is this something I wanted to do? Think Melissa, think. For the most part, I listened and I have until Monday to revert to them if I was interested. Abangan!

I could have gotten myself into so many things but I chose not to be one way or another.
1. A singer - I think I can carry a tune and back in high school, I had my mom enrol me in Yamaha's singing lessons. I had to do a lot of vocal exercises that made my head spin. That was a lot of breathing exercises. I had to inhale for a long time to take in as much air as I could and exhale it slowly. Ssssss. After the first course ended, my mom told me that she wouldn't be enroling me because she felt I wouldn't be a singer anyway. "Meh, di ka naman magkaka career sa singing kaya wag na." Geesh, I thought I wanted to be another Joey Albert. I just don't know if Joey Albert wanted me to be another version of her.

2. A dancer. - When I was around 6 or so, my mom enroled me in art class. I always envied the children on the dancing class. I wanted to be a hula dancer. I was drawn to the colorful grass skirts and head dresses. That whole summer, I just happily stirred my water colors till the itch to dance wore off. I never really got myself into ballet either. I was chubby to even bend my back or even reach my toes. It was in college that I knew I had rhythm. I was lucky to have ballrooming dancing classes and I liked the steps but I knew I could never get myself into dance sport. I will forever be guilty for causing any back injuries on my partner. Think about that. He has to lift me, throw me up in the air, catch me and still make me look glamorous while he's thinking of going to the orthopedic.

3. An actress. - I've always wanted to join Little Ms. Philippines when I was younger. I'd ask my mom to allow me to join but her better judgement prevailed. I can't even think of a knock knock joke right now and I don't know if I could even give a straight answer of what I'd do if I catch somebody stealing. That was how the questions were phrased "Melissa, anong gagawin mo kung nakita mong nagnakaw ng candy ang kalaro mo?" I probably would have answered that I would ask for that candy. Bebel gum anyone? Bow.

4. A lawyer. - I wanted to be one when I was in college but I knew this wasn't for me. I think I had 4 law classes and I had to do a lot of reading and be familiar with the different provisions or whatever you call it. Exams were always essays and I had to explain my answers. Take for example the case of the pregnant carabao. Great. We can give her a baby mud shower. Ok here's the case. Juan sold his carabao to Pedro for Php 50,000. Little did Juan know that the carabao was pregnant. Who is the rightful owner of the baby carabaos? My answer: the father of the baby carabaos. If not for him, the mate would not even be pregnant. Itigil ang kasal!

5. An accountant. - I hate math. The fewer the units that needed my mathemical skills, the happier I am. I also had 4 classes in accounting back in college and I was toiling. Every exam meant I had to sweat beads. I will never ever forget my first accounting teacher. She drove me nuts with her exams. I needed to do my journal entries, do a trial balance and whatever it was. Looking back, I should have listened more. I remember entries such as Maria bought a car from XYZ company for Php 600,000. Debit cash and credit ... I don't know. All I know is that I didn't enjoy the car and the money is not with me. Your credit is good but we need cash. It is nice to look at but if you break it we consider it sold. Ha?

I have countless possibilities of who I could be now. A banker, a financial planner, a real estate executive or even be a business development expert. Given a chance, I'd love to transition into a banker and to think I said I would never work for a bank. Whatever my next adventure would be, it will definitely be what I think I could be and what I should be.