What do you do for work?
I do techie stuff to help large corporations reduce their carbon footprint.
What would you ideally like to do for work?
I don’t know, man. I think it’s one of my biggest flaws — and I’m sure I share this with a lot of other people — the fact that I really don’t know what I want to be. Who do I want to be?
I read somewhere that people should refrain from asking children what they want to be when they grow up. We should instead ask the kids what kinds of problems they want to solve. This way, we raise children who think beyond themselves, and we get a step closer to building a better world.
And if I were to answer that question, hmm — maybe I’m on the right path? The work that I do now — or at least the idea behind it — isn’t too bad. Many people buy into the concept that the best way to keep the Earth from burning is to sip on metal straws and to use cloth bags. Data show, however, that the biggest contributors to environmental destruction are not the small people — and that’s where my job comes in. I get the big corporations to do the Earth some good.
So, ideally, maybe I still want to keep on doing what I’m doing now. I don’t have a specific dream job, but I guess I wouldn’t mind building a career in the energy-slash-environment space. Hmm.
(Ang haba ng sagot ko e, ‘no? Napaisip ako e.)
What are you doing in order to achieve this?
I am trying my best to do a good job in my current work. Trying is the operative word though. I am not pity-fishing when I say that I have a fundamental lack in knowledge/training/intelligence. Hayyyy. Pero push lang, nandito na e! Hahahaha.
What is the meaning of your life? What is it that you really live for?
Ang lalim naman! Next question!
Have you ever REALLY thought about what it means to have children?
Sort of. Every now and then I ask myself: kapag nabuntis ba ako today, matutustusan ko ba ang pangangailangan ng bata? Hahaha.
Are you planning to have children anyway?
Not really, or at least not at the moment.
What is the most awful thing about the world today?
Dude, don’t get me started on this.
What do you think is the worst being on the planet?
Yeah, let’s leave this question for another day.
Have you ever been arrested? If so, what for?
Nope.
Have you ever been in court? If so, in which role?
Kamag-anak ng nasasakdal. Char, loko lang.
Which do you think is a more valuable being, a human or an animal?
Itanong mo sa pagong. Char, haha.
What, in your opinion, will cause the end of the world?
A MAD button? A meteor wiping out the entire planet?
What does your mother do for work?
She works in a factory.
^If she’s a homemaker, any specific reason for this?
She’s not a homemaker.
What about your father? What does he do?
He’s retired now, but he used to work at a manufacturing plant.
How do you like your coffee?
With ample amounts of cream and sugar.
If you’re of age, what’s your favorite alcoholic drink?
Beer, baby.
If you’re under-aged, what is your favorite soft drink?
I rarely drink soda, but my go-to choice is ginger ale.
Do you smoke?
I used to.
^If so, did you start when you were 18 or were you younger?
I started when I was 17. Don’t smoke, kids. It’s not cool.
Did your parents approve of your smoking/alcohol use before you turned 18?
I didn’t live with them at that time so they didn’t know.
Do you have siblings? If not, skip the next few questions.
I do.
Are you eldest, in the middle or youngest?
Eldest.
How big an age gap is between you and your siblings?
Not big.
Do/did your siblings cause trouble?
Of course.
If your siblings are old enough, what do they do for work?
They both have trade jobs.
Have you ever been jealous of your siblings?
Not really.
Do you still live with your parent/s or do you live alone/with a partner?
I live alone and I pay everything — rent, utilities, car, etc. — on my own.
What do you think about growing up?
Growing up is like a rock — it’s hard. Choz hahahahahaha.
What about having responsibilities?
It’s part of life, man. Unless of course you’re a wealthy-ass kid who never has to worry about anything, in which case then, good for you, I guess?
Do you know how to cook?
Yes I do.
^If so, what’s your favorite thing to cook?
I don’t know. Kung ano lang mabilis lutuin, ganyan.
What about baking?
What about it?
Do you ever drink tea?
Yes I do.
Have you ever followed any of these fad diets that go around?
I don’t, but I used to be vegan, if that counts.
What do you usually order at your favorite restaurant?
I don’t think I have a favorite restaurant.
Do you prefer a proper restaurant to a fast food place?
I rarely eat out so I don’t have a preference.
What’s your dream vehicle?
I don’t have one. My dream is to live in a city with a transportation system that is sooo efficient nobody ever has to drive a car on a daily basis.
What about your dream house?
Hmm. For now, it has to be a unit in a high-rise luxury condo. Full kitchen, full bathroom, en suite W/D, white countertops, large windows, hardwood floors, soundproof rooms, etcetera etcetera.
What is the biggest dream of your life?
To never have to dread waking up on Mondays (or waking up, period).
If you could travel to another country right now, where would you go?
I’d rather not travel anywhere right now.
What is a country you’d never ever visit?
Parang wala naman.
Are you good at taking care of your finances?
I’d say I’m good at living within my means, but I also waste a lot of money on unnecessary stuff. Two years ago, for example, I left my train pass at home and I got a $250 ticket for riding the train without a valid proof of fare payment. Sayang ng $250 beh!
Have you ever had any trouble paying your bills?
So far, no. I am very careful about this because I don’t have anyone to borrow money from just in case.
What about your rent?
Same as above. My parents are not rich, and my brothers don’t make bank either. I have a few friends, but I’m sure they’re just as broke as me haha.
What do you think is the best thing about being an adult?
Ooh, good question. For me, the best thing about being adult is having the capacity to solve problems in a more, uhh, meaningful way. When I was a kid, for example, there was nothing I could do to help my parents out with their money problems. I could stay in school and stay out of trouble, but that’s about it. Now that I’m older, I am able to earn money and chip in, which, to me, is way better than doing nothing.
I’d say the same idea applies to almost all types of problems. Children in abusive households are able to seek refuge elsewhere once they are of age. Children who are passionate about certain causes — climate change, social justice, etc. — are able to do so much more once they acquire the relevant skills and training needed to address large-scale issues.
So when you become an adult, you no longer have to be a passive witness to whatever is going on around you. You get to make the call. You have the capacity to do something about your life and your problems, and you can also help other people solve their problems. If you wish to, you can even help address the bigger problems of the world — and I think that’s beautiful. Haha.
What about the worst?
Uhh, the fact that you now have problems to solve? And that these problems will not go away no matter how much you ignore them? Haha. Huhu.
Is there a person in your life, who wastes their life somehow?
I don’t think so.
^If so, how are they wasting their life?
N/A
What is something you need to do but you keep postponing it?
Get braces. I need a new set of braces to get my teeth fixed, but I’ve worn braces and Invisalign for nearly 10 years already so — hayyy. Nakakatamad na ewan.
Do you think life should just hand things to you?
Depends on how you define “life” and how you define “things” hehe.
Or should you earn the things you want and need with hard work?
See, you just introduced a very dangerous binary right there. Hmp!
Would you rather live off government benefits or earn your own money?
Obviously I wouldn’t want to live off of government benefits and I’d rather earn my own money.
The problem with this question though is, again, the implied false dichotomy between choosing to earn your own money versus choosing to not work at all (and therefore live off of benefits). There are numerous factors that lead to “choosing” to live off of government benefits — if we could even consider it a “choice” — and there are also constitutional provisions that require governments to provide its people basic services.
So if you believe that everyone must simply “choose” to work hard and never demand anything from the government, I suggest you at least read your country’s constitution and bill of rights. Educate yourself, understand your own privileges, and read something else other than Thought Catalog. (No offense to TC fans hahaha.)
When you take a survey, do you skip questions?
Sometimes, yeah.
Why, do you think, people write lyrics as the title for a survey?
Why, do you use, commas a lot? Choz.
I don’t know, man. I don’t use song lyrics so I can’t answer.
If you have a Facebook, what do you use it for?
I don’t have Facebook.
If you have a Twitter, what do you use it for?
Sanity breaks! My favorite Twitter accounts these days are @Catshealdeprsn and @flower_posts.
I really want a kettt! 🙀
If you have a Tumblr, what do you use it for?
I have a Tumblr but I don’t use it anymore.
If you have an iPhone, why?
I don’t have an iPhone. I used to have one though, but I switched to Android and I think the latter is better.
If you have an iPad, why?
I don’t have an iPad but I am considering buying one. Either that, or a Kindle. I want a reader device but I haven’t decided which one to get yet.
If you have the latest electronic gadgets, did you pay for them yourself?
Of course.
Do you always put your litter in a trashcan?
Of course.
When you walk/ride your bike/drive your car, are you careful?
Of course.
What is the rudest thing a person could do or say to you?
The few rude encounters I could think of all happened in Philippine government offices. The people manning the counters were rude and condescending, etc., but maybe they just were overworked and underpaid so — hayyy.
Have you ever been that rude to someone else?
Nope, and I’ve been a minimum wage earner working as a cashier in a very busy department store. Timpi-timpi na lang, beh.
Do you think your parents are proud of you and what you do with your life?
I hope so.
Which would you rather be, famous or a “nobody”? Why?
A nobody, for sure.
Do you need to have the latest fashion in clothes and accessories?
Nope. Couldn’t care less.
If you have a job, do you get along with your co-workers?
I don’t even see them so, kebs.
What kind of hobbies do you have?
Reading and writing, mostly.
Would anything in the whole world make you give up any of those hobbies?
Writing, sure, but reading? Probably not, man. If somebody gave me $100 million dollars just so I wouldn’t read anything at all, hmm — what else would I do then? Hmmm. I might consider the offer, but it wouldn’t be an easy decision for sure.
Have you had/do you have any pets?
Nope. I really want a cat though! Huhuhuhuhuhuhuhu.
Do you even like animals?
Sure, why not?
If you aren’t already, would you ever get married?
I don’t know. I guess I would consider it if I meet the right guy. Otherwise, I don’t really have a strong desire to get married.
If you are already married, what was the ultimate reason for the marriage?
Bruh.
As a child, did you do anything really bad?
Sure.
^If so, what was it? What were the consequences?
I think I made a classmate cry? I didn’t do it on purpose though. The consequence was the guilt that came with it.
As a teenager, did you do anything really bad?
I guess, yeah.
^If so, what was it? What were the consequences?
Hmm, let’s see. I almost got kicked out for quote-unquote stealing a book. I also got a staff fired, and I’m sure his friends got back at me by spitting on my food.
Do you have a problem with authority?
When I was younger, yeah, a lot.
What’s your favorite comic strip?
Pugad Baboy siguro.
Is there a piece of clothing you absolutely must wear every day?
Panties.
Has a doctor ever told you to lose weight?
Nope. Quite the opposite, actually. Doctors always tell me to gain weight.
Have you ever been diagnosed with a lifelong disease?
I don’t think so.
What is something you absolutely hate?
H@rry R0que.
What about something you absolutely love?
Music.
Questions from Tumblr. Featured photo from Unsplash.
sure. wait. what? 
“I read somewhere that people should refrain from asking children what they want to be when they grow up. We should instead ask the kids what kinds of problems they want to solve. This way, we raise children who think beyond themselves, and we get a step closer to building a better world.”
Great thought. I will keep this in mind. I enjoyed your Q and A portion so much. But your answer in the question, ‘What is something you absolutely hate?’ is my favorite.
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