A Decade Ago

Blatantly stolen from Amanda who blatantly stole it from someone else.

1) How old were you in 1996?
THEN: 12.
NOW: turning 22.

2) Where did you work?
THEN: I was 12. Are you kidding me?
NOW: I'm on the greatest vacation ever. I guess it's my job to be a good guest.

3) Where did you live?
THEN: 1996 - Pangasinan, Philippines.
NOW: 2006 - I split my time between Quezon City and Pangasinan.

4) How was your hair style?
THEN: 1996 - Past shouldrs, straight.
NOW: 2006 - Past shoulders in a shag.

5) Did you wear contacts?
THEN: 1996 - No.
NOW: 2006 - No, but I really, really, really want to.

6) Did you wear glasses?
THEN: 1996 - No.
NOW: 2006 - Yes. I hate them.

7) Who was your best friend?
THEN: 1996 - Carmi Mapalo.
NOW: 2006 - Nellie. Next to myself.

8) Which of your pets were still alive?
THEN: 1996 - I didn't have pets. I was on the move a lot.
NOW: 2006 - The dust mites on my bed that give me the allergies.

9) Who was your boyfriend/girlfriend?
THEN: 1996 - I was 12. Are you kidding me?
NOW: 2006 - Josh, the imaginary perfect guy. *Hysterical laughter*

11) Who was your celebrity crush?
THEN: 1996 - Sean Connery.
NOW: 2006 - Pierce Brosnan. So I like mature men... is something wrong with that?

12) Who was your regular-person crush?
THEN: 1996 - JR Rivera.
NOW: 2006 - *laughs* If you know what I go for, you can easily guess.

13) How many piercings did you have?
THEN: 1996 - One in each ear.
NOW: 2006 - Hasn't changed...yet. Ida and Rina, I'll hold you to that multiple ear piercing session...

14) How many tattoos did you have?
THEN: 1996 - None.
NOW: 2006 - Ditto.

15) What was your favorite band/singer?
THEN: 1996 - I'm so embarrassed to say this, but...Backstreet Boys. I was 12, give me a break.
NOW: 2006 - If I said the Pussycat Dolls, would you kill me? I like dancing to their stuff...granted the lyrics aren't that good. But they're helping me keep fit. Seriously, it's Derek Webb right now.

16) Had you smoked a cigarette?
THEN: 1996 - No. It never crossed my mind.
NOW: 2006 - No. I have asthma.

17) Had you gotten drunk?
THEN: 1996: I was 12. Let's hope not.
NOW: 2006: No. I stop when I have a warm and fuzzy buzz going on. I have a low alcohol tolerance level. I don't want to cross the line most of the time.

18) Looking back, are you where you thought you would be in 2006?
No, I'm way off. I thought I'd be working on becoming a surgeon by now. But I'm a Statistics major. I'm still seriously disturbed that things didn't turn out the way I wanted them to be.

In other, err, whatever. I'm in Gainesville with my cousin Arman. He'll be showing me some good time this week. I'm sure it'll be more bashing of my protective shell but maybe that'll be good for me in the long run. I rode more rollercoasters the past two days in Disney World and Universal Studios Orlando. I even went on some twice. I've done a few crazy things like go to a bar, get a drink, and dance with complete strangers.

How do I feel about doing stuff I said I'd be too scared to do? It's a little scary but it's giving me a sense of freedom. And it's showing me things that are still a mess in my life. Things that I thought I'd resolved or put behind me. And at times, I feel like the cost of following Christ is so high. Because He's somehow using these crazy events to show me how much there is to mend, how much I have to let go and it's a rollercoaster far too scary for me to want to ride on. I know that there's a freedom in that and there's a joy waiting but at the same time it's depressing. Yeah, I'm not making sense now.