100 Fast Facts

Just something to read so you can get to know me better. Or at least a number of things about me. 🙂

1. I am named after my father. He’s Georgie. I’m Georgette. But if you know me as the Tagalog romance writer, call me Edith. Or EJ.
2. I don’t like it when people misspell my name especially when they just copy it off from somewhere that had my name printed correctly.
3. I am an only daughter. But I do have brothers. One younger biological brother and two older ‘adopted’ brother-priests.
4. I’m the oldest grandchild from my mother’s side, second to the oldest on my father’s side.
5. I was born in October, on a Friday. The 13th, in the year of the Rat. My birth sign is Libra.
6. At the time of my birth, Martial Law had just been passed. So I’m a Martial Law baby.
7. My mom said I could talk by the time I was 6 months old.
8. The first song I ever learned was… Tuwing kita’y nakikita, ako’y natutunaw. Parang ice cream na bilad sa ilalim ng araw… I think I was four then. Song title is Pers Lab, by the band Hotdog. Listen to it here. 🙂
9. My first public performance was as the Easter Angel. I recited quite a long verse on Christ’s resurrection. I was also tasked to take off the Blessed Virgin’s black veil. I was five, I think, at the time.
10. Our family never expected I’d be an honor student. We were all surprised during my Kindergarten graduation that I was, indeed, gold medalist.
11. I was a consistent honor student in elementary, finishing third honor in Grade 6. Yeah, I’m a nerd.
12. I won a national spelling bee when I was in Grade 6, got as far as the Regional eliminations. Only 11 students were going to make it to the Finals. I was number 12.
13. I studied at Catholic institutions for my basic education: at the Immaculate Heart of Mary College (elementary) and St. Paul College, Quezon City (high school).
14. I am fluent in three languages – Tagalog, English and Ilocano (conversational). I have a fair understanding of and ability to speak in Cebuano. I understand and can speak quite a number of phrases in French, Hebrew, Thai, Khmer.
15. I can speak with several different accents, mostly depending on who I’m speaking with. I want to learn Deutsch, Italian, Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, and Aramaic. 😀
16. I find adapting to languages easy. Learning mathematical formulae, however, is the pits.
17. Despite Math being one of my worst subjects, I liked studying and solving problems in Algebra, Geometry and Trigonometry.
18. I liked chemistry and physics more than biology. Was too bad I had a teacher who was old enough then to be a lab specimen. A fossil, more specifically.
19. I don’t like social studies and history as subjects. Too many details to memorize.
20. I prefer essay-type exams more than identification or multiple choice. With essays, I could always weasel my way out of the exact answer by coming up with a hifalutin explanation. 😀
21. I got my Bachelor degree in Tourism from the University of the Philippines – Diliman.
22. Almost everyone from my high school expected me to take up accountancy in college as both my parents are accountants.
23. I graduated in October 1993 but marched in March 1994.
24. I flunked Macroeconomics on my last semester. That’s why I graduated later than my batch.
25. Until I graduated, even up to the time when I started looking for a job, I questioned how wise it was to have taken up the course I ended up in.
26. I know how to crochet. I can cross-stitch too. But crafts aren’t really my thing. Neither is any visual art.
27. I’M A GREAT COOK! Nobody really taught me how. My mom, when I was 11, I think, only taught me the basics of sauteing different kinds of veggies with some meat but that’s it.
28. I don’t use recipes when I cook although I do refer to published recipes for certain dishes. Mostly, I cook based on instructions from a cooking demo or on how the dish tastes like.
29. My kitchen rule when there are visitors: If I cook, I don’t wash the dishes. Of course this doesn’t apply otherwise as I live alone…
30. Speaking of cooking, if and when I introduce a dish being prepared by my characters in any of the books I write, chances are, I’ve done the same dishes, or I can actually prepare them. 🙂
31. If it can be helped, I would rather eat using matched spoon and fork. Holding on to different shaped flatware confuses me.
32. I can sing. And sing well. There was a time (when I was younger and I hadn’t abused my vocal chords yet with smoking) that I sounded like (and was almost as good as) Charlotte Church. But don’t make me sing pop songs especially Whitney Houston / Celine Dion / Charice / Jessica Simpson type of songs. The songs are going to sound like a hymn sung in a cathedral with the quality of my voice.
33. I never took voice lessons until I was what… past my mid-30s. The only training I had then was with the choir, under our choirmaster.
34. I got good singing genes from my maternal grandmother, I guess. Oh, and I think my dad although he doesn’t sing out loud like I do.
35. I can dance, too. I know a variety of moves including modern, ballroom, folk. Don’t do them expertly, though, but at least I don’t embarrass my companions nor my dance partner when I hit the dance floor.
36. I know how to play the guitar. No, wait. I know how to play some chords on a guitar. 🙂
37. I took dance lessons when I was much younger. Ballet and Jazz. Never pursued any of them professionally.
38. I love songs from Broadway musicals, Kundiman, love/pop songs especially from the 60s, 70s and 80s.
39. I like men who can sing, dance, play any musical instrument, not necessarily altogether at once.
40. I found out I am attracted to men who are warrior types so much more than the executive Wall Street or lawyer types. There’s just something so sexy about how a man wields his weapon. Get it? 😉
41. I never thought the pen name I came up with would be attributed to two of the most respected literary icons in Philippine history – Edith Tiempo and Nick Joaquin. I was merely mixing up a glamorized version of (one of) my nickname plus the street name where I lived in QC.
42. I AM A GRAMMAR WHORE because I know (I believe) I’m almost flawless when it comes to grammar and composition and wrong usage irritates me no end.
43. I love books! I love to read. Have to admit, however, I’m a book snob.
44. I’m comfortable and confident writing and speaking in both English and Filipino.
45. I have this weird habit of turning on the television or the music player even if I don’t pay any attention to them. Just need the ambient noise. There’s something comforting about hearing some sort of soft noise in the background.
46. I’m high-emotional maintenance. I’m also slightly manic-depressive.
47. I prefer Angelina Jolie over Jennifer Aniston anytime, any day and twice on Sunday. 🙂
48. I love to travel. Been to Thailand (about 4 times), Cambodia (3 times in Siem Reap and once in Phnom Penh), Viet Nam (twice to Ha Noi), Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Macau, South Korea (Seoul and Busan) and Jerusalem, Israel. In the Philippines, Baguio and Cebu, which are almost second home to me, Ilocos Sur and Norte, Ifugao, Legaspi, Albay, Sorsogon, Leyte, Samar, Mindoro, Cavite, Batangas, Zamboanga, Davao, Camiguin, Dapitan, Dipolog, Quezon, Cagayan Valley, Isabela, Siquijor, Iloilo, Aklan, Bacolod,
49. I have very poor eyesight, currently at -7.50. Started wearing glasses in Grade 5 at -3.75.
50. I love white chocolate. I like dark chocolate the least. Don’t like coconut-infused chocolate at all.
51. When it comes to cake, I prefer other-flavored chiffon cakes over chocolate fudge anytime, any day. I love doughnuts, too. And hopia and asado siopao with salted egg. 😀
52. My favorite junk food combo is Cheetos and Mug Rootbeer.
53. Although I love pasta, I don’t like long noodles (spaghetti, angel hair, fettucine, linguine). Therefore, I’m not a big fan of pancit, either. Won’t say no to them, though, if they’re the only stuff on the menu.
54. I learned to drive when I was 18 but I seldom drove then. Didn’t have a car of my own, see…
55. My first car is a 3-door black Mitsubishi Pajero, model 1996, automatic. This I got in 2010 in Dumaguete. Named it Pjay.
56. As of this writing, I drive a Hyundai i10, 4-door hatchback, automatic. Named Om Nom after the cute little green candy-loving critter from the iOS game Cut The Rope.
57. My dream car is a humvee complete with all the fixins including the M16 rifle on the roof and the military special forces guy at the wheel. If that’s not possible, I’ll settle for a hummer which I can drive myself.
58. I would like to learn to drift-drive.
59. I’d like to learn to ride a motorbike, too. Dream of driving a Ducati ever since I saw Carrie Anne Moss drive one in The Matrix. But me and motorcycles don’t agree so… I’d like to live a little longer please
60. At my age, I’ve had one serious, long-term romantic relationship and one really disastrous affair.
61. I’m the kind of friend who, when I witness you at odds with someone, and that someone hurt you badly, you’d have forgiven the culprit, and I wouldn’t have.
62. I am NOT a morning person. That’s why I sleep mornings off. 🙂
63. I love coffee! Can’t last a day without coffee.
64. I cry easily.
65. My first love, actually, was David Hasselhoff as the Knight Rider. Or was it Johnny Depp from 21 Jumpstreet? There was also Ralph Macchio, THE Karate Kid. Ang dami lang…
66. I could be a fangirl but I seldom get starstruck. The only people I got utterly dumbfounded and starstruck over (so far) were Marc Nelson and Dingdong Dantes.
67. I only want to hear suggestions once or twice. The more it’s proferred, the more I resist.
68. I am proud to say I have nicely-shaped, almost really really sexy, feet. Size 7.5. 🙂 My hands are nicely-shaped too. 😉
69. A lot of people assume I don’t know or do any housework because according to them, my palms are too smooth and too soft.
70. I’m 5’3″ tall. Okay, fine, it’s 5′ 2 3/4″.
71. I ABHOR COCKROACHES! I can handle snakes and lizards and newts and even mice better than roaches. Eww.
72. I have never given birth but I do have children. Human children.
73. I also have ‘bear’ and other stuffed toy ‘kids.’ I started with a PMA cadet bear, named Bombi Bear Magdayao, a gift from Elise Estrella. Since then, I had wanted to collect other PMA cadet bears but people thought I just wanted bears so they gave me teddy bears and military bears as gifts. Currently, I am mother to eight of them: Bombi Bear, George the Harp Seal, Brent Bear Cadet, Hera Bear, Chieffy Bear the most Hansen Sailor Bear, Paulo Policeman, Jose Alcide Magalona and Pollyana Hippo Girl.
74. I have never married, but I do have a husband. 🙂
75. I had a simple dream when I was young – to be famous. 🙂
76. I have had the chance to work with some of the most interesting and famous Philippine celebrities including Lea Salonga, Ariel Rivera, Martin Nievera, the Eraserheads, Rivermaya, Jong Cuenco, Isay Alvarez, Robert Sena, Bembol Roco, Nora Aunor, Monique Wilson, Noel Cabangon
77. I gave up being a Manila girl in 2008 when I relocated to Dumaguete City. Well, actually, Sibulan, the next town northward.
78. Diving is an item among my bucket list – both deep sea and sky.
79. I believe I’m adventurous enough. I do travel alone even to foreign countries.
80. I had wanted to be a stewardess but I couldn’t due to my poor eyesight.
81. I have a nephew, Karl, and a niece, Natalie.
82. For someone outspoken and outgoing, I am sometimes also very shy.
83. I would have love to have been educated in any martial art – karate, aikido, tae kwon do, arnis, kali, MMA…
84. I would like to learn to shoot – pistol, assault rifle, maybe even a grenade launcher.
85. I’d like to ride a military aircraft – a black hawk, chinook, C-130, etc.
86. I’d like to get on board an aircraft carrier.
87. My love for the military (and all things in that direction) came about when I wrote my 6th (or was it my 7th?) manuscript. It was about a soldier and his NBI sniper lady love.
88. Whenever I eat ensaymada, I have this tendency to flatten it first before opening the wrapping.
89. I have a set of food ideas that are for breakfast only – the usual si-logs, pancakes, bread and pastries and jam and butter, definitely coffee.
90. I’m not a ‘sawsawan’ person. I can do without any sawsawan (dipping sauce / condiment) but when I do ask for condiments, I have a specific one in mind to match whatever I’m having. Any mixin’ and matchin’ that I am not used to offends my sensibilities. Like putting ketchup on Vigan longganisa. Ngyark.
91. When I’m angry, or when I experience extremely intense emotions, I have this tendency to rattle and prattle in English. But then when I get angry, I get so intense, I can’t verbalize what I want to say.
92. I talk to myself, sometimes quietly, sometimes aloud. Sometimes I get into an outright heated discussion. 😀
93. I never wanted to be a teacher. I think it’s too noble a profession, and I don’t have the patience for it.
94. I did teach for a year and a half when I transferred to Dumaguete. Most classes in college (Principles of Tourism, Marketing, Culture and Local Tourism) and a theater class for high school.
95. I’m not confrontative. If I have issues, I can thresh them out so much better in writing.
96. I don’t like people to be simply patronizing me. If you disagree, then do disagree. Don’t wish me well when you don’t really mean it.
97. I’m not very stingy with my stuff. It’s okay for me to lend them, even my car, my netbook/laptop and my dslr camera. My rule, however: I get my stuff back in the same condition it was in when I lent it.
98. I had (have) a secret fantasy to be either a mermaid, a witch or an assassin.
99. Aside from prose, I also write poetry. Some are not so good, some are really good.
100. I name my gadgets. Got this habit from writer-friends. To wit:

• Gateway Laptop – TJ
• Lenovo netbook – Jessie Joe
• Nikon D3100 – Phoebus
• iPod – Maverick
• Samsung Galaxy Y – Alcide
• Car – Mr. OmNom Stitch
• switchblade – Bok
• Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 – Twix