What is your idea of perfect happiness?

takeshi kaneshiro and i shipwrecked on a tropical island ala blue lagoon.

What do you consider your greatest achievements?

surviving a 2-month research cruise to the eastern indian ocean and its adjacent seas (sulu sea, bay of bengal, andaman sea, & south china sea).

climbing mt. fuji - (eight hours up the peak from 4pm to 12 midnight and 5 hours going down from 7 am to 12 nn). it was definitely tough both physically and mentally. but the rising sun seen from the peak of the mountain was well worth it. plus the satisfaction of knowing that i can do anything my spirit wills was a major boost of self-confidence.

finishing to write my doctorate thesis.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?

lapu-lapu, king of mactan island, cebu, circa 1521, who cut off the head of Magellan, the Spanish interloper.

What is your greatest extravagance?

books and computer related stuff. i'd like to add shoes, clothes, and funky necklaces and bracelets.

What do you dislike most about your appearance?

my height. i'm 10 centimeters short.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

sige, sige. gi-atay uy.

What is your greatest regret?

goodbyes left unsaid.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?

my family including myself.

When and where were you happiest?

now, here, almost always.

What is your favorite journey?

philippine airlines direct flight from tokyo to cebu. and vice versa.

What is your most treasured possession?

my wits.

What do you regard as the lowest depths of misery?

being struck with migraine.

What is your favorite occupation?

daydreaming.

Who are your favorite cartoon characters?

calvin and hobbes, crayon shin-chan, and kamo-chan.

Who are your favorite heroes in real life?

my beloved beloved grandfather--felixberto sotto sr who was a guerilla during the japanese occupation WWII,

jose rizal--doctor/philosopher/poet/writer/father of the filipino nation,

and leon kilat--cebuano fighter during the philippine revolution of 1898 against spanish rule.

Where would you like to live?

beside a beach in cebu.

Who are your favorite writers?

umberto eco, jrr tolkien, p.d. james, jessica zafra, milan kundera, jose wendell capili, arundhati roy, peter hoeg, anais nin, gabriel garcia marquez, jose rizal, saibara reiko, carlos cortes.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

saintliness.

How would you like to die?

painlessly.

If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be?

a birkin hermes. preferably in pink tones.

If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be?

a genius.

What is your motto?

Your only mission in life is to be true to yourself.

les questionnaires de marcel proust...