RJ LEDESMA, editor in chief, Manual magazine; host, The Men’s Room: Aside from my temporary loss of sanity, sense of decency, and faith in the administration, what I don’t regret doing is turning over a new leaf – literally – by becoming an ovo-lacto vegetarian, which means I don’t eat meat and fish, but I continue to consume eggs and dairy products. In fact, waving a filet mignon in front of my vegetarian mug and snorting, "Don’t you miissss this?" is the culinary equivalent of bringing a straight guy to a club, pointing out to him another guy and exclaiming, "Hey, don’t you think that guy’s hot?" Meat just holds absolutely no appeal to me. No offense to the filet mignon. On top of the economic, ethical, spiritual and karmic reasons behind becoming vegetarian, which would be great to expound on if you had the time to talk about it and a freshly pressed fruit shake to offer, I believe the diet’s health benefits are manifold: soy power has kept me more energetic than five year olds on a sugar rush and pushed my mojo to an all-time high by delaying the onset of aging. But more importantly, I can actually feel how a vegetarian diet complements my Ashtanga yoga (more popularly known in the West as power yoga) practice, especially in positions where I resemble a pretzel with hair.
The November issue of National Geographic lends further credence to the benefits of a veggie diet. In a study conducted by the US National Institute of Health from 1976 to 1988 among 34,000 California Seventh-Day Adventists, who avoid the consumption of meat, caffeinated drinks, the study revealed that the average Adventist lived an average of four to ten years longer than the average Californian. However, a vegetarian isn’t too concerned about competing with Methuselah for a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records, but rather, he is more concerned about the quality of life he is able to live every day as a result of this life-invigorating diet.
The only downside to the vegetarian diet is becoming a living wind-chime, but that is a small price your significant other must pay if she wants you to be a centenarian Austin Powers.
VICKY ZUBIRI, socialite: There’s nothing much I regret. Everything in life is an experience. But as an adventurer and a traveler I regret not going through with my African safari trip to Botswana last year and another African trip about five years ago. I’ve been wanting to see South Africa but had to cancel last year for health reasons, but now in retrospect I should have gone. Above all, I regret listening to the neurosurgeon at Stanford and going through with my second surgery.
JING MONIS, stylist: I’ve been thinking overnight if I regret anything. I don’t regret a thing because I know things happen for a reason, and if I go back I will still do as I did.
PIA GUANIO, TV host: I always do what I want for fear of regretting not having even tried. The question applies to only a few good things I passed up buying, but I can live with that.
GRACE BARBERS BAJA, mother/homemaker: One thing I regret is not having taken the opportunity to study abroad. My father was the one who opened my mind to the idea of studying in Madrid. I was torn between the challenges of living in a new country and the comforts of staying at home. At that point in my life, I felt that it was too early for me to let go of my attachments and so I just decided to finish my studies here. Had I chosen to leave, I would have had a different perspective in life. But at the end of it all, I’m very happy and fulfilled with how the way things turned out – as I wouldn’t have met my wonderful husband or have our beautiful baby boy.
KATE TORRALBA, fashion designer: I regret not developing a healthy diet or something remotely similar to an exercise regimen. I have been pretty sickly lately and that might be the culprit. I don’t work out or eat veggies. I have really bad insomnia. And I only take my vitamins when I’m already ill! My doctor has a flu shot ready for me – not to mention another sermon!
REPRESENTATIVE BAHAM MITRA, 2nd district of Palawan: I’ve been blessed with a good life, good health and a good career. I couldn’t ask for more. If there’s one thing that I regret not doing, it’s the quality of time that I spent with my father. I should have paid more attention to his advice and we should have talked more about politics. I was too young then. Now I am on my own in a field where he used to be one of the best, and I only wish that one day I can make him proud by improving on what he left behind.
MARGIE A. DUAVIT, owner, Fibre Design Collection: I am extremely fortunate to have parents that totally believe you always have a choice in life. They taught me that I make the decisions on how and where I would live and what kind of life I would have. It was just a matter of setting goals and working hard to get what you want. So far, I’ve been so lucky to have accomplished several goals I set in my life. I’ve been privileged to live in three different countries while growing up, worked in a prestigious mutual fund company in San Francisco, traveled extensively with friends and family, married a wonderful, wonderful guy and love of my life, have two amazing little girls, a loving family, fabulous and interesting friends, a little business with my sister and another one with a good friend, and I am in a position to help others in our province as well as the street children in Metro Manila. God has blessed me tenfold for which I am extremely grateful. I have absolutely, positively no regrets.