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Forum shopping occurs when a party attempts to have his action tried in a particular court or jurisdiction where he feels he will receive the most favorable judgment or verdict. (Black’s Law DIctionary, 5th ed.) Translation: when you have filed with the Regional Trial Court of QC, you can’t file the same case with the RTC of Makati.

Pardon me, but this was one concept in law school I wasn’t too crazy about. I agree that all disputes must be settled at one instance, in one court, and all that…but I don’t think this applies in real life (in non-legal matters). If you want something so badly, you have to get the whole universe to conspire with you.

It was probably this mindset that directed my past Ash Wednesday. The day began as I have spent it since I was of school age - going to Mass and getting my forehead anointed with ashes from palm leaves. But this year, right after the Mass, I found myself haggling for gold-cast statuettes of animals and good luck charms. To date, I have two rat figures on my office desk (one for prosperity, the other for career), two dzi bracelets (to calm the nerves), a magic mirror (for good luck again), gold-cast coins in my wallet (for a steady flow of wealth), a mystic knot and dragon charm for my phone (for good luck, yet again), and a complete set of gold-cast charms in a bowl for our house. My co-conspirators (a.k.a. officemates) and I have also kept the newspapers with our predictions for the lunar months ahead.

Yes, I’m turning Chinese. And before the nuns and teachers from my alma mater douse me with holy water, let me explain that I haven’t violated the First Commandment. Though I believe that there may be something in Feng Shui, I don’t worship my menage of animals. I still go to Mass and practice my faith. The only difference now is that I am surrounded by gold-cast figurines. I like to think that I have simply opened my mind to another culture.

I can leave everything up to God, but that doesn’t mean I should remain idle until the Bar results come out.

I have a pending petition with God. I have also filed a manifestation through my mystic charms. If someone can tell me where the temple of Ganesh is, you know where to reach me.