30 things about me

1. I’m short.  really short.  5”1’or 156. (158 in shoes!).  and even after that i hate wearing heels.

2. I’m one of six kids (3 boys, 3 girls), number 4, youngest girl.  There’s 13 years difference between the oldest and the youngest in the family, 10 years between the oldest and me. My two older sisters had moved out so i really grew up with my three brothers more than my sisters. (and no, they’re not Catholic, and yes they had TV)

3. For the first four years of Primary School there was only one other girl in my grade. I went to Taggerty Primary School. It was(is) tiny, i think the maximum student number they ever had was 41 when i was there. Kelly joined in grade 4, Shannon in grade six, so the Graduating Class of 1996 had 4 kids in it in the end

4. My first boyfriend was Ben T. He was popular. Had a rat-tail. I had no friends and thought he was so cool.  A month of hanging out with him and his friends taught me that no friends was better than boring, self-involved friends. So i dumped him and he cried.

5. I grew up in the country. Taggerty to be precise.  It’s near Marysville.  Two years ago i’d tell people where i’m from and no one would have a clue. Now, everyone does and you get the sympathy nod. Luckily, my parents came out of Black Saturday with no (structural) damage. They own a Bakery in Marysville and it was one of the few buildings left untouched. It just skipped over it and burnt everything around it. The fires came within about 300m of my parent house. It’s still weird to go back there. The landscape isn’t like the one i spent 18 years in. It’s scarred and it’s unnerving.

6. I haven’t lived at home since i was 18. Had to move for Uni and never went back.

7. I have two degrees (Bachelor of Science (Biology and Zoology), Bachelor of Education) and am starting my Masters of Education at ACU this year.

8. I’ve only slept with 3 people and didn’t lose my virginity til i was 23. Maybe it’s my christian upbringing, maybe it’s just me, but i don’t really want to sleep with people that i don’t have a more serious relationship (or the potential to have a serious relationship) with. It was easier to have this standpoint when i hadn’t had sex, mind you.

9. I lived on campus in a dorm for the first 3 years of uni. I loved it in the end. I had terrible homesickness when i was in 1st year, but i got over that and made some amazing friends and had a really different university experience to people who don’t live on campus. I recommend it.

10. I made 3 life decisions (note these were decisions not goals) when i was 16: a) i would go to Monash b) i would study Science/Education. c) i would teach in public schools. Having a clear-cut plan helped me and i did (am doing) all of those things)

11. I’ve just finished my fourth year of teaching. All at the same school.  All teaching the same subjects (i know, not very Gen Y of me).

12. I’m not very Gen Y. I’ve lived out of home for 8 years, supported myself the whole time, saved for my own overseas trips, worked a job in the public sector without ever feeling i should change for more money. I’m more concerned with helping people and making a difference than money and time off.

13. I love my job.  I love teaching things to kids and seeing them get it. I love getting kids interested in a subject that they had previously dismissed as boring. The best moments i’ve had have been when kids tell me how passionate i am about it, and they can tell that i really enjoy what i’m doing. That’s the point.

14. 2010 was a crap year. My grandmother died and i found out the guy i had been seeing had another girlfriend who he had been with the whole time we’d been together. I was shattered. Still am a bit.

15. I’ve been overseas 3 times. New Zealand, American (east coast - gilmore girls inspired trip), and Europe. There’s still so much i want to see.  Scandinavia is next. then Canada

16. I’m a homebody. I prefer to sit at home and watch DVDs than go out to bars and clubs. Other people are welcome to join me in the DVD watching. Just bring beer.

17. I went through a Christian phase right about the same time that most people go through a drinking and rebelling phase.  I went to the massive concert/services at Rod Laver but i never really believed it too much (friends were more into than me). I just enjoyed dancing and spending time with my friends out of our country town.

18. I still buy CD’s. I like physically being able to hold stuff.  it’s a quirk

19. My favourite body feature is my smile, the worst is my thighs

20. I’m flexible. I can lie on my stomach and get my feet to touch my head, i can reach 27cm passed my toes, i can hold hands and rotate my arms so that they’re parallel to the ground behind me (who knows about my rotator cuffs)

22. I’m an overthinker (might be linked to 21). I spend vast amounts of time imagining every scenario so that i’m prepared for what ever happens.  Also spend time thinking about what other people are thinking about so i can best prepare myself. This is particularly prominent when dealing with guys.

23. I never want to move to the outer suburbs just so i can afford to own. Does not interest me. I want to be able to walk to the shops, train and my kids (if i ever have them) be able to walk to school. I want a community and a culture in where i live. Cranbourne West does not hold this for me. And no, i don’t think this will change if i become a Smug Married.

24. I want to be a Careers Co-ordninator. I love helping kids to find a path and figure out what they’re interested in. That's what my Masters is about.

25. I’m more comfortable writing things than i am saying them. I’ve blogged on an off since 2004 and usually when things are emotionally fraught in my life. I had grand dreams of being a writer for Cosmo for a while, but only in a “gee that’d be nice” kind of way.

26. I love to sing. but am only ok at it. I sing in front of classes all the time. they don’t love it.

27. I think i want to get married and have kids. But am becoming more ok with not if that’s the way it works out. My 18 year old self would be appalled that i have not me the targets she had for me. 26 was the year that my long term boyfriend was supposed to propose after all.

28. I’m often lonely.

29. I’m the black sheep of my family coz i’m, by their definition, a bit nerdy. They’re very much sport-loving “typical” Australians and have never really gotten the nerd slant to my life. The Twitter and social networking, the online gaming, the Sci-Fi/fantasy spin. But by many other peoples standard, i’m a total noob. I’m ok with this too. I’m probably never going to marry the Aussie-sporty guy that they want me to, but they’re lovely and as long as i’m happy and he’s nice i don’t think they’ll mind. My sister is a hippy who married a Nepalese guy, so she’s actually more black sheep-ish than i am, come to think about it.

30. My left foot turns in and my right eye droops (like Paris Hiltons). The eye is more pronounced when i’m tired and in pictures. They were sources of a vast amount of bullying in high school and it amazed me to get to uni and into the work force and realise that i was actually a likeable person and not a total loser as many of my high school peers would have me think. I have to stop and remember that every now and again. You are liked and loved.