100 Things you probably don't need to know about me (1-50)

1. I don't post very regularly, although I would like to. I have good reasons and stuff.
2. I was born in Viet Nam and emigrated to Australia as a refugee when I was very young.
3. I insist that I am Viet-Australian. I will become very offended if you think otherwise. Asian-Australian suffices if you cannot pick my Viet-ness, but I have issues with the term.
4. I started this blog to write my family story because I did not have a computer so I needed somewhere to save everything.
5. Then I got a computer.
6. This blog has changed rather a lot since it started. Especially since I got a computer.
7. Some of my favourite posts are on my photo-blog, which was dying a slow death. Then my camera died. Now the photo-blog has died an abrupt death.
8. I really love living in Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
9. I don't live there anymore. I relocated with my partner to sunny England. I variously refer to her as the Mother Land and Eggland, depending on how respectful I am feeling. You may decide which term is more respectful.
10. I am a law nerd. Oh, and a lawyer. But mostly a law nerd.
11. I tie myself up in knots thinking about things, especially about people. I believe everyone is entitled to respect but I have real issues with certain things.
12. Race things.
13. Feminist things.
14. Identity and anonymity on the web type things.
15. Probably plenty of other things too; I just can't think of them right now.
16. Real issues.
17. I am the youngest of a very large family.
18. I have loads of nieces and nephews. They all make it onto the blog at one time or another.
19. I am concerned that they have not consented to being portrayed on my blog, and also that they may not like how I portray them.
20. Nevertheless, I post blithely on.
21. I fictionalise other people in my life who make it onto my blog. Characteristics get exaggerated or merged with others, so that I can write about them but not have them too readily identifiable.
22. I think it is silly to feel offended if you discover that a blog you read is all fiction.
23. I am appalled by people who are rude (to the writer or to other commenters) on other people's blogs. Thankfully, no one has yet been rude on mine. I am not sure how I will deal with it.
24. I take criticism badly. But I won't let on.
25. I have spurts of enthusiasm when I post a lot and when I read a lot (of blogs). Then I get dejected because there is too much out there and I will never read it all, and I will never write very well, and what's the point anyway of adding my measly voice to that enormous ever-expanding ether.
26. That's one of the reasons for why there are occassional hiatuses in my posting. But only one.
27. And then I post again because I enjoy being in this world so much.
28. I don't own a television. Nor do I want to own one.
29. This is not a criticism of people who do own and watch television. Matter of fact, I really enjoy reading blogs about television.
30. I am much happier when I don't see much advertising and when I don't read 'women's magazines'.
31. I studied Latin and Ancient History to honours level. I was particularly keen on empresses.
32. I have now forgotten almost everything I ever learned.
33. I have been described as "unrelentingly optimistic". I like this description.
34. I have been described as aggressive. May I refer you to number 10?
35. I have been described as "unnormal". This was by a guy in high school whom I had a crush on. I laughed in his face when he said it. That made me feel a bit mean.
36. I have been described as an ice queen. I think this is a funny and very inaccurate description. It was by a guy in high school who may have had a crush on me. I concede that I may be haughty. But hardly an ice queen.
37. I will, and often do, talk to anyone and everyone. I have frightened people in lifts by being friendly. I have no qualms walking up to total strangers at parties, introducing myself and launching into a conversation.
38. My closest friend in the whole wide world (and it's getting wider for me these days) told me I was tactless. She is right.
39. Empathy is my strong point. It is also my weak point.
40. I wish I could say that I studied law because I admired Justinian's codification of the laws way back when. Mine is a much more prosaic reason: I studied law because I had the grades and did not really know what to do with myself. Justinian came after the time in Ancient History that I was really interested in.
41. I made a bid for freedom and independence immediately after high school, by moving down to Melbourne. Eight months later, I returned home again. I think this is one of the bravest decisions I have ever made.
42. I don't know where home is. I call lots of places home and it all depends on context.
43. A lot of things depend on context, don't they?
44. I love books. I love the physical object and the ideas they contain.
45. I am an avid watcher of films.
46. My partner is not Asian.
47. I have issues with how to describe my partner in the real world and on this blog. I would prefer just to use his name. I've thought of a couple of pseudonyms for him, but none of them are right, and he has not endorsed them. At least, not with sufficient enthusiasm for me to believe that he does not mind being referred to in that way, on my blog.
48. But it's MY blog.
49. I use to want to be a writer. Then I grew up. Then I got a blog. It's a beautiful story, with a happy ending for all.
50. I was not sure I'd make it to 50. Now I'll have to make it to 100.