100 Facts

1. I was born on January 27 on what I’m told was a very cold night.
2. My brother, mother and I have our three birthdays fall in the span of five days. Thus, I never really felt like my birthday was special because it was someone else’s birthday too.
3. I have one older brother.
4. The age difference between us is six years.
5. We are practically strangers. I blame this on the age difference and our upbringing.
6. I grew up in a strict old fashioned European home.
7. I was raised in a culture that believed girls and women should stay at home while boys and men could do whatever they wanted.
8. I fought the inequality of # 7 in vain throughout my childhood.
9. I used to take violin lessons in elementary school.
10. I started puberty at a very young age.
11. Even though I loved playing sports, especially basketball, I gave up playing after I started puberty.
12. I didn’t feel comfortable enough in my ‘new’ body to be in the locker room with the other girls who hadn’t yet started to change.
13. I had been a really skinny kid up until I stopped playing sports.
14. I’ve been on the bigger side of things ever since.
15. I have body image issues, although they do not consume me. But at times, they do occupy my thoughts.
16. I have, for as long as I can remember, had issues with anxiety.
17. At 12, I had this bolt of lightning realization that I was different from the other girls in my class.
18. I spent all of my high school years trying to convince myself that I could like boys and be normal.
19. At nineteen, I was honest enough with myself to admit that I was gay.
20. Came out at 22 to some family and close friends.
21. Mom did not take the news well. It’s been over five years and she still won’t talk about it.
22. Dad does not know, although he may very well be wondering why I am not yet married – to a man, that is.
23. I did one year at university before deciding that a degree in urban studies (with a minor in political science) would probably not get me a job.
24. I got my first computer after completing my first year of university. It was then that I discovered my interest in digital media and HTML.
25. After leaving university, I went to college and did a business program where I focused on marketing.
26. While in school, I had several part-time jobs. These included working in the cafeteria of a university’s dorm, working in the kitchen of a nursing home, working as a SARS interviewer and working in a hospital kitchen. (I did not have all four at the same time.)
27. I began my first full-time job one month after writing my last college exam.
28. I ended up being in that job for three years – I was unhappy for about 2.5 of those years.
29. I am now in a job that I enjoy and that allows me to do a lot of web stuff, which I really, really like.
30. I’m currently doing a web design certificate program but I know that I’m just scratching the surface and have a ways to go.
31. I began working towards a bachelor of commerce but have put it on hold to pursue #30.
32. I moved out on my own at 25.
33. #32 was seen by my family as the ultimate betrayal as women in our culture don’t leave home until they are married.
34. I can’t swim, but would like to learn how. I need to get over the embarrassment of knowing I’d likely be learning with a bunch of children.
35. I can ice skate – sort of. I can’t rollerblade.
36. I don’t have my license.
37. I met and dated a lot of women in my early twenties. So few of them caught/kept my attention that I thought I’d end up alone.
38. And then I met S. We have been together for almost three years.
39. I never had any pets growing up except for fish.
40. I never understood how people could love dogs/pets as much as they could other people. And then I met and fell in love with the little head.
41. I’d like to join S for a cigarette sometimes but every time I smoke I either make myself dizzy or get a stomach ache.
42. I would love to work with animals but I know I’d get too attached.
43. Sometimes I think I’m a great writer.
44. Other times I think I’m a shitty one.
45. I wonder if I’ll ever get published.
46. I used to write a lot of poetry. I’m not sure why I stopped.
47. I enjoy playing video games, particulary the God of War series.
48. I check my bag and pockets often to make sure I have everything with me. I hate the idea of hassling trying to get new things. I especially dread the idea of losing my metro pass at the beginning of the month.
49. I would love to travel to Australia, the UK and most of continental Europe.
50. I used to think I wanted to have kids. Now I’m not so sure.
51. I have over 30 first cousins but wouldn’t know most of them if I passed them on the street.
52. I have a very sarcastic sense of humour.
53. A lot of people think I’m funny. I think I have my moments.
54. I was the kid in class who always blurted out something funny.
55. I was on the honour roll four out of the five years in highschool (back in the day when there was grade 13.)
56. I have one nephew who I adore but I wonder what impact my relationship with his father will have on my relationship with him.
57. I have a fairly large tattoo on my back.
58. I would love to get a sleeve or quarter sleeve done but I doubt I’ll ever decide on a design.
59. I’m terrible at leaving voice mail messages.
60. I was once published in a now defunct lesbian magazine. I don’t think it made it passed three issues.
61. I spent a lot of my adolescent and teen years with my nose in a book. I loved reading – I still do – but spare time is more elusive these days.
62. I tend to over think and internalize things a bit too much.
63. My mother calls me “pensive.”
64. My grandmother pierced my ears with a sewing needle when I was a few months old. The concept that some girl’s parents made them wait to get their ears pierced always baffled me.
65. Drinking alcohol when we were kids wasn’t a big deal as our parents always let us have a sip of what they were drinking. (Not everyday but if it was a special occasion; we would be allowed to drink some of their champagne or what not.)
66. Even though I am white as white can be, I don’t define myself as white. I’ll refer to myself as ethnic because growing up, my experiences were so different from the “English/Canadian” kids.
67. My parents speak limited English.
68. I can’t fall asleep if my feet are cold. I have to get up to put socks on or else I’ll never get to sleep.
69. I love the airport; the hustle and bustle, watching the planes come and go.
70. I love being in an airplane/flying even more.
71. I’m terrible at math. I quit my first job as a cashier after two weeks because I’d stress out over giving out the right amount of change.
72. I thought I could handle watching scary/gross movies until I almost threw up watching the movie Hostel.
73. Even though I’d love to hang up on telemarketers, I usually let them do their spiel because I feel bad that everyone else properly hangs up on them.
74. I didn’t have a date to the prom so I planned to go with my best friend.
75. She ditched me three days beforehand leaving me to be the third wheel on my other friend’s date.
76. I felt so completely and utterly alone that night.
77. I stopped talking to that best friend after that.
78. I love to dance. I don’t consider myself good at it, but I do enjoy it.
79. I have to wear a ‘guard’ on my teeth at night because I grind them so bad.
80. It’s sexy.
81. I used to be really mean to my teacher in grades 7 and 8.
82. I’ve felt bad about it for years.
83. I used to get such bad migraines that the only way they would pass would be by throwing up.
84. Thankfully, I don’t get them as severely anymore.
85. I’m not afraid of heights.
86. I love roller coasters and other amusement park rides.
87. I will go out of my way to help my family and the friends who are important to me.
88. Even if it’s not always in my best interest.
89. I like playing Black Jack and Texas Hold ‘Em. I need some more practice at the latter.
90. I have a lot of (paper) journals that I started to write in but never finished.
91. I’m fascinated by gadgets and what they’re capable of.
92. I’d like to learn how to play the guitar.
93. I loved the show Queer as Folk. The early seasons were on when I was first accepting being gay. It made the whole gay thing not appear so terrifying.
94. I have no idea how to put on mascara.
95. I’ve never had any major surgeries.
96. I just recently had my first pedicure.
97. I wish I knew how to cook more dishes well.
98. I prefer Tim Horton’s coffee to Starbucks.
99. I like my coffee with milk and sugar.
100. I am lactose intolerant.