Here’s a collection of whimsical facts about me
- I am obsessed with Survivor (mainly US and Aus versions). Though it tends to be a love-hate relationship. Not a really fan of any other reality TV, it’s more the social dynamics/manipulation that gets me than the ‘drama’.
- I am a born-again-evangelist for the GWS Giants (AFLM and AFLW teams mainly, less so netball). I have rejected potential romantic partners based on them supporting Collingwood.
- I’m a big anime and animation “weeb”, though I dislike most of the stuff that becomes popular and the general fan community as I think they focus on the wrong bits of the medium. My random recommendation would be Ascendance of a Bookworm.
- Same for Star Wars- I like it but don’t like the much of the modern discourse. Nor the seeming lack of forward planning by Disney. But Andor (2022) is fantastic!
- I used to be a Hot Air Balloon pilot but gave it up as the early mornings killed me.
- I used to do community radio with ArtSound FM in Canberra but the show I was working on got cancelled and uncancelled about four times in a three week period so I moved on to other projects. My music taste (or lack thereof) really didn’t gel with them, even with me in a midnight timeslot.
- I umpired local AFL games in the Canberra region. But as a Goal Umpire- the other two types (Field and Boundary) do way too much running and cop too much insane absuse. The small increase in pay is not worth it.
- I am a ‘union hack’- in my professional work (ASU), the academic work space (i.e. NTEU) and umpiring (AFL Canberra Umpires Association). Particularly agitated about how much casualisation/insecure employment has crept across the workplace.
- I am allegedly a good public speaker. Though I hate being in the spotlight. Real conundrum.
- No-one knows quite how old/young I am. Is an amusing family tradition.
- I achieved the BPSA, the highest award in the Australian Scout movement. Also got a gold Duke of Ed award somehow at some point.
- Big fan of the Barefoot Investor- his strategy (combined with my money hungry workaholic tendencies) got my foot into the broken Australian housing market in 2021.
- Big politics/election nerd- am active in the Greens (mainly at the local group and State level) and literally chose my current residence area based on vote-impact for both Aus Federal and State politics.
- I lived in Brazil for a year. Was quite a change from Alice Springs where I grew up.