Finished the meme...

[out_there]

100 things about me...

1) I was christened and legally named Annie Lee Grayston. When I first went to school, the other children all shortened my name to Ann, which has always really bothered me. Hence, my parents suggested hyphenating it, and it's been Annie-Lee ever since.

2) When I was three I fell out of a second storey window. I landed on the front lawn, less than a foot away from the concrete, and only stubbed my big toe on one foot. I remember my mum rushing me to hospital, and wondering what the fuss was about.

3) My two earliest memories are mum rushing me to hospital (see above - I don't remember the actual fall) and getting in the car and bursting a blister on the back of my leg. These both happened when I was about three.

4) At three and four, I was convinced that Ernie from Sesame Street was my boyfriend. I had a doll of him, and apparently used to tell all the other children that he was my boyfriend.

5) I am now 21.

6) I have never actually been on a date.

7) When I was fifteen, I went to a private girls' school for two years. While there, I was pretty social and had a group of friends. I started up a role-playing game between five of us. We all started out as female characters (Mary Sues, really), and occasionally worked on other secondary characters. (Somehow, I ended up spending a lot more time developing one of the male characters.) We played by writing notes to each other during class, and then pretending to be our characters.

A "romance" developed between my male character and a friend's Mary Sue character. During sleepovers, we took the role-playing to a physical level. This was my first sexual experince with another person. It lasted for a couple of months (outlasted the other girls' interest in the game), but was always done within the idea of the roleplaying, and never really acknowledged between us. I remember that the friendship broke up when I found out that she had lied about me to another girl, and I think we just both developed new friends after that.

It's the only girl I've ever kissed, masturbated or gone down on. I just ignored it for a couple of years, and it left me a bit confused. I've just decided to label it a 'friendship with benefits'.

8) I've taken a guy home once, when I was very drunk. We didn't go all the way.

9) I've made out with one other guy.

10) I wonder if I am still technically a virgin.

11) I think I'm bi, but I could be gay. At the moment, I'm not really too desperate to figure it out.

12) I'm generally not an open or particularly honest person. I tend to keep myself to myself, and only tell people parts of my life. I don't normally tell people this amount of information.

13) I'm female. I think of myself as girl, or infrequently as a young lady. I've never thought of myself as a woman. I do occasionally refer to myself as a chick or gal.

14) I've only ever broken one bone, the fifth metatarsal (sp?) in my left foot. I had just moved out into a double storey place, and was running around, being silly by myself. I tripped as I was bounding up the stairs. I walked around on it for two days before seeing a doctor about the increased swelling and bruising. I moved back home soon after… crutches and public transport were far too hard.

15) When I was small, I was left with a babysitter, and tripped over a heater. I still have the scar just above my left ankle.

16) I have never done any recreational drugs. I don't smoke as I'm very mildly asthmatic (which is almost non-existent, these days). I don't drink tea because I don't like the flavour, and I don't drink coffee because it makes me nauseous, although I like the smell.

17) I have no long term RL friends. The longest I've known any of my RL friends is ten months.

18) I am very proud of my hair. It is straight, red-brown and almost a meter long. At the moment, I have a red rinse through it, and have only used permanent hair colour to streak it twice. (I don't want to deal with the hassle of regrowth on hair this long). For everyday wear, I keep it in a plait or a bun for work.

19) I have accepted that I will never have the smile I want. I didn't inherit my mother's big, square white teeth, and did inherit my father's gummy smile. Hence, when I smile, I have more of a Chloe smile than a blinding, impressive one. On the good side, if I had got those teeth, my dental problems would be much worse, and I would have had to get more than just the two teeth removed (not counting my wisdom teeth, which will come out in January).

20) I have hazel eyes, and nice lips. All in all, I think I'm a relatively pretty girl, but I feel gorgeous when I occasionally wear make-up. I like think mascara and either a warm brown lippy, or a deep ruby/dark red lippy.

21) Last time I measured myself, I was 5'5" (163cm). I only feel short when standing in a room packed with guys. Otherwise, I have an internal image of being taller than I am.

22) I am overweight, and I doubt that I'll ever lose it. To tell the truth, I don't mind too much, but I do get self-conscious of showing my thighs in public, as that's the place that is out of all proportion.

23) For the last two years, I've worn long-distance glasses. Technically, I only have to wear them when driving, etc, but I tend to wear them all the time. I like them.

24) I think glasses are sexy. Apart from the whole connection to bookishness, studying and geekiness, the appeal comes from the fact that I think there is something very intimate about the idea of seeing someone without their glasses, or removing someone else's glasses…

25) I have only seen a counsellor three times. The first time was to apply for special consideration during my first year of uni, after my grandfather died. The second time was because I thought that it might help me to figure myself out, and the third time was to say that I wasn't coming back.

It comes down to a basic family distrust of shrinks. After having a grandfather who told people that my grandmother was a paranoid schizophrenic (she wasn't) and that my mum was as well (she isn't), there is a basic feeling that going to counselling or shrinks is admitting that you must be crazy. Even though I know intellectually that it isn't true, deep down, it's still something that I believe. There's also that general distrust of allowing anyone else to have that much of a hold over you…

26) I am not a pet person.

27) I don't particularly like gardening, either.

28) I was a gifted child. I went to school early, and could already read and write. I read adult novels in primary school. I slacked off during high school, but picked myself up enough to get a good ENTER score (92.45). I don't think that I live up to my expected potential. I don't think I want to.

29) I generally take the path of least resistance. I decided to do accountancy because it was the subject I was best at in Years 11 & 12. It's a basic case of laziness, and not wanting to push myself too far.

30) My alcoholic drink of choice is Midori and milk. I like sweet drinks that don't taste much like alcohol. My favourite shot is a Cocksucking Cowboy, although I tend to avoid shots because I can get really drunk, really fast. My favourite cocktail is Sex on the Beach.

31) My father is English, and although my mother was born in Cyprus, her parents were Scottish (with the UK embassy). It's led to watching a good deal of ABC… (For Americans, think of BBC English-type programming…)

32) I can give a good massage, although I haven't for ages.

33) I tend to live within my imagination a good deal.

34) Unsurprisingly, I don't socialise much. While studying at uni, it's very easy for me to turn around and realise that apart from the people I live with, I haven't spoken to another human being, face-to-face, for a week. Generally, I just can't be bothered, and would rather spend my time reading, on the 'net or watching TV.

35) My favourite author is Terry Pratchett. I like comedies, and also enjoy Ben Elton. I used to like Anne Rice, but Vittorio the Vampire (sp?) really turned me off her. The last book of hers that I liked, was Armand, and I just can't bring myself to read any more. I keep meaning to try reading Neil Gaiman, but just haven't got around to it yet.

36) I don't believe in marriage. I don't think that two people can remain happy with each other forever. Looking on my family: both sets of my grandparents are divorced, my parents are divorced, and of the six Aunts and Uncles who have been married, four are divorced or separated.

37) I'd like to believe in love. I'm not sure if I do… not in RL, at any rate.

38) Like many people, I like slash. ^.^

39) I like anime. Especially those filled with pretty boys and yaoi. I also like webcomics. My favourite two are Sinfest and Boy Meets Boy.

40) I believe that everything in life happens for the best.

41) I also believe in karma. If you do something nasty to someone else, it will come back on you. If you're understanding and try to help, others will do the same for you when you need it. It helps me to not be (too) vindictive.

42) I always sleep with my bedroom door closed.

43) When I was 11, I wanted glasses and asthma. I thought glasses made people look intelligent and I had a friend who got out of a lot of P.E. classes because of her asthma. I now have both (although the asthma is very mild).

44) I have never participated in a political rally or protest of any kind. Generally, I don't believe in any cause enough to risk putting myself in a mob of people. A person is smart; people are stupid, panicky animals (Agent K - MIB).

45) I have wide feet, dropped arches and ingrown toenails. Hence, I find it hard to find shoes that fit without looking ugly.

46) My favourite pair of heels are now six years old and are still worn regularly. They are under two inches high. (I have trouble balancing on heels that are much higher).

47) I can't afford to go to the cinema too frequently, so I generally only go to see sci-fi and fantasy flicks. Comedies and dramas don't look too different on video, but special effects are more fun in a cinema.

48) I am sceptical about psychics and fortune telling. Nonetheless, I still sort of believe in astrology signs, or at least, I believe what I want to!

49) I am a Leo and was born in the year of the Rooster. (No wonder I'm proud.)

50) I live at home with mum. Although I get Youth Allowance, I couldn't have survived without mum's help.

51) My favourite musicians are Kasey Chambers, Garbage, Everclear, Sugar Ray, Ani DiFranco, Alanis Morrisette, Queen, Depeche Mode and Billy Holiday. This is very likely to change.

52) I don't particularly like listening to pop music but I love dancing to it. I like dance music, but can't stand techno. I need lyrics in my music, even if the lyrics are very, very simple and repetitive.

53) The film that made me cry the most was Kenneth Branaugh's 4-hour Hamlet. By the time intermission came, I was sobbing like a baby. When it ended, I was crying again.

54) This meme is a good deal harder than I thought. My current theory is to just sit down and write it, before I go 'net surfing or do anything else.

55) My favourite computer game is Spider Solitare. I can sit and play that for hours.

56) I have a better chance of replying to email than returning a phone call. (I forget calls, but email sits there and reminds me.)

57) I feel self-conscious about the idea of going to a movie by myself, and have never done it. I'm fine watching videos alone, but I always think of the cinema as somewhere you should go with other people.

58) Since it's going to be 40 degrees (Celsius) over here tomorrow, I'm going to try going alone. Maybe I'm check out HP (CoS) again.

59) I love the recaps at TWoP, but only read them after I've seen the episodes. Otherwise, when I watch the episode I find myself tainted by the recapper's opinions and snark. I am also trying to avoid spoilers, especially for SV, as I am getting sick of seeing things that I already know about.

60) I keep seeing Lionel very sympathetically. I wonder if I'm just trying to see the supportive parental side of him or if I'm just capable of rationalising his actions extremely well.

61) I procrastinate.

62) Hence, I also tend to leave things to the last minute and am frequently late.

63) I like meals that are simple and relatively quick to make. This is why Beef Pesto is one of my favourite meals. Give me pasta, steak, pesto sauce, capsicums and 30 minutes, and I can produce a tasty meal.

64) I never used to like oysters (too salty) but I've found that I'm starting to like the taste.

65) The same cannot be said of beer. I hate the taste, have always hated the taste, and will always hate the taste. You cannot convince me otherwise.

66) I sing in the shower.

67) The computer is currently in front of the mirror in my room. I'm starting to get used to looking up and seeing my reflection look back…

68) I really do consider my bedroom to be my sanctuary. Even though the hotel room was fun on holidays, I was glad to get back to my room and my bed.

69) 69! Heh, heh, heh… Yes, my sense of humour is frequently that of a 12 year old.

70) After studying accountancy for two years, and working in a tax accountants firm for the better part of a year, I have got a full-time job as a junior financial planner. I find this very amusing as I was interested in the Financial Planning degree, but decided on the Accountancy degree because it would give me a broader understanding and more opportunities to get work (plus, the maths in the financial planning might have been more difficult).

71) The university that I go to has a business campus that is separate from the main campus (separated by about three city blocks). The business campus has no cafeteria of its own and has a very small student union area. It's in the middle of the city, and is a 17-storey building surrounded by other buildings and concrete. There isn't much of a uni vibe, and tends to feel pretty impersonal. Add huge lectures of two to three hundred students, and you can see why it's easy to not make friends without a concerted effort.

72) Interestingly enough, it doesn't really bug me that much. If I want to socialise, I go up to the main campus and hang out in the women's space or the queer space.

73) I am conservative. I'm not inspired by being middle class, but I am middle class nonetheless. I am wary of standing out in social situations, or being too extroverted or out there, as I am aware that these things can come back to haunt you later. Hence, I tend to keep work and socialising very separated.

74) I can't speak any other languages. Although I have studied Japanese, German and Indonesian through school, none of them have stuck. I have a good short term memory for tests, but I don't have the long term memory (or the interest) to be able to speak actual conversations in another language. Heck, I wasn't even fluent in pig latin.

75) I like chick magazines like Cleo and Cosmo. I can't afford to buy them regularly, and I think it would be a waste of money if I did, but I do enjoy reading them every so often.

76) I get very cranky when I am tired, hungry or in pain. I'm not generally bad tempered, but when I am I tend to sulk and glare rather than scream and shout.

77) I have only recently got LJ, but I am definitely hooked on it. So much fun…

78) I love in-room movies at hotels. I love the fact that I can watch the movie I want, when I want, without having to get up to put a video in. The height of laziness…

79) First time I tasted alcohol, I was about 13. First time I drank it, I was 18. First time I got drunk, I was 20.

80) I like staying up late and sleeping-in in the mornings. Of course, I can only do this when I'm not studying or working, but I like it, all the same.

81) I don't tend to swear a lot in RL (not counting when I hurt myself…).

82) When at uni, I wear jeans and whatever top I can find. I absolutely live in my sneakers. When at work, I love skirts and suits, but hate shirts because I dislike ironing.

83) I have a younger brother (5 years my junior) who lives with our father in Canberra. (Roughly 8-10 hours drive away from Melbourne.)

84) I have a car (it was a present) and learner's permit, but still have not got my driver's license. I think it would help if I stopped avoiding driving, but I'm just letting things flow, at the moment.

85) I moved a few months ago, and now live a 10-15 minutes walk away from the train station. The trains go every 20 minutes (which is a big improvement on the rural train line I was catching before) so it's actually very easy for me to get to uni/work. (Less incentive to get my license…)

86) I have never gone to a concert. It basically comes down to the fiscal point of the ticket price would go this far towards a CD, which I could keep. I have seen bands in bars/pubs/discos, but they're not concerts.

87) I like musicals and have seen several productions. I've seen Rent, Phantom of the Opera, Pirates of Penzance, Witches of Eastwick, Cabaret (not as impressive as the film), JC Superstar, Chorus Line, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and the musical version of Beauty and the Beast. If I could afford it, I would go more than once or twice a year.

88) I like traditional plays. Julius Ceasar and Medea are my favourites so far, although I don't get around to going as often as I'd like. I don't like a lot of the modern, artsy plays. Generally, I like to be entertained, not made to think.

89) Since my watch broke this year, I haven't worn any jewellery. I used to have a pendent that I wore 24/7, but I just don't feel like wearing it.

90) I got my ears pierced when I was thirteen. They got infected and healed over, but I was too much of a wuss to get them done again. The stapling sound really got to me.

91) I have no tattoos or piercings.

92) I can be nasty and sarcastic. I don't mean to be cruel, but I do forget other people's feelings occasionally. Frequently, it's just a defence mechanism.

93) I tend to be very wordy. If I'm in the right mood, I can talk for hours about stuff that has no actual effect on my life (philosophy, anyone?). I also do this when drunk.

94) I go out at night to dance. I hate going out with friends and getting stuck somewhere that I can't dance (either no dance floor or lousy music).

95) I love online quizzes. Absolutely addicted to the things. Sometimes it's just fun to classify yourself, even though it doesn't have any impact upon RL.

96) I dislike labels. I know that as a species, as a society, there is no way that we could function or communicate without using labels, but they still bug me. It's one of those damned if you do, damned if you don't kinda things. At the moment, I've decided to give up on trying to apply the labels to me, and just give myself a break from it.

97) Another pet peeve of mine is the way that Internet Explorer never opens up a new page in a maximised screen. It's petty but it bugs me.

98) I have inherited dodgy joints. My wrists and ankles crack if I rotate them. Come to think of it, so do my knees and neck, and occasionally my back. Doesn't hurt, doesn't do any damage to the joints (I checked with the doctor) but does sound bad. Tends to creep my mum out when I turn my head and neck cracks.

99) I was born on the 9th of August, 1981. I was two weeks late of the expected date and caused 26 hours of labour for my mum. It's just proof that I've never been punctual.

100) I completed this meme because I started it and wanted to prove that I can. It's surprising what sheer bloody-mindedness can achieve.

And, I'm finally done. After three different attempts (one while tipsy, one in the middle of doing an assignment, and one while hot), this damn meme is finished. Does it make me a boring person that it took me so long to come up with these? Or just fairly oblivious about myself?