Life Until Now

Abodes, start to end

Let's start at day one. I was conceived … I don't know where and I'm not about to ask. Nine months later, then. That was in Sutherland Shire Maternity Hospital, Caringbah, NSW, and I was born about 11am on a Monday in March 1980. Looking at my baby pictures, I was adorable, a little wrinkly pink/red thing that had black hair and black eyes. I no longer have either.

My parents say that I was a pesky baby, but they would feel obligated to say that. Of course I wasn't. I was an angel, just like now. I never did anything like lock myself in, or steal my mother's makeup and smear it all over my face. Those photographs were created by an expert technician and I admit nothing. One thing true: I never did learn what sweets were until I was four. I used to play with the packaging, and throw away the sweets.

My abode is a two-bedroom flat on the top floor of a block in Logan, Australia, but since few know where Logan is, I'll say Brisbane. Close enough, since Brisbane is only a short distance away, even on foot.

When younger I travelled a great deal, but this is all something I go on about at in the travels section … suffice it to say that I spent about 10 years of my life aboard a yacht and traversed the world for 6 of those in around 30-odd countries.

I have an accent that only one person has ever actually correctly identified as a mixture, and only one other person identified it as part Welsh. It's an interesting mix of Peruvian, Welsh and Australian (from mother, father and Australia respectively).

The studies

I went to university between 1997-2002, doing a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Queensland, studying in psychology. For a few months in 1999 I was the president of the Psychology Students Association (PSA), but for various reasons I resigned from the position to see the group rise in prosperity.

Being a productive member of society

I am a volunteer at the Logan Art Gallery, and have been since 1997. The openings are excellent opportunities to meet the artists, and the shifts are worthwhile for meeting the patrons, seeing the art world scene, and getting together with another volunteer to talk. I'm one of the longer-standing volunteers there; for the most part, people come along, do a few shifts, and then disappear.

In addition to the art gallery I volunteer with the State Emergency Service, which is an organisation dedicated to helping those in times of need. We assist the police in searching for missing people, help homeowners with storm damage, give assistance in big public events, and other things which end up under the term of 'emergency'. The SES is noticeable for its orange uniform.

Other volunteer activities I've participated in have been kitchen work in Meals on Wheels, doorknock collecting for various charities like the Queensland Cancer Fund, Red Cross, and Heart Foundation. On the topic of donations I give blood to the Red Cross on a regular basis.

Work-wise I am what is fondly known of as a dole-bludger.

Science fiction, fandom and beyond

1998 was a year of changes—I found the internet, and because of it, science fiction fandom. I fell in love immediately with it and began participating as much as I could. It also meant that I began Harbinger, a semi-professional science fiction fiction magazine which ran for 4 issues (in the one year) before I ran out of money. The height of that was having two stories in two different issues being nominated for the 1999 Aurealis Awards. In 2000 I began working with Adrian Tan as associate editor for Winedark Sea, though the magazine has been on indefinite hiatus since the first, and only, issue.

Since then I have published a number of personal fanzines and attended a few conventions, but nothing to the extent of what I did then.

Queer as the rainbow doth shine

I am rather unashamedly queer. Generally people will come to know this with time when knowing me, although not without a lot of scoping out to see what their beliefs towards homosexuality are like. I used to argue; now I avoid. I've been out as lesbian or bisexual, depending upon timeline, since the late 1990s.

Upon where I become vegan

From the end of 2001 I have turned towards veganism in my food habits, eschewing all animal products—including dairy and eggs (and fish, yes)—from my diet. This has not been difficult for me, either to follow or in practice, and although I do not attempt to 'convert' people around to my way of eating I still seem to cop a bit of flak from the general populace. I avoid leather where possible, too.

Barefoot as a way of life

About the same time that I adopted veganism, I also ceased to wear shoes when I can get away with it. I seem to get it for this, too, but on a wider scale since it is all the more noticeable. I became a barefooter upon reading the Society for Barefoot Living's website and following up on it.

In the past I always had trouble finding shoes which would fit. I have wide feet. Shoes seem to be made for the land of the narrow. With heels. I would always have ingrown toenails and blisters and worst of all, my knees would start hurting. At times I would find them wobble and almost collapse under me.

I could hardly damage myself more with doffing shoes for a trial, and when I did I found that they all went away. No ingrown toenails. No blisters. No hurting knees. Upon occasion I stand upon glass, but since my feet are tough enough it rarely pierces skin. When it does it's just a matter of gently scraping across the skin and it comes out; if not, a bit of home surgery with a needle is in order, but it's all worth it in the long run!