About

A random sample of useless information about yours truly, as and when they come to me:

1. Barack Obama inspires me to dream bigger and do better.
2. I know next to nothing about English poetry, but I find To His Coy Mistress, by Andrew Marvell, thoroughly beautiful without knowing why.
3. And one day, I hope to read If, by Rudyard Kipling, to my son; Blueberry Girl, by Neil Gaiman, to my daughter.
4. I avoid Facebook like the plague. Not anymore, apparently – find me.
5. I look like Dad and I write like Mum.
6. I am the oldest of three children – Vanessa is two years younger; Christopher and I are eight years apart.
7. I am eternally grateful to my siblings for introducing me to tennis.
8. I have a mad crush on Roger Federer; I am not entirely averse to Rafael Nadal, but I loathe Andy Murray.
9. I am an Honours graduate of The University of Sydney; I majored in Asian Studies and Sociology.
10. A legitimate question, no doubt, but a small part of me dies every time a person asks me about my thesis topic. I’ve gotten over it.
11. I detest flying – back-and-forth trips between Singapore and Sydney for four years have only heighten my dislike for flight.
12. I’m a perfectionist; a self-diagnosis reveals that I suffer from slight OCD.
13. My clothes hangers must be evenly spaced – an all-time favourite anecdote for my anal-retentiveness.
14. I have seen Gladiator 13 times; Le Fabuleux destin d’Amelie Poulain and You’ve Got Mail around 10 times; I refuse to watch Titanic.
15. I love Kate Winslet for her performances and Leonardo DiCaprio for his activism and good looks.
16. I prefer television to film; beer over wine give me a margarita any day.
17. 17 is my favourite number.
18. Celebrity gossip is as important to me as current affairs and sports.
19. Against all odds, I aim to be a broadcast journalist; Anderson Cooper, Walter Cronkite, Pedro Pinto and Maggie Rodriguez are my heroes.
20. I am a Pessimist, who is progressively becoming a Quiet Optimist.
21. I am also an Aries.
22. I live for self-deprecating humour.
23. I strongly advocate ecumenism.
24. Catholicism plays a big part in shaping my worldview; I am a John Paul II groupie.
25. But I stop short at condemning homosexuality.
26. I am in love with Brian Kinney and Ted Mosby.
27. My other much-loved television characters are Chandler Bing, Niles Crane, Ari Gold, Jack Harkness, Jack McFarland, Barney Stinson and Kevin Walker.
28. I am always fighting the urge to criticise.
29. To be less vulgar is my recurring New Year’s resolution.
30. I cry easily.
31. I cannot cook.
32. I want to get my right eyebrow pierced.
33. Red has been my favourite colour since I was 13.
34. My greatest fear is death.
35. I wish I were as quick-witted as a script from Brothers & Sisters, How I Met Your Mother, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, or Will & Grace.
36. I have gone clubbing seven times – I am too cool.
37. I am never too old to learn new things from younger people.
38. My favourite word in the English language is ‘erstwhile’… For now.
39. I am embarrassed to have a weakness for Japanese and Korean dramas.
40. And I’m an ardent Lucas-Sami, Luke-Noah supporter.
41. I also watch the occasional German soap opera.
42. I cannot wait to reach my late-20s.
43. I am desperately trying to find a DVD of Und das ist erst der Anfang.
44. I travelled to Beijing in December 2007 and unexpectedly loved it; likewise with the United States in December 2008.
45. Hopefully the sentiment will be shared when I visit Agra in June 2010.
46. I don’t manage my finances very well – I constantly frustrate my parents.
47. Only by being in Sydney did I start liking Spanish, Mexican and Korean food, as well as yoghurt and sashimi.
48. I have a foul temper.
49. I’d rather stay in than go out.
50. My mind is most active in the morning never active.
51. I underwent LASIK in July 2008 – having 20/20 vision after 16 years of myopia takes some getting used to.
52. Two ways I sneeze – one loud and violent tsunami, or five successive gunshots.
53. I have a very lousy memory.
54. U2, Christmas carols and songs about heartbreak never fail to put me in a good mood.
55. I do not blog often – that’s just the way it is.