For those new or dain bramaged

[jawnbc]

Blogging is funny in a lot of ways. Sometimes ha-ha funny, sometimes strange funny, sometimes, what's that stuck on the bottom of my shoe funny.

One of the reasons I prefer LiveJournal over the stand-alone Blogspot/MovableType mode is the interactivity. Because if all I wanted to do was blather to myself, I already have a bathroom for that. And the bus. Typing it out would only be tedious. So I'm here for chit chat, the gossip, the flirting, the shared wisdom, even the food pr0n. And in case this entry becomes wholly solipsistic, thank you to you all for adding the texture, colour and spice (aiee) to my online world. Really.

I've been on here since March 2003. I started blogging to document my recent move to Australia...in other words, to avoid reply to every single fucking "how's it goin', eh" email individually. So lemme take a step back and give some background info:

From: Born NYC NY 28.02.64. Pisces and Dragon. 4th kid of 4; 3rd son, Oirish Catlick son of a cop and a nurse. I was a stereotypical sissy geek, who was equally happy reading and watching TV...but weird shit like Monty Python (which was arguably evil being Sassanach and all). Ubiquitous queerbashing a dearth of academic role models led to me morphing into the bad boy of the honours class. I stumbled through high school, got a BA in BS (Communications, mediocre State University, 1986) and completed alcholic finishing school.

Hongcouver: a series of bad choices (bad job, bad lover, leaving beyond my means) led me to Vancouver in December 1989. Within a few months I was sober, single, and ready to embark on some serious physical, emotional, spiritual renovations. Many years later I righted a long-standing wrong: I returned to university, ending up with my PhD (Adult Education, Really Quite Good University, 2002), gaining 10kg over 5 years.

Maaaaaate: I moved to Sydney Australia in January 2003 for a post-doctoral fellowship. Over the next 2 years I conducted a comparative ethnography of young queer (gay-, bi- or queer-identified) men in Sydney and Vancouver. I also lined up a hawt hawt online shag, who cooked me Toad in the Hole (!) and later agreed to be my husband (met 5/5/03; married 10/10/04). querrelle knew that it was package deal (me and Canada), and we moved to Vancouver in August 2005...just in time for the fucking rain. In Australia I got some brilliant work done, gained 10kg, dabbled in dance parties (been there, done that), and made a couple of lifelong friends (mynumber1 agus Pól). And I hold Australia fondly in my heart.

This just in: I have had...no, am having...a pretty wonderful life. I've seen large swaths of the world. I've experienced all kinds of love. I've been able to make a difference in my community. And that community almost entirely reflects my values and priorities. There are two areas of life that are most pressing for change though: health and career. I've done all the professional equivalents of a boob job for academics (publish, awards, $$) except take a job in place I'd hate to live, in hope of clawing my way out later. I took a specific tack moving back to Vancouver and digging in deeper (as in mortgage). I should know in the next year if I'll get a tenure track job, or should rejig my career aspirations. Health-wise I've got my blood work (sugars, cholesterol) all in decent shape, and have shed 5kg (need to shed 5-10 more). I'm eating better and exercising more.

So that's me. Kinda.

the userpic is my high school grad photo, circa 1986

Comments

[jamaisneutral.livejournal.com]

I have to say you look incredibly hot in that high school photo.
Had we been at high school together I'd have fancied you like mad (yeah, I was a late blooming lesbian).

[bluebear2.livejournal.com]

You know, I feel I know you mostly through your writings on here. I don't think I'd know much about you otherwise since we tend to rarely run into each other even though we're in the same city. I've seen Querrelle a few times though since he tends to go to the events that I do.
So hurray for LJ!

[retrosexual-au.livejournal.com]

I started blogging for much similar reasons. I'd gotten rather lax on the email front, as you can only say the same thing so many times in email before you started to get bored, or forget things.

One of the nice side effects of blogging has been the odd connection with people you may not otherwise have known/met, who eventually become true friends. I never dreamt that I would be doing this for such a long time, but there ya have it.

[timbear.livejournal.com]

It occurs to me that you have lived more of life than most people see in, well, a lifetime actually. And long may it continue!

[mutleyjames.livejournal.com]

Thankyou.

[slate-canada.livejournal.com]

That fills in some blanks. Keep up the good work!

[garpu.livejournal.com]

Hm. I have a blogger blog because it seems like LJ is better for social interaction, while the other place is better for longer, more thought out posts that would be ignored here. *shrug* they both have their uses.

[feygele.livejournal.com]

I think I knew all of this already, but:

I have had...no, am having...a pretty wonderful life.

Is always great to read. :)

[beastbriskett.livejournal.com]

You Rock!

[cogshiftingman.livejournal.com]

Ah, Toad. There is nothing more seductive than a properly done Toad in the Hole.

[stoplabelingme.livejournal.com]

You're the same age as my dad - but in 86 you were graduating high school and he had 3.5 kids?

Something's wrong with those numbers! (Perchance you were 22 my age in 86?)