I like studying politics, languages and religion so that's what I'm doing at the moment. I'd like to one day work as a translator, ideally for the UN - whenever I read conspiracy theories, it seems like a totally awesome job. (I'm particularly fond of the Left Behind series' take on it; I'd love to work for the Antichrist if he's even one tenth as cool as Nicolae Carpathia [minus the killing people who annoy him part, that part sucks]).

So: I spent most of 2008 in Lyon, in an attempt to become fluent in French (again). Most of that time I spent commenting on tiny, insignificant differences between France and New Zealand, and very little thinking about the bigger ones.

And now I'm back in Wellington. I like living here a lot, it's a city that is just the right size and shape for me (except for the hills, I hate those fuckers) - but even after four years, I still get embarrassingly lost on occasion. I have a terrible sense of geography and am constantly surprised when streets don't look how I thought I remembered them.

If the translation thing doesn't work out, I'll probably become a professional quiz show contestant.

I'm partway through a BA in Political Science (...and possibly Modern Languages, only time will tell) at Vic. Currently this involves studying Spanish, Islam and European politics, and boring anyone who will listen to my opinions on the latter two, especially when they intersect.

I really like arguing about religion, so...

Formulating entire and compelling arguments based on a single, throwaway sentence. I like debating a whole lot, so if you want to message me and tell me all my opinions are stupid that's cool.

Otherwise I don't know what I'm good at. I enjoy non-sensical photography, and attempting to dance tecktonik-style to Yelle when no one can see me, and occasionally baking, and going to pub quizzes (which, despite my intentions to one day win Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, I always perform terribly in), and discussing DEEP AND MEANINGFUL issues like whether kittens or puppies are cuter.

I'm really bad at: pool. Pub quizzes. Phones. Other things starting with p, probably.

My accent when I speak French; my even worse accent when I speak English. Unless they have a kiwi accent too, in which case I don't know: all I can say for sure is it's not my eyes. Friends I have known for years still frequently comment, "Oh my god, I never realised your eyes were so blue!"

Words words words... not that this section matters AT ALL. And to be honest, my taste is entirely predictable.

Books: all of them, all the books. In the interests of accuracy: Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow, Let the Right One In, Jonathan Safran Foer, Chris Cleave, Graffiti My Soul, Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, Margaret Atwood, Londstani. The odd extremely depressing non-fiction book: the most recent one I read was Jean Hatzfeld's Machete Season, a series of interviews with killers and victims of the Rwandan genocide.

Films: The Lives of Others, Hotel Rwanda, The History Boys, Mysterious Skin, Adam's Apples, Hors de Prix, A Very Long Engagement, Le Placard, Amélie. (Romantic comedies are intellectual if they're in a foreign language ok).

TV: Terrible reality tv (the more embarrassing the better), How I Met Your Mother and Outrageous Fortune. (Loretta is the best character on the show).

Music: I like middle-aged man music, arty girl-pop, obnoxious hypersexual rap, alternative country, and stuff that people cooler than me stopped liking, like, two years ago.

The Rolling Stones, M.I.A., the Who, Bloc Party, Amanda Blank, Marina and the Diamonds ( ♥ ), Old 97s, Regina Spektor, Coming Soon, Yael Naim, Ryan Adams, the Knux, Indochine, K'naan, Little Boots, Santigold, Ladyhawke, Spank Rock, Nneka, Little Birdy, N.A.S.A., Deadstring Brothers, La Roux, Gin Wigmore.

Food: Feijoas and Granny Smith apples and other green fruit. Chocolate. Chocolate with green fruit in it.

I live off self-righteous indignation (and V).

I don't need anything else.

Mostly stuff that has nothing to do with me: Religions I don't belong to, languages I don't speak, politics in countries I've never visited.

Incredibly dumb hypotheticals, like whether sleeping with Rodney Hide would be worth it if it would ruin his career and force him out of politics forever.

Until recently, the answer was watching New Zealand's Next Top Model while my flatmates try not to be embarrassed by my taste in television.

Now it's watching America's Next Top Model. And then usually going out to the pub, if I have the money, and playing pool so badly it goes past the point of endearing and just becomes irritating again. And then discussing politics tipsily, I like talking about politics a whole lot but if you don't agree with me I will probably be really moderately obnoxious to you because that's just the way I roll, sorry dudes.

I secretly suspect everyone I meet of being a serial killer.

Also, I hate phones. Talking on them, anyway - texting is fine, but something about listening to another person speak while being unable to see them freaks me right out.

...you won't be offended if I never reply.

I don't mean that in a mean way, it's just I forget to reply, and then time passes and then I think, "Oh! Maybe I should reply to that message!" but I still don't actually do it, and then suddenly three years have passed, you're married with 3.142 children, white picket fences and a dog you adopted from the SPCA called Fido (yes your future is just a repeat of the 1950s, sorry), I've moved to Hawaii and am forging Presidential birth certificates for a living, and it all seems a little pointless.

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[I'll probably reply if you im me though (unless you are like creepy about it) because it's a bit harder not to notice that, and also because the main reason I am on this site is to have awesome conversations with people in foreign countries about how cool my taste in literature is or w/e. I am just utter rubbish at replying to emails.]