Who I am: 2019 Version

Over seven years ago, I wrote a post listing who I am, rather than who I am not. In particular, I wanted the list to have nothing to do with infertility. I saw it recently, and wondered, "would a list written today be very different?" Hence, this post!

Some of the things are the same, but some have changed over seven years. Life is different, and so the focus is slightly different. I didn't just want to repeat the list, so I didn't refer back to it until I had finished. I'm wondering why I've focused a bit more on food! What has changed though is the fact that the list incorporates infertility into the list. I didn't feel a need to see that part of my life as separate. It reflects me as a whole woman, and infertility and childlessness has contributed to that.

Who I am:

1. Woman
2. Wife
3. Sister
4. Friend
5. Once a daughter but no longer
6. Aunt
7. Great-Aunt
8. Daughter-in-law
9. Sister-in-law
10. Long-distance friend who needs to email/whatsapp her friends more often
11. Internet friend (not that it’s very different)
12. Mediator
13. Mentor
14. Mother figure to some childless women (thanks, Klara and Elaine)
15. Hope-bringer (I hope)
16. Carer of elderly relatives
17. Feminist
18. Trusting but not too trusting
19. Optimistic
20. Realistic, but (I hope) not cynical
21. Good present-giver
22. Enthusiastic Cook (most days)
23. Baker
24. Pasta lover
25. Carb addict
26. Ice-cream maker
27. Possessor of a sweet tooth
28. Thai food fan (to eat, and to cook)
29. Spice lover
30. Berry lover
31. Writer
32. Blogger
33. Fan of Bloggers
34. Note-taker
35. Travel Writer
36. No Kidding Writer*
37. Dependent on the internet
38. National Radio listener
39. Thinker
40. Reader
41. E-book convert
42. Traveller
43. Travel planner
44. Seabourn cruiser
45. Safari lover
46. Road tripper
47. Scenery appreciator
48. Lazy beach vacationer
49. Pianist (though I need to tune the piano)
50. AFS alumni (my student exchange)
51. Thai in a former life
52. Language Enthusiast
53. Thai speaker
54. Mandarin Chinese learner
55. Spanish learner
56. Italian learner
57. French learner
58. Japanese learner
59. German learner
60. Wanna-be Maori learner
61. Hobby Photographer
62. @travellingmali on Instagram
63. Photo editor
64. Photobook maker
65. Card maker
66. Bookmark maker
67. Flower lover (no gardener, though)
68. Bird appreciator
69. Tui (a New Zealand native bird) fan
70. Recycler
71. Periodic sports fan (All Blacks fan, tennis majors fan, athletics fan)
72. Intermittent Faster (5:2)
73. Weight loser (though not the last couple of weeks!)
74. Walker
75. Yogi (with more good intentions than flexibility)
76. Bad knees owner
77. Hair colourer (but for how long?)
78. Trigeminal neuralgia sufferer
79. Unemployed - or perhaps retired?
80. Diplomat (formerly professionally, but personally too)
81. Massage lover
82. Champagne drinker
83. Chardonnay drinker on summer Thursdays
84. Luxury lover (when I can afford it)
85. Occasional lotto ticket buyer
86. Pointless dreamer about how to spend Lotto windfall
87. Bit of a night owl, or rather, not a morning person
88. A bit (lot?) messy
89. Puzzle doer
90. Cat lover (former and, hopefully, future owner)
91. Former company Chairperson and Director
92. Former athlete
93. Feeling a bit trapped when I should feel free
94. In need of a new computer
95. List maker
96. Frustrated by intolerance
97. Time rich and appreciative of it
98. Lucky, and grateful for it
99. Who I am, because I didn’t have children
100. Enough.