Thread by @KatinOxford

All right guys, since you all are being so amazing in helping me defeat my nemesis, and because I turned 29 last week, I've decided to do a little introductory thread. Just so you all know what you're in for.

29 things about me!

1. I am a writer. I wrote a fantasy novel two years ago and I signed with my agent last February. It's currently on submission to publishers.

Now that you follow me, you're legally obligated to buy it once it's published. Sorry, I don't make the rules.

2. I am a musician. I play guitar and piano, occasionally write my own songs. I love all kinds of music.

3. I am #ActuallyAutistic. I post about that occasionally, just to bring some awareness on what it's like to be neurodivergent. It took me a long time to be comfortable with the term "autistic" (I used to just say Asperger's), but now I'm kind of proud of it.

4. I am an angry feminist. Advocating for women, particularly intersectionally, is very important to me.

5. Refugee & immigrant advocacy is super important to me. My second job helps international au pairs adjust to the US and I volunteer with Welcome Neighbor STL, which helps refugee families settle in my city. Right now I'm working with a Syrian family to help them learn English.

6. I suffer from clinical depression and anxiety. I tweet about that sometimes. If you suffer from this too, biggest thing I want you to know?

It's not your fault. Depression lies.

And every day we survive is a victory.

7. As many of you have already seen, I'm obsessed w/ all things C.S. Lewis! I've presented papers at conferences, gone through his manuscripts & journals at the Bodleian, & hope to get a PhD w/ that focus. I'm a C.S. Lewis scholar, which is basically just a fangirl with a degree.

8. I used to be a conservative Republican and I used to be a fundamentalist Evangelical. (You'd be amazed at how often those two go hand in hand)

I'm now #Exvangelical and am pissed off at the American church about 75% of the time. I still like Jesus a lot, though.

9. I have five tattoos and will probably get more as time goes on.

10. Oxford, England is my favorite place in the world.

11. I am single. Every once in a while, I download an online dating app, get tired of it, and delete it.

Shit like this is why:

12. I LOVE the 1999 film The Mummy. I watch it on the regular. If you stick around, you will probably see me drunkenly livetweet it. It's my comfort film.

13. I am semi-fluent in Japanese. It was my minor in college and when I was 9 years old, I took children's classes at Webster University. Yes, this was my idea at 9 years old. I pestered my parents to make it happen.

Why?

Because I am just. That level. Of nerd.

14. On Thursday nights, you'll probably see me participate in #SlateSpeak, which is a progressive Christian chat about various topics on our mind. It's the absolute best and you're more than welcome to join in, no matter your belief.

15. I swear a lot. It's just how I fucking roll.

16. I have a cat named Dorothy L. Sayers. She is kind of the worst. Just look at the entitlement on her face.

17. I love dogs too, particularly big ones. I had a German shepherd named Merlyn who unfortunately passed away last year. I miss her like crazy.

18. I am super close with my mom. She is hilarious. She's also my hero.

19. I have kind of a fucked up family. (WHO DOESN'T!) But I had my Grandpa until 2014. I miss him so much. He was a father influence I needed at a really critical time in my life.

20. I love black coffee and Earl Gray tea with cream. I need both to get me through the day.

21. I have a blog you can check out here if you're so inclined: phoenixinoxford.wordpress.com

22. I LOVE snow. I don't think I could ever move anywhere without snow.

Dorothy, however, does not share this affinity.

23. Obviously C.S. Lewis is my favorite author. But I also love Joy Davidman and Mary Oliver's poetry, and Jane Austen, Kazuo Ishiguro, Rachel Held Evans, Neil Gaiman, Madeleine L'Engle, and many others. I love to read.

24. I host a #CSLewisBookClub on Twitter. We discuss a different book every time--on 9/28 at 7PM CT, we'll be talking about "Till We Have Faces".

25. I'm in the process of applying for grad school so a lot of my tweets might be me moaning about how hard it is to write a personal statement.

26. Guinness is my favorite beer.

27. I love horse-back riding (it was my first major at my first college!), badminton, jigsaw puzzles, chess, and baking.

So nerdy shit, basically.

28. I intend to seduce @Trevornoah someday.

29. New Orleans is my favorite American city.