Product Manager & Writer
Now: Melbourne, Australia
Born: Canberra, Australia
What did you want to be when you were little?
A poet, I liked writing poems. It was the first profession I wanted to be in when I was six or seven. Then, when I hit high school, I wanted to be a rock star because I played bass guitar.
Do you view the world as more good than bad or bad than good?
Bad than good. We are f***ed.
Why did you want to be a writer?
I used to want to make money from writing. There was a period when I tried. I worked as an editor and tried to get freelancing work. Trying to make money from it killed it for me. Writers don't make money.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
I would say be nicer to your parents and buy Bitcoin. Get on it early and then sell in 2021 [laughter].
What is one thing you would like to ask your pet?
Do you understand that when we leave, we are coming back? Where do you think we are going? We come back every time. Why are you so stressed? Stop barking.
What was your favourite age growing up?
When I was fourteen or fifteen. Although high school sucked, and I was angsty and awkward, I was passionate about the things I did. I played bass guitar. It was all I did every day. I was obsessed with it. As an adult, you don't get that excited and obsessed with things.
Tell us a story of when you felt the happiest and most alive.
I went skiing on a mountain in Hakuba with virgin snow, beautifully spaced trees, and a perfect slope. It was the best run. I was crying while I was skiing because it was so amazing.
What are you most afraid of?
Snakes. No Heights. Definitely heights. I have nightmares about being high up and falling.
What do you feel right now and why?
I know I am 31, but I feel younger. I'm an immature 31. I'm unsure if that's because I have no desire to have kids, and I like to party. I feel as though it's immature to have hobbies at this age.
What song would you say best sums you up?
This song, it goes 'feelin’ wet, feelin’ wet, you're making my body sweat'. It's called feeling wet.
Have you ever given up on a dream?
Yeah, I did. It’s something I regret. I played guitar and bass guitar a lot. I don't know what happened, and I think about it often. It fell by the wayside when I finished school and became focused on uni and working. Once I fell out of practice, it became harder and harder to pick up again. I gave up on that dream. I regret it.
What are you most grateful for?
I have great parents. I'm grateful for that.
How many pillows do you sleep with?
Just one. The World’s Softest Pillow. It's a great pillow, I highly recommend it.
Tell us about the most daring thing you've done.
We went backcountry skiing when I went to Hakuba. We hiked to the top of this mountain, which took several hours. We got to the peak, but couldn't go the way we wanted because the wind had blown snow and created a precipice. So we had to go another way.
We ended up getting lost and were out there for 8 hours. I thought we were going to be stuck out there forever, and I was going to die. It was so physically demanding. Getting out of that situation was brave, but it was scary.
How do you define beauty?
Unfortunately, I’m a sucker for traditional beauty standards. I think that there are ugly things that people can do that give me the ick. Conversely, some things can make people attractive, even if they aren't traditionally so.
What is your highest priority in life?
Be good to the people you love the most.
When were you most disappointed in yourself?
When I was 15, I went on a school basketball trip to America, and my dad was the coach. He took time out of work to come overseas and stayed in shitty hotels. I was a di****ed 15-year-old the whole time we were away. He thought the trip would be a good bonding time for us. Looking back, I'm disappointed in myself for how I acted. My dad is a great guy. He didn't deserve that.
What is your favourite dad joke?
Why did the plane crash? Because the pilot was a carrot.
Tell us about your greatest accomplishment.
Last year, I placed third in a writing competition with a short story. The judge was Nam Le, the author of The Boat. I didn't win, but I came third out of around 600 entrants. I was pretty proud of that.
How would you define success?
If I feel like people are consuming my work creatively and it resonates with them, it helps them, or they can identify with it. When people continue to think about my work after they have heard it.