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a penguin of very little brain
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| it's in the singing of a street corner choir |
[Oct. 12th, 2008|07:21 pm] |
Linstar will be excited to know that it is 73 sleeps until Christmas. I don't usually give it a lot of thought - some years we don't get around to putting up a tree until we have a pile of presents to put underneath it. This is in stark contrast to Chinese New Year, when I can't wait to put up the lanterns and lions and things.
This year I'm trying super hard to reduce the consumption footprint of my Christmas, and so I'm giving it a bit of thought in advance.
In the comments, I would appreciate it if you could list things that remind you of Christmas.
Such as...the beach. fruit cake. tinsel. the dissonance of eating icy poles whilst feeling the heat prickling your skin, at the same time as hearing 'in the lane snow is glistening.' snow people. |
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| [book] growing up asian in australia, alice pung (ed) |
[Oct. 11th, 2008|10:04 pm] |
I cannot review this book impartially, and I'm not sorry. I can only review this as an Asian-Australian who grew up in Australia.
Growing Up Asian In Australia is an anthology edited by Alice Pung, unsurprisingly about growing up Asian in Australia. It was published in July, and I am going to force it upon my sister (surprise!), and when she is done I am going to force it upon ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) elaran and then upon linstar, and then after that a queue has already been formed by the one million Chinese-Malaysian Australians with whom I am acquainted.
This book was amazing. It resonated so much for me, about the problematic negotiation of being Asian in Australia, about the search for identity and place, about the way I feel about speaking Mandarin and Cantonese and Bahasa, the way I feel about being Chinese and being Australian and not being Chinese enough or not being Australian enough. Cultural identity is more than how you look or what language you speak or where you were born, and this book is so many anecdotes and stories, tales of going through what I go through and that search for identity, that desire to belong to know who you are.
My favourite tale was 'Destiny,' by Shalini Akhil, about an Indian-Australian who wants to be an Indian Wonder Woman, and the way her grandmother gently guides her. I almost wept as I finished the first piece in the anthology, 'The Relative Advantages of Learning My Language,' by Amy Choi, about not bothering to learn Chinese as a child. I also loved Ken Chau's 'The Terrorists,' about that judgement when you're not from around here.*
Some of the pieces I enjoyed more than others, and some pieces resonated more with me than other pieces did. Only one left me wishing it had not been included, 'Are You Different,' about a Caucasian-Australian couple who internationally adopted a Filipino baby. This piece really jarred, because every other story was about a young Asian-Australian struggling with growing up and trying to become an adult in a predominately 'White' country, whereas this story was about an adult Caucasian woman justifying her international adoption of an Asian child. It just felt a bit off to me in this anthology.
Overall, the anthology is this thoughtful collection of stories. It has taken me about three days (I started on Wednesday night and finished just now, I sulked when I drove to archery today because I couldn't read, I was driving), and some of it was funny, and some of it was painful, and some of it was delightful, but it was all amazing.
In the introduction, Pung says that the anthology is the sort of book she wishes she had had when growing up, and I absolutely agree. We exist! I am not alone.
An interview with Alice Pung and the author of 'Destiny,' Shalini Akhil, can be found here. Growing Up Asian in Australia can be found at major book stores.
* in particular: I want to kill / the fucking bastards / for making me feel that / being born in Australia / and being an Australian / are not the same. I make a point of saying 'Sydney' when I'm asked, and I still feel like I'm betraying something, and I still hate being made to feel like I'm a novelty. |
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| [movie] up the yangtze |
[Oct. 9th, 2008|10:29 pm] |
Saw Up the Yangtze yesterday at Luna Leederville, a documentary about the lives that have been changed by the Three Gorge's Dam. The director follows two people who have taken jobs on a 'farewell' cruise liner, which travels up and down the river, taking in the sights before they are flooded. The documentary is a partly economic and political, but mostly social, look at the impact of the Dam Project. One of the people, Cindy, is from a peasant family whose home on the banks of the river will be flooded, and her story in particular had a very strong impact for me.
The director filmed (as I understand it) slightly in secret - he was employed by the cruise operators to film a promotional video for the farewell cruises. There was little chance of him being able to film otherwise. The impact of the dam has been so heavy, a fact I already knew. I love the Project as I dislike the Project - the amount of renewable energy it can produce is massive, but the environmental, social and economic cost of establishing it has also been massive. But even with my knowledge of the situation, these images, the jarring juxtaposition of Cindy's family in their hut with no electricity, and the garishness of the tourists looking for a China that no longer exists, was incredibly effective.
You can read an interview with the director here. I don't know how long it will be running, but it's a great documentary, only 99 minutes long, and I think it is excellent viewing. I am really glad I went to see it, and Davyd (who unlike me, does not have this constant need to learn more about China, and an obsession with the Three Gorges Dam Project), also recommends it, so I suggest it is thoughtful viewing for all. |
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| you're spinning away |
[Oct. 4th, 2008|10:08 pm] |
This evening I went to Telethon.
I KNOW. But Erin had some tickets and I've never been, so I thought I'd go. And it was fun!
Even the K-Rudd made an appearance, albeit by prerecorded interview. Did Howard ever make a Telethon appearance? I have no idea. But then the band was tuning during his interview! boooo. Also one of the other people with us thinks the prime minister's name is 'Judd' and a little part of me was absolutely horrified.
Damien Leith did a cover of Hallelujah, like every singer before him. Vanessa Amerosi is kind of cool, and there was a dancing/magic act where the woman changed entire costumes in about five seconds (it was kind of astonishing). CDB sang, I can't believe I recognised them and I can't believe they're still around, I haven't heard of them in years. I had a cool couple of hours. Which is funny, because 48 hours ago I didn't even know it was Telethon weekend.
 I know that this is a terrible photo but look really closely at the right hand side of the panel - OMG AGRO. AGRO. I was so excited. He retired! And yet there he was, talking about the elbow where his arse was supposed to be and how he didn't need a microphone because his voice came from under the table AAAAAAGGGGGGRRRRRROOOOOOO. A kid walked past carrying an Agro doll, and if they'd been selling them outside I would have bought one on the spot.
OMG. I had fun at Telethon. |
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| just don't let the music stop (or; on being the best person there) |
[Sep. 30th, 2008|06:18 pm] |
On Sunday I stood as Best Penguin with Alex at his brazen display of heteronormativity.* I looked dapper in a suit, made sure Alex got there on time (and that he ate beforehand), didn't lose the rings, gave a speech filled with embarrassing stories that made him laugh (not cringe), and danced with a bridesmaid. I think I did a pretty good job, and I hope Alex and Elizabeth agree with me.
Response from acquaintances (as opposed to friends/family) re: me being a groomsperson has been consistently misunderstanding. The most common reaction was, "but you'll still wear a dress, right?" As if there was something wrong with me wearing a suit at a wedding, perhaps as if I would suddenly be less of a woman if I were not wearing a dress at a formal occasion.
One acquaintance asked, "isn't that a problem for the bride?" This response in particular makes me so angry, so frustrated at the worldview of this person. Is it that people can't have friends of a different gender? Perhaps the assumption is that I'm not really good friends with both of them (I used the phrase 'seminal to the establishment of their relationship' in my speech to refer to myself). The underlying assumption here is that for a guy to pick a woman to be best person, clearly he hasn't communicated with his long-term partner and she's going to stew and continue the non-communication. So that's nice, the opinion this person must have of my friends (and perhaps, by extension, of me).
Years ago, the gender lines at weddings sort of made sense. Western tradition with the groomsmen acting to fight off marauders, kidnap the bride if necessary; the bridesmaids wearing the same as the bride so that they could be decoys when the kidnappers came. But these are not actual concerns we (here in our middle-class, university-educated lives in WA) have right now. Also I can hold my own in a fight, I'm pretty awesome.
I guess I don't really understand how people can be all "oh women can do anything" and then assume that a woman can't stand next to her friend on his wedding day. I don't need a penis in order to do that, for serious.
*wedding |
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| never gonna run around and desert you |
[Sep. 29th, 2008|09:19 pm] |
It was a beautiful spring afternoon yesterday, great for a garden wedding. We were out by the Swan Shell at Burswood, flowers and grass and a garden, and yet there were so few hats. Wear hats to outdoor weddings!
I would have worn a hat or a fascinator, as is my wont, but I wasn't sure it went with the suit.
When Davyd told me that Alex had proposed to Liz (last October), I woke up the next morning and called him a liar. I lived with Alex for a while, and I feel this gives me a certain insight to his character, as I mentioned yesterday in my speech. I gave a speech! So that was awesome. Embarrassing stories I told: Alex and his long showers; Alex and his obsession with planes and coins; the pasta sauce story; Alex and his appreciation for my Cosmopolitan magazine collection. I also included lines written by Mr Rick Astley, as did Alexa and Caitlin in their speech. People who did not quote Mr Rick Astley: Alex and Liz, even though they had suggested it in the first place.
Even though I lived with Alex, and had to put up with some pretty crappymildly annoying stuff, he is still a pretty awesome friend, and I was really chuffed to be asked to stand with him yesterday and be the Best Person there. And Liz is also pretty awesome, I hope I was helpful to them yesterday and in the lead up, and in more than just a halping sort of way. I adore them both.
Also awesome: I got to wear a suit! And I looked after the rings, and Alex and Liz got married and we spent one million years posing for photos. As we were leaving, a gigantic wedding party turned up to take their photos at UWA, there were seriously 15 people in the wedding party. And then we detoured via the Junction Ice Creamery, a wedding party and a woman in a big foofy white dress, it was fantastic. The reception was at Mulberry on Swan, and it was a buffet with four vegan options (amongst the nine options + six salads), please note people who use buffets for catering: this is the loving way to provide for the vegans in your life (I love you Alex + Liz!). "special meals" are embarrassing and lazy, and I will elaborate more on this later.
All Photos - check them out! I think Davyd did some awesometacular work yesterday. Also Liz looked very pretty. |
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| did anyone go to pride fair? |
[Sep. 29th, 2008|12:36 pm] |
I couldn't go, and I haven't seen anyone post about it at all. Did anyone go? I'm beginning to worry that it didn't happen!
Also, at Hoyden About Town: Perth homophobes hyperventilate over Mayor’s call. |
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| rick rolling |
[Sep. 27th, 2008|11:41 pm] |
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| on the paralympics |
[Sep. 26th, 2008|10:16 pm] |
Before I forget (again), I want to post a link to the official theme song for the Paralympic Games, sung by Andy Lau: Everyone is No 1. It's a bit sappy but I really like it, perhaps because of its sappiness.
I don't know if anyone caught the Paralympic opening ceremony, but there's a write up if you're interested here. I may have become a little bit teary over reading about Li Yue, an 11 year old who was training to be a ballet dancer but had to have her leg amputated after the Sichuan earthquake. |
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| park(ing) day |
[Sep. 18th, 2008|05:12 pm] |
In news of cities, and things that are awesome, tomorrow the City of Perth is participating in Park(ing) Day. Park(ing) Day is about bringing attention to the use of urban public spaces, and rethinking the way we use our streets. Park(ing) Day involves reclaiming or renting a space and turning it into a park – adding potted trees and plants, for example. I believe City of Perth is also rolling out grass (though this may be of the fake sort). The two locations in Perth are the intersection of Hay and William Streets (opposite Central Park), and the corner of James and William in Northbridge. If you are in town tomorrow, I recommend that you go! Park(ing) Day is held in locations all over the world, and I am so excited that there are two locations in Perth!
links:
tpl
parking day |
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| with nothing to do with the viewing |
[Sep. 15th, 2008|07:55 pm] |
a paper lantern for moon festival
The Moon Festival is the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, and it has been years since my last Moon Festival Party. As a child we'd form a procession around the property, carefully holding our lanterns before us so as to not burn the delicate cellophane membrane. I remember eating lots of food, and wearing colourful clothes and ultimately burning holes in my butterfly lanterns, every year, without fail.
This year I spent much of the month before Moon Festival in Penang, and as I wandered the streets I was surrounded by stalls selling lanterns of many colours, in paper and cellophane and that new novelty, the battery powered plastic lantern. There were delicious moon cakes and the promise of festivities, and the events of this last month coupled with the looming presence of Moon Festival Future found me determined to host a Moon Party all of my own.
I've posted about the menu at my other blog, which you can find here. I spent about four hours cooking for it, laksa and nasi goreng and gado gado and so many old favourite foods. I bought tamari and made gluten-free passionfruit melting moments, and then I accidentally poisoned Helen with the kuih bangkit, which was not made from rice flour. People ate (and apparently enjoyed) the mooncakes, which pleased me very much, and it was an excellent evening, and I am very appreciative of everyone who came to celebrate the Moon Festival with me.
penguin in a portrait
In other news, we have a new bean bag in the study (it is red!), and this evening I discovered that Matthew Chuk (the UWA guild hack) has a wikipedia entry. |
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| more than just temporary |
[Sep. 6th, 2008|10:14 pm] |
In other election news, you will remember that Anwar Ibrahim won the Permatang Pauh by-election on August 26th. Before the by-election, Datuk Ahmad Ismail wanted to let everybody know how he felt about Malaysia's multiethnic breakdown. There's always this thing going on, this emphasis on Malaysia's multicultural harmony, but the newspapers are often full of stories about racism, this teacher said that and this person was attacked, and it is no surprise that Ismail thinks this.
Local Chinese leaders say sorry not enough: Ahmad had allegedly called the Chinese pendatang (immigrants) and was also reported to have said that “as the Chinese were only immigrants it was impossible to achieve equal rights amongst races” during a ceramah in Permatang Pauh on Aug 25.
More here: PM to instruct Bkt Bendera chief not to repeat remark |
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| exercising your whatever whatever |
[Sep. 6th, 2008|07:40 pm] |
Watching the ABC's election coverage. I love Anthony Green, and he is getting so irate about the numbers (he thinks there are data entry errors), it's pretty excellent election viewing. Someone has suggested that we wander down to the ABC offices to see if we can get his autograph. You can follow the coverage at The Poll Bludger or on the ABC.
I love voting. Wandering down to the local school, hanging out. There was a queue this morning, lunch time was a popular time to go. I'm reminded how glad I am that it's compulsory voting, nobody has to spend all their time getting people in the door.
Highgate Primary School is cute, I like their classrooms.
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| [book] sweet mandarin, helen tse |
[Sep. 4th, 2008|10:25 pm] |
Sweet Mandarin is about the Chinese Diaspora, food and the Chinese experience interwoven through three generations from Guangzhou, to Hongkong and on to England. It is an autobiography of sorts, a family history more than anything else. It talks about Amahs and the slums of HK and the sprawling reach of the triads amongst the Overseas Diaspora; it talks about the dislocation and separation that is so real for many of us who identify as Huaren/Tohngyan/华人, regardless of citizenship and birthplace.
It is an interesting read. At some points it was very emotional for me due to the familiar themes and situations that occurred, particularly in light of my current family situation; at some points it was like a made up thing, tragedy after tragedy and no reflection of any thing familiar to me. At other times I found the writing harsh and the author's attitude very judgmental, and that more than anything else jerked me out of the text several times. It was a good read, but I'm not sure a repeat one, it made me feel a little too uncomfortable. |
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| create a life in a telephone booth |
[Sep. 2nd, 2008|07:18 pm] |
It's Radiothon this week, and I intentionally waited until Under Storey before subscribing to RTR FM. My lecturer Adrian is hosting Understorey this evening (which I was aware he does on occasion), and his interview style is just like his lecturing style. It is uncanny, I feel like listening to this for an hour totally makes up for the lecture I have to miss next week. |
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| ...there are nine million bicycles in beijing... |
[Sep. 1st, 2008|09:47 pm] |
So I was not able to watch the Olympics Closing Ceremony, or much of the Olympics at all. I had wanted to comment on so much, the hypocritical media and blogger commentary, the exoticised commentary, the equestrian, the archery, the sexualisation of the athletes.
This evening Davyd mentioned that there was a song that was all "北京北京我爱北京" all through the Olympics coverage and I was all "are you serious?" so I zoomed to youtube to check it out. And there it was, all repetitive and such, and apparently sung by Rain at the closing ceremony.
Youtube is clearly trying to anger me, because all the lyrics I can find are in pinyin, which aaarrrgggghh. How can I fully grasp the meaning if I can't read it?! So I started complaining about that, and Davyd mentioned the commentary on the tv during the closing ceremony, which included the paraphrased, "the Chinese are very big on symbols, it must be related to the hieroglyphics they write with," which, wait, what?
No, seriously, WHAT? |
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| not a hundred percent sure what i did with my shoes |
[Aug. 31st, 2008|10:02 am] |
Back in Australia. I love Penang so much, but particularly given the nature of this visit, I am glad to be back in Perth again.
I bought a lot of books, and last night, having been here for four hours I went to the Symphony and almost fell asleep. Sorry, Dvořák! Blame MAS! (I certainly do) |
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| ...they're always poorly sewn... |
[Aug. 29th, 2008|10:13 am] |
When I got married earlier this year, I thought for quite a while about whether I was going to change my name. I thought about whether I wanted Davyd to change his name, I considered how strongly I felt about us having the same name. If I were more attached to my name, I would have initiated a "who will change their name" discussion instead.
A lot of people were surprised that I changed my name, because I so strongly identify as a feminist or am viewed as an angry feminist or whatever (their whatever, not mine). And this really affected me, because I thought about this for so long and then for my feminism to be cast in doubt because I was changing my name honestly made me rethink my decision, because I don't want any woman in Australia to think that me changing my name is me saying that she must change her name if she marries, because actions are so loud, so much louder than having to explain to every one the one million reasons why changing my name is what I want to do, easier than explaining the one million reasons why it's none of their business, and how it doesn't magically make me someone who doesn't believe that there should be equality in personal relationships.
When my mum married my father, she changed her name because she married and left the country and became a 1970s housewife. Today she is a professional, and she would never dream of changing her name for any reason because Chinese professionals Do Not change their names.
So now I'm here amongst my family, being ridiculously Chinese and learning the names of my cousin's newest child, and freaking out because I'm a professional but I changed my name - does that make me not Chinese? I'm Chinese but I changed my name - does that make me not a professional? I live in Australia but I changed my name - does that make me not a feminist?
I am Chinese, and I am a professional, and I am a feminist and I am an Australian. And I changed my name.
Don't doubt my identity, because I can do that for myself and I don't need your judgement.
(and you're an arse for thinking it's your right to make that judgement anyway) |
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| cultural appropriation: what's left behind when you're done with your fun |
[Aug. 25th, 2008|03:00 pm] |
I saw an auntie on Saturday night. She was attending a work function in the hotel in which we are staying, so she was all dressed up with pretty clothes and painted toe nails and a diamante swastika pendant on a chain around her neck, because she is Buddhist.
The bus I've been catching from the hospital meanders down Dato Keramat and past a building with a swastika carved into its face.
The coffin is draped in a silk covering, the covering patterned with swastikas; I visited a shop selling sparkling, multicoloured swastikas; I drove past cast iron swastikas forming the shapes in fences.
The thing about cultural appropriation is that maybe you think it's fun, or just a symbol, or whatever, but sometimes it leaves a legacy that means this religious symbol is pretty universally equated with white supremacists and hate crimes (and Nazis) in the West. This is interesting, though, because I would suggest that Jesus' cross has also been co-opted by white supremacists, but the image of a crucifix doesn't inspire that visceral, gut reaction. Well, not as much, anyway.
Anyway. Cultural Appropriation: stop stealing other people's stuff. You might think your appropriation is harmless, but have you asked? |
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