Three transformative perspectives on hospitality
I’ve always admired people who can host a good dinner party. I’m in awe of their ability to cook in bulk, and to do so while unflusteredly mingling with guests. I like having people over, but need to keep it casual and either order food in or have everyone bring a plate. So I certainly consider hospitality to be a gift, inasmuch as it’s the … Continue reading Three transformative perspectives on hospitality
Miscellaneous shades of grief
Growing up, my dad’s cousin, his wife and their daughter were the only family we had in Canberra. We only caught up with them once or twice a year, typically at a restaurant for Chinese New Year. I cherished those occasions﹣and not only because they were bookended by two of my favourite pancakes, commencing with Peking duck pancakes and concluding with red bean paste pancakes. … Continue reading Miscellaneous shades of grief
Rediscovering Ethan Hawke
I had a dream recently that I was hanging out with Ethan Hawke. We were sitting on either end of a couch I think was blue, then Brad Pitt was in the room on a (green?) armchair. It occurred to me then that they’d never done a movie together – and they bloody well should. I made the suggestion and Ethan said, “Sure! Should we … Continue reading Rediscovering Ethan Hawke
Five reasons not to regret my law degree
I call myself a failed lawyer because I feel like an imposter when people refer to my law degree. I’m not sure how I went from not wanting to go to university at all to doing a six-year combined Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Arts (Honours). It probably had something to do with getting the marks for more than “just an Arts degree” and having parents … Continue reading Five reasons not to regret my law degree
Teenage girls and their bad boys
Common to many a YA novel is a male love interest who’s dark and mysterious and in a position of power. At its most extreme, he’s dark, mysterious and cruel. At its most tame, he’s dark, mysterious and a bit of a loner. Somewhere in the middle, he’s dark, mysterious and troubled. Getting the vibe? Continue reading Teenage girls and their bad boys
Why I’m a Fairtrade fan
It’s Fairtrade Fortnight in Australia, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to demystify some of the confusion around product certification. My awareness of the issue probably dates back to 2006-07, when there was a push to end child slavery in chocolate. Cadbury committed to making its Dairy Milk bars Fairtrade, first in the UK and then also in Australia. Fairtrade coffee started to pop … Continue reading Why I’m a Fairtrade fan
When things don’t go to plan
Recently I shared about how COVID-19 disrupted our second attempt at a honeymoon, exactly one year after it disrupted both our first attempt at a honeymoon and our wedding. We got a lot of sympathy. I think people really empathised with our experience of things not going to plan. Sure, it sucks big time and there were moments where the setbacks have felt devastating. There’s … Continue reading When things don’t go to plan
A dream come true and some deja vu
Anticipating a 6am start, I dreamt last night that my alarm didn’t go off and I woke at 6.50am – too late to make it to the marina for our tour of the Great Barrier Reef. I woke, relieved that it had been a dream and it was 5.50am. Except that I had misread my watch. It was, in fact, EXACTLY AS I HAD DREAMT: … Continue reading A dream come true and some deja vu
Rethinking evangelism: an alternative to the Great Commission?
(Un)evangelistic personalities For the longest time, I resisted identifying as an evangelical Christian. I preferred to call myself a Protestant as a way to explain that I wasn’t Catholic and declined to define myself any further. Protesting is kinda cool; “evangelical” just makes secular Australians think of crazy southern Baptists. But also, evangelising is pretty much alien to my personality. I have friends who rave … Continue reading Rethinking evangelism: an alternative to the Great Commission?
Whingeing my way through Lent
Despite writing eight years ago that Lent and I were through, I once again found myself abstaining from chocolate and coffee in the six weeks leading up to Easter. To be honest, I whinged my way through this Lenten season. It wasn’t because I found this form of pseudo-fasting particularly difficult but because I kept asking myself why I was even bothering. In declining offers … Continue reading Whingeing my way through Lent
⎯suansita⎯ 