Collaterally damaged, collaterally blessed
Incidental damage As a kid, I’d come across the term collateral damage but it wasn’t until I studied the “War on Terror” in high school that I learned its true, ugly meaning. A military term, it refers to incidental harm caused when attacking an enemy, especially to civilians. When you pick a military target you know there are risks of other damage being inflicted and … Continue reading Collaterally damaged, collaterally blessed
Memories of my grandmother
The grandmother: revered There is something about grandmothers that verges on the folkloric. I recently read this article titled “The Sacred Wisdom of our Abuelas“ and it’s not the first time I’ve heard how a person’s grandma inspires them. My husband and my most recent housemate both speak with deep love and admiration for their grandmothers, particularly the paternal ones. It occurred to me that … Continue reading Memories of my grandmother
The stress with the dress
When my now husband and I decided to get married, I was determined to be The Anti Bridezilla. Our relatively short three-month engagement suited me just fine because I was not about to angst over details like designer shoes, what type of roses I wanted in my bouquet, save the date cards or even wedding favours. The more time I had, the more time I … Continue reading The stress with the dress
Whatever happened to Alternative Ann?
Compliant me, defiant me I have a friend who used to call me “Alternative Ann” back when we were in high school. I’m actually not sure why, because I’ve always seen myself as a compliant, wallflower sorta gal. Yet I’ve become aware over the last year or so that I actually possess a (frustrating and often ridiculous) contrary streak. I hate hype, celebrities and the … Continue reading Whatever happened to Alternative Ann?
What my gut knows
The best smoothie I ever had also happens to be the most thought-provoking. Smoothies and indecision In a scene oft-repeated through the course of my life, I was at a cafe, unable to decide between three equally delicious sounding options. And in a tactic oft-deployed to deal with my indecision, I asked the guy taking my order which he recommended. Little did I know that … Continue reading What my gut knows
Coronarhythms
I know everybody is saying Good riddance! to 2020 but for all the chaos, I like to think last year contained more than mere silver linings. I like to think it helped us become better people, somehow. And so even as I look back, I’m celebrating and sharing five new “coronarhythms” that 2020 gave me. Coronarhythm 1: Mornings with ABC Classic FM The 7am news … Continue reading Coronarhythms
Things I read in 2020
I know I sound snooty when I say I read more than I watch Netflix, but it’s true. Here’s an overview of my 2020 book consumption: the most impactful reads, notable mentions as well as some of the disappointments. Most impactful reads The Left Hand of Darkness – Ursula Le Guin I knew she was the Queen of Sci-Fi, but I’d never heard of The … Continue reading Things I read in 2020
Changing my narrative
Me and punctuality When my boss said to me, “You are not a late person. Let’s change the narrative on that,” it seemed an overdramatic way to talk about my tendency to arrive a few minutes after a meeting starts. Narrative is a word we use to talk about how we include or exclude Indigenous Australian perspectives from our country’s history. Or the shift from … Continue reading Changing my narrative
Tim Tams and wholemeal bread: more Spanish words that expand my faith
I’ve been reading the Psalms in Spanish. Scripture is my main connection to this language these days and I absolutely love how I can glean new insights from a text I’ve read countless times. A few years back, I wrote about the six Spanish words that changed my faith. Recently, I found two more to add to this set. Both are words I discovered on … Continue reading Tim Tams and wholemeal bread: more Spanish words that expand my faith
The real reason I speak Spanish: how trifles can transform your life
People are often surprised and curious that I am fluent in Spanish. It is a random language for an Australian – let alone an Asian Australian – to dedicate themselves to. We’re a multicultural but otherwise monolingual kinda nation and learning Spanish presents you with just the one job prospect: teaching Spanish. I enjoy surprising and impressing people with this. I enjoy that it’s a … Continue reading The real reason I speak Spanish: how trifles can transform your life
