Slipped in the shower
Racism and its guises
This week my friend Mabel wrote a piece on racism and the discrimination that Asian Australians put up with.
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Mabel writes from experience as an Asian Australian who has lived overseas and in Australia. I like the way she describes the various forms of racism from her perspective and from the perspective of others. She was kind enough to mention a post I wrote last year about an experience a professional colleague from the USA had when he visited Brisbane. If you have an interest in racism from an Asian Australian perspective please visit Mabel’s blog and have a read. She is a terrific writer and I know how much she researches each post.
I confess to contributing to Asian Australian racism and it’s something I really need to stop doing. For me, when a friend, that is a true friend, makes a remark about my Asian appearance or the way I might say something, or the way I may look at something or concept, it washes over me. I take little notice. Especially, if it’s a certain Greek friend, because the banter we have, we have because we are friends. It’s not his fault his nose is so big and he is so tall that the shadow his nose creates is enough to stop my bald scalp from developing melanoma!
The same is true of acquaintances, especially workmates who may make comments that touch on the Asian element of the situation. For example, we may be talking about attitudes to certain things like offal or odd foods, and someone will pipe up and say, “That’s such as Asian thing.” or “Hey, it’s okay, I’m Asian I can eat that.” I know I contribute to this pretty regularly. No one says anything, but I know it might make someone feel uncomfortable and in a modern workplace, we can’t have that. Everything needs to be safe and neutral with reduced colour and vibrancy.
It’s still important to have an enjoyable workplace. My concern and desire to reel in my poor behaviour is not because I know we have social justice warriors amongst us, it’s because no one really should feel so uncomfortable at work that she or he cannot say something about it. I need to be a better person and I need to be an example.
Slipped in the shower
On Friday morning, as I was having a shower I slipped and fell. It wasn’t a bad fall but it really hurt and continues to cause me some discomfort. I’m having trouble walking and driving. Climbing stairs is a bit of a challenge. I hit my head, hurt my right hand and badly bruised my left hip (mainly my gluteus muscles).
Because of my dry skin, I moisturise in the shower with cheap no-name brand baby oil. I’m usually pretty careful with cleaning the floor of the shower with a scourer and cream cleanser to make sure the tiles aren’t slippery. I was lazy this particular morning and instead of kneeling down and using my hands I stood and used a foot.
When I got to work (Friday is hospital day) I joked with a colleague that as I came to my senses on the floor of the shower all I could feel was the pain in my hip, hand and head. My immediate thought was the prospect of seeing an orthopaedic surgeon so I willed my neck of femur, my scaphoid and my cranium bones to heal 😂
I hope I don’t slip again. It better not slip my mind to squat and clean with my hands rather than with my foot.
My exciting week
I had a great week. I got to interact with people I like from outside my normal work environment and met some new people too. I felt like my mind was stimulated in many ways.
I also did some different work and got my head into thinking about a few different problems.
Apart from work, I really enjoyed the “Nigella Lawson week” on Master Chef Australia. For me, part of the fun is not only watching the TV but also keeping an eye on Twitter and following the hashtag #MasterChefAU For Master Chef, I tweet from the @Yummy_Lummy account.
There are some really clever Tweeps who are really funny with their sharp wit and quips about the contestants and the judges. Some are cruel but fortunately, more Tweeps are funny rather than being cruel and unkind to the contestants and hosts.
Twitter has given reality TV a new dimension and the interaction with the official program accounts like @MasterChefAU makes the experience even more fun.
The best part of the week, however, was spending a couple of nights in Brisbane so I could see my daughters and parents. May is a big month for birthdays and there’s also Mother’s day to celebrate. We all went out on Saturday night to dinner and enjoyed each other’s company. It was a lot of fun.
Feel free to like my Google Maps review too.
Sunday breakfast was a treat at Ivy & Lark.
Oddly enough, the weather in Brisbane wasn’t as warm as I was anticipating. I still needed to wear long sleeves and trousers rather than shorts when we went out.
Reconciliation Day
Monday, 28 May 2018 is a public holiday in Canberra. The local council, that is, the ACT Government, moved family and community day from October and brought it forward for Reconciliation day in May.
“The public holiday will replace September’s Family and Community Day. It will take place on the first Monday on or after 27 May each year, the anniversary of the 1967 referendum and the first day of National Reconciliation Week.”
I’ll be back in Canberra for it, mainly because when I booked my flights to Brisbane I didn’t know we were having a public holiday. I will be doing some work because there is a bit to do this coming week and I’ll also endeavour to cook something. It may be kangaroo meat for dinner, but the truth is it is a Monday and Monday means salmon for me. Can I break that habit and have some roo meat on Reconciliation Day in Canberra. I expect not, I think I’ll probably just slowly roast a lump of rump from a cow (or a bull).
What did I eat this week?
This is a gallery of photographs. Please click on one and then scroll through the rest of the images.
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Final thoughts
How do you feel about workplace racism?
Have you ever taken a tumble in the shower?
What did you enjoy eating last week?
I read this and now think of you EVERY time I trip over the cat when I am in the bathroom. I’m not in the shower, there wouldn’t be room in that small space for anything else!!! But, my bathroom has a door into the store room off of it (yeah, the bathroom was a 70’s planned after thought.) and the store room is where the cat’s treats are. In fact, she’s at my feet now wanting me to get her snack! And she’ll trip me.
Hoping you feel better!!!
Thanks Kris.
I’m glad I don’t have a dog or a cat, sharing a bathroom wouldn’t be safe 😃
giggled out loud
I had a pizza last night. Like you I felt like one so ordered a vegan one from Dickson. It was really good. Abs they made a cheeee vegan garlic bread. Now that is very good. Even friends if mine who are no where near vegan loved it. Sorry to hear of your fall..hope you are not still in too much pain.
Thanks, Sue, I’m not sure why this comment was caught in Spam! I’ve enjoyed many a vegetarian pizza before. A good pizza doesn’t need meat.
I’ve come across some adept rascist that can find ingenius ways to prove their ignorance and intolerance. It’s everywhere you go. I try not to let myself get sucked into the fray. When we learn those sensitivities we can better avoid them.
Exactly true Daniel.
I too have had a shower fall. Picture a family Mum ( me) , Dad and 2 adult kids trip to Italy and Germany. Week 3 saw us arrive in Munich ( last few days before the kids flew back to work and uni and we were to head to Salzberg to celebrate my love of the Sound of Music. The shower in our room had a slippery floor. I warned the family to put a towel down to ( hopefully ) eliminate a nasty slip. Of course I thought I was above my warning so rinsing my hot feet after a long days walking I felt myself sliding- not a rail in sight. In the milliseconds as the fall flashed before my eyes, I realised I could hit my head on the toilet bowl. No way would I let this happen so I seemed to contort my body and jammed myself between the shower and the toilet…no head injured in the fall. Calling to the kids that I was injured I heard them laugh thinking I was over elaborating – something I do well lol. But this fall saw me bruised from shoulder , down the inside of my arm and over my body to about my waist. Struggling with a suitcase was impossible. Lying down to sleep was also impossible , no matter how I laid my shoulder pain was unimaginable ( this from the woman whose only pain relief after a Caesarian’s epidural wore off was 1 Panadol). But I still jumped the steps singing Doh-Ray-Me, I skipped along the trellises , sang I am 16 – all while hiding the grimaces. No way would I miss this part of my trip. Healed up 3 weeks later when we got home – no longer dragging suitcases sure helped. We all laugh at this story now. Hope your recovery is fast.
Geez you’re lucky. That could have been worse. Medical care overseas is a nightmare. Good to know you recovered and you could still enjoy the Sound of Music 😃😃😃
Thanks for the shoutout, Gaz. Very kind of you and thanks for reading the post. I think a lot of us contribute to racism, even if we are vehemently against it. Some things relate to certain cultural groups more than others, and some don’t take offense at all and prefer to see it as a way others recognise their culture, and so laugh a long. In a way it is a fine line between being friendly and being racist.
After I read your shower slip on Twitter, I did wonder how you slipped. It does sound like a pretty big shower slip but good to hear that you managed to get up – and from the sounds of it the water wasn’t on or else it might have really been like a horror movie. I’m guessing your hand bent at a bad angle and got hurt. Hope you get better soon. I’ve never slipped in the shower, well, my slipped but never fell splat. Gripping on the tiled wall helps if you are quick enough.
I enjoyed eating crinkle cut chips (from the bag, not hot chips) this week. Maybe I’ll have an ice-cream later.
Mmm…Mabel you’re tempting me with ice cream and packet potato chips!!!
The shower was on so it was water and oil. You’re right, I should wash the tiles once I’ve turned the water off.
I’m relieved you read what I wrote and didn’t disagree. It is a very fine line and in some settings, we just have to be very cautious. Probably more cautious than is necessary, but it’s important to respect everyone.
Water and oil would have made the shower extra slippery over a larger surface area 😐 I usually sweep my shower tiles when I step outside of the shower and use a shower broom. Minimises falling.
It is so hard to find packet crinkle cut cut potato chips here in Australia (sure we have Smith’s but I’m not a huge fan of that chip) 😀
The selection of chips in Singapore is amazing. The last time I was in KL airport, I marvelled at all the flavours in the airport shops.
This weekend was very indulgent, tomorrow’s weigh-in will be interesting!
Asia does have such a large selection of chips. It does make me jealous. Some of my favourite junk food chips hail from Singapore 😀
Might be interesting to see how your slip impacts on your weight-loss. Move slower, maybe lesser calories burned. Or maybe it’s all in the food 😀
I’m hoping I can remain mobile. The pain has reduced so fingers crossed.
I assume in China town you’d be able to find some good crinkle-cut chips. It would be more convenient though if Coles, Woolworths and Aldi did the right thing and stocked all our Asian favourites.
That is great, less pain. You’ll probably be back all right soon enoug.
I live right next door to an Asian grocery store. Even then it doesn’t stock all my favourite Asian snacks lol. The Reject Shops does stock pretty decent chips.
Tomorrow night I’m going to slowly cook a lump of rump from a cow. Chips would be perfect with it.
Looking forward to seeing it. Packet potato chips are so underrated. As it’s a public holiday for you, you can take your time cooking.
The oven will also warm up the flat 😃😃😃