State of Origin Game One 2019 Against all the odds
Against all the odds, Queensland defeated New South Wales in State of Origin Game one 2019 on Wednesday evening.
State of Origin Game One 2019 Against all the odds
A wonderful week
I coated the wings with olive oil and barbecue sauce and then cooked them for 45 minutes at 250 °C/480 °F. I pickled the fennel, onion and lime zest in red wine vinegar and lime juice.
A wonderful week
Has it been a wonderful week for you? And, by wonderful, I mean full of wonder. I’ve spent a good part of the week wondering about things. Some things have been good and some things have just been odd.
Best sleep ever
Last night I had the best sleep in I don’t know how many years. I slept for just about 10 hours. That is unheard of for me.
I average about 6 hours a night. Even though I go to bed at about 8.30 I’m usually not asleep until about 10 or 11 and then I wake quite a few times during the night and get out of bed at 5.
Poor sleep last week
It must have been the really interesting week I’ve had and all that goes into hosting a meeting with delegates from around the world. Sleep has not been the best quality during the week, and Friday at the hospital was also full on. I had a marvellous afternoon with some scholars who wanted to know more about what happens in a microbiology laboratory. In fact, one of them was a colleague from my main job and she’s also the person who inspired me to start my podcast, viz., Medical Fun Facts.
After such a good sleep, I sprang out of bed, did the shopping and then enjoyed a nice walk around Lake Ginninderra.
photographs of Lake Ginninderra
Daylight saving ends tonight
I just realised this is a bonus weekend too. Daylight saving ends tonight. Yipee! I’m not a fan. We should be like Queensland in Canberra and stay on Australian Eastern Standard Time.
It will be good to be back in the same time zone as my daughters. Telephone calls and text messaging will be much easier.
Sleep will be something I hope to improve upon over winter. It is so important, I wish I did it better.
How do you sleep?
Are you a good sleeper? How many hours do you sleep? Are you a morning person like me or a night owl? Feel free to leave a comment.
Have a good one.
An embarrassing story of racism
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This is an embarrassing story of racism that caused me to feel some shame.
- A distinguished scholar tells me a story of racism in Australia
- I’m embarrassed as an Australian
- I was embarrassed as a Queenslander
- You should read Mabel Kwong’s blog
This week I had the privilege to be involved in a multi-day meeting of experts in a field I feel quite passionate about. These experts came from many different countries. We also had a very distinguished guest. A man from USA, a full professor from a prestigious university, a man who is quite brilliant with a special knack to take very complex cutting edge scientific concepts and translate them into strategic policy for global consideration. He has the ear of senior decision makers in USA and the confidence of scientific giants.
An awkward conversation
He approached me during a break and we had this conversation…
“Gary, can I tell you a story?”
“Sure Fred*”
“I was in Sydney on a train, seated next to a window. A couple, a man and a woman got on, the woman sat next to me and her partner sat in the seat in front. I don’t think she really noticed me when she sat down.”
“Boarding behind them were a crowd of tourists from China. “There are too many of them in our country!””
Fred turned to the woman and politely said, “Ma’am, would you prefer me to move so you can sit next to your partner?”
The man turned around and said, “No, it’s okay.”
The woman sneered at Fred, “You don’t speak like them, but your accent is different.”
“Yes Ma’am, I’m American.”
“But you look like them.”
“Yes, Ma’am, I’m American born Chinese.”
The woman huffed.
Fred told me that after a while he could chat with the woman’s husband and found out they were from Brisbane. It turns out Fred’s assistant is from Brisbane so fortunately, he didn’t feel this woman was a typical example of a person from Brisbane.
Fred asked me if this was common in Australia.
Embarrassment Plus!
I was so embarrassed. I was embarrassed as an Australian that Fred had to experience this. I was embarrassed as a Queenslander, that people from my hometown had insulted Fred. Fred is well spoken and while I’m not a linguist, I guess his accent is more northeast USA in origin. Fred is also about ten years’ senior to me, so not old, but a mature man who has aged well.
We chatted for a while and we discovered our upbringing had similarities. At primary (or elementary) school, we both suffered at the hands of bullies. Usually, older boys who would pick on us. There were also high school experiences. Like when a history master told my class that the ‘Japs’ didn’t fly at night because they couldn’t see that well. The inference being that slant eyed oriental fighter pilots were somehow disabled by their almond eyes.
Fred and I pondered the current state of affairs in terms of global politics. I make it a policy of my writing not to comment on politics, suffice to say, the attitudes of people to others who look different and speak a different language appear to be more pronounced of late.
Fred’s a good bloke, I look forward to reading more of his published work.
Mabel Kwong
As I write this I’m reminded of a blogger friend from Melbourne. Mabel Kwong writes about her experiences as an Australian born Chinese. Like me, she’s an ABC. Fred also knows himself as an ABC although American born Chinese.
Mabel’s blog posts are always well thought out, considered and heartfelt pieces. If you like good writing and want to learn what it’s like for a young woman with a Chinese background growing up in Australia and Malaysia, please subscribe to Mabel’s blog.
Do people still see me this way?
So, I took this selfie and want to know, when you see me is it the Chinese that stands out? I’d prefer it was the multiple chins, although that does pose that funny but still racist joke about being called Dr Chin 😜 Given how much I eat, I’m surprised I don’t have more ‘chins’.
I’ve also recorded this so for those who haven’t heard my voice on my Yummy Lummy YouTube videos#, you can hear my accent. The audio widget is at the top of this post or you can hear it on iTunes too.
*Not his real name. I won’t reveal his name or the nature of the meeting because it is work related. I am conscious not to discuss the details of my work on social media.
#The associated blog posts can be found at my Food Blog, Yummy Lummy