tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56947215120681815362024-03-05T16:27:15.535+07:00Lam Chop ChopLam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-80358005103272569132020-06-01T06:13:00.002+07:002020-06-01T06:13:46.689+07:00It's timeLam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-89777136338639634392020-04-17T18:05:00.001+07:002020-04-17T18:05:39.542+07:00Resilience and the Tao of Pooh<div data-darkreader-inline-bgcolor="" data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-bgcolor: #000000; --darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; background-color: black; color: #fffffe; font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">This month's post wasn't planned this way, but the unprecedented coronavirus situation has got me thinking about how we react to times of danger and uncertainty. </span><span data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: #fffffe; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">In these times, with some much time at home and reflection, it's easy for all the stress, anxiety and worry about the future of the world to overwhelm us. </span><br />
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<span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Like many others, the uncertainty of the health, social and economic impact of the pandemic has created stress and anxiety for me. I am one of the very lucky ones living in Australia with its strong health system and relatively developed safety net. I have a stable job and I can work from home. I have a house that comfortably have me and my partner working from home, and we have a backyard in which we can still enjoy the outdoors while being physically distant from others. I am an introvert so social distancing is nothing new for me. I am in reasonably good health so that I am hopefully low risk, and my parents, siblings, extended family and friends are reasonably safe. And yet, I still feel stress and anxiety. I really feel for those who are in much less favourable circumstances.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><br />
<span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">One of the things I'm really grateful for is that my workplace has been very good with the situation, being able to keep all of us employed, and emphasising that our health and wellbeing is its number one concern. One of the initiatives in our branch has been for a daily health and wellbeing tip be shared by the senior officers group, of which I am part of. </span><br />
<span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The tips have so been great so far, not just in terms of the tips themselves, but also in terms of it being a window into another person's soul and perspective. It's a type of social connection that is beyond simply saying hello (which is also good) and is something more deep and meaningful, which is the kind of social connection we introverts thrive on. </span><br />
<span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Before sharing my own tip below, I wanted to reflect on the similarities between coronavirus and climate change. Much has been said about how slowing down the economy will likely reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and demonstrates what can be achieved. Much has also been said about the similarities and differences between the political response to coronavirus and the response to climate change. What we have seen in the previous 4 months (initial reports, denial, acceptance, decisive action) is a super condensed version of how humanity reacts to new crises. Our reaction to the threat of climate change has been spread out for 4 or more decades instead of 4 months, and we have not even gotten to the decisive action stage yet. </span><br />
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<span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">If the politicians are sending our messages that our response to coronavirus is a marathon not a sprint, then what does that say about our response to climate change? That it will be a life-long journey, despite the crazy urgency of the threat. </span><br />
<span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">In any case, the focus of health and wellbeing in response to coronavirus makes me want to reiterate the focus of health and wellbeing on our individual response to climate change. It is definitely a ultra-marathon, not a sprint, and we need to look after ourselves in this. Taking practical, productive, sustainable steps is useful. But we also need to take a break sometimes. Which leads me to the health and wellbeing tip that I contributed to my team just before the Easter long weekend, set out below. While it is directed at our response to coronavirus, I think it is equally applicable to our efforts to combat climate change.</span><br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Thanks everyone for their health and wellbeing tips so far - it's been a pleasure to read :)</span></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">One practical tip is that I try not to read any COVID updates until later in the morning or lunchtime. When I do get to it, I try to start off with a good news story – I find the Guardian's 'The Good Place' has some positive stories for these times: </span><span data-darkreader-inline-color="" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><a data-darkreader-inline-color="" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/series/the-good-place&source=gmail&ust=1586575419270000&usg=AFQjCNF2wvJwwW8aGpnemje1xZ97mJJsLw" href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/series/the-good-place" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #2fd9ff; color: #4abbff;" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/<wbr></wbr>lifeandstyle/series/the-good-<wbr></wbr>place</a></span><span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><br />
<span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"></span></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Also, I’ve been able to catch up on some books, and it’s led me to ask myself 'What Would Pooh Do?'. This comes from a funny book I’ve been revisiting called the <a data-darkreader-inline-color="" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tao_of_Pooh&source=gmail&ust=1586575419270000&usg=AFQjCNFBGYv34QIbs5cfxoBhQPEhBor_TA" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tao_of_Pooh" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #2fd9ff; color: #4abbff;" target="_blank">Tao of Pooh</a>, which re-interprets the Winnie the Pooh series through the lens of Taoism. Chapter 2 ('The Tao of Who?') is about how Winnie the Pooh personifies the 'Uncarved Block':</span><br />
<span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The essence of the principle of the Uncarved Block is that things in their original simplicity contain their own natural power, power that is easily spoiled and lost when that simplicity is changed. … This basic Taoist principle applies not only to things in their natural beauty and function, but to people as well. Or Bears. Which brings us to Pooh, the very Epitome of the Uncarved Block. …</span><br /><span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"></span></i></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i><span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">As an illustration of the principle, he may appear a bit too simple at times, but no matter how he may seem to others, Pooh is able to accomplish what he does because he is simpleminded. As any old Taoist walking out of the woods can tell you, simpleminded does not necessarily mean stupid. It's rather significant that the Taoist ideal is that of the still, calm, reflecting 'mirror-mind' of the Uncarved Block, and it's rather significant that Pooh, rather than the thinkers Rabbit, Owl, or Eeyore, is the true hero of Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner…</span><br /><span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"></span></i></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><i>When you discard arrogance, complexity and a few other things that get in the way, sooner or later you will discover that simple, childlike and mysterious secret known to those of the Uncarved Block: Life is Fun. From the state of the Uncarved Block comes the ability to enjoy the simple and the quiet, the natural and the plain.</i></span><br />
<span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"></span></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">One thing I take from this is that, in the face of uncertain and complex challenges that disrupt our lives, it's good to take a breather to enjoy and be grateful for some simple things in our lives. This morning, I made a cup of tea and relished how it warmed me on a fresh Canberra morning. This afternoon, I'll eat some hot cross buns and watch my chickens, marveling at how their lives revolve around a few basic actions - eating, sleeping, pooping, laying and wondering whether or not they should cross the road. And in the future, when physical distancing is a 'distant' memory, I will enjoy the simple act of hugging someone. Peppering the day with a few of these time outs really helps me with dealing with stress or anxiety. This is really just a long way of saying ‘stop and smell the roses’.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Finally, to add to our pet photo collection, attached is a photo of our 2 <a data-darkreader-inline-color="" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Golden_Girls&source=gmail&ust=1586575419270000&usg=AFQjCNFM7-19NIAzyS7Gy18WkNBMNVlbHw" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Golden_Girls" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #2fd9ff; color: #4abbff;" target="_blank">Golden Girls</a>, Blanche and Rose, going to town on a pile of leaves, caused by cockatoos decimating the neighbour’s elm tree. Blanche is the lighter one and is more adventurous, leading the way, while Rose is the darker one and the one more likely to get caught in a net. My partner and I have yet to decide which one of us are the remaining Golden Girl characters, Dorothy and Sophia.</span><br />
<span data-darkreader-inline-color="" lang="EN-US" style="--darkreader-inline-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Hope everyone has a great long weekend :) We all deserve it!</span></blockquote>
</div>
Lam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-54179918653336915462020-04-04T14:21:00.001+07:002020-06-01T06:13:31.270+07:00Putting money where your mouth is<br />
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In this world, there
is always a cost. Our actions have consequences, and nothing comes for free.
We've plundered natural resources which has resulted in environmental
degradation and human induced climate change. Also, actions to address climate
change doesn't come for free. Such actions take time, effort and money. Things
won't magically improve if we do not allocate meaningful time, make no effort,
and acknowledge that there needs to be some monetary costs to repair what we've
done. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Another way of
thinking about this is that in this capitalistic world, time, effort and money
are indicative of the value was place on things. This means that, when taking
action to combat climate change, we need to recognise that time needs to be
allocated, energy and effort must be expended, and we need to put our money
where our mouth is. </div>
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The types of actions
that I will talk about in this blog will take up all these things, including
money. It may be a little, or it may be a lot. It will also save money in the
long run, either directly through less energy costs, or in the fact that the more
preventative steps we take now, the less mitigation and adaptive steps we need
to take in the future. </div>
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<br /></div>
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So in taking action,
we do need to budget some money for our own personal actions. Also, as I said
earlier, collective action is even more important, and collective action also
required time, effort and money. In this sense, one of the impactful things I
can do is donate to organisations that are able to do things that I can't do,
are able to do them on a scale I can't achieve, and are able to do those things
in an impactful, cost-efficient way.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Addressing climate
change is so complex and multifaceted that I don't think one organisation can
do everything that is required. Not even one government, which is why
collective, multilateral action is required. So, in terms of donations, I don't
think you can donate to just one organisation, but you also can't donate to all
organisations. With this conundrum, you will have to make a choice about which
organisations you want to donate to.</div>
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<br /></div>
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In donating money,
it's actually quite a difficult decision. But my key principles are:</div>
<ul style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .375in; margin-top: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;" type="disc">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt;">Donate strategically. What
are the most important, impactful things that need to be done, and is it
getting enough money? Which organisations do these things efficiently and
effectively? Donating money to address these gaps can be the most
impactful things.</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt;">Assuming that there may be
multiple things that need to be done and need to be funded, you want to
make sure that the donation does as much as it can. This is why funding
something that already has enough money, or will always get enough money,
might not be the best way. That's why I try to mix my donations into 3
categories:</span></li>
<ul style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .375in; margin-top: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;" type="circle">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt;">To give to organisations
that need that last 10-20% to get the important things done. If these
organisations don't get that, then this runs the risk that all the hard
work that the other 80-90% funding was all for nothing. That seems like a
waste to me.</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt;">To give to organisations
doing important things that initial 10-20% to get them going and build
momentum. It would be a shame if great ideas and projects never got off
the ground because they just didn't get the money at the right time.</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt;">To give to organisations
that might not take direct action themselves, but who advocate and change
things at a broader policy level, and who build the capacity of other
organisations. It is difficult to clearly calculate the effectiveness of
advocacy and policy change, but this is important nonetheless.</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt;">Make sure that the funding
is clearly additional - that the organisation will not just get the
funding elsewhere or that your donation will make a difference. This
might be points 1 and 2 above. But it could also be something that is
scalable - a donation to plant a tree probably means it is additional,
unless the tree planting need or capacity of the organisation or region
has already been met.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
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I'm not going to
tell you which issues are most important and to which organisations you should
donate. That depends on what you think is important at the time, what matters
to you locally, regionally and globally, and the relevant funding context at
the time.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I do caution that,
some people look at overheads and employment funds. This is interesting
approach, but doesn't tell the whole picture. Is what you want for money to go
directly to projects? How much of the value and impact of those projects
depends on the value add that organisation's workers have? How much capacity
building. Policy making? If you want these broader objectives, then perhaps a
higher overhead might be justified because it requires people to do the work,
and those highly valued people might bring up the overhead. But if you want to
give money through the organisation as a conduit, then a lower overhead might
be justified.</div>
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<br /></div>
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For me, right now,
in the context of bushfires, I think what is most important, most impactful is
to reduce deforestation, and increase reforestation. These actions:</div>
<ul style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .375in; margin-top: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;" type="disc">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt;">tackle some root (or
intermediate) causes of climate change, in the sense that policies that
reduce deforestation should go towards reducing demand and consumption of
forestry products </span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt;">Tackle direct causes of
climate change - reducing destruction of forests and encouraging regrowth
or new forests</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt;">Support biodiversity which
has significant broader environmental benefits</span></li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>
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To my mind, funding
needs to be provided at the multilateral policy level, as well as at the local
level. So I've decided to donate to Rainforest Coalition and Greenfleet. But
it's really a personal choice for you, having taken into account the above considerations.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Now to you - what
are the organisations that you donate to, and what are the principles that
guide your donation decisions?</div>
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<br /></div>
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Addendum: The
Celeste Barber issue really highlights that it is super important to understand
the organisation that you're directing your donations towards, and how they
can/will spend it. While it may be complicated, if you are fundraising for an
organisation, you need to do your due diligence and make sure you are
accurately representing where the money is going and for what purposes it will
be spent. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Addendum 2: Donating
to forestry advocacy organisations may also be worthwhile. For example. Friends
of the Leadbeater's Possum recently won a huge case against VicForests, and
this litigation could potentially lead to significant reductions to, or even a
much earlier phase out of, native forestry operations in Victoria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Sources:</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/12/2/20976180/climate-change-best-charities-effective-philanthropy">https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/12/2/20976180/climate-change-best-charities-effective-philanthropy</a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.rainforestcoalition.org/donations/">https://www.rainforestcoalition.org/donations/</a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://secure.everyaction.com/8bd1II6WKUubdSfmePv7ZA2">https://secure.everyaction.com/8bd1II6WKUubdSfmePv7ZA2</a></div>
<br />Lam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-26694214937326604502020-02-17T18:39:00.001+07:002020-02-17T18:39:24.733+07:00What do I believe in?As mentioned last month, I'm standing up to say I am extremely concerned with climate change, and I'm going to step up and do even more to try to make a difference. Perhaps it's the lawyer in me, but I'm always hesitant to start acting on something unless I can establish the underlying facts of the situation, and recognise high level principles for taking next steps.<br />
<br />
<b>Basic facts</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
These are the basic facts that shape my response:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><u>Greenhouse gases (GHG) get their name because they trap heat and heat the atmosphere, just like a greenhouse.</u> GHG include carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. These gases can naturally be released, but are also released by human activity. For example, carbon dioxide is released by the burning of fossil fuels, and methane is released by cattle and rotting food waste in landfill. These gases can be naturally absorbed, for example, by plants through photosynthesis.<br /></li>
<li><u>Humans are the cause of a significant increases in GHG since at least the late 1800s, when the industrial revolution began.</u> Over the last 250 years or so, human activity has intensified, resulting in increasing activities that release GHG (eg burning fossil fuels and increase agricultural and livestock production) and increasing activities that remove those living things that absorb GHG (cutting down trees and rainforests).<br /></li>
<li><u>Intensified human activity means increased global temperature over a shorter period of time. </u>This might seem slow or gradual to everyday human perception, but is significant from a historical perspective. Any change that occurs too quickly makes it hard for living creatures to adapt and evolve. Changes that might have previously happened over thousands of years will be compressed to centuries or decades. Hotter temperatures mean more extreme weather events.<br /></li>
<li><u>Concerns about climate change is not new.</u> In fact, the first concerns were raised as early as the late 19th century, and has grown during the 20th centry. The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was established in 1988. That is over 30 years ago.<br /></li>
<li><u>The IPCC, based on scientific evidence, says we need to keep temperatures from rising no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial temperatures. This requires us to reduce 45% from 2010 levels by 2030.</u> </li>
</ol>
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<b>Overarching principles</b><br />
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With the above facts in mind, here are the main principles around which I will take my individual actions.<br />
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<ol>
<li><u>Principles and evidence based decision making</u> - As may be apparent from the above facts and this list of principles, it is extremely important to based any action on scientific evidence and principles. Even deciding to not take a particular action should be based on scientific evidence and principles. Otherwise, decisions will not be factually sound or consistent with the overall outcomes that you want to achieve. Understanding principles behind a decision is really important, because when faced with the same facts, different principles might result in different (including completely different) actions. <br /></li>
<li><u>Precautionary principle</u> - One of the fundamentals of environmental thinking is the precautionary principle. While it has many different expressions, I take this principle as meaning that taking an action to protect the environment should not be postponed because there is a lack of full scientify certainty about the threat to the environment or what should be done. That means that where there is sound evidence, but not full certainty, we should take a precautioanry approach, err on the side of caution, and take that protective step anyway. The environment is too precious to waste. While I believe that there is full scientific certainty about human induced climate change, this principle could nonetheless be useful for those who may be on the fence. It is like insurance - you know there is a risk there, why take the chance?<br /></li>
<li><u>Equity</u> - This is where divergent views might show up. I believe that we should try to be equitable in our actions, and that includes our response to climate change. What does equity mean? It means giving all stakeholders an equal footing on the most significant aspects of life, noting the systemic and individual differences in standing and opportunities of each stakeholder. So this means protecting the environment, because it does not have a voice in human decision-making. It means thinking about those who are more vulnerable to climate change, who might not have the voices to be heard or the resources to respond to climate change in the same way I might. It means thinking about future populations, who do not have a say in what we do now but who will be living with the consequences of our actions. And it means thinking about how I should act, acknowledging my privileged position and understanding how I act can be part of influencing other people on how they act.<br /></li>
<li><u>Taking responsibility</u> - I did not make a conscious decision to cause climate change. I myself did not cause climate change. There are so many other people, from all over the world and all over different time periods, that have contributed to climate change. But nonetheless I have a level of responsibility. I am reaping the benefits of a world developed through agricultural production and the industrial revolution. I enjoy conveniences from fossil fuel energy and a global supply chain. Even if I enjoyed none of those things, don't I have a responsibility to the rest of the world, or to future generations, to do something about a problem that I know about?<br /></li>
<li><u>Collective action </u>- On that note, and as mentioned in my previous post, while I can only truly have power over how I act, I acknowledge that my own personal actions are not enough to make a difference. Given the global and structural scale of the problem, there needs to be a global and structural response to climate change. So although I can only take personal action, that personal action should always be contributing to collective action somehow, because it will only be through collective action that we can create global and structural changes. This does not mean that all my actions need to be part of a collective action, but it is recognition that individual action is not enough. A mix of think global, but act local. Having said that, individual is still worthwhile, at the least because it does has some small change, and at it's best, personal action not only demonstrates my own personal capacity to change but could also act as a means to influence others to change.<br /> </li>
<li><u>Think and act positively</u> - Despite all the doom and gloom of the facts and narratives presented to us, we must still think and act hopefully and positively. Without hope, there is futility and little or no drive to think big and take action. Without positivity, we will often lose many others who we aim to bring along with us.</li>
</ol>
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With the above facts and principles established, I will next move onto the first action I will take ... and it involves putting money where my mouth is.</div>
Lam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-41734050372164892092020-01-26T09:25:00.002+07:002020-01-26T09:25:36.405+07:00Is it a video? Is it a video?Lam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-8265860092567273422020-01-18T17:48:00.000+07:002020-01-18T17:48:00.538+07:00A new normal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I woke up to a new year, a new decade, and a new normal. The skies were cloudy orange, unlike the ordinary Canberra I knew. No, this was the smoke from the bushfires surrounding the Canberra region. This was a smoke signal from a scorched earth, fuelled by extreme weather conditions, prolonged drought and even more prolonged inaction. It was the apocalyptic nightmare that many climate scientists had been predicting.<br />
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Waking up to outside smoke once or twice might remind of out in the woods and waking up to a burnt out bonfire. But waking up to smoke day after day, with no clear end in sight, means something entirely different. With the end of year holidays ending and new years resolutions percolating, waking up to smoke puts you in a heightened reflective mode.<br />
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There's a point when you cannot watch the news anymore. Cannot watch the devastation to the environment, to communities, to animals and to other humans. The harsh realities outside your home forces you to retreat inwards. You reflect on your feelings, your ambitions, your plans for the future. And how that future must include climate change adaptation. Those rose-tinted dreams you harboured as a kid are now tinged by the deep red morning, afternoon and evening sky of bushfire season. The time has come and I am anxious and frightened. At the end of the day, we are of this Earth, and we belong to it. When it cries out, we also cry out. Both because of the pain of the Earth and because of the impact it will have on us.<br />
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Like the extremely dry landscape that have fuelled the bushfires, my feelings have been building up for a long time. It's been there since I first heard of the warnings about climate change over a decade ago. It's built as I waited for broader government action, as I watched a government call it the greatest moral challenge of our time, as I watched om as any meaningful, collective action destroyed by politicking across successive Labor and Coalition governments, and other vested interests. It's built as I've stood by, seeing this inaction manifest in my own life. This is the textbook definition of negligence, at all levels.<br />
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And like the bushfires themselves, when the conditions converge and a spark is lit, all that fuel is ignited into a roaring phenomenon. In the face of scorched earth, we must act. In this world, we still have agency and can still decide how we want to act to respond to this threat.<br />
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We can do so in many ways. I only have control on how I will act, but I know that individual action alone cannot resolve this, and collective action is also necessary. Challenges as big as this need a response just as big. Individual actions will not work in isolation. But individual, personal actions still contribute in many ways, at the very least to show that we have some sense of control over our actions, and at the most to show and inspire hope that if we can change our individual actions, there is hope for change.<br />
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For me, the first step is always reflective and declaratory. I will no longer be a quiet Australian. Having reflected on all the information before me, I declare that I am living in a climate emergency, and that I will stand up and try to do something about it. I have been taking steps over the years (such as reducing my energy usage, composting, cycling to work), but I can always do more. We all have a duty of care, and we have all been negligent to some degree. The time is now to reflect and to respond. I cannot respond to everything all at once. I can only take one step at a time.<br />
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For the remainder of this year, I will document each month something that I have done that I think has contributed to our response to climate change. It will be a mix of individual action, and contributing to collective action. It's the only way I can stay sane and believe that I am contributing something meaningful, something productive, something effective, to save this scorched earth on which I stand.<br />
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Lam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-70154842466249845942019-12-31T18:09:00.001+07:002019-12-31T18:09:52.401+07:00How to call me by your name every timeLam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-62349158780976089282019-12-02T15:25:00.001+07:002019-12-02T15:25:36.621+07:00BPM PrideLam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-66187415694977947112019-10-27T15:26:00.001+07:002019-10-27T15:26:17.901+07:00A weekend looking at CarolLam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-79812347854214824922019-09-29T16:53:00.000+07:002019-09-29T16:53:00.025+07:00The Kids Are AlrightLam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-44631052283803076902019-08-25T16:23:00.001+07:002019-08-25T16:23:59.865+07:00Angels in America/Holding the manLam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-179619964984901772019-07-28T14:02:00.001+07:002019-07-28T14:02:47.439+07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Lam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-91939969739823462922019-07-28T13:53:00.001+07:002019-07-28T13:53:32.423+07:00Brokeback Mountain/I'm the One that I wantLam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-19075859195935987242019-06-28T19:41:00.000+07:002019-06-28T19:41:15.551+07:00Russian ArkLam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-55792628507684802072019-06-02T19:57:00.001+07:002019-06-02T19:57:40.371+07:00Six feet underLam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-81486589011153782672019-04-25T19:02:00.001+07:002019-04-25T19:02:20.785+07:00Head OnLam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-27547183335616209202019-03-30T10:45:00.002+07:002020-05-26T18:56:46.904+07:00CluelessFrom the fabulously gowned Queens of the desert, to the plaid mini skirt wearing, bare midriff showing Queens of Bronson Alcott High School.<br />
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A major milestone for me watching Clueless throughout my teens. I recall the experiences watching it vividly. My sister came home one day with a videotape of this funny movie that her friend had recorded off Foxtel (one of Australia's two cable companies at the time). We didn't really go to movies much as children, and we were excited because we got to see something from expensive cable TV months before it came out on free-to-air TV.<br />
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Unlike my experience with Priscilla, I was able to just sit and watch along with my sister. But it was not an overly gay movie, so I could rewatch it openly. I loved the movie it was fun and witty, with a great performance by Alicia Silverstone. At the beginning, I recall laughing and going along with the basic plot, but I'm sure that I didn’t fully appreciate all the jokes. I had no idea that this was a reimagining of Emma. Like Cher, I too was clueless and was only getting a Cliffsnotes version of the movie. It was only some years after that fully understood what 'balls flying at my nose' meant.<br />
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For all the satire and one liners, I’ve found the film to be quite a lovely progressive film. Over the years, I've kept coming back to the 'Haiti' debating scene, which I love. Yes, Cher’s speech glosses over the facts, lacks nuance and comes from a point of privilege. But, at its core, it’s a lovely message of empathy and humanism. What makes me love the scene even more is while the classic ‘It does not say RSVP on the Statue of Liberty’ line continues to resonate in the present day, the scene extends beyond this line. It continues to preach empathy, with Travis later talking about how he feels about the Rolling Stones is about how his kids are going to feel about Nine Inch Nails, and how he should really be less harsh on his parents. As Mr Hall says, tolerance is always a good lesson. But this lesson did not come out of nowhere – it comes directly from Cher’s speech that everyone had just dismissed.<br />
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Of course, the other major impact of the film is that it informed my gay development. In particular, it had a strong female gaze. The film is uncompromisingly from Cher's perspective, clueless or otherwise. From a gay perspective, this meant that for me it was one of the first films that looked at men with desire. The film offers up studies of Christian, Murray, Elton, and of course, Josh. Unlike Priscilla which was told from the gay men’s point of view (a perspective that was too mature for me to understand), Clueless is told from the perspective of Cher. She judges males (‘ugh as if’), desires males (the slow-mo introduction of Christian by the door), and she realises that she even loves one of them (Cher’s epiphanic montage of Josh by the films end).<br />
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Like Cher, the film’s initial focus of desire is Christian.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpDDkcCG7Xy5iJl04_-iGI-TNT1D6uSm9k9ht75qaQiMesLkaIoFk7xSge6WCGxPDPR5gk7-ET5rAm0EXgxhiZkyl0MiwgqFtKb18ZhiYdP6_nYSs644OBAbENF69ClKnmTQ7zursia3Y/s1600/clueless-christian.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="246" data-original-width="498" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpDDkcCG7Xy5iJl04_-iGI-TNT1D6uSm9k9ht75qaQiMesLkaIoFk7xSge6WCGxPDPR5gk7-ET5rAm0EXgxhiZkyl0MiwgqFtKb18ZhiYdP6_nYSs644OBAbENF69ClKnmTQ7zursia3Y/s640/clueless-christian.gif" width="640" /></a><br />
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Christian ticks off a lot of gay male stereotypes - interesting in art, well dressed and fashion conscious. From the present perspective, this may seem too stereotypical, but I don’t think it really was for a mainstream teen comedy from 1995. Even so, stereotypes can be used as a starting point, to challenge and to explore. When I look at the film closely, I think the film is quite nuanced in its depiction of Christian. Murray might call Christian a disco-dancing, Oscar Wilde-reading, Streisand ticket-holding friend of Dorothy.<br />
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But, in fact, while Christian's a good dancer, but he isn’t shown dancing just to disco music in a gay bar. His songstress is Billie Holiday not Barbra. He is shown reading William S Burrow's Junky, not Oscar Wilde. He watches Tony Curtis in Some Like It Hot and 'Sporaticus', not Judy Garland in the Wizard of Oz. And by the end, what Cher loves about Christian is not his shopping and dress sense, but how he wants everything to be beautiful and interesting. While I didn’t desire Christian, I think it was a revelation to me that not all gay men were those I had seen on Mardi Gras or in Priscilla.<br />
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And then there’s Josh. Cher was a surrogate for me, and Cher’s desire for Josh sparked something in me too. I remember being quite entranced by that final montage of Josh, and that final slow-motion shot of him smiling in the car. I've always loved a good end of film flashback montage; the slow-mo pace, the recall of earlier moments in the movie, now seen in a new light.<br />
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Like any good romantic comedy object of desire, Josh had some definable characteristics, but he was also a blank canvas onto which the audience could project their own fantasies. I was attracted to the fact that the was the gentle, nice, everyman guy. A do-gooder. I definitely thought he was a Baldwin, but unlike the characters in Priscilla, he was attractive in a conventional (non-threatening) sort of way.<br />
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Looking back, the film was quite a revelation for me, in that magical way that art and films can clarify things that might not be apparent in the reality of your everyday life.<br />
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While I didn’t know it at the time, I really think it was Clueless that confirmed, for one of the first times, that I could have desire for men. Priscilla suggested that that desire was sexual, but Clueless showed me that that desire was emotional too.<br />
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Lam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-47385878537217221942019-02-28T20:00:00.002+07:002020-01-26T11:31:20.261+07:00PriscillaDrag queens parading down the street, lip-syncing to the music pumping in the background, a bus in the background. Is this The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert or is it the annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade? To my young self, they were one and the same. A world of flamboyance, overt sexuality, torch songs, deep hurt, and discrimination. This was how the world presented the gay world to me, and how I was imagining the world I would be part of.<br />
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I arrived in Australia from Vietnam as a 5 year old in 1991. By the time the grand bus came to cinemas in 1994, swept the world and won a well deserved Academy Award for best costume design, I was 8 and had no idea that Priscilla existed. (1994 was also the first year that the Mardi Gras parade was first broadcast on commercial television). It was not until 2 years later when it was broadcast on free-to-air television that the film registered on my radar. <br />
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At 10 years old, my sexuality was starting to develop and I started to have an inkling that I was more interested in boys than girls. Sex, let alone being gay, was not something that was discussed in my family. Nor, at the time, was homosexuality discussed in any media or tv show readily assessible to a 10 year old. Sure, there may have been more adult tv dramas and some art house movies, but it was hard out there for a young gay kid from the western suburbs of Sydney to find early 90s gay representation. (That's why I also have a soft spot for Philadelphia, which also received this VHS treatment. Whatever your qualms about its quality, it nevertheless was much more accessible than the independent queer films of that time!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijmnX09p-eVk8JT1YGtoYOUlIkoGjdyT9AmJ64bvSKUg_lSS2fYV44mN0N4O-NFonHPoGcy2rXDdSXRSIJaY2Jbbih_-5ltFwvCrCoW4piigrn9wdTOJdgrhGsg8aZmUOSEwDyPXV1VPk/s1600/priscilla-defaced.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="1057" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijmnX09p-eVk8JT1YGtoYOUlIkoGjdyT9AmJ64bvSKUg_lSS2fYV44mN0N4O-NFonHPoGcy2rXDdSXRSIJaY2Jbbih_-5ltFwvCrCoW4piigrn9wdTOJdgrhGsg8aZmUOSEwDyPXV1VPk/s640/priscilla-defaced.png" width="640" /></a>But, as kids are wont to do, the topic surfaces in some way, and I knew somehow that there was this thing called Mardi Gras and drag queens, and they were the 'other' that I could possibly, scarily and completely unwittingly, could be part of. Then came the ads for Priscilla and lo and behold, here was something that piqued my interest. I can't remember dates and times - it was all a pre-puberty blur. But I remember that there was a curious little secret I had, something no-one talked about so it had to be hidden, something special but also something scary. So I secretly videotaped the movie when it was on. Full of nerves, I watched bits and pieces of it when I could, since I could not really chance someone in my family finding me watching it. <br />
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In this way, I don't think I fully really watched the film until much later in life. Like these secret opportunities I had, all I remember of the film were mere imprints and impressions of what this 'other' life was about. I could not tell you what I thought of the plot, character development, or anything else. These were the individual impressions I remember: <br />
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<li>This movie was strange, and there were so many things I didn't understand and just glossed over. Mainly: most, if not all, of the sexual jokes. Having said that: </li>
<li>The film made me realise (or confirm) one thing: Men were sexy, and this was something that somewhere inside I knew to be true. It was great to see it on screen. Guy Pearce shirtless was my gateway drug - his abs, his pecs, his arms, his cheekbones. He had that toned underwear model body that paraded around at Mardi Gras. If anything, this confirmed my attraction to male bodies. What was important here was that my attraction was purely physical, I found. My earlier attractions was to a boy named Paul from my year 4 class - the classic nice guy who was voted class captain because everyone liked him. Here, Felicia was a troubled, acerbic, sarcastic personality, one that that I was not at ease at, and yet I still found him attractive. Yep, I liked men. </li>
<li>This film was weird. I realise looking back, that the film is a masterclass tonally, swaying between sexy, scary, funny and (to 10 year old me) quite creepy at times. Case in point: the bathtub flashback scene played between scary and dark humour. I don't think I had been exposed previously to dark humour and tonal changes. As I have discovered later in life, I am not very particular to dark humour - I'm too delicate a flower! </li>
<li>The costumes, of course, were amazingly fun. Even a young me appreciated that! </li>
<li>The scenery too was beautiful and iconic. A cock in a frock on a rock indeed. </li>
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For all of the above individual impressions, the overriding impression I got was that this was a strange strange world. Did this world really exist? If so, was I automatically going to be in? Was I going to automatically become one of the characters? Which one? Did I belong in this world? Would I like it? For me, Priscilla asked more questions than it answered. How exhausting!</div>
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<a href="https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/priscilla-bill-hunter-and-terrence-stamp-taking-nap" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="722" data-original-width="1000" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5UKkjIAG0f7o0t1Y7vUq5U_Y4xpUFb3jpTo03cpgCIOfq7BxVVtRLxLXYxu8vLxXr5YLUOQpaOPciqq0xWFPoHPRdCX4LpjlBf6ALBuXyCV0wwgWBwI0R59HTo_brUF85hiblKWcSjTc/s640/1489087_0001_008_resized.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I wish I had a window to my thoughts and feelings back then, to see how I processed it and what I did with it. Perhaps, a young me, took in what I could. I know that, like many others would have, I would have proceeded to bury those thoughts and feelings, just like I would hid the VHS tape back in the recesses of my room.<br />
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Looking back, I missed out on all the nuances and depth to this film. My objective view of the film is pretty much like the consensus view - a great gay film, with maybe some outdated views on race. But a time capsule it remains. I'm grateful for the film because, for me, it remains a time capsule of the beginning of my gay awakening. And it introduced me to this sexy stud muffin! </div>
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Further reading:<br />
<a href="http://sensesofcinema.com/2008/book-reviews/adventures-priscilla-queen-desert/" target="_blank">Don’t Let Them Drag You Down: <i>The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert</i></a> from Senses of Cinema<br />
<a href="http://thefilmexperience.net/blog/2017/6/14/soundtracking-the-adventures-of-priscilla-queen-of-the-deser.html" target="_blank">Soundtracking: "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert"</a> from The Film Experience<br />
<a href="https://journals.openedition.org/lisa/9086" target="_blank">Camping it out in the Never Never: Subverting Hegemonic Masculinity in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert</a> (Stephan Elliott, 1994)<br />
<a href="https://aso.gov.au/titles/features/priscilla/notes/" target="_blank">Curator's Notes - Australian Screen</a></div>
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Lam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-4621211986735658762019-01-12T14:45:00.002+07:002019-01-20T10:53:42.659+07:00Hello world ... againForgive me internet for I have sinned. It has been months and years since my last blog post. I tried another blog, I tried other things, and now I’ve come back. How many hail marys do I need to do? Maybe it’s time to let the old ways die. That might mean letting this blog go, or rather, more optimistically, it means pivoting and trying something new. Here is my new approach to this blog to atone for my sins.<br />
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A person is made up of many things - many characteristics, many experiences, many thoughts and many behaviours. You can’t define them by a singular aspect. So it is with me. Having said this, there may be a few key defining aspects of what makes up who I am. The way my life has progressed, a significant aspect of my identity is my sexuality. It is not my only defining characteristic, and I’m not defined by my sexuality, but many important parts of my life have been related to my sexuality. It is the first significant internal characteristic of mine that was not immediately obvious, such as my gender, my ethnicity, or my family background. It is a part of me that has fed my introspectivity. It’s formed part of my views on social justice. It’s led me to standing up and announcing myself. It was the theme of my 21st party, and part of the theme of my first (of only 2) short films. It’s led me to some career choices, to friends, to lovers, and to a lifelong partner. So yes, it is not all of me, but, in the context of my life and the times that i grew up in (and continue to live), my sexuaility is definitely a major part of me. I’m grateful that, while there were some challenging moments, it has turned to be such a positive experience for me. I know not everyone has that same fortune.<br />
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Cinema is of course another important aspect of my life. It has been the main medium in which I’ve engage with culture. I’ve studied it. I understand its form, its techniques, its language. It’s a relatively accessible, not-too-time consuming art form that can burrow deep into the hearts and minds of auteurs and audiences alike. It’s a window into other cultures and foreign narratives. It can be force for introspection, a force for social change, and a force for the good ol’ ugly cry. I love nothing more than a good 2 or 3 hours of sitting in the dark reflecting on those images that reflect back onto me.<br />
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I’ve come to realise that getting into an in-depth series about the gay films that are personally important to me seemed a natural fit for this current attempt at restarting this blog. I’ve realised that I cannot do continuous blogging about a breadth of films and events. It takes too much out of me, something equivalent to ‘small talk’ for an introvert. So instead, for 2019, I’m going to invest my time into a year long deep dive project into the queer films (and one or two television shows) that have a profound impact on me. <br />
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So where to begin? As a queer fairy godmother once said: It’s always good to start at the beginning.<br />
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But, like sexuality itself can be, it is quite hard to identify exactly that first image, that first film, that first cultural artefact, that had an influence on me and made me question or clarify my sexuality. In the 90s, I recall television soaps, underwear ads, music videos, featuring men and women (but mostly men) who piqued my interest. Like the fog that was my childhood and most children’s understanding of sexuality, I imagine there was a blur of images and cultural texts that lay the groundwork for me to question my sexuality. I should mention 2 particular film-related things that stand out.<br />
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I was unwittingly introduced to the Wizard of Oz in primary school. We were sat down in the classroom to watch the movie one afternoon, and then told that we would be staging a production of the movie. A friend of mine ended up playing Dorothy, and I, with my impeccable acting skills, was going to play one of the monkeys chasing her. I can’t profess to this experience awakening any particular sexual curiosity in me. I do recall specifically remember that glorious technicolor reveal, and it made me suddenly realise that I had been watching a sepia toned film. What the film had presented as normal had been radically transformed. I think from that early age it began my awareness of storytelling, and particularly film storytelling. Perhaps it also opened the way for me to question the reality that I was being told. I know for sure that my involvement did set me up to know the quotes from the movie very well, and remains one of the movies I can quote incessantly, along with Clueless and all the Galadriel scenes from the Lord of the Rings movies.<br />
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The other significant text, not a film per se, was of course my sex education cartoon video my Year 5 teacher showed us one afternoon. My family were totally silent on the topic of sexuality, and I don’t recall exactly what I knew or didn’t know at the time. I do remember that the film itself was very educational in the ways of sex and reproduction. A particular comical scene showed a teenage boy at a swimming pool, about to jump off the diving board. Alas, as some girls walked past, he popped a prominent boner right at the .. ahem … tip of the board. The class erupted in laughter at an in-joke that I was blissfully unaware. The factual education I had received prior was soon dwarfed by the emotional discovery from that experience. I didn’t have that experience that they had - I hadn’t popped a boner, and I didn’t know what the joke was. I think at the time I didn’t know exactly why this was the case, and I don’t think i was significantly unnerved by it. On reflection, this could have been because I had not fully experienced puberty, but I have the sneaking suspicion that deep down I know I didn’t feel that way for girls as depicted in the video. Rather, somehow, somewhere deep down, it explained the curious looks I gave to a fellow classmate, Paul, at our school camp some months before. Whatever it was, I don’t think I particularly panicked, but that feeling that I was different (for this reason) remained. In many ways, I am so grateful to this video, for educating me and giving me this experience. Thanks to the internet, I’ve since discovered this was a pretty widely known and shown cartoon called ‘What is happening to me’. Coincidentally, it was made in 1986, the same year I was born! What a coincidence.<br />
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And one more thing ... as I thnk about what I plan to write over the next year, there are a few glaring omissions. Blindspots in my 'gay' education. Films I watched later in life that were amazing but did not profoundly affect me because of timing and circumstance. Films that objectively were amazing that I just did not connect with. There have been so much great writing about all these films. What I intend to do is contribute to it through my personal experience. It's the best I can offer.<br />
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And so with that, I’ll proceed with the movie that I think had the first profound effect on little ol' gay me … The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert… stay tuned!</div>
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Lam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-75931521802783145692015-05-07T09:54:00.000+07:002015-05-07T09:54:00.786+07:00Lady From ShanghaiLike many viewers, I was introduced to The Lady From Shanghai from Woody Allen's Manhattan Murder Mystery through the famous and mesmerizing final sequences. When I finally watched the full movie as part of The Film Experience's excellent <a href="http://www.thefilmexperience.net/hit-me-with-your-best-shot/">Hit Me With Your Best Shot</a> series, the film proved to be just as mesmerizing.<br />
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One of my reservations about film noir has always been the protagonist's immediate weak spot for the femme fatale. As beautiful and seductive as the femme fatale may be, and Rita Hayworth is great, I can never truly believe. Unfortunately that is one of the mainstays of the genre, and I always have to suspend my disbelief.<br />
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What is more credible is the portrayal of modern relationships, modern society and in particular how its mores and laws can be manipulated. Once it is accepted that Michael has fallen head over heals for Elsa, the story moves through locales and relationships, establishing who is manipulating whom, and how the social structures around them allow that to happen. The film shows how to manipulate the laws of the time (in which a prosecution could not be made without the murdered body), and how Bannister easily manipulates the judge and jury during the trial with his farcical self cross-examination.<br />
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My favourite shot shows the relationship between manipulations and society, and the murkiness of our social conscience in this context:<br />
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In this shot, placed in the middle of the nervous waiting of the characters as the jury deliberates, the judge is playing a chess game with himself as his office overlooks San Francisco (and Shanghai perhaps in the distance?). I love how the white chess pieces are doubly reflected. First through the city backdrop, the bridge piers mirroring the two knights, the city buildings mirroring the pawns. The city is a symbol of civilization and justice, standing firm against the impending darkness of the clouds. In the background, the moral leaders, the king and queen (the government), the bishop (religion), and the castle (the military?) are in stasis, prominently mirrored in the window reflection. They are in shadow, a bit murky, more grey than white, letting the knights and pawns do the work for them.<br />
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And just above them, equally grey, is the judge's floating reflection. As one of society's figureheads, he is worrisome, indecisive, and ultimately, within the plot, ineffective against the manipulations of the protagonists. In the courtroom scenes, we see the Judge easily manipulated by Bannister's sophistic showmanship. Here, he is agonizing on how to play the game, his white team of justice trying to hold back the advancing and unseen darkness. Ultimately, it is up to the jury, his fellow citizens of the city, to decide Michael's fate. But even that too is elusive, as Michael and the rest take justice in their own hands, moving the chest pieces around at the own will. Sometimes justice will prevail, but only in the movies, and even then there will always be casualties.Lam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-43994678173307842612015-04-30T01:43:00.001+07:002015-04-30T01:43:44.338+07:00Bright StarIt's been a while since I participated in The Film Experience's excellent<a href="http://thefilmexperience.net/hit-me-with-your-best-shot/"> Hit Me With Your Best Shot series</a> (and in fact, a while since I've blogged at all). But I couldn't miss an opportunity to write about one of my favourite directors. I couldn't resist deciding my favourite shot from Jane Campion's gorgeous film Bright Star, but I almost didn't make it through the whole film - it was nearly over before it even began.<br />
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Campion's films are so visually textured and mesmerizing that this opening credit itself was almost enough to be the best shot for me. What is better than the promise of beauty and the sublime?<br />
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A 2 hour visual feast, as it turns out. What I love most about Bright Star is its ability to be a cinematic encapsulation of the poetry of John Keats. Early in the film, John explains to Fanny that <span style="font-family: inherit;">a "<span style="background-color: #fcfae7; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">poem needs understanding through the senses. The point of diving into a lake is not immediately to swim to the shore but to be in the lake, to luxuriate in the sensation of water. </span></span><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">You do not work the lake out, it is a experience beyond thought. Poetry soothes and emboldens the soul to accept the mystery.</span><span style="background-color: #fcfae7; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">"</span><span style="background-color: #fcfae7; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fcfae7; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">That may be also be Campion's mission statement for the film, and she succeeds abundantly. We are washed over with close ups of the lives of bees and butterflies, wide shots showcasing the exquisite beauty of fields of flowers, and tracking shots capturing the intricate designs of branches in wintry woods. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #fcfae7; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Campion's camera is not only focused on nature, but also on the interior domesticity of her characters, and in particular Fanny. The opening shot of needle and thread symbolises the delicate detail that is the focus of Campion's eye. The following close up of the embroidery highlights how effectively the camera can convey tactile sensations, as well as celebrate arts of all different kinds. This revelry in art and detail, both exterior and interior, permeates the film</span></span>.<br />
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Of the many wonderfully tactile images in the film, one of my favourites is this shot of Fanny looking out through the window.<br />
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From the camera's perspective, we, as voyeurs ourselves, are watching another voyeur discover something outside. What is it that she spies beyond the boundaries of her domesticity, fenced off by windows and hidden behind opaque curtains? What life is out there in nature? What curiosities and passions await to be discovered? For Fanny, all of that is answered in John Keats, lying on the grass, looking back at her.<br />
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It is no surprise that their first passionate kiss is outside in the gardens. Or that they symbolically play a game of statues afterwards, hoping to forever capture their bliss. And true to the understated ambiance of the film, Fanny does not run home and shout out her emotions. Instead, in what is my pick for best shot, she sits down in her bed, calming contemplating as emotions surely bubble underneath:<br />
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Trust Campion to not rely on words, but to instead let images do the talking. In this sublime scene, the curtains, once a barrier, now begin to softly wave into the room, allowing the refreshing breeze from outside to nourish the bare and plain interior. It blows and flaps until it almost weightlessly engulfs Fanny, until the breath of fresh air/love flows directly into her. For in this moment, she is on cloud nine, and all she can do is luxuriate in her emotions and her dreams of all the possible romantic possibilities that she can see beyond her window.<br />
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As an audience, we are also enraptured. Like Fanny, all we can do is sit up and luxuriate in the fresh air of Campion's vision, perfectly captured and framed, floating on the screen before our very eyes, soothing and emboldening our souls.Lam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-79225834885375495152015-03-12T05:00:00.000+07:002015-03-12T07:22:51.571+07:00Throwback Thursday: Looking from the window above ...Last week's episode of Looking ended with Patrick and Kevin tentatively exchanging I Love Yous with each other. The screen fades to black as the synthesizer sounds of Yazoo's Only You begins. It's the type of sweet 80s pop that usually resonates for me, hearkening back to my childhood. But for some reason, this song felt particularly special. What did this song remind me of? What memories did it trigger? It took a few days for me to work it out, but finally, it came back to me:<br />
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This was one of the most perfect moments I've ever witnessed on television. Sweet as the kiss is in isolation, the impact of the kiss increases because of the drawn out sexual tension of the previous two seasons, as well as because of the fact that it was the warmest moment of an otherwise (brilliantly) uncomfortable show. It just warms my heart.<br />
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I've been enjoying this season of Looking - it just gets better and better - but it's not there yet. Let's hope the final episodes bring everything to a climax.Lam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-63679449468163896512015-03-10T23:22:00.001+07:002015-03-10T23:22:25.498+07:00Paris is BurningIf ever there was a perfect snapshot in time and place in the world, Paris is Burning was it. This amazing documentary captures a point in time in queer history, showing the world the exuberance, the passion, the struggles, and most affectingly, the vulnerability of the drag community of the late 80s New York. It taught, and continues to teach, the rest of us about balls, vogueing, shade, reading, Houses, and above all else, what the defiant sense of community looks like.<br />
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And like the period and characters it documents, Paris is Burning too feels short on time. Its brisk 71 minute length leaves you salivating for more of this world and its characters. The stars shine brightly and the flames burn intensely, but all too quickly and before their time. Nothing encapsulates that feeling more than this shot of Venus Xtravanganza.<br />
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By itself, it's a beautiful image, a wondrous snapshot of a person at a time and place. That defiant face and pose. The fashion. The graffiti. That boombox, which not only captures the time period but also symbolizes Venus's (and the other characters') voice that announces to the world that it must be heard.<br />
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Throughout the film, Venus, and many of the other characters, have been framed either intimately in private or as part of a group shot at the ball. The private shots expose their personal histories, fears and vulnerabilities. The group shots showcase the fabulous rambunctiousness of the balls and the solidarity and community of the Houses. So when scenes are later filmed in public, these characters, on the one hand, are reintegrated into the outside world, announcing that they too are citizens of this world. But on the other hand, these shots are also a graphic reminder that while they can build walls and Houses around themselves for protection, they too must brave the real world.<br />
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So here is Venus, outside in the real world. This twilight shot, by itself, may suggest that, between the harsh light of day and the foreboding shadows of night, there is some beauty in Venus' world. That beautiful pink sunset behind her captures the love, beauty, and perhaps the vulnerability, that she embodies, qualities that befit the goddess after which she has named herself.<br />
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But alas, upon the narration of Venus' death, it's not just a sunset that we see in this shot - we are witnessing the twilight of Venus's story. Like the tip of her cigarette, her life shines briefly before her fate draws near, her life shining briefly. In the foreground she defiantly draws her final breath, as in the background, her world is burning and scorching the sky.Lam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-90178489416805037542015-03-03T20:49:00.002+07:002015-03-03T20:49:26.035+07:00The Sound of MusicHow do you solve a problem like choosing the best shot from a movie? How do you find one image that best represents a movie? In only the rarest of movies will one shot be designed to be, or over time grows into being, THE definitive image. Movies by their nature celebrate the beauty of multiple shots in successive motion. Sequences scroll by, images build upon images, dialogue layers over songs and music. The beauty and power of that one crescendo moment is really the cumulative result of numerous previous moments.<br />
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I find that there are always so many beautiful shots that define any movie, including The Sound of Music. So many shots and sequences have become iconic and ingrained into the collective consciousness. The amazing helicopter shot zooming in on Maria as she sings the opening lines of the movie. The children on Maria's bed during My Favourite Things. All of the images from Do Re Mi.<br />
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The beauty of this excellent <a href="http://thefilmexperience.net/hit-me-with-your-best-shot/">HMWYBS </a>series is that it allows us to revisit movies, to rediscover what drew us in in the first place and to allow us to find new hidden gems to be thankful for. What is the best shot may be the best shot always, or it may only be the best shot right now, changing in the future.<br />
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Growing up, I only watched this film on television. Punctuated by advertising, I could only stay up until around the wedding scenes. My memories are mostly of the joyful first half, full of song and dance. And while the more serious, Nazi filled second half gives the film a lot of weight, it will always be the infectious exuberance of the von Trapp family, led by Maria, that fills my heart.<br />
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So it was perfect that, upon this viewing, I discovered this glorious reaction shot:<br />
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Within the film, this shot captures Liesl's glee upon experiencing her first kiss with the seventeen-going-on-eighteen messenger boy. But that same unbridled glee could also belong to Maria in her celebration of life and music, or the children upon learning to sing and being able to play again, or the Captain upon watching his children during the Lonely Goatherd performance.<br />
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For many of us, it's also the same unbridled joy that we get from doing over favourite things, listening to our favourite songs and watching our favourite films. This shot may not be the most beautiful or well known from the movie, but it's the one that best encapsulates the run-into-the-rain-and-jump-for-joy-in-your-wet-clothes kind of glee that I feel when I watch it.Lam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5694721512068181536.post-68196205665611541012014-12-26T17:37:00.000+07:002014-12-26T17:37:00.663+07:00Endings and beginningsMerry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!<br />
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No, I am not announcing the end of my blog despite no posts for months. It's been a long and busy year, moving to Bangkok, enjoying the trailing spouse lifestyle, dabbing in some NGO work, then progressing to the most busy and stressful job so far in my career; being asked to be a best man at the last minute; travelling around the world for work and play; forging new ground in the second year of being with the love of my life; and somewhere in there finally starting a blog about two of the passions of my life: film and television.<br />
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I will continue blogging next year but I have mostly been kept dormant for the last few months because of some intense work periods. But I had to post about one thing before 2014 came to a close - the ending of the partnership between seminal Australian film reviewers Margaret and David.<br />
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Their on-screen partnership has lasted for 28 years, as long as I've been alive and longer and more fruitful than most marriages. It's ironic that although their subject matter is film, it is television that has cultivated their fame and sustained their cult for so long. This is another example of television being the unique medium that allows people, like Margaret and David, to enter our homes over weeks, months and even years, projecting as much passion, humour, anger and vulnerability as we might share in person with our very own friends.<br />
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Growing up, Magaret and David were my windows to the film world, my window to both the objectivity and subjectivity of film criticism, my window to the souls and visions of filmmakers. They were the aunt and uncle who could passionately, constructively and respectfully disagree, and it didn't mean the end of their relationship. In fact, it only strengthened it. I didn't have those kinds of role models growing up.<br />
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In my youthful days as a wannabe film director, I didn't just envision film festival and awards acceptance speeches, I also envisioned intense debates between David and Margaret about my future films. I wanted them to debate my films, to disagree on my films (I knew David would not like my shakey-cam shots, so Margaret would always give me the higher ratings). I'm quite saddened that there won't be a generation of filmmakers that will have that as part of their dream, and there won't be a whole generation of filmgoers who compare their film opinions to the David and Margaret scale.<br />
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Although my film future was not to be (if only talent was not necessary to succeed), their presence remained throughout the years. One of my most cherished memories is <a href="http://www.sbs.com.au/movies/movie/finished-people">their review </a>of Khoa Do's The Finished People. Sometimes they are criticised (rightly or wrongly) for their soft ratings for Australian films, but this film demonstrated exactly why that soft touch was needed. It's a lovely film full of heart and poignancy, but would not have received a fair audience without David and Margaret as advocates. In Australia, very rarely do we hear sympathetic stories of these characters from the Vietnamese enclaves of Cabramatta, who are trapped within vicious visibility circles of voiceless children within a migrant world, hidden behind a multicultural story of drugs and cuisines, safely hidden from the view of middle class Australia.<br />
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Based on this review, I took my mum to a faraway arthouse cinema to see the film - it was ironic that although this was a film about the people living in the area that this film captured had to go so far away to watch it. Luckily in this case, the 50 minute train ride home was fertile ground for discussions about the film. My mum's comments afterwards was the most I have heard her say for any film. Living in the area, she could see the locations, the familiar settings, and the stories behind the faces of the homeless children she saw.<br />
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In this review, and countless others, Margaret's and David's love and enthusiasm for Australian film, and film in general, never wavered. And without their reviews, I don't think I would have had that train ride with my mother. Film clubs around Australia might not have flourished like they do. And this blog might never have existed. It's been a great 28 years, and I wish them the best of luck in the future.Lam Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16605442368180415374noreply@blogger.com0