Shani is my cousin, the only other girl on my Dad's side of the family. Her father, my uncle Warren, passed away from cancer three years ago. So it was a particularly unwelcome punch in the guts for the family when Shani herself had her own brush with cancer in February of this year. Shani, … Continue reading Good news stories: Shani
Disconnected at Christmas
I struggle with Christmas. There, I’ve said it. I know I’m not the only one. There are many reasons people just can’t wait for Christmas to be over: loss of loved ones, family dysfunction, loneliness, poverty; the list goes on. People often find it strange, though, that I’m a bit of a Grinch, given that … Continue reading Disconnected at Christmas
Good news stories: Bibs
I first met Bibs in what feels like another lifetime for both of us: during O Week at Macquarie University at the start of 2006. After many years out of touch, we recently reconnected. While I found Bibs to be just as kind, brilliant and quirky as he was over a decade before, I was … Continue reading Good news stories: Bibs
Women of Gilead: opressing and oppressed
A review of The Handmaid's Tale season 2 (Originally published on Ethos Blog) (Warning: Contains spoilers) In 2017, I reviewed the first season of Hulu’s acclaimed television adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s novel The Handmaid’s Tale. In that review, I highlighted the series’ scathing critique of graceless, hypocritical forms of Christianity that tolerate abuse, countering claims by … Continue reading Women of Gilead: opressing and oppressed
Ordinary-extraordinary women (Part 2)
Angie Dinh: The ultimate foodie I first met Angie and her now husband Ryan at their lavishly home-catered Oriental High Tea, one in a series of pop-up restaurant events they put on for their friends between 2013 and 2014. I had the privilege of attending two of these sought-after events as a little known ‘plus … Continue reading Ordinary-extraordinary women (Part 2)
Ordinary-extraordinary women (Part 1)
Leonie Benigno: From Saddle Club to Supermum Every month on a Sunday afternoon, my husband and I make the hour-long journey to leafy Oakville to seek relief for our aching office-worker muscles. Leonie Benigno, founder of Spot On Remedial Massage, is something of a local legend, delivering a reliable combination of effective treatment and friendly … Continue reading Ordinary-extraordinary women (Part 1)
Alias Grace: Giving wronged women a voice
(Originally published on the Ethos blog) Alias Grace is the latest television series to stem from the vast repertoire of Canadian author Margaret Atwood. Like her recently televised modern classic, The Handmaid's Tale, Alias Gracefeatures a strong, beleaguered female protagonist resisting the oppression of upper class men. However, a key point of difference is that … Continue reading Alias Grace: Giving wronged women a voice
