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"Research is formalised curiosity" – Zora neale hurston

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Three Patch Podcast conversation on transcultural fandom — the uncut version

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Like a lot of people, I did not expect to spend th Like a lot of people, I did not expect to spend the majority of 2020 working from home. And from the looks of things, 2021 (and perhaps the near future) might require people to work from home more frequently. I’ve survived with using a laptop throughout my student days, but discovered, of late, staring at spreadsheets of student grades for long periods of time is giving me bad bouts of migraine. An investment in a desktop computer made sense at this point. If not for spreadsheets, the adventure into book-writing should be more than reason enough to. 

#newnormal #thisacademiclife #technology #academicsathome #workfromhome #homeoffice
New year, first coffee at @earthlingscoffee is a n New year, first coffee at @earthlingscoffee is a nice tradition to get used to since moving back here.

#coffee #coffeeshop #longblack #redearth #laptopphotos
Happy New Year 2021. We’re luckier here in Saraw Happy New Year 2021. We’re luckier here in Sarawak Borneo where we can go out and ring in the new year with our friends over dinner and drinks.

Celebrations are more subdued, of course, with everyone wearing face coverings. But good riddance to 2020, and here’s hoping 2021 will be better for everyone.

#randomthoughts #happynewyear #happynewyear2021 #kuching
Top nine of 2020. Not bad, considering I started t Top nine of 2020. Not bad, considering I started this public Instagram “project” towards the end of 2019, and we were pretty much grounded in our homes from March onwards.

#top9of2020 #topnine #top9
SPOILER if you’re not caught up with Discovery: SPOILER if you’re not caught up with Discovery: 

I’m familiar with some of the more popular lore of Star Trek, but wouldn’t necessarily identify as a hardcore Trekker. Nor am I a purist. I don’t watch every series, although I have, on occasion, watched TNG and DS9. In fact, I would go so far as to say the Kelvin universe was what brought me to Star Trek.

But Discovery was a surprise. I stayed because I was fascinated with Michelle Yeoh’s portrayal of Philippa Georgiou. Perhaps it’s also viscerally, I’m seeing one of the most culturally resonant sci-fi step up its representation when they cast Michelle Yeoh; perhaps it’s because I’ve always enjoyed Michelle Yeoh’s screen presence and through Georgiou, seemed to be able to bring a side of Yeoh that we rarely see captured on screen, and that she really seemed to be enjoying the role immensely.

So it was emotional to see the character getting a send-off. I can’t wait to see the Section 31 spin-off and to get to know more of Georgiou. I hope she doesn’t lose her acerbic wit. Thank you @michelleyeoh_official for enabling my journey into Star Trek, a text that I know on an intellectual level, but wasn’t necessarily a fan of its series until you came along. 

#fandom #fandomlife #randomthoughts
Thank you for the hospitality and great food @root Thank you for the hospitality and great food @rootsbyfj! Wonderful to have a Christmas dinner with the immediate family that felt safe and comfortable in a beautiful, historical setting.

#christmas #newnormal #livedheritage #kuchingheritage #fusionfood #finedining
Super grateful that things are safe enough in Kuch Super grateful that things are safe enough in Kuching for us to be able to return to the cinema for @wonderwomanfilm, and also grateful for @gscinemas for enabling us to book an entire hall for a private screening.

My first love will always be film, and I always love the experience of being in the cinema, to be able to surround myself with the universe the film has created. For me, it’s never just about understanding the plot but also to marvel at the technology, craft and creativity of filmmaking. And of course, being that it’s Wonder Woman, it’s also the experience of being a fan (from the comics to the TV show and now to Patty Jenkins’s version).

This was my 2nd outing for the film — a third outing to the cinema for 2020. Thank you both to GSC and @tgvcinemas for providing a safe environment with proper guidelines for us to be able to feel a semblance of normalcy.

#newnornal #supportlocalcinemas #supportthefilmindustry #wonderwoman1984 #ww84 #ww1984
Pub quizzes are a British academic tradition, some Pub quizzes are a British academic tradition, something that every student and academic got very used to. On a positive note of the pandemic pushing everything online, it gave academics to take pub quizzes online too.

Our team failed spectacularly at the quiz, but it was more the Christmas spirit and the opportunity for friends and colleagues to get together after a stressful year more than anything. It meant staying up at 3am for me, but time has become somewhat weirdly inconsequential in 2020. Regardless, it was good to see lots of familiar faces and names on my screen, and to be able to participate in this tradition despite being half a world away.

#thisacademiclife #Christmas #laptopphotos
Throwback to Christmas in London #christmas #lond Throwback to Christmas in London

#christmas #london #england #uk #christmasdecor #nightview #lifeinengland #winter #wanderlust
One of my favourite buildings in the city is the K One of my favourite buildings in the city is the Kuching Old Court House, especially decked up during the Christmas period, with the trees trimmed and decor up.

#kuching #heritage #christmas #KuchingHeritage #livedheritage
Her own little garden #catsofinstagram #academics Her own little garden

#catsofinstagram #academicswithcats #moggycat #moggy #blackcat
And in a blink of an eye, it’s Christmastime. # And in a blink of an eye, it’s Christmastime.

#christmasdecor #christmas
The first session of #Whisperfest I signed up for The first session of #Whisperfest I signed up for today was on burnout, imposter syndrome and perfectionism in academia. Much needed after a week or so being bogged down with uni management stuff and #ZoomFail 5 minutes before the start of the session. 😑 But! It was a great session and there’s lots to think about and reflect on.

And we also absolutely need to talk and think about the systemic failures of the institution beyond race, gender and class. How can we support and encourage the next generation of scholars who are going to be navigating in a post-Covid world that has radically changed our systems.

Also, always great to see @rellypops, even if it’s on screen! Miss you!! 

#conferencing #academicsinlockdown #newnormal #thisacademiclife #conferencingduringapandemic #laptopphotos #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthacademia
I chanced upon this mural on the corner of Graham I chanced upon this mural on the corner of Graham Street and Hollywood Road the last time I was in Hong Kong. And it was empty because it was in the middle of a typhoon no. 8 warning. Couldn’t miss that opportunity to take a chance and snap a picture with no one around though.

#theacademictravels #hongkong #favcities #wanderlust
Missing my fav coffee in London this year. #coffe Missing my fav coffee in London this year.

#coffeeshopsoftheworld #coffeeshop #monmouthcoffee #london #england #lifeinengland #wanderlust
About a month ago, Finn Again got a few of us toge About a month ago, Finn Again got a few of us together on the Three Patch podcast to chat transcultural fandoms and fan studies with fellow fan studies scholars.

The pandemic has disconnected a lot of people but one of the things I’ve relished is the opportunity to participate in these conversations, which are beginning to be more inclusive of those working outside the US.

Link to complete conversation via link in bio!

#fanstudies #transculturalfandoms #podcast #academicsinlockdown
Warmth. The smell of autumn (pumpkins, cinnamon, Warmth.

The smell of autumn (pumpkins, cinnamon, dried leaves) in a candle.

#fujifilm #fujifilmx100v
Missing big cities: the sounds, lights, sights. Th Missing big cities: the sounds, lights, sights. The hustle and bustle of crowds that’ll make the current Covid-aware world weary.

#japan #tokyo #precovid #theacademictravels #wanderlust #blackandwhite #blackandwhitephotography
The pandemic, frequent lockdowns and work from hom The pandemic, frequent lockdowns and work from home orders have given me time to revisit older TV series. While I watched the series in it’s entirety, I never really paid a lot of attention to Fringe.

With a second viewing this time around, I found that I very much enjoyed the series, realising that the plot lines I enjoyed the most (time travel and alternate universes) was embedded into the series mythology much earlier than I thought it did. One of the things I thought Fringe did really well (and it is an Abrams trope but he’s done it particularly well here) is the father-son relationship.

Perhaps it’s the actors’ chemistry, but the constant rebuilding of Peter and Walter’s relationship, the interdependency was one of the things that really stood out for me. This was the case from the first time around.

With the seriality brought on by Netflix streaming, I find that I sometimes miss the monster-of-the-week/mythology episode structure popularised by The X-Files, and which I suspect will end with the ending of Supernatural. And much like The X-Files, running through these episodes, are philosophical debates about science and ethics.

It’s definitely nicer a second time around. Also, I miss shows with dark lighting and giant torchlights. And, #TeamPacey always. 

#FringeOnFOX #randomthoughts #reruns #WFH #workfromhome
Orchids, in portrait #orchid #moonorchid #fujifil Orchids, in portrait

#orchid #moonorchid #fujifilm #x100v #indoorplants
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