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"Research is formalised curiosity" – Zora neale hurston

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Media

Press

“Fan Studies: Looking beyond the crazy” [interview feature] New Sarawak Tribune 2017.

“Awakening of the Sarawak coffee” [interview] KINO Magazine, 2019.

“We have a voice snd it’s very loud: How K-pop fans took on Trump and won” [interview] ABC News, 2020

Radio

“When fans go stan“, Stop Everything! with Benjamin Law and Beverley Wang, ABC Radio, 2019.

“Fans: What Do You Go Nuts for?“, Nightlife with Indira Naidoo, ABC Radio, 2020.

Twitter

My Tweets

Instagram

transculturalfangirl
A pleasure to join @rellypops @thesiswhisperer @me A pleasure to join @rellypops @thesiswhisperer @meganjmcpherson and @anitranot yesterday to chat about Episode 4 of The Chair. On top of chatting about being an Asian academic who’s also working in the humanities, there’s also some @davidduchovny gushing (and a shoutout to Mr Duchovny for inspiring my foray into PhD). More next week when we chat about Episode 5! You can listen to us on bit.ly/TheChairPodcast or hit the link ☝🏼in bio. #TheChairNetflix #Netflix #NetflixTheChair #podcast #thisacademiclife #thexfiles #lifelongfandom
A month ago, she had a stroke following a bad bout A month ago, she had a stroke following a bad bout of flu. It was quick, but that was what was most devastating, even as I understand logically, it was more important she didn’t suffer. Losing a beloved elderly pet while you’re in Asia is one of the most demoralising experience ever. To everyone here, she’s just a cat, and the expectation is just to move on and be ok. People either react like you’re stupid, or they make your pain all about them. I honestly don’t know which is worse.
My taste in TV and film tend to veer towards sci-f My taste in TV and film tend to veer towards sci-fi, horror, and those with a supernatural element, so stumbling unto Never Have I Ever, and finding myself loving it was a surprise. I came across the show at a time when I was dealing with the grief of losing my 15-year-old cat who’s been with me through everything: late nights slaving over the thesis and publications; long train rides from London to York; moving from the UK back to Sarawak and struggling with adjusting. So it was a shock to the system to see her quick decline, and then to have to adjust to life without her around. In a dramedy about the struggles of a 15-year old Asian-American girl who’s dealing with grief and the angst of trying to fit in, I found some semblance of catharsis. From losing a beloved pet, the grief of losing 2 years because of the pandemic, of the isolation that becomes more profound now that a constant companion isn’t around anymore. And because the show has been praised for its Asian-American representation, it’s a nice way of recalibrating the brain back into academic mode after non-stop teaching since last August. #burnoutdiaries #fandom #neverhaveievernetflix #fandomlife #popcultureisimportant
State of the world: spiralling Prague, 2014 #pra State of the world: spiralling Prague, 2014 #prague #czechrepublic #wanderlust #theacademictravels #canon500d
On leave this whole week, with side effects from t On leave this whole week, with side effects from the 2nd dose of the vaccine that is still pretty strong. This time it’s exhaustion. But I suspect part of it is also the lack of real mental rest, despite ‘taking leave’. This is another side effect of the pandemic, and university management are usually extremely good at telling you that you can rest when you’re dead. Picture is from the Sedlec Ossuary, in Kutná Hora, a few miles outside of Prague (2014). #theacademictravels #wanderlust #prague #czechrepublic #canon500d #mentalhealthawareness #burnoutdiaries
Found this when I was going through old pictures: Found this when I was going through old pictures: the park I walked through to get to the university building where I worked in North London. When I say I miss London, it’s not about the familiar accents that ring in my ear — that can be rectified nowadays with the advent of the internet. It’s paths walked, and the smell of changing season; the feeling in the air as it turns crisp signalling the arrival of autumn. The smell of wet leaves and roasted chestnuts as autumn shifts to winter. The time spent with friends and with the cat; time which one can never get back. It’s the things you feel, not the superficial things. #london #lifeinengland #burnoutdiaries
Global vaccine politics places a disadvantage for Global vaccine politics places a disadvantage for those of us not living in the Global North, and this was complicated by internal Malaysian and Sarawakian politics, long dependent on kleptocracy and nepotism. There was also a whole lot of racial profiling with regards to who would like what vaccine, which really irked me. This was fought for — long and hard. Dose 2 of AstraZeneca this morning. Be a responsible human: get vaccinated! #ɢᴇᴛᴠᴀᴄᴄɪɴᴀᴛᴇᴅ #astrazeneca #covidvacccine
The show must go on. Editing final proofs for a jo The show must go on. Editing final proofs for a journal article. This was based off a presentation I did last year (my first ever Zoom presentation, 3 months into lockdown). At this stage, even if it’s a short forum piece, is considered fast for academic publication. #thisacademiclife #academiabehindthescenes
Thank you for this June giveaway candle, @borneoca Thank you for this June giveaway candle, @borneocandlestudio. Received today, and it’s perfect on a rainy evening for the bath. Now my whole room gives off a warmth scent! ❤️
“When they go low, we go high” ~ Michelle Obam “When they go low, we go high” ~ Michelle Obama British Columbia, 2012 #whistler #britishcolumbia #canada #wanderlust #theacademictravels #favquotes #solarflare #inspiredbyjjabrams #canon500d
The Inter-Asia Cultural Studies virtual conference The Inter-Asia Cultural Studies virtual conference website is very sleek with its 3D visuals. And I get that conference organisers have the difficult task of making virtual conferences as engaging as possible. However, accessing the website was a massive pain: I had to initially apply to put for the conference, and it took them 2 days to approve my application just to pay. To check in for the conference, I had to wait for a code sent to my email, which didn’t appear so I missed the opening keynote today while waiting for them to fix my registration. It was extremely frustrating. Just a note for future conference organisers: access is important, and not all of us have the “summer” off for research work — some of us are still teaching and only have time for research/conference stuff on weekends. Make things more accessible and less stressful. It’s so ironic a conference on cultural studies is actually impinging on hierarchies of access for scholars to connect. #thisacademiclife #virtualconference #makethingsaccessible
Cologne was a short weekend trip while I was exami Cologne was a short weekend trip while I was examining a PhD in Leuven, Belgium. I’ve never really talked about this but while waiting for the train back to Belgium, we were hit with tear gas as the police were trying to disperse a crowd of far right demonstrators. I was with my mum and my aunt, and it was never-wrecking trying to keep calm and to avoid the violence when you only understand the very basic of the language. While I’ll take experiences like these over being stuck at home, it goes to show how varied the academic experiences are. A month ago, while giving a workshop on academic profiles on social media, I wanted to explain why I started this Instagram account, and I realised a lot of people here (in Sarawak) have a misconception that travelling for academics is all about fun and glamour. It’s not all that; although this is one experience I wouldn’t change for the world. Cologne, 2014 #thisacademiclife #theacademictravels #cologne #germany #wanderlust #randomthoughts #canon500d
Kuching sometimes do have a rustic feel to it; esp Kuching sometimes do have a rustic feel to it; especially the old part of town. I hope more of it gets preserved and people start to appreciate the heritage more. But as with everything, it’s better if I have an opportunity to be away from time to time to appreciate it more. #wanderlust
When I first heard about Kung Fu, I was sceptical. When I first heard about Kung Fu, I was sceptical. Not another martial arts series featuring Asian characters. But, given the all-Asian cast, I gave it a try. The first few episodes was rough; it depended too much on zen advices (which got a bit annoying), but the characters were compelling. And the supernatural storyline helped. About episode 4 onwards though, it all changed. And I recognised the show for what it was: visibility. And normalcy. Despite the supernatural storyline, the struggles the characters go through were normal, with added inter-generational cultural clash (something that also attracted me to Netflix’s Wu Assassins). But at the centre of it, is the Chinese-American family. It’s the little things we see on screen: family conversations centred around food, taking shoes off when entering a home, snippets of Cantonese and Mandarin littered throughout the dialogue, a tea ceremony coupled with a traditional white wedding. The little things made the difference. It’s definitely made me a fan of the show, and of the cast! I’m looking forward to more, and I hope the fandom flourishes (so I can write about it)! #fandom #fandomlife #randomthoughts #fanstudies #kungfu #cwkungfu
The Nine Cardinal Principles of the rule of the En The Nine Cardinal Principles of the rule of the English Rajah, the principles that form the basis of the being of Sarawak. Long since eroded when Sarawak joined the Federation of Malaysia. 1. That Sarawak is the heritage of Our Subjects and is held in trust by Ourselves for them. 2. That social and education services shall be developed and improved and the standard of living of the people of Sarawak shall steadily be raised. 3. That never shall any person or persons be granted rights inconsistent with those of the people of this country or be in any way permitted to exploit Our Subjects or those who have sought Our protection and care. 4. That justice shall be freely obtainable and that the Rajah and every public servant shall be easily accessible to the public. 5. That freedom of expression both in speech and in writing shall be permitted and encouraged and that everyone shall be entitled to worship as he pleases. 6. That public servants shall ever remember that they are but the servants of the people on whose goodwill and co-operation they are entirely dependent. 7. That so far as may be Our Subjects of whatever race or creed shall be freely and impartially admitted to offices in Our Service, the duties of which they may be qualified by their education, ability and integrity duly to discharge. 8. That the goal of self-government shall always be kept in mind, that the people of Sarawak shall be entrusted in due course with the governance of themselves, and that continuous efforts shall be made to hasten the reaching of this goal by educating them in the obligations, the responsibilities, and the privileges of citizenship. 19. That the general policy of Our predecessors and Ourselves whereby the various races of the State have been enabled to live in happiness and harmony together shall be adhered to by Our successors and Our servants and all who may follow them hereafter. Our history and our heritage is our basic right. Know it. Acknowledge it. Embrace it. #history #livedheritage #SarawakIndependenceDay #reclaimourrealhistory #stoperasingsarawak
“Teach the ignorant as much as you can; society “Teach the ignorant as much as you can; society is culpable in not providing a free education for all and it must answer for the night which it produces. If the soul is left in darkness sins will be committed. The guilty one is not he who commits the sin, but he who causes the darkness.” Victor Hugo (Les Misérables) Paris, 2014 #wanderlust #theacademictravels #paris #france #canon500d
“What a fate: to be condemned to work for a firm “What a fate: to be condemned to work for a firm where the slightest negligence at once gave rise to the gravest suspicion!” Franz Kafka (The Metamorphosis) #wanderlust #theacademictravels #prague #czechrepublic #canon500d
Metro station Prague, 2014 #wanderlust #theacade Metro station Prague, 2014 #wanderlust #theacademictravels #prague #canon500d
“What I do is not up to you” (Wonder Woman, 20 “What I do is not up to you” (Wonder Woman, 2017) Paris, 2014 #wanderlust #theacademictravels #paris #france #canon500d
The excellent #BlackWidow, partly shot in Hungary, The excellent #BlackWidow, partly shot in Hungary, made me miss the sights and sounds — and aromas — of Europe. Some scenes from Budapest, centred around the famed Danube River. Budapest, Hungary 2015 #wanderlust #theacademictravels #budapest #hungary #danuberiver #bluedanube #canon500d
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