so unusual

so last night was the annual american consulate 4th of july celebration.  which is never on the 4th of july because the staff are all on holiday.  but it was especially early this year, because they were also commemorating 70 years since the american military arrived in nz in big numbers - being 1942 after the bombing of pearl harbour, with the yellow peril & all.

not being a fan of things military, given that they simply remind of death and destruction, it wasn't really a theme i was ever going to warm to.  nonetheless, it was good to catch up with some people & meet some new people.  i didn't meet lucy lawless, also present, because - well, i really don't know what i might have said to her.  i did meet simon power, who congratulated me on "entering the world of politics" based on a recent position i've been elected to.  i set him straight in that regard, telling him i've been very involved in politics and actually stood as a list candidate a couple of times.  the surprise on his face was as you would expect, & also incredibly annoying given the stereotypes in his head that would have lead to it.

on a possibly related note, i'm getting my daily masterchef fix now that the aussie version is on.  i really like the australian one best, mostly because i really like george, gary & matt preston.  but also because they do diversity so incredibly well.  and all these diverse people are presented as fair dinkum aussies, their cooking styles based on their own heritage is celebrated and showcased, and i love that their family connections are also highlighted.  this is especially so for men, because their really are so few programmes that show men positively interacting and committed to their families.  if we see them in families at all, the narratives are mostly that their families are a burden, their wives are nagging fun-killers, and, well i'm sure you know what i mean.

but on today's programme, it really was wonderful to see a hijab-wearing muslim woman not only make it to the top 50, get her family featured, but also be in the top 12 best cooks for the round.  it just brought home to me how little i get to see people like myself in mainstream programming, just doing normal things and being part of the crowd like everyone else.  it shouldn't be rare, it shouldn't be something so unusual.  but because it is, i felt it to be something special to the extent i was almost in tears.  yay, we get to be "normal" just for once.  without the simon powers of this world raising their eyebrows.  without it seeming anything out of the ordinary or any kind of effort.  well done her, and well done masterchef.