Inspired by Anne Reddacliff’s post this month (which was inspired by the Chat 10 Looks 3 podcast with Leigh Sales and Annabel Crabb), I thought I’d reflect on my ‘bests’ of 2017.
Best film: A Date for Mad Mary … closely followed by Kedi.
Best TV series: When We Rise (check it out on SBS on demand)
Best fiction: I’ve read mostly non-fiction this year, but the fiction I did read that stands out most is The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas.
Best non-fiction: Finding Nevo by Nevo Zisin
Best political memoir: I may not have read a political memoir since Bob Brown’s Optimism, but I have reread parts of it this year to help maintain some sense of hope in the current political climate.
Best political moment: This was pretty excellent:
A very happy cross bench after the vote, Cathy McGowan, Adam Bandt and Andrew Wilkie #SSM #auspol #loveisloveislove #marriageequality #politicslive https://t.co/Jz9pqczrVe @AmyRemeikis @murpharoo @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/88Mk49Zsem
— Mikearoo (@mpbowers) December 7, 2017
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Before that, it was ALIA NGAC’s response to the ridiculous voluntary, non-binding Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey and seeing Australian librarians and other GLAMorous professionals get overtly political. Whilst ALIA’s response was disappointing, the Australian Society of Archivists response was pretty great. Librarians for refugees is another excellent example of Australian librarians becoming overtly political that has come out of 2017 (and we’re now on Twitter @023forrefugees).
Being invited to spend an evening at Government House with other LGBTIQA+ folks and allies for the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexphobia and Transphobia was also quite an excellent political moment…
Best podcast: As suggested in my last post, 2017 was the year I discovered all the podcasts, so it is really difficult to choose a best… I am going to say Queery with Cameron Esposito as it was one I very eagerly looked forward to and kept up with each week for quite a lot of this year.
Best art exhibition: Very hard to choose between Van Gogh and the Seasons at the National Gallery of Victoria, Defying Empire: 3rd National Indigenous Art Triennial at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra and Yayoi Kusama: Life is the Heart of a Rainbow at the Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane… I am thinking probably Yayoi Kusama.
Best discovery: It was either finding a book by my workplace’s inaugural university librarian while on holiday in Brisbane… Or finding an oral history interview with my favourite Australian historical librarian, Barrett Reid! Stay tuned for more on Barrett Reid in January.
Best online thing: Paddles (@FirstCatofNZ) was purrfect – may she Rest In Peace (#PrrpForever). She was taken from us too soon. Luckily I had Wholesome memes and the Chat 10 Looks 3 Facebook group which were pretty much the only safe places left on the internet for a while there this year.
Queeries & Clareifications 