AustLit

'Something has been bugging me lately, like a seed stuck in my teeth. In a review of Amy Thunig’s Tell Me Again for this same publication, I considered the memoir alongside my own doubts about the utility of exposure: what compromises do I make to be seen, and how much control do I really have over whether I am seen or merely watched?' (Introduction)

'It begins with a woman barely able to speak. The woman is me, and I am choking in my sleep. My partner mentioned it to me last spring – you know you stop breathing during the night, right? – and I shrugged, feigning disinterest in my body and its nocturnal patterns while thinking about a strange sensation that started a few years ago: visceral, physical dreams where my mouth would fill with peanut butter, the concrete-like spread sticking my molars and vocal cords together. More recently these dreams of choking have been tinged with COVID anxiety – I am sick, my dream self thinks, so I must stay away from others. I looked up the interpretation of these dreams and learnt that they signalled swallowing an unpleasant part of your life until it can no longer be seen, spoken of, or heard.' (Introduction)

'In a video titled '5 reasons you shouldn't go vegan' (563,522 views), Bonnyrebecca says to her subscribers, 'Have you ever heard the expression "Pay for it now, or pay for it later"? You can pay for it now in produce and fresh fruits and vegetables, or you can pay for it in the form of bills or medicine and hospital beds ... it's your choice!' As she speaks, the phrase 'Make your food a priority' pops up on the screen, hovering around her mouth as she talks about her friends who thrive on a vegan lifestyle while living on a student budget.'  (Publication abstract)