Bianca Andreescu, US Open Champ #TeachableMoments

In life, I believe we can and should take stock and learn from #TeachableMoments whenever we can. I don’t play tennis but I see lots to learn from 2019 US Open Champ Bianca Andreescu (and her interaction with 23 times grand slams and multiple US Open Champ Serena Williams)!

pix 00 – 2019 US Open Bianca Andreescu vs Serena Williams

I went to a pub and it was a ton of fun watching Bianca played and won live with other Canadians! But I learned a lot more from her many post-game press conferences, news articles and off the court behaviours (who can forget her Rogers Cup on court moment (see video) with Serena?!) and desire to inspire the next generation of tennis players (especially Canadian female players).

Bianca is so talented and look at what she achieved in just one year! What an epic year! I LOVE quotes, and there have been much online talks of  attribution/misattribution of quotes involve underestimating/overestimating what one can achieve in one year or five/ten years. But another way of looking at it may be to simply give Bianca‘s visualization process (?) as mentioned in the news and her press conference a try. In fact some Twitter user pointed out that Bianca writing herself a cheque for winning the US Open when she was young and her visualization process was not unlike what fellow Canadian Jim Carrey did (see Jim’s video interview with Oprah). (NOTE: One day I may write more about why this is important to me but that can wait for now.)

For the record, I tweeted 20190811 (with video link in tweet and also below),

“My eyes were wet when I rewatched Bianca & Serena courtside uncensored talk a few times+their press conf twice each. Best in sport moments transcend technical skills, winning/losing & become #teachablemoment re how to treat other w empathy & respect, try2be better versions of us.“

I may still add/update this post to share a list of my own #TeachableMoments from these last few weeks and months from Bianca. Until then, the following is a list of most of the raw sources that I learned those #TeachableMoments from. Enjoy and have fun!

• Here is how Bianca answered a question re her immigrant parents in the US Open press conference @15m53s timecode (note that this is in light of how Syria and other immigrants/refugees have been mistreated by world politicians like US President Trump and others):

• Bianca‘s desire to inspire other tennis players (like Serena has inspired her), especially younger Canadian players! (Note that Bianca herself is ONLY 19 years old, that in itself is impressive!)
• (NOTE: I may add more in the future if I can find some time.)

xxxxx

=====  References & Sources of inspirations for my #TeachableMoments =====

* 20190908, TSN (with video) “A day after US Open win, Andreescu already hungry for more”

* New Yorker, “In Her U.S. Open Victory, Bianca Andreescu Shows the Swagger That Serena Williams Brought to Women’s Tennis”

* 20190907 CBC News, Bianca Andreescu wins U.S. Open, becomes 1st Canadian to claim a Grand Slam title

* CTV News Toronto (with video of viewing party in Toronto), “The most Canadian way to accept a trophy? Bianca Andreescu says ‘sorry’”

More Heartbreaking News From Hong Kong

20190812 Hong Kong anti-extradition protest at HKG airport – Pix 01 protesters and signs – Hong Kong Police took a nurse’s right eye [HT Pasu]

20190812 Hong Kong anti-extradition protest at HKG airport – Pix 01 protesters and signs [HT Pasu]

20190812 Hong Kong anti-extradition protest at HKG airport – Pix 03 [HT Pasu]

More Heartbreaking News From Hong Kong

Following added on 2019 Aug 12:

• Following news via HKFP. This particular pair of atrocities broke so many HongKongers’ hearts and triggered even more protests: “Hong Kong police shoot projectiles at close range in Tai Koo, as protester suffers ruptured eye in TST“
• “Video: Hong Kong police make bloody arrest, assisted by officers suspected to be undercover as protesters“
• “HKFP Lens: Hong Kong police step up crackdown against protesters – photos from the frontlines“
• “All flights cancelled out of Hong Kong as thousands of protesters besiege airport over police violence“
• Photos: 20190812 Hong Kong anti-extradition protest at HKG airport [HT Pasu]

THR Podcasts (Sacha Baron Cohen, Gal Gadot, Ricky Gervais, Jessica Chastain, …)

 

THR Podcasts (Sacha Baron Cohen, Gal Gadot, Ricky Gervais, Jessica Chastain, …)

Here are a bunch of interesting podcasts from Hollywood Reporter (THR) starting with Sacha Baron Cohen, one of my most favourite and insightful comedians, and the one that started me on this interesting journey. Have a listen of any one or more of these podcasts as I copied and pasted from THR. Enjoy!

* ‘Awards Chatter’ Podcast — Sacha Baron Cohen (‘Who Is America?’)

* Ricky Gervais, Jessica Chastain, Gal Gadot, Stephen Colbert, Aaron Sorkin, Kate Winslet, Emilia Clarke, Lin-Manuel Miranda,

* Helen Mirren, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Meryl Streep, Robert De Niro, Jennifer Lawrence, Margot Robbie, Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone,

* Lady Gaga, JJ Abrams, Julia Roberts, Trevor Noah, Jerry Seinfeld,

* Michael Moore, Jane Fonda, Matthew McConaughey, Natalie Portman,

Higher Loyalty – James Comey

Bought James Comey‘s “A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership” the day it came out as a Kindle ebook and I’ve enjoyed reading it so far. And I got a chance to start reading the “James Comey’s memos” (PDF file) (via CNN).

Watched a whole bunch of Comey TV interviews and enjoyed all of them. Here are some samples.

And this BBC 22 minutes interview “James Comey on Donald Trump and the FBI”

26 Apr, 2018 update: James Comey gets real in CNN town hall

xxx

Christian Louboutin – Great minds of our time

I was introduced to the luxury footwear designer Christian Louboutin (1964 – ) thanks to my late French friend Laurent as he happened to know Christian as a family friend. Here are a few videos I am watching today. And I’m thrilled to include Louboutin to my Great Minds of Our Time series.

An Audience with Christian Louboutin: Full-length video | NET-A-PORTER.COM (published Nov 25, 2011)

Christian Louboutin Addresses FIT Graduates (published May 23, 2014)

Christian Louboutin Interview | NET-A-PORTER.COM (published Nov 13, 2009)

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I wrote and shared this entry in memory of Laurent Jean Philippe Ravalec, my late and awesomely unique French friend, where one of our last video chats (which I documented here) happened in November 2015 just a day after the horrible Paris attack.

Talking to my French friend Laurent about Food (published April 7, 2012) is another video of us chatting about our common love: food!

Laurent, I miss you my friend!

Watch “Revolution Trilogy” 睇「革命三部曲」

(Watch my trilogy of documentaries.)

Watch my docs Revolution Trilogy 睇「革命三部曲」

20190812 Director new preface re the word “Revolution”:

The title of my debut documentary “Long Hair Revolution 「長毛革命」” was decided in 2004, so 15 years ago. The rationale is similar to “industrial revolution” or “internet revolution”, ideas for improvement. Nothing to do with violence.

“長毛革命”在2004, 15年前定名, 其實跟”工業革命”或者”互聯網革命”道理相同, 是嶄新改革的意思, 完全同”暴力”沒有任何關係.

It saddens and pains me that Hong Kong today has deteriorated so badly that the word “Revolution” has now been twisted by both the HK and BJ governments to mean violence and the guaranteed and international recognized free speech right is almost gone in HK.

可憐今天的香港, 還是逃不了中國幾千年以來皇帝”以言入罪”, 沒有”言論自由”的悲哀。

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Director/producer/independent reporter Kempton Lam has made three full-length documentaries from 2004 – 2015. Kempton’s debut documentary Long Hair Revolution 「長毛革命」 has been collected by the Canadian National Archive since 2009. The three documentaries are collectively known as “Revolution Trilogy” 「革命三部曲」 and are in Cantonese with English subtitles (廣東話、英文字幕). You can watch the three films at this YouTube Playlist (beautifully projected on your big screen HDTV or on your computer). Enjoy!

Long Hair Revolution 「長毛革命」 (full-length 2005) (read film & Canadian national archive info)

HKtv Revolution 「香港電視革命」 (full-length 2015) (read Director’s Statement)

Umbrella Revolution: History as Mirror Reflection 「雨傘革命實錄：以史為鏡」 (full-length 2015) (read Director’s Statement)

Canadian Defence Minister Harjit “badass” Sajjan and a new quote I love

Hon. Harjit Sajjan has been named Canada’s new Minister of National Defence by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The more I watch and read about Minister Sajjan, I more I admire him. Here are some items and videos that I found to help me understand Minister Sajjan a little. For the record.

November 4th, 2015, National Observer, “You have no idea how badass Trudeau’s Defence Minister really is”

Nov 4th, 2015, Vancouver Sun, “Five things about Harjit Sajjan, Canada’s new minister of defence”

HIGH SCHOOL:  In a 2012 profile by Vancouver Sun columnist Daphne Bramham, Sajjan said when he was a 16-year-old student at Charles Tupper Secondary, he started travelling in the wrong circles. His classmates included future gangster Bindi Johal, who was murdered in 1998, and others who Sajjan later helped arrest as a member of the VPD. It was during this period that Sajjan chose a different path and become a baptized Sikh.  “It wasn’t really a religious thing. It was an identity thing. I needed the commitment because I knew it would keep me on the right path. I found the true meaning of Sikhism and I loved the warrior aspect of it … When I was fighting to understand who I am, that (warrior) aspect was something that I really identified with.”

April 6, 2015, The Province op-ed “Harjit Sajjan: Fear-based politics threatens our security” (highly recommended as it is