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Showing posts from 2022

Portal To Other Worlds

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At a certain time, at a certain place, with a certain wind, and a certain angle, anyone can see the portal to worlds unvisited open.

Lockdown Entertainment

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With the whole country locked inside their houses the entertainment options were pushed to the max. The only computer game I ever loved (and still do) is Lemmings on the Game Boy . It was a step back in time for my daughter but I recall her spending a good few levels fighting the fading tech saving Lemmings.

Through The Bushes

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YACLW, Yet Another COVID Lockdown Walk.

Long Low White Cloud

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Once the cloud had spilled over the hills it lay gorgeously on the harbour.

Incoming Morning Cloud

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A sunrise with clouds tumbling over the distant hills towards the Point Dorset triple rocks.

COVID Beer Delivery

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During AoNZ's full 2020 COVID lockdown we were allowed an hour walk around the neighbourhood to check out the bears and get some fresh air in the lungs. One person from each household was allowed to go the local supermarket (everything else was closed) and get the groceries etc. I can't remember if the postal service was still operating but then, somehow, people were allowed to deliver. Maybe it had been all along but it was news to me.  Only some types of delivery though, the ones deemed "essential services". Beer was allowed. Apparently alcohol was deemed an "essential service". Food was not. But yay, and let the online ordering begin!

Christmas Alone With #JoinIn

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It can be hard when seemingly the whole world around you is talking about just one thing, "family", "Christmas", and "all together". "It's just another day." "No-one really enjoys it." "You're so lucky." And a million other epithets are like darts to the heart, they never help. If you're (still) on Twitter or Mastodon then #JoinIn is the place for you to say, "Hi, um, anyone else having a crap day?" It was started by UK comedian Sarah Millican and she's explains it best:

Pāua Shell

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Pāua is the Māori name given to three New Zealand species of large edible sea snails, known in the United States and Australia as abalone, and in the United Kingdom as ormer shells [ source: Wikipedia ] And people regularly eat them, commonly as fritters, despite knowing this! Along many rocky shorelines you will find pāua shells and it doesn't take long to shift through the broken ones to find something as glorious as this. Tourists buy loads of things with pāua shell in, on, of them but really, just walk to the rocky beach and find your own.

Teddy Bears For COVID

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During the first full, countrywide lockdown, we were all allowed a 1 hour walk per day around our neighbourhood for exercise and to stop us going stir crazy. Someone somewhere popped a teddy bear in their window for the kiddies to 'go hunt' and for the adults to smile at, others copied, and then suddenly it was THE thing to do .  Not everyone used teddy bears. Funny thing is you can still see teddy bears in windows, like an ancient sign warning us still that the cliffs edge is still there.

COVID Locks Us Down

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It's all there in the Emergency alert my phone received on March 25th, 2020.

Lily Standing

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I remember this 1974 Mauritius moment of trying to stand on a large water lily pad, my sandals and socks got wet.

Butt Shaped Umbrella

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Mate of mine is in Amsterdam and she went on a cruise, I hope an hour wasn't too much!

Pipe Time

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No matter what time it actually is, it's always pipe time.

And Then Gladys Entered My Life

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Saturday 21st March, 2020. A lot happened on that day here in Aotearoa New Zealand. We all huddled around our wireless sets and heard the Prime Minister tell us that we had these things called COVID Levels, and that we were already in Level 2 and a Level 4 would mean the whole country would go into total lockdown. This happened within 4 days. Meanwhile Meg and I had been pondering about getting a pet for the past few weeks. I'd love a tortoise but they are prohibitively expensive here in NZ as they aren't really a common thing. An aquarium would be cool as well, but the upkeep, ugh. We weren't allowed to have a dog at the place I was renting so we fell back on the stable of Riversdale pets, a cat. We drove up to the SPCA on Mt Vic and I had already set the parameters of, "an old cat, not a kitten". And there she was, Gladys (or Ginny as she was originally called) - the best companion we could've ever got. Not that she was particularly happy about living inside

Interesting: Crinkle Crankle Walls

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As you know I use Feedly to subscribe to the info places that tickle, amuse, educate, and intrigue me ... yes, one can get the info without having a "friend" sharing it. The vast majority of stuff that I see is of mild interest, some makes my brain ping, and a miniscule amount I share out. Here's one that is just interesting , it won't change everything you know about the world, it's unlikely to have taking up arms and choosing which side you're on , it's just interesting. Crinkle Crankle: The Serpentine Wall With a Funny Name "What, but you're "friend sharing it" didn't you imply, not a mere NN [ note: count words and update "NN" ] words ago, that that is awful???!" ... yes, well, ok, but ... I share them here via a number of Feedly boards, simple as that - listed on my Reading page : Aotearoa NZ - All things related to Aotearoa New Zealand Creative - Photography and creative articles worth sharing Funnies - Things

Moth Orchid

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Phalaenopsis amabilis , commonly known as the moon orchid or moth orchid in India and as anggrek bulan in Indonesia, is a species of flowering plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae. It is native to the Indonesia and Australia, and widely cultivated as a decorative houseplant. [source: Wikipedia ] Nice eh, this one was snapped at the Wellington Botanic Gardens in March 2020.

Moon Light

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Daytime Moon light.

2020 Version Of The Classic Wellington Postcard

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If not in a postcard then you can guarantee you'll see a version of this in every Wellington-based calendar currently on sale.

Please Adjust Your G-String

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My regular gracious Wellington AirBnB host, Margaret Austin, talks to Polly Gillespie about her show Please Adjust Your G-String [ photos ]

Psychedelic Cable Car Ride Home

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You've had a hard day working in the grey government building sending out status reports to people that don't ever read them. What more could a cheap suited Wellingtonian desire but a few sparkly lights on the cable car ride home.

DuckDuckGo Mobile App Tracking Protection

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DuckDuckGo says it is privacy focussed and doesn't track you when you use it to search. That may be true but it's search is just not as useful as Google's, and I'm logged into Google so I don't mind Google knowing what I've searched. It's browser (mobile, desktop etc) has, they say, tech that removes the tracking across your web browsing from places like Facebook, Google, Apple, Microsoft etc.  Again, probably true and certainly something they've been very active and vocal about for a number of years. And yet Chrome and many others now have similar tech built-in as these are features that anyone (when they want, or are forced) can add in. Mobile apps tracking ... now, I don't know what Apples iOS currently stops or allows people to stop (tyranny of the default, how's it handling that) but in Android it's fairly open slather - and it's hidden away. Enter the DuckDuckGo web browser app and it's wicked 'add-on', the genius App

The 2022 'Days Of Christmas'

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  M e r r y C h ri s tmas a n d H a p p y N e w Y e a r Keeping this blog's  tradition  going, this is my Yuletide posting about all that you should know for Christmas. But let's just take a moment in the busy day to remember what it's all about - the people you love. I'm thinking of the people you love right now ... are you thinking of mine? Of course, it's not just about family and friends (if that's who I was thinking of) but also presents, alcohol and oodles of sitting around in the sun (hardy har har Northern Hempishpereans!). If Jesus is your thing, I mean, if he's your bag, what you're into man then do the religious thing as well. Just don't get all "God" over Christmas and try to remember that it was  originally a pagan festival  around the longest day, certainly don't want you Christians foisting your ideas on people and trying to subvert the real message! Fun. that's the real message. Believe in Father Christmas (who shats

Eagle ray in Wellington Harbour

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They're not usually stingrays that come into Wellington Harbour but more often eagle rays (an even cooler name). This one was spotted from the Band Rotunda back in March 2020. [source: Stuff ]

Knees and Skinny Legs

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I've always had knobbly knees , a thing of beauty to someone but I can't remember who, and there's a stack of great thighs and amazing calves photos. But, 55. It was a around 2019, maybe 2020, that I thought, "Hmmm, I think I have old man legs ." I let it stand for a while and then started to raise it with mates, responses included: "Um, yeah, maybe Mike." "Oh, um, I like your top, is that new?" "Ha ha ha ha, yeah, I'm the same, stringy is the word I'd use." "Yup [sigh]" So, here I am, good feet and in fact the weird little toe , as posted about back in 2005 , is now just back to being a normal toe, that's a surprise and makes me think I was wearing the wrong type of shoes for decades. Ankles , classy. Tattoo is flying still. Calves , not too bad, could do with some strength. My 2023 mission is to walk, a lot, and I can imagine they will become calves of steel. Ok, so, thighs , this is my biggest shrinkage (behav

All Lines Point Towards

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As I believe I have mentioned previously, I am drawn to lines, especially ones that converge effortlessly onto something. This photo, of the walkway around Freybergs Pool (Wellington, NZ) from the marina side, is probably one of my 'lines' favourites.

Petone Wharf Bird Stop

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Waiting for the bird bus.

Summer Harbour Suns

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Love me a good water reflection.

Freedom

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"You look like you've just come out of prison". Not a bad day for it.

Alone Again, Naturally

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The whole beach, harbour, and city to himself.

Toilet Paper Rationing

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As Aotearoa New Zealand watched the COVID news get steadily more urgent the supermarkets battened down the toilet paper hatches as we all stocked up on the things least likely to be of use.   Supermarket signage regarding restriction of toilet paper purchases (NZ, March 2020

Astounding Sunrise

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Breaker Bay (and all the eastern bays) experience some of the most dramatic and awe inspiring sunrises I have seen .

Lord Of The Rings Fanzone

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The things you see at a Newtown Festival will always make you think. But I still don't know what to think.

Shoot The Knight

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A slightly odd activity at the 2020 Newtown Festival , Shoot The Knight, with a bow and arrow.

Views From the Top

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The Wellington Turbine has astounding views from all angles.

The Kate Sheppard Lounge

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A mate making a car parking space a homage to Kate Sheppard as part of the 2020 PARK(ing) Day in Wellington. Every year over a 10-hour period 20-30 car parks in Cuba Street are taken over by the Wellington Sculpture Trust for PARK(ing) Day. The event is an opportunity for Wellingtonians to enjoy a huge variety of activities and creative installations placed on spaces usually reserved for cars. [source:  https://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=126293 ]  PARK(ing) Day is brought to you by Wellington Sculpture Trust, Creative Communities and Wellington City Council. [source: https://www.sculpture.org.nz/news/park(ing)-day-2021 ]

Happy Mike

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Was a wonderful time, post holidays, a new home, and a whole new start to life. Happy Mike indeed.

Meet Me At The Front Steps

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Um, er, ok ... ?

Saved Me A Lot Of Money

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One of the first things we did upon arrival in Thailand was get ourselves fake student cards. For a couple of dollars and 30 mins production time you'd walk out with a card that not only saved money in Thailand but all other countries by accessing the "student price" for stuff. I believe it saved me loads on our return to London and particularly in Tube travel. One of the best investments I ever made.

Dear Cheeky

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Cheeky was the comic of choice for a young Michael Boyle . Can you imagine the joy when they plucked my letter out from the bulging mailbag and printed it ... it was massive, I was so proud. Still am.

My Year In Podcasts, 2022

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I love me a good podcast, this is not news at all ... so I don't know why I wrote it. Aaaaanyway ... [drinks coffee #2] ... I use the Pocket Casts app / site for all my listening pleasures and they have just popped up a review of my year in podcast listening which I found ... um, er ... interesting enough to take screenshots of and pop on here for historians of the future to marvel at. Check out my: current podcast listenings , and/or quick reviews of podcasts I adore . On with the historical records ... ;)