Do you play in your real life? What does play mean to you?

Do you play in your daily life? What says “playtime” to you? It means reading 📚 a lot of books. Dancing around to music. Trying out cocktails or exotic teas with unusual flavours. Swimming in the ocean, I am very fortunate to live right next to the beach and I am grateful for this. LaughingContinue reading “Do you play in your real life? What does play mean to you?”

Tea for Peace in Shibuya farmers market

On November 1st 2023, PB and I went to Tea for Peace in Shibuya. At UNU towards the back of the weekly farmer’s market, was a showcase of dozens of passionate tea makers from across Japan, China, Taiwan and Korea. Each tea producer was friendly and eager to tell the story of their teas andContinue reading “Tea for Peace in Shibuya farmers market”

My summer reading 📚 list for #Litha

It is approaching Litha or Midsummer in my part of the world. I’ve worked like a speed demon for the entire year and to be honest I feel absolutely exhausted. I just want to luxuriate and wallow like a blob in tantalising worlds of imagination. What is better and more full of promise in lifeContinue reading “My summer reading 📚 list for #Litha”

The naive trap we all stumble into

I’ve fallen into that delightful and gradual fantasy yet again. You would also know this one, it’s comfy, cosy and always clings to your body like a well-worn jumper, there’s some holes from moths and some dust from yesteryear on it. Nobody would say it’s fashionable, but I cling to it as a child clingsContinue reading “The naive trap we all stumble into”

My life without a barrage of news

Did you hear the news? That the news is corrosive and cancer-causing? It calcifies your organs with anxiety and fear. It gets into your processing pipes and fills them with congealed sagging lassitude and indifference. Well no, not really I just made that up because inside of my body I feel news weighing upon itContinue reading “My life without a barrage of news”

Vegetable ekiben on the Tokaido shinkansen

Just a quick postcard from my current trip to Japan. I had to jot this down right now while the exquisite flavours swirl in my belly and the remnants of enjoyment are in my mouth. I am on the fast train between Tokyo and Osaka known as the Tokaido shinkansen. I wasn’t aware that vegetableContinue reading “Vegetable ekiben on the Tokaido shinkansen”

An excellent MTB adventure in Huka Falls, Taupo

Come along with us on this amazing 17 km mountain biking track located close by to the town of Taupo is a scenic loop crossing Huka Falls. There were great panoramic lookout points along the way which feature the powerful Waikato river, bright green belts of forest and tracts of farmland. From atop high vantage points you can spy on somnambulent livestock dotted on the far hills.

Rationing your attention for yourself, your body and your surroundings

The world is full of calls to our full attention often for stupid, trivial, toxic or dangerous and violent ideologies. So to pay attention to yourself, your own bodily corporeal existence and the sensory experience of the things around you becomes an act of rebellion. Against the corporate treadmill pumping out stuff that you neverContinue reading “Rationing your attention for yourself, your body and your surroundings”

WordPress no longer autoposts to Twitter because of Musk…is this annoying to you?

Personally I have found this to be annoying because I share out my posts from here only to Twitter nowhere else. Since Musk took over Twitter it is incredibly buggy, seedy and full of all sorts of unsavoury characters. Sort of like dropping into a party too late into the night (or towards sunrise) turningContinue reading “WordPress no longer autoposts to Twitter because of Musk…is this annoying to you?”

Behold the tui: seductive songstress of the shaky isles

This is a bit of a remix. We had a resident tui when we were living in Auckland in 2014 to 2018, she (I prefer to think of her as a she) was very vocal, flirty and beautiful. The Polish Bear got a very impressive Sony camera that was great for these close up shotsContinue reading “Behold the tui: seductive songstress of the shaky isles”