New Zealand is no stranger to woo, religious cults and strange pseudoscientific ‘cures’ for various ailments. Have a look closely at this vintage 1932 poster from the New Zealand Railways, advertising Rotorua as a ‘health spa destination’ and peddling all sorts of odd ‘miraculous’ treatments! Then learn more about the unusual cults that are tuckedContinue reading “A Compendium of New Zealand Woo, Cults and New Age Claptrap”
Category Archives: Blog
Seven suspenseful and unforgettable historical novels
Great historical novels are fully immersed in time, place and have a tangible effect of bringing you into a time period that you may otherwise never know. This is what’s truly exhilerating about the historical novel. The setting and surroundings become like a fully formed character in the novel. Whether we’re talking about a BritishContinue reading “Seven suspenseful and unforgettable historical novels”
Book Review: Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky: A London Trilogy by Patrick Hamilton
*No spoilers Patrick Hamilton isn’t really as well known as he should be, which is a crime and a shame. He is a fantastic and yet underrated British writers of the post-war era. You may recognise his work in the play Rope which was turned into a well-known Alfred Hitchcock film of the same name.Continue reading “Book Review: Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky: A London Trilogy by Patrick Hamilton”
Words and Music: Stases & Neist Point on the Isle of Skye
[I will write a poem about a place that I’ve been each week with music to match] Neist Point on the Isle of Skye Swirling batons of time Erasing thoughts and hushing life and death On a clear day you can see all the way to Iceland it’s said In any case there to theContinue reading “Words and Music: Stases & Neist Point on the Isle of Skye”
10 uplifting and quirky things I found on the internet this week #15
A Love Letter to my dog by Leena Henningsen Empath and spiritual seeker Leena Henningsen’s videos all have a cosy, gentle and inspirational vibe. She moved from the stressful bustle of Hamburg to rural Norway along with her beloved dog Aivy and her partner. In this intimate and moving short film she talks about whyContinue reading “10 uplifting and quirky things I found on the internet this week #15”
10 Hours of Aliens from a Sea Shanty of the Deep
Here is 10 hours of BBC deep ocean footage in 4K without narration or music. Bliss out and enjoy these wondrous and cute creatures that dance on the ocean floor. No need to watch news just escape to the world of the ocean. No wonder people in ancient times mistook these animals for monsters!
I Saw Your Name on a Wall [Short story]
Soundtrack for story – Hear playlist I saw your name on a wall. I paused and couldn’t look away. It was a busy day in our cathedral to capitalism, our hive of activity where there was a lot of people milling around but mostly they were seated, with headsets on like train drivers of theContinue reading “I Saw Your Name on a Wall [Short story]”
Weirdly…I am getting almost no likes on my posts nowadays?!
I’ve been doing it regularly as usual and making each post high quality. I’ve been getting the same amount of traffic but hardly no likes or comments. I know you all aren’t ignoring me, because on Twitter I seem to get a lot of feedback from people saying that they like these posts. Anyway ifContinue reading “Weirdly…I am getting almost no likes on my posts nowadays?!”
Amazingly intricate surreal art about lockdown by Marija Tiurina
When the covid-related quarantine began back in March I had this idea to start a big watercolor piece that would be constructed out of people’s submissions. Imagine a large painting that is like a weird salad where everyone’s thoughts, memories, dreams and ideas are mixed in a bowl and dressed with my imagination – well,Continue reading “Amazingly intricate surreal art about lockdown by Marija Tiurina”
Seven Unique and Moving Fictional Books Set in Japan
Japan is a country close to my heart and since I first went there a few years ago, I have become a big fan of Japanese fiction and Asian fiction translated to English. Japanese fiction tends to emphasise the liminal and fantasy aspects hidden at the edges of everyday reality and also exploring the innerContinue reading “Seven Unique and Moving Fictional Books Set in Japan”
Content Catnip 