Travel: Oeshiki Festival of Light, Ikegami Tokyo

Oeskiki is an annual buddhist festival held on the 13th of October that commemorates the death of Nichiren in 1282. He was a revered buddhist teacher who lived during the Kamakura period, about 700 years ago. Although celebrated throughout Japan, the main Oeshiki festival is held at Ikegami Honmonji Temple located in the Ota ward in suburban Tokyo – the location where Nichiren died.

Great TV Series to Binge-Watch

I don’t know about you but I really struggle to find TV shows and films that are of high quality in terms of: plot, dialogue, costume, cinematography etc. There is a vast amount of content that is churned out, but very little I would consider worthy of my very limited time. I would include inContinue reading “Great TV Series to Binge-Watch”

Book Review: ‘Industrial Scars’ The Beautiful Toxic Scars of the Earth

What happens when humans burn too much waste and destroy the planet? Modern Art. Photographs of the aftermath of environmental devastation aren’t normally considered art. However photographer J Henry Fair has reimagined the decaying and suffering environmental landscape in the aftermath of human abuse in his mesmerising book entitled Industrial Scars. Fair wanted to poignantlyContinue reading “Book Review: ‘Industrial Scars’ The Beautiful Toxic Scars of the Earth”

Travel: Wellington’s Chinese New Year Lantern Festival

#Wellington’s annual #Chinese New Year Festival went ahead in early 2020 despite COVID-19. The waterfront became a sea of dancing colours with luminous koi fish, red dragons dancing, and illuminated Māori wahine and much more #travel #NewZealand

Book Review: Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

In this funny, odd-ball and deeply emotional novel by Japanese debut novelist Sayaka Murata, we follow the book’s heroine Keiko, who is in her late 30’s and is working as a sales assistant in a convenience store, while living unmarried and childless (a mortal sin in Japan).

Book Review: How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell

I didn’t expect much from this book and was delightfully surprised by its immense depth and foresight. ‘How to Do Nothing’ is a profound and glittering jewel about the big topics of politics, internet culture, consumerism, capitalism and consciousness. It takes well-worn assumptions about how you spend your time and the tyrannical monopoly of banal “stuff” on your attention – and then rearranges your brain forever!

Jumbo 2023 Christmas Edition of Cool and Kooky Things I Found On the Internet

2023 has been a strange year with a lot of unexpected events in our world. I hope that wherever you are that these oddball and quirky Yuletide tidbits give you a giggle, a jolt and some pause for thought while you enjoy your Christmas celebrations. I hope you get some much needed rest. Right now, some big warm hugs are being sent on digital packets from my heart to yours. Much love, your friend, CC.

Book Review: Weatherland by Andrea Harris

Weatherland by Alexandra Harris is a sweeping panorama and magic carpet ride through the history of England using a quirky weathervane to measure the changing culture – the weather.

Author Alexandra Harris’ debut book won The Guardian’s Book of the Year. It’s no surprise either because this is a far-reaching, expansive book written in an engaging, poetic and erudite way.

Words and Music: Kua rongo ake au

Kua rongo ake au…. Kia kaha rā te puāwaitanga o tōu kaha Kei konā rā te puāwaitanga o tōu rangatirangatanga I have learned that… We can enjoy our jobs by changing our attitude Always do more than what you’re paid for, One day you’ll be paid for more than you do Kua rongo ake auContinue reading “Words and Music: Kua rongo ake au”

Kaumātua Wisdom: Raparapa

The spiral begins at the marae which is the forum where every word and the silences in between are heard te whare tangata cycle of birth in the whare nui where Rongo of the peaceful arts ascends and connects us to the universe and nature to the propensity to give, receive and return and toContinue reading “Kaumātua Wisdom: Raparapa”