Simon Chamberlain

That's the most logical conclusion, yes. I would like to apologize to all AB fans.

Haven't watched rugby in years, not sure tonight will bring me back tbf

That comes from UK census classifications. Which I always find fascinating, like in the UK there are multiple subcategories of white, in the US there isn't but you've got Hispanic/Latino; New Zealand has Pacific Islander separate but groups Middle East/Latin America and Africa (!)

Reading Jo Walton's Among Others, wonderful book but I'm amused at the idea that a librarian in the 1970s would have referred to patrons as "clients". Did we not spend the whole of the 2000s arguing about this on lib-blogs, and whether we should say patron, user, client, customer? :D

AI still with a bit of work to do there: type "Is Never Let Me Go Slipstream?" and Google AI says no. Try the same search but put quote marks around Slipstream and it says the exact opposite.

America is already a pariah nation to the world

There was also an excellent support slot from Auckland band The Ideas, a "noise blues" guitar and drums two piece, so kinda like the White Stripes only more interesting and with better hair. www.instagram.com/theideasoffi...

The ever-reliable Guitar Wolf playing up a storm at Valhalla last night. Jet Rock n Roll for the win!

Highlight included the singer asking what the tallest mountain in Wellington is, to be met by a series of wrong answers ("Mt Vic"? Really?) and some epic crowd surfing from the band.

Today is a day for playing the posthumous Chills' album of early unrecorded songs. First play through I reckon my favourite is the new version of I Saw Your Silhouette.

"We'll never die, in our kaleidoscope world".

As I used to argue back when the idea first came up: I'm a "car native". Cars existed for decades before I was born. But: I can't fix a car. I actually can't even DRIVE a car. Assuming that "nativeness" automatically implies skill was always silly.

I just put a numbered footnote in a text message. I think I have peaked [1].

[1] Counterpoint: a sub-Foster Wallace shtick is kinda unimpressive [2], especially given what a garbage person he turned out to be.

[2] Eh, stick to what you know.

Admittedly, I did stop for half an hour in the middle to clear out some emails from my European trip folder. My European trip in 2013, that is.

Successfully forced myself to do some things I did not want to do, by using them to procrastinate something else that I REALLY did not want to do.

*Taps nose*

#ADHD #Hacks

Good night out dancing for NYE slightly ruined by leaving my phone in the taxi home. That was not clever.

Ooh, the farewell lunch idea makes more sense than anything else I've heard.

Alright, at least they put Tim in ahead of Matt Henry. Let's go!

#NZCricket #NZvENG

Confused as to why NZ are still batting, and haven't promoted Southee. Surely you want a shot at England before stumps, and secondly give Tim a pressure-free chance for his two sixes?

#NZcricket #NZvENG

Comparison of difference between 2024 and 2023 jobs week-by-week. At the start of the year, jobs were 2% higher in 2024 than 2023. As at end-October 2024, jobs are 2% lower than the same week in 2023.

At the end of October, there were 50,000 fewer filled jobs in NZ compared to the same week in 2023. The deterioration through 2024 is clearly visible in this graph. Momentum... [2/n]

Lovely night at Meow last night watching Dean and Britta (ex-Galaxie 500). Respectful crowd, space to move. So different from my last show (Bob Mould at San Fran), which we left because constant chatter was drowning Bob out.

Good set from Mystery Waitress in support, too. Would listen again.

After weeks of procrastination I went to the audiologist to get my broken hearing aid checked out.

Was it a simple problem to fix? Yes.
Did it take fewer than 10 minutes? Yes.
Was it expensive? Not really.
Will I learn anything from this? Look.....

I suppose it's too much to ask that they don't balance out good decisions by making bad decisions? (ADHD meds change=good, this=bad).

Up at 3am for the world cup final. Looking positive with a couple of wickets for Melie Kerr, but still anyone's game. #T20WorldCup. Could be a great day for NZ cricket after the men's team beat India.

40/8. If you'd told me India were 40/8 I'd think I'd misheard you and it was NZ. Is this the lowest score anyone has ever made against us?
#INDvNZL

This is not the start I expected in the cricket. India 10/3 thanks to a wonderful catch from Conway. #INDvNZL.

Apartment shaking really nicely there. Not the way I like to wake up. Ugh. #eqnz

Oh thank you VERY much for the reminder, Foxy. 😬

in the music business people are still convinced that Twitter is needed to sell tickets, drive engagement, etc

we're touring in October, please prove the "post more on hellsite" folks wrong by buying tickets from this link: www.mountain-goats.com/tour

I came over from NZ last time for the Melbourne shows; would probably follow you around this time so that's a few more 😀

Fuck me, Pulp are good livd when they want to be.

Day Two of Way out West Festival. Heading out into the Gothenburg rain for Alvvays, Jessie Ware, Slowdive, and PULP!