#nz loves birds and so do I

[tucbilo]

A kiwi sticker design I made! This is piggybacking on the previous NZ watercolor birds. I painted them first to understand some basic shapes and colors, which made it easier to simplify them as sticker design later.

They will be in my redbubble shop too :))))

[is-the-snake-video-cute]

Thank you for you blog! I love it so much - I come here daily to read your latest posts.

I'd love to own a snake but alas, I currently live in New Zealand so no snakes for me.

Do you have cool facts about tuatara? I do but I'd love readers of your blog to learn about these cool little reptiles!

It's a huge dream of mine to work with tuatara one day! I've always loved the reptile life of Oceania and literally the only reason I haven't already moved to Australia or even Aotearoa/NZ is because of the limitations on keeping non-native species.

Anyway, aren't tuatara just the coolest? For those unfamiliar, tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) might look like lizards, but they're not! Tuatara are the only surviving members of Rhynchocephalia, the sister order to Squamata, the scaled reptiles (lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenians).

Rhynchocephalians used to be very widespread, but today they exist only in limited populations in Aotearoa. They were almost driven to extinction by habitat loss and pressure from invasive species, and for a long time the only wild populations were on offshore islands. In a huge success for tuatara conservation, though, populations were reintroduced onto the North Island and there are now hatchlings being born on the North Island for the first time in centuries. There's still so much work to be done to help these amazing reptiles, but it's worth celebrating! The Chester Zoo in England has also welcomed tuatara hatchlings, meaning tuatara have been successfully bred outside of Aotearoa for the first time and indicating possible future success for wider zoo breeding programs across the world!

Tuatara have many anatomical features that are unique among reptiles, and they tell us a lot about the extinct rhynchocephalians. Their teeth arrangement is unique among reptiles, and their lower jaws can slide to cut through bone. They're the only known amniotes who have hourglass-shaped vertebrae, and they have gastralia (belly ribs). Even if they might look kinda like lizards on the outside, their skeleton is wildly different!

Tuatara have the most well-developed parietal eyes of any vertebrates. These are "third eyes" that sit on top of the head, and in most reptiles who have them they're extremely primitive, but in tuatara they have well-developed retinas and a cornea-like structure! Parietal eyes are covered by a thin layer of skin and probably help with thermoregulation and day/night cycle regulation.

They are carnivores and eat a wide diet of insects, lizards, and birds. Juvenile tuatara will hunt during the day so they can avoid being eaten themselves by adult tuatara, who hunt at night.

The name "tuatara" comes from te reo Māori, and means "peaks on the back," a reference to the spines along a tuatara's back. Tuatara are sexually dimorphic, and the spines are larger and more rigid in males. They're used in breeding and defensive displays!

One of the challenges for tuatara conservation is how long it takes them to reach sexual maturity - about 10-20 years, and they tend to have very small egg clutches. They've been recorded to lay up to 19 eggs, but a more typical clutch is as small as 3-6 eggs or even a single egg. These eggs also take over a year to be laid and hatch. They have the slowest growth rates of any reptile, reaching full size at around 30 years and having an average lifespan of around 60 but lifespans closer to 100 not being uncommon.

The oldest known tuatara is named Henry, and he lives at the Invercargill museum on the South Island. He's at least 120 but may be as old as 150, and is still fathering healthy clutches!

Tuatara are simply incredible. They're so unique among living reptiles, and they have so much to tell us about a mostly-extinct order of reptiles. Plus, like, you can't deny they're so cool and adorable!

[luvnymph]

congratulations! nz sounds like a great place! beautiful beaches! if you don’t mind me asking, what did you exactly do in the past month or lesser for this to unfold? kinda want to manifest a move too

thank u so much !! ^_^ i'm basically more of a law of assumption girl, but recently i started "using" the law of attraction. i never actually believed in the power of the law of attraction, but i didn't know it would be THAT easy 😭

1. gratitude - i started by finding things in my life that i'm grateful for. even the smallest things like eating my favorite food, waking up feeling energized, etc. i also have a journal, and i started listing 10 things that i'm grateful for at the end of each day. i didn't get to do this consecutively, but i think this helped a lot.

2. visualization - this is my favorite! there are a lot of "methods" i use for visualizing, so i'll break them down:

• i would lay down for hours with my eyes shut and pretend like i'm actually in my dream place. sometimes i would wake up and just say "good morning [dream city]" in my mind. sometimes i use the five senses method (i made this name up T_T). for example, my dream place would be somewhere with nature and beaches and a hot weather. i would literally try to FEEL the sun on my face, HEAR the birds or the ocean waves or SMELL the salt air.

• i made a vision board and set it as my wallpaper. i'm on my phone a lot so every time i pass by my home screen, i'm "reminded" that i'm already in the life that i've always wanted. my vision board includes my dream house, dream neighborhood, dream weather, and affirmations that make me feel good. remember not to take affirming as some kind of chore !

• when i didn't like the things happening in my 3D, i would simply think that i'm not even there at all, because i'm ALREADY in my dream life. a hack i use sometimes when a bad situation is happening is pretending that that situation exists in my past. this helped me a lot from anxieties and it actually helped me handle the situation better.

that's it!! i can't put anything else because those are literally the only things i did lol. even i didn't know it would be that easy! if you guys have any more questions, don't be shy to flood my message box! i love helping everyone and hearing your success stories as well !! ^_^

[wizardbracket]

The Final Four: Match 1 of 2

Propaganda under the break

Why they deserve to be the ultimate wizard according to YOU:

Mud Wizard:

Vanquished (so far): NZ/Aotearoa Wizard, Amaury Guichon, Orb Wizard, Vermin Supreme, Caleb Widogast

"Actual real-life wizard beats out any fantasy/literary/tv wizard"

"real life boots on the ground cop-fighting wizard"

"he fought the police while being knee deep in mud"

"i just learned about german mud wizard but i respect his field tactics"

"Mud wizard has field experience ... mud wizard is the one you need on a battlefield"

"I'm sure the other dude is very cool but throwing cops in the mud >>>>>>"

"some choad i've never heard of vs the funniest got damn video i've ever seen"

"my boy mud wizard getting the recognition he deserves. there is a mud wizard in all of us. and it says ACAB"

"absolutely german mud wizard its not even a question"

"German mud wizard uses his powers for good"

"Mud wizard is objectively cooler"

"Mud wizard takes direct action against cops. He's doing good old fashioned wizardry ... mud wizard embraces the chaos of magic"

“Outplayed cops with mud magic.”

Ged:

Vanquished (so far): Raistlin Majere, Marcia Overstrand, Magnus Bane, Carter Kane, Gandalf

"Ged is everything to me. not least the fact his first nickname is sparrowhawk and those are such cool birds"

"in the first book he was at the worlds edge minecraft style. he was fighting a deep dark evil at the world border in the middle of the SEA. That's a wizard!"

"[The first book] not only answered that question of how a wizard became powerful but also what that power means and what the consequences of having it, and the consequences of just existing as a person are. It’s about pride, and love, and responsibility, and about being young, and it’s fucking gorgeous."

"ged FUCKS (literally and figuratively)"

"Just to reiterate: he raised the dead in highschool, speaks dragon language, and fixed death"

"the only archmage who learnt that being a goatherd was undoubtedly superior."

"Btw can turn into a dragon. No biggie. In a world where any transformation is extremely high tier magic."

"His emotional arc of learning to accept his flaws and also to be more humble is just… so relatable"

"Vote for him. Vote for his big stick. Vote for his birds. Vote for his degree. Vote for his evil shadow self."

"This man is truly tapped into powers that are old and deep and dangerous. and he is also. crucially. just some guy"

"VOTE GED or your ass is getting stranded in the tombs"

"Ged didn't become archmage and then quit to go herd goats to lose a poll bracket"

"ged literally became archmage like acknowledged as the greatest mage in earthsea and decided to go live out his days herding goats."

[thynisia-pac-readings]

PAC - What brings joy to you? How to bring joy to yourself?

[please do not copy or reproduce any part of this reading, thank you]

This reading is meant to assist you in connecting with the vibration and experience of joy. While this is for guidance, it is also meant to be fun. These groups are collectives, so take what resonates only!

I'm happy you chose to read this pick-a-pile, and may it bring you closer to the light within you. 🌻

Now slowly take 3 deep breaths. Ask your guardian angel to help you find the relevant pile for you and let your intuition guide you throughout this reading. Enjoy!

---

Pile 1

Signs: pay attention to yourself. apple. justice served. I love you. India, US.

Pile 1!!!! Pile 1, pile 1, pile 1. As I shuffled the cards, I found myself singing. I can bet most of you find joy in singing freely, and even a card fell, backing this up.

I'm also getting that to find joy is to find bliss, and to find bliss is to find joy. That is what joy means to you, pile 1. For you, bliss can be found in your peace and quiet, it can be felt through the divine and experienced during meditations. Being by yourself and not talking, is healing for you. It also helps you to get in touch with yourself as well as your divine team. Again very healing, centering, and therefore it's easier for you to feel that bliss and joy.

Someone here could have a bird or parrot, I think your bird is funny AF and makes you laugh a lot.

Some of you may be close to a grandparent, and so the advice here is to spend time with them as it is a very good way for you to bring joy to yourself (and them!).

We've got the romance card so some of you may feel most joyful when you're in a relationship. But mostly, what I'm getting is that being there for people and supporting them is what brings you joy, always - whatever kind of relationship that is! I feel like you bring out the light within people, the angelic aspect they didn't know they had. That tells a lot about you too, pile 1.

Back to the singing, I also feel like it helps you release a ton of heavy stuff (feelings, painful memories...) that you don't want trapped in you or that you don't want to carry anymore. It also helps you to unleash your true self. There's definitely an element of transformational healing there with singing or songwriting, and the divine is strongly encouraging you to keep doing that.

Some of you could be singing with your own family members. For some, singing is a key characteristic of a side of your family since many generations! How cool is that!!

If you want to purchase a reading from me check my masterlist or go straight to my Etsy listings here. discount code: TUMBLR

---

Pile 2

signs: having fun adventures, taking joy in learning, living freely and passionately (see moon & mars in Aries and Sagittarius). Brazil, India, NZ, South Pacific, UK. 44.

I saw deep blue as I was shuffling the cards (in my mind's eye), and sure enough most of the cards had a deep blue in them. I also sensed some sadness from this collective. This deep blue could mean something to you, or it could just represent this sadness of yours.

For this Pile, the divine is asking to bring forth your patience in things, as joy will definitely find you. It seems like you really struggle with it at the moment, so this reading is a welcome guidance for you and I am happy that you chose to read it. :)

For your collective, the divine seems to highlight the importance of patience and growth. They are asking you to cultivate yourself, cultivate discipline/persistence and cultivate patience as good things are headed your way while you practice this cultivation. You could find it useful to listen to monks' wisdom and how they cultivate themselves on patience, discipline, persistence, as well as how they face challenging experiences. Preferably, find books written by them on the subject, as they can freely explain everything. YouTube videos cut many parts out and are nowhere as comprehensive/rich as the monks' own books.

Finally, you are asked to trust yourself as you navigate through the difficult path you are walking on. It is not easy and sometimes you may feel like you are losing balance, but listen; even the whole universe is in a constant fight for balance. Complete balance between the light and the shadow does not exist and that's what makes the universe alive! You are the universe too, you are a spark of God/Creator, and hence it is perfectly normal for you, like all of us, to continually try to find a balance. It's all part of the experience, you beautiful wise soul. And what can be more amazing than knowing that we are alive, that we are all experiencing joys and pains, just like the universe is both made of light and dark..!!

If you want to purchase a reading from me check my masterlist or go straight to my Etsy listings here. discount code: TUMBLR

---

Pile 3

signs: someone is named Grace and it's for a reason - maybe your mother named like this on purpose, Pile 3 you could have a very gentle voice that soothes people, there's a lot of kindness in your voice as I have myself talking this way throughout your reading (yes I talk out loud during my readings). traveling could be a source of joy. US, Australia, UK.

A lot to unpack here (in a good way) but it's also pretty clear to me. It feels like you are Earth angels or Starseeds, I mean to everyone you're literally like a light sent on Earth. You yourself feel like you have a lot of love and care to give to people, so much so that you want to make of it your career. So take it as a sign if that's what you've been thinking about.

The divine are really highlighting that you have a strong connection to your intuition and that a major purpose of it is to be used in service to others. You are divinely guided, and you definitely have your own mission or purpose in this life on Earth, which is to assist and guide others towards their inner light, their inner spark of Creator/Source.

You may be hesitating at the moment but trust your intuition, you will find joy on the path that the divine accompanies you on. Worry not, whatever path you chooses, the divine will always support you. However this reading is about what brings you joy and how you can bring joy to you. ;)

Now that's out of the way, let me indulge in the feeling I got from you Pile 3! It's a secret shh, but you're my favourite pile of the 3! xD

I got this really sweet, caring and loving energy from your collective, it's beautiful! Your spark is really focused on assisting others, which makes me think you're more likely an angelic aspect than a starseed. You love others but you also let others love you - and by letting them love you, you are helping them to nurture and express these energies more! In other words, people feel safe to express these caring energies towards you as well.

In terms of vibration, love and joy are not so far off from each other and they are actually interconnected, aren't they? :)

So there you go Pile 3, keep true to yourself and your values, keep shining your light (love) inside out, keep hugging others within your angel wings ~

If you want to purchase a reading from me check my masterlist or go straight to my Etsy listings here. discount code: TUMBLR

---

Obviously, this type of reading is amazing to do because you're bathing in the energy you're reading about! Amazing. Again I hope you enjoyed. Let me know what piles you got and what your thoughts are~

Thynisia <3

This reading was done partly through cartomancy, divine channeling and my personally made paper note signs. I thank Source, Gaia, and all of our higher selves and guardian angels for supporting and blessing this reading. 🙏🏼

[midmorningsong]

So this morning a staffmate told me about the recent Miami Zoo Kiwi incident that’s come to light, and I’ve been fucking livid all day.

Just been reading through a bunch of articles (majority NZ news sources) and the Zoo’s official statement, and somehow it’s even worse than what my irate coworker was able to convey to me. Miami Zoo had the absolute fucking privilege of receiving a (North Isl. Brown (?)) kiwi egg to hatch and raise as a species you would never normally see outside our little island at the bottom of the world as part of a some global zoo wildlife initiative.

Brief brief summary: viral videos coming out of this kiwi (Paora) being put on a table and patted by paying customers under bright lights, having selfies taken, made to run around during the day, keeper pursuing him whenever he tried to hide in his box. All around blasé attitude from keeper talking about this bird while he’s being paraded about on display. There’s video footage but I could seriously only stomach watching it once. He’s been there for 4 years and in the wake of this outrage they’re claiming to be building him a ‘proper enclosure’ now. He’s been handled like this at least 4 times a week and his current enclosure has been 3x3m.

They had access to super fucking detailed information on how to take care of this very sensitive and specialized animal, and what the fuck do they do? Disregard ALL of it to sell cutesy, ~rare bird~, self-obsessed animal encounters.

Either you knowingly and intentionally went against SO. MUCH. vital animal husbandry or you are just such a fuckwit you legitimately think it was good animal handling, I don’t know which is worse honestly. If it’s the former, congratulations; American Capitalism continues to be the most nasty, disrespectful piece of shit I see regularly parading about in broad daylight. If it’s the latter, then are your staff for real just exotic pet-obsessed freaks who showed up one day in a uniform and you just went ‘yeah sure you can be a zookeeper good enough’. Shoutout to that ‘keeper’ who had Paora’s head pinned to the fucking table with his fist going ‘hohoh yeah he’s just like a dog he loves being pat on the head’ yeah sure thing idiot I bet your zookeeper degree taught you all animals and birds especially just love being slapped around and treated like dogs.

The thing that’s got me the most though, is how over the top and pitiful they are being in their apology; “we’ve offended a nation...”, “it should have never happened”, “we are so sorry this video has caused stress to people”, ok yeah but fuck what we think why is there exactly ZERO mention of the stress, harm and sheer exploitation you have put this animal through??? Like yes, Paora is a taonga species and that is certainly adding to the severity of this response, but in and of itself the fact that their official statement answers ONLY to humans’ responses and outrage and not the failure to care for this animal is telling as fuck to me.

I really liked reading iwi leader Paora Haitana’s response (who Paora the kiwi is named after), in much nicer words than me expressing deep concern over the harm to Paora, the disrespect it is to him as a taonga species and us as protectors of them, and also heavy, heavy emphasis on words holding no shape under the weight of everything that has happened; they need to follow through and follow through right now with adequate care.

Personally I’d like to see Paora moved to a zoo that actually cares about his needs and conservation education over selling clickbait. I feel the love and intention of bringing him home to Aotearoa, though I don’t know how realistic that is with the risk of introducing diseases from abroad into the NZ populations. I also would expect a thorough investigation of Zoo Miami’s husbandry for all their species and the credentials of their staff.

Thanks for coming along to rant o’ clock, I’ll be back to reblogging regular fandom shit now so please don’t follow me if you’re expecting more of my own content lol. Enjoy some great twitter banter from this mess

[angelfireeast]

Ofmd ep 4 & 5

EPISODE FOUR

- the way the crew chewed Ed out on his walk of shame lol

- The sandwich hitting Lusicus in the face was hilarious and seemed unplanned.

- Ed immediately finds something alive & wants to make it his BBF. He is so needy

- It's Rachel House! I love her. She's hilarious. Really getting some amazing NZ talent now they are filming in NZ

- I'm so glad Ed & Stede worked it out. Ed has it so bad he trusts Stede again to run off after his confession.

- Ed learns a lesson about CHANGING! My heart. Mary & Anne are a cautionary tale but I feel like they both decided not to follow that path.

- Is it crazy that I feel a little hope for Anne/Mary when Anne burn down the house & they decided to move on together facing their fears & showing they love each other. Not saying they aren't still going to be toxic and full of kinks but it's a step in the right direction.

- I knew Bottons would turn into a bird! Yes king!

EPISODE 5:

- So much happened I. These two episodes but can we just appreciate that Roach invented peanut paste aka planet butter & immediately Frenchie was allergic to it

It's the little things honsetly

- Don't think I didn't notice Roach commenting on Frenchie's beautiful body cause that was 100% on my radar

- laughing at making Ed wear a bell

- Lucius was way too into pushing Ed off the ship lol I laughed at Ed yelling "do you feel closer yet"

- Ed hanging on the side of the ship & Fang rowing up and asking him if he wanted to go fishing felt so Marior

- loved Fang calling Ed out. It needed to happen. love that Fang got to tell Ed that those "games" weren't fun. I think Ed delused himself a lot about bad things to live with himself. We know he loves to play pretend & get lost in it. Yet we also know from the gravy bowl that Ed was upset about the way his old Captain hurt his crew & he was talking to himself really...so part of him knows it's wrong, dislikes it & part of him doesn't care or pretends not to care and it's no big deal as way to deal with what is happening.

- The way Olu, Jim & Archie just quietly and quickly rolled into a little united threesome is giving me life. I don't know the state of the romantic relationships and it doesn't matter cause them just being a united them is everything

- Fang is just adorable when he was telling Ed to be quite😂 he's so soft I love him. Kevin Jr lol I want more Fang pls

- Is it possible Ed has ADHD but also has trouble sitting with himself quietly cause he doesn't like himself & feel unlovable.

- the kiss in moonlight🥰

- Buttons & The Swede are off the ship. Archie & Izzy are on

What other changes are to come?

- Black Pete and Lusicus are engaged!!!🥳🍾

[ruleofbirds]

𝚍𝚎𝚟𝚕𝚘𝚐_𝟶𝟷.𝟷

Kia Ora, Te Ao!

Hello, World! It's official - Robbie has a tumblr now. Absolutely unfathomable. Honestly, it's mostly because it was this or Wordpress (or a more obscure indie dev forum) and this seemed the most accessible and quirky. I'm sure this won't lead to another awful endless scrolling habit. Any advice for the visual side of things is warmly received! I want this blog to be a fun part of the week, because a lot of fun will be had developing RoB. Just realised that acronym happens to be my name. Could be worse.

Okay! Now that the initial ramble into the void is out of the way, it's time to get into the c o n c e p t.

This tumblr is a devlog for my NZ ecosystem simulator currently titled "rule of birds", which I will be working on for the next 8 weeks as part of Blackbird Foundation's "Protostars" program. This means a weekly check-in with the other creatives in the program, the organizers at Blackbird, and a post for all of you here.

I'm breaking this week's post into 3 sections just to cover the bases;

01.1 -a bit about my creative practice and how it led to this project

01.2 -a discussion of "flocking" in programming (using p5.js)

01.3 -a discussion of NZ natural history

So here's the intro post, where I ramble about myself for a sec.

So! basically, I specialize in spatial design, I love working with anything nature-related, and I want to make a video game.

Lately I've been on a tangent based around art in NZ's cultural context - the design principles behind whakairo (Maori woodcarving) and how their composition conveys meaning, how histories of spirituality, tribal and colonial relations affected design, and my own art interpreting my natural surroundings with photography and charcoal drawing. I can neither confirm nor deny whether there will be an art zine compiling a wee bit of this work on the community table at the Whanganui Zinefest this Saturday.

That tangent branched off into a focus on natural history that's the keystone of rule of birds. My motivation for focusing on an ecosystem simulator is to articulate a basis for the sort of games I want to come out of Aotearoa. The sim will be the proof of concept - and I suppose this blog will be the manifesto.

I feel like there's a massive demand for games exploring NZ history - like, imagine a big-budget maori-led release set in pre-colonial time, with all the unique aspects of survival, resource management and day to day activity that involved - or an assassin's creed type action game based during the time of Te Kooti. It goes unsaid that Kupe is one of the best parts of Sid Meier's Civilization VI - iykyk.

What I think separates a good game from a great one is how alive the virtual world feels - rather than being led through an a-to-b progression of events presented in the same visual style I've seen countless times before, if the world can react in a dynamic way, and the details in the background are crafted to feel organic and immersive, I'm going to want to stop and wander off the beaten track that an objective marker may be pointing me towards.

The last game that caught my attention in this way - and coincidentally the one that made me want to put my coding knowledge to the test with gamedev - was, of course, Rain World. To everyone who knows me, I'm sure you're surprised I've made it three paragraphs without bringing this game up. I'm not going to go into too much detail here, because there is *a lot*, but key points are you are one creature among many scavenging for food in a brutal biomechanical ecosystem, hibernating between cycles of cataclysmic rain, and the game plays like basically nothing else due to how the coded behaviour of every entity in the world follows its own logic that has much more to do with its own survival than the experience of you as a player.

Here's a nice little illustration of the physics behind a movement-sensing tentacle monster, to give a sort of discrete example - but the creatures that act according to behavioural karma systems and the dynamics of how the different lizards scuffle and coordinate with each other is worth looking into too, if this is your thing.

(Source: GDC, Curious Archive)

Now, I really want to jump into some of this behavioural coding stuff, so I'm just going to move on to collecting things for the next post - hope this has been an interesting read! if you somehow found this page in your tumblr algorithm, welcome! I'll also be posting bits on the instagram page @robbiek_devlogs and you can check out my other work on my main insta @robbiek_art

Hei kōnā mai,

Robbie K

Next up: simulation in coding, natural history research post #1

Next week: Adventures in Godot Engine!

[battle-of-the-birds]

I love all the New Zealand birds in the polls so I really need you to know that New Zealand has a Bird of the Year contest every year. The public votes. People and organizsations get really into it campaigning heavily for their chosen bird In 2021 a bat won (New Zealand long-tailed bat), much to public outrage, but also I think that would make a very funny bonus poll

Yeah I actually follow the newsletter for that! I always forget to vote tho… kinda cool that a bat won, I know that in Hawaii the only indigenous mammal is a bat. I don’t think that’s the same for NZ but I thought I’d share my cool bat fact. Another cool bat fact, the Hawaiian Hoary Bat is cool in the way that it doesn’t roost in colonies like normal bats. They roost solitarily in trees, which makes counting their population really hard. They COULD be doing really well, or they COULD be doing really poorly, but it’s really hard to tell.

[javelinbk]

The Beatles in Australia/NZ part 9 (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6 part 7, part 8)

The boys arrive in New Zealand, John tells the best dad-joke of all time, and Paul loves big things

Bob: Now you're in New Zealand, what are you looking forward to seeing? George: I don't know... have a look at a couple of Maoris I s'pose! Bob: Anybody told you about these tikis that you have souvenirs of? George: Yeah, well we saw some in Tahiti, the tiki gods. And I don't know if these are gonna be the same... actually John and I ordered two six-foot-high tiki gods made out of wood... two each Bob: How are you going to get them home? George: Well, we ordered them in Tahiti and asked some fella to post them! Bob: John, you looking forward to seeing your Aunt Mimi again? John: Ah yes, I don't know whether I'll see her on this trip, because the place she's staying at she said is miles away Bob: Will she be going back with you? John: I don't think from this trip, no we're joining her at Sydney, you know... or Eric, or Dave, somewhere like that Bob: John, what's your reaction to the Australian trip? John: It was marvellous, well worth the trip, and we hope to come back! Right? Bob: Correct. What about the circular stage at Sydney stadium? John: Well, it was a bit off-putting the first half of the first night, you know, you don't know what's happening, you keep going one way and then going the other, but you get used to it after a couple of days Bob: Ringo, we see that Jimmie Nicol's had a lucky break back home, what do you think of that? Ringo: Well, he's having quite a few lucky breaks - all the best to him, good old Jimmie Bob: So what do you think of this kiwi that's been given to you? Ringo: What kiwi? John: That thing they gave you when we got on the plane! Ringo: That big monster? Marvellous! Bob: That's a kiwi! That's a nearly extinct New Zealand bird John: Are they that big? Ringo: Well... they're not that big really are they? Bob: No, they're about ten inches tall John: Ah well... Ringo: Well, this was about three foot! John: I knew it was a kiwi because it started polishing me shoes! (Paul sings in background) Bob: That's Paul singing in back Ringo: Yeah, that's Paul singing at the back Bob: And well, you know about tikis, these traditional symbols? Ringo: Yeah, we've got one actually, but they're a dirty load of cheats, 'cause they're only made of plastic, I want a real one! Bob: Are you going to buy one? Ringo: Well, I suppose so, if no-one gives me one Bob: What do you think of the beautiful scenery of New Zealand? Ringo: Mountains look alright (Paul keeps singing - possibly O Sole Mio) John: It looks like the moon! Bob: What's that, John? John: It looks like the moon from here! Bob: Hey, listen - what about the egg throwing at Sydney stadium? John: Well, nobody threw any at us, I don't think... oh yeah... Ringo: I wish they'd fried them first! John: Yeah... one night somebody threw one at us, we didn't know actually till we got off there was a bit of egg on my trousers, but they'd stopped throwing them by the time we got on... anyway we had people posted so as soon as they threw them we were going to get them dragged on stage and smash eggs all over the place, all over 'em! Bob: Now Paul, you were given a kiwi, a very large one - how do you feel about it? Paul: Was it a kiwi or an emu or what? Bob: It was a kiwi, that was what you wanted to see! Paul: Yes! True, well I've seen it now... we're gonna take it round with us, you know in New Zealand. I love those big things. Bob: What about the tiki, you see... they told you all about tikis? Paul: Yeah, some little gods, aren't they? Very nice. Not as good as that kangaroo you gave me though. Bob: Thank you. What about Sydney? Did you like the reception? Paul: I loved it. Knocked out completely.

More about the plastic tikis here - Beatles tiki tour – How John Lennon's plastic tiki became a Kiwi family heirloom

[aria-ashryver]

I have never actually asked, but maybe you could share something about your original work? 👀 Not necessarily all the details, but a brief overview or your favourite part of it so far?

Oh. Oh what a can of worms you just opened lmao. Thank you my love, so very much, for asking.

Look gang, I’m writing a book series!

⚔️🌩️The Stormsinger Chronicles🌩️⚔️

Growing up, I always wanted to escape into fantasy novels. I wanted to be the knight, and the princess, and the dragon. But I wanted to read something that wasn’t Ye Olde Medieval England or Gritty America But With Magic. I wanted to find a place closer to home, you know?

Cue the Stormsinger Chronicles.

In a world where magic has been strictly prohibited, and the cycle of life and death has grown stagnant, two sisters must overcome a decade-long rift to set things to rights. If they don’t murder each other first. Which is hard to do when people can't die, but Kyrie and Petrah are nothing if not stubborn.

In short: it’s a longform, speculative fiction trilogy set in a landscape inspired by the people, flora, and fauna of New Zealand!

In (slightly less) short: its a queer fantasy novel, yo. Every one of these characters is a delightful mess. There is not one “chosen one” among them — it's just a bunch of gays, doing their best (struggling. failing. bickering. falling in love. punching each other in the face). The story hinges on the relationships between characters — familial, platonic, romantic, antagonistic — and through this, and the wider world, I’m writing with the aim that ANYONE can pick up this fantasy land and know that there is a place for them here. We can leave the straight, white, male heroes in the fantasy books of old. (Except for Callum, who I wrote to be a straight, white male hero on purpose to subvert everything that trope is hehe. He's very sweet.)

Here's some characters!

Kyrie: Grumpy, foul-mouthed OG Fuck Up. Probably covered in mud.

Petrah: Done with your shit, wants to read and drink tea.

Meredith: Looks sweet, will kill you. Social schemer.

Callum: Looks like he'll kill you, is very sweet (but can also kill you. He won't, but he can.)

Jin: Annoying people into doing crimes with you is flirting, right?

Zamir: That Classy Bitch, excellent eyebrows (with which to judge you)

Niamh: Possesses all the brain cells the rest collectively lack.

Alistair: Literally can't NOT insult you, really needs a nap. He's trying.

[Image Removed - see note!]

There’s roaming bands of nomads! (Un)Natural disasters! Elven politics! Murder plots! Undead! General fuckery! Found family! Gods who are very bad at their job! Runecrafting! Enemies to begrudging besties! Worldbuilding for days! Diverse characters! Yearning! Trauma! An uncharacteristic lack of exclamation marks!

Here's a (WIP) map! [Image Removed - see note!]

My favourite part is... all of it hehe. But currently, I’m enjoying sinking back into the landscapes of the various regions and the creatures we can find there. Did you know NZ used to have a predatory bird called a Haast Eagle? Which —with a wingspan of 2-3 metres and claws the size of a tiger’s— was the largest eagle in the world, ever?

…Guess what I’m foisting on my characters 😈

It’s so much fun to write a world where (lacking predatory mammals like wolves and bears, etc, like NZ’s landscape is) the dangers lurking in the wild come in the form of dread weta, giant spiders, horned barklizards, Haast eagles, and dragons that look remarkably like Tuatara.

Oh, and there's the three Harpy Dens. Yeah, they’ll fuckin’ kill ya too. If the Deathless don’t catch you first. Good luck!

⚔️🌩️⚔️🌩️⚔️🌩️⚔️🌩️⚔️🌩️⚔️

I’m gonna delete this in a hot second! Two reasons;

1) I’m sharing an image that includes inspiration art for characters that I intend to have my own art commissioned for — none of this art belongs to me, this is just a glimspe into behind the scenes vibes (and I had this screenshot on hand from when a friend asked about my character’s relationships)

2) On the map, any and all names in Te Reo Maori are placeholders, including (and especially) Ao Marama; when the manuscript is complete, I want to work with Tangata Whenua to have their input on choosing appropriate names for my towns and landmarks — I don’t have the whakapapa to speak to this myself, being Ngati Paheka, so it would be pretty tone-deaf of me do write without input from Maori voices. (Fortunately all five of my step-siblings are Maori, so they can be some of my first betas lol, but I’m still gonna reach out to like the Pacifica Students association at my uni and then onward form there to sensitivity readers and such)

Draft is at 120k and counting! If you've read this far, (why are you reading this far? i love you 😭😆) I'll leave you with the current opening line!

It was nearing dinnertime in Westwatch, and Kyrie was seriously contemplating shooting a man in the eye...

[rhysdarbinizedarby]

Rhys Darby returns for NZ Comedy Festival

The first time Rhys Darby was praised for his humour was in primary school, when two little girls told him he should be a comedian.

He thought that meant a lizard.

Darby didn't know there was such vocation as a comedian, and got mixed up with chameleon.

It might not have been for him, but Rhys Darby doesn't regret joining the army, it's given a lot of material over the years.

He rushed home to tell his mum that the kids at school thought he should be a lizard, and took it upon himself to start doing lizard impressions.

David Farrier, Rhys Darby and Buttons' radio show The Cryptid Factor is dedicated to the weird and the wonderful, and in particular, cryptozoology.

Rhys Darby and wife Rosie, at the Wellington premiere of What We Do in the Shadows, in which Darby who plays a werewolf.

His repertoire extended to Scooby Doocharacters, people in soup commercials and anyone else he saw on television.

Darby entertained his friends with drawings too. They would look forward to the next instalment of a cartoon he sketched at the bottom of his book.

The entertaining has not stopped since.

Rhys Darby starred alongside Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet in Modern Family.

After making a name for himself on the live comedy circuit, the actor has gone on to become one of New Zealand's top comedy exports.

His big break was starring inFlight of the Conchords, as the hopeless band manager Murray Hewitt, alongside Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie.

Now based in Los Angeles with his wife, Rosie, and sons Finn (10), and Theo (6), Darby's CV is looking pretty impressive.

It includes his own mockumentary series Short Poppies, the lead in the romantic comedy Love Birds, starring alongside Jim Carrey in Yes Man, a scene-stealer in What We do in the Shadows, guest starring in Modern Family and The X-Files reboot, and most recently, playing Psycho Sam in The Hunt for the Wilderpeople.

Even the drawing has served Darby, who is currently writing and illustrating a (currently top secret) children's book.

Darby heads back to New Zealand this month for the NZ International Comedy Festival, to perform as his old duo Rhysently Granted, with Grant Lobban.

Rhys Darby and Grant Lobban as the comedy duo Rhysently Granted, 1996

The two last performed together more than 20 years ago.

Darby's humour was nurtured from a young age, it was a trait he particularly shared with his mother, Barbara.

After Barbara had three girls and a boy, there was a nine-year gap before she had Darby.

"I was very much this mistake at the wrong end," Darby says, whose parents split shortly after he was born.

"So it was just really me and Mum, my brother was with us for a while until he hit his early 20s, but I guess I felt like an only child a lot.

"Mum was a bit older by then and so she got through every day by really just having a wonderful sense of humour. The two of us had such fun, laughter was really the main thing that we kind of enjoyed every day."

He joined the air training corps when he turned 12, before switching over the the army cadets.

When Darby hit adolescence, Barbara  began dropping hints that her son might like to join the army or look at boarding schools, he says.

"It was going to be harder having another child and putting him through his teenage years.

"I think she was thinking I was going to be this teenage tyrant, probably getting onto the wrong side of the tracks and stuff, but of course I was the nicest boy you'd ever meet.

"I guess it was just kind of in my nature to be nice and geeky. I didn't really do any parties or anything like that, I played with my action-figures right up until I joined the army at 17."

In the army, he would often got lost in the bush and get into trouble for impersonating officers.

Darby says he would not send his own sons there, but he does not regret joining. He is only glad he got asked to leave before he saw any combat service.

"You'd probably be better off being a clown or something, rather than a soldier, Darby," he was told.

"I mean you're good for morale here, but we worry once you actually get into combat whether you'll shoot our own people by mistake or something."

Darby couldn't see the humour at the time, but the army has sure been worth it's value in comedy material since.

"I've since gone back and seen that a lot of old British comedians have spent time back in the day in military, and there's a lot of humour that I've got from it.

"It made me who I am, it gave me some self-discipline and made me care about the way I look and do things, and have a responsibility to complete tasks, turn up on time, and I think all that got ingrained into me".

Conchords was Darby's ticket to America.

When the show took off, Darby would often get mistaken for his character in real life.

He and Murray have some similarities – Darby tends to be the one to make the decisions among his friends – "But as far as being an absolute naive idiot, definitely not," he says.

The odd person will still call him Murray, but does not care, because the character was so loved.

"I'm a big fan of him as well, because he's just a sweetheart and optimistically naive and it's the blind leading the blind because he's got no idea what he's doing as a band manager. Luckily his band are even thicker than he is, so it's just a sweet romance between those three."

Having always been obsessed with the paranormal, landing the X-Files gig was the ultimate role.

It is a hobby that has seen him travel the world in search for mythical creatures, like when he traveled to Puerto Rico with David Farrier in pursuit of the chupacabra.

Darby has reached an extraordinary point in his career where casting directors already know who he is and what he can do.

The tables have turned from crossing fingers for an audition, to being asked to attend.

One of the best career decisions Darby says he has made is choosing his manager.

"Ultimately my wife manages everything, so it had to be somebody that could work with Rosie.

"We selected a really cool manager, a guy that I very much love by the name of Tucker, and it's these decisions that continue to lead to great things."

But keeping his Kiwi accent is the career decision he is most proud of.

"That's really important to me, because so many actors when they come over to  America just drop their accent straight away and Americanise themselves, and I didn't want to be like that. I wanted to be able to use my own voice in all the stories I tell, because there are plenty of New Zealanders on the planet and you don't often get to hear them."

"So I'm very lucky, not just as an actor, but a comical actor, that is in a sort of smaller pool of people who are picked for various things in which I can be myself more, and that seems to be working."

As well as Rhysently Granted, Darby performs in three other Comedy Festival shows.

"I'm looking forward to going back and doing that and actually having fun again, because I kind of lost my way a bit in the last few years with it all being such a big money-making enterprise.

"You kind of lose what it was in the first place that made you want to laugh, and it was just that having fun with friends."

Source: Stuff NZ

[guitarnacle]

i never do these so im making a ten songs post, if you feel like it i love seeing peoples music taste please do this also 👁👁 !! i want to see

(first ten songs that come up shuffling my liked songs/most used playlist btw)

1. that life by unknown mortal orchestra

i really like this band even tho normally im not about quiet rock or house or whatever theyve got going on but these guys from auckland of all places have got so much groove. i always forget theyre from nz. also the bassist is named Jacob Portrait <- extreme jealosy

2. chick habit, april march by bound

i like this song a lot its very catchy and i like that it was in but im a cheerleader

3. rise up with fists!! by jenny lewis, also the watson twins

this song is okay

4. tonight i feel like kafka by jealous of the birds

this was added when i was 16 going through my alt pop phase and it stuck around because it sticks in my head and i actually do want to pierce my nipples. their other album is better

5. the look of love by nina simone

I love her <3 she reminds me so much of being in my jazz friends kitchen peace and love. nina simone gets it, little girl blue and high priestess of soul are my favorite of her albums

6. PJ Harvey's version of red right hand

scaryyyy <3 i love pj harvey but i honestly prefer the nick cave version this one is too slow for me. i love the key its in though she sings like a violin sometimes. stories from the city and to bring you my love are my favorites of hers also plants and rags

7. the only living boy in new york by simon & garfunkel

my friend had a phase where she would sing this in every conversation she liked it so much

8. the spy by the doors

sometimes i have the music taste of the most basic dad in the world im just glad the shameful 3 dylan songs in my liked songs didnt come up

9. the real slim shady eminem

i listened to this a lot and i mean a lot for a period of 2 weeks so its on my spotify charts forever now, the same thing happened with the bad touch

10. mantra for the lost by catatonia

!!!! im so happy this came up. mulder and scully by catatonia is soo fun everyone listen to it NOW

[charmsandtealeaves]

How do I not be scared of birds

I wish I could answer that for you my dude. Because I freaking love birds. They’re so cool, and in NZ we are blessed with so many cool ones.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or desensitisation via exposing yourself to birds would be my suggestion!

[mediawhorefics]

also please talk to me about your favourite Van Gogh AND his favourite quote 🎨

but that could take HOURS !!!!!!!

seriously though, my favourite van gogh painting is the mulberry tree

when i first started making tentative plans to get a visa for NZ, i strongly considered making a longer pit stop in california to go see this painting in person. that's how abnormal i am about it. honestly, i haven't bought my ticket yet so i'm lowkey still considering it....

i feel like the reasons as to why it's my favourite are kinda silly and intangible, but i love the autumnal colours, the warmth of it. autumn is my favourite season and it's so stunning here in qc that there's something comforting and homely to me about it? i'm not an expert in art but i think the contrast between those oranges/yellow/rust with the depth of that blue sky is just so striking. and i love the fact that those iconic van gogh brushstrokes make the tree almost look like a flame. it's kinda giving moses and the burning bush? i'm not religious at all but there's something fascinating about the various ways we can interpret such a simple depiction. i just love her.

my second favourite is head of a skeleton with a burning cigarette.

mostly because it's hardcore af and seeing it in person was such an emotional experience for me. everyone who thinks it's fine to destroy artworks because we have pictures of them is a fucking moron, there's not a single photo of this painting that could have prepared me for the depth of the black and the effect it has on the overall painting. it's gorgeous and it's funny and i love all the different interpretations of it too? vincent was in art school at the time and didn't particularly like it. he thought the whole thing was pretentious as hell and i always read a bit of mockery/a bit of a fuck you to the establishment in it, which simply delights me. i also love the interpretation that this might be a self-portrait in some way? (if it is, it's my favourite one.) and i love how, with what we know of smoking now, it can totally be read as an anti-smoking ad. there's something so modern about it. it's just great. and it's different than the post paris van gogh people know best? this is his pre-meeting vivid colours era and i'm very fond of it.

now quotes.... i can't possibly pick one. here are a couple of depression quotes. reading them for the first time felt like being kicked in the chest by a horse. i felt seen and, actually, so incredibly moved by the universality of human suffering. this idea that across time and through incredibly different circumstances someone could articulate what i was feeling so clearly... there's something magical and comforting about that, despite the pain. it was one of those special moments that so vividly removes the distance between us and the past and just... reminds us that people have always been people, that we have always been going through this since the beginning of time. and somehow, through a very difficult and incredibly lonely moment in my life, i felt companionship. how wonderful: the power of the written word. etc etc.

the first one is this: “For me, life may well continue in solitude. I have never perceived those to whom I have been most attached other than as through a glass, darkly.” which is a sentiment that i felt so sharply throughout my life that it was almost surreal to see it echoed so plainly.

and the second one is of course:

A caged bird in spring knows perfectly well that there is some way in which he should be able to serve. He is well aware that there is something to be done, but he is unable to do it. What is it? He cannot quite remember, but then he gets a vague inkling and he says to himself, ‘The others are building their nests and hatching their young and bringing them up,’ and then he bangs his head against the bars of the cage. But the cage does not give way and the bird is maddened by pain. 'What a ne'er-do-well,’ says another bird passing by – what an idler. Yet the prisoner lives and does not die. There are no outward signs of what is going on inside of him, he is doing well, he is quite cheerful in the sunshine. 

But then the season of the great migration arrives: an attack of melancholy. He has everything he needs, say the children who tend him in his cage – but he looks out, at the heavy thundery sky, and in his heart of hearts he rebels against his fate. I am caged, I am caged and you say I need nothing, you idiots! I have everything I need indeed! Oh, please give me the freedom to be a bird like other birds.

That kind of ne'er-do-well of a person resembles that kind of ne'er-do-well of a bird. And people are often unable to do anything, imprisoned as they are in I don’t know what kind of terrible, terrible, oh, such terrible cage.

I do know that there is a release, the belated release. A justly or unjustly ruined reputation, poverty, disastrous circumstances, misfortune, they all turn you into a prisoner. You cannot always tell what keeps you confined, what immures you, what seems to bury you, and yet you can feel those elusive bars, railings, walls. Is all this illusion, imagination? I don’t think so. And then one asks: my God, will it be for long, will it be forever, will it be for eternity?

Do you know what makes the prison disappear? Every deep, genuine affection. Being friends, being brothers, loving, that is what opens the prison, with supreme power, by some magic force. Without these one stays dead. But wherever affection is revived, there life revives. Moreover, the prison is sometimes called prejudice, misunderstanding, fatal ignorance of one thing or another, suspicion, false modesty.

i think it's pretty self-explanatory and all i can say is: this man knew what it felt like to be at your lowest. i mean.... 'i am caged, i am caged, and yet you see nothing?' and 'my god, will it be for long, will it be forever, will it be for eternity?' ooooooooooooof.

here are a few others quote that always make me go !!!!!

“many people seem to think it foolish, even superstitious, to believe that the world could still change for the better. and it is true that in winter it is sometimes so bitingly cold that one is tempted to say, ‘what do i care if there is a summer; its warmth is no help to me now.’ yes, evil often seems to surpass good. but then, in spite of us, and without our permission, there comes at last an end to the bitter frosts. one morning the wind turns, and there is a thaw. and so i must still have hope.”

“but you must love with a high, serious intimate sympathy, with a will, with intelligence, and you must always seek to know more thoroughly, better, and more..”

“still, a great deal of light falls on everything.”

“How much sadness there is in life. Still, it won’t do to become depressed, one should turn to other things, and the right thing is work, but there are other times when one can only find peace of mind in the realization: I, too, shall not be spared by unhappiness.”

and that one time he said: “poverty stops the best minds in their tracks”. like... yeah vincent. it really does.

anyways i could do this for 50h but my copy of he book has about 6-7 post-its on every page and i just can't dig in properly rn. suffice to say i love him.

[crabussy]

What do you want to be when you grow up?

OHHHH MAN I LOVE THIS QUESTION I have thought about it extensively and I’m always so so so goddamn excited to tell people about it,,,,

I plan at some point to be a ranger for the Department of Conservation, New Zealand!! originally I planned to work as an artist somehow but the art industry is vicious and exploitive and I don’t want to turn my creative passion into a chore, so!!

the reason I want to work as a ranger is mainly because I’ve always been SUPER conscious and extreeeemly concerned about conservation and the environment,, been a part of boy scouts for around 6+ years and as part of that I often went out with the other scouts to plant heaps of trees and native plants!!

I also go camping as often as humanly possible (like. I could have gone to a theme park and a movie for my birthdays but NOPE it was always tents and mud and rockpools and portable stoves. I <3 you camping,,,,) I’ve also been on visits to tiritiri matangi, an island off the coast of NZ dedicated to protecting endangered endemic bird species,, conservation never fails to fill me with love for both people and nature.

so ya. my upbringing has been VERY wilderness oriented, my family is incapable of staying inside or living in an urban area FNKDJFJSJ

that’s why I want to be a ranger!! I want to make the wilderness accessible and appealing to all, I want to bring an appreciation of nature to the general public and I want to raise awareness for the protection of biodiversity and the ecosystem. 

besides,, ranging activities are SO cool. real actual activities include:

sitting by a stream and counting eels(!!!)

resetting traps to keep the pest populations from destroying the eggs of endangered birds

roaming the forests searching for any kiwi specimens (like. you literally just get to enjoy nature and search for adorable birds for hours. wtf)

going by helicopter (HELICOPTER) to restock the hiking huts up in the mountains 

feeding and checking on albatross chicks

monitoring bats at night,,,

etc!!!

AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF the minimum wage you can be paid as an entry level ranger is $21.20 an hour. I love you new zealand and your awesome minimum wage policies,,,, 

THAT WAS LONG IM SORRY BUT. as you can tell I am completely nuts about this and didn’t want to waste an opportunity to absolutely go off,,, ndkcjjdjvjfj <333