Senses working overtime #572

1 Back to the brick factory this week

2 Listening: The Shangri-Las - Past Present and Future: Golden Hits of The Shangri-Las

Leader of the Pack is a timeless classic of teenage turmoil and tragedy by the peerless Shangri-Las. The rest of the album is brilliant as well but nothing the melodrama of Leader of the Pack.

3 Reading: Patti Smith - Bread of Angels: A Memoir

4 Reading: Mojo Magazine #386

5 Watching: Person of Interest on Netflix

Interesting take on the vigilante/ do-gooder intervention type of story. According to one critic it is 'transformed from a "crime-fighting show" with an entertaining plot device into "one of the best science-fiction series ever broadcast" '. We're currently halfway through season 1.

Overtime: Mother Teresa

What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.

Senses working overtime #571

1 Lumberjack week at Maple Grove

We had a Maple tree keel over during the cyclone and that's meant a lot of clean up. It was a big tree that was overhanging the driveway so it was a case of needs must. Shame though as it was a beautiful Maple that would have been planted around when the house was built 120 years ago.  

2 Reading: Ian Fleming - Moonraker 

The third James Bond novel from 1955. So good!

3 Listening - The Flirtations - Sounds Like the Flirtations

Recently got this for $10 at JB Hi Fi. It's a superb album from 1969.

4 Listening: WTWMC - First steps

The brothers in arms are back with a playlist focusing on selections from debut albums.

5 Watched: Civil War on Netflix.

One very scary film starring Kirsten Dunst (she is superb in it). This dystopian thriller clearly has Donald Trump in mind.

Overtime: Carl Bard

Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.

Senses working overtime #570

1 This week's weather - Cyclone Vaianu watch

It's due to be over Maple Grove this afternoon. The news this week has been dominated by watching its progress towards us. Cyclone Gabrielle is still fresh in the memory, so the North Island is bracing itself with an abundance of caution.

2 Listening: WTWMC - Weather with you

Seems the appropriate soundtrack to ride the storm out.

3 Watching: Earthstorm on Netflix

An excellent documentary series of four episodes: Tornados, earthquakes, volcanos, hurricanes.

4 Listening: The Rolling Stones - El Mocambo 1977

For when it all blows over.

5 Reading: Ian Fleming - Dr. No

I bought a compendium of his novels for $5. It's a great collection - 6 James Bond adventures over its 862 pages. Dr. No is the first one. Fleming is an underrated writer.

Overtime: James Allen

You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you.

Senses working overtime #569

1 Last week of term

Photo by Matthew Halmshaw on Unsplash

2 Listening: The Pineapple Thief - Variations on a Dream

3 Watching: Would I Lie To You 

These are reruns via TV on Demand and I laugh as hard as I did when I first saw them. Lee Mack is a comedy genius. 

4 Reading: The Guardian Weekly

I've started buying these again because of their brilliant reporting using a big picture lens on the Iran War.

5 Listening: WTWMC - Weather with you

This playlist is now complete (it has 1 extra song because member #3 added a bonus selection to the bonus round).  

Overtime: Aung San Suu Kyi

You should never let your fears prevent you from doing what you know is right.

Senses working overtime #568

1 Busy week!

Photo by Rey Joson on Unsplash

A midweek trip to Auckland for two days + three teaching days + a school open day on Saturday ratcheted up the busy-ness.

2 Watching: The Iris Affair (TV on Demand)

This started out well but after three episodes it is starting to wobble a little bit. There's only so much suspension of disbelief that is possible over ten episodes (each lasting an hour).  

3 Listening: Argent - Argent

A prog rock offshoot from The Zombies. Hits all the right marks for me.

4 Reading: Ego is the Enemy - Ryan Holiday

I finally found a copy in a great bookstore in Parnell on our visit to Auckland midweek.

5 Listening: WTWMC - Weather with you

The playlist has reached its bonus week after 4 weeks and 60 songs (clearly I've missed a song in the loong week just gone - the spreadsheet team needs to come to the rescue).

Overtime: Ryan Holiday

'Ego is the wicked sister of success'.

Senses working overtime #567

1 Word of the week: Forward

2 Watching: Formula 1 - Drive to Survive Season 8

Season 8 delivers the same high octane drama of the previous seasons. Throw in a smattering of super models, petulant drivers, control freaks and it's a crazy, fascinating world. My favourite couple is Toto and Susie Wolff. A great combo!

3 Reading: Eleven Minutes - Paulo Coelho

4 Listening: The Mutton Birds - Envy of Angels

Chock full of great songs that one and, be warned, I can't get the earworm She's Been Talking out of my head.

5 Listening: New Wander to Wozza's Music Club playlists 

Weather with you continues and is joined by WTWMC #6 (2026) tracks our Album of the Week selections.

Overtime: Helen Hayes

We relish news of our heroes, forgetting that we are extraordinary to somebody too.

Senses working overtime #566

1 Whoosh

This week started with an exeat day on Monday (mid-term break) and ended with athletics day in the blazing hot Hawke's Bay sunshine on Friday, so the week whooshed on by me.

2 Listening: WTWMC - Weather with you

3 Reading: Mojo Magazine #385

Still, feeling a little bereft without the Truman biography as part of my daily routine, but the latest (to NZ) edition of Mojo is helping me get past it.

4 Listening: The Moody Blues - Every Good Boy Deserves Favour

5 Watched: The Lincoln Lawyer season 4

The case against Haller is pretty flimsy and the resolution is too pat, but the season's ten episodes still kept us entertained.

Overtime: Abraham Lincoln

You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.