Senses working overtime #579

1 FIFA World Cup 2026

And we're off in sparkling fashion, thanks to Shakira's amazing performance.

2 Watched - Long Promised Road 

I know I mentioned this one a few weeks ago, but I was interrupted and finished watching it while Jacky was in New Plymouth.

It's quite an emotional experience watching a frail and often anxious Brian Wilson being driven around some of his old haunts. There's always a price to pay.

3 Reading: Ringo - A Fab Life by Tom Doyle

Really getting into this version of Ringo's story set out in 70 bite size themed chapters - gear!!

4 Watching: Lays' FIFA World Cup 2026 bandwagon advert 

YEEHAR!!!

5 Watching: Rip the script!

Awesome football celebration from Nike. I love football!

Overtime: World cup players motto from Basil King

Be bold - and mighty forces will come to your aid.

Senses working overtime #578

1 Reading: The Little Book of Arsenal

Some great quotes in the book, like Martin Keown's, 'Second in the league might be good enough somewhere else, but not at Arsenal'.

2 Listening: Stan Getz - Captain Marvel

This 1972 album by Stan Getz was an excellent acquisition from The Little Red Bookshop this week.

3 Missing Grace

Sadly, this week we said goodbye to Grace. 

Compared to humans, our pets (cats, dogs and horses), have a much shorter lifespan. Grace has been a much-loved part of our family since Red Phoenix Farm around 13 years ago, so it was an especially hard week. Be assured, as a kindhearted and lovely looking girl, she'll be catnip to all those boy horses in horse heaven.

4 Reading: Ringo: A Fab Life - Tom Doyle  

5 Viewing: Sleeping Dogs

I'm showing this to my Year 10 class as part of a unit on the dystopian genre. The film is very prescient, and it holds up remarkably well for a film made in 1977 (trailer is here). 

Overtime: Don Howe (Arsenal manager in 1971 - the league and FA Cup double year)

Above all we were blessed with a backbone of men with character who demanded excellence from others.

Senses working overtime #577

1 This week: out standing in their field...

...while on cross country duty at school. Go Fraser!!

2 Listening: The Boys of Dungeon Lane - Paul McCartney

Macca's latest, released this weekend, is excellent in all ways. I recommend the vinyl over other formats: the packaging, the songs, the sound - it's gear fab!

Here's a taster: Down South is a simple love song to the past.

3 Reading: Bread of Angels - Patti Smith

After being distracted for a few weeks by reading Mojo/ Guardian Weeklies, I've returned to Patti's memoir. I'll need to return to her first chapters eventually. Currently reading about the making of Horses and it's superb!

4 Watching: The Long Promised Road - Directed by Brent Wilson (no relation)

Thanks to their 20% off sale, I picked this up from JB Hi Fi for less than $10!!

5 Celebrating: King's Birthday weekend in New Zealand

Still enjoying his recent speech to Congress.

Overtime: Mahatma Gandhi

We must become the change we want to see.

Senses working overtime #576

1 This week: Celebrating with my Arsenal family: We love the Arsenal, we do!

What a week! CHAMPIONS!!

2 Also this week - autumn's frosty days

Photo by Caleb Stokes on Unsplash

3 Viewing - Person of Interest season 3

4 Feeling thankful: to Nick Marfell

Thanks to an interweb connection to NZ collector Nick Marfell, I have been able to collect two items that were lost years ago in a house move - Let it Be box set from 1970 and John Lennon's Roots album. Now sleeping sounder thanks to Nick.

5 Listening: Everything But The Girl at Maida Vale

Overtime: Dalai Lama

Happiness is not something ready-made; it comes from your own actions.

Senses working overtime #575

1 Groundhog week

A lot of rinse and repeat this week - with not much free time to progress through books (Moonraker/ Bread of Angels) or TV (Person of Interest).

2 Listening: The Who Sell Out

Ahead of its time and yet encapsulates 1967. Appreciating this one all over again this week.

3 Reading: Uncut Take 346

I am not a fan of Uncut (Mojo is far superior) but I'm a sucker for a Beatle cover!

4 Listening: Weirdo - Emma-Jean Thackray

A recommendation from Uncut paid off in this jazz inflected album from 2025. The messages may be as dark (and funny) as the cover image, but the music is joyful.

5 Living vicariously: GK's trip to Blighty 

GK at Doc Martin's digs in Port Isaac.

Overtime: Michael Nolan

There are many things in life that will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart. Pursue those.

Senses working overtime #574

1 The working week

Gnarly working week as we navigated our way through choppy waters (junior school reports, a load of marking and a round of school socials for funsies).

2 Watching: Person of Interest

We've finished Season 1 and straight into Season 2. It's got really good!

3 Listening: Blush by There's a Tuesday

Excellent album by NZ alt rock band with Margo the standout track.

4 Reading: Dr. No; Bread of Angels; Mojo #387; Guardian Weekly

Time is tight at the moment. Still going on the Patti Smith and Ian Fleming books and the regulars (Mojo and Guardian Weekly)

5 Listening: WTWMC - First steps

The amigos are up to 60 entries now.

Overtime: Vincent Van Gogh

Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brough together.

To be fair to Vinny - he said this well before John Coltrane and others had recorded on the Impulse label.

Senses working overtime #573

This week: items from my phone camera

Something a bit different for my Jewels post this week - a selection of snaps from my phone that were taken over the last seven days. 

1 Sunrise, shine down a little love on the world today:

Sunrise at Maple Grove

2 Reading: The Guardian Weekly

Some of the best journalism and expression of opinion you can find.

3 Family zoom

Top L to R: Jade, Jacky and me in NZ; Drew and Sam Kalicki in America,
Bottom L to R: Adam in 'Stralia and Keegan in China.

Happens each Sunday. It's the only way to gather the fandamly together these days.

4 Saturday walk from Maple Grove to Kintail and back

5 Listening: A Stones-a-thon 

Sticky Fingers turned up real loud.

Overtime: Arty shot

Autumn shadows on the Magpie Walk