#auckland art week

[happywebdesign]

Sam Hartnett

[quillofspirit]

We've come to the end, week 5!

Would you believe I hadn't actually planned to go to New Zealand? For a good few years, I had talked about visiting Scotland, and then my friend went to South Korea to study and on one of our 2 am catch up calls, I said to her jokingly "haha, I could visit you during my two week break in summer!" "... would you?"

And then a month before my friend was due to leave for New Zealand I said "God I can't wait to travel, I have my passport freshly made, and I have funds" "... it would be nice to have company"

Anyway- to that little girl, in her bedroom two decades ago who learned that Sagittarius yearn to travel and like spontaneity, and didn't know what it meant -- you figured it out

Visiting the art gallery was a recommendation from someone who had visited it a few times, and I didn't think I would like it as much as I did. The exhibitions were thoughtful, the themes intriguing, and we were happily surprised to find a few of the Guo Péi dresses on display.

I'm usually the type to respect animals (and their instincts) enough to keep my distance, but Emus are some of the few animals I would keep a safe distance with out of fear. I am not terrified, it's not a fear, but I think it's what some could call "self-preservation." Anyway, this one is named Elvis and I didn't dare laugh about his hairdo in front of him, but now that there's an ocean between us, I feel safe.

We visited the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, where the Treaty of the same name was signed in 1840. This single Norfolk Pine was planted by Agnes Busby, the wife of the man who helped draft the Treaty. It's highly interesting history, and my sociological self was fully invested. I recommend a good read! (there are most likely better and more nuanced resources out there for those interested, but it does give a nice broad introduction). The tree is imposing, and I took a few moments to think about the generations it has seen pass by, and the conversations it has heard.

When I left, a month earlier, my brother - way further north than I am - had been dealing with waist-high snow for about a week. We finished our travels in Auckland, in December, where there was, of course, no snow. But, there were the beautiful blooms of pōhutukawa, and I was enamoured. They are these tall and large flowering trees that only bloom in December. They form these wonderful baubles of red threads, and I can see why they are loved.

Thank you for coming along on this journey, I hope these pictures can brighten up your day!☀️

[ninjawitdaddyissues]

The Phrine™️

Aucktit/Phuckland was a fucking dream I have so so many thoughts and it's taken me a few days to actually emotionally process the whole thing.

Meeting the internet homies from the server was so much fucking fun. Shout out to the main organisers @shitwheresfoxy & @boardgamedanny.

Also meeting all the other kind, funny, cool asf phannies in line and when we got to the venue (super early) was dope asf. I truly fucking love this phandom so much. The community vibe was elite and being in a room full of absolute nerds feeling collective unrestrained joy is a feeling I will never forget.

As for the damn talent, I got gifted and swapped so many cool crafts, much of which is pictured in the above shrine!

@boardgamedanny - Bracelets out the wazoo, phonecharm, giving me the phedrooms box prop & sleeves for me photocards

@shitwheresfoxy - Your Ex mag, bracelets in a special lil baggy (my actual heart grew 3 sizes when presented w/the baggy)

@peter-must-die - Phivorce Bracelet >:)

@einsteinfrizz - TIT pin (2 more are on me bag and the Dr's at the hospital did cackle at them the other night - especially the slut toast one)

@pidglette - Rainbow Glow Project - you did so fucking good dude

@pissterdaniel - Bracelet, lesbian dnp phlag & Crochet Sister Daniel & Father Philip photocards (iconic asf)

So much cherry sticker - Made by JAB (I don't have ur handle sorry) & handed out by Gemma (again no handle!!)

TIT 2024 Art card - an angel who I met at the venue super early who I never got the @ for!!!

Other bracelets I didn't get the @ for but trust & believe they are loved and cherished!

I am so unbelievably grateful to all the absolute angels who I met who contributed to making TIT Auckland an absolute vibe and a week I will never forget.

And finally, thank you @danielhowell & @amazingphil for the beautiful community you guys incidentally created by being your silly selves on the internet. We say all the time that you're our dad's, and based on the humans I met last week, you did just fine raising us <3 Thank you.

[alexzalben]

OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH RETURNS ON OCTOBER 5

OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH returns for Season 2 on October 5, with three new episodes. Max will stream two new episodes a week until the season finale on October 26.

Teaser trailer, key art, and more info below!

The eight-episode second season of the Max Original comedy series OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH, from creator-showrunner David Jenkins, Emmy®-nominated executive producer and star Taika Waititi, and Emmy®-nominated executive producer Garrett Basch, debuts with three episodes THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5 on Max. The season continues with two new episodes weekly leading up to the season finale on Thursday, October 26.  

Season 2 logline: OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH is based (very) loosely on the true adventures of 18th century would-be pirate Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby). After trading the seemingly charmed life of a gentleman for one of a swashbuckling buccaneer, Stede became captain of the pirate ship Revenge. Struggling to earn the respect of his potentially mutinous crew, Stede’s fortunes changed after a fateful run-in with the infamous Captain Blackbeard (Taika Waititi). To their surprise, the wildly different Stede and Blackbeard found more than friendship on the high seas…they found love. Now, they have to survive it.  

Season 2 cast: In addition to Darby and Waititi, season two stars returning cast members Samson Kayo, Vico Ortiz, Ewen Bremner, Joel Fry, Matthew Maher, Kristian Nairn, Con O’Neill, David Fane, Samba Schutte, Nat Faxon, and Leslie Jones. New additions joining the ensemble cast include recurring guest stars Ruibo Qian, Madeleine Sami, Anapela Polataivao, and Erroll Shand, and guest stars Minnie Driver and Bronson Pinchot.  

Season 2 credits: OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH is executive produced by Academy Award® winner Taika Waititi, alongside creator-showrunner David Jenkins. In addition to his duties as showrunner, Jenkins directed the first two episodes of season two. Garrett Basch, Dan Halsted, Adam Stein, and Antoine Douaihy also serve as executive producers. Season two was filmed in Auckland, New Zealand.

[phanfictioncatalogue]

Established Relationship (10) Masterlist

part one, part two, part three, part four, part five, part six, part seven, part eight, part nine

2 minutes (ao3) - easybubbyy

Summary: On the long flight to Australia, Dan gets a tad bit handsy. They sort it out in the bathroom.

15 Years (ao3) - manchesterau

Summary: Their lives, forever intertwined.

15 Years of Forever (ao3) - theheartnexttophan

Summary: As of October 19th, 2024, Dan and Phil have known each other for 15 years. They’ve had 15 years of moments together, so here is one moment for each year.

alpaca (ao3) - ShiwiSins (IetjeSiobhan)

Summary: It’s just a joke, a bit of fun, this lack of explicit confirmation they have going on, except for the fact that right now, it feels less like a joke and more like he still has to flinch away from some of the touches he wants.

Or: They're in Sydney when they decide to come out.

angel and demon (ao3) - possumdnp

Summary: Dan and Phil go out to a bar dressed in a couple's costume, and Dan is surprised at just how freeing it feels.

(A fic about Halloween 2024, pushing boundaries, and the perils of red hair dye.)

attired to defy (ao3) - buskingalbatross

Summary: One of Dan and Phil's favorite board games is Wingspan. At first blush, like many other board games, it can seem a bit complicated. But, once the basics are learned, it becomes clear that really, all Wingspan needs to be is an excuse to look at pretty art of birds and learn facts about them. You don’t have to strategize to have fun playing the game. On days where you’re in a post-New Year’s haze on top of being sick, it’s a game that can require almost zero mental effort.

bragging rights (ao3) - wednesday_ukiru

Summary: A hot doctor sits down next to Phil as he’s coming off anesthesia.

Comfort in Chaos (ao3) - Anonymous

Summary: Phil wakes to Dan having a nightmare that he struggles to rouse him from. It later transpires that there is a reason behind his unsettled and panicked behaviour.

Delicate (ao3) - easybubbyy

Summary: Phil reveals a hidden desire to be treated more femininely by Dan, particularly drawn to Dan's masculinity and how he looks in sleeveless shirts. Dan indulges Phil's desires, leading to a passionate evening of trust, affection, and deep connection.

Falling for you (ao3) - dnpangels

Summary: Dan and Phil are cuddling in Phil's tour bus bunk. When Dan slips and falls out of the bunk, he wakes up the entire tour crew. Fluff and teasing from the crew ensues.

family (ao3) - hello456there

Summary: Dan and Phil unexpectedly have to babysit their niece

Float (ao3) - Aliquis

Summary: Dan's a professional, after all, and this is his job. Just another day at the office in front of hundreds of their grown-up fans whose expectations exited the stratosphere somewhere between his last two posts on socials. Fuck.

golden kiwi (ao3) - possumdnp

Summary: "Phil turns the corner and spots it on display in a corner of the shop: a large golden kiwi statue. It’s quite possibly the most majestic object he’s ever seen."

(A fic set during Dan and Phil's day off in Auckland during the Terrible Influence Tour.)

Google Phwed (ao3) - theheartnexttophan

Summary: Dan and Phil are filming a game of Google Feud for the gaming channel when they get a rather familiar prompt.

Help Taking it Off (ao3) - cats_with_no_tails

Summary: I don’t know if Dan helped Phil pick out the phlonde-launch outfit, but I certainly imagine he helped take it off.

—

Set the day of Phil’s blonde hair announcement - Dan comes home to him in that cunty little midriff and wants to devour him.

here comes the heat (before we meet) (ao3) - possumdnp

Summary: Three weeks is way too long to go without seeing each other and touching each other.

(Set during Dan’s February 2010 trip up north to see Phil after coming home from India.)

Holding On For Just Tonight (ao3) - definitelynotczargasm

Summary: The night before Dan leaves for the American leg of WAD, he suffers a little crisis of faith. As always, Phil is there to help him through it.

[set a few hours after the filming of "Dan Is Leaving Me"]

i thought that i was dreaming (ao3) - twoheadlights (fizzfic)

Summary: Dan and Phil and the beds they've shared. Basically.

Jacket Stolen From Husband (ao3) - danrifics

Summary: Dan wants to marry Phil, Phil wants to marry Dan. They’re both waiting for the other to propose.

Like Fine Print (ao3) - totalincandescense

Summary: Every few weeks, Dan was given an unfriendly reminder of at least one of the many reasons why he never went outside.

The most frequently recurring thing on the list being the general existence of people.

But more specifically, the existence of people who flirted with Phil.

make me feel (ao3) - blossomsphan

Summary: dan discovers a new use for his walk-in closet

Meant to be, we might be alright now (ao3) - lesbosz

Summary: Dan thinks about the cramped tour bus bunks and traveling the world again with his soulmate of 15 years.

nana (ao3) - dizzy

Summary: Dan's grandmother goes to see the Terrible Influence Tour.

Proxy Requests (ao3) - philsmeatylegss

Summary: A story about poop and fear (unrelated)

One Yaps, One Disassociates (ao3) - philsmeatylegss

Summary: One yaps, one disassociates meme except it’s rpf

Origins of the Phass Inflation Post (Dan and Phil in Greece) (ao3) - EverythingIsAsItWas

Summary: Dan and Phil rarely take vacations just for themselves, vacations in which they make no content, do not work, and simply enjoy each other's company. Going to Greece feels like the perfect opportunity for this, but Phil also thinks it's the perfect opportunity for a video... and Dan likes being a little shit.

some of the most normal pictures (ao3) - natigail

Summary: Phil took many photos of Dan. It was second nature. To capture this life that they shared and this man that he got to share it with. Each moment precious, captured when Dan was his most relaxed and at ease. And they're completely normal. Of course.

*Behind the scenes look at each of the photos from this year's birthday tweet from Phil to Dan*

somebody said you’re an owl (ao3) - possumdnp

Summary: Phil hears an owl outside the house. (Or does he?)

A fic about relaxing summer nights and birdwatching with the person you love.

Spearmint & Espresso (ao3) - blossomsphan

Summary: Scents (and cuddles) can be healing ☕️🫧

sunkissed (ao3) - ivylakes

Summary: Maybe Phil was made to pour warmth into this man and leave little marks all over his body the way the sun does when it covers his skin with freckles. Maybe everything they’ve ever done and every little way they’ve loved each other has culminated in this very moment, where they can hardly see each other in the low light but are still brighter than the yellow light that breaks through the sky and glitters on the ocean.

Or, Dan and Phil go on holiday, and every photo they take tells a story.

the angel in the marble (ao3) - ivylakes

Summary: Phil dyes his hair blonde, Dan calls him angel, and neither of them can get any work done.

the hoodie bow incident (ao3) - antiadvil

Summary: they were kissing.

The Hunt (ao3) - toadsappho

Summary: Omega!Phil is forced to participate in a barbaric mating practice, but he's not going to go down without a fight

the night is thinking of love (ao3) - ShiwiSins (IetjeSiobhan)

Summary: Dan wants to be indulged so badly he doesn’t even know what he wants Phil to indulge him with; wants to enjoy the process of ordering something nice, because Phil is paying and he said anything, so much he doesn’t want to order anything at all and drag Phil home instead, only that he also really, really wants every single second of this: of ordering, of Phil paying, of being indulged.

Or: Dan and Phil tour and, simultaneously, slowly explore Dan's kink further.

waiting up (ao3) - pensieveity

Summary: dan falls asleep in his chair editing. the next morning, phil has a (not so) serious conversation about them needing to a video editor to help out.

[windturns]

in  texas,  solana  hira  is  known  to  most  as  sol.  they  have  been  riding  with  the  reapers  for  fifteen  years.  they’re  originally  from  auckland,  new  zealand  and  the  secretary  is  known  to  be  very  intimidating  &  blunt  but  the  other  club  members  will  tell  you  they  are  magnanimous  &  protective.  as  the  years  go  by,  they’ve  gained  a  lot  of  respect  in  the  club  and  around  town.  they’re  usually  at  diamond  ink,  working  as  the  owner.  they  rarely  ever  drive  a  car  but  when  they  do  edge  of  seventeen  by  stevie  nicks  is  usually  heard  blasting.

༄　𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪.

full  name.　solana  marie  hira　　aliases.　sol　　birthdate.　14th  february ( 40 )　　hometown.　auckland,  nz　　gender  +  pronouns.　cis  woman  +  she/her　　orientation.　pansexual　　zodiac.　capricorn　　occupation.　secretary  for  the  reapers  +  owner  of  diamond  ink　　face  claim.　simone  kessell　　aesthetics.　intricate  and  expensive  gold  rings  wrapped  around  every  finger,  a  beating  heart  hidden  behind  a  cold  stare,  the  gentle  buzz  of  a  tattoo  gun  in  a  quiet  room.

༄　𝗜𝗡-𝗗𝗘𝗣𝗧𝗛.

your  life  was  doomed  to  fail  before  it  ever  truly  began.  the  only  daughter  of  a  gambling  addict  mother  drowning  in  debt  and  an  alcoholic  father  who  might  as  well  have  been  a  mythical  creature  with  how  rarely  you  saw  him,  it  was  clear  that  you  had  been  dealt  a  bad  hand.  but  you  were  nothing  if  not  resilient,  and  so  you  did  your  best  to  play  your  cards  right. a  lover  of  fine  art,  you  had  big  dreams  of  becoming  a  famous  artist.  when  they  couldn’t  find  you  underneath  the  shade  of  a  tree  drawing  in  the  cheap  sketchbook  you  spent  a  week  saving  up  for,  you  would  be  in  the  art  room  after  class  hours  taking  advantage  of  the  free  materials  and  painted  whatever  your  heart  desired.  you  had  talent. real,  genuine,  raw  talent.  it’s  a  shame  nothing  ever  came  of  it. when  you  were  twenty-three,  you  met  an  american  man  in  the  local  diner  you  served  at.  his  name  was  daniel.  he  was  tall,  handsome,  and  a  little  older  than  you  were,  but  god,  you  fell hard.  you  had  the  perfect  whirlwind  summer  romance,  and  when  time  came  for  him  to  return  to  his  hometown  in  texas,  you  all  but  begged  to  be  taken  with  him.  there  was  nothing  for  you  in  auckland,  so  what  was  there  to  lose? as  it  turned  out,  daniel  was  part  of  the  motorcycle  club,  called  themselves the  reapers.  you  found  yourself  around  them  more  often  — dan’s  girl,  they  liked  to  call  you  (you  never  knew  if  it  was  affectionate  or  if  they  never  bothered  to  learn  your  name.)  for  the  most  part,  you  latched  onto  them  because  it  was  all  you  knew.  after  all,  you  were  a  foreigner  in  a  foreign  country,  so  you  had  no  other  choice  but  to  stick  to  the  one  person  you  knew  like  glue.  but  you  found  yourself  enjoying  the  culture,  and  after  a  couple  of monts  you  weren’t  just  there  for  daniel,  but  as  a  prospect  for  the  reapers. you  and  daniel  never  married,  but  you  might  as  well  have  been.  you  two  were  a  team,  a  pair,  a  unit,  and  no  one  ever  saw  one  without  the  other  if  there  wasn’t  a  reasonable  explanation.  that  is,  until  one  night,  when  you  came  into  the  forge  frantic  as  you  asked  everyone  if  they  had  seen  your  beloved.  it’s  been  fifteen  years  and  you  never  got  your  answer  — missing  and  presumed  dead.  there’s  a  part  of  you  that  still  hopes  he’s  out  there,  alive  and  well,  but  you  don’t  know  if  you’re  ready  to  confront  it,  and  so  you  push  it  deep  down,  just  another  myth  you  never  tell.

༄　𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗢𝗡𝗦.

displays  a  quiet  type  of  anger.  always  seething,  but  never  enraged.  on  the  outside,  cold-hearted.  hardly  lets  anyone  in  out  of  fear  of  being  abandoned  again.  but  by  god,  solana  is  so  full  of  love.  it's  so  hard  to  pull  away  when  your  heart  is  magnetic.

the  type  of  person  to  tell  you  like  it  is.  if  it's  comfort  you  want  from  solana,  you're  not  gonna  get  it.  if  you  want  a  real,  honest  opinion,  she's  who  you  run  to.  she's  not  someone  who  sugarcoats  her  words  or  beats  around  the  bush.

opened  diamond  ink  when  she  first  came  to  straton  with  the  help  of  daniel  and  a  few  reapers.  she  doesn't  entertain  new  clients  anymore  and  takes  on  more  of  a  managerial  position,  but  she's  not  opposed  to  picking  up  the  tattoo  gun  for  loyal,  longtime  clients.

not  particular  about  the  rivalry  between  clubs,  but  remain  loyal  to  the  reapers  as  they  were  there  from  her  from  the  moment  she  moved  to  straton.  she  considers  them  family  and  would  do  anything  for  them,  though  she  would  never  admit  that  out  loud.

hasn't  been  in  a  real  relationship  since  daniel.  hookups,  sure,  fleeting  flings,  maybe,  but  she'll  run  away  at  the  first  sign  of  something  becoming  more  serious.

[pynkhues]

To your beacon in the gloom. Interview with the Vampire. Lestat x Louis. NC-17. 13k words.

A year after Louis and Lestat reunite, they're still figuring it out. Daniel calls it out, Louis tries to move them forwards, and maybe they just fuck instead.

-

If Louis were to muse on it, which he does, despite himself, often, he’d say there was something carnal to the act of it. Something to harvesting your life, reaping your memories, threshing those moments of significance, of truth, of honesty from the thick crop of day-to-day mundanity, to pass on to a man who intends to make something of it. Off it. To take these things that have spent more than a lifetime growing in the fecund soil of you to cut, to cook, to plate up and serve for a ravenous public to devour.

Fruitage, preparation, consumption where Louis found himself both deft handed with Daniel, and deftly handled by him, a part of the art for once, instead of the purveyor of it, something neither Armand nor even Lestat had been able to give him. The businessman in him shed for the first time in what felt a millennia to leave only the man – brother, father, lover, vampire, and for a short while, simply human.

Which is all to say he perhaps should’ve expected it – Daniel’s newly assumed authority on the subject of his life. The space those two weeks in Dubai, those 15 sessions of remembrance and revelation created between the two (three? Four?) of them. An intimacy Louis finds to be both shallowly presumed and deeply, startlingly real.

“No,” Louis replies as the question Daniel has just floated into his head cuts across the music playing in the other room, closing the book in his lap. “There’s nothing left to bury but the memories of her, and I ain’t interested in doing that.”

“Don’t think of it as a funeral then, think of it as a memorial, hell, a vigil - - these things are ceremonial, they’re symbolic, and most importantly, they’re for the living.”

“I have my time with her,” Louis says, rising to slip the book – Robert Stalnaker’s seminal Mere Possibilities: Metaphysical Foundations of Modal Semantics – back to its place on the shelf in his newly renovated reading room, his interest already having waned.

Instead, he briefly wonders where Daniel is – still on tour for the book, that much he knows, a string of literary festivals across the South Pacific. He vaguely recalls mentions of Ubud and Auckland – but that thought passes too. Distance seems fleeting when they can close it now so simply after Armand’s petulant punishment.

“You know that. You’ve seen the room I’ve made for her and Paul here.”

“The difference, Louis, is a service is a place to share grief, not internalize it, and if you and Lestat are living together again - - ”

“We’re not,” Louis says quickly, too quickly, maybe, because Daniel somehow manages to scoff through the mind connection.

“You know I can hear both of your thoughts, right?”

Louis rolls his eyes, running a taloned finger along the spines that populate his bookshelf. No more philosophy tonight, he thinks. It’s trying his patience. 

“So he comes over sometimes,” he says, plucking out a copy of Paul Beatty’s The Sellout, and turning it over to read the blurb.

“He’s playing a piano at your penthouse right now, and correct me if I’m wrong, Louis, but you never had the musical acumen, which means not only is he playing it, but one of you moved an 800 pound upright past a swarm of pissed off vampires, building security, and up 83 floors to put it there.”

Read it on ao3 here.

[lara635kookie]

Red Crackle Week Day 4: Valentine's Day

Headcanons on their first Valentine's Day:

• They went to Auckland

• Like come on

• It's basically their city at this point

• They own Auckland

• And that is not arguable lol

• Valentine's Day was just the excuse they needed to tour around New Zealand

• They would spend Valentine's Day in Auckland

• And then travel around New Zealand for a week

• A month max

• On Valentine's Day they started their day at the beach

• After lunch, they went to museums and art galleries

• At night, typical candlelit dinner

• Where they exchange gifts

• They end the day watching a movie with popcorn while cuddling

• And their extended Valentine's Day continues

• With photos of them all around New Zealand

• In tulip fields and with different types of animals and flowers and overall plants

• Doing all kinds of things

• Like parachute jumping (one for each this time)

• And after that New Zealand became their confort country

[charlesandmartine]

Saturday 2nd November 2024

A much better night has passed without the orchestra of unknown players turning up. It was entirely peaceful with no interruptions. Having said that, we had just watched a TV documentary covering the murder a couple of years ago of the British girl, Grace Millane in Auckland NZ.

So after breakfast, much more refreshed than yesterday, we followed signs for the Hot Springs on the outskirts of Katherine. These are naturally occurring warm water Springs, although as far as I can tell, they are not thermal Springs, just warm ground water from a high water table. Well, hey, they are very popular with the local non-indigenous population and with the added attraction of a pop-up cafe, what's not to like? Martine had a little dip before finding what was not to like. The Springs followed a bending course, and just around one such bend was a tree absolutely full of fruit bats! Well, you can't have everything I suppose. There was a very nice signboard at the top of the steps which read: "Time is like a river. You can never touch the same water twice because the flow that has gone by will never go by again."

Let's just leave this as sentimental philosophy and not go down the Carpe Diem route. Just an interesting reflection of life. It's hardly Socrates, Seneca or Thomas Aquinas after all. Move on from there. The coffee was good in the pop-up cafe. The cafe will only be there another week and then there will be the wet season. The cafe uses a converted shipping container. The man told us that in a couple of weeks the whole thing will be shipped out. The wet season has produced floods which came pretty much to the top of the container before now. We find this all very hard to imagine, but it does explain why, even in such manicured grounds and springs, there are crocodile signs up. Flood conditions permit crocodiles to swap locations and move house, Love it or List it style.

A storm was brewing at 2pm but it just missed us, passing slightly to the west of us. Our next appointment this afternoon was not until 5pm. We had been told the Ghan train would be in Katherine Station this afternoon, so we very much wanted to revisit the service that we have travelled on a few years ago. In the meantime, Martine managed a couple of episodes of the Archers. As soon as the title music came on, a cow mooed in appreciation. Martine is about 2 weeks behind, so no spoilers, please.

Well, once again, best made plans and all, we showed up with plenty of time to spare at the Katherine Passenger Rail Terminal, and no Ghan. Had it gone, you ask? Well, we didn't know the answer to that. I mean, it is not easy hiding a 30 coach train after all. We shall investigate the return train for later in the week.

Big excitement tomorrow. We have a 2hr riverboat cruise on the Katherine Gorge, but an early start, so we are hoping the orchestra doesn't show tonight. Back to the little apartment and SB with rubbery chicken.

ps. We met a Timorese Art Teacher doing a pastel painting of the pop-up cafe. Nice bloke, and really interesting talking to him about teaching art to year 10 and 11 students.

pps. Although it was over 40 today, it dropped later on to 34. People around here put a jumper on if it drops much more than that!

[ofbeautsandbeasts]

WOOHOO!!! 🥳🎉 @jennyfair7 I received your gifts a week ago and finally found the time to write about them! It's been hectic with the traveling. My spouse and I first flew to LA on the 20th and stayed there for a couple nights enjoying the art and food, then we went on an 8-hr flight to Tahiti and spent 4 hours sweating around in their hot airport, and finally flew another 5 hours to Auckland, NZ. We arrived on the 24th and we were exhausted and it's been a lot of non-stop quality time with the extended family 😅 until now...almost midnight on Christmas ��

AahHhh, so many wonderful presents!!! 😍 (As usual, some of my plushies have come out to join the merriment 🤠)

[A close-up of the smaller items] Did you go to a Space Center or something recently? That light-up astronaut is so cool 👩‍🚀 I love all the boba-related stuff (and so does my Wawa frog plush)! 💖 Meanwhile, Fun Gus adores that gorgeous mushroom postcard, of course 🍄 How did you know I have an affinity for sunglasses-wearing pineapples? 😂🍍 William the Worm looks so adorable in that sticker 🥰🐛

OMG, I can't believe you got me the Zombie Monkey!!! 🙊🙉😭 I was so happy when I unveiled him 😆The Eriks have been teaching him how to play Masquerade, but he currently prefers screeching menacingly 🤣

Don't worry, my kawaii monkey will teach him how to play it in no time 😜

THANK YOU SO MUCH for the fantastic gifts, Jenn!! I adore them all! 🥰 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!! 🎅🎄🎊🥂

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 10.25

Holidays

Accounting Career Day

Angram Day (Day of Fulfillment; Nauru)

Armed Forces Day (Romania)

Balaclava Day

Basque Country Day (Spain)

Battle of Agincourt Day (UK)

Beet Root Day (French Republic)

Cartoonists Against Crime Day

Chucky The Notorious Killer Doll Day

Council of Elrond Day (Lord of the Rings)

Customs Officer’s Day (Russia)

Day of the Basque Country

Disabled Ace Day

Dioscuri (Shoemaker’s Day)

European Day of Justice

European Lawyers Day

Gormanudr (Old Icelandic)

International Artists Day

International Butterfly Skin Day

International Hoist the Colours Day

Know Your Classmates Day

Larry Itliong Day (California)

Longbow Day

Lung Health Day

MDS World Awareness Day

Military Chaplain Day (Ukraine)

National Danielle Day

National Dog Adoption Day (UK)

National Fine Art Appreciation Day

National Gospel Day (Cook Islands)

National Hay Safe Day (Australia)

National Hope for Henry Day

National I Care About You Day

National Kick Tall People Day

National Merri Music Day (a.k.a. Reggae)

National No Workplace Drama Day

National Shoe Lover Day

National Skinflammation Day

National Yasmin Day

Northamptonshire Day (UK)

Occipital Neuralgia Awareness Day

Pharmacy Buyer Day

Postural Tachycardia Syndrome Awareness Day (UK)

Punk-For-A-Day Day

Retrocession Day (Taiwan)

Say "Hey" Day

Thanksgiving Day (Grenada)

World Dwarfism Awareness Day

World Karate Day

World Opera Day

World Spina Bifida Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Feta Cheese Protection Day

International Crisp Sandwich Day (UK)

National Greasy Foods Day

Sourest Day

World Pasta Day

World Pizza Makers Day

Independence & Related Days

Constitution Day (Lithuania)

Hawke’s Bay Provincial Day (New Zealand)

Lienish Sovereign Republic (Declared; 2021) [unrecognized]

Republic Day (Kazakhstan)

Restoration Day (Taiwan; 1945)

Sovereignty Day (Slovenia)

Uantir (Declared; 2007) [unrecognized]

4th & Last Friday in October

Bring Your Jack-O-Lantern to Work Day [Last Friday before Halloween]

Comfort Food Friday [Every Friday]

Education Communication Day [Last Friday]

Field Trip Friday [Last Friday of Each Month]

Finally Friday [Last Friday of Each Month]

Five For Friday [Every Friday]

Food Waste Friday (Canada) [Last Friday]

Frankenstein Friday [Last Friday]

Flapjack Friday [4th Friday of Each Month]

Flashback Friday [Every Friday]

Flatbread Friday [Last Friday of Each Month]

Flirtatious Friday [4th Friday of Each Month]

Friday Finds [Every Friday]

Fry Day (Pastafarian; Fritism) [Every Friday]

Global Champagne Day [4th Friday]

International Bandanna Day (Australia) [Last Friday]

International Champagne Day [4th Friday]

Mokosh Day (Ukraine) [Last Friday]

National BETA Founder’s Day [4th Friday]

National Breadstick Day [Last Friday]

Nevada Day (Nevada) [Last Friday]

Red Friday [Friday of Last Full Week]

TGIF (Thank God It's Friday) [Every Friday]

World Lemur Day [Last Friday]

World Teachers’ Day (Australia) [Last Friday]

Weekly Holidays beginning October 25 (3rd Full Week of October)

International Magic Week (thru 10.31)

Festivals Beginning October 25, 2024

Arkansas Bean Fest and Championship Outhouse Races (Mountain View, Arkansas) [thru 10.26]

Armageddon Expo (Auckland, New Zealand) [thru 10.28]

Bram Stoker Festival (Dublin, Ireland) [thru 10.28]

Cedar Livestock Heritage Festival (Cedar City, Utah) [thru 10.26]

Czhilispiel (Flatonia, Texas) [thru 10.27]

Fredericksburg Food & Wine Fest (Fredericksburg, Texas) [thru 10.26]

French Food Festival (Larose, Louisiana) [thru 10.27]

Georgia Gourd Festival (Griffin, Georgia) [thru 10.27]

Great Ogeechee Seafood Festival (Richmond Hill, Georgia) [thru 10.26]

Hawai'i Food & Wine Festival (Kaanapali, Maui, Hawaii) [thru 10.27]

Lund International Fantastic Film Festival (Lund, Sweden) [thru 10.31]

Naples Stone Crab Festival (Naples, Florida) [thru 10.27]

Shrimp & Grits Festival (Jekyll Island, Georgia) [thru 10.26]

South Louisiana Blackpot Festival & Cookoff (Lafayette, Louisiana) [thru 10.26]

Taste Gala (Indianapolis, Indiana)

Feast Days

Akihisa Ikeda (Artology)

Ann Tyler (Writerism)

Antonio Ciseri (Artology)

Bernat Calbó (a.k.a. Bernard of Calvo; Christian; Saint)

Boniface I, Pope (Christian; Saint)

Canna (Christian; Saint)

Carlo Gnocchi (Christian; Blessed)

Cockatoo (Muppetism)

Crysanthus and Daria (Western Christianity; Martyrs)

Crispin and Crispinian (Christian; Martyrs)

The Day To Be Named Later (Church of the SubGenius)

Elif Shafak (Writerism)

Feast of Forty Martyrs of England and Wales (Christian; Martyrs)

Fréret (Positivist; Saint)

Fructus (Christian; Saint)

Gaudentius of Brescia (Christian; Saint)

Goeznovius (Christian; Saint)

The Hallowing of Nestorius (Christian; Saint)

Ismail Gulgee (Artology)

John Berryman (Writerism)

Minias of Florence (Christian; Saint)

Mar Nestorius (in the Nestorian churches; Christian; Saint)

Munzipan Feast (Shamanism)

Nils Dardel (Artology)

Pablo Picasso (Artology)

Peter Ledger (Artology)

Requena Nozal (Artology)

Richard Parkes Bonington (Artology)

Selket’s Day (Pagan)

The Six Welsh Martyrs and companions (in Wales; Christian; Saint)

Tabitha (Dorcas; Christian; Saint)

Taiyō Matsumoto (Artology)

Tegulus (Christian; Saint)

Thaddeus McCarthy (Christian; Blessed)

Thesmophoria begins (Ancient Greek festival honoring the goddesses Demeter and her daughter Persephone; ends 27th; originally 11-13 Pyanepsion)

Tyrus Wong (Artology)

Victoria Francés (Artology)

World Pasta Day (Pastafarian)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

Adventures of Popeye (Fleischer Popeye Cartoon; 1935)

Beat Crazy, by Joe Jackson (Album; 1980)

Better Than Revenge, by Taylor Swift (Song; 2010)

Billy Jack, by Honeyhoney (Album; 2011)

Camelot (Film; 1967)

Curly Sue (Film; 1991)

Daydream Believer, by The Monks (Song; 1967)

The Electric Company (TV Series; 1971)

A Fine Feathered Frenzy (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1954)

Frida (Film; 2002)

The Grass is Blue, by Dolly Parton (Album; 1999)

Halloween (Film; 1978)

Happy Holidays (Phantasies Cartoon; 1940)

The Housing Problem (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1946)

Jackass: The Movie (Film; 2002)

Jolly the Clown (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1957)

Krush Groove (Film; 1985)

Meatless Tuesday (Andy Panda Cartoon; 1943)

National Ransom, by Elvis Costello (Album; 2010)

Newhart (TV Series; 1982)

No Plan B, 27th Jack Reacher book, by Lee Child (Novel; 2022)

No Woman, Not Cry, by Bob Marley (Song; 1974)

Otogizōshi: The Fairy Tale Book of Dazai Osamu, by Osamu Dazai (Short Stories; 1945)

Pal Joey (Film; 1957)

Piano Concerto No. 1 in Bb Minor, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Piano Concerto; 1875)

Pink Arcade (Pink Panther Cartoon; 1978)

Poinciana, by Benny Carter (Song; 1943)

The Preamble (America Rock Cartoon; Schoolhouse Rock; 1975)

The Satanic Bible, by Anton Szandor LaVey (Religious Text; 1969)

Seven Sinners (Film; 1940)

Shadow of the Moon, by M.M. Kaye (Novel; 1956)

Sneak, Snoop, and Snitch (Animated Antics Cartoon; 1940)

The Snoozing’ Bruin (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1971)

Still Crazy After All These Years, by Paul Simon (Album; 1975)

Speak Now, by Taylor Swift (Album; 2010)

Swords in the Mist, by Fritz Leiber (Short Stories; 1968) [Fafhrd and Gray Mouser #3]

Tour de Farce (The Inspector Cartoon; 1967)

Twelfth Night (Film; 1996)

Today’s Name Days

Krispin, Krispinian (Austria)

Darija, Katarina (Croatia)

Beáta (Czech Republic)

Crispinus (Denmark)

Raivo, Riivo, Veevo, Viivo (Estonia)

Sointu (Finland)

Crépin (France)

Daria, Hans, Ludwig, Lutz (Germany)

Chrysanthi, Hrysaphis (Greece)

Bianka, Blanka (Hungary)

Daria (Italy)

Beāte, Beatrise, Betrise (Latvia)

Darija, Inga, Švitrigaila, Vaigedė (Lithuania)

Margrete, Märtha, Merete (Norway)

Bończa, Bonifacy, Chryzant, Daria, Inga, Kryspin, Maur, Sambor, Taras, Teodozjusz, Wilhelmina (Poland)

Marcian, Martirie (Romania)

Aurel (Slovakia)

Bernardo, Crisanto, Crispín, Frutos (Spain)

Inga, Ingalillt (Sweden)

Denzel, Crispin, Crispina, Gavin, Gawen (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 299 of 2024; 67 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 5 of Week 43 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Gort (Ivy) [Day 27 of 28]

Chinese: Month 9 (Jia-Xu), Day 23 (en-Xu)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 23 Tishri 5785

Islamic: 21 Rabi II 1446

J Cal: 29 Orange; Eighthday [29 of 30]

Julian: 12 October 2024

Moon: 38%: Waning Crescent

Positivist: 19 Descartes (11th Month) [D’Aguesseau / Montesquieu]

Runic Half Month: Wyn (Joy) [Day 4 of 15]

Season: Autumn or Fall (Day 34 of 90)

Week: 3rd Full Week of October

Zodiac: Scorpio (Day 3 of 30)

[happywebdesign]

Ne Geurra

[zigster-ao3]

Presenting the first chapter of my @ofmd-reverse-bang 's fic!

Title: Sway with Me Main pairing: Stede Bonnet/Ed Teach Tags: AU - modern setting, Dirty Dancing AU, if you squint, summer vacation, clothes sharing, fast burn, semi-public sex, sharing a bed, emotional support as a love language, gift giving, Stede is lowkey obsessed with Ed's hair, we don't blame him, Mary is the best wingman Summary: As a last hurrah to the end of their marriage, Stede and Mary pack up their sensible Volvo and take themselves and the children on a two-week holiday to an all-inclusive resort island just off the coast of Auckland. On their first night, Stede slips out the door of their suite to stroll along the peaceful shoreline and somehow finds himself in the company of a new friend.

A Dirty Dancing AU (if you squint) featuring the fiercely supportive, ex-wife goddess: Mary, the canonical experience of Ed and Stede falling for each other entirely too quickly, The Hands Twins, and a Fuckery finale for a touch of flare. Length: 40ishk - the 11 chapters of this story will be posted biweekly until the big finale and Mahnah's fab art masterpiece!

[planetwaving]

tagged by @chicken-delight yippeee thank u erica these were fun 😁😁

1. are you named after anyone?

named myself after my favourite band of brothers character when i was 15 <3

2. when was the last time you cried?

umm a few weeks ago ? because it was the last night i ever slept in my childhood house 😐 ive been crying less lately i think its the testosterone

3. do you have kids?

no but maybe someday... id like to adopt or foster or something. maybe be a stepdad

4. what sport did you play/ have you played?

i played netball for 7 years from ages 5 to 12, and i played roller derby for a while in highschool until we ran out of coaches :(

5. do you use sarcasm?

constantly

6. what is the first thing you notice about people?

hair i think. and maybe chin/face shape

7. whats your eye color?

brown 😏

8. scary movies or happy endings?

happy endings. im a sucker

9. any talents

umm painting/drawing ? and my memory is good 👍

10. where were you born?

auckland, nz

11. hobbies?

painting & drawing, reading, riding the bus, hiking & camping

12. do you have pets?

yeas 2 cats <3

13. how tall are you?

5'4 or 5'5 idk

14. fave subject in school?

art design <33 and media studies

15. dream job?

i reeaaaally wanna be an archivist... maybe for a museum or city council but i'd love to work for a private collecter of like photos or magazines or records

i'm gonna tag @antiquesintheattic @imeminemp3 @transgenderbobdylan and @transneilyoung 😁😁

[sustainabilityandthecity]

Workshop Week (pt. 1): Te Rongo Kirkwood

My first official blog post - how exciting!!!! ^__^

Our first week of the Sustainable Fashion Design degree kicked off with a 'workshop week', featuring a diverse array of activities and guest speakers. In this blog post, I'll focus on our first guest speaker: Te Rongo Kirkwood.

Te Rongo Kirkwood, an Auckland-based multi-medium artist, specialises in kiln-formed glass and the integration of art glass with various other materials. Her work is characterized by meticulous craftsmanship and a holistic/spiritual approach. What struck me most about her work was not just its aesthetic beauty, but also the depth of meaning and connection she infuses into each piece.

I found myself captivated not only by Te Rongo's artistry but also by the challenges she has overcome to reach her current position. Her passion for her craft and the personal significance it holds for her were truly inspiring. Having the opportunity to learn from such an incredible artist and individual was an honour, and I couldn't have asked for a better introduction to our course.

Te Rongo is of Māori (Wai o Hua, Ngai Tai ki Tamaki, Te Kauwerau a Maki, Ngapuhi, Taranaki), English and Scottish heritage [1] and this is heavily reflected through her works, both physically and spiritually. Kirkwood incorporates a Tikanga Māori worldview into her work by grounding her work in Māori principles such as Whakapapa “(or genealogy), a line of descent from ancestors down to the present day. Whakapapa links people to all other living things, and to the earth and the sky, and it traces the universe back to its origins. Through Whakapapa, Māori trace their ancestry all the way back to the beginnings of the universe. Whakapapa orders both a seen and unseen world, and shapes the Māori world view.” [2] 

This interconnectedness of all things serves as the foundation of Kirkwood’s work, inspiring me to explore similar themes in my own designs, despite coming from a different cultural background. Although I am of Pakistani and Afghani descent (and not of Maori descent) there are many shared ideas regarding community, culture and spirituality between our respective cultures that are of great significance to me that I would love to explore in my own work as a designer.

Fashion design, as Te Rongo emphasised, is about storytelling. It's not just about creating beautiful garments, but about conveying deeper meanings and messages through them, and this resonated deeply with me. While I want my work to be aesthetically beautiful, I want its meaning to be what takes precedence. 

Te Rongo urged us to use our art as a means of communicating something larger than ourselves, prompting us to consider, "What is my service to the world?" Her words left a profound impact on me, shaping my understanding of the role of art and design in society.

I had originally planned for this 1st blog post to be a summary of both of our Guest Speakers from the first day, but as I reflected on my notes for the day and worked on this write-up, it became apparent to me that the richness of the knowledge departed to us by Kirkwood required a post of its own. I genuinely can not think of a better introduction to this course and to my blog than Kirkwood’s guest lecture. Kirkwood instilled in us the importance of being clear, unapologetic and uncompromising when it comes to our values in art, and this is something I plan to carry with me for my entire life and in everything that I do.

Thank you to Te Rongo for taking the time to share her wisdom with us, and to Whitecliffe for facilitating.  

Signing off for now, Adam <3

References

[1]

[2]

Photos (in order of shown):

1:

https://coastalartstrail.nz/event/artist-talk-te-rongo-kirkwood/

2:

3 & 4:

5 & 6:

7 & 8:

9 & 10: Own

[head-post]

Australian and New Zealand Indigenous Policies: differences and causal links

At the Auckland Art Gallery this week, artist Vernon Ah Kee unveiled the largest collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art ever seen in New Zealand.

The exhibition was dedicated to Resistance and Colonisation. Vernon Ah Kee presented there his 2002 work entitled If I Was White.

If I was White, I could wear a suit and tie and not look suspicious. If I was White, I could shop in luxury stores and not look suspicious. If I was White, I would not have to live in a country that hates me. If I was White, I would have a country.

Some visitors to the New Zealand Exhibition, such as 65-year-old Debbie May, spotted a connection to Australia’s Indigenous referendum called The Voice.

Talk of indigenous rights in New Zealand is increasingly popping up among the population, while neighbouring Australia has launched a landmark vote.

Read more HERE