NZ Music Month day 4 (May the 4th be with you!)

Today’s NZ music discovery is Parallel Park, a band from Whakatū Nelson.

Their single Empty House was just released on Friday - I think it’s a pretty great listen!

https://youtu.be/rYuJvseRqS0

#nzmusic #NZMusicMonth

NZ Music Month day 3

Do you feel like having breakfast for dinner?

https://youtu.be/xRy84uiKS3A?si=pDQW0odHtnZVPkFF

Foley are a cool NZ duo making waves in Australia and beyond. This track is from a couple of months ago, and is super catchy.

They are touring NZ this week!

https://laylo.com/foley/m/aotearoa2026

NZ music month day 2: Vera Ellen has released her new album Heaven Knows What Time, and it contains her recent single When it’s Over, which I really like:

https://youtu.be/Q21HiYR-RKc?si=jsoKtcz5gPU_xdnw

Check out the whole album - I’ve listened to it a couple of times, and there’s some great new tracks on there!

#nzmusic #NZMusicMonth

Comedy Festival is off to a great start with Dai Heywood and the comedy gala! Introduced to a few new comedians on stage that we’ll be seeking out in the programme.

Speaking of new Aotearoa music, this _very_ Kiwi song has been stuck in my head the past few days:

https://youtu.be/7ojKuRPZiZk?si=0oh_E7x2w7om7YG9

Yeah Nah Yeah by Capricore

You should listen to it, and then curse my name for the next few days while it lives rent free in your head.

#nzmusic #nzmusicmonth

May Day! It's a great month in New Zealand with the Comedy Festival, and lots of new NZ music being released and celebrated for NZ Music Month.

Wellington comedy shows I'm looking forward to in the first week:

Neil Thornton
Potential Energy
https://www.comedyfestival.co.nz/find-a-show/neil-thornton-potential-energy/
Loud, funny, and relatable comedian, lots of fun!

Anisa Nandaula
No Small Talk
https://www.comedyfestival.co.nz/find-a-show/anisa-nandaula-no-small-talk/
Funny on the internet, I'm sure will be even funnier in real life!

Zach and Lesa Bought a Gun
https://www.comedyfestival.co.nz/find-a-show/zach-and-lesa-bought-a-gun/
Hectic!

RE: https://fosstodon.org/@AkaSci/116327251800287622

“A person
has a smaller cross-sectional area than that of a sheep or a cow[citationneeded]” 😂

Only $10k? For the WHOLE solar system?

Can I pay a bit extra to not receive Earth as a part of the deal?

Oh crap, I’ve been writing html pages for 30 years this year… more than 60% of my life. 🙀

Happy Meals for 90’s kids!

RE: https://mastodon.social/@sundogplanets/116061211202008564

Thanks FCC for the wonderful website! There’s 30 minutes of my life I’m not getting back!

Just finished “A New Faith”, a self-published novel by TinJar.
I heard about it by a recommendation on John Scalzi’s blog, day two of the Holiday Gift Guide series:

https://whatever.scalzi.com/2025/12/02/the-2025-whatever-holiday-gift-guide-day-two-non-traditional-books/#comment-948590

It’s a hopeful book about people working to make the best of a bleak future. Part detective story, part sci-fi / near future climate fiction, and thought provoking. I recommend it!

Free to download here:

https://tinjar.ghost.io

Edit: found them on here: @tinjar

Cory Doctorow @pluralistic on how to criticise AI.

I love his writing style and the way he provides clear, understandable explanations of everything he writes about. (And I love his sense of humour)

https://pluralistic.net/2025/12/05/pop-that-bubble/

Happy Labour day!
(It’s one of NZ’s First National holidays)
Perhaps get your Act together and host Te Pāti for your friends?

What I would say to you is, don’t get political, enjoy your 40 hour work-week, and focus on relaxation!

This hotel is great, and the shower and towels are luxurious, but it’s kinda frustrating that they messed up the two way switches and this is the off position for the bathroom lights.

Anyone in Auckland looking for an appsec job? We've got a darned good list of benefits at Lightspeed... I wish I was closer to the free food 😄

https://grnh.se/6xxxkrez1us

Feel free to reach out to me if you'd like to discuss or get me to send in a referral.

@wilander Guess which book I’ve started reading? 😀

😂

From: @marcel
https://waldvogel.family/@marcel/114867098324005231

It’s so weird that after decades of innovation and price drops, broadband prices are increasing these days. Have we run out of innovations? Or have they decided it is time to start getting a return on investment?

A great day on the Kapiti Coast with visiting relatives:

- There are only 120 NZ Kōtuku, and one has made its home in Waikanae Beach!
- Lots of cuddle time with a 2 week old baby.
- Saw a cyber truck in real life, and while it was bigger than I expected, it was also even uglier than I expected.

https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/birds/birds-a-z/white-heron-kotuku/

#3GoodThings