The Great Outdoors! (Part 2 of 4)

Hello again. 😁

 

As promised a few days ago, I have returned with Part 2 (of 4) of my short series of blogs about the times I went camping with my class at primary school.  In Part 1, I talked about a place called Journey's End in the Canterbury region of Loburn.  One thing I didn't mention was that it was the camp that was the second longest distance from Christchurch out of the 4.  The #1 spot for that title goes to Part 3's location.  Stay tuned for that one.  However, if Journey's End was #1 for anything, it would've been the most remote and secluded campsite, given its close proximity to the forest.

 

So, you're probably wondering where I went to next.  Before I get right into it, just like in Part 1, a short disclaimer.  Any thoughts and opinions of the campsites mentioned in these blogs are purely from the time I went there, which was a few decades ago now.  They don't necessarily reflect how things are at these locations in 2026.  I don't really have much in mind that could be seen as negative, but just in case somebody could get upset about it (it's the 21st century after all), I thought I'd better cover my butt anyway.

 

OK, so...  The year of my second school camping trip was 1991.  I was 10 this year.  Just like the previous year, building up to the annual trip was the same routine.  This is when and where, bring these items, prepare for the Thursday night Camp Concert if you're planning anything.  If you don't understand some of these references by now, you should probably read Part 1 before continuing, because I won't be going into detail about certain things now that I've talked about some of them.

 

The destination - Rangiora Leigh Holiday Park.  Or simply Leigh Camp as it was referred to back then.  To find this campsite, you head north out of Christchurch until you reach Kaiapoi (alternatively, you can also pass through Woodend, if you want to).  From there, head northwest towards the town of Rangiora.  After which, you head across the Ashley River on Cones Road, but don't turn into the town of Ashley.  Basically the same path as before, when going to Journey's End.  However, you must take the next left onto Dixons Road.  Aaaaand...you're there!  Not a very long drive at all.  Keeping along the motorway, you'll be there in well under an hour.

Click to enlarge. 

 

Upon arrival (back in 1991), we were greeted by a massive field with a line of buildings along the opposite end from the main street entrance.  We could tell that a lot of activities could potentially take place here (more on this soon).  At this time, there was the main building, which had the area for eating meals and doing various other indoor activities, which will be covered shortly.  Outside had a line of cabins, capable of accommodating a decent number of beds.  There weren't many small cabins that I could see, if any.  This may have changed since.  One (maybe 2?) of these cabins was located across the field away from the rest of the complex.  You know, the perfect spot for late night shenanigans.  Those of you who read Part 1 will understand where I'm getting at.  I'm not sure where the adults stayed at this campsite as we never really got to see where they went.

 

There was also a story going around, and when I think about it now, I think the teachers were responsible for the rumour.  Up a small hill nearby, there was a chapel.  We were told that it was haunted, and if any of us were misbehaving during the hours we were meant to be sleeping (and possibly other times), they were told to go into the chapel to sleep there.  To my understanding, a small handful did end up being sent there.  I never heard of any follow-up reports about what went on up there overnight... Probably because they never came back... 👹  No, not really.  The whole haunting story was B.S.

 

Anyway...

 

At this camp, there were 2 classrooms.  Both from the same age and level.  Back then it was called Standard 3 or 4, today's equivalent being Years 5 & 6.  A brief history of school levels here in New Zealand (based on my 1980's observations) - Up until around 1998, the classes were divided into different levels.  Years 1 & 2 were called J1 and J2 (J for Junior).  At first, the Year 1 students would be referred to as New Entrants.  After this came the next 4 years (3 to 6).  They were Standard 1, 2, 3 and 4.  I never understood why "Standard" was used here.  Then came what is commonly known as the Intermediate years (7 and 8), which was then known as Form 1 and 2.  Why "Form"?  I'm as clueless as you are, my friend.  Then came the high school years (9 to 13), which was just a continuation of the Intermediate designation - Forms 3 to 7.  So, now you know...but do you understand though?  Hmm.

 

Another anyway...

 

So, the teacher I had for this year was once again Mr. Cooper (R.I.P.).  The class that tagged along with us...I can't remember the teacher's name, but I do remember her being the school's in-house fitness expert.  Thus my introduction to the perils of future Physical Education classes had been exposed to me.  It was most likely this camping experience that made me hate high school P.E. class in advance.  Why?  Well, it wasn't just the fact we "had" to do some exercises in the main hall at a selected part of each day.  No, no.  The absolute worst part of it was that EVERY MORNING...BEFORE BREAKFAST...we all had to run circuits around that huge as field I previously mentioned.  BEFORE breakfast!  It felt like we were at bootcamp!  So, yeah.  As you'd imagine, I wasn't a huge fan of that teacher and I'm glad I had Mr. Cooper back home instead.

 

Speaking of keeping fit, there was of course the mandatory hiking trip.  For some reason, I don't remember there being many this time.  I feel as though we walked more at Journey's End.  Mind you, we were probably too worn out from the exercising back at the campsite, thank you very much, Mrs. Drill Sergeant.  But the hike was fine though.

 

I should probably mention that my homesickness was well and truly absent by the time this camping trip took place.  That was just a one-off thing.  By the time Leigh Camp entered the scene, I was ready.

 

While on the hiking trip, there was a part where we ended up along the river bed.  It was dried up a little.  Maybe it was low tide, I don't know.  Anyway, while we were out there, one of the girls from the other class - who just happened to be my nextdoor neighbour at the time - found an abandoned cat.  I'm not sure how long they were out there, but the poor wee thing must have been rather cold.  So, without question, the cat ended up returning to the campsite with us and eventually went back to Christchurch.  I bet her family back home weren't expecting her to go on camp and come back with a new pet.  The cat was given the name Marmalade.  I liked that cat.  Miss them a little, to be honest.  At least I got to say hello from time to time while I was visiting.

 

Back at the campsite, there were the usual activities in the main hall, but there were also a few unexpected ones too.  I mentioned the exercises we had to do.  Well, on one particular day (I think it was just the one time?), one of the other boys from my class (shout out to Tali, if you're reading this) decided to basically hijack the lesson by teaching us all some of his own exercises.  As an avid fan of MC Hammer, we found ourselves copying Tali busting moves.  It must have been quite the sight watching us all boogying along to, "Uh oh!  Uh oh!  Here comes the Hammer!"  It wasn't just the one song either.  We got, possibly, a solid 3 or 4 songs out of it (from memory, "Here Comes the Hammer", "Pray", "Have You Seen Her?" and, of course, "U Can't Touch This").  So, thank you, Tali, for making exercising tolerable.  We were most grateful.

 

I'm not one to make many complaints about the campsites, but if there was one here, the only complaint I'd make was the location of the boy's/men's shower facilities.  I can't say a lot about what the girls had, but for us guys, we had our showers in the same place as the boiler room.  Do you know how bad a boiler room smells?  I went in sweaty, came out feeling like a train conductor.  Didn't like that bit.  Otherwise, no problemo!  As I recall, when it came to the writing part of our daily lessons (we still did school work), I just HAD to mention the bad smell.  I think it got a few laughs as Mr. Cooper read it out loud.

Now, I can't pass the opportunity to talk about the overnight shenanigans in these blogs.  Every camp had them, so every blog entry will give them the spotlight.  As I mentioned before, my cabin of choice was on the opposite side of the field, away from everything else.  So, this was (almost) complete freedom to be as loud as we pleased.  This, of course, is a flawed concept, but try to explain this to 10-year-olds.  Of course, late at night when people are trying to sleep, it doesn't matter how far away you are.  Loud voices travel.  So, of course, like last time, Mr. Cooper would do his rounds of checking on us.  But unlike last time, it was a little harder for us to keep being on lookout duties.  A few times he would appear without being spotted.  This probably led to a few misfits heading up to the chapel, come to think of it.

 

But when we weren't too loud to cause trouble, there were still some moments where talking continued.  On a few occasions, it was in the form of stories.  Often being told by our resident funnyman, Gerard, who seemed to like telling stories about the Mongrel Mob for some reason, when he wasn't telling jokes.  Fun times.

 

To cap off this blog entry, another topic I can't leave without mentioning is the Camp Concert.  Yes, there was one at every camp, and they were alway fun.  However, I have since come to realise something tragic.  Of all 4 camps I've been on through school, the Camp Concert for Leigh Camp is the only one I can't remember any of the sketches from.  It makes me sad to realise this.  I'm not sure why, but then again, I could probably get away with it by saying it was 35 years ago (at the time of writing this).  Age is a killer and should be put in jail.

 

As always though, the camp would come to an end.  Overnight mayhem was near non-existent on the Thursday, and we were on our way home by Friday morning.  At the end of it all, I think I had more fun at Leigh Camp than I did at Journey's End, but that could just be because of the lack of homesickness this time.  I also had a few classmates that were good friends to hang out with as well, so there was no reason for me to isolate myself.  It made it more fun, with the exception of the daily pre-breakfast run, of course.  Screw P.E.

 

If you wish to learn more about the Rangiora Leigh Holiday Park, click on the link near the beginning of the blog (above the map) and it will take you to their website.  I will be posting Part 3 in a few days time.  For that one, I have more memories to share than I did here.  😸 

The Great Outdoors! (Part 1 of 4)

Greetings everyone.  I hope you're doing well wherever you may be.

 

For today's blog, I'm gonna do something a little different.  It's a bit of a mix of a nostalgia trip and a Yelp review all in one.

This will be the first of a 4-part series of blog entries, which will most likely be posted over the next week or 2, depending on how busy things get.  Why 4?  Because there's a lot to share about this particular topic.  A topic that a lot of people wouldn't associate me with these days.  Not just because I haven't really gone out that much lately, but also because I haven't really done this sort of thing since I was a kid, which explains the nostalgic side of it.

 

In this entry and the 3 to follow, I will be talking about camping trips and the great outdoors.  I can hear some of you laughing already, but keep in mind that I did say nostalgia.  Meaning these camping trips took place many years ago, not recently.  The camping trips in question are special to me though, as they represent a time in my childhood that I kind of miss.  Not just the camping side of it, but the overall picture.  The 4 camps I'll be talking about are all associated with my primary school.

 

So, here's how it'll play out.  In this blog entry, I'll be covering the first school camp I ever went on.  The following 3 will be the ones that came after, in chronological order.

 

The first part of the blog will talk about the campsite itself, acting as sort of a review.  Bear in mind that these thoughts and memories are at least 33 years old at the time of me typing this.  None of what I say about the campsites and/or organisations may reflect what things are like in 2026.  Things have changed a lot since then.  So, consider this your official disclaimer.  The second part will be my memories and experiences at these camps that I feel worthy of mentioning here.  So, let's get right into it!

 

PART ONE - JOURNEY'S END

 

There's a touch of irony here, knowing that the first school camp you ever went on was at a place called Journey's End.  Usually, you'd save something like this for last.  But who said you need to be consistent?

 

Journey's End is a campsite owned by the Methodist Church of New Zealand.  It is located in the far north of the Canterbury region called Loburn.  To find your way there from Christchurch, you start by heading north towards Kaiapoi, from which you head towards Rangiora (if you want the shortest route).  After arriving in Rangiora, head north across the Ashley River, but keep heading that way.  If you arrive in Ashley town, you've taken a wrong turn.  Keep following Carrs Road (great name, by the way) until it becomes Loburn Terrace Road, but stay on that road.  Eventually it will become Smarts Road, and this is where your...journey...will be almost at its...end...  The campsite is at the far end of Smarts Road at #202, but not the very end.

 

Upon arrival, you will notice something very quickly - the lack of civilization.  Sure, there are a few properties nearby, but for the most of it, the campsite is pretty much surrounded by wilderness.  It appears to be the ideal spot for someone who loves peace and quiet and wants to escape the fast lifestyle of the city.  I can't confirm this (unless I were to ask the right people), but I wouldn't be surprised if there's no mobile phone coverage.  There's probably a spot somewhere nearby, but yeah.  I can't say yes or no for this one.  Remember, I went before mobile phones were popular in NZ.  Only business people (a.k.a. yuppies) used those.

 

If you want an honest opinion from a person like me, I think it's a good spot if you want to be off the grid for a while, but if you're relient on having access to the rest of the world while on holiday, it might not be suitable for you.  I'm not saying you can't take your laptop and work on documents, music, etc.  Just don't go expecting to upload/download anything (assuming my previous theory is accurate).  Which would mean the only streaming you'd get would be from the closest river.

 

When I went to Journey's End, which was back in 1990 - 36 years ago - I remember there being a few buildings.  One was used for accommodation for the teacher(s) and adult volunteers (usually parents donating their time to help with cooking and cleaning).  Another building was a hall that had a kitchen, laundry (I think - never went in that room), a common area where various activities took place, including meals, and an area at the back where bunk beds were provided.  This was where all of us kids slept.  Oh, and there was an outside toilet block as well.  Things may have changed a lot since then, so there could be more buildings now, if they weren't already there.  I didn't go to many areas of the complex.

 

I recall there being a place to swim.  Not a pool, but a natural body of water.  I didn't swim during my stay, but a lot of the other kids did.  I'm unable to confirm how big the area was, because there doesn't seem to be one now, at least according to Google Maps anyway.  Maybe it dried up?  Who knows?

 

There were a few days during our stay where we all went on a hiking trip.  I couldn't point on the map where we actually went, but I do remember coming across a deep hole along a part of a path we took, which I was worried about falling into.  To avoid it, we had to navigate along the edge of it, all while having thorny bushes prodding us as we went past.  I thought I was gonna get jabbed by one and having it make me flinch, causing me to drop into the hole.  Thankfully, this didn't happen to anyone.  Not sure why that hole was there.  It looked like it was man-made, as the shape was kind of rectangular.  I guess we'll never know the reason.  It's probably been filled in by now.

 

I did say that this was my first school camp.  One thing I hadn't mentioned yet was that this was also the first camping trip I went on without my family.  So, as you'd imagine, I got very homesick.  So much, in fact, there was one day where I didn't feel like going on one of the hiking trips and decided to stay at the campsite with the grown-ups (minus the teacher, of course).  I got a bit bored during this time, but I found myself thinking about home a lot.  At one point, I pictured my family arriving from a nearby path to come see me (or pick me up to take home).  It was tough.  But I eventually got over it towards the end of the camp.

 

Despite being heavily homesick, I did actually have a lot of fun most days.  Like all school camps (at least in the early 90's), there were usually 2 main things that took place, which were almost traditional:

 

#1 - Bedtime Excitement.  No, not like that.  I mean the excitement of being away from home that makes you stay up late and talk with your mates, even though you should be sleeping.  Grown-ups probably still haven't learned by now that if you leave a large group of kids alone late at night, there are few rules.  They are going to be up late laughing and carrying on whether you like it or not.  The only way to police this is if you were in the same building as they are.  This was not the case here.

 

Every night from Monday to Wednesday, it was almost mayhem.  I mean, it wasn't all THAT bad.  It just felt like we were rebels by talking a lot and not staying in bed.  Yes, there were times where some of us (mostly the boys) would actually leave their bunk bed area.  While that may sound more naughty than it should, it wasn't.  I was only 9 in 1990, while most of the others were either the same or 10.  Our bodies weren't capable of being completely rebellious by this point, so rest assured!

 

One of my favourite memories of the late night escapades has to be the secret code that was used for whenever somebody saw our teacher on the horizon coming to check on us.  My teacher's name was Mr. Cooper (R.I.P.).  Around this time, an Australian TV series called "The Flying Doctors" was very popular here in NZ.  As a reference to the show, somebody came up with the idea to say, "Cooper's crossing!" whenever he came into the building.  Ahh, pop culture references.  Gotta love 'em.

 

#2 - The Camp Concert.  I'm not sure who started it or when, but there was a tradition on school camping trips (at least with Woolston Primary School anyway).  Every Thursday evening, the night before we were scheduled to pack our bags and go home, groups of us kids (who were interested in taking part) performed various acts that they rehearsed throughout the week of our stay.  We were given the heads-up prior to the camping trip, while at school, so this gave us time to come up with ideas.  Come Thursday night, it was showtime.

 

Unfortunately, I didn't take part in this one and remained a regular audience member among a few others.  It was a good laugh either way.  Some of the skits my classmates came up with were pretty good.  Can't remember many of them from this particular camp, sadly, but I do recall one that involved 2 kids holding a blanket as if to cover what's going on behind them, while someone was pretending to pee.  In reality, they were just pouring water from one thing to another, but it still got belly laughs from the audience either way.  We were kids.  What else would you expect?  It's a pee joke!

 

After all was said and done, along came the final night's sleep before the journey home.  You'd think the Thursday night would be just as chaotic as the others, but it wasn't.  My theory is that we all did so much for 4 days, we were too tired by this point.  Of all the late nights, this was the most peaceful.  Then came Friday morning and we were busy packing after breakfast.  The bus would eventually arrive to pick us up, after which we were on our way.

 

And that is basically an overview of my experience of Journey's End.  If you wish to look further into the site - which still exists - check it out on the Methodist Church's Journey's End page.  For directions, refer to my instructions above or read the map screenshot I've provided below (click to enlarge). 😁

 

 

What it Means to Be a Community

Over the past few days, after a long period of losing my faith in humanity, I was reminded of how strong we, as a community, can be as long as we put our collective minds into it.  On the 4th of June, an 81-year-old lady named Valerie went missing in/around the suburb of Woolston, here in Christchurch.  In the past, some stories of the elderly going missing haven't all ended on a positive note.  Because of this, I think the suburb's community really didn't want that to happen this time.

I'm a member of a Facebook group for Woolston residents, even though I'm not currently living there.  The reason I'm in the group is because it's where I grew up for the first 12 years of my life.  Even though I haven't lived in that area since 1993, it still holds a special place in my heart for many reasons (too long to list here, but will most likely reserve other blog posts for such topics).  After Valerie went missing, there was very little I could do from the suburb I'm living, but I was able to witness something wonderful while observing the group's activity.

The number of people that rallied together to help the police search for her, either as a group or individually, was astonishing.  Because I live elsewhere, I'm in other local neighbourhood groups on Facebook as well.  I won't name the other groups in case they think I'm throwing shade, as they say, but the Woolston group members really showed me what a community SHOULD be like, while the others haven't really been as active.  If the suburbs could take the time to look at how Woolston came together over the last 5 days or so, they could learn a valuable lesson from them.

As of around 6pm today - June 9th - a public announcement was made by the local police page on Facebook, saying that Valerie had been found.  Cold, but safe.  Praise the Lord!

This is what it means to be a community.  Being there for each other.  Actually helping.  Contributing.  Not sitting around doing nothing while thinking, "Meh, I'm too tired.  Someone else can sort it out", or "I shared the post on my socials, so I've done my bit."  I'm sorry, but that's not enough.  If I went missing and somebody said, "I'm glad you're OK.  Sharing that link must have worked!" - I'd probably ignore you, to be honest.  You're more likely to receive gratitude if you were actually out in the field with the others, like the Woolston community did for Valerie.

So, if you're from the suburb of Woolston and you can see this, I'd give you a medal if I could.  You deserve them.  It makes me happy knowing I came from an area in the eastern suburbs that will have your back if you're in need.  I'd move back there in a heartbeat if I could.  I know now that if I did, I'd feel more welcome there.

Much love. 

April Fool's Day 2026

So, here we are again in this uncertain world.  Hope you're all doing OK, in spite of all things.  If not, I have some images that may help cheer you up.  Sit back, relax - until your muscles decide to spasm involuntarily - because it's time to review this year's April Fool's Day social media posts!

Usual rules apply.  No particular order.  There is no #1.  Just pure enjoyment all around.  So, let's get right into it...

 

1. BURGER WISCONSIN GOES VEGAN

This one was probably a little obvious to spot, but it's still funny either way.  I think it was the choice of photo.

 

 2. CAROUSEL CONFECTIONERY SPACE MAN STICKS ARE OUT OF THIS WORLD!

 The thought of this being a real thing is kind of gross, so if you fell for this one...why?  Still funny though.

 

 

3. COOKIE TIME - THAT EARLY-MORNING BAKING SCENT

Not gonna lie - this would be rather nice to have in real life.  Somebody should make it happen.

 

4. NIGHT 'N DAY - SMELLS LIKE THE MUNCHIES

While on the subject of scented candles, here's another one I found.  Interestingly enough, it was the post right after the one by Cookie Time.  It briefly made me wonder if the page was managed by the same person...

 

  
 5. GEEKS ON WHEELS EXPAND TO ANOTHER TERRAIN

The first of only 4 non-food pranks I'm featuring this year.  Here we see a computer tech company sailing the high seas, and I don't mean Pirate Bay.

 

 6. HORNBY - GREATER HORNBY RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION INC. ON SPEED PATROL

Are you sick and tired of sharing pools with speed demons?  Have no fear, the "Pool-ice" are here! (shout out to Gary Fox who came up with that one [see comment in screenshot]).

 

  7. JIMI JACKSON'S RETRO'S SAVOUR(Y) THE FLAVOUR

Kiwi comedian, Jimi Jackson launched a brand of drink cordials a while back called Retro's, which appear to be a hit across the country.  For this year's April Fool's Day, things got a little meaty...

 

In fact, a couple videos were also made to promote this...

Video #1

Video #2 
 

8. KFC - KENTUCKY FRIED CARROTS

I dunno.  There might be a market for these.  Maybe?  Maybe.

 

  9. LEWIS ROAD CREAMERY - COLD CHIPS, ANYONE?

Ever wondered what it would be like if your ice cream shared the same flavour as some potato chips?  Yeah, me neither.

 

10. MEXICALI FRESH FROM THE CAN

If anyone were to ever do this, they'd have to lower the price tag.  Just saying.  I can get these myself for a few dollars.

 

  11. NEW ZEALAND 1980'S MEMORIES AND 1990'S MEMORIES - ALLSORTS OF YEASTY GOODNESS

I don't know if this image was taken from an official source (RJ's Confectionery?  Sanitarium?), but this made its way to a nostalgia page/group I follow.  I like the individual products, but I don't think they'd work in real life.

 

  12. MARMITE (NZ) - SLUSHY TIME!

While on the subject of Marmite and the previous post's questionable origin, one official post from the Marmite NZ page I did find was in the form of a video.  You can watch it here.

 

 13. BUNNINGS WAREHOUSE AUSTRALIA / VEGEMITE COLLABORATION

Again, speaking of yeast spreads (popular theme this year), the Bunnings and Vegemite teams across the ditch came up with this video for their contribution towards this year's hilarity.

 

 14. ST. PIERRE'S SUSHI ENERGY BOOST

Too relaxed after a cup of miso soup?  Well, look no further!

 

  15. SUBWAY PIE?

OK, if this were real, I'd be sold.  Love pies, love meatball subs.  It's like the Cookie Time scented candle.  Somebody make this happen!

 

  16. THE AUSTRALIAN FOOD SHOP - CADBURY FLAVOURS OF AUSTRALIA

 This one is as appealing as the one about the Space Man Candy Sticks.  I understand people wanting to be one with nature, but not like this...

 

 17. THE CHEESECAKE SHOP - THOSE AREN'T CHOCOLATE CHIPS...OR ARE THEY?

Looks like the Cheesecake Shop and Lewis Road Creamery had similar ideas here.

 

18. CATNAP CAFE - HUMANS NEED WARMTH TOO

The last of the 4 non-food posts.  How can you keep a straight face while coming up with this one?  Watch the video here.

 

 19. DUMPLINGS "2 DOLLAR RICE" / ROLLICKIN GELATO

This was the first April Fool's Day post I saw, which came up the evening before.  I was suspicious at first, but kept quiet just in case I spoiled the joke.  Turns out I was right.  As it would appear, the Dumplings post was in reference to this one Rollickin Gelato.

 

 20. KIWI RETRO CROSSES THE DITCH (CRIKEY!)

Fellow friend and artist, Gary Fox (previously mentioned in the post about the pool speeding) is the founder of a YouTube channel called Kiwi Retro, where he uploads old TV commercials from way back.  For his prank, he "announced" that he has run out of ads from NZ, but happens to have a stash of Aussie ones.  Therefore, he announced his channel changing to Aussie Retro as a result, followed by uploading a couple ads from Australia to make it look authentic.

 

 

And there you have it, folks.  Another fine batch of annual hilarity.  I hope you feel better now.

 

Here's to 2027's batch being just as amusing.  Let's just make sure we all make it there first, OK?

Good Riddance, 2025

So, 2025 is over now.  All I can say is it's about time.  Not gonna lie, 2025 kind of sucked.

 

I usually do an annual review of the past year on Facebook, but I've decided not to do that anymore.  If I want to share anything of that nature, it'll be in a blog entry like this one.  However, due to so much going on with me in the past 12 months, I'll admit that this one was a bit of a blur.  So, some things won't be covered, unfortunately (or is that fortunate?).  In the meantime though, I'll do my best not to rant and rave too much with what I do remember - and what I'm ready to talk about at this time.  Bear in mind, there are still a few things going on that haven't been made public yet.  All in due time for that though.

 

Anyway, to kick things off on the most calm note possible...  WTF happened?

 

In all honesty, not a lot that I recall, at least at the beginning of the year.  Like I said, bit of a blur.

 

For starters, I've had to look at my other blogs from 2025 for reference - only 4 entries!  The year had been either so dull and boring, or so mind-numbingly hectic, I just didn't have time to say much.  But for the sake of having something to mention in this one, I'll do a little recap:

 

March: I updated my YouTube playlist for my "Forgotten Favourites" radio show by splitting them into 6 parts instead of just one.  Yup.  That was it for the first 3 months of 2025.  A good thing, but quite small too.  I did mention, though, that events took place prior to posting the blog that I couldn't talk about yet (as mentioned above), so there is that.

 

April: My reviews on funny April Fool's Day posts I found on the Internet that day, just like I did the year before.  Another positive moment, but mainly confined to a 24-48 hour timeframe.

 

July: I took a moment to reissue a bunch of my n-Somnia releases that were, until this point, deleted from my catalog.  The reissued versions, however, bear a slightly different tracklist to suit the occasion, and for other reasons as well.  Want to know more?  There's a link available that'll take you to my archived posts.  This blog entry also covered some of my future plans, but also mentioned the disappointment of a few things getting in their way.  Yeah, get used to that...

 

August: In this entry, my final one for 2025, I posted about my latest n-Somnia album release called "Night Rhythms".  What I failed to do, though, is mention the promo single that came shortly before it - called "Eat Fresh", which was made in response to a competition by Subway, who were celebrating their 60th birthday.  So, there's something positive in this one.

 

Speaking of unmentioned events, there were a few others that weren't so great, which is to be expected from 2025, I guess.

 

First of all, my father-in-law, Colin Brown, passed away back in May.  We knew for a long time that the day was coming, but he hung in there for a while.  He managed to reach age 80 in the end, which was quite the milestone for him.

 

Secondly, in the latter months, I had a major change in the tech department.  It's both bad and good.  Allow me to explain why:

 

With Microsoft doing what they did a while back with stopping support for Windows 10, it was a matter of choosing either jumping over to Windows 11 or be a part of the ESU (Extended Security Updates) for Win10.  After all I've learned about Win11, I wasn't gonna have anything to do with that, and I wasn't quite ready to part with Win10 yet, so I opted for the ESU.  Thankfully, I was able to enrol for free, so that's a bonus.  However, this would be rather short-lived, as for reasons unknown (but I suspect some foulplay in the midst), I had a major Windows error and got a blue screen, for what would be the first time in years at this point - right after setting up the ESU.  Suspicious timing, don't you think?  However, I had a plan and I'd already prepared myself for it...

 

After the PC crashed the first time (it happened more than once), I was able to make a boot disk out of a USB drive that I have.  A boot disk for a different operating system.  You may have heard of it...  Linux.  A boot disk for one called Linux Mint, to be precise (there's many different Linux systems, called "distros" - Mint is just one of them).  To be doubly sure (literally), I even made a second one, just in case.  So, by the time the second Windows crash happened, I'd had enough.  After having previously read instructions, and while using my phone for reference, I decided to use the boot disk, format the drive and start a new path in computing with a Linux-based system (oh, and I was able to backup important files before the second crash, by the way).

 

What was it like after the first installation?  Quiet.  You don't realise just how loud a Windows system truly is until you've purged it from your life.  Think about it.  No ads (unless you go to certain websites, of course), no unnecessary programs running in the background, no data mining (that's a big one right there), no bloatware, nothing.  And with it came extra speed.  If you want a faster computer, do yourself a favour and ditch Windows.  You and your PC will feel a lot better.  Of course, starting on a new operating system comes with the learning curve.  This version of Linux may look like a Windows system, but there's a lot about it that differs from the other.  I'm still learning to this day, but most of the time it's pretty much straight forward.  There is also, however, the downside of certain Windows programs not being compatible anymore.  I've heard of a program called Wine, which is supposed to help overcome that hurdle, but my experience with it so far has been quite dismal.  If that keeps up, I may have to use my second PC that's stored away just for Windows programs I can't get running on Linux.  Which, by the way, includes a lot of my games and music production software, which is a kick in the teeth.  Sure, I can run some of these things on Linux, but it's not entirely simple to achieve.  Like I said, I'm still learning. 

 

Moving on.  Everything else about 2025, however, is a little too private to go over at this point.  I don't want to disappoint anyone, but some things need permission from others before I go over any of it here.  All I can say is that it's health-related.  I hope you understand.

 

However, I can say how I feel about it all happening at once and all at the wrong times.  Let's just say, I've been putting most of my projects on hold as my role as a person (without saying too much about my personal titles) have become rather important.  While I don't mind helping out where I can, it has exhausted me to the point where I feel like I'm back at work again.  It does get to me sometimes and I do need a break, but right now that's not possible.  I'm working on it though.  As soon as I'm allowed to make things public, I'll be more clear on this subject.  Until then, I am sorry - and I'm also sorry if I seem stressed if you ever see me in person.

 

So, for now, I'll leave it there.  I'm done talking about 2025.  Some say, "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."  In this case, I've crossed that bridge, now I'll burn it.  Unfortunately, the bitterness from the past year has overwhelmed the sweetness and has kind of leaked into 2026 already.  The year didn't end as well as hoped, which means this year hasn't had the best start either.  I'm at a point in my life now where I try not to get my hopes up anymore.  That way, when something good does happen, it'll be a surprise.  I like positive surprises.

 

To close, I mentioned on my Facebook pages about my music releases on Bandcamp.  As of a week before Christmas, every available release is now 100% free to download at your own leisure.  I also mentioned that it's not just a Christmas gift - it's a permanent decision.  In my post, I said I'd mention here that I'd explain why.  Basically, it's out of protest, in a way.  Bandcamp have changed who they prefer to pay artists through.  For a while, PayPal was the only option.  I have a PayPal account, so it worked for me.  Now it's changed to a different service.  One that I've read about since learning about the change, and I'm not too keen on what I've read about them.  So, no, I will not be creating a new payment account with them.  I'm sticking with PayPal (for now), even if it means not having revenue from my Bandcamp releases.  So, unless another option comes up that's more to my requirements, this is how it'll be from now on.  If I plan on making money from my future music projects, I'm sure I'll find a way to do it, but not right now though.  Watch this space, I guess.

 

So, up yours, 2025 - 2026, watch your step... 

"Night Rhythms" by n-Somnia

Hello everyone.  I come bringing some good news!

 

I've just released my latest n-Somnia album.  For this blog, I will give a detailed description of all the tracks that appear on it.  Usually, I do this on the n-Somnia page on Facebook, but I decided to put it here this time.  I may consider putting these descriptions here from now on.  So, let's get to it!

 

The name of the album is "Night Rhythms".  As the title suggests, this is an album designed with nightclubs in mind.  I trust many of these songs will help you get your groove on.  The title was inspired by a song by The Human League, called "Night People", in both name and sound.  Have a listen to it sometime and you'll see the kind of style I was going for.

 

While I get into the descriptions of each track, you can find the album here and listen to it while you read.

 

1. ARE YOU READY?

This one starts off with an eerie-sounding loop, and a voice clip saying, "We control the transmission", which appears again later on in the track.  Then comes the thumping kick drum beat, which is present almost throughout the song.  Some synths and a jungle beat are added.  Then after about 7 minutes of jumping around, the crowd should be in the mood for the next pumping track, which is...

 

2. NIGHT RHYTHM

The album's title track, only in singular form (the album is plural).  This one has a quirky tune that will probably become an earworm.  Then there's that hard-hitting beat again.  Some of the loops and samples used in this one come from my archive of old material that pre-dates even "Red Alert".  Something that I aim to do more often, as I think 25+ years of not being heard by anyone other than me needs to change.  This track is relatively short at 3:19 - the shortest of the entire album.

 

3. DOOF

 A techno-inspired title calls for a beat to match.  The main drum loop was created the old-fashioned way - using Hammerhead 1.0!  Multiple drum sounds programmed into the software, before saving it as a single audio loop to use in my usual mixing software later (I use Acid Pro 11, by the way).  That same quirky tune used in "Night Rhythm" makes another appearance in this track.  This was to show a connection between the 2 tracks.  The track comes to an end with a dark and sinister sounding loop as the drum beat fades.  That same loop then becomes the intro to the next song.

 

4. IT'S NOT YOU...IT'S HIM

The outro of "Doof", as mentioned before, is the intro to this song.  It fades out as the drum beats kick in.  Soon after, a guitar loop comes in, giving it a little bit of an upbeat "western" feel.  I didn't have the Wild West in mind when creating this song.  It just sounded good.  As this song draws to an end, the tempo starts to slow down a little, right before the main loop for the next track begins...

 

5. TRANCELATION

I've been waiting for over 20 years to write this description.  This song started in either 2002 or 2003, but was never fully finished.  It sat on my computer for about a decade before the early version (known as "instrumental demo") saw the light of day as a B-side for my 2013 single, "Breakdance".  Since then, it's found its way onto the 20th anniversary edition of my compilation, "The Early Years".  Today, you can (finally) listen to the completed version of "Trancelation" (which is pronounced "trance-lation", FYI).  The completion of this song is actually one of the main reasons "Night Rhythms" as an album even exists.  I knew one day that I would have an album for it to fit into...and here it is.  It's a special track to me for these reasons, and the fact it captures the energy that I hoped for a couple decades ago.

 

6. PHOTO SYNTHESIZER

The first track from the album to be made, and second oldest (after "Trancelation").  This mid-tempo track features a sonic spacey sound with a deep bassline and groovy beat.  Also, it has camera sound effects somewhere in the middle of it and at the end.  The title is a pun, of course (photosynthesis).

 

7. THE ALIENS ARE DEMONS

The album closer and the main track used to promote the album.  There is a single edit of this song that is used on other websites, and will eventually appear on my next singles compilation.  To explain the title...it's a Biblical thing.  To my understanding (and it makes sense), there are no extraterrestrials like the ones we hear about or see on TV and in movies.  These are just a deceitful distraction from demons.  Think about it, that lost space of time from people who claim to have been abducted is probably just demon possession, feeding them images that lead to them believing they were on a ship being probed, etc.  As for the song itself, it starts off with some weird loops that I created in the early days, before "Red Alert".  Then the bassline comes in - another one from the early days.  The bassline was created using software called Rubber Duck, and I still have an archive of unused ones on there as well.  As the rest of the instruments come in, it kind of feels like you're in a game of "Command & Conquer", which I wasn't aiming for, but I'll take it.  Big fan of the C&C soundtrack and Frank Klepacki's work.  The song comes to an end the same way it begins, leaving you and the album on an eerie note...which I think would be perfect if you had the album on repeat...so, play it as many times as you like!

 

And there you have it.  I hope you enjoy my new release.  There will be more to come in due time.  We probably won't see anything new for the rest of 2025, as we are coming into a busy time of the year, at least for my family and I (trust me, you should see how many family birthdays there are between August and April), and that's not including the Christmas rush.

 

Let me know what you think of the new album, and which songs are your favourites. 

n-Somnia - 2025 Reissues + Future Plans

If any of you follow my n-Somnia page on Facebook, you may have noticed an announcement that I made regarding my releases on my Bandcamp page.  If not, I can now give you a recap and an update in more detail here.  So, here goes!

 

Firstly, I mentioned my future plans for the project at first, before going into the subject of re-releasing some of my back catalog that was unavailable to the public for a number of years.  Before I go into those future plans, I'll get into the topic of said reissues - and I'll explain why I've done this as I go.

 

The short version is I've re-released 7 of my past singles.  Why?  Because I wanted to show any new listeners that I've had material long before "The Awakening" album (2011).  Up until now, this album was listed on Bandcamp as my earliest release available, when in reality it was "Red Alert" (2002).  I've made these reissues to avoid confusion, basically.  But it doesn't end there.  A selected few of these reissued titles have had a slight makeover in the tracklist.  I'll explain why as I go into the detailed description.

 

My reissued titles are:

 

Red Alert (2002 single).

A Vision of Things to Come (2002 EP).

Robot Lover From Mars (2002 single).

Revolt! (2011 single).

Bio-Robots / Cruise Zone (2011 double A-side single).

Plague 99 (2011 single).

Shoulder Pads & Ankle Warmers (2012 single).

 

And now the detailed version.  Here's why I've chosen these releases...

 

RED ALERT - As my first single, I think it seems fair to include it.  I want people to know how it all began from the moment they find my page.

 

A VISION OF THINGS TO COME - Reissued for the same reason as "Red Alert", really.

 

ROBOT LOVER FROM MARS - Same reason, but also because of its success after the initial release.

 

REVOLT! - This is the first of the reissued singles to show any changes to the tracklist (as mentioned before).  In the original release, this single contained its current tracks along with the 3 versions of "Red Alert" as B-sides.  Today, this single no longer has those 3 tracks.  Instead, it only has the title song, "Chrysalis" and the remix version of "Revolt!"  This decision was mainly made because of the "Red Alert" single being reissued.

 

BIO-ROBOTS / CRUISE ZONE - Just like "Revolt!", the reissued version of the single no longer contains tracks from "The Early Years".  In this case, it no longer features "Robot Lover From Mars" or "Robot Lover Reprise" as B-sides.  It now just has the 2 A-side tracks and the remix of "Bio-Robots".  Also, if you purchase this single in full, you may find an added bonus in your download.

 

PLAGUE 99 - Again, no longer features tracks from "The Early Years".  In this case, it no longer features "Toy Store" and "Starlifter".  These songs can be found on the "Singularity" compilation album, so there was no need to keep them on this single.  The reissue only features the title track and its remix.

 

SHOULDER PADS & ANKLE WARMERS - This one goes in a slightly different direction to the other reissues, as this one is mostly the same as the original, except that it features an extra track.  The original had the title track and the demo version of "Surfing Down the Drain" as its B-side.  It now has the remix version of "Love Parade" as an extra, only this one has been placed in between the other 2 songs.

 

With all that being said, you've probably got some more questions - why aren't all the singles reissued?  Yes, there are some I've chosen not to re-release, and here's why:

 

RAINFOREST - The only B-sides featured in the original single were basically all versions of "Eliminator" (up to the year 2006) and "Electronica".  No remixes or other unreleased tracks were put on this one.  It would've been pointless re-releasing the radio edit of this track on its own when it's on the "Singularity" compilation.

 

YOUTH CULTURE - "Chrysalis" was also the B-side on this single, so it would be silly to reissue it since that song is also on "Revolt!"

 

STUPID & OBLIVIOUS - Same B-side as "Shoulder Pads & Ankle Warmers".

 

HOPE - I have other plans for the B-side of this single (demo version of "Once More"), which will also see its re-release there.  In which case, there's no point in reissuing this one.

 

BREAKDANCE - Just like "Hope", the B-side for this single (incomplete demo of "Trancelation") also has future plans.

 

GCSB - Since half of this EP was made up of previously released songs, and the 2 new ones are already on "Singularity", there's no point in reissuing this one either.

 

THE ONLY RACE IS "HUMAN" - Also featured previously released songs as B-sides, with the exception of the instrumental version.  I could've reissued this one with just the 2 title tracks, but they can be downloaded if you pay for the full version of the "Harbinger" EP anyway.

 

ROCKETCHILD (WHERE DID YOU GO?) - All B-sides were previously released songs, and the title track is on "Singularity".

 

ALL SINGLES FROM "THE EMPIRES TRILOGY" - The B-sides are available in the full purchase of each of the titles from this trilogy.

 

As for compilation albums that are no longer available, it's mainly because all the tracks are featured on other releases that are available.  For example, you won't see "X - The First Decade" anymore, as it's basically the first half of "Singularity".

 

Now that we've covered the reissues, let's cover the future plans (sorry it's taken so long to get to this part - I won't take as long for this section, promise!).

 

I've mentioned in the past that I'm planning on a 5-album project based on the songs I wrote back in high school - before I joined Supertrip.  This is still happening, but it's been delayed due to unforeseen events in my personal life (which I will cover at a later date in a future blog post).  I was originally going to release the first of the 5 albums in August or September 2025.  Because of my life events getting in the way, I haven't even been able to record anything yet, let alone rewrite the songs in question.  So, obviously, I won't be able to meet that deadline.  Very sorry for that.  It will happen though, just not soon.

 

Because of these events in life and various other changes, I've been reshuffling my list of album concepts that I've got in mind.  Some of these concepts require live instruments, but among my various other issues, there are some technical difficulties even in that area, which will take time and cost money to resolve, unfortunately.  So the live instrument albums will also have to wait along side of my previously mentioned 5-album project (which also need live instruments, by the way).

 

But there's a light at the end of this tunnel...

 

Among my planned concept albums, there are 2 that are to be mostly (if not all) digitally produced.  You know, the old-fashioned method I've been doing since 2002.  Because of this, I can actually squeeze in some time to make these 2 albums, where needed.  However, I am going to be casual about it.  There will be no rush to make the songs or release them, as I do still need to focus on what's happening in my personal life.

 

My plan is to complete both recordings before I release anything.  That way I can put them out gradually over time while I focus on other projects, among other things.  I will keep everyone up-to-date with the progress of these 2 albums as they happen.  Make sure you follow my Faceboook page to get all the news when it's announced.

 

I apologise for such a long blog entry this time.  I've clearly had a lot to say (for once).  Maybe I should post more often...haha.

 

Thanks for reading. 😁 

April Fool's Day 2025 - A Review

Well, it's that time of the year again.  I think you know the drill, so let's jump straight into it.

 

I should warn you though, that the list of hilarious April Fool's jokes this year is quite lengthy.  I'm guessing that each of these companies and people have been having a long think about what they would do this time around, and I applaud each and every one of you.

 

Remember, you can click/tap on each image to enlarge it, if needed.

 

So, let's freakin' go!

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

1. NEW WORLD SUPERMARKETS - Wasabi Bread

This first entry came in the form of a Facebook Reel, so you'll need to click here to watch it.  If you were to ask me though, if it were real, I may have been interested in trying this.  It might go down well with shredded chicken or fish.

 

 

2.  P.B. TECH - GGBeancC Computer

 

If it's anything like me, it would be running on gas power.

 

 

3. HORNBY - GREATER HORNBY RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION INC - New IKEA Store

 

Truthfully, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea having it here, but I've seen the construction area.  There's absolutely no room for them to move into the Hornby area.  Not now anyway.  Also, the older style newspaper design of The NZ Herald is a bit of a hint that it's fake.

 

 

4. HANMER SPRINGS THERMAL POOLS & SPA - NZ Bobsleigh Skeleton Collaboration

Cool Runnings, anyone?  Also, a special shout out to Shane Adcock, who appears in this Facebook Reel.  You did good keeping a straight face while announcing this one.

 

 

5. TRADE ME - Facebook Marketplace

 

A short and sweet one from NZ's most popular buy/sell websites.  Taking a stab at their Facebook competition - and rightfully so.  Marketplace is trash.

 

 

6. ReBURGER - Pickleverse

 If any of this year's entries were to make me vomit, it would be this one.  Thank goodness it's not real.

 

 

7. SOUNDING BOARD - The Bruce Tour

This entry comes to us from a group on Facebook called Sounding Board, which is affiliated with the NZ radio station, The Sound.  Group member, Mark Vaudrey decided to play a prank on the group by announcing an unlikely concert tour featuring only acts named Bruce.  Something tells me the guys in the band, Rubicon would disapprove.

 

 

8. LEWIS ROAD CREAMERY - Caffeine-Infused Haircare

To be honest, some coffee-drinkers are so addicted to this stuff, I'm surprised they don't smear it all over themselves already.

 

 

9. R.J.'S CONFECTIONERY - Fusion Fizz

 

Not gonna lie.  I'd definitely buy this, if it were real.

 

 

10. READING CINEMAS - THE PALMS - Pop Rice

I dunno.  If it was anything like Rice Bubbles or Coco Pops, it could be a fun snack.  Although, it would be harder to eat by hand, and the cinema cleaners will hate you for it.  Trust me.

 

 

11.  UP & GO - Down & Stop - Liquid Sleepies

 

A nice idea, but the flavours of choice sound a bit yuck.

 

 

12. NIGHT 'N DAY - Important Menu Update

The comments section for this one made me miss how smart society used to be.  So many people fell for this one, it's quite sad.  There's absolutely no way Night 'n Day would ever do this to us.

 

 

13. KFC - Sweet Sanders Ice Cream

To be honest, I'm kind of disappointed that KFC isn't bringing out another dessert option.  Apart from the mousse and cheesecake options, they've always had pretty much nothing else that's sweet, unless it's a drink.  Just putting that out there.

 

 

14. THE HUB HORNBY - Pet Wedding Chapel

A fun little idea from the local mall that holds pet-friendly evenings each week.  Weddings for pets.  Me-ow, indeed!

 

The original post was accompanied by an AI-generated image of 2 dogs dressed in a tux and dress, but I'm not gonna expose you to that.  Screw AI.

 

 

15. DWIGHT BRUCE - Only Fans

This entry comes to us from a friend of mine.  Because his posts are set to Friends Only, most people won't have seen it...until now.  Note: This is just a screenshot and not the actual video.  However, you do get the general idea.

 

P.S.  If you don't understand the joke, I'm not explaining it to you.

 

 

16. WEET-BIX NZ - Weet-Bix Puzzle

 

If it were real, I think this would be a very challenging puzzle to put together.

 

 

17. CHRISTCHURCH CASINO - Strip Poker

No comment.

 

 

18. LITTLE HIGH EATERY - Seagulls

Glad this one's fake.  I can't stand them even looking at me when I have food.

 

 

19. INDOMIE NEW ZEALAND - Indomie Perfume

I used to be called Noodle Man at home because I used to eat 2-Minute Noodles on a regular basis.  If I'd kept it up, I probably would've started smelling like them eventually.  If this were real, it would've saved time (although, I'd still be hungry).

 

 

20. WENDY'S NZ - Baconator Frosty

I know people who'd probably try this.  The same people who dip their chips in ice cream, no doubt.

 

 

21. BURGER KING NZ - Soft Serve Burger

While on the subject of fast food, here's BK's entry.  I can already see how messy this would've been.

 

 

22. ALPINE SPAS NZ - Brad Pitt

So many gullible people in the comments section yet again with this one.  I fear for humanity.

 

Also, "Stnff"???

 

 

23. ROCKGAS NEW ZEALAND

Sure, it "might" give off a nice smell, but I don't think the infusion part is how science works - and I failed that subject in 5th Form / Year 11.  I do, however, like the bit about the pulled leg.

 

 

24. DONOVANS CHOCOLATE - New Chocolate Drop Varieties

I can see lemon and bubblegum possibly working well with chocolate, but not so much the other 2.

 

 

25. BLUEY - Can You Find Longdog?

If you're a fan of the Australian animated series, "Bluey", you'll be aware of the fact that there is a "Longdog" hidden in each episode.  The big joke here, however, is that there is no Longdog to be found in these images.  An old-fashioned troll post from this generation's most beloved cartoons.

 

 

26. SUBWAY / BIRD'S EYE - Footlong Chip Butty

Let's be honest - we'd totally eat this.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, there you have it.  I hope you enjoyed this list of April Fool's posts for 2025 as much as I have.  Those involved have really stepped things up this year.

 

A special shout out to Gary Fox (a.k.a. TahkAnimation), who runs the Kiwi Retro page on YouTube.  His most recently uploaded classic TV commercial - Michael Hill Shoes - would've made the list officially had it not been real (seriously, do a search for it).