Doing a pick up at dn airport and *all*of the cars in the drop off only space are picking people up 🤣 Not sure why the airport has dug their heels in on this - there's plenty of space with a full flight landed and same going out, and cars are coming and going without stress.

If you need a good show to watch, Total Control is pretty great. Deborah Mailman is amazing and Rachel Griffiths is too.

It's amazing how much admin and house work you get done when you have a website to proof read 😅

I might be missing something in the discourse but if the PM is *working* from home, what's stopping him from making a statement about the US situation?

Ergh, writing a cv is a shit time.

My children are 21 and 23 and I still make myself giggle sneaking around to stash pillowcases of tiny things from Santa 🤶🫥🤭

I decide a week or so ago that I wanted to make fruit jubes. Why? Who knows? Turned into 2 kinds of jube, caramels and nougat and my best people have been delighted with them.

What a delightful box of goodness, thank you #SecretSantaAoNZ! You stalked very well and I'll enjoy using your bread spice - someday I'd love the recipe...

Dear both tv news shows. Please don't show footage of people shooting other people. You actually *can* tell the story without using those images and it will be lots better for everyone's long term mental wellbeing if we don't all get completely desensitised to horror.

V was hanging out with his mate today at some beach or other and picked these up for me. He said his mate asked what he was doing and he said he was choosing me some shells. His mate thought it was sweet and found some for his mum too. V is 21 😍🐚❣️

Does anyone know what this plant is? The internet isn't being especially helpful but I think I've narrowed it down to cow parsley or hemlock... Maybe hogweed?

#SecretSantaAoNZ has arrived! It's still too early for decorating but these roses are pretty so maybe that counts?

I've come to the conclusion that tradies only hear the parts of the brief that they want to hear and not any of the bits that might need some thinking or fiddliness.

I've been sitting in the DCC's council meeting today and my what an eye opener. Turns out the caricatures you see on social media aren't really caricatures 😳

If you are connected to (or use the services of) any Otago charitable trust, social service, the arts, sports club, community facility, health agency, school, etc, pls do this survey - www.oct.org.nz/whatmattersmostotago Otago Community Trust is refreshing its strategy & actively seeking input.

You know you've found the right personal trainer when sometimes you look at each other at the start of the session and go for coffee.

Do you know what sucks? Having to make big life decisions by yourself all the time. I have great people around me who give me lots of advice and perspectives and sounding board space but the decision still sits with only me. 0/10 do not enjoy.

I like cards, dice and boardgames but not Catan types. I'm exceptionally competitive but not very patient. I'm terrible at following rules but I like to read them out so everyone knows them before I bend them. Part of the pleasure is seeing how much bending I can get away with. But I don't cheat.

I deal with this disapproval all day. She's an old lady so has earned the right to whichever cushion she chooses but the disapproval is a lot. I also have fish that nibble my finger and a couple of apple snails that eat a tank full of chickweed in about 4 days.

If you're one of the ~300 groups with an application in to the DCC for funding atm, the grants subcommittee no longer has delegations so decisions will be made by the council as a whole - with no mana whenua, community or arts representation. m.facebook.com/story.php?st...

I've never really had hobbies but I bake and I cook although I don't often have many to feed these days. Live arts are the best. I sometimes make things out of beads, mostly semi precious stones, and silver wire (mostly I just like the beads themselves to rummage in). I read a lot. #SecretSantaAoNZ

Ōtepoti people, do you have recommendations for a builder who would do a comprehensive building report on an apartment in a heritage listed building?

We're really having a *lot* of weather lately.

A curious perimenopausal symptom is I've gone all the way off garlic but have started drinking strong tea. Chewy caramel ✔️ Chilli in all its forms ✔️ Chocolate 💁‍♀️ Liquorice ✔️ Dutch liquorice 🚫 Spices ✔️ One of my fave #SecretSantaAoNZ gifts resulted in this legacy:

Time for another question #SecretSantaAoNZ What are your favourite foods? Least favourite? What can't you eat? What are your go to foods FOR MORALE? Quote or reply with your answers.

I think Ōtepoti wins Halloween 🤡👀😱

Last week I decided not to renew my contract with an organisation I've loved working with for 4 years because it turns out my interpretation of how we apply our values is very different to the board's. I'm gutted but you have to do the tiny things you can do. #KindnessMattersOrDoesIt #FreePalestine

What if we didn't vote for mayor but just councillors and they decided among themselves who should be mayor like other governance bodies. I can't help feeling it would help but maybe I'm just exhausted from 16 mayoral candidate and low voter turnout. My friend's voting papers arrived yesterday.

Do you all know where your line is? And how you would respond if you came up against it? This is a very abstract question but also potentially not at all abstract. Ergh.

I know my petty dramas aren't the most important topic or even a topic anyone is especially interested in, but if anyone has pet/landscape/flower/etc photos they would like to share with me, today is a great day for them.

What time is it please? My phone and my laptop say different things and they're both set to auto update Daylight savings is stupid.

Fuck Winston Peters. And his mates. Or co-workers if they're not mates whatever.

Donating plasma makes my heart feel hollow for about 3 hours - I know it's not hollow or empty obvs but does anyone know what might cause this perception? Psychosomatic?

Does anyone know if there are Aotearoa alternatives to stripe?

At the Dn Community House mayoral forum and it's shuffling my thinking a little for some of them. We're talking about how the dcc should financially support the for-purpose sector. Mandy speaks well and comprehensively. The vampire (whose name escapes me) has a lot of good things to say.

#Dunedin peeps - my Leftie-progressive DCC-ORC Voters Guide is finally completed and live.... Please feel free to share far and wide if you find it helpful (because, with suspicious timing, I've been blocked from my usual platform it gets good distribution on 😢 ). tinyurl.com/BaxtersLefti...

A numbered list really helps get stuff done when you're drowning in overwhelm! 5 of 6 tasks ticked off and in order except #6 was done second so only #5 left which is the hardest one.

I've had two pretty well faked phishing emails from 'the IRD' in two days. Why are people jerks? phishing.ird.govt.nz is a handy email address.

As word of the Creative NZ results start to filter around Ōtepoti, I'm just going to share this fantastic article by local professional theatre practitioner Kim Morgan. From p40 in pdf pages but p38 in magazine pages. www.playmarket.org.nz/assets/2025-...

Opening act for Otago Polyfest, Portobello School 😍 If you're in Ōtepoti this week with some time to spare, it's a $2 entry fee and a great time.

Dunedin Community House is hosting an event for Mayoral Candidates on about community services. Q&A + a big question 4PM-6PM, Thurs 11 Sept 6th floor, Dn Community House RSVP to docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F... Questions to: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

I have FIFTEEN (15) grant reports to write by the end of September for ONE (1) of my jobs 😭. And all the same grants are due as well 😭.

Can everyone please do one more submission - this one will muck up most aspects of living in this country. Online casinos need to be required to return a hefty chunk to the for-purpose sector or we won't have dance, hospices, kids' footy, food banks, you name it. www.parliament.nz/en/ECommitte...

Casual reminder that kindness is a super power. Someone today needs your kindness, that someone might be you. Be kind...

PANZ is trying to continue the Wihitreia Publishing programme in 2026 and is looking for a space in Wgtn in which to deliver it. They need a space large enough for 20pax seated at tables, Mon - Fri 8.30am - 5pm. If you know of such a space, email [email protected] and we'll pass it on.

I wish I was the kind of person who filed emails as I go.

Can anyone definitively tell me if Timaru has an ī or just an i?

I probably shouldn't write funding applications after a week like I've had. Honest answers to stupid questions may not be conducive to success.... (One of my answers: I'm not sure how this question is different to the one above.) 😬💸

Maybe *I* am the arsehole? This message brought to by shitty call #739 this week.