Harvey.

Between June 19th and July 10th, I have been looking after my beloved mate Harvey, who has been back in Nelson for a three-week holiday while his owners have been away. Harvey is now based in Christchurch, but he still comes to Nelson every couple of months to visit, which is awesome. I am sad when he leaves, however, there will be a next time and I know it will come around pretty quickly. He stayed a couple of nights at my place and visited during the day; he loved the fire and slept on my bed because he likes routine, just like I do. He has stayed a total of five nights at my place this calendar year. I have known him since he was eight months old, way back in 2016. I look forward to the next time Harvey comes, perhaps later this year. My mum and I love him heaps.

International Cricket.

I am really pleased that Nelson will continue to host international cricket again this summer. Nelson will host the Bangladesh women on December 10 and 12 for two Twenty20 matches, as well as Twenty20 matches against the Sri Lankan men at the end of January. I am looking forward to all of it.

Hurricanes v Chiefs.

On June 20, the Super Rugby final took place between the Hurricanes and the Chiefs at the "Cake Tin" in Wellington—a venue I have visited a number of times over the years. I was pleased the Hurricanes beat the Chiefs from Waikato 60–5. I was hoping for a closer game; I clearly thought the Hurricanes would win, but not by that much. It was disappointing, as it would have been better if it had been a hard-fought win rather than a cakewalk.

Transport Policy.

I believe the Labour Party's transport policy is excellent because it helps average people who are struggling with the cost of living. I think it will reduce congestion and help New Zealand address climate change. I also believe the current government is providing corporate welfare to its wealthy friends, such as the tobacco industry, which I think is wrong.

Palestine.

Every month, I go to the Church Steps for the Free Palestine protests, where there are always Israel supporters hanging around with flags. I think Israel's Prime Minister is wanted by the World Court for war crimes and is a thug, much like U.S. President Donald Trump. I don't like how Christopher Luxon is so aligned with the U.S. and Israel.

Climate Change.

I think this government's priorities are wrong, and they are climate change deniers. We have had so many floods in the Nelson and Tasman area. Christopher Luxon could walk on water and turn water into wine before becoming Prime Minister. The media does not like him. He wants to build more roads, which makes me angry; spending something like $56 billion on "Roads of National Significance" is something I may never see the benefits of in the future. We need fewer diesel and motor vehicles on the road and more electric ones.

Jazz.

I have an Indian bus driver friend named Jazz, who is a Sikh from the Punjab region of Northern India. He is always friendly and down-to-earth. He knows many of my Indian friends around Nelson, such as my friends at Big Barrel, who are also Sikh. I am lucky to know Jazz.

New Phone.

On May 21, I bought a new phone from One NZ (formerly known as Vodafone). It is a Smart Phone 26 that cost about $100. It is an awesome phone, and my mum likes it so much that she is keen on getting one too. I really like that it has YouTube and the internet, and it is fast.

Blenheim.

Blenheim is a growing region located near Nelson, about an hour and a half away by car. The last time I went to Blenheim was in March 2024, when I took a bus ride through to Picton. However, the last time I actually walked around Blenheim was in July 2023, when I walked over the Blenheim Bridge.

The population of Blenheim is about 25,000. It is famous for its wine and has a large number of vineyards. I think it's a pretty place, and the main reason I would want to stay overnight there would be to catch a Tasman Mako game. That said, I always thoroughly enjoy the scenic bus ride over. 

New Shoes.

On May 7, I got some new Adidas shoes from Rebel Sport in Nelson for NZ$69, down from NZ$109. I like buying Adidas shoes because they fit well and last a long time, which is exactly the way it should be. Adidas is my favourite shoe brand, along with New Balance. Mum also liked them and thought they looked very smart.

Hurricanes v Crusaders.

On May 1, I went to Wellington for my yearly trip away from home to see the Hurricanes vs. Crusaders. It was a fantastic game between the two rivals, and I have attended this clash a number of times over the years; I always enjoy it.

I was lucky enough to meet Du’Plessis Kirifi from the Hurricanes, who is an All Black. The next day, I also ran into the Crusaders at the airport, including All Blacks Codie Taylor and Fletcher Newell. There are several Mako players in the Crusaders squad, like Macca Springer and Ethan Blackadder, who were real gentlemen. Ethan is a lovely man and seemed genuinely pleased to see me.

The Hurricanes won 38–31 in what was a great match. For a change of pace, I am planning on going to Christchurch about the same time next year to see the new stadium and watch the Crusaders play.

Motueka.

I remember Motueka from when I was growing up. I went to the Abel Tasman Education Centre in Riwaka, just outside of Motueka. I remember the bus stop from 1999, when I traveled over there between March and mid-June.

"Motu" means island and "eka" means bird. I also remember the information centre. Motueka brings back old memories of my youth, and the region has truly grown since then.

The E-Buses.

I think the e-buses are awesome; they pass my house between 7:30 am and 7:30 pm. I get on them to go to places like the Mad Butcher, where the meat is better priced than at the supermarkets. There is a bus stop right outside the Mad Butcher on Songer Street in Stoke, which is a suburb in Nelson.

It only costs one dollar to get from my place to Stoke and back. More people are using public transport now because petrol is four dollars a litre, thanks to Donald Trump’s illegal war with Iran. 

My Favourite Beatle Songs and Why.

My Top 5 Favorites

1. Twist and Shout I love this because it's from the early days of the Beatles, released in 1963. I have always liked it since I first heard it in 1992.
2. The Long and Winding Road It is a sad song from the final days of the Beatles when their days were numbered. It was released in 1970.
3. Maxwell's Silver Hammer Sung by Paul, this is part of the Abbey Road album, which I really like.
4. Norwegian Wood From the album Rubber Soul (released in 1965), I particularly like the unique instrument used in it.
5. A Hard Day's Night I chose this because I really enjoyed the movie, which was released in 1964.

Donald Trump.

I think Donald Trump’s war with Iran is bad for the world; I believe it is as bad as, if not worse than, COVID-19. I think he started this war to stop the release of files regarding his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

Donald Trump should be put on trial as a war criminal for his attacks on Iran, along with the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. I remember Netanyahu was first elected Prime Minister in 1996, and I believe as soon as he is no longer in power, he will face war crimes charges.

Dave Rennie.

I am pleased that Dave Rennie is the new All Blacks coach. I didn’t think Scott Robertson was up to the All Black coaching job; I thought he picked too many players he simply liked. While I know that is a tempting thing to do—much like in my own NRL Fantasy coaching—it isn't the right approach.

I play NRL Fantasy online, and after six rounds of the competition, I am currently ranked 188th out of 150,000 players across New Zealand and Australia. With Dave Rennie taking over, I reckon Ardie Savea will be captain, and some of "Razor’s" favorites will likely be dropped. Simon Parker comes to mind.

I don’t watch enough rugby to have a clear idea of who all the new All Blacks will be in 2026, but I have read that Caleb Tangitau from the Highlanders could be selected for the first time this year. Good luck, Dave Rennie! I will be sure to watch some of the All Black tests throughout the year.

Harvey.

On April 1st, a black lab named Harvey came to stay at my house. I have known him since he was a puppy way back in 2016. He comes up from Christchurch every now and then. He loves staying at my house, and my mum is a big fan of his now that he is older and wiser.

He loves my mum's cooking; he even had some crusts from her cheese and tomato toasties, as well as some quiche. Mum and I are looking forward to having him back in Nelson, where he might stay from Sunday to Friday next time.

I know Harvey is coming back later in the year. He loves sitting on the couch, so we have a plan for next time: Harvey will sleep in the lounge rather than on my bed. When he needs to go to the toilet, he is always on a lead, and we keep him safely inside while he is staying at our place.

J.B. Pritzker.

On March 30th, I received a nice surprise in the mail from Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, who is a Democrat. I had sent the Governor a letter earlier in the year. In his reply, he thanked me for reaching out and mentioned that Donald Trump dislikes him because he is a Democrat and has tried to send in the National Guard. I think Governor Pritzker could be a Democratic presidential candidate in 2028.

I think it is quite sad that the Pakistan Super League is playing behind closed doors like during the COVID-19 days. This is because of the terrorism risk in Pakistan and the conflict with neighbouring Afghanistan. There are no players from India and Afghanistan. I have also noticed that foreign players are withdrawing for either personal reasons or to get Indian Premier League contracts. They are playing in only two cities in Pakistan: Karachi and Lahore.

The Covid Report.

I think the COVID report by this government is nothing but a witch hunt. Winston Peters sucks up to anti-vaccine people, and in my opinion, this is nothing more than political point-scoring because I think everything this government touches turns to crap. I think the last government did a good job of handling COVID, which was a once-in-a-hundred-year pandemic. Christopher Luxon couldn't handle a COVID crisis.

The National Government.

I think this National-led Government is the most unpopular government ever in New Zealand. It has got rid of pay equity for women. It wants to suck up to the worst president ever, Donald Trump, who has started a war with Iran illegally, in my opinion. They are more interested in building roads than upgrading hospitals and schools, which is totally wrong. Luxon is a terrible Prime Minister, and hopefully, we get a change of government in November.