Writers
Susan Grimsdell
After retiring from audiology some years ago, Susan’s finding life’s pretty good with lots of time to do what she likes. That includes walking, reading, having coffee with friends, and a bit of activism thrown in. Also, day by day doing her best not to worry too much over the many threats to our gorgeous planet.
Read Susan’s Blog
Trevor Plumbly
Meet Trevor. He’s had quite a colourful career, from his early days as a pub manager in Tunbridge Wells he went on to become Dunedin’s leading auctioneer. Trevor is a published author and was something of a TV personality in the 1980s as a regular panellist on a show about antiques.
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Emily Smart
Emily is very loud, and has really bad taste in cheesy pop music. When not at work flogging goods to the public via advertising and marketing campaigns, she can be found hiding from her partner and children at the local pub. If you’re easily offended or don’t appreciate the constant use of profanities, then you probably shouldn’t read Emily’s posts. You have been warned!
Read Emily’s Blog
Angela Caldin
Angela has had many roles in her life including: schoolgirl, student, daughter, friend, civil servant, wife, lover, mother, manager, magistrate, landlady, teacher, grandmother, blogger, editor and proofreader.
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The latest
Talking in clichés By Trevor Plumbly
Hi Ange! It might be my imagination but we seem to be bombarded by clichés and verbal garbage these days. I don’t know if computers are to blame but modern English seems to have become a dumping ground for mangled definition and totally meaningless little add-ons that contribute nothing towards conversation or educated communication. Of course there’s always been slang of one sort or another, Cockney for instance, but that at least had a heritage factor. Today’s fluffy drivel has no historical or humorous value that I can make out. A… Read More
Is a problem halved? By Trevor Plumbly
Cause and effect The trouble with high speed internet news is that it burns too brightly to have lasting value. Yesterday’s news, it seems, regardless of its horror or educational value is routinely discarded in favour of ‘breaking news’. Stories on the plight of refugees flooding into Europe dominate world news, and rightly so, but for how long? And sadder still, to what effect? As I’m writing this, the story is being aired of a dead toddler washed ashore on a Mediterranean beach along with the bodies of his brother and mother…. Read More
Real TV by Trevor Plumbly
Your starter for 10 Reality TV never did it for me, but as the years have advanced and the eyesight retreated I’ve developed a strange attraction for quiz shows. At 5 o’clock sharp I prepare myself for the daily fix. Beer at hand, brain in buzz mode, staring earnestly at a grey TV screen occupied by equally grey and fuzzy contestants. The shows themselves are blatantly formulaic, if you can answer all the questions you win pots of money, but if you get one wrong, you’re out on your ear. A bit… Read More
Across But Not Down by Trevor Plumbly
Up and down One across was relatively simple ‘Home educated? 5 & 7’ answer ‘house trained’. But then they always do that, they give you a simple clue to drag you in and then hit you with the migraine stuff a bit further down. They use all sorts of cunning ploys to put you off the scent, word puns, anagrams, abbreviations and Roman numerals are just part of their ammunition. The master for me was the Rev. John Graham who published in The Guardian for many years under the pen name Araucaria,… Read More
Party Games by Trevor Plumbly
ACTing up I know I’m lucky to live in a country like NZ and shouldn’t take the Mickey out of the place, but Brits are Brits and we tend to find humour in the strangest places. We also realise that we can do stuff all to control those who control us. Outside the periodic use of the ballot box, the best form of retaliation is mockery. The political system here, if it can be called that, is MMP, if you’re politically learned you’ll understand MMP, if not it would be like trying… Read More
The Writers
We’re four Brits who made the big move from the UK to the other side of the world. We love New Zealand, the English language having a good laugh and the occasional moan. Ah, just read our posts and you’ll get the gist.
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