June 29, 2026
I'm writing these blogs just to feel something positive can happen in my days. Today I managed to complete some more exams and mark student performances, help with students performing their chosen songs for a concert I am guiding students in organising next term. There's a wellbeing day I put work into. So, clearly I've done something. However I still know I haven't done enough, it always can be completed at a better quality. Unrelated, I bought a new pencil case which is more adult, and houses my actual pens vs. the cheapo ones I've accumulated. Some days it's one day at a time.June 28, 2026
I got a Nintendo Switch Lite on a whim (just wanted a portable Switch - ironic), so far it's been great - apart from the linked accounts on the systems. I found that digital files (game key cards) can't be easily shared between more than 2 systems unless I make a new dummy account, put it into my family account and "lend" the game to a family member... I can then run the game with my profile, my save file, just not "my copy" only a 14-day loaned copy of a game I already own, I'm sure it's an oversight that I'm not going to hate on, but I'm a fringe case who already has a friend subscription for his mates.
I've had a pretty rough few months, and I haven't shared any information about it online. So comfort gaming like Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island has been worthwhile, I want to play 6 levels specific to the GBA version of the game. I've also been playing Parking Garage Rally Circuit, a chunky lo-fi racer in the vein of 90's Sega arcade games, like Sega Rally but inside parking garages... I might write some more about both later. Peace.
June 24, 2026
I bought a pencil extender, it's about what you expect, a mechanical pencil build with a slot for pencils with little shelf life left in them. I find I always see things on the ground, garbage sure, however occassionally there objects with life still in them. If I can salvage a snapped in half pencil, clean and use it... what's the harm? Also, engaging in a childhood curiousity like stationary is fun, I can chuck a pencil through a pencil sharpener and give it life - even if it is drawing or note-taking.
Listening: The Veils - Nux Vomica
June 23, 2026
I went to the Sydney Opera House to see Al Jardine and the Pet Sounds Bands - a collective of musicians who have previously worked with Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys who performed classics spanning from Surfer Girl through to Wild Honey, tracks from Love You live for the first time, as well as the always necessary Pet Sounds set. It was an incredible show that didn't get as large of an audience as I had anticipated, I guess it's hard to position an off-shoot of The Beach Boys as the actual thing.
Listening: The Beach Boys - Love You
June 22, 2026
I saw Stereolab last night, the show was incredible - a solid reminder of how good their 2025 record Instant Holograms On Metal Film actually is and they even played Household Names, a random single... Ashleigh turned to me during Peng! 33 and asked if it was from the 90's due to the optimism, I never ever thought to connect the dots between Stereolab and that 90's guitar pop but there you go. Highlights were Motoroller Scalatron and The Flower Called Nowhere.
Beforehand we went to Food and Wine Show in Sydney there are less food based stalls every year and more gin and wine, I thought chilli oil was growing in popularity. Justine Schofield demonstrated a very simple Jam Donut receipt which I hope to copy using Tortillas.
Listening: Stereolab - Instant Holograms On Metal Film
June 21, 2026
Australia played USA at something like 5am, Ashleigh woke up at 5am to watch the game and I eventually roused from my sleep in the first hydration break (how dumb). They've been doing really well, an upset against USA would have been unprecedented, however an own goal and smart positioning from a USA striker meant we lost 2-0. The rest of the day was spent tidying, gardening (trimming, it's Winter) and some weeding...
Ironically, I then played a session of Animal Crossing on Gamecube where I roughly did the same after some weeks away from the game, a good excuse to listen to some records.
Listening: Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
June 16, 2026
It's Tuesday, a few more draws in the world cup. I actually tipped New Zealand against Iran, however Spain with a 0-0 draw against Cape Verde is absolutely wild.
I'm trying to tidy my workspaces at work, I started just before cloud storage was standard and believe it or not I still have photocopies of worksheets sitting in folders untouched for years. It's a gradual process, I hope it means I'll also keep my own space clear at home.
After work I went to the pools and swam laps, repaired a SNES controller a mate dumped on me because there's was a break in the cable and while I was at it I fixed the video out of my Dreamgear - a 45-in-1 NES bootleg system I bought, then realised when I got to the car that the video out was broken, an easy fix with a donor AV cable. Of the games included I tried out Wonder Rabbit has a surprisingly amount of level design, I found out there is a Mario 2 style hack based on it, as well as Pikachu5... Maybe I'll actually finish it?
Listening: Stereolab - Emperor Tomato Ketchup
June 15, 2026
It's Monday, everyone at work was abuzz with Australia's 2-0 win against Turkiye yesterday.
I'm doing reasonably well on the friends and work tipping competitions, it's easy picking early in the heats with plenty of favourites winning with only draws sitting in the way (for some reason the friends comp considers a Draw as 1 point, instead of the 3 you get for a Win). Go big or go home! I was hoping for an upset from Japan against Netherlands to set me ahead of the rest, but it wasn't for me.
Assisted students with their selected songs in Music and did some lino printing in Art. A Roland TD-15 Electric Drumkit module wasn't working so I took it home to clean and now it works every single time. Can't ask for a better result.
Listening: Van Dyke Parks - Orange Crate Art
June 14, 2026 - Rethinking the concept.
I've been thinking about the site, it's hard to know what to do, I landed on posting similarly to LiveJournal. Not in a sense of posting deeply personal thoughts, but a place to record what I'm thinking about, with space for the occassional mini-essay or review in the mix.
Lately I've been using my Pinecil, a small soldering iron to repair a dodgy copy of Blaster Master I bought online by bridging broken traces, and it's given me the confidence to modify my broken Game Boy Pocket with an aftermarker screen as well as seeking out any other repair jobs I have put on hold.
I hope to post more later, having the freedom of an open concept site instead of it needing to be gaming, music or whatever creates opportunities to write.
Listening: Fleetwood Mac - Tango In The Night
Playing: Star Fox 2026 Demo