Shuggie Bain - a brilliant debut novel that I read during the latest lockdown. Much of it is raw and painful, but it made me think fondly back to the wonderful city of Glasgow, where I spent 7 years of my childhood. If you haven’t read it, this review gets it spot on: 1/2

2/2 “Laying bare the ruthlessness of poverty, the limits of love, and the hollowness of pride, Shuggie Bain is a blistering and heartbreaking debut, and an exploration of the unsinkable love that only children can have for their damaged parents.” Thx for writing it Douglas Stuart

Had a fun afternoon with some shameless americascup ‘guerilla marketing’ yesterday.. but inevitably there were understandable criticisms that I wasn’t wearing a life jacket. I assure you I’m not that rotund yet - the life jacket’s under the shirt!

My mum got to touch my dad this week for the first time since June last year. 8 months without physical contact after 60 years of marriage. I’m so over covid.

So this was yesterday.. but a fun afternoon anyway. No easy feat finding options for 1st home buyers, even under the new home loan ceiling.. but they do exist.

A rainy day watching the @USMasters2021 and wondering if anyone else has noticed that commentator Justin Leonard is Steve Carrell’s doppelgänger?

I don’t tweet much nowadays, but want to say a huge congratulations to the world champion BLACKCAPS. A brilliant example of how to become the world’s best, against far better-funded nations. Particularly pleased for Ross Taylor getting the recognition he deserves.

My latest property article: Could this ‘smouldering’ property market turn into an inferno? linkedin.com/posts/rawdon-c…

This is so good - thanks for sharing @emmawehipeihana

Is ⁦Uber⁩ a bit off with their timing, when it comes to Auckland customers, or is this some weird sense of humour??

Hey neighbours - after 5 nights of watching my dogs shiver in fear, please put your f****n fireworks away.

Anyone else having issues opening stories on the nzherald app these past couple of days? #Or is it an iPhone issue?

Amazing effort to raise over $100,000 from the parliament “arrogant prick” comment. Congratulations to all involved. Who’s idea was it in the first place?

I still can’t see a valid reason why every school in Auckland has to be forced to close for the week. This surely should be a choice for schools and parents to make for themselves on a case-by-case basis.

Royalist or not, like it or not, care or not, the Coronation was a significant event in NZ history. The nzherald chooses to make this morning’s headline: “Harry Looked Lost”.

To the Auckland student who offered to help my 85yo mum when she was looking a bit lost in Newmarket today, you are truly a great person. Please don’t go overseas when you’re done with Uni.

How many other tennis fans have purchased a subscription to Tennis TV to watch Wimbledon, based on the nzherald and Newstalk ZB telling us that it was the only place to watch all the games in NZ? It appears they’re not showing any of it.

Is it more honourable for the Green Party NZ to swallow their pride and invoke the Waka-jumping legislation, or to stand on principle and continue to refuse to? Wondering where public sentiment lies here.

Given how I only ever seem to hear negative stories about the Interislander it’s only fair to express how brilliant they were for me today. 1st time I’ve used them since the 90’s and they were efficient, comfortable and ahead of time. Staff were also polite and welcoming.

Feeling for my old TVNZ+ newsroom colleagues facing job uncertainty. They’ll surely know it was coming, but that doesn’t make it hurt less.