iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

This time 2 weeks ago I was on holiday in Italy and I find myself rather pathetically ordering pizza in an effort to recapture that magic.

A glass of Moltipulciano wine in front of a takeaway pizza box

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

I’ve been in Italy, Slovenia and Croatia for the past 3 weeks and can confirm!

People milling about the bars and restaurants behind the Amphitheater on the huge pedestrianised Piazza Bra in Verona

Fruit and veg market on a cobblestoned, pedestrian street, overlooked by 4 story buildings

Bars and restaurants have tables, chairs and umbrellas on both sides of a narrow Italian street. A car is able to get through but only at walk pace, and with a special permit for being there.

A wine festival in Soave, northern Italy. Cars are unable to drive within the ancient city walls and people are roving from stall to stall sampling the wares of the various wine and food producers.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Currently in Ljubljana which has had the same mayor for the past 20 years and he remains very popular. It was his decision to block cars from entering the old town area. This has massively increased tourist and local numbers to the city and created a thriving retail and restaurant scene #nzpol

Market stalls set up in a cobblestone square. There are pedestrians walking around freely as there are no cars allowed

A line of bikes parked in front of a cobblestone street with tourists and shoppers walking between 3-5 story buildings

Tourists and locals meandering around a cobblestone square. A row of bikes parked to the right of the picture

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Ljubljana market on a Saturday evening. Suddenly, opera!

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

If’n you happen to be in Europe any time soon, I can strongly recommend Ljubljana and district. What a place!

Building in downtown Ljubljana with hand-painted decorations

A market in a cobbled piazza in Ljubijana. The sun is shining and the food is amazing.

The Ljubljana Library was designed by a local (Italian-trained) architect and built from local materials brick and concrete. The windows are fashioned to look like open books

The view from Pranjama Castle
showing a lush green valley

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

My Dad was stationed in Trieste in the early ‘50’s and today I got to visit the barracks that he stayed in. I was never that close to Dad but it was a surprisingly emotional experience to essentially walk in his footsteps from 70-odd years ago.

Soldiers guarding the arched gate of the Lazzarotto headquarters of the British Army in the early 1950’s. There are 8 of them lined up, each with rifles in their shoulders

A picture from September 2026 of a man (me) standing at the arched gate of the former Lazzarotto headquarters of the British Army.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Taking this as a good omen for my business trip today

A view across the wing of a plane towards another Air NZ jet that appears to have a rainbow terminating in its fuselage

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

This is always a winner at my place

A recipe for fish roasted on galric, thyme, cored tomatoes, quartered red and yellow capsicums, and sliced zuccini, served with rice and a green salad.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

Amazing sunrise from Auckland’s Rothesay Bay, looking towards the Coromandel. #kikorangi

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Ha! We could have been neighbours. We lived in an apartment on 5th and Yew. This was the late '80's.

A screenshot of a 3-story apartment building, partially hidden by trees, in Kitsalano, Vancouver, Canada.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

I've lost track - is it open or closed today?

Actor Bill Murray pictured in his role from the movie Groundhog Day, superimposed over an image showing oil tankers lined up in the Straight of Hormuz.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

No live stream but here’s the current situation in a fairly cloudy Auckland today

A screenshot from an app showing the solar panels are generating 6.5kW, the house is using 1.6kW and the battery is at 100%. We are currently returning 4.9kW to the grid.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

A long walk, some bad guitar playing, and now a G and T. Friday’s should ALWAYS be this good 👍

A half-drink Gin and Tonic sits on an outside wooden table. The blue sea can be seen in the background.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

And 9 hours later they were ready. Smoking meat is time consuming but I love the low and slow process.

Slow cooked and smoked beef short ribs with the foil wrap pulled back, ready to eat. The are a deep reddy-brown colour and very tender.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 21/03/2026

Up early on a Sunday morning to smoke beef ribs for my flatmate’s birthday. They’re the centrepiece of tonight’s dinner so, you know, no pressure 🤔

2 x racks of beer ribs sitting in metal trays ready to go into the smoker. They have been covered with a red and brown rub overnight.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

Ventured down to the Waikato for a ride in the bike path tomorrow. Our wee rented house has a beautiful garden and backs onto the river - and it’s SO beautiful.

A glass of red wine on an outside table overlooking a lawn and trees, awash in light from a setting sun. In the background, the Waikato River flows lazily past.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 19/02/2026

It's not a million miles away from North Korea-style propaganda banners

Portraits of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are seen on the facade of a government building in Pyongyang, North Korea, September 10, 2018.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

Immigration in NZ - we've just had one of hte biggest drops in immigration numbers, on record.

A graph showing natural population increases/decreases and immigration levels from 1991-2025. We've just experienced one of the largest drops in immigration numbers on record (with the exception of Covid and 1977 when many left for Australia.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

Dear 40% of New Zealander voters - the Treaty is this country's founding document. Please look it up. 🤔🙄

A screenshot of the headline of an RNZ article. The headline reads "Nearly 40% of Voters think Treaty of Waitangi has too much influence on government decisions - poll"

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 28/12/2025

Realising that the 1st week of my summer holidays was all about Christmas, and the 2nd week will be all about watching it rain 🙄

A weather report showing rain or showers for 6 of the next 7 days.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 26/12/2025

Repost with your Christmas tree 🌲

9’ “fake” Christmas tree with wrapped gifts of various shapes and colours.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 26/12/2025

We’re the same. Loved all the cooking and company yesterday, but loving having neither of those things today.

Legs and bare feet of a man lying on a blue couch.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 21/12/2025

Today I received a sympathy card in the mail from Ward 2 and I can’t tell you how touched I am by this.

A card depicting white fabric with yellow petals and the words “With Sympathy” on it

A printed offer from the hospital for family members to meet with Mum’s caregivers to answer any questions we may have about her care and subsequent passing.

Printed on the inside of the card extending deepest sympathy for our loss. Underneath is a handwritten note saying “Thinking of you all, from Ward 2”

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

Carrying on the thread. This is a Pohutukawa - an evergreen New Zealand tree of the Myrtle family. The appearance of its crimson flowers signals the start of summer, so it’s also known as New Zealand’s Christmas Tree.

A large tree growing in a park. Its branches are covered in crimson flowers.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

24 hours ago I got the call from the hospital that Mum had passed away in her sleep. She was 91 and had a number of health issues but she continued to be one of the most optimistic and vibrant people, right to the end. We’ll miss her forever 💔

An immaculately-dressed 91 year old is pictured beside a round table with a white table cloth. She sports a cheeky smile as she holds up a glass of white wine in both of her hands.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

My Mum‘s really unwell and we’ve been in North Shore Hospital for nearly a week. The care is exemplary and it pisses me off that while they’re helping Mum fight her health battles, they’re also having to fight battles of their own #nzpol

A poster depicting Chris Luxon as Ebonezer Scrooge with the caption “Fund our health system this Christmas.”

A picture of a hanging Christmas decoration in a hospital with the caption “Deck the Halls with proper staffing.”

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

Otautahi is looking beautiful today

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 16/07/2025

Overnighting in Dunedin for work so made the pilgrimage to Speights Alehouse. So glad I ordered the Medium over the large Ribs dinner! (Excellent, BTW).

A massive plate of slow cooked pork ribs piled on top of fries and salad.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 29/06/2025

Such a great time of year for rainbows! #kikorangi

Looking over a fence to the neighbour’s house with a double rainbow behind it.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 29/06/2025

Such a great time of year for rainbows! #kikorangi

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

For the people exercised about te Reo road signs, can we please have a discussion about the variable speed limit signs this Government has just signed us up to while increasing speed limits around the country because "productivity" #nzpol

A new speed sign showing 30kph, but only during the listed times: "8:15-8:50am Mon-Tue & Thu-Fri, Wednesday 3:10-3:35pm SCHOOL DAYS". Not sure how any motorist can take this in, check the day and time, then alter their speed accordingly, while driving!

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

Lots of folks at the #dawnparade at Auckland Domain this morning but curiously, no big screen(?)

Auckland War Memorial Museum lit up in the pre-dawn

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

Is this a good time to buy?? (apologies to the artist - will credit if anyone knows who it is).

Cartoon image of red baseball caps on shelves, inscribed with the words "Make America Great Again". They all have a "made in china" tags attached the them. On the front of the shelf is a sign showing a price of $55, which has been crossed out and replaced with $77.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

The light is spectacular tonight!

Against a backdrop of grey sky and sea, a pine tree is lit up by the golden rays of sunset

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

Currently at the ASB Theatre in Auckland and trying to work out why/how this could be offensive to anyone, although I’m sure it is.

Sign in the men’s toilets: “Gender Diversity is welcome here. Please use the restroom that best fits your gender identity or expression”.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

Hey, new-to-Bluesky folks. Please consider ticking this box:

A screen shot from the "Accessibility" section of BlueSky settings that will remind the user to Alt text whenever they post an image.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

The view from Rothesay Bay an hour ago

A street lit residential road with a moody sunset above it. Lots of purple and orange in the clouds.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

Otutahi Christchurch really turning it in tonight

Restaurants by the river on a warm summer’s night

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

I remember how high-tech they seemed when we got one. Like a phone version of Straker from Space 1999

A still of the Straker character from the TV show Space 1999. He’s
wearing a beige coloured suit with a collar that does up at the neck.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 05/01/2025

You’ve been kidnapped. The characters from the last TV show you watched are trying to rescue you. Who is coming to save you?

5 Irish actresses from the TV show “Bad Sisters” are grouped together and looking in the same direction.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 20/12/2024

Just shut down all my work stuff and I'm now officially on holiday. At this time I cannot predict if this means more or less time on bsky over the next 2 weeks, but goodness me you're a great bunch, and I've enjoyed your company immensely this year. Merry Christmas from sunny New Zealand.

A close-up image of a Pohutakawa flower and some of its green leaves, behind a figurine of a Santa in red and white tank top and shorts, carrying a surf board. The Pohutakawa is known as "New Zealand's Christmas Tree" as it red, spikey flowers bloom in December.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 09/12/2024

Unpacked about a million boxes over the weekend, following our house move late last week - and we even got the Christmas tree delivered and decorated! Love the way it smells.

A 2.4m Christmas tree in a stand against a white wall, complete with a lights, decorations, and a tree- topper Santa in a golden robe. There's a red skirt with a white trim that covers the tree stand.

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Bad Guitar Player @nzstever.bsky.social · 08/12/2024

Day 4 in our new house and a change to an old family ritual. Instead of putting up the 2.4m “real” Xmas tree with friends and our 2 x 20-something sons, now we’re joined by the boys’ girlfriends too. Time matches on but the tree still looks amazing.

A picture of a 2.4m Xmas tree that’s decorated with lights and ornaments.

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