Do your childhood memories include being randomly attacked by your classmates? Josie Adams and Duncan Greive look back at the strangely violent schoolyard culture of dead arms, noogies, tabletops and more. Illustrated by Toby Morris. They say your school years are the best of your life. Remember being nine, playing marbles, and swapping your fruit … Read more
While working at The Dominion, journalist Phil Taylor met Dan Dudson – a prolific burglar who liked sending long, handwritten letters to the detectives busy trying to pin him down. The pair would eventually go on to strike up an unlikely and enduring friendship, right up until Dudson’s death in June this year aged 74. … Read more
The best of pals can fall out, never to speak again – and some friendships are only meant for a season. But if you find yourself haunted years later by the loss of a broken friendship, it’s worth trying to fix, writes Karyn Henger. I was 14 years old when I met Catherine. It was … Read more
Sometimes death comes for the old, and sometimes for the young. And sadly, like life, it rarely makes much sense when it does come. It was 8.45 am and my phone was vibrating. Ella’s name flashed on the screen. The call was probably a mistake, an accidental pocket-dial, I thought. We usually text each other … Read more
The Spinoff partnered with UMR to survey the attitudes of our readers, and the nation as a whole. Today, how social are The Spinoff readers? And how much do we suck at chores? Turns out The Spinoff readers love having friends more than anything else in this tumultuous journey we call life – including having … Read more
Mothering is wonderful and exhausting. It’s hard, but incredible work. Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes talks about how life becomes easier when you surround yourself with brilliant and amazing women. Mothers don’t just exist. We become mothers through a process that some think only involves birth. But we know – those of us who are … Read more
Absolutely Fabulous is one of the best comedies of all time, no question. Sam Brooks explains why. The first television show I remember falling in love with was Absolutely Fabulous. I was four. Now, I can’t remember why exactly I was allowed to watch Absolutely Fabulous, a show where the two lead characters spend more time high than drunk … Read more
Juliet Speedy knows the importance of a close group of mama friends. Here she talks about the feeling we’ve surely all had: The Mummy Crush. A whole new world of friendship opens up when you have kids. A pretty bloody amazing one. One fabulous part of becoming a mum is how quickly you can make … Read more
The intricacies of social media were exacerbating her anxiety, eventually culminating in the loss of a close friendship. So she decided to go on a social media detox. I needed to detox from social media long before I had the willpower to do it. I thought: no need to self-flagellate about my social media habit. … Read more
Pollyanne Peña recently moved to Christchurch from Wellington, she has a brand new baby, and she’s on the look out for new friends. In the first of a series in which she tests ways to find her mama coven, she goes to a speed dating event for mums. Moving cities and having a baby are … Read more
How do you make friends when you’re a new mum? It can be tough to find your people. Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes has some tips. One of the most common questions I’m asked by email or private message is: “I’m a new mum – how do I make friends?” Becoming a parent is a … Read more
Like it or not, friendships tend to change after babies. Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes thanks her friends without kids who have stuck by her – even through conversations about poop. Friendships change when people have kids. It’s inevitable. Becoming a parent is huge – and it changes every minute, every second, of your day. It … Read more