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Jamie Strange
u’re ready to If you think yo email: en th e writ smag.co.nz Editor@nexu
List MP based in Hamilton 07 839 6803
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Editors
30 SECONDS INTO DAY ONE: POST LOCKDOWN
Josh Umbers josh@nexusmag.co.nz Donnella Ngohe donnella@nexusmag.co.nz
27
Luka Love luka@nexusmag.co.nz Harry Malcolm harry@nexusmag.co.nz
FUCK, I CANNOT WAIT TO GO HOME
Design 13
Ashlea Curran design@nexusmag.co.nz
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Cover +Centrefold Zac Holley zacholley@hotmail.com
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road safety
Digital Assets
Nat Calvert Nat@nexusmag.co.nz
Advertising + Production James Raffan + Kendrah Worsley comms@wsu.org.nz
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LIFE LIFE AFTER AFTER
BRIEFING
Cartoon - Pg. 13 Jack Stack
Contributors
LEVEL LEVEL 4 4
Kyla Campbell-Kamariera
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8
Caitlin Walters-Freke Nathan Rahui
Nelson Cooper
y ngr
Aunty Slut
O VE
R + hu
Grace Mitchell
Onyx Lily
HUNG
17
20
4
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CONTENTS
Mia Milne
Josh Umbers / josh@nexusmag.co.nz
As I’m writing this I’m sitting on my couch watching my flatmate play Call of Duty: Warzone for about the 765th time this lockdown, wondering if we’re going to enter level 2 on Monday, anticipating the good news when they announce it on Sunday. I don’t even know what week of lockdown it is anymore, it must be nearing the 7th at least. Not even being dramatic or anything, it’s just that my routine has gone in the bin because I don’t have to go into Uni or the Nexus office every morning. The same routine I’ve had for the past two and a bit years of where I go to Uni in the morning, come home around 3, do as much work as I can before I get absolutely lazered with my mates every Friday or Saturday, and knock out whatever work I have left on the days that remain in the week. It’s the longest period I’ve ever gone without seeing my mates apart from the ones who I live with, I’ve learned a fair bit about myself during these times. Flatmate just got clocked by a sniper, gg. It’s a time where I’ve found myself frequently video chatting with friends, where beforehand this would have been almost unheard of for me. Video chat beer pong games, Snapchat drinking nominations, the drunken late night zoom calls, we’ve all dabbled in at least one of these to keep our social lives interesting, and to that I take my hat off to you. These unprecedented times have forced us to adapt in everything we do whether it be Uni, socializing, exercising, or working. As I said before, my work ethic and routine has gone down the gurgler until further notice, now it’s a rare sight if I wake up before 11am because I stay up till 4 or 5am watching YouTube or reading stuff on Reddit and let my sleep schedule become an absolute mess because I trick myself into thinking I don’t
reeeeaally have anything to be awake early for. In reality I might not, because I do Uni and Nexus from home now so I can do it whenever I want, but it is detrimental to how quickly I get onto work and how fast I do it. All self-inflicted though, because at the end of the day I’m the only one stopping me from getting shit done. At the same time though, we’ve seen announcements from The University of Auckland regarding scaled grades for everyone this semester due to the whole work from home situation, which I think is a very generous but also fair move. People have been disadvantaged in different ways and it’s difficult to provide equality in terms of their learning environment. I haven’t been disadvantaged too much, I know I can work from home and still do well, I’m just lazy. But I know people who learn hands-on in stuff like labs and tutorials and just don’t get that same level of learning at home, which leaves them at a serious disadvantage due to no fault of their own. But at the same time, we’ve had the luxury of open book tests and leniency around due dates, which is compassionate in itself. Should other Universities follow suit? I don’t know, I don’t feel like making a call on it. There are many things to consider though, and it will be interesting to see if it happens in the coming weeks as exams start.
NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 8
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NEXUS: Do you think the University were quick enough in its response to Covid-19? QUIGLEY: We did not anticipate the full impact of COVID-19 until it became clear what the public health response on New Zealand was going to involve. But, we had an advantage in that with a significant cohort of potential students in China at the time that the border was closed to foreign nationals, we had started to ramp up for online delivery, and started to consider the impact of COVID-19, before we had to do that for our students on the Hamilton and Tauranga campuses. NEXUS: What are some of the challenges you faced in making decisions?
Donnella Ngohe
Since our Life After Lockdown series has a very limited lifespan we jumped all the way to the front of the wishlist and hit up Vice-Chancellor Neil Quigley an hour after the Prime Ministers announcement. It wasn’t the face to face, safely distanced meeting she wanted but she did get to find out more about what the future holds. She also got a photo of the ViceChancellors dog. 6
QUIGLEY: We have never had to close the University in the middle of a semester before: so having to do so was totally outside the experience of every member of the Executive team. And because the situation was evolving very quickly, we were forced to make decisions in a vacuum of information in many cases. Some students perhaps imagined that we received advance information from the government about decisions that were being made, but in fact we were watching the Prime Minister’s press conferences to find out what was happening just like everyone else in New Zealand. NEXUS: Was there much push back from staff to online learning? QUIGLEY: Some staff were quite unprepared to move to online teaching, not having contemplated doing so before. But everyone understood that we had no choice, and with the
teams in CeTTL and ITS providing assistance, and some staff who were already experts in online teaching to consult with, everyone managed to get their classes online. For some staff and for some classes I know it was a rather shaky start, but everyone put in a huge amount of effort to make it work. NEXUS: Has the University had to make any employment cuts during lockdown that would impact students education? QUIGLEY: No, as of this time all staff who were employed before the lockdown are still employed. NEXUS: What does alert 2 look like for the students of Waikato University? QUIGLEY: We will be opening the campus again, have students returning to the halls, and be implementing a sophisticated scheme using QR codes to allow contact tracing of people who were in different parts of the campus at different times. There will be a series of communications about the opening of the campus over the next few days. NEXUS: With the University having moved online for Covid will this permanently alter online education delivery or do you see lecturers going back to not recording things ? QUIGLEY: We think the move to all lectures being recorded should be permanent. NEXUS: The government recently announced its student support package which angered a number of students who felt it didn’t do enough, what were your views? QUIGLEY: We have done our best to make more money available to our University student hardship scheme, but I do not want to comment on the government’s support package for students. NEXUS: NZUSA has been advocating for a Universal Student Income of $250 per week. Is that something you think we will see from this government? QUIGLEY: Please ask Minister Hipkins. NEXUS: Will the University be providing extra mental health services when they return to help deal with raised levels of student anxiety? QUIGLEY: Yes, we have increased the resourcing in this area. NEXUS: Now that a return to some level or normalcy at least seems on the horizon what will the University be doing for those who graduated last month?
lead times, so I am not sure if will be possible to do anything for those who graduated by the time that we have the freedom to do so. NEXUS: What might be some of the long term impacts on the University with the borders remaining closed and fewer international students? QUIGLEY: The University derives around $50 million per annum from international student tuition fees, and it seems unlikely that the government will be prepared to fund the shortfall in revenue across the tertiary sector if we do not have international students. So if the borders remain closed for any length of time there is no doubt that the University of Waikato will have to change almost every aspect of its current operations. We hope it will not come to that. NEXUS: What changes are we likely to see in the Halls of residence for the short term? QUIGLEY: The main change will be that our hall managers and residential assistants will look much more stressed as they try to manage social distancing and limit large scale social activities. NEXUS: What are your thoughts around the recent announcement by Auckland University around raising everyone’s grade? QUIGLEY: You will have seen that today we sent an email to all students, signed by Kyla and me. We do not plan to follow the Auckland model, in part because our transition to online teaching has been more successful and in part because we think we can find more sophisticated ways of addressing any grade disadvantages for students arising from this trimester. NEXUS: What insights did you gain about the way you work from home? QUIGLEY: Everyone is on Zoom meetings all the time, which means that when I want to talk to someone I have not been able to wander into their office but have to set up a Zoom meeting. The days go by very quickly, and the weekends don’t feel as different from the week days as they used to (just a few less Zoom meetings on the weekends). NEXUS: What have you missed on or off campus? QUIGLEY: People – there are some things that Zoom can’t replicate. And my walk down to get a coffee and an update on the University gossip from Stacy.
QUIGLEY: We still cannot have large gatherings of people, and as you may have noticed today for events of this type the advice of the Prime Minister today was still “don’t make any plans”. Graduations take a lot of organising, and require long NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 8
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LIFE LIFE WELLNESS Nexus continued to embrace its post lockdown reality, badgering university staff till they conducted a virtual interview. This week it was Suzy Flourie from the Wellbeing Hub Nexus: What kind of support do you provide? Suzy: With The Wellbeing Hub doors physically closed since lockdown, we have moved to a virtual hub online. The Student Wellbeing Ambassadors team and I are dedicated to providing students with inspiring, educational and inclusive wellbeing content @wellbeinghubuniofwaikato. If students would like to see specific topics covered they are encouraged to get in touch with me – wellbeinghub@waikato. ac.nz Nexus: What is in place for those with visual or hearing impairments that need support? Suzy: The Wellbeing Hub is currently limited to sharing our content via Facebook & Instagram. If there is a better way to reach those who would like wellbeing inspiration and don’t find this accessible they are invited to get in touch. Nexus: Has the demand for support increased since the lockdown was announced? Suzy: Awareness of how central wellbeing is to our lives has definitely come into stark relief since lockdown was announced. For most of us the distraction of the daily grind fell away and we 8
were left with important questions like; o Have I been valuing my own wellbeing? o Do I know how to support my own wellbeing? o Do I allow others to support me? o Do I support others? This moment, because it is so confronting and strange provides an unique opportunity to reprioritise our wellbeing and find ways to grow our capacities. The Wellbeing Hub team is always open to developing and offering programs and content to support this growth. If students have ideas, again, get in touch. I am here to listen: wellbienghub@waikato.ac.nz Nexus: Has the demand decreased as we go down the alert system? Suzy: Obviously the Wellbeing Hub has not been open- so I am not making nearly as many cups of tea. However, requests for wellbeing ideas/inspiration has not slowed down. Which, to me, is a good thing because it shows people are asking the important questions. Nexus: What resources are available for those that need it? Suzy: For wellbeing inspiration and ideas: @ wellbeinghubuniofwaikato If students are curious about a particular aspect of wellbeingthey are welcome to contact us.
E E AFTER AFTER
LEVEL LEVEL 4 4 Nexus: How will these resources be accessible? Suzy: Social media or email
Eventually, in this way, you can achieve what is meaningful to you, at your own pace in your own way.
Nexus: Will the facilities be open when the campus opens?
Nexus: What is put into place for those that had their grades affected due to struggling with their mental health?
Suzy: At this stage the Wellbeing Hub will remain closed but our virtual hub is always available.
Suzy: Good question! I would expect there are people aware of this concern and working on compassionate solutions.
Nexus: Any advice for those who are struggling with a mental illness that have fear returning back on campus? Suzy: I can only answer this from my unique perspective (in other words, as a Wellbeing enthusiast/fallible human rather than “mental illness expert.”) With that caveated, what comes to mind is this quote by Pema Chodron: “We think that the point is to pass the test or overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don’t really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. It’s just like that. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.” In other words, be exceptionally kind with yourself. Do what you can in any given moment. That may mean getting in touch with the counselling/mental health team, having a cup of tea, taking a gentle breath or a walk, emailing lecturers to explain the situation, etc.) Then repeat.
“The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.”
NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 8
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road safety
10
Josh Umbers
I’m 20 years old and I’ve been driving for around 4 years now, in this short time I’ve been lucky enough to drive all sorts of cars all over the country, up and down both Islands, in whips varying from my little 1.5L turbo-diesel Hyundai Getz, to a couple of Porsche 911’s. I’ve always enjoyed driving or racing anything on two or four wheels. All of my Xbox games are racing games, and I used to race mountain bikes at a national level before I started driving four wheels. I picked up driving pretty damn quickly thanks to the transferable skills from my sport on two wheels. Things such as braking before you begin to turn, not accelerating until you’ve fully straightened up so you don’t understeer/oversteer, looking far ahead into the turn, hand eye coordination etc. The list of similar skills is actually pretty long, but that’s besides the point. The point I’m trying to get across in these couple sentences is that I’m lucky to have gained skills from previous activities, and had a good role model to follow (my old man, who has been a car fanatic his entire life), which led to me being a skilled driver on the windy roads of New Zealand fairly quickly. Given some of the absolute obscenities I have seen on our open roads, such as me being cut off at the end of a passing lane, people being on the wrong side of a passing lane, overtakes on blind corners, tailgating, people who can’t stay in their lane, it has made me wonder how we can give everyone a good education on becoming a good driver. In 2019, 353 people died on our roads, 261 of those people lost their lives on an open road, not in an urban area. In recent years the Government has been implementing lower speed limits up and down the country in some places with high crash rates, and for some places I think that it’s justifiable in places like gorges. Between 2014 and 2016 53% of fatal crashes occurred on the open road and did not involve speeding though, so what caused them?
But in that same time period of 2014 to 2016, it was reported that around 33% of all fatal crashes involved learner drivers involved speed, and the figure was the same for restricted drivers, with it being 52% for unlicensed drivers, and 13% for fully licensed drivers. Figures also point out that in the same time that even in most types of crashes, speeding was not involved, even though it was still prominent. The highest proportion of crashes were caused by the driver losing control, which could either be a factor of speeding, misjudging a turn, not driving to the conditions, etc. This brings me to the point where I think we could drastically cut down the amount of fatal road accidents, and where I think we could improve on road education and safety. In New Zealand we have a fairly straightforward driver licensing test, where you become eligible to obtain a learner’s license when you turn 16, which comes with conditions such as you can only drive with a supervisor who has had their full for at least 2 years, you have a curfew and you must display L plates. First you must pass a 35 question road knowledge quiz, and you must not get more than 3 wrong, or else you fail. Once you obtain it and have it for at least 6 months you become eligible to sit your restricted license. The test for a restricted license involves driving around an urban area with an instructor for 3045 minutes, assessing hazards, showing you’re aware of what’s going on, and most importantly being able to perform a parallel park. On this license you’re still on a curfew which remains from 10pm to 5am, you can drive on your own provided you’re not carrying passengers unless you have someone in the front seat who has had their full license for two years. You can get your full license after a year or a year and a half, depending on whether you do a defensive driving course or not. The test is shorter, and you’re only asked to identify hazards on the road. I think this is where we go wrong with our driving testing and education, you’re only tested on your driving in urban areas, not out on the highways and twisty roads where the majority of crashes and fatalities occur.
“that tick you got on your test for nailing that parallel park isn’t going to help you when your car understeers at 80km/h on State Highway 36” I just find it slightly worrying that someone can get their driver’s license and go out and travel freely on the open road. We don’t exactly have the easiest of roads to drive on, a lot of back country roads are windy, steep, narrow and have deceptively sharp corners. Even on the highways through gorges have corners that I’d be sketch about going round at the speed limit. Countries like Finland have rigorous driving courses. Just to obtain a B license there you must complete 18 hours of instructed driving, including a spell on a slippery driving course,
and 19 theory lessons. Driver licensing in Sweden also usually requires 13 or 14 driving lessons and has a hazard education test, which assesses how well a student can handle their vehicle in the winter as well as apply effective braking. Why don’t we have any of this in New Zealand? I don’t know, but it doesn’t make sense to me. We have variable weather, dangerous roads, and overall very similar driving conditions to that of Scandinavia. On top of that I don’t think we’re particularly good at driving as a nation just based on what I see whenever I drive my car out on the open road. Not once are you assessed on your ability to drive on the open road during any drivers licensing course in this country, not even on a defensive driving course. How can you even call it a defensive driving course if you sit in a classroom a few times and learn some theories without actually being tested on them? Sure you drive around with your instructor to get your certificate, but you don’t get assessed on what they teach you about being a defensive driver, and you only drive around town. You can learn some practical driving skills by enrolling in a track day event where you spend the entire day applying skills, but they’re not mandatory so I don’t think that’s quite good enough. We could start out by investing more in training facilities to put drivers through mandatory training courses on how to handle slippery surfaces and learn how their car behaves under certain speeds, steering adjustments, different balances of the car in corners, how the grip levels change in certain conditions. This isn’t stuff you’re tested on and it kind of worries me. Should you be assessed on how well you can judge corners at a sensible speed, how well you can read the conditions, or is it just something you should learn as you go? It probably shouldn’t be something you hope you can learn properly as you go. If we really want to fix our crash rates in this country then we have to start with education, not lowering speed limits everywhere and hoping people can adhere to them and not crash with an unchanged level of skill. If we invested in these facilities and made it mandatory to do a proper defensive driving course, or a set amount of driving lessons in different conditions, not one where you just sit in a classroom and get a certificate we might see new drivers be more skilled than previously, therefore more drivers being able to drive efficiently and safely therefore decreasing the chance of crashes caused by loss of control or speed. We should also make it part of the licensing test and have assessments about how well you actually know how to drive, not just watch for cars on an intersection or how to indicate properly at a roundabout. It probably sounds like I’ve gone off on a tangent and sound frustrated, but that tick you got on your test for nailing that parallel park isn’t going to help you when your car understeers at 80km/h on State Highway 36 because you misjudged the conditions. How many people reading this would know what to do if you were in a front wheel drive car and you got sideways? Or could you say what you’re meant to do differently in a slide in a front wheel drive car compared to a rear wheel drive car? If not, it just proves my point that we need more education and assessment around driving in this country. NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 8
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REO TAUIRA Kyla Campbell-Kamariera
Living by the moon to McDonald’s… “If we can’t control the food that we put in our mouths, what does that tell us about sovereignty?” – Prof Linda T. Smith, 2020. Contextualise this for yourself – it’s not just about McDonald’s and what we put into our bodies. It’s about whenua, wai, rangi, whakapapa, mātauranga, mea atu. Can we control all of that if we first can’t even control what we put into our mouths? Prof Smith’s statement is just as applicable to all facets of our livelihoods. As our National State of Emergency went from Alert Level 4 to 3, Tuesday 28 April saw lines of cars with people breaking their bubbles and their bank accounts to get their fix of fast foods. The irony in this is that it wasn’t fast at all… This isn’t an attack or judgement on people who went cold turkey (with no choice) from fast foods for almost 5 weeks. It’s about recognising how conditioned we are to our wants versus our needs. We want McDonalds, KFC, Wendy’s, whatever – but we need sovereignty. Laced in these foods are not only substances that we shouldn’t be consuming – it’s a symbol of perpetuating consumer behaviours and a pipeline of waste production. Considering the political, environmental and social impacts of over consumption, we need to open up to critical discourse and being challenged. 12
Food brings us together but also fragments us as a people. And that has everything to do with sovereignty. While lockdown Level 4 proved to benefit the environment, that was far from the purpose of it. The messaging from our government was loud and it was clear – “stay home, save lives”. Lockdown in response to a fast-moving worldwide killer disease was about the people and that’s fair enough. The amount of online wānanga proved to be a hit within te ao Māori. They were enriching and reconnected us with eachother, conducted through the matrix of opportunity that is the internet. We went from truth seeking, delving deep into the depths of mātauranga Māori, observing and recording nature, taking care of our taha tinana, wairua, hinengaro and whānau. We went from living by the moon to living by McDonald’s and whatever else as soon as those damn drive thru’s opened. For 5 weeks we had no choice if we were getting in Thai, Chinese, Indian, Italian or fast foods. And if we did have the choice, it was because we would make it oursleves. The convenience was taken away from us and it was “hard” without espresso coffee and cake to fix your Monday back at work blues. When convenience was returned to us and we fell back into the consumer trap – that tells us exactly about sovereignty. This may come as a hard pill to swallow but we need to allow ourselves to be challenged. Nothing worth having comes easy and that’s exactly what the path to sovereignty is compunded by.
FROM THE EDGE OF THE APOCALYPSE #4 30 SECONDS INTO DAY ONE: POST LOCKDOWN
FUCK, I CANNOT WAIT TO GO HOME NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 8
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Time Goes By - Donnella
ISO And The Playlist - Grace
Dear diary,
There are some moments where you remember exactly where you were and what you were doing. Like the exact nightmare I had the night after I watched Barbie and the Nutcracker for the first time (terrifying movie) or the phenomenal atmosphere of the 2018 RnV countdown (back when they could count). And it’s got me thinking about what I’ll remember from quarantine when I whip out some embellished ‘Well, back in MY day’ stories to torture the future grandkiddies.
Day 35: We are almost seven weeks deep in lockdown, and in all honestly, I don’t know what’s going on anymore. The alert system has the same importance as a yellow traffic light; two metres distance is 20% of a kilometre, and police officers shoot people for shits and gigs. Now don’t get it twisted I’m not disrespecting the government, they look after us tertiary students, and I appreciate the handout we have to pay back for hardship. #grateful. However, a little bit of clarity around the rules and regulations would be appreciated. Day 36: Don’t worry, Diary, our Prime Minister, has confirmed it’s still level 4 with takeaways until cabinet makes a “balancedâ€? decision. Does that mean balance beam, balance? Or balance diet – balance? (Looks and sounds good but comes crashing down in a few days?) Don’t worry. I’m ecstatic about this. I can’t wait to sit in line for two hours and let the food in my cupboards I panic bought go to waste (2020 new me, new beginnings). Speaking of, does anyone need toilet paper? It turns out I didn’t need the trolley full đ&#x;?˝â€?
đ&#x;¤ˇ
Day 38: I missed yesterday’s entry, and my OCD is kicking in, it’s the weekend, I’m writing on a digital notepad to a human-like diary and realising that I’m describing society’s first world problems through sarcasm. I need to rethink my life decisions seriously. I’ll see you tomorrow Diary. Dee 14
Thing is, iso has been, actually, not that bad. I’ve ‘sampled’ a lot of wine I can’t afford – shout out to the Man O’War 2019 pinot gris, bellissimo – and the postgrad workload has definitely kept boredom at bay. Never time for a dull moment. The real win, though, has been music. Specifically, the vast amount of time available to explore every nook and cranny of Spotify. I’ve listened to every Red Hot Chili Peppers album inside and out. I’ve been refamiliarised with the genius of blues legends, like Muddy Waters. I’ve combed through rock of the mid 60s-70s, bled the vaults of Radio Hauraki dry, and listened to more Rage Against the Machine than any sane person should. My DnB playlists are filthed up, and I’ve been purified with happy tears listening to Temple of the Dog’s Hunger Strike an obscene number of times over. It’s been epic. So as shitty as this situation is, cheers to music. For everything. And cheers to the higher powers that be for inventing Mick Jagger. Amene.
It’s Been A Long Month - Caitlin Ladies and gentlemen, I am here to announce that I have finally reached the point that people keep complaining about, the place where a lot of my friends started. I have finally gone mad! I am insanely bored! I want out! I am looking forward to the days when I can leave my house. I never thought I’d say this but I am excited to go back to my retail job so I can physically interact with people. A month ago, I was fine. The lock-down was basically my “paid teaching recess” but at least during other teaching recesses, I had the option to leave (I’d just choose not to take it). I’ve been making this plan in my head of just going somewhere every day during level 2 so I am not in my house all day. I think the teaching recess has hit me hard because I’ve had very little Uni work to do and not being able to leave my house means I have nothing to do. I am imagining my lecturers and friends reading this and questioning how I pulled that off… I have no clue, sorry. I’ve unintentionally developed this routine of waking up, eating breakfast, watching something on my laptop, eating lunch, watching the COVID-19 announcement, watching more stuff on my laptop, eat dinner and watch the Big Bang Theory on Netflix (again) with my family, listen to music then go to bed. Things like talking to my friends, watching Cash Trapped (a British quiz show) with my Mum, exercising (once a week) and occasionally going outside spice things up a touch but as much as I love my Mum, you aren’t enough anymore (but at least you get to leave and go to work in level 3, lucky).
Wine, Social Media, And The Battle To Educate - Onyx Lily Week… 6? 7? 25? does it even matter anymore? My days have now developed a routine. At 9am I ask my son to get off his game and do some school work, he replies “nearly done”, and we repeat this at half-hourly intervals until it seems like a reasonable time to open a(nother) bottle of wine. I spend 8 hours attempting to work from home, but somehow get nothing much done other than applying laugh or cry emoji reactions to my friend’s Facebook posts, making endless plates of food for the kid, and mindlessly scrolling through my TikTok feed. A rat moved in a few days ago. I should deal with it, but it’s quite nice having a new face in my bubble. I suspect it’s a millennial – so far it’s snacked on avocado, Burgen bread, liquorice tea bags and pistachios. No wonder it can’t afford a house of its own. With the news that we are going to move back to Level 2, it seems my home office is soon to be abandoned. It was nice having the fridge within arm’s reach, and a view of trees and birds rather than air conditioning vents and Hillcrest Road. I’m looking forward to having colleagues again though. My usual office mates are much less likely to instant message me just to call me a n00b, or ask me to come see if their pee is an unusual colour. The dog is going to be devastated though.
I’m not looking forward to having to do this for another 2 weeks while in level 3 and maybe even longer if things turn to shit again. However, if the numbers are anything to go by, I think it will be fine. It has to be… right?
NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 8
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It started with my aunty talking about spending A THOUSAND dollars on my cousin’s latest health venture. But she had money to spare and it was for a good cause, right? It then began seeping into my Instagram feed: one moment I’m watching someone’s boring video of their kids at the park, and by the next tap I’m slapped with smoothies and discount codes. Every social media post becomes an inspirational quote or story. And they’re never alone. They have an army of “yasss” people flinging love and reacts at every move they make. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m all about people wanting to better themselves and gassing our friends the fuck up! But there’s a line between trying to do better for yourself and when you have to stop and think “have I turned into one of those ‘Nigerian princes’ that sends out chain emails trying to scam people?”. Arbonne reps may not be wanting to hack our computers, but as the old saying goes, if you roll shit in glitter, it’s still a piece of shit.
PYRAMI AMID DS?
BUILT THE BUIL WHO
ARBONNE Nathan Rahui
I remember my friends and I needing money when we were younger. Lemonade wasn’t as easy to make as those American movies made it out to be; it usually ends up tasting like shit actually. So that was out. We tried walking the streets of Whangārei, knocking on people’s doors asking if they needed help around their section. Considering one of my friend’s would always try to wear his dad’s patch, that didn’t turn out too well either. My other mate nearly pissed himself with excitement when he got a FB message saying that his long lost relative from another country had just died and wanted to leave everything to him; all he had to do was send him X amount of cash. Thank the Lord his bank account was emptier than a middle aged man at the strippers. As long as there is money, there will always be someone trying to hustle. And as time goes on, the hustle evolves, it changes; it reads the population and adapts to try and beat the consumers like a subpar Terminator villain. The latest iteration of this hustle has swept through the world of social media and it calls itself “Arbonne”.
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If you talk to any Arbonne rep and question what they’re up to, they act like you’ve just murdered their parents. You may have even seen multiple videos by reps declaring “this is not a pyramid scheme” which screams out overcompensation. The company uses flash titles like “CEO of your own business” to make people believe they’re living some Wolf of Wall Street dream. That’s called false hope, kids. And it’s dangerous to try and prey on people’s hope like that. The reality is that most CEO’s have worked fucking hard to get where they are. They’ve put in hours on hours, probably neglected their kids and most likely even done some sketchy stuff too, but they’ve earnt their title. Call me old school, but I believe that business should not be achieved where your friends and whānau are your main customers. I’m sure you can all agree with me that Arbonne reps are annoying. You can be mid convo with a friend and then suddenly they’re telling you that you should do a cleanse, but it’s ok they have a sale on. You leave the convo feeling awkward, a little violated and the sudden need for a shower. Reps may be doing well in sales, but in the end it’s us, their loved ones, who have to fork out heaps of hush money to stop the constant sales requests. And despite the discount, that shit is still expensive. It’s clear that Arbonne is here to stay, for now. It isn’t the first hustle we’ve seen (don’t get me started on that loom scheme) and it certainly won’t be the last. As much as this piece probably doesn’t sound like it, I genuinely wish anyone out there trying to make a quick buck, good luck; you’ll probably even find me on the pokies with this logic. But If any Arbonne reps out there are reading this, I hope something in my rant has resonated with you. And I speak on behalf of most of the world when I say… We don’t want to fucking buy anything.
SPONSORED BY
LOCKDOWN AT HOME
LOCKDOWN AT THE FLAT
Spending lockdown at home is nothing short of a Valentines buffet in terms of value. For some, reaching into the pantry is kinda like Mary Poppins bag, stuff just keeps appearing and you’re not the one having to make it happen. Moving home, there’s also less that you have to remember on a day to day basis. Knowing your eftpos card pin number? Definitely optional, because your parental figure probably does all the shopping now.
This is a shit situation we are in, so why make it worse going back home? If your family dynamic is anything as perfect as mine, nothing will make you happier than to choose to stay in your flat. Yes, the majority would say, I miss my home-cooked meals, mum, dad and the siblings. But you don’t make that big step into the big world to go back home. Lockdown has the potential to bring up old issues, and chores will be implemented now more than ever.
Okay now let’s talk dirty and by dirty we mean washing, and how it’s never before been so up to date. Flatting, you chuck your clothes in the basket, forget and/or ignore it, before you realise it’s not the four day old dishes on the bench that smell funky, it’s your washing that’s been stewing for 72+ hours in the corner of your room. At home if you’re lucky, you can sneeze, close your eyes for 2 seconds, open them, and Voila! A washed, dried and (on a good day) ironed pile sitting neatly on your bed.
Moving on, this is a chance of getting to know your flatmates. Life gets in the way of seeing what’s in front of you, and a lockdown is a perfect opportunity to get to know your flatties. And IF there is a possible breakdown between flatmates you don’t have to make up with them with the family members you do. So you have nothing to lose.
Additionally if you’re fortunate enough to be living at home with middle aged parents who know zilch about how ‘techy stuff works’- you’re the real winners here. You’ve just found an excellent way to fill the hours in your lockdown day. Repeat lessons about how to turn the zoom microphone on (even though you spent 40 mins yesterday explaining it) or teaching them that you can actually direct message people on Facebook instead of posting a, ‘Hi Jenny, Hope you and the fam are well. Sending love- Janet x x ’ on their timeline for the world to see are both brilliant means for passing the time. Lockdown has been less than ideal for most of us, but staying at home and messing with your siblings is an absolute treat. If you piss your flatmates off then you potentially have an extra few hundred dollars rent that you have to cough up when they finally get sick of you and leave after lockdown. Siblings, well the consequences are much less dire, especially when they’re only seventeen and have no car to go anywhere when lockdown does finish..
During this pandemic, money is going to be tight (we know this); some have no income at all. So why not share the same interest with your flatmates? And grovel over it together. I mean, why go back home to pay rent still? You’re going to be broke either way. Now I must wrap this up (because the pros are endless), but before I do, I will leave you with a few advantages to remind you why flatting is the wiser option. 1. Your family will always be there, and you will appreciate them more – absences make the heart grow fonder. 2. You have a reason to still get a loan from your parents for those liquor deliveries, but claim you need it for rent đ&#x;?˝â€?ď¸?
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3. There is a potential relationship to add to the ones you have already. 4. Study buddy or buddy-buddy
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5. You can’t sleep with your family JS.
NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 8
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NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 8
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Sex And Reputation I’m currently nursing the kind of hangover where you’re literally suffering on every spiritual plane, i.e. physically (that would be the box and the baccy cones) and emotionally (making my round of apologies the day after). Somewhere between 3 and 6 am, it got me thinking about the concept of reputation. Not the T-Swift album. More like: in the context of student life, any standard weekend for your average breather involves alcohol, substance abuse, and hooking up with people whose name(s) you may/may not know. If we just look at the sex aspect of that, how far is too far? Do frequent hook-ups damage our reputation? Is there a line we can’t come back from, and where is it? It’s been said that polite company shouldn’t discuss sex, politics, or religion. You only have to look to ancient Greece to see that pansexuality and getting your dick out in public used to be all the rage, but in New Zealand at least, centuries of religious pressure and general British awkwardness have hugely shaped our attitudes towards promiscuity and sexuality. I maintain that the stigma surrounding sex was a form of controlling the masses, birthed from a mixture of biological and cultural factors. Calling sex a sin = strikes fear in a way that translates to a reduction in the spread of sexual disease, for one. And for another, maybe it was a way to prevent the primitive, chaotic, jealousy-borne violence that might be rampant if there wasn’t a set of ‘rules’ and ‘structure’ that prevented us from just fucking whoever we wanted. Whether this conditioning we have around sex is good, bad, or both then? You tell me. It’s an old cliché that the more people a guy can pull, the better, whereas the more people a chick gets with, the looser, more slutty she is. He gets clout when he gets someone in bed, but if her body count gets up too high, she’s a slut. From chats I’ve had, it seems like that aspect of slut-shaming is much worse in the straight camp than in the queer community. So, fuck, does
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that mean just like the burden of menstruation and child-birth, shitty reputations are restricted to females? Well, no. I would argue that even for your absolute chick-magnet-esque, stunner of a fuckboy, there’s a point where his reputation precedes him. He’s labelled bad news. Girls you barely know will pull you aside at parties and warn you about him; not someone you take seriously. And regardless of gender or sexual orientation, there are times where knowing a person’s reputation is actually really helpful for dissuading you from someone who is straightup bad news. Like, for example, for that guy hitting on me and half of the females at my mate’s 21st (turns out he’s known for bragging about giving girls chlamydia), or the hot army guy who kindly offered to chuck me on the spit at RnV (ended up declining the offer) (turns out he was also known for giving girls chlamydia). Like I said, reputations can be helpful tools. I’ve made it a habit to talk openly and frankly about sex - no shit, Sherlock, this is a sex column - but, even among mates, sometimes I wonder if that itself provokes some judgement. Like, if chicks can get a reputation just by borderline conversation, I’d be fucked. But hey, discussing anything from porn to blowjobs is not just entertaining, it’s important; especially for the sake of our more sexually repressed mates (who else are you gonna learn these things from? Your mum?). I don’t really have a conclusion to all of this since it’s an open question piece, not a set of guidelines. However, as long as you sleep alright at night with your choices (and you’re not destroying someone’s life in the process) fuck it. You’re good. Get your STI checks, make sure you’re happy with where your self-esteem is at, and then have however much or as little sex as you want. Oh, and Hamilton is a small place, so maybe check they’re not your best mate’s cousin - or worse, your own cousin - first?
AUNTY SLUT Dear Aunty Slut, I’ve been dating this guy for about 6 months now. He’s a bit older than me, and we wanted to take it slow, so held off having sex until we knew we were really into each other. We started sleeping together a month ago, but even though he seems pleased, I think it’s terrible! I love this guy, and I feel shallow for not enjoying the sex but it’s starting to affect my confidence- I’ve even started faking orgasms so he’ll stop jack-hammering me. What do I do? Disappointed
Dear Disappointed, It’s not shallow to not be turned on by someone, it’s just honest. It’s important to be sexually compatible with your partner. For women there seems to be an opportune moment to sleep with someone- late enough that they’ll take you seriously but early enough that you know you’re compatible. If anyone ever finds this moment, please let me know, because in my experience you’re more likely to fall on either side of it than you are to get it right. Good sex can be taught- but my honest advice is to get out now and save yourself the drama. If he’s older and he still hasn’t got his shit together, it’s doubtful he’ll let go of his pride enough to learn how to get you off the way you deserve. The fact that you
said he seems happy with the sex and is oblivious (or apathetic) to the fact that you’re not enjoying yourself (because no matter how good an actress you are honey, any man being honest with himself KNOWS) makes me think you’re facing an uphill battle in educating this genius. But if you really love him, and want to make it work (sigh) the first thing you must, must, MUST do is STOP faking orgasms. As Daisy Loa said: “Society already tells young men that they run the fucking universe – if they can’t turn your cunt into a shooting star then for god’s sake, let them know about it.” Have a frank discussion about what does it for you and what doesn’t. You can phrase it nicely if you want, (“I would really love it if…” or “It really turns me on when you…”) but if you want results, throw down the gauntlet with “I love you, but you’re not getting me off, and I’m not sure I can stay in a relationship where I’m not being satisfied sexually.” A) Guys love competition and B) he’ll be motivated to learn. If he’s not motivated to learn, or gets his little panties in a twist because you’re being honest, go out and find yourself a real man, one who knows that real sex is not just about his ejaculation, or even penetration at all. In factput it to him like that- tell him you won’t be having penetrative sex with him, and that you’ll have to find other ways to get each other off. And if all else fails, start sending him pointed how-to youtube videos. Ultimately, no matter how much society tells you that your sexual self is unimportant, bad, dirty or inconsequential never forget that you are glorious, and you deserve to be happy. If he still doesn’t get it, walk out the door with your head held high and know that it’s HIS loss baby, not yours. Send your sexy sex questions to auntyslut@nexusmag.co.nz NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 8
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FEEL GOOD NEWS A drink consisting of extracts from Barbados cherry (Acerola), prickly pear, ginkgo Biloba, willow, and ginger root may help to hangover symptoms.
New research from the International Energy Agency (IEA) says that the COVID-19 outbreaks are likely to result in a record-breaking 8% annual decline in carbon emissions which is the largest decrease in history.
The staff at the Dignity Health Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz, California are rejoicing after receiving a $1 million gift from an anonymous donor who asked for the money to be divided amongst the employees. 22
According to a report from Bloomberg News, Germany’s solar energy production climbed above 32,000 megawatts in a single day, smashing the previous record set on March 23rd. The solar power is generating around 40% of power in Germany.
Tom Hanks recently said in an appearance on the radio show “Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me!” that he and his wife Rita Wilson would be donating their blood to help scientists develop potential treatments for COVID-19.
Japanese researchers have taken a small step towards creating a treatment method for Alzheimer’s disease by successfully trialing a nasal spray option in mice. The spray reduced dementialike symptoms and blocked a protein that reduces atrophied brain matter.
Following a parliamentary vote, Lebanon has become the first Arab nation to legalize cannabis for medicinal and industrial purposes. Experts are hoping that the start of a medical marijuana industry could help resuscitate the nation’s struggling economy.
Diminutive post TOP 10
Least useful items for the apocalypse
gold - The world is dark, there are no more freshers 10. Tinder to seed on :(
Zoom Functions Perfectly For Ageing Professor
When Grace, a 21 year old science major logged into her zoom session for what seemed like an ordinary Wednesday lecture she was bewildered to see that it was anything but. Her ageing professor, with 2 PhD’s, 31 years of experience and a Nobel prize nomination had managed to correctly set up a zoom meeting. “Yeah I wasn’t expecting much that morning” say’s Grace, who, at the time, was gearing up for her 4th week of online learning. “It’s not like I’m collecting a mountain of debt and paying for a service or anything so it’s reasonable that professors should struggle with this kind of thing”. With the classes running so smoothly after a mere 4 weeks of trial and error one can only imagine what classes would be like if services, such as Zoom, were easy to use. The only thing that can be said for sure is that knowledge is power!
Fights Expected To Rise At First Sesh Back
The government has issued a security warning for the first sesh back about the threat that talent-less boring people will pose at your first party. As none of them have been able to force their lackluster mixing skills on anyone for the last 7 weeks, they are noticeably itching for a chance to ruin a pre-drinks. “If history tells us anything, it’s that whenever there is a limited resource and competition there will always be conflict” Says Prime Minister Ardern. “It’s up to us to prepare for the incoming threat these buzzkilling breathers pose” she added. This conflict will most likely come in the form of two or more local chad’s looking for a spot to show off their newly developed, still shit, mixing skills that they’ve learnt over lock-down. The government has imposed harsh penalties with anyone who is caught saying “one outs” facing fines and anyone buying long whites will be placed on a terror watch-list
9.
A copy of Surf’s up - I hate to say it.
8.
The current capitalist system - You’re poor? Cringe bro aha.
7.
Pornhub premium - Long live the king.
6.
A ticket to RnV 2020 - Fuck fuck fuck. Forget Gisborne, just give me the good times.
5.
Your worryingly high debt - They’ll forget about it as soon as the first toilet paper fight starts.
4.
A foreskin - I prefer the smooth, agile, sleek look, no extra weight to carry, ya dig?
3.
Your minimalist tattoo - Nah they’re still shit now.
2.
5G cell towers - They’re the ones that caused this thing in the first place.
1.
An arts degree - Yeah. About as useful as Magic Johnson’s blood donations.
WHATS HOT Pubs will be open again soon! Us finally coming out of level 3 The heat pump in my flat at this time of year Hillary Barry (Hilz Baz) All of Kanine’s releases in the past year and half
WHATS NOT People that broke lockdown Brian Tamaki Facebook putting me in Facebook jail once again Pubs not being open soon enough Facebook’s rules in general
NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 8
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Burger, sides and shakes ~ fast. Find us: 372 Grey St, Hamilton East
shakeout.co
@shakeoutnz
NEXUS CREATIVE SPACE
Echidna And Rona Fucking In The Back Seat Of A Car While The Moon Watches - Rachael Elliott
it is dark and the world is all feeling
Rona becomes an arc of electricity hand in Echidna’s curls
the marsupial Moon hungry for their flesh
everything is fogging up in the Moon’s light
but he’s getting nothin’ tonight
obscuring his vision Rona free of that alabaster pervert at last
Echidna and Rona are pressed against seatbelt buckles the cool of the metal torn seat
Echidna moves her fingers down
covers foam showing through
Rona’s side her chipped fingernails
Rona is removing their jeans face concentrating so hard
create a squirm
Echidna snorts you alright there captain serious Rona responds with the finger
oi!
Echidna takes the opportunity
fuck I’m sorry should have cut them before dyking out
and nips her lips around that raised digit You cheeky shit! and a shudder
there is a moment made of breath a wet-steel whistling
they’re turning in each other’s arms
into which Echidna winks
a jagged whirl of elbows and knees and tails
Rona just laughs
slumping into exhale
dyking out wtf?
Echidna weighs her tongue over Rona’s belly moves with a snake’s precision
essa may ranapiri
peels back lace careful not to rip its gentle construction and moves her mouth over (is this okay? a nod) a small soft form of flesh NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 8
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BRIEFING You know what I miss? Tap Beer. The liquid gold that is usually either Waikato Draught or Speights for me. Usually consumed in cheap handles at the Hillcrest Tavern on a Friday between 3 and 5pm, over some shit that with my mates who have either finished up for the week or skipped class to be there. Here’s hoping it will be open for business this week, because fuck I have missed getting blind at pre pres and stumbling back home with a box in hand. It’s the dream for some, and you can bet your left nut that I will be eating that first handle in 3 seconds flat.
DRINK OF THE WEEK White Rhinos
There’s a select few out there who find this sugar free drink useful, and that’s for multiple reasons. The white girl who wants to save the environment because of the donation that Part Time Rangers gives, the Breather who wants to watch their weight because they’re sugar free, and that loose cunt who just loves wreaking havoc and smashing them on his head. That’s all they’re good for, just absolutely hammering them into your head and drinking what’s left.
SESH WARS EPISODE 8: Dog Squad
RED CARD IDEA Drinks Levels
This one is simple, but I’ve heard of it wreaking havoc across the board in New Zealand so why not give it a go yourself, I mean you’ll have a high alcohol tolerance after lockdown . All that you require to do this is a 12 box of your choice, and some mates who are brave enough to do it. You have a time limit of 12 minutes to drink the first vessel, 11 minutes to drink the second, 10 to drink the third, and so on. Participants who do not adhere to these strict time limits will be subject to a punishment set by the red card instigator, usually a baccy cone or not being allowed to talk to girls for the rest of the night. Whoever wins gets to golden shower the loser.
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This story begins on a Friday in March, a warm summer’s day, and with a 21st celebration on the cards. What starts out as a regular pre drinks at the Hilly, soon transpired into something that hadn’t been seen in Studentville for years. While we were floundering our way back to our flat already fairly tipsy from those handles, we stopped by the host flat and watched the birthday boy demolish his yardy. Few drinks get tipped down the hatch, we eventually make it to the flat and prepare for the party by blowing up some balloons and visiting the martians. It’s go time, we rock around with a full head of steam, deep dark rollers are rumbling through the neighborhood and the place is packed out. The party was spilling out on the street but it was fucking good for it, and it was quickly becoming the best flat party I’d been to in a long time. It must have been about 9pm and noise control rocked up, which was standard. Hang on a minute, why is there a paddy wagon here? The cops chat to one of the Flatties, presumably to ask to shut it down, but after a long convo they disappear into the night and we continue. However after a short time they return and start telling everyone to fuck off home, there’s a dog barking, they’ve brought the police dogs with them, what the fuck? We were only allowed to walk one way down the street, 3 people got arrested, there was a camera crew filming. The Cops had formed a line blocking people off from walking to Greensboro and flushed everyone out onto Cameron road. To this day I’m honestly baffled at the response. Oh, and the Breathas who hosted got a knock on their door the next Wednesday to let them know that if it happens again they’ll be slapped with a $20,000 fine. Chur.
Mullet of the Week - Jaybird Nelson Cooper
Nexus: Can you please just sort of introduce yourself? Jaybird: I’m Jaybird, I’m from Alaska and I’ve been rocking a mullet for probably like twelve years. Nexus: Wow. I’m sure there has been a few highlights from your twelve years but can you just take us through your mullet journey? Jaybird: Oh my god, my mullets have all the different colours, I’ve had steps, I’ve had bowl cuts, I’ve had no side burns, I’ve had sideburns, I’ve put it in braids and made it all crimpy like the 80’s in the back. Nexus: Do you have any mullet stereotypes you’d like to debunk?
Jaybird: Uh I take good care of her, sometimes I cut her off. She’s very healthy for being dyed so frequently and also, I hope one day to have a curly mullet. Nexus: What kind of mode of transportation do you have? Jaybird: I have a little car. And a bike. And a skateboard. Nexus: What kind of car, bike and skateboard? Jaybird: I don’t know about the skateboard, just an old piece of shit but I’ve had it for a while. I have a (Viaki?) Road Bike and I drive a plastic saturn. Nexus: And how would you describe your mullet?
Jaybird: That only rednecks have [mullets], and a fashion mullet has to be fashionable when really it can just be trashy and look good.
Jaybird: Very much a personality, grows really long in the front. I have to cut my bangs all the time, it grows so fast. And one side is always thicker than the other, its my left side. My left side is always thicker than the right no matter how long you let it grow.
Nexus: So, does your mullet have a name?
Nexus: Your mullet in three words? Go.
Jaybird: Dirk the Mullet.
Jaybird: Space, wind, eternity.
Nexus: And can you describe for us, your relationship with your mullet?
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WAIKAT BUNKERS
THE REAL THIRSTY LIQUOR HILLCREST Nestled on the quiet side of the University, this editor has been holed up with plenty of things to do. Mostly involving vaping, drinking, writing and not much exercise. It is evident that this flat enjoys their alcoholic beverages, showing that lockdown has not slowed down the sesh one bit. If you want to show us pictures of how your quarantined then send eight pics to editor@ nexusmag.co.nz and we will reward you with pizza from Sals when all this is over!
NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 8
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Keen for some free BurgerFuel? Simply snap us the shitfest of your student lifestyle for the chance to win. Vouchers will be stored for the winners until we are allowed back outside.
WINNER
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AQUARIUS JAN 20 - FEB 18
LEO JUL 23 - AUG 22
What a way to end a summer. The days are shorter and colder but there is grace in that change. The desire to hibernate satiated in lockdown, it is time to explore the nighttime of this place. A new world awaits.
This might have been the hardest on you of anybody. But the stars have a rude truth in store for you at this time. Nobody has missed you as much as you think they have. Except your mum. You really should call her more.
PISCES FEB 19 - MAR 20
VIRGO AUG 23 - SEP 22
You probably read every one of these. And you probably found yourself in a little bit of all of them. Funny how that happens hey? This is all familiar territory to you, swimming in the unfamiliar. You lived through something that will be talked about for centuries. Enjoy the surreal estate.
There’s no point in overthinking it. The truth is nobody really knows, nor would the answers necessarily satisfy if you found them. Things will happen as they will so ride the wave. And take a shower once in a while, the water feels nice.
ARIES MAR 21 - APR 19
LIBRA SEP 23 - OCT 22
Now is not the time to let your impatience get the better of you. Normal is coming, whatever that looks like, but for the time being you’ll have to sit down away from people to eat and the bars are still closed. You can do this.
It’s been the best of times, it’s been the worst of times. It’s been truth in the paradox. The Taoists found it. The Quantum Physicists found it. Turns out it’s not either/or. It’s both. As a wise man once said: results are in amigo, what’s left to ponder.
TAURUS APR 20 - MAY 20
SCORPIO OCT 23 - NOV 21
Returning to real world will bring its share of new stresses so put on your comfy undies when they force you kicking and screaming back into everyday life. You don’t have to be on point from day dot, ease into it like a pair of warm slippers.
Well, that was intense. Just like every other day. Life is a big old intense rodeo but that was a hell of a ride. What has broken in the background? What has been quietly building? The next little while will be a very interesting time to watch. Don’t forget to tie your shoelaces.
GEMINI MAY 21 - JUN 20
SAGITTARIUS NOV 22 - DEC 21
You’ve had a lot of time to think, hopefully you’ve used it wisely. Lying to your friends about your new porn addiction is not the path to long term health. On the plus side, at least you’ll soon be able to make some new ones. Friends, not addictions.
It’s time to write that book you’ve been thinking about. Some people might try to tell you that the time to start writing it was 6 weeks ago when the country literally shut down and you had nothing to do but write it. But don’t listen to the haters, the Playstation wasn’t going to play itself.
CANCER JUN 21 - JUL 22
CAPRICORN DEC 22 - JAN 19
Home never looked so good. The real world will be there when you’re good and ready. Take your time, mind your space, and remember that everything needs a warm home when it’s cold out. Even the mouse family living in your crawlspace.
My, my. It’s amazing what you’ve done with you’ve done with the place. You can do a lot with time and energy directed to your own projects instead of selling your time and energy for a wage. But it couldn’t always be like that. Could it? NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 8
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y ngr
O VE
R + hu
Kendrah Worsley
HUNG Soup is honestly so fucking versatile, it’s the answer to everything Hungry? Soup. Cold? Soup. Poor? Soup. Health and immunity in question as a never before seen virus ravages your body? Shit, probably soup (not bat-soup). Whatever it is you need it for, the chefs in the Nexus cookhouse have come up with some classics for this week’s recipes.
Carrot + Squash Soup This one goes out to my vegetarians. When the world goes down the shitter you remain stoic, refusing to turn into a pack of godless meat eaters like the rest of us. Here’s a recipe for all of you do-gooders, you’ve earned it ;). Ingredients: 1 tbsp of Butter 1 Onion, peeled and finely chopped 2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and finely chopped 1 tablespoon of Tomato Puree 3 Carrots, peeled and diced 1 medium Butternut Squash, peeled and diced 1 litre of Vegetable Stock Salt and Pepper to taste 1 cup of Cream 32
Method: Preheat the oven to 200C. Line a flat baking tray with tinfoil. Place the butternut squash and carrots on the tray and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 45 minutes, turning once, until soft and golden. Heat the butter or oil in a large heavy-based saucepan and gently fry the onion for 1-2 minutes until soft, then add garlic. Add the tomato puree. Add carrots and butternut squash, and pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer gently for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are cooked and tender. Pour the soup into a blender and blitz until smooth, or alternatively use a hand blender. To serve, ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.
Chicken Noodle Soup If you’ve never had chicken noodle soup when you were a sickly child, you weren’t actually loved. Sorry to break the news. This recipe is one of the foundation recipes of the soup world. Get in to it. Ingredients: ¼ cup Olive Oil (60 mL) 1 large Onion, chopped
Corn + Bacon Chowder Perfect for average sized family or lock-down flat mates that you now hate. It’s definitely getting colder out there and, as of late, the only thing that has been allowed to leave your flat is heat. This should ward off any cold nights as well as impending cabin fever.
3 large Carrots, peeled and sliced 4 stalks celery, chopped
Ingredients:
Salt and pepper to taste
15g Butter
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small Onion, chopped
8 cups chicken broth (2 L)
3 rashers Bacon, chopped
8oz egg noodles (225 g)
2 x 410g cans of Cream Style Corn
500g shredded chicken breast
2 cups salt-reduced chicken stock
Parmesan cheese, shredded, to taste
300g Potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces ¼ cup cream or milk (optional) Salt and pepper to taste
Method: Heat the olive oil until shimmering over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and salt and pepper. Cooking, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are very soft. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, for 1 minute. Add stock and bring to boil. Add noodles and cook for 6 minutes, then add the chicken and cook about 2 minutes more, until the noodles are cooked through and the chicken is warmed through. Serve topped with Parmesan.
Method: Preheat oven to 180°C. Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until softened. Add the bacon and continue cooking until the meat colours. Add Cream Style Corn, chicken stock, potatoes and season. Stir while bringing to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and potatoes are tender. Stir in the cream or milk if using and serve with crusty bread. NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 8
33
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TINDER DINING SPORTS TINDER MOVIES WELLNESS OUTBACK INCOMEWORK COFFEE FAMILY
OUTBACK GYM SPACINGOUT RECONNECTING TRAVEL ROUTINE SPORTS SHINDIGS SPACING OUT FRIENDS
COFFEE RECONNECTING MALLS TRAVEL SOCIALISING INCOME WORK FREEDOM SOCIALISING SHINDIGS SHOPPING
GYM
WORD LOCATOR - ALL THE THINGS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO IN LEVEL 2
DINING
34
WELLNESS
SHOPPING
MALLS
ROUTINE
FAMILY
MOVIES
FREEDOM
FRIENDS
4 9
3
3 8 1 7
SUDOKUS
3 3 2 4 1 6 6 7 34 8 59 1 8 2 9 3 23 2 6 7 1 9 4 7 3 9 6 3 9 54 6 1 6 8 1 7 8 7 2 6 8 7 2 1 4 6 3 5 8 3 1 7 2 5 1 9 7 4 9 91 7 9 63 2 6
1 5 7 8 9 9 1 5 4 8 5 1 3
1 8
http://1sudoku.com
EASY
2 8 8
http://1sudoku.com http://1sudoku.com
n° 120738 - Level Easy
6 3 3 8 5 6 8 6 4 1 7 6 5 1 3 4 3 9 7 http://1sudoku.com
2 6 5 8 9 3 7 9 7 2 7
7 5 3
MEDIUM
4 7 2 5
9
4
n° 221116 - Level Medium http://1sudoku.com n° 124030 - Level Easy http://1sudoku.com
6 75 4 9 2 1 65 8 46 7 2 7 89 2 7 3 7 46 2 8 9 4 5 5 8 7 8 5 4 8 93 74 7 92 29 1 1 6 3 7 4 62 http://1sudoku.com http://1sudoku.com
n° 12528 - Level Easy
9 7 2 3 8 6 8 7 4 5 4 2
24
8 2 1 6 7 8 2 8 2 5 7 4 3 7 6 7 1 3
n° 227967 n° 37164 - Level Hard - Level Medium
1 5 2 2 8 1 9 2 7 7 8 2 5 1 9 6 5 7 2 7 9 5 4 5 3 4 7 8 3 1 9 7 9 1 1 4 2 7 5 1 6 3 8 6 7 1 9 5 1 6 6 6 4 5 3 7 9 3 6 9 5 8 3 9 HARD
6 1 4
n° 211444 - Level Medium http://1sudoku.com n° 114529 - Level Easy http://1sudoku.com
9 7 5
1
n° 228814 n° 32039 - Level Hard - Level Medium
LABYRINTH
25 by 40 orthogonal maze
BRAIN TEASER
Play on your mobile these puzzles and find their solutions by flashing the Play on your mobile these puzzles and find their solutions by flashing the codes below : Play on your mobile these puzzles and find their solutions by flashing the codes below : n° 111971
n° 13205
n° 120738
n° 21099
n° 124030
n° 29900
n° 12528
n° 221116
n° 114529 n° 326364
n° 227967
n° 39844
n° 211444
n° 37164
n° 228814
n
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3.14159 Issue 7 answer: A shadow
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NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 8
35
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