Latest news with #MAMIL
The Age
12 hours ago
- General
- The Age
Why your chippy has a ‘toolbox' and bullet trains ‘fang it'
Tools, fangs, roots, pubs – the mailbag had a distinct ocker slant in May. William Ryan, a former publican, and keen word-watcher, wrote, 'I'd never heard 'toolbox' as an information-sharing session until my son became an apprentice chippy. They now have a toolbox every morning. What's going on?' Building sites seem the idea's bedrock. Picture a gang of scaffolders and crane operators, brickies and sparkies, gathered around toolboxes real or figurative. Safety as focus, the toolbox talk reviews best practice, outlines protocols. But when did the term emerge? Earlier mentions seem American, cited in the realm of occupational health and safety. If not construction, then aviation is another suspect, with a 1971 dossier referring to a tarmac chat among aircrew. Since then, the toolbox ethos has been spread by tradies to oil-and-gas projects, mines to real-estate offices, even my weekly bike rides. Mick is the culprit, an engineering mate with a background in chocolate factories. Every Saturday, after a pedal, he turns our kaffeeklatsch into a MAMIL toolbox, citing any risky behaviour he'd noted, from poor signals to reckless speed. We pretend to listen like a band of Oompa Loompas. Keeping with speed, fang was the next word to investigate, the query sparked by Stephen McDonell, BBC's China correspondent based in Beijing. His Bluesky post captured the breakneck hurtle of a bullet train, a beige blur of farmland beyond the window. His caption read, 'Fang'n it now at 350kmh as we approach #Shanghai'. Tellingly, McDonell spent time on these shores working with the BBC since fanging (or more commonly, fangin') belongs to our unique vernacular, linked to Argentina's Formula 1 champ Juan Fangio. Dubbed El Maestro, Fangio bagged 24 career wins across the 1950s, bequeathing his name to local hoons and billycart kids. Loading Still on homegrown slang, my recent column on the roots of root caused a ruckus in the forums. Riddley Walker reminded me that the late essayist Kate Jennings edited a poetry anthology with Outback Press in 1975: Mother I'm Rooted. As Riddley added, 'The title carried both meanings – sexual and physical exhaustion.' Another reader recalled that when his 'dear old Dad was fatigued, he used to say that he felt like one of the Tedd brothers: Roo'. Just as a third respondent couldn't resist a joke: 'The outback grazier was telling his fellow cockie that he was thinking of driving down to Sydney to the Royal Easter Show. Asked which route he'd take, he replied, 'Well, I thought I'd take the missus – she stuck with me through the drought.' Such front-bar humour segues into the final challenge, this one posed by Sian Johnson: 'Can we do better than 'pub test' to mean a citizen's measure of acceptability? I feel the phrase is too blokey, too boozy.' Sian might be right, though pub test seems entrenched.
Sydney Morning Herald
17 hours ago
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
Why your chippy has a 'toolbox' and bullet trains 'fang it'
Tools, fangs, roots, pubs – the mailbag had a distinct ocker slant in May. William Ryan, a former publican, and keen word-watcher, wrote, 'I'd never heard 'toolbox' as an information-sharing session until my son became an apprentice chippy. They now have a toolbox every morning. What's going on?' Building sites seem the idea's bedrock. Picture a gang of scaffolders and crane operators, brickies and sparkies, gathered around toolboxes real or figurative. Safety as focus, the toolbox talk reviews best practice, outlines protocols. But when did the term emerge? Earlier mentions seem American, cited in the realm of occupational health and safety. If not construction, then aviation is another suspect, with a 1971 dossier referring to a tarmac chat among aircrew. Since then, the toolbox ethos has been spread by tradies to oil-and-gas projects, mines to real-estate offices, even my weekly bike rides. Mick is the culprit, an engineering mate with a background in chocolate factories. Every Saturday, after a pedal, he turns our kaffeeklatsch into a MAMIL toolbox, citing any risky behaviour he'd noted, from poor signals to reckless speed. We pretend to listen like a band of Oompa Loompas. Keeping with speed, fang was the next word to investigate, the query sparked by Stephen McDonell, BBC's China correspondent based in Beijing. His Bluesky post captured the breakneck hurtle of a bullet train, a beige blur of farmland beyond the window. His caption read, 'Fang'n it now at 350kmh as we approach #Shanghai'. Tellingly, McDonell spent time on these shores working with the BBC since fanging (or more commonly, fangin') belongs to our unique vernacular, linked to Argentina's Formula 1 champ Juan Fangio. Dubbed El Maestro, Fangio bagged 24 career wins across the 1950s, bequeathing his name to local hoons and billycart kids. Loading Still on homegrown slang, my recent column on the roots of root caused a ruckus in the forums. Riddley Walker reminded me that the late essayist Kate Jennings edited a poetry anthology with Outback Press in 1975: Mother I'm Rooted. As Riddley added, 'The title carried both meanings – sexual and physical exhaustion.' Another reader recalled that when his 'dear old Dad was fatigued, he used to say that he felt like one of the Tedd brothers: Roo'. Just as a third respondent couldn't resist a joke: 'The outback grazier was telling his fellow cockie that he was thinking of driving down to Sydney to the Royal Easter Show. Asked which route he'd take, he replied, 'Well, I thought I'd take the missus – she stuck with me through the drought.' Such front-bar humour segues into the final challenge, this one posed by Sian Johnson: 'Can we do better than 'pub test' to mean a citizen's measure of acceptability? I feel the phrase is too blokey, too boozy.' Sian might be right, though pub test seems entrenched.
The Age
17 hours ago
- General
- The Age
Why your chippy has a 'toolbox' and bullet trains 'fang it'
Tools, fangs, roots, pubs – the mailbag had a distinct ocker slant in May. William Ryan, a former publican, and keen word-watcher, wrote, 'I'd never heard 'toolbox' as an information-sharing session until my son became an apprentice chippy. They now have a toolbox every morning. What's going on?' Building sites seem the idea's bedrock. Picture a gang of scaffolders and crane operators, brickies and sparkies, gathered around toolboxes real or figurative. Safety as focus, the toolbox talk reviews best practice, outlines protocols. But when did the term emerge? Earlier mentions seem American, cited in the realm of occupational health and safety. If not construction, then aviation is another suspect, with a 1971 dossier referring to a tarmac chat among aircrew. Since then, the toolbox ethos has been spread by tradies to oil-and-gas projects, mines to real-estate offices, even my weekly bike rides. Mick is the culprit, an engineering mate with a background in chocolate factories. Every Saturday, after a pedal, he turns our kaffeeklatsch into a MAMIL toolbox, citing any risky behaviour he'd noted, from poor signals to reckless speed. We pretend to listen like a band of Oompa Loompas. Keeping with speed, fang was the next word to investigate, the query sparked by Stephen McDonell, BBC's China correspondent based in Beijing. His Bluesky post captured the breakneck hurtle of a bullet train, a beige blur of farmland beyond the window. His caption read, 'Fang'n it now at 350kmh as we approach #Shanghai'. Tellingly, McDonell spent time on these shores working with the BBC since fanging (or more commonly, fangin') belongs to our unique vernacular, linked to Argentina's Formula 1 champ Juan Fangio. Dubbed El Maestro, Fangio bagged 24 career wins across the 1950s, bequeathing his name to local hoons and billycart kids. Loading Still on homegrown slang, my recent column on the roots of root caused a ruckus in the forums. Riddley Walker reminded me that the late essayist Kate Jennings edited a poetry anthology with Outback Press in 1975: Mother I'm Rooted. As Riddley added, 'The title carried both meanings – sexual and physical exhaustion.' Another reader recalled that when his 'dear old Dad was fatigued, he used to say that he felt like one of the Tedd brothers: Roo'. Just as a third respondent couldn't resist a joke: 'The outback grazier was telling his fellow cockie that he was thinking of driving down to Sydney to the Royal Easter Show. Asked which route he'd take, he replied, 'Well, I thought I'd take the missus – she stuck with me through the drought.' Such front-bar humour segues into the final challenge, this one posed by Sian Johnson: 'Can we do better than 'pub test' to mean a citizen's measure of acceptability? I feel the phrase is too blokey, too boozy.' Sian might be right, though pub test seems entrenched.
Scoop
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Mega-Hit Stage Play Announces 'Tour De Force' Of New Zealand
Press Release – Sandra Roberts One of New Zealand's most successful plays of all time, MAMIL (Middle Aged Man in Lycra) today announces a 'tour de force' – a national tour of the long-awaited sequel GOMIL (Grumpy Old Man in Lycra). Starring acting legend Mark Hadlow ONZM (King Kong, The Hobbit, SNAG) and written and directed by Gregory Cooper (MAMIL, That Bloody Woman), GOMIL reunites this dream team who is directly responsible for causing laughter lines on the faces of over 70,000 people who saw MAMIL! This critically acclaimed production that sold out in its debut season in Otautahi Christchurch is so good, it's hitting the road and visiting 14 cities around New Zealand this September and October. Tickets are on sale from Ticketek, Ticketmaster, Eventfinda & local box offices from $79*. 'Fast-paced and slick' – Theatreview GOMIL follows the journey of Wayne, the founder and team leader of the men's cycling group in MAMIL. A lot has happened to Wayne over the last 10 years. He has retired, his son has moved to London with his grandchildren and Maggie, his wife of 49 years, passed away suddenly a year ago. For Wayne, his family and his work were his life. They were the source of his life's pleasure and purpose and now he is having to cope with the loss of both. The only thing left to take his mind off the pain is cycling with his MAMIL friends, especially Bryan, the central character of MAMIL. But a panic attack mid-ride and a crash with catastrophic consequences leads to a crisis of cycling confidence and the inability to do the thing he loves the most. Like MAMIL, it takes an array of characters to help the central character rediscover what is truly important when their life seems adrift and meaningless. A relentlessly positive Scottish counsellor, a philosophical Romanian personal trainer, Wayne's new arch-enemy in the form of an ocker Ozzie retirement village owner who grinds his gears and yes, even Pinarello — the Italian bike of Bryan's and Wayne's nightmares — all wittingly and unwittingly help Wayne get back on the bike and realise he still has something to offer, he still has a purpose and most importantly a reason to get out of bed every morning aside from going for a piss. 'An engaging and earnest work of art, packed with nostalgia, interesting psychological contemplations, and relatable tropes of ageing, all presented with heart and humour' The Press Mark Hadlow says he's thrilled to be back in the saddle with the sequel to MAMIL that ran for a remarkable eight years, broke box office records and, best of all, resonated with so many New Zealanders. 'We're hoping GOMIL will really strike a chord with Kiwis and that they will continue on the journey with us,' says Mark. 'We want people to enjoy the ride and get a few laughs out of it.' Get your peloton organised today and grab your tickets to this hilariously accurate portrayal of life in Lycra. Booking fees apply DATES, VENUES AND BOOKINGS 18 SEPTEMBER | WHANGANUI OPERA HOUSE 7.30PM | TICKETEK 19 SEPTEMBER | WELLINGTON OPERA HOUSE 7.30PM | TICKETMASTER 20 SEPTEMBER | CARTERTON EVENT CENTRE 7.30PM | 23 SEPTEMBER | TE RAUKURA KI KAPITI 7.30PM | EVENTFINDA 25 SEPTEMBER | CLARENCE ST THEATRE, HAMILTON, 7.30PM | TICKETEK 27 SEPTEMBER | BRUCE MASON CENTRE, AUCKLAND, 7.30PM | TICKETMASTER 30 SEPTEMBER | BAYCOURT, TAURANGA, 7.30PM | EVENTFINDA 2 OCTOBER | GREAT LAKE CENTRE, TAUPO 7.30PM | EVENTFINDA 3 OCTOBER | TSB SHOWPLACE, NEW PLYMOUTH, 7.30PM | EVENTFINDA 12 OCTOBER | EVENT CENTRE, ASHBURTON 4PM | 14 OCTOBER | ISAAC THEATRE ROYAL, CHRISTCHURCH, 7.30PM | TICKETEK 15 OCTOBER | REGENT THEATRE, DUNEDIN, 7.30PM | 17 OCTOBER | CIVIC THEATRE, INVERCARGILL, 7.30PM | TICKETEK
Scoop
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Mega-Hit Stage Play Announces 'Tour De Force' Of New Zealand
One of New Zealand's most successful plays of all time, MAMIL (Middle Aged Man in Lycra) today announces a 'tour de force' – a national tour of the long-awaited sequel GOMIL (Grumpy Old Man in Lycra). Starring acting legend Mark Hadlow ONZM (King Kong, The Hobbit, SNAG) and written and directed by Gregory Cooper (MAMIL, That Bloody Woman), GOMIL reunites this dream team who is directly responsible for causing laughter lines on the faces of over 70,000 people who saw MAMIL! This critically acclaimed production that sold out in its debut season in Otautahi Christchurch is so good, it's hitting the road and visiting 14 cities around New Zealand this September and October. Tickets are on sale from Ticketek, Ticketmaster, Eventfinda & local box offices from $79*. 'Fast-paced and slick' - Theatreview GOMIL follows the journey of Wayne, the founder and team leader of the men's cycling group in MAMIL. A lot has happened to Wayne over the last 10 years. He has retired, his son has moved to London with his grandchildren and Maggie, his wife of 49 years, passed away suddenly a year ago. For Wayne, his family and his work were his life. They were the source of his life's pleasure and purpose and now he is having to cope with the loss of both. The only thing left to take his mind off the pain is cycling with his MAMIL friends, especially Bryan, the central character of MAMIL. But a panic attack mid-ride and a crash with catastrophic consequences leads to a crisis of cycling confidence and the inability to do the thing he loves the most. Like MAMIL, it takes an array of characters to help the central character rediscover what is truly important when their life seems adrift and meaningless. A relentlessly positive Scottish counsellor, a philosophical Romanian personal trainer, Wayne's new arch-enemy in the form of an ocker Ozzie retirement village owner who grinds his gears and yes, even Pinarello -- the Italian bike of Bryan's and Wayne's nightmares -- all wittingly and unwittingly help Wayne get back on the bike and realise he still has something to offer, he still has a purpose and most importantly a reason to get out of bed every morning aside from going for a piss. 'An engaging and earnest work of art, packed with nostalgia, interesting psychological contemplations, and relatable tropes of ageing, all presented with heart and humour' The Press Mark Hadlow says he's thrilled to be back in the saddle with the sequel to MAMIL that ran for a remarkable eight years, broke box office records and, best of all, resonated with so many New Zealanders. 'We're hoping GOMIL will really strike a chord with Kiwis and that they will continue on the journey with us,' says Mark. 'We want people to enjoy the ride and get a few laughs out of it.' Get your peloton organised today and grab your tickets to this hilariously accurate portrayal of life in Lycra. Booking fees apply DATES, VENUES AND BOOKINGS 18 SEPTEMBER | WHANGANUI OPERA HOUSE 7.30PM | TICKETEK 19 SEPTEMBER | WELLINGTON OPERA HOUSE 7.30PM | TICKETMASTER 20 SEPTEMBER | CARTERTON EVENT CENTRE 7.30PM | 23 SEPTEMBER | TE RAUKURA KI KAPITI 7.30PM | EVENTFINDA 25 SEPTEMBER | CLARENCE ST THEATRE, HAMILTON, 7.30PM | TICKETEK 27 SEPTEMBER | BRUCE MASON CENTRE, AUCKLAND, 7.30PM | TICKETMASTER 30 SEPTEMBER | BAYCOURT, TAURANGA, 7.30PM | EVENTFINDA 2 OCTOBER | GREAT LAKE CENTRE, TAUPO 7.30PM | EVENTFINDA 3 OCTOBER | TSB SHOWPLACE, NEW PLYMOUTH, 7.30PM | EVENTFINDA 12 OCTOBER | EVENT CENTRE, ASHBURTON 4PM | 14 OCTOBER | ISAAC THEATRE ROYAL, CHRISTCHURCH, 7.30PM | TICKETEK 15 OCTOBER | REGENT THEATRE, DUNEDIN, 7.30PM | 17 OCTOBER | CIVIC THEATRE, INVERCARGILL, 7.30PM | TICKETEK
