Here are a couple of excerpts from the answer:
The NZ Curmudgeon is a long-running New Zealand blog written by a self-described "middle-aged grump" who posts rants, observations, and bits of amusement about everyday irritations and NZ culture.
What you need to know:
Blog identity: The author stays anonymous and leans into the "grumpy old man" persona. The about page says it’s for people who don’t take things too seriously but do get annoyed by irritating things.
Content style: Posts cover NZ politics, monuments, memorials, language gripes, and social commentary, often with dry humor and a skeptical tone. Examples from the blog include:Complaints about Wellington’s Queen Victoria monument being "dark and creepy"
Criticism of the New Zealand Wars memorial in Auckland as "blatantly authoritarian"
Appreciation for statues like the Kupe statue at Wellington railway station.
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The NZ Curmudgeon is a New Zealand blog run by a self-described "middle-aged grump".
Quick rundown
What it is Format: Blog with posts on WordPress thecurmudgeonnz and Blogspot grumpyoldmanreturnsnz
Tone: Humour, professionalism, and grumbling about "irritating things"
Started: At least since 2019, with archives going back to 2019–2025
Content style: Short takes, satire, and "occasional bit of amusement". Recent post titles include THE CHURCH OF THE BLESSED CURMUDGEON, FILLING GROOVY, PSST - D'YA WANNA BUY A BRIDGE?
Reception
Reader Richard from Richard's Bass Bag praises it: "The quality, humour and professionalism gives me something to strive for... fresh and interesting"
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OK, thanks Richard. This lead me to ask: "What's Richard's Bass Bag? META AI answered:
Richard's Bass Bag is a blog run by "Richard", and it's where The NZ Curmudgeon gets some of its reader praise from.
What we know about it
1. The connection
The NZ Curmudgeon blog quotes Richard in its testimonials:
"Hello all. I really like this blog. The quality, humour and professionalism gives me something to strive for in my own blog. Recently I've run out of ideas and have reverted to writing long and boring posts on violin playing. I wish that I could create blog posts as fresh and interesting as The Curmudgeon's."
— Richard of Richard's Bass Bag
2. What Richard blogs about
Based on his comment, his blog covers:Bass - presumably double bass, given the name "Bass Bag"
Violin playing - he mentions "writing long and boring posts on violin playing" when he's out of ideas
So it's likely a music blog focused on string instruments, probably with a mix of tutorials, personal takes, and music chat. The "Bag" bit suggests a grab-bag of bass-related content.
3. Tone/vibe
The Curmudgeon excerpts Richard's writing too: "This is the first tantalizing surprise of many as The Curmudgeon introduces us to...". Sounds like Richard has his own dry, descriptive style.
I can't find Richard's Bass Bag site directly in the search results, but The NZ Curmudgeon links to it enough that they seem to be in the same NZ blogging circle.OK, that pretty much sums up Richard's Bass Bag. I then asked META AI "What is Bob's discombobulate Bobadilish? Here's what it said:
Bob's discombobulate Bobadilish is a blog mentioned and mocked by The NZ Curmudgeon.What we know from The Curmudgeon
In a post called TALKING OF STUPID, The NZ Curmudgeon writes:
Has anyone read Robert's blog Bob's discombobulate Bobadilish?Maybe not, seeing that he now puts all his creative effort in to his Facebook page of which I'm unsure what the title is.The Curmudgeon goes on to call it "bad enough" and describes 'Bob' communing with the Holy Spirit in church, probably St Mary of the Angels, to get ideas for posts. He then quotes a sample from Bob's latest post about Ramathain and Hannah, calling it "bird shit".So: it's Robert/Bob's blog, apparently religious-themed, and The Curmudgeon uses it as an example of writing he finds stupid.Breaking down the nameDiscombobulate - informal verb meaning "to cause to be in a state of confusion; upset, disorient".Bobadilish - likely a play on Bobadill, a braggart character from Ben Jonson's 1598 play Every Man in His Humour. Captain Bobadill is a cowardly, boastful soldier. So "Bobadilish" = in the manner of Bobadill = boastful, blustering.Put together: Bob's discombobulate Bobadilish sounds like "Bob's confusing, blustering nonsense" - which matches how The Curmudgeon treats it.Bottom line: It's a blog by someone called Robert/Bob that The NZ Curmudgeon roasts for being confusing and pretentious. The blog seems to have moved to Facebook now, though The Curmudgeon doesn't know the page name.
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.... But then maybe there's something to this AI stuff after all.
OK, to be fair to Richard, I asked META AI again about what Richard's Bass Bag is - this time after I'd deleted my search request on The Curmudgeon blog (so the algorithms wouldn't intrude and this is the answer:
Richard's Bass Bag is a personal blog by a Wellington, NZ musician named Richard. Think: part music journal, part dry-humour diary, part slice-of-life from the Lower Hutt/Wellington scene.
What it covers
Double bass + violin focus
Lots of posts about playing technique, practice routines, and repertoire. He shares advice like "Play everything slowly, but sometimes in a fast tempo" and notes on left-hand technique.
He’s working on diminished scales, backing-track sets, and gig prep.
Daily life in the Hutt/Wellington
Stories about haircuts at Queensgate Mall, warrant checks in Seaview, drives through Days Bay, and walks to Red Rocks.
Mentions local spots: Thorndon, Waiwhetu, Island Bay, Marjoribanks St, Mount Victoria Tunnel.
Dry, self-deprecating humour + satire
Blog post titles like "Ah, so that's how you get comments!", "A scary thought.", and "Gsus!".
He rewrites the Ten Commandments with punchlines like "Do not name your wine Gsus" and "Cover things that are outside when it is raining".
Church/Catholicism send-ups
Calls himself a "Well known Catholic Apologist" and "EVIL DOCTOR RICHARD!".
Shares anecdotes about Gloria, Mr. Linford, and St. Vincent de Paul church.
Meta-blogging & NZ blog circle
He’s friendly with The NZ Curmudgeon blog — they quote each other and even did “Richard’s Bass Bag Tours” of Wellington.
Admits to “writing long and boring posts on violin playing” when he runs out of ideas.
The multiple "Bass Bags"
Richard actually runs a few versions:
Richard's Bass Bag — the original
Richard's Bass Bag 2 — "putting the number '2' back into bass bagging"
Richard's Bass Bag 3 — hosted by his "Catholic Apologist" alter ego
Richard's Bass Bag 4 — notes that violins + double bass both have 4 strings
He jokes they’ll “work in conjunction… It’ll be like one big family”.
Vibe
If you like music nerdery mixed with grumpy-old-man Wellington observations and absurdist takes on religion, it’s your bag. As The NZ Curmudgeon put it: Richard’s posts are "fresh and interesting" with "quality, humour and professionalism".
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