Carly is a weekend writer for the Bay of Plenty Times
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Not your traditional comic: Josh Thomson on stage fright, how 7 Days helped shape a cultural identity
NZers now embrace comedians after tall poppy syndrome in the 1990s and early 2000s.

'Simultaneously savage and tender': Tom Sainsbury on his tour, the sensitivities of fame
"I sometimes put videos up and think 'why did you do that?', Tom Sainsbury says.

Villains, laughs and long naps: Shorty St actors recount memories for anniversary
Many high profile Shorty actors over the years have originated, or grown up in, the Bay.

Prioritise yourself: How to stay on top of your mental health when you're scant on time and money
No matter how under the pump you are, prioritise yourself. Take mini-breaks and talk

Edible weeds and other eco-thrifty tips for eating well
The main way to make meals cheap and sustainable is to eat less meat and more plant foods

Nurturing ties amid Covid's big chill
In the past two years, many have had to work hard at keeping relationships strong

'You are allowed to moan, complain and want time to yourself': Coping with family pressure
Dr Ross helps to normalise many family-related stressors as "problems of life".

Staycations, books, bars and beaches: The ultimate guide to a Bay of Plenty summer
Information and opinion: Staycations, beach reads, fish and chips, best bars, and events.

Eight tips to ease your Covid anxiety as we head into 2022
Kiwis have high hopes for a better 2022, but it's still easy to succumb to worry.

Overbooked, overwhelmed and overweight. Here's how to 'kick the culture of being busy'
As a society, we feel a need to do and be more, and for everything to run at a fast pace.

My Girl: Celebrating the bond between dads and daughters
Father's Day: Dads and daughters reflect on the ups and downs of their relationship.

The secret to ageing well: Why wealth is your health
Those with more social and financial advantages tend to age better.

Bubbles, tug-of-war, swimming, and zoomies: What really goes on at doggy daycare
Creches charge about $30 a day; offer pick-up/drop-off and operate downtown and rural

Dry July: Why breaking the grog habit will change your life along the way
Dry July has real benefits, particularly if participants don't give up halfway through.

'How to Dad' Jordan Watson on being a full-time YouTuber
His online career has been full-time for the past four years; and earns him six figures.

Digital detox: Ditch your smartphone and reclaim your life
From setting limits to finding alternatives to being glued to devices, here's what to do.

Kiwi star Benee talks regional shows, anxiety and her meteoric rise
Benee likes to think she can inspire others battling insecurities, to chase their dreams.

Anyone can be a life coach, so how do you find a good one?
Life coaching is unregulated in NZ, so the advice is to do your research wisely.

Getting it done: Meet the mums running businesses in school hours
Since Covid-19, an increasing number of mums have started up their own businesses.

Hollywood eyes up Taupō author/illustrator's work for animated movie
Bixley has been approached to have one of his chapter book series turned into a film.

MasterChef winners to release cookbook in te reo Māori
The Birds' new cookbook will be one of just a handful in NZ published in te reo Māori.

Pandemic parenting: Trying to create harmony at home
Covid-19 has upped the angst for some Gen Z teenagers.

Keeping it clean: Cleaning pros spill the tea on going rates, value for money and expectations
An increasing number of time-poor families are calling in domestic house cleaners.

What life is really like as a fulltime ballerina
One of RNZB's longest-serving dancers, Katherine Skelton is no stranger to hard work.

Buy now, pay later. Is it really a good idea?
Frivolous spending is seeing some couples rack up to $100,000 in consumer debt.

Manzilians and bro-tox: Hot new trends in male grooming
It's not just women these days who are feeling the pressure to hone their appearance.

Instagram versus reality: How girls can feel body confident
Body insecurities can flow into feelings of worthlessness and unlovability, say experts.

From outrageous Cheryl to 'bonkers' film - Robyn Malcolm's acting journey
Roles have become less prevalent for Malcolm, 55, but she'll still refuse a bad script.

A woman equally comfortable in Māori and European worlds
Feminist Beth Bowden spent 30 years cutting it in a "man's world".

Litter womble's clean up mission, and the attack that nearly killed her
NZ of the Year nominee Su Hodkinson on litter, and her near fatal stabbing.

Teuila Blakely's 'Sex and the City' memoirs
Actress Teuila Blakely plans to release a book on her single life.

'Teaching kids identity gives them a lifeline'
Josh Te Kani teaches kids identity with tikanga Māori, Māori martial arts and kapa haka.

Punches and death threats - a GP's journey in treating addicts
Mount doctor is one of a handful of GPs in NZ who treat those with dependency issues.

'Enviro wāhine warrior': Cartoonist's drastically sustainable life
Profile: How Tauranga cartoonist Mig McMillan forged a path towards sustainable living.

Hilary Price's crusade for abused, neglected children
Profile: One woman's 16-year fight to help abused and neglected Tauranga kids.

Mistress of menace
Tauranga's Lee Murray is New Zealand's most awarded science fiction and fantasy writer.

Meet Jodie - Tauranga's version of Erin Brockovich
Bruning's crusade is to expose the frailties of pesticide regulation in New Zealand.

Call of Duty: How David Cowie is helping the world
Tauranga man has changed the lives of thousands but few have heard of his endeavours.

Murder never sleeps: Head of CIB on 42 years as a cop
Greg Turner oversees a team of police detectives in the Western Bay of Plenty.

Aisha Te Kani: A heart like no other
Aisha Te Kani is the only adult in NZ - and likely the world - with her heart condition.

Recycling crusader Marty Hoffart
Statistics show Kiwis are one of the worst recyclers in the world, says Marty Hoffart.

Former MP Tony Ryall: 'Why I left politics'
Former MP Tony Ryall has purposely kept a low profile since exiting politics in 2014.

Going, going, gone - but only to a new job
Having switched careers and weathered setbacks, Shane Cortese isn't to be underestimated.

Local Focus: Tauranga holistic vet Liza Schneider
Meet the Tauranga vet who saves pets and wildlife. Made with funding from NZ On Air.

Putting it 'all on the line' to become a world rally champ
A local man is fighting to become a world rally champ. Made with funding from NZ On Air.

Life in a tiny house on wheels
Environmental consultant, activist, dumpster driver and tiny house advocate.

Amanda Lowry: Paralympic dream to be herself
Tetraplegic, Amanda Lowry: Her Paralympic dream and fight to be herself.

Historian Buddy Mikaere on keeping the past in the present
Educating people about the Battle of Gate Pā is Buddy Mikaere's ongoing mission.

More Kiwis seek obesity surgeries
As Kiwis get fatter, the number of obesity surgeries is only "scratching the surface".

How one man's cafe vision changed a community
NZ's top cafe: How Marty Robinson's, The Daily, changed a community.

Demystifying death: Inside the embalming room
An inside look at the job of a restorative embalmer.

Kids and screens: Parents 'robbing kids of childhood'
Child psychotherapist highlights the dangers of small children being addicted to devices.

Bay of Plenty's baddest crim: I'm not the same man
Wickliffe says since the release of his autobiography two months ago, life is changing.

The man who overhauled Bosnia's banking system
Peter Nicholl overhauled Bosnia's entire banking system after the war.

'Life changes completely': Tauranga crash survivor tells of losing best mate
Eli Muller survived a fiery crash that killed his best friend. This is his story.

Frightening realities of sex and young people
Girls as young as 9 are sending nude photos, a prominent sexual abuse counsellor says.

James Rolleston: 'I just have to face the music'
Carly Gibbs talks to Boy star James Rolleston.

Big Read: How to spot a psychopath
Professor Devon Polaschek talks about how to spot a psychopath.

Cutting hair, talking about suicide
Sam Dowdall is on two-year journey cutting hair and getting men to talk about emotions.