USSimo
Simon Matthews Joined: September 26th 2007
Logged in: November 16th 2011
Logged in: November 16th 2011
Travel Blog Posts
My new hood - Bronte Beach
Well hello people, where ever on this fabulous planet you may be. If you didn’t know already I have a space to call my own. Didn’t buy rather renting with my delightful sister Louise and her wonderful boyfriend Michael. Our place is a cheeky three bedroom apartment with a balcony and kitchen with views of the Pacific Ocean and a lazy 3 min walk to the sands of Bronte Beach. Not to mention spectacular views of Bronte Valley if you don’t mind. Been a surprisingly tough transition back to the land of Oz from the good old USA but the dust is starting to settle with some of the little and slightly larger blocks beginning to fall into place. I have an outdoor football team, an indoor football team, friends playing in football teams who I ... read more
Starting the day off......
Music is a wonderful thing. It can make you nod your head along to the beat, make you jump up and down un-controllably, it can put you to sleep and as I discovered this week it can help purge the soul. For too long music has tortured me in a way – reminded me of difficult times past when really the potential of what’s to come should be what consumes my mind. The festival of music known as Soundwave provided the platform for me to genuinely fall back in love and slowly but surely help re-ignite my passion for music. New Found Glory, Sum41 and Millencolin in particular put me on such a natural high during their sets last Sunday, feelings that will not be forgotten for some time. Seeing Pennywise supporting Millencolin the next night ... read more
Greatest Album EVER
Till this point I think every one of my blogs has been a reflection of shenanigans I have already been up to! So I guess in the interests of mixing things up id like to point out a couple of things that im about to get up to. I know there is a danger in hyping something up to the point where it will become almost impossible to live up to the expectation you’ve placed on it but frankly the following event and situation is going to be so incredible I don’t think there is much chance of being disappointed. Soundwave is a music festival to be held in Sydney at the end of February that has a line up to make any little punk rocker drooling for weeks in anticipation. There are the big ticket ... read more
Liam doing the groundkeeping duties
Hmmmmm, so what have I been up to since my last post. Well to be honest with you quite a lot. After three and a half years my US adventure for now at least has come to an end and ive moved back to Sydney. Got a transfer back to the Sydney office and have been enjoying the sights and sounds of summer time in Sydney! There are definitely worse places to be in the world at this time of year that is for sure. Its been a pretty challenging transition as im constantly experiencing fluctuating emotions missing the people I became so close with in Charleston and indeed the greater south east and absolutely loving re-connecting with family and “forever friends” that ive lived away from for almost 6 years now after stints in Brisbane ... read more
The new place
Well, after 30 years of existence I have finally managed to fulfill a life long dream….be able to ride my pushy for a surf check! So as you can see my new pad is spectacular. A raised back deck oversees the back yard equipped with a dock and canoes right on the river. The “surf” is only a 5 min bike ride away although as you can see from the photo the “surf” isn’t always as big as I would like. Although it is incredibly cool to be able to ride my bike the length of the beach at low tide instead of taking on the rather lazy traffic that snakes its way around folly beach. Ive attached some glorious surroundings that make up Folly Beach which again is now within a 10 min bike ride ... read more
Come on Igor
Looks whats coming to bring some swell - Igor!!!! What a good bloke. Pic's and stories to come after this weekend - HOPEFULLY! ... read more
Guess where
So what’s happening with the Simo - Well in a nutshell I have recently become single, got my first taste of central America, have been travelling insane amounts for work and am hopefully about to become a “Big Brother” to a child who needs a positive male influence in their life here in Charleston South Carolina. My soccer season starts up soon which I cant wait for, theres a roller derby bout this coming Saturday and im two weeks and 80 kilometers into training for a marathon that takes place on December 11. yep its all happening! Heres some pictures for you to enjoy. Hope youre smiling where ever you may be : ) Take care Simo ... read more
And so it begins.....
Well. Goodbye 20's - hello 30's. "So how do you feel now that youre 30" was an incredibly common question asked since April 14. My smart assed response........ "About a day older than i did yesterday" Although maybe the big 3-0 is having an effect all be it subtly as things like superannuation contributions (401K here in the states) and property ownership are actually starting to run through this crazy brain of mine! And am i old if NPR (National Public Radio ie radio national) is programmed as number 1 and number 2 on my car sterio? I was incredibly pleased to discover my friends and family have definitly not matured too much since ive been gone as the "Pink" party was a sucess beyond my wildest imaginations. The colour, the creativity and the commraderiee were ... read more
Folly in all her glory
Gday boys and girls. 16 days before i head back down under. Heres a very brief pictorial slideshow of some things ive been up to here in the northern hemishpere! For those of you needing a good book to read my first recomendation is always the Power of One by Bryce Courtney. If you like that one then Tandia by the same authour is always a good bet, which is not a sequel to The Power of One, rather a parallel/intertwining storyline .....its a pearler. Just finished Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Rein, an inspiring account of the life of an american climber starting schools in tribal pakistan and afghanistan for childern of both sexes particularly women. And if you havnt read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini do yourself a ... read more
All for a good cause
April 10 2010 Ok Kids. If you are in the vicinity of Sydney SATURDAY 10 APRIL 2010 make no plans. Its a little ways away but i will be having a 30th.......yep thats right 30th birthday party in Sydney somewhere. I have a sneaking suspicion that it will be a dress up party of some description and i have an even stronger premonition that costumes will only be allowed to be purchased from second hand / vinnes / salvos stores. So start keeping your eyes peeled now! Stay tuned for more details! Keep smiling Simo PS What i got up to last saturday. Snuggie tour around Charleston to benefit the local childrens hospital. Again, why wouldnt you! ... read more
