News

I like to write about where I’ve been, where I’m going and also, from time to time, I’ll throw in something about football, writing, business and any other cool stuff that grabs my attention. I also take photos and some of them are even half decent. Recently, I have concentrated most of my writing around football, one of my few passions. You’ll find these musings at The Matamata Bus.

Business

Website – IOQ NZ

The Institute of Quarrying NZ (IOQ NZ) is the organisation that represents individuals in the extractive industry. Their role is to promote the positive impact of the industry, the career...

Website – Hi-Top Scaffolding

Auckland-based Hi-Top Scaffolding provides scaffolding and edge protection gear that is fit for purpose, quick and easy to install, and with a minimal footprint so trades can work efficiently with...

Book – Pohlen Hospital

In 2017 I was asked about helping out with the publication of a book commemorating 50 years of Pohlen Hospital - specifically the design and layout of what would be a near 200-page walk through...

Website – Crane Sales NZ Ltd

We have just built and launched an upgraded website for Crane Sales New Zealand Limited. Built using WordPress, our favoured platform, the new site is clean, modern and device-responsive. The new...

Website – ZMR Aggregates

Based on the Rangitikei River, ZMR Aggregates is a producer and supplier of washed sand, stone and crushed aggregate products. ZMR Aggregates also offers a wide range of products suitable for...

Website – Tainui Press

For over 80 years Tainui Press Design & Print has serviced the printing and digital design needs of local businesses, dairy industry services, manufacturers and the thoroughbred racing industry out...

Website – WaiBOP Football Federation

2017 update After NZ Football's technology review we all needed to update our sites once more. The Sporty platform was chosen and the move was made near the end of 2017. While the Sporty CMS isn't a...

Website – MIMICO

MIMICO's new website was introduced to their customers in March 2017. Not only is it a modern, device-responsive site with a much fresher look and feel... it works. Monthly page views doubled almost...

Annual Report – WaiBOP Football

I took control of the design and layout of WaiBOP Football's 2016 Annual Report, which was presented at the Annual General Meeting in May 2017. Previously this publication was outsourced to an...

Website – The Matamata Bus

We have built a football media website for The Matamata Bus (you'll find an explanation on the website). This site is associated with the Northern League Forum website and is a tidy addition to the...

Football

But wait, there’s more

I spend most of my blogging energy these days discussing football on my dedicated football media site The Matamata Bus. So despite what looks like a massive time out I haven't completely given up...

Processing my processing

It's been a little while since I posted on this blog. That was a deliberate thing, as I've had much to process over the last month or so. I kept January clean (on this blog, at least) so I could...

Soundtrack of my life: 2010 – Wavin’ Flag (K’Naan)

This song was everywhere during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Why? The 'Celebration Mix' version was grabbed by Coke to be their anthem for the tournament. That meant it was in the stadiums,...

Soundtrack of my life: 1996 – Three Lions (Baddiel & Skinner and The Lightning Seeds)

This is the best football song ever built. It was launched to coincide with England's hosting of Euro '96 and exploded. A catchy terrace chant married to a solid tune and coupled with some...

Waiting…

I wrote the following article in September 2009, not long after my second son was born. It's nice to take a look back and remember. Last week was one of the strangest in my life. It seemed like...

DB’s World Cup Diary – South Africa 2010 (part 2)

In 2010 I travelled to South Africa for the FIFA World Cup. During my travels I wrote weekly articles for the Matamata Chronicle. I have combined these articles and will present them in two parts –...

DB’s World Cup Diary – South Africa 2010 (part 1)

In 2010 I travelled to South Africa for the FIFA World Cup. During my travels I wrote weekly articles for the Matamata Chronicle. I have combined these articles and will present them in two parts -...

Lyon – yeah!

Lyon is one of my favourite cities. It’s French. It’s fabulous. And it’s fresh. I’ve been to Lyon a couple of times – once as part of a work trip and once as part of a football trip – and both times...

On Edge

Declan Edge in particular, and the Waikato FC board in general, have copped a lot of grief from many football fans over the last few months. It hasn’t been nice. Most of it hasn’t even been...

DB’s World Cup Diary – Germany 2006

In 2006 I travelled to Germany for the FIFA World Cup. During my travels I wrote weekly articles for the Matamata Chronicle. Here is the complete series (which I chose to present as one long post...

Personal

Processing my processing

It's been a little while since I posted on this blog. That was a deliberate thing, as I've had much to process over the last month or so. I kept January clean (on this blog, at least) so I could...

To Blog or Not To Blog…

It's been over a month since I wrote about anything in this little blog of mine. Not good form, I know, from a potential long-term blogger. It is what it is, however. I do intend to persevere. It's...

Soundtrack of my life

I've been a little slack with my posts this month so it's time to get back on track. Inspired by the cool Olympic closing ceremony (and also inspired by the fact I want to be inspired) I've set...

My goal is to set some goals

I have never really set any proper goals in my life. Not goals that I’ve sat down with, effectively analysed, set in concrete and then acted on. My goals have been more like dreams – things I’d like...

Waiting…

I wrote the following article in September 2009, not long after my second son was born. It's nice to take a look back and remember. Last week was one of the strangest in my life. It seemed like...

What’s the mata Matamata?

Today, we've got a post with few words and many photos. Over the last few weeks I've taken plenty of pics around town. Even though we're well into winter it still feels like autumn and this is what...

Great work

I stumbled across this short movie (http://www.greatworkmovie.com/) a while back. Before I go on I suggest, respectfully, that you have a look. Go on, it'll only take a few minutes... Okay, welcome...

Beside the mountain

I went to the Taranaki region yesterday to take some photos for a client. It was a nice day out and the weather was great - even if it was a long drive (but that doesn't really matter). It's been a...

Greatness isn’t born

In his book The Talent Code, Daniel Coyle explains how greatness isn't born, it's grown. He describes the three key elements that work together to form myelin, a microscopic neural substance that...

Postponing Life

I’m a procrastinator from way back (no, that's not me in the photo). From a long, long, long way back. If there was a way to make a living from procrastinating, I’d be at the cutting edge. But I’ve...

Photos

Camping animals

Our family went camping recently. It was a typical kiwi camping excursion, full of sand, salt and stink (not too many showers available out there...). It was a great opportunity to take some photos,...

Starfish

We found this big boy in the Purangi Estury at Cooks Beach on February 9. It was a clear, hot, summer afternoon and he was just hanging out, soaking up some rays...until my son stuck a stick under...

Waiorongomai Valley

This place is a little gem, tucked into the base of the Kaimai Range near Te Aroha. Waiorongomai Valley is an old gold mining settlement, now either in ruins or completely gone, with plenty of...

Cooks Beach

I love my visits to Cooks Beach. They are far too infrequent. But always memorable. There are some pretty spectacular beaches on the Coromandel Peninsula and Cooks is the best of the bunch. This pic...

Kaimai railway

I took this photo recently while I was out driving near the base of the Kaimai ranges, which rise near my home in Matamata. This photos was taken here (you can just make out the railway line). The...

Chimpanzee

I took a few snaps on a recent kindergarten trip to Hamilton Zoo. Exhibit number 4: the Chimp, chilling out having finished off something mysterious for lunch. (Click on the image to enlarge to full...

Southern White Rhino

I took a few snaps on a recent kindergarten trip to Hamilton Zoo. Exhibit number 3: the mighty Rhinoceros. (Click on the image to enlarge to full size.) One more animal to follow...

Meerkat

I took a few snaps on a recent kindergarten trip to Hamilton Zoo. Exhibit number 2: the Meerkat , just before helping himself to a lunch of ants. (Click on the image to enlarge to full size.) More...

Ring-Tailed Lemur

I took a few snaps on a recent kindergarten trip to Hamilton Zoo. Exhibit number 1: the Ring-Tailed Lemur. (Click on the image to enlarge to full size.) More animals to follow over the next few...

Good old kiwi bush trip

Just recently I went on a family weekend trip to the Thames coast. We stayed at Dickson Holiday Park, which is on the Coromandel Peninsula only a few minutes north of Thames - remarkably close to...

Travel

Waiorongomai Valley

This place is a little gem, tucked into the base of the Kaimai Range near Te Aroha. Waiorongomai Valley is an old gold mining settlement, now either in ruins or completely gone, with plenty of...

Cooks Beach

I love my visits to Cooks Beach. They are far too infrequent. But always memorable. There are some pretty spectacular beaches on the Coromandel Peninsula and Cooks is the best of the bunch. This pic...

Kaimai railway

I took this photo recently while I was out driving near the base of the Kaimai ranges, which rise near my home in Matamata. This photos was taken here (you can just make out the railway line). The...

Chimpanzee

I took a few snaps on a recent kindergarten trip to Hamilton Zoo. Exhibit number 4: the Chimp, chilling out having finished off something mysterious for lunch. (Click on the image to enlarge to full...

Southern White Rhino

I took a few snaps on a recent kindergarten trip to Hamilton Zoo. Exhibit number 3: the mighty Rhinoceros. (Click on the image to enlarge to full size.) One more animal to follow...

Meerkat

I took a few snaps on a recent kindergarten trip to Hamilton Zoo. Exhibit number 2: the Meerkat , just before helping himself to a lunch of ants. (Click on the image to enlarge to full size.) More...

Ring-Tailed Lemur

I took a few snaps on a recent kindergarten trip to Hamilton Zoo. Exhibit number 1: the Ring-Tailed Lemur. (Click on the image to enlarge to full size.) More animals to follow over the next few...

Good old kiwi bush trip

Just recently I went on a family weekend trip to the Thames coast. We stayed at Dickson Holiday Park, which is on the Coromandel Peninsula only a few minutes north of Thames - remarkably close to...

Incredible India – part 2

Click here for part 1. Who needs to go to Disneyland when, for a few rupees, you can get a daytime cab ride through the middle of Kolkata? I arrived back at Howrah station in Kolkata after my second...

Incredible India – part 1

Back in 2007 I made my first trip to India. It was a business trip to visit customers of the company I was working for at the time. That was interesting enough, but what was utterly fascinating was...

Soundtrack of my Life

View a list of all these posts HERE [1972 to 2012].

This is a project I undertook in 2012. Pick a song from each year of my life that had some sort of meaning or story behind it, write a short post and embed a YouTube movie.

Have a look at my playlist and let me know what you think.