Seeing Sound!

Splendour In The Grass 2014 is upon us!

This upcoming weekend I'm headed to join droves of music vagabonds to one of Australia's greatest music festivals - Splendour In The Grass! The 3 day festival stretching from Friday 25th - Sunday 27th July is held in the ever glistening Byron Bay, far north along the coast of NSW - 9 hours from Sydney.

Stoked to be going to this extremely bohemian, fun loving, country backyard vibe filled festival for the first time. I Sadly missed out on last years killer lineup, but Splendour never ceases to disappoint. With this years line up featuring some amazing acts, I'm especially excited to see Outkast, Childish Gambino, Spiderbait, Peking Duk, Wave Racer, Foster the People and Sam Smith - just to name a few. 

Getting into the mood listening to some of my favourite songs from this years artists! 

Check out my Splendour In The Grass Souncloud Playlist beloooooow! 

Childerness

My return to Sydney, meant it's time to face what I had been running away from. Adulthood.
With the memory of high school still quite fresh in my mind, it’s as though I was only just being asked, 'where do you see yourself in five years'.
 
I feel I'll need a paper bag if I dwell any longer on the thought that the 5 year mark has already come and gone, and that ten year point seems not too far off in the horizon. Whilst I'm definitely a different person than when I walked out of the hallowed halls of highschool, adulthood hasn't grown on me as much as I had thought it would have by now.
It seems becoming an adult doesn't come as naturally as one once thought.
Taking on responsibility, taking on the career ladder or knowing what to do with oneself doesn't come inherently with age. The freedom of being an adult that my young eyes once yearned for isn't as liberating or glamorous as it seems, and in your early twenties it can actually be quite terrifying.
Instead of being halfway to the ambitious and roaring life I imagined myself to be in by now, I find myself clambering for those half-hearted happy go lucky university student days. A time when it felt I had all the time in the world and naive enough to truly believe 3 years later at 24 I'd have things all figured out. Instead the path ahead seems more out of focus and murkier than ever. Not knowing exactly where I want to go or how to get there.

I don't mind growing old, I just don't think I want to grow up.

 

Whilst I'm happy to never grow up and lead a life like Peter Pan, purely lead by the chase for adventure. There's a nagging voice in my head urging me to step up to the plate, to be realistic and practical, and with it the pressure to be a successful adult.

Timing seemed to be right when Kingsley, a favorite Youtuber of mine, talked about growing up in one of his latest videos. When asked - Do you ever have one of those 'WTF am I doing with my life' moments? Kingsley replied with:

"I have at least five of those moments a day.
I'm so sick of trying to figure everything out, if I look at myself five years ago I never would of seen the self I am today. Life is so unpredictable and it's ultimately a bunch of random choices, that lead you to where you are.
 
I have fun, I have friends, I have family, I can eat... I'm Good."

Video Here
 

And I can’t agree with him more.

I have a lack of confidence in my choices, when it comes to food let alone when it comes to life. I can’t be sure if what I do will have the desired effect and I’ll always question if I could have done it better.

This all came along after celebrating an 18^th birthday. I realized how much time had passed since I was that age, and comparing the thoughts I had of life then with the realities of life once I was faced with them. I didn't think it would take me an extra year to finish uni, that I'd travel for a year afterwards and I'd still be out of my depth and only in my first junior role at 23. As much as we plan or dream its ok if you don’t attain it within a mere 5 years out of highschool. It isn't as long as first presumed, but actually quite a short timeframe in the grand scheme of becoming a person. Becoming your adult self.

In the end I guess success can’t be measured one way, if I end up with a career resulting in me being head hunted by the fortune 500’s top corporations, or if I end up spending my days venturing the world in a hoodie. If I find the love of my life, if I have exactly 3 children (1 boy and 2 girls). No matter the choices we make where ever we end up, we need to lead ourselves to whatever makes us happy, we have to make our own Neverland’s. However we get there whenever we get there. It might not always be easy but even Peter Pan needs fairy dust.

Just keep one foot in front of the other, have faith in the leaps, the risks, the struggles, lifes bound to throw you something left of field and you just have to keep aiming for Neverland.

Paddling at Manly Beach

• Glassy Days: Paddling Manly Beach
Basking in the glorious life outdoors.
I've been chasing summer and getting as much time in the water before winter hits Sydney. 

Out at one of my favourite places, easily a 5 minute stroll just off Manly Beach is Shelly. Here the water's calm with a few waves breaking at the headland, along with Mambo Coffee+Tees. Absolutely love getting some boards and doing some Stand Up Paddleboarding.

A Compelling Truth

The raucous men have the wisest words, because they took on life like it was death or war.
Making recent internet fame, in a minute Jim Carey sums up, quite eloquently, that attaining our aspirations and dreams, like our lives, is a personal journey. And in the bigger picture it's our part to find our place in it and make the most of it.

Haaaaave you met these guys?

Let me introduce three friends of mine Jim, John and Jack. I've known these boys for the better half of a decade now, each with their own characters and each with their own story. Something they all share is a slight bad boy nature. Kristina Grish describes it as something along the lines of 'irresistible rogues with a dizzying ability'. But there is so much more to these boys that have proven them to be great partners in crime, allies, friends to call on when you need them. When the tough get going, they make the world easier to take on.

                             

I met Johnnie earlier in life than I should of, I was still quite young when we crossed paths. He was dapper, polished and dressed to a 'T', always the gentleman, you would never guess he has a darker side to him. He is the more charming and suave of the three, all the boys want to be him and all the girls want to be his arm candy. But he too easily convinces you that we are all the same, without a care in the world, we can all do anything we want, money isn't a problem, spending endlessly, there are no responsibilities to think of or any consequences to worry about. I must say I kept my cool quite well, especially for someone so young, but I may have kept myself at bay out of fear of what could happen around him. But there were the nights with John where I may have gotten swept away, nights where I was on top of the world, nothing seems impossible. Nowadays John is my 'growing up friend', the one I call on when I'm reflective on life and get all contemplative. 

                          

On the opposite end of the spectrum there's Jack. The straight up tough guy, always donning black and never backing down from a challenge. He is that eccentric mix of bad boy charm, laid-back, understated and quick-witted, the complex brooding type. But the same boy knows how make the night unforgettable, easily gets you out on the dance floor, doesn't know any limits and never hesitates about breaking the rules. That's what is engaging about Jack, he's a roller coaster you can never quite pin point what's going on inside his mind. He's a good guy, you never know if he's the best thing for you but he is loyal and pulls through when you need him. I always keep Jack close, he's my go to man, especially when I need a good distraction or encouragement with something.

                          

Then theres Jim, it's always memorable with this guy. Everyone knows this guy, he's been around for as long as I can remember. He's just a big kid really, entertaining, life of the party type. Although some moments with him can be tough to swallow. He knows how to get himself and whoever he is with into some mischief and easily leads you down a path of crazy fun, which always seems like a good idea at the time, but you probably won't remember anything in the morning. Although there are the flaws, he's a bit of a flake I must admit. He'll always turn up to the party, and then you tend to loose track of him as he disappears, usually on some kind of ridiculous scheme. But you can bet on him popping up around the big moments and opportune times. I keep him around for those I need to let off some steam nights, give it to the man nights, take that 'insert name here' nights, or the nights that lead to - what was I thinking last night mornings. 

                        

Between these three I've had some of the best times of my life, they never fail to help out my cause. There's a chance you've met these three lads before, but if you haven't you should definitely introduce yourself, they never pass up the chance to meet new people. You will have to buy a drink to get the chance.

                         

                         

I was starting to think she didn't exist.

I am a longtime How I Met Your Mother fan, and just finished off the series with its "controversial" ending. Admittedly, no, it was not what I expected from this sitcom. Although in this fan's opinion it was a solid ending, And the kids have a point. So much of it was based around the five it was wrong to think in the last moments a sixth person was going to swoop in to tie all ties in an epic happily ever after.

"if you can't understand what's been produced, then you haven't been paying attention" - David Letterman

But I think we're focusing on the wrong thing here. Yes, endings are a big part to the story.
But the story isn't the ending, the story is what happened getting there. You don't stick around nine seasons just to see what happens, finales are never the endlessly played re-runs, finales aren't the years from now re-enacted moments and mimicked lines. Nope, it's that middle part, the 205 episodes in between pilot and finale that really matters. And I would rather a confused ending than a confused and cut too short series.

The show is a lot bigger than the last two episodes, and I will continue to love it for what it was.
(.. Look how bloody sentimental I'm getting over a show.)

Mainpoint, this is one of my favourite HIMYM moments.

The hunt for the Easter Egg.

There's talk of a legendary sweet - the chocolate egg, elusive morsels of goodness that shine with bright colours as though covered in a coating of melted jewels. From far and wide people desire for the sweet delectable substance in novelty form. Some say in this egg form they are covered in sprinkles, there have been sightings of them covered in nuts, some even go as far to say there may be an egg with smaller eggs inside. 

Yet they are kept hidden in far off lands beyond the reach of Google maps, under the protective watch of a mythical rabbit hell bent on spreading diabetes to those who let their sweet tooth lead them into his realm.

Many have hunted them in the past, some returned with epic tales of their quests for the eggs, whilst most fallen victim to the hunt. 

Despite all efforts it has been nearly a whole twelve months since anyone has last successfully even seen a chocolate egg. 

I wanted a taste of this chocolate action, I gathered my team and set out on a whim, my only lead being the whispers and rumours of their whereabouts.

Others are also on the hunt. Not all are willing to share such fortunes. 

They say there is no better time to hunt them than on an Easter Sunday, like a solstice or full moon, the eggs present themselves at certain times of the year and Easter marks their abundance. So along with my team we head out to find our treasure, hoping to avoid the rabbit known as the Easter bunny and his toothy grin.

Sometimes the team's looking too hard ... 

Sorry To Be Anti-climactic

Every journey around the world should include a stop in Sydney, what world trip incomplete without one, and it just so happens so does mine. I've had to make a pitstop on my world tour, and come back to Sydney for a few days. Thank fully this just so happens to be over New Years, so there's a silver lining to returning.

It doesn't feel like being home, mainly because I know I'm not having to settle back into home life and start setting up again. Instead I'm able to just enjoy all my favourite things about home and still be in holiday mode, knowing that the journey continues soon enough.

It's funny to actually hear my phone ring, I can access the internet without needing to source free wifi and actually receive a phone call. Although I seem to have forgotten how to take one, because I kept talking over Jody when we we're having a conversation. 

Thing is you don't realise how accustomed you get to travel life, I mean, don't all countries take US dollars, why is a beer not $1.50 here, my toiletries and clothes living outside of bags for longer than a day, there's no need for electrical adapters, I don't need to slow down my English to be understood or brush my teeth without being cautious of tap water.

It's time to kick back, enjoying the company of family and friends in the comforting recesses of home. I've been able to do my washing, re-pack, prove to my mother I am alive and well, update my playlist, watch the second instalment of the hobbit and be reunited with my bed.  

This little stint in Sydney has become part of the trip, it's been a whirlwind visit back, a non stop party really. Starting with Sydney New Years, one of the greatest parties around, where anything goes and the celebrating mood stretches on for days afterwards.

Some friends gathered and we watched the fireworks from Balmain, with a view so picturesque I felt like a tourist in my own city. Then started Chillfest 2014, with beach runs from Bondi throughout the South coast. With that Aussie heat glistening, it feels good on my skin. humid is different in every country and here my hair doesn't go Afro in this humidity. which is always a plus.

With catch ups over drinks, several drinks, I'm sure residual alcohol is still in my body.

This time back has given me the chance to reunite with friends and family, and ring in 2014 with a passion to focus energies on the people worth investing in and aspirations that give something back to me in my personal growth. I have a habit of getting distracted from the big picture, easily moved by emotion and whim, very much still young at heart without concern. The new year has given rise to realising the importance of prioritising and moving myself forward towards bigger things.

The one driving force behind all this, since being back people have inundated me with such a growing support towards this blog. The positive reception towards The Focal Point that I've received has surpassed my expectations. I never thought that anyone would remember, let alone visit, let alone enjoy and be 'proud' of me, it's so moving it pretty much brings me to tears. And we all know how sentimental and emotional I get over that stuff. 

So guys, depending on internet connection it'll feel like you're right here with me taking on the world. Although warning, never read this blog with Germaine, I know it's the primary school teacher in you but *Disclaimer I will always have grammatical errors in this blog. I'm joking, comment away, make me a better writer. 

The week has also been a week of goodbyes, I'm not getting any better with them, I still get that pit in my stomach. I hate leaving home, but part of travelling is learning to make new ones wherever you go. 

Nothing will ever be Sydney, although Sydney's never meant so much to me since seeing the rest of world through everyone else's lives.