About Darren

Brief Description

Guy from New Zealand, lil' bit funny, lil' bit nice guy, lil' bit left field, all the time genuine. An INFJ personality, a good guy to have on your side. Not that complicated.

Introduction - all about me

Born in New Zealand in the year of our Lord 19 and 71AD, I grew up with my (thankfully) understanding Mum and attended all of my schooling in the bustling pioneering Waikato town of Matamata (aka Hobbiton – where actual Hobbits live)

For more see - http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/home-property/10294225/Lets-live-in-Matamata

There (and further North) I participated in competitive swimming at a National level, played soccer (football to you fanatics), got into music as a lead vocalist but struggled with stage fright, played a bit of water polo and began my love affair with various types of martial arts where I reached various levels and have taught other instructors fight training for their upcoming full contact competitions. Being a bit scrappy when I was younger probably helped.

During these formative years I was exposed to unique phrases such as "we're swimming how far this morning?", "If I have the ball, why can't I use my elbows or be airborne?" and "Isn't Zen some kind of high performance car tyre I could put on my Kingswood?". Not that I owned a Kingswood. Or could afford tyres.

I eventually attended Polytechnic studying Hospitality and Tourism which was after (Mr Leggatt, you're...) leaving school. My time at Polytechnic gave me an over-developed ability to party (minus any budgets), not to mention the necessary ground breaking decision making skills which assisted me to decide to NOT pursue a career in Hospitality. After all, who wants to work when everyone else you know is socialising? The fact industry late-night arrogant door security staff and myself have never really been able to get on, I'm sure had nothing to do with it. Then eventually (in my late 20's) I grew up some, became a responsible adult and got on towards making something of myself.
I think I "adult" fairly well these days.

I am lucky to have an amazing son who I am ridiculously proud of and love to bits and we are happily living with (and I am now married to) the most amazingly beautiful/intelligent and wonderful woman on the planet who I could not love more if I had an extra heart - and also no, I am not prone to over-exaggeration. Luckily she loves me the same, yet another reason I married her. Lucky me :)

In addition to loving my son and I, she also has an amazing son (who I also love to bits) with both boys considering themselves "brothers" so as a blended family, yes, happiness is the name of the game in our house.
These two also have an adult aged sister who has just started seeing the world for the way it is, rather than what she thought/had been told it was and is finding out that happiness is only an attitude change away. I am very proud of the woman she is becoming, love her to bits and she also has her own daughter now, so I'm also known as "Poppa Daz". 
Yeah, its a bit street. A good name.

All together, we're your typical NZ family with good days and bad. 

It is true that I have become fractionally more responsible with age and perhaps even slightly more professional too – although only time will tell. I am branching out into this inter-web blogging thing, something I’ve started at my day job as a Team Manager for a reputable Business in the Bay Of Plenty, New Zealand. Seems to help quite a few people based on feedback I've had so far. Numbers coming to visit ain't bad either. Up at 50,000 views since "go-live".

These posts are a genuine attempt to help you, maybe give you a laugh and perhaps teach you something along the way if I'm able to.

So - read on and enjoy!  All comments welcome.

Bragging rights

I'm a Dad, Step Dad, Husband, Son, Biker, Martial Artist, Fight Trainer (sometimes), Manager, Leader, Coach, Mentor, Novelist and a Musician. 

And now...I'm a self help / empowerment blogger...