Month: April 2015

Weekly Photo Challenge:Afloat

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This week, show us what afloat means to you.

My inspiration for this weeks challenge comes from Lotus Square, Xuanwa Lake, Nanjing, China. Lotus Square is an entertainment area of the park covering 5000 metres and can accommodate 3,000 viewers. It has a musical fountain as well as water and lasers screens.

The centrepiece of the area is 12 metre high Lotus Fairy and 4 charming naïve Lotus Boys—surrounding her are masses of Lotus plants in various stages of life floating above the lake. As an Australian the beauty of this area was different to anything I had seen before. It was relaxing and inspirational.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/afloat/

If I Had A Hammer

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If you could learn a trade — say carpentry, electrical work, roofing, landscaping, plumbing, flooring, drywall — you name it — what skill(s) would you love to have in your back pocket?

Like father, like daughter.

If I had a hammer I would develop my creative streak in woodwork. My father used to teach woodwork at high school and I loved it on rainy weekend days when we could go to the school with him and create something.

I enjoyed it so much that when it came time to select subjects for 2nd form—I wanted to choose woodwork. Unfortunately, it was the mid 1970’s and I was not allowed. Dad’s friend who would have taught me had he been allowed understood my desire and previous experience but it didn’t help. Girls did cooking and sewing. Boys did woodwork and metal work. Both could do art. I don’t know when this changed in Australian schools but I am very pleased it has.

When I was younger and living alone—under dad’s guidance I did several jobs around my home and even had my own tool kit. Not something at the time many of my female friends could say or were interested in. When I retire and have time on my hands I would love to learn how to turn wood and create fancy items. Today my spare time is taken up with writing and blogging but one day my dream will come. For me there is a sense of pride in putting my feet up and admiring something that not only have I made but also planned and designed. I love originals and have been given many presents by dad made and designed from wood for me. They are my treasured possessions and always bring a smile to my face—thanks Dad.

It is nice to know that Peter, Paul and Mary song that I loved so much as a child has brought a hammer of justice to girls and boys learning any subject they choose at school. Who knows had I been allowed to study woodwork in high school my life may have been very different.

https://youtu.be/VaWl2lA7968

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/hammer/

F – Fantastic News

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You get some incredibly, amazingly, wonderfully fantastic news. What’s the first thing you do?

I am assuming from this prompt that the incredibly, amazingly, wonderful fantastic news is mine to tell—if not I would keep their secret.

If it is mine, initially I would say thank you to my angels and spend some time enjoying the moment—connecting with everything I was feeling in my body and head. The more exciting my news—the more I would plan my sharing. Super exciting news requires time for self rejoicing, planning, dreaming and working out what it means before sharing my news with the world including my immediate family.

Once I had worked through my news, I would plan a special dinner that evening for the family and share my news with them in person. I love to see the responses on their faces particularly if the news related to something I know they thought I truly was dreaming about. I tend to be the believer in the power of positive thinking and the law of attraction and not everyone shares my thoughts. I love examples of it working in my life.

Once we had celebrated—with a fancy champagne—my husband and I would work out a plan to share my news with the rest of the family—parents and siblings. This would mostly involve ringing them individually or sending a text if time poor although sometimes a road trip may be in order to tell them personally.

Only after all of these options had been completed and if I decided my news was suitable for a public billboard would I post a status update to Facebook. My personal boundaries stop me announcing anything and everything to the world without careful consideration.

Through blogging I have become more comfortable with my online presence however I don’t want any surprises. If appropriate, to complete my celebrations and take it to a new level I would write a blog post and see where that takes me.The advantage of celebrating through a blog post is that you get to celebrate many times over as people read the blog posts in their own time.

Bring on the fantastic news—I  love to celebrate.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/supercalifragilisticexpialidocious/

#A-Z Challenge

Share Your World – 2015 Week 13

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What was your favorite subject in school?

I don’t remember having a favourite subject at school. School was school. How much I liked each class varied with regard to who was teaching it, the others students and the style of teaching used. In the end it was my life experiences more than my schooling that got me my job in psychiatric nursing all those years ago.

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away” (George Carlin). When have you had such a moment?

I am constantly living in the moment—enjoying what is happening around me. For me the last big moment was when we left Canada’s Parliament House and our first snow storm had begun while during our visit. The landscape was suddenly transformed and everything was blanketed in white—just beautiful.

What’s your choice: jigsaw, crossword, or numeric puzzles?

I am a visual person so love doing jigsaw puzzles. We have many in the garage but unfortunately no time to complete them. Like blogging you start them and suddenly realise that hours have flown by.

If you found an obviously abandoned car with $50,000 in the back seat, what would you do?

I would hand the money in to the police and hope nobody claimed it so I got to keep it. I would be to concerned if I didn’t that I would be found out and charged with something myself.

Bonus question:  What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

Last week I was thankful for the four-day Easter break and the amount of editing I got done on my book. I majorly changed its order and feel that the flow is even better now. This week I am looking forward to getting back into routine and seeing where it takes me. I have no plans.

http://ceenphotography.com/2015/03/30/share-your-world-2015-week-13/

E – Easter Show

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First held in 1823 at Parramatta, Sydney’s Royal Easter Show has grown to be the largest event held in Australia and the 6th largest in the world. Due to its growing size it has moved localities twice and is now held at Sydney Olympic Park in a purpose built facility. In 1891 Queen,Victoria bestowed the right for the show to be officially called Royal. Attending the show is fun for all ages and my experience is that you run out of time to see everything not that you are bored with nothing to do. Each year the shows theme is “city meets country” and it can be found in the following  activities:

  • Agricultural Show
  • Animal Shows
  • Art & Crafts Displays
  • Community Displays
  • Entertainment
  • Fireworks
  • Grand Parade
  • Main Arena
  • New Product Displays
  • Petting Zoos
  • Side Show Alley
  • Stages
  • Wood Chopping

The following photos are from the show a few years ago as unfortunately I was unable to attend this year do to other commitments.

 

#A-Z Challenge

 

 

Poetry 101 Rehab: End

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This weeks theme is END. I struggled a little to picture in my head what the end looked like which made writing poetry more of a challenge.

Limerick

I wondered around the bend

Looking for my friend

I sought him here I sought him there

Finally finding him in the end.

Haiku 

The end is coming

Thank goodness! It was no easy task

Let’s celebrate now

http://maraeastern.com/2015/03/30/poetry-101-rehab-end/

D – Diving

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Diving is a spectacular sport to watch and athletes need mental and physical strength to get their bodies to do what is required for each dive. Owing to our daughters involvement in the sport, diving has been part of our world for over 10 years and we have had some amazing experiences with the diving community.

We have attended competitions in all areas from the local club level to international competitions. Through our connection in junior diving we have meet Olympic divers from all over the world that are still competing today. It is exciting to see their dreams come true and understand the hard work they have put into them.

Diving took a different twist a few years ago for my daughter when she began having fun with show diving. Although I think my most inspirational moments in diving were when I attended World Masters Games in Sydney. Two women in particular stood our for me—one larger lady in her 50’s or 60’s who did an arm stand dive and an older lady who began her diving career in her twilight years. Both proved to me you are never to old to follow your dreams.

#A-Z Challenge

Weekly Photo Challenge:Blur

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A throwaway shot, or purposefully unfocused? This week, find beauty in a blur.

One easy way to blur photos is when they are taken at a live musical. My selection for this challenge was taken at Hong Kong Disneyland’s—The Lion King. It was an amazing constantly moving show on a small stage so blurred photos were common. Through their blur I can still see the passion 3 years later.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/blur/

C – Casa Loma

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Casa Loma is a beautiful, ornate full size castle built by Sir Henry Pellant and completed in 1914.  Overlooking Toronto Canada—the castle is situated on 5 acres of  land— taking 300 men,  3 years to build. It was the largest private residence in Canada and it is steeped in history. Unfortunately due to changes in their financial circumstances Sir Henry and his lovely wife Lady Mary were only able to live in their spectacular home for 10 years.

Beauty, grandeur and opulence are displayed in every room. No expense was spared on the creation of this historic building and it is a true testament to its owner and Edwardian times. Our visit was at Christmas and they were celebrating 100 years of Christmas at Casa Loma—including traditional carolers. It is the most impressive home I have ever seen.

Possibly our favourite part of exploring this amazing castle complete with its secret tunnels was having traditional hot chocolate and our first s’mores on the balcony. We were in heaven. The only thing that would have improved our day was if there was snow on the ground. You win some, you lose some.

#AtoZChallenge

Mistakes

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Write an entire post without using three-letter words.

Everyone makes mistakes. These mistakes teach us lessons about ourselves that allow us to grow.  Think of these lessons as gifts from life. Some people find keeping a list of lessons learnt helpful. They’re a visible reminder that helps keep us focused on moving forward to reach goals.

Edison failed 10,000 times before he invented a light globe. He doesn’t describe these attempts as failures however as 10,000 ways they don’t work.

By re-framing your words, it is possible to change your thinking. Life is full of lessons—we choose at what speed we acknowledge them. Remember they help us to develop personally as well as professionally.

Do not be afraid to take a risk. Take on challenges, learn by your mistakes adding to your repertoire of things known.

***

I found this challenge tricky. I noticed that it changed my voice considerably because my style is made up of small words—mainly with three letters. It certainly made me think which took me from my comfort zone—teaching me some lessons as I went.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/three-letter-words/