Australia Archives - INSPIRING MAX

Weekly Photo Challenge: Sydney 2000 Flame

December 7, 2014December 7, 2014 inspiringmax

Show us something that is lost, but not forgotten.

Cauldron From Sydney Olympics

The Sydney Olympics ended 14 years ago, however the Australian Olympic spirit lives on. This cauldron once adorned the stadium. It has been mounted on legs and now forms a beautiful sculpture in Cathy Freeman Park.

Every four years during the Olympics, our flame is re-lit. I love watching it. These photos were taken during the 2012 London Olympics. It still has the water attached, which is turned on periodically during hot summer days as a place for the children to cool off.

Sydney 2000 has gone but is definitely not forgotten.

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Storytelling Is Powerful

November 24, 2014 inspiringmax

What makes a good storyteller, in your opinion? Are your favorite storytellers people you know or writers you admire?

Story telling connects us with people, shows others something about us—who we are, our values and attracts attention. As a Toastmaster, I use stories during my speeches to give the audience something easy to remember—a takeaway message.

I believe to be good story-teller you need to believe in your subject. It may not be your story, but if you are repeating it without passion, it will turn into a—you had to be there story that nobody wants to hear.

A well told story brings a point home. For example, I could tell you I had a natural sense of direction.

Your reply maybe “so what, so do I.”

Or, I could tell you one afternoon my sister (4) and I (6) wanted to play with our friends. We were bored. We lived in the bush and had no-one to play with. So, after getting permission to go and visit our friends after lunch from our parents—they thought we were all going and didn’t realise I meant kids only, no adults—we set out. It took us a couple of hours to arrive because we stopped to play in the park on the way.

After completing our 4.2 kilometre adventure via busy main roads and windy back streets into suburbia—we were greeted by our friends mother. She was not happy. She was convinced our mum was playing a joke on her. We couldn’t possibly have done what we said we had. But we did. Once she believed us we still didn’t get to play with our friends—we had to find our parents.

The story shows my natural sense of direction. It doesn’t just tell. This allows the audience to imagine two little girls walking hand-in-hand crossing busy roads. To emotionally connect with them, by seeing them as their own children or grandchildren—bringing the audience into my speech through my story.

I find the more personal the story—the more I can believe the author or speaker. Stories change vulnerability into empowerment—they can be life changing.

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I See Red

November 17, 2014 inspiringmax

Colors can stir emotions within us, tell stories, and transform our images. Today, use one color to add life or drama to your shot.

Christmas every year in our family is colour-themed. It is a very democratic process—all family members vote, from the youngest to the oldest. My sister who organises and holds Christmas every does an amazing job. Her decorations and year-long planning—set the scene for the celebration. It is amazing how dramatic one colour can be when up to thirty people in the room are wearing it and it is reflected everywhere—from the decorations, to the food, table presents and the gift wrap.

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Solitude

November 9, 2014 inspiringmax

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Street

November 5, 2014 inspiringmax

Overlooking ANZ stadium. Can you see the smoke coming out of the chimney?

One of the many walkways in the area. Local park in the background.

Street scene with lamp post.

These photos of my local area were taken this morning just after dawn, about 0545. I saw one person and one car during the 10 minutes I was taking them. It was very peaceful. Note to self—take more walks at this time of day—it is glorious.

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Daily Prompt: Survive

November 3, 2014 inspiringmax

What’s the best story someone else has recently told you (in person, preferably)? Share it with us, and feel free to embellish — that’s how good stories become great, after all.

Bush walking in Australia can be dangerous—even deadly. Situations can change quickly at the hand of mother nature. This is particularly true with canyoning—traveling through canyons using whatever mix of activities is required—abseiling, swimming, walking, jumping, scrambling over rocks etc to get through what is sometimes a very small space. Due to the areas where canyoning is possible, there it often only one way in and out. Without the knowledge of these exits—you may not survive.

Photo Credit: Google Images Canyoning in the Blue Mountains

Photo Credit: Google Images Canyoning in the Blue Mountains

Recently, on a warm autumn day, a group of experienced canyoneers where exploring some of the many canyons in the Blue Mountains. As usual, they had spent the whole day seeing no-one, just enjoying each others company and the peace, serenity and beauty of the canyons.

Suddenly as they were moving through the canyons, they came across four lost unequipped young people. They were scared, freezing from the icy cold water and had run out of food and drink.

“Do you know where you are or do you need help?” asked the group leader.

“Thank God you are here. We have no idea and thought we might die here tonight.” replied the other leader.

“If we hadn’t of come along you probably would have, if you don’t know that the only exit is hidden not far from here. There is no other way out,” he said.

“We have learnt a lot today both about the dangers in the mountains and our own life journey. A brush with death brings you into the here and now quickly,” replied another member of the lost party.

“You are all safe now. We will be back at the top within the hour before it gets to dark. Does anyone need anything before we lead the way out?”said the female of the rescue party.

“No, we are good now. We are ready to leave when you are” replied the lost leader.

And within twenty minutes the older team leader found the hidden exit using his maps as well as knowledge of the area and they began their ascent to safety, teaching the young explores about the Blue Mountains—its dangers and its highlights as they went.

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Fresh Eyes

October 29, 2014October 29, 2014 inspiringmax

Yesterday on my daily commute to work, I had a life changing experience. This experience was also shared with a retired couple sitting next to me. I was minding my own business blogging away, when as the train arrived at Central—Sydney’s largest train station—my eyes were suddenly and for no reason diverted to the open doors. A large group of school children and teachers got on in an excited, orderly fashion. The older Australian woman who looked old for her years, gently guided one young lady who had the most intense smile and a pretty face to sit on the side seats with her. I wondered to myself, why she was singled out to sit with the teacher, when the others were allowed to sit in the upper carriages. The girl didn’t look like trouble and the teacher obviously trusted her as she left her bag with her while she tended to some of the other children.

Five minutes into the short journey we shared—all was revealed. The teacher was taking a photo of the young girl and a smaller, energetic male student who briefly sat with her. She began chatting to the retired couple and I. The students who all looked eastern European or Asian were from an Intensive Language School in Sydney’s south west and were on an excursion to walk over the Sydney Harbour Bridge, around Circular Quay and up the stairs to the Sydney Opera House all for the first time. Every student was a new arrival to Australia—the young girl sitting with the teacher, had in fact only been in Australia from Iran for 14 days. The teacher had kept her close to show her a good view of Sydney Harbour and the Opera House from the train.

The older couple and myself smiled at each other. We too were excited to be a part of this girls special moment. The teacher said she had been doing this excursion for 30 years and never tired of it. She loved working at the school helping these young children settle into and adjust to living in their new home—Australia.

Train line is on the bridge.

The train moved closer to Milson’s Point station were the children would be getting off. The teacher prepared the girl by standing her in middle of the side train carriage where she could see out each of the side windows. She was excited. The teacher was directed to the left and she got her first ever glimpse of Sydney Harbour. It was a precious moment.

“Oh wow” she said quietly, as her smile become even bigger—something I didn’t think was possible. We told her to look out the other where she saw the Sydney Opera House in all her glory, the ferries and the busy beauty that is Sydney Harbour—that we all know and love. Her response was again even louder.

“Oh wow”

After the children and teachers got off the train, the couple and I began chatting about how special that moment was and how it gives a different perspective to immigration—kids coming to Australia and seeing things through their new fresh eyes.

It was a great way to start the working day.

Great Expectations

October 23, 2014 inspiringmax

How high are your expectations? One issue regularly struggled with is how high to set your expectations. If you set them too low, your expectations are achieved but they mean little as they were too easy.

“A calm sea never made a skilled sailor.” Anonymous

On the flip side—if you are to set the bar too high it becomes impossible to reach and you give up. This is frustrating and convinces you not to start.

The answer is to make your expectations great and achievable. Set realistic expectations at each stage. Let’s pretend that your great expectation is to sail in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race considered to be one of the most difficult ocean races in the world.

It is dangerous to think you would be able to do this as your first sailing experience. To achieve this great expectation, you would need to set various smaller challenges to build the skills required to achieve your ultimate goal— The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

Possible goals may include:

1. Learn to sail.

2. Practice your skills in calm conditions.

3. Learn to read the weather and understand what a change in the conditions can mean and how to manage them. Out to sea there is no protection and unfortunately rescue and death are real options that need to be addressed.

4. Increase the difficulty of your sailing conditions to increase your skills.

5. Join a sailing club and begin yacht racing as a crew member.This will give you experience on decisions needing to be quickly and followed through. It can be an adrenaline rush as you realise that by tacking (changing direction and sailing into the wind), suddenly you can be leading the race.

6. When possible increase the size of the yachts you are crewing on to gain different experience and increase your skills.

7. When the opportunity presents itself, crew on yachts as they go in smaller ocean racing classics. If this yacht enters the Sydney To Hobart you will become familiar with the yacht which will help develop your confidence.

8. Learn as much as you can about the race and conditions of the Sydney To Hobart Yacht Race. Join a crew, understand the risks and enjoy achieving your great expectation.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Refraction

October 18, 2014 inspiringmax

This week, let’s play with light! Show us what refraction means to you.

Vivid Sydney is an annual light, music and technology event held every year in May and June. It is a unique event—sometimes described as the world’s largest art gallery. This years festival highlights include:

Definitely worth venturing out on a winter night to see if you are in Sydney at this time of year.

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Where are you?

October 18, 2014 inspiringmax

What’s your earliest memory involving another person? Recreate the scene — from the other person’s perspective.

I spent most of my early life living in the bush. Our home was the mine managers cottage of a working coal mine. We were isolated from the mine itself, so we saw very few people. At home was mum, dad, me (5) and sister (3).

***

My sister was always wandering off. She was the brave one. Or, as some people say, the stupid one. Anyone would think I am the oldest. I have more sense. I know wild animals are dangerous and there are plenty around here:

Snakes
Dingoes
Foxes
Brumbies—free roaming feral horses
Possums
Birds—especially magpies
Feral Cats

“Where is you?” I asked.

“Over here, in the long grass with my friend Sam, ” replied Max.

“Who is Sam?”

“Sam snake. Isn’t he beautiful.”

“Max, leave him. Come and play with me.”

“But look how big he is.”

“I don’t like snakes.”

“They won’t hurt you. They just lye in the sun.”

“I don’t think so, they’re scary.”

“His skin is so shiny. I want to touch it.”

“Stop” I yelled. “Mum, she’s playing with the snakes again.”

“Okay, okay. What do you want to play?”

“I want to ride our scooters”

“Go get them and I’ll be over in a minute”

“You better come or I’m telling mum.”

***

There was one concrete path between our house and the outback toilet. This was the only place we could ride. It was wide enough for two small girls to play together and expend some energy. We spent many hours in the early years entertaining ourselves with this and other activities— always waiting and hoping for someone to visit and break the boredom.

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