Happy 90th birthday Queen Elizabeth II
Quality
Understanding
Experience
Elegance
Neatness
Empathy
Learning
Influence
Zen
Authentic
Balance
Endurance
Tradition
Harmony
Tag: Inspiring Max
I – Idioms
Idioms are phrases that have special meaning often very different from their literal meaning. The Australian language is full of them and some can be so common place that we forget that non Australians struggle to understand their meaning. So to help explain my idioms I thought I would dedicate ‘I’ to them and many be help my international readers understand some of our confusing slang.
Phrase: Away with the pixies
Meaning: Dreaming
Example: He’s away with the pixies. ( He’s dreaming.)
Phrase: Bob’s your uncle
Meaning: If you do whatever is said before everything will be alright.
Example: Just three more chops with the axe and Bob’s your uncle.
(My fun response to this idiom has always been — no Bob’s my dad actually.)
Phrase: Don’t get your knickers in a twist.
Meaning: Don’t get upset.
Example: He’s 5 minutes late Mum, don’t get your knickers in a twist.
Phrase: Woop Woop
Meaning: Middle of nowhere, far away from any where of interest
Example: I’m going to Woop Woop tomorrow.
Phrase: Flat chat
Meaning: Go very fast
Example: I had so much to do, I had to work flat chat to get out of work on time tonight.
Phrase: Play silly buggers
Meaning: Messing around, wasting time
Example: They are up stairs playing silly buggers instead of doing their assignment.
Phrase: Pull your head in.
Meaning: Shut up, I don’t want to talk to you.
Example: Jane, pull your head in, you’re becoming a bore.
Phrase: Buckley’s Chance
Meaning. No chance
Example: You’ve got two chance of that happening , your’s and Buckley’s.
Phrase: Mad as a cut snake.
Meaning: Very angry.
Example: Don’t go near dad tonight , he’s as mad as a cut snake.
Phrase: Kangaroo loose in the top paddock.
Meaning: Not too smart
Example: I’ve been watching him for a while and I think he has a kangaroo loose in the top paddock.
Phrase: Bring a plate.
Meaning: Please bring a plate with food on it to share to a party or barbeque.
Example: Mary invited us to her house on Friday night and asked if we could bring a plate.
Phrase: As useful as an ash tray on a motorbike or as useful as tits on a bull.
Meaning: Not a very helpful person or thing.
Example: Janelle was as useful as an ashtray on a motor bike this afternoon when I asked her to help in the kitchen.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Landscape
Some of the many and varied amazing landscapes of New Zealand’s North Island.
Perspective
We each inhabit a specific vantage point from which we blog. What’s yours?
Inspiring Max is inspired by my thoughts, experiences and travels. It is a mixed blog that aims to think outside the square and encourage its viewers to consider a different way of looking at life. My blog is represented by a gray double rainbow that reminds me that even after the darkest storms comes the rainbow to assist us to change our perspective. Some of the values that I aim to share on Inspiring Max are
Positivity
Empathy
Real life
Sharing
Practical
Expressiveness
Creativity
Thoughtfulness
Individuality
Variety
Empowerment
https://dailypost.wordpress.com/discover-challenges/perspective/
Celebrating 400
Today, only 21 months after my first post — Happy Mother’s Day, on Mother’s Day 2014, I celebrate my 400th post. This is a milestone I never dreamed possible, so to celebrate please enjoy my acrostic poem — another skill I’ve learnt on my Inspiring Max journey.
Following my dream
Out of my comfort zone
Under the guidance of those who had gone before
Rewarded by new friends in over a hundred countries
Honing my skills with
Unique and positive posts
Navigating my way
Determined to make a difference
Respecting and responding to others
Enjoying the journey
Driven by inspiration
Trusting my instincts
Happy others find my hard work helpful
Passion, persistence and positivity
Open the way for my original
Simple success
Thankful for Inspiring Max’s amazing community
Share Your World – 2016 # 6
- What is your favorite word? Believe
- What is your least favorite word? Why, followed closely by can’t
- What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Connecting with nature
- What turns you off? People blaming me for things that are their responsibility
- What is your favorite curse word? I try hard not to curse but when I do it would be the f.. off word — said casual without intent
- What sound or noise do you love? I love the sound of silence
- What sound or noise do you hate? Clicking of pens, mouth noises and fingernails down chalk boards
- What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Professional speaker and motivator
- What profession would you not like to do? Accountant
- If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Your efforts were noticed even when you thought they weren’t
Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?
This last week was full of major random events that should work together next week to move my life forward even though singularly one wouldn’t have thought so. Next week I am looking forward to seeing how this new direction plays out.
http://ceenphotography.com/2016/02/08/share-your-world-2016-week-6/
Make Mine A Quirky World
Which quirky habit annoys you the most, and what quirky habit do you love — in yourself, or others.
Our quirky habits are what makes us individuals. By being individual, our quirks and habits blend together to make an interesting eclectic mix full of high and low points. Without black and white you can’t appreciate colour and sometimes to get the full impact of a situation you need to see it in black and white to feel the emotion.
My greatest quirk is probably my ability to always find the positive in anything and work with it — even if to begin with, it is only a spark. I am its oxygen and over time the fire of positivity grows g bigger brighter and stronger. My goal in life is the same as Inspiring Max’s, “to inspire you—developing a spark of hope into a fire that warms you and lights your path.”
In my opinion, the opposite to my quirky world is a Stepford world. And whilst I enjoyed the movie for its entertainment value, I would hate to live in a world where everyone is the same. I love the uniqueness our quirks— good and bad — bring to our lives. They all teach us something, even if that something is what not to do.
Coffee Catch-up #3
It has been over two months since our last coffee catch-up and life has been pretty busy.
If we were having coffee I would tell you I’m feeling a little confused. I began preparing this post as I usually do, by adding links to earlier posts. However, this time, with my new WordPress version the result is a little different. I don’t know if it’s the same for everyone or only WordPress.org blogs. My next question is can anyone re-blog my posts now as this has been a problem in the past and it would be great to have it changed.
If we were having coffee I would tell you about Berry Christmas. My sister and her family do an excellent job of hosting the event—decorating their home in theme colours, preparing gift bags for everyone and organising and preparing food. We had a great day reconnecting as a family—sharing the joys and dealing with the dramas of the past year. Christmas is definitely my favourite holiday, although because I live in a different city south of my family on Christmas day it takes 3 hours to get there. I don’t enjoy the travel but Berry Christmas was worth it.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that over the Christmas period I was initially frustrated that my blog wasn’t working because of problems with my Jetpack. I tried to fix the problem, however when I couldn’t and Jetpack staff where on vacation I decided to surrender to the moment and use my time more efficiently doing other things.
If we were having coffee I would tell you how much I enjoyed my husbands and my date to the city over the Christmas New Year period. We decided to catch the ferry into Sydney. The trip along the Parramatta River takes about an hour and it was a glorious day. As it had been several years since we had caught the ferry we enjoyed every moment. We then had lunch at a little pizza restaurant at the Rocks before spending the afternoon wandering around Sydney’s Botanical Gardens. We saw many places I had never been before. It was a great way to round off 2015.
If we were having coffee I would tell you how excited I was that my first sugar cookie Christmas tree worked out so well. I iced it a blue-purple to match our berry theme and at the end of the day most of it was eaten.
If we were having coffee I would tell you about the champagne fountain trial on Christmas Day. The science of what was the best way to do it kept many people entertained and in the end they were proud of their working efforts.
If we were having coffee I would tell you about the huge moon on New Years Eve that was as mesmerizing as the Sydney Fireworks. Unfortunately, I choose not to take my camera as I am not good at photographing fireworks—a rookie error I won’t make again. The fireworks were fantastic and our viewing place, a hill, is only a 10 minute walk from my house. While we couldn’t see the fireworks coming off the bottom of the Sydney Harbour Bridge we could see the top of it through the trees. We could also see the fireworks going off up and down the Parramatta River and from the other side of Sydney. At times it was like 360 degrees of fireworks. Once the live fireworks have ended we went home to watch the taped version on television and catch the ones we missed.
https://youtu.be/viqQGXVeb8s
If we were having coffee I would tell you how much I enjoyed the second week of my holidays being a full-time writer. I spend many hours everyday working on the last stages of editing of my book. With the amount of work I did I was hoping to finish it but no I still have work to do. It is getting exciting however, as it nears completion and the next part of its journey begins. Just when I thought I had the chapters in the right order, I decided to rearrange the early chapters again and to my surprise the order I have changed it to is my second order. I think my lesson is trust your gut.
If we were having coffee I would tell you how excited I was on Christmas Eve to win the hamper at the local bottle shop. I had gone in the draw after buying two bottles of champagne for an early family Christmas party a few days earlier. It was fun investigating my laundry basket full of goodies and deciding who to give each item to.
If we were having coffee I would ask you what you have done and how you have been since we last met. Let me know in the comments what you have been up to.
Three Wishes
Remember those lovely genies who grant wishes? Well, you’re one and you’ve just been emancipated from your restrictive lamp. You can give your three wishes to whomever you want. Who do you give your three wishes to, and why?
Trust
Hope
Respect
Empathy
Encouragenment
Willingness
Integrity
Self-reliance
Harmony
Enthusiasm
Safety
Weekly Photo Challenge: Transition
For this week’s challenge, share an image that depicts transition. Let life itself be your muse.
When he designed the Sydney Opera House I am sure that JØRN UTZON could not have envisaged the amazing displays this centerpiece of VIVID SYDNEY creates each year. I spend hours fascinated by the transitions that unfortunately because of their speed are difficult to photograph. The following photos are from 2014 and I loved the bright colours. If you are in Sydney during late May or early June it is well worth the visit.
https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/transition/