Author: inspiringmax

When Harry Met Sally

inspiringmax

When Harry meet Sally is a classic movie from 1989. It is a story about friendship, dating rules and a fear of intimacy. Everyone who saw the movie remembers the scene in the crowded cafe where Sally effectively fakes an orgasm, just to prove a point to Harry. It draws everyone in and then comes the iconic comedy line from the older lady—”I’ll have what she is having.”

I hadn’t realised how long it was since I had seen the movie until  my adult children on hearing the scene they came from upstairs to see what was going on—they couldn’t believe their ears. But what other themes does this movie about relationships address:

  • Bachelorhood
  • Coping with breakups
  • Dating scene
  • Grief and loss
  • Casual sex
  • Apologies
  • Anger management
  • Girlfriends
  • Fear of Intimacy
  • Fear of commitment
  • Guilt over relationships
  • New Years Eve traditions
  • Developing relationships
  • Commitment
  • Realising she/he is the one
  • Faking orgasms
  • Romance
  • The rules of dating
  • 80’s fashion
  • First Impressions
  • Embarrassment
  • Wanting Children
  •  Supportive Friends
  • Communication
  • Male Chauvinism
  • Male Bonding
  • Knowing it all behaviour

And for those who have never seen it or want to relive the experience—

Beating My Fear

inspiringmax

When was the last time you took a risk (big or small), and pushed your own boundaries — socially, professionally, or otherwise? Were you satisfied with the outcome?

Technology scares me. I don’t understand it and it scares me. I had wanted to start a blog for several years and had done my research. I knew WordPress was the platform to use and in the long run I wanted a self-hosted blog. I didn’t know how to do it, but Google would show the way. Happy with this knowledge I woke up last Mother’s Day and decided today was the day—viola Inspiring Max was born.

I can still remember the feeling of posting my first blog post. It was awesome. I had taken my fear, turned it on its head and created something I was proud of.

Through my blogging journey I have developed my online voice and become more confident. When I tell people about my blog they look surprised, often stating that they would love to have one but don’t understand how they work or they think blogging is too difficult.

For all of my professional life, my private life has been hidden. Now with blogging, I am finding the balance. Although now to most people I blog anonymously, next year when my book is published—my identity will be revealed. I have adjusted to this by putting a little more of me into my blog. It doesn’t scare me now. I have grown with it. I followed Walt Disney advice when starting my blog and it has changed my life.

Walt Disney

Feel the fear and do it anyway—you never know where your journey will take you.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/envelope-pushers/

Weekly Photo Challenge: Achievement

inspiringmax

Have you just run 26.2 miles, finished a long-term project, or met a personal goal? This week, show us an achievement.

New Inspiring Hope picture

I have recently completed writing my first book, which I will be self-publishing by March next year. It is an achievement I am very proud of. Recently I have began looking into cover design and am currently investigating transforming Inspiring Max’s double rainbow. What do you think?

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/achievement/

Storytelling Is Powerful

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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.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/spinning-yarns/

Books Glorious Books

inspiringmax

Whether it’s a trashy TV show, extra-pulpy fiction, or nutrient-free candy, write a thank-you note to your guiltiest guilty pleasure.

Books are my greatest pleasure. There is no guilt attached however, as I deserve to indulge in whatever I choose. I love to go into book stores all over the world. Looking at local and international books and see how they differ from Australia. On my first trip to New Zealand I brought home 10 second-hand books and very little else.

My book choices depend on my mood.  A quick glances at my bookshelves shows the following genres:

  • Self-help
  • Computer
  • Health
  • Self-improvement
  • Management
  • Travel
  • Cookbooks
  • Coffee table
  • Reference
  • Biography
  • Australian literature
  • Comic
  • Encyclopedias
  • Dictionaries
  • Comedy
  • Janet Evanovich
  • Jackie Collins
  • Danielle Steele
  • History
  • Coaching/Mentoring
  • Atlas
  • Dummies Series
  • Children’s
  • Dr Seuss
  • Roald Dahl
  • Languages
  • Memories
  • Mixed other fiction

After I retire, my ultimate goal is to have a home library. A designated space specifically for reading—with a comfortable chair, a fireplace and a window to the world. Now that will be an even greater pleasure.

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Photo Credit: Google Images

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/grateful-and-guilty/

New Zealand Landscapes

inspiringmax

New Zealand is a beautiful country, full of the most amazing landscapes. We visited the North Island—seeing many of the film locations of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies. It was a spectacular holiday that I would recommend if the opportunity comes your way.

Circle of Life

inspiringmax

If your life were a movie, what would its soundtrack be like? What songs, instrumental pieces, and other sound effects would be featured on the official soundtrack album?

I love Disney. I find their songs very empowering. Circle of Life from the Lion King reminds me that life is a journey that never ends—there is always something else to be done.  Everyone and everything on the planet plays a part—no one is an island.

“From the day we arrive on the planet

And blinking, step into the sun

There’s more to see than can ever be seen

More to do than can ever be done

There’s far too much to take in here

More to find than can ever be found

But the sun rolling high

Through the sapphire sky

Keeps great and small on the endless round

It’s the Circle of Life

And it moves us all

Through despair and hope

Through faith and love

Till we find our place

On the path unwinding

In the Circle

The Circle of Life”

The circle of my life has been an interesting one. It has taught me many things. The older I get, the more I realise the rewards I received from the various difficult mazes I have been through.

I have had the oppurtunity to see most official versions of The Lion King— animated, stage show as well as the Disney Theme park version. I enjoyed them all and they left me warm on the inside, reminding me of the importance of family.

Like in The Lion King, everyone has a support team surrounding them to help in times of need. Thanks to everyone who has been on my support team over the years and helped make my life what it is today.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/cue-the-violins/

Dr Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum

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It’s a swarm! Show us something that overruns your scene, but observe and compose carefully before you click the shutter.

In 2102, we visited Dr Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum, Purple Mountain, Nanjing, China. It was an amazing experience. Swarms of people paying their respects to the father of modern China. I had never seen so many people. As I learnt more about this man and early China—I understood why they came. He changed their lives forever.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_assignment/photography-101-swarm/

Perfect Day

inspiringmax

What’s your idea of a perfect day off: one during which you can quietly relax, doing nothing, or one with one fun activity lined up after the other? Tell us how you’d spend your time.

Today is the first day of my 7 week holiday. I am excited. Next week I will be traveling to Canada with my husband for our first white Christmas. I am looking forward to exploring new areas, cultures and ways of life.

However, today I plan on enjoying the peace and quiet of my home while nobody else is here. This is my idea of spending a perfect day off. I work full- time with people, so on my day off, I like to recharge under my own rules. Mostly this involves sitting at my computer—oblivious to the rest of the world. I do really know what is going on around me—through years of training in observation, but I don’t get involved unless I need to.

Since I recommenced blogging in late August—I start every day on my blog. Excited about who has visited, any comments made and also what others have written on their blogs. I spend as much time visiting as I do on my blog. I love the interaction and inspiration. Blogging allows me to interact with others according to my time schedule, not somebody else’s and this I find relaxing.

The other way I enjoy my day off is working on my book. Having a large chunk of uninterrupted time to work on it helps me see my progress. At present I am on the last stages of editing, which is nowhere near the fun of writing it. I find it tedious and boring. But when it all comes together, editing is like learning to drive—a necessary evil that requires a lot of concentration—with a great reward at the end.

Thanks for calling in and visiting. You help to make my day off perfect. All I need now is some sparkling wine—just to top it off.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/still-or-sparkling/

Wonderfully Weird

inspiringmax

We all have that one eccentric relative who always says and does the strangest things. In your family, who’s that person, and what is it that earned him/her that reputation?

In my family, over the years every member would have taken the strange crown at various times, myself included—but no one holds it alone or regularly. We are all individuals and allow each other to be themselves.

Often described by the younger generation as a weird family compared to their friends, we try to hold family functions 3-4 times a year. These times allow us to keep up with each others busy lives, relax and plans for the future. Sometimes, it is fun to relive memories and help put together the details of the past forgotten by some.

Our family is large so inviting the relatives makes an instant party. Always keen for a party, we guarantee success—fancy dress included if requested or sometimes just because we felt like it.  You can also rely on some high jinx to pop up. During my 40th birthday party our concrete aboriginal ornament was removed our house—later found in another family members bed. This began a journey of about 12 months of him traveling around various family members homes—creating fun stories to tell about how or why he was there until he finally returned home to us.

Having fun and being yourself is important in family. It’s the strange and weird moments that I remember with fondness. I am personally pleased that in our family the weirdness or strangeness belongs to all of us—not just one person.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/cousin-it/