fun Archives - INSPIRING MAX

Family Traditions

July 26, 2017 inspiringmax

What I love about family traditions is that they are unique. Every family, even families within families have their own traditions and there is no end to the options. Big or small to start a new tradition the only need to enjoy the experience and do it regularly. My husband and my latest tradition is to prepare breakfast on the weekend and eat it together on the front verandah, watching the world go by. The only thing missing is a newspaper but we haven’t added that to our traditions yet.

Some times of the year like Christmas and birthdays involve more traditions than others. Being part of a large extended family this means the tradition of celebrating is never far away. The hardest part is setting the date, time and place and from there on the organisation of a party for a special occasion isn’t difficult. Everyone knows what to do and our family traditions that always involve FOOD – GLORIOUS FOOD continue.

COLOUR THEMED CHRISTMAS last year you guessed right – GREEN.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/traditional/

Weekly Photo Challenge: Bridge

July 9, 2017July 9, 2017 inspiringmax

The Sydney Harbour Bridge plays a major role in all celebrations on Sydney Harbour. These photos taken during VIVID 2017 show her in all her glory from both sides of Circular Quay.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/bridge/

Share Your World – 2016 Week 46

November 16, 2016 inspiringmax

Are you a traveler or a homebody?

I love travelling. I find exploring new places, their history and culture fascinating. Unfortunately, the longest time I have traveled is 6 weeks. However, I look forward to spending my long service leave travelling to far off lands in the next few years.

PS. Most of the world is far off when you live in Australia.

What kind of TV commercial would you like to make? Describe it.

I don’t think I would want to make a TV commercial, although I have been in two and not actually paid for either. The first was planned and I was shopping for baby goods in my friends’ parents baby shop. I was young and it was fun making it.

The second commercial I was in was for the first season of The Voice in Australia. I had seen the battles being taped live and as we were leaving they asked for our opinions. I must have done a great job as suddenly people were telling me I was on TV advertising The Voice. Personally, I was never lucky enough to see me on TV but it had my family, friends, colleagues and patients talking for weeks. Fortunately, one of my friends sent me a photo of it on her TV. Gotta love technology these days. I think that I look okay for midnight.

Describe yourself in a word that starts with the first letter of your name.

Maternal, mindful, motivated

List some fun things for a rainy day.

Skipping in the rain
Jumping in puddles
Sitting by an open fire reading a book
Playing board or card games with the family
Sleeping especially under a metal roof
Baking
Planning my next holiday
Mindful colouring-in
Art and craft work
Spending the day in a museum
Blogging
Writing
Playing Wi games with the family
Swimming but only if there is no lightening

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 grateful for family time celebrating my son’s birthday. Even though he was overseas, my husband, daughter and I went out and enjoyed his favourite food.

This week I hope to finish painting my kitchen cupboards and finally decide where things will belong permanently in my new home.

Share Your World – 2016 Week 46

Coffee Catch-Up #16

September 18, 2016 inspiringmax

If we were having coffee I would tell you what an interesting week I’ve had. Working less opens up more exciting opportunities that I would have normally missed out on.

If we were having coffee I would tell you about Parramatta Toastmasters 50th birthday celebrations on Thursday night. It was a special night with stories from Russ Walkington, the gentlemen whose ideas and hard work made it to happen in the first place. What a dynamic speaker. He said it took a lot of convincing however once Parramatta Toastmasters Club started in September 1966 it had been a great success. I was a little surprised however that for the first 25 years it was a men’s only club, with women not allowed to join until August, 1990, actually 2 days before my wedding. The women joining of course brought them even more success and in 1996, Parramatta Toastmasters Club was recognised as the fourth top Toastmaster club in the world.

Also at the dinner were many past members who have gone on to do great things as well as a few charter (original) members. One of my favorite thing was the parade of past Presidents of which there were 19 of the 49 present on the night. They were piped in by one of the current club members wearing his kilt and took up 3 lines on the stage.

Happy Birthday Parramatta Toastmasters Club

If we were having coffee I would tell you how exciting it was to hear Toastmaster’s 2016-2017 International President Mike Storkey, DTM speak at Parramatta’s 50th Birthday. He was an inspiration and encouraged everyone to focus on the future not just live on past successes. I agree. Life is definitely a journey, with the more interesting views coming after a challenging climb.

If we were having coffee I would tell you what a great day I had on Friday at Better Homes and Gardens Live. Better Homes and Gardens is Australia’s favourite TV show and magazine, which brings together ideas for renovating, decorating homes and gardens as well as advice about pets. From the shows stars I learnt about chalk paint —making furniture restoration fun, quick and easy desserts and how to cook the perfect roast pork. Once we have finally settled into our new home, I look forward to testing out these and other ideas from my day out.

Education aside, I would have to say the most fun was had at the end of the day with Fast Ed attempting to make pigs fly. He attached helium balloons to his pig shaped shortbread cookies and willed them to fly. In the end it took 3 helium balloons to finally get lift off and they kept going until they rested on the ceiling.

If we were having coffee I would tell you about supporting my husband yesterday by going to the cinema with him to see The Beatles Eight Days a Week—The Touring Years. This documentary by Ron Howard made sense of the Beatles Journey. Prior to this my knowledge of the Beatles was minimal however they really were game changers in more than the music scene. The movie is based around their 815 shows in 4 years performed around the globe. It was fascinating to see from old footage, the impact The Beatles had in a very different world and to consider problems like early crowd control. At the end of the movie came half an hour of seeing the Beatles live at Shea Stadium, New York concert. It was the biggest ever concert at the time involving 55,000 people. Amazing results, especially when you consider that they couldn’t hear where they were up to in the songs because of the loudness of the fans screams. If you get the opportunity, even if your not a big Beatles fan, take a break from today’s world, travel back 50 years and take in some history. Its well worth it. Ron Howard, you did a great job.

If we were having coffee I would ask you what is happening in your world? Let me know in the comments.

Share Your World 2016 – Week 36

September 13, 2016September 12, 2016 inspiringmax

If you were given a boat or yacht today, what would you name it? (You can always sell the yacht later)

Choosing a name for a boat or yacht depends on it type. My father used to have a Hood 23, which he cleverly named Child. The rowing boat attached was called Baby. I loved it.

Photo Credit: Google Images

Which of Snow White’s 7 dwarfs describes you best? (Doc, Happy, Bashful, Sleepy, Sneezy, Grumpy, Dopey) Plus what would the 8th dwarf’s name be?

I think I am a mixture of Doc and Happy although there are times when I am tired that I could definitely be called Dopey. In my world the 8th dwarf would be called Techno. Although just for fun I asked my girls and their suggestions was Attitudy.

Name a song or two which are included on the soundtrack to your life?

I find music very powerful and the following soundtracks have been with me since they first hit the charts in the 1970’s. They have both gotten me through many hard times and remind me that I can do anything I set my mind to and to keep moving forward.

Complete this sentence: I like watching…

PEOPLE! They are so interesting.

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 grateful that the transition from Sydney to Newcastle is going so well with few hiccups. This week I am looking forward to getting some ideas for our home renovations from the Better Home and Gardens Show.

Share Your World – 2016 Week 36

Share Your World – 2016 Week 33

August 19, 2016 inspiringmax

Would you travel into outer space?

Sure why not, however I do have one condition. I must be a passenger. I don’t want any responsibility for getting us there or back. Mechanics and science aren’t my things but I am up for adventure and floating around with no gravity would be fun for a bit.

Which country/city in the world (that you have never been to) would you most like to visit and why?

The top country on my bucket list is Iceland. I love natural beauty and the volcanos, geysers, waterfalls, hot springs and glaciers really interest me. The other thing Iceland has is aurora borealis—the northern lights. What a sight they would be.

Photo Credit: Google Images

What could you do to breathe more deeply today?

Running a marathon would do it, however at the moment I think I will stick to running in 100 metre spurts. You never know one day 42 kilometres might be an option but I sincerely doubt it.

Complete this sentence: This creamy peanut butter sandwich could really use some …

processed cheese slices, then it would do my husband for lunch.

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

During this week I had a birthday and I am always grateful to celebrate another year of wisdom and longevity. Next week I am looking forward to the blessings the universe has install as I transition into my new working life. Each day brings new beginnings.

Share Your World – 2016 Week 33

Weekly Photo Challenge: Fun

August 18, 2016 inspiringmax

When I think of fun, I think of Disneyland. It is so exciting to immerse myself in the characters, places and adventures I grew up with. I love that Disneyland was designed as a place for adults as well as children and that it is constantly evolving. I first went to the original Disneyland on my honeymoon during its 35th anniversary, which was amazing. The day and night time performances are etched in my memory forever.

The following photos are from our recent fun trip to Hong Kong’s Disneyland. I can never get enough of Disneyland and I am looking forward to visiting Japan’s Disneyland next year. Mickey and friends are universal so I am sure language won’t be a barrier to fun.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/fun/

Share Your World – 2016 Week 29

July 21, 2016 inspiringmax

What is the perfect pizza?

I like a spicy pizza but not your ordinary Mexicana. When I make a pizza at home it has a pesto, chilli sauce and tomato paste base topped with the following ingredients:

roast pumpkin
roast sweet potato
roast capsicum
olives
cherry tomatoes
feta cheese
jalapenos
dried chilli flakes
fresh capsicum
bacon/chicken/hot salami/pepperoni (which mix of these meats I use depends on my mood)

Once my pizza is cooked, I top it with rocket, sour cream and avocado (if I have any.)

What is your favorite time of day?

My favourite time of day varies depending on what I have on but it is always based on the one thing – ME TIME. I love the quiet time each day when I can do whatever I choose. It keeps me sane in this crazy world.

Show us two of your favorites photographs? The photos can be from anytime in your life span. Explain why they are your favorite.

I love this photo of me taken on one of the bridges crossing the Ottawa River, Canada. As we walked from the Quebec side of the river back into Ontario I am not sure which state I am standing in at the time but as we loved them both, it doesn’t matter. It also reminds me of the fun we had walking in the first serious snow we had during our 6 week trip to Canada. We kept believing it would come and eventually it did. I think it was also the last time I wore those jeans as they finally wore themselves out in Canada after over 10 years of faithful service. The colouful hat scarf I am wearing I made close to 30 years ago and is very unique. It remains in good condition however, as Australia doesn’t have enough days cold for me to wear it in.

This photo the original of Inspiring Max’s profile picture was taken 5 years ago from Melbourne’s Aquatic Centre. My daughter and I were there for her last School Sports Australia Diving competition which marked the end of an era for us. At the time there was a lot of difficult things happening in our lives that got worse as the year progressed. However, never being one to focus on the negative, if I needed an extra boost of positivity that everything would be alright in the end, I would get out my double rainbow, feel inspired and keep going.

Another thing I love about this photo is that it was one of the first photos I have taken that I was really proud of as you can see the individual rainbow colours on both sides.

Complete this sentence: I’m looking forward to….

moving back to Newcastle and commencing nursing in a new hospital. I have been working towards this for over 12 months and now it is getting very close.

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

My husband starting his new job and getting together with my family without having to rush back to Sydney to work. In the next eek I am looking forward to my future employment being confirmed and maybe even a start date given.

Share Your World – 2016 Week 29

Share Your World 2016 – Week 26

July 11, 2016 inspiringmax

What’s your most memorable (good or bad) airplane flight?

On our way home from Guangzhou in 2013 we were upgraded to Premium Economy. The staff didn’t tell us of our upgrade, so image our surprise when suddenly we had more room and extra features we weren’t expecting. Nowadays, when we are traveling somewhere we always look at the price difference and if it is at all possible to pay the difference however we haven’t yet been able to justify it.

How many bones, if any, have you broken?

Fortunately, I have only had 3 broken bones and as doctors are now describing my bones as super bones, I hope to not have a problem with broken bones due to osteoporosis in my later years. My first broken bone, a greenstick fracture of my right arm, happened when I was 15. I thought I was so cool skateboarding down a hill when I hit a stone on the pathway. Oh well. at least the plaster cast helped my cool image.

My second broken bone, my right little toe, somehow occurred during the Newcastle earthquake. I didn’t find out what was causing my pain initially as when we went to the hospital they were evacuating it and we suddenly realised my pain wasn’t the priority.

My third and hopefully last broken bone occurred in my 40’s when I was helping set up a gymnastics competition. Several men were carrying a balance beam when they dropped it onto the middle of my left foot. You could hear me yell for miles I think. It hurt and definitely wasn’t cool.

Photo Credit: Google Images

If you had your own talk show, who would your first three guests be? (guest can be dead, alive, famous or someone you just know)

Walt Disney: Founder of Disneyland and Disney World and creator of Mickey Mouse

Paul Ramsay: Founder of Ramsay Healthcare

Florence Nightingale: Founder of modern nursing

Make a Currently List: What are you reading, watching, listening to, eating, needing, wanting, and missing right now?

Reading — The Winner’s Bible — Dr Kerry Spackman

Watching — Ally McBeal

Needing — My tenants to find a suitable property for them to move to early so we can begin our move

Wanting — More boxes to pack our belongings into when we can finally move

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 grateful to be able to be able to focus on being a full-time writer and totally rearrange the order of my book. This task, while not yet completed does seem to have increased the flow between the chapters which was my goal.

In the coming week I am looking forward to going to Newcastle and seeing my family. It will be weird going back for the first time since I know I will be moving back in the next few months.

Share Your World – 2016 Week 26

Share Your World – 2016 # 24

June 15, 2016 inspiringmax

What is the most fun thing you did in school?

During our 5th form Jindabyne Ski Excursion (yes I am that old, now called year 11) I became a popular girl for 5 days. My rise to fame happened quickly and by accident, when I became friends with a group of popular kids from another school. Unfortunately, as they were from another part of the state, we never saw each other again as travel between areas wasn’t as easy as it is today. At the same camp I also discovered my natural ability to ski. This also helped my popularity as most of the kids couldn’t ski. It was a surprise to many as usual my reputation was as the person nobody wants on their sporting team. Karma felt nice for a few days as suddenly the roles were reversed.

What is your favorite type of dog? (can be anything from a specific breed, a stuffed animal or character in a movie)

I wouldn’t describe myself as a cat or dog person. However, one dog I have always loved is Snoopy. So loyal, cute and creative, he helps Charlie Brown out of many scraps. I haven’t seen the Peanuts Movie yet but hope to enjoy Snoopy in his latest movie soon. My long time love of Snoopy is the reason somewhere hiding in our house is a much loved stuffed Snoopy that has been a part of the family since my children were little.

You are invited to a party that will be attended by many fascinating people you never met. Would you attend this party if you were to go by yourself?

I have spent my life doing things by myself so attending a party I want to attend doesn’t phase me. The secret is if I want to attend it or if some else thinks I should for whatever reason. I am not a work the room sort of person but can easily find my way when I need to.

Complete this sentence: Never In My Life Have I….

Won a talent or popularity contest. To be fair and honest however, I have never put a great deal of effort into trying to win them either. One thing I plan on putting a bit more effort into this year is my Toastmaster speeches to see if I can by polishing them give myself the chance of taking my speaking to the next level.

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 grateful that most of my family was able to travel to Sydney to farewell my son who left on Saturday to spend a couple of years in Japan. We had a great afternoon although it went quickly before his departure later that night.

During this coming week I am looking forward to getting back into my aqua aerobics and organizing my house. We have many things that are no longer required and need removing. Now is the time to put this plan into action.

Share Your World – 2016 Week 24