Bloganuary 2023 4th week selection:

Day 21: Who is your favorite author and why?

Without doubt my favorite author is Diana Gabaldon. Her Outlander books have been a huge part of my reading since 1992 when I first read Crosstitch, and they still entertain me. Whether it’s the tv adaptations, the compendiums, the novellas, or the audiobooks, I love them all. 

It is difficult to describe the genre. There are so many covered in her books. 

Diana herself has described it thus:

Day 22: What was your dream job as a child?

Photographer. Getting  my first camera as a ten year old  ensured I was instantly hooked. 

My first real job entailed hand- coloring aerial photos. That was such fun. Alas,  that skill set was made redundant with the advent of colour photography. 

Another favorite photographic job was creating large aerial photo mosaics of rural properties. Also superseded by modern technology in mapping. 

Learning to develop and print my own photos was immensely satisfying to me. A camera upgrade from a point and shoot to a Pentax SlR required a steep learning curve. I loved it all. 

The move from film to digital cameras brought yet more learning challenges and much enjoyment.  

Over my teaching career, I used cameras to record and illustrate children’s learning stories, to  document teaching practice, and to plan and improve  early childhood learning environments. 

Whilst not employed as a ‘photographer’ I managed to include my passion into my work career. 

Now in retirement I have even more time to pursue my photographic passion. And I do. 

Day 23: What’s a lie you tell yourself?

One day I’ll get fit!

Day 24: How do you show love?

Kindness, caring, compassion and passion. Shouldn’t everyone? 

Day 25: What is a song or poem that speaks to you and why? 

Not one but two songs speak to me. ABBA’s new album Voyage instantly appealed to me.

DON’T SHUT ME DOWN – ABBA

A while ago, I heard the sound of children's laughter
Now it's quiet, so I guess they left the park
This wooden bench is gettin' harder by the hour
The sun is goin' down, it's gettin’ dark

I realise I'm cold, the rain begins to pour
As I watch the windows on the second floor
The lights are on, it's time to go (ooh
It's time at last, to let him know

I believe it would be fair to say
"You look bewildered"
And you wonder why I'm here today
And so you should, I would

When I left I felt, I've had enough
But, in the shape and form I appear now
I have learned to cope, and love and hope is why I am here now

And now you see another me, I've been reloaded, yeah
I'm fired up, don't shut me down

I'm like a dream within a dream that's been decoded
I'm fired up, I'm hot, don't shut me down
I'm not the one you knew
I'm now, and then combined
And I'm askin' you to have an open mind

(And I won't be the same)
I'm not the same this time around (ooh)
I'm fired up, don't shut me down

Will you leave me standin' in the hall?
Or let me enter?
The apartment hasn't changed at all
I've got to say, "I'm glad"
Once these rooms were witness to our love
My tantrums and increasing frustration
But I go from mad, to not so bad
In my transformation  

And now you see another me, I've been reloaded, yeah
I'm fired up, don't shut me down
(Don't shut me down)

I'm like a dream, within a dream, that's been decoded
I'm fired up, I'm hot, don't shut me down
I am not the one you knew (I'm not the one you knew)
I'm now, and then combined
And I'm askin' you to have an open mind

(Now, I'll not be the same)
I'm not the same this time around (ooh)
I'm fired up, don't shut me down
You ask me not to leave
Well, here I am again
And I love you still and so I won't pretend
I have learnt to cope, and love and hope is why I am here now

AND;

I STILL HAVE FAITH IN YOU - ABBA

I still have faith in you
I see it now
Through all these years that faith lives on, somehow

There was a union
Of heart and mind
The likes of which are rare and oh so hard to find

Do I have it in me?
I believe it is in there
For I know I hear a bittersweet song
In the memories we share

I still have faith in you
And I will say
I never really thought I'd feel this way
But I remind myself of who we are
How inconceivable it is to reach this far

Do I have it in me?
I believe it is in there
For I know I hear a bittersweet song
In the memories we share

We do have it in us
New spirit has arrived
The joy and the sorrow
We have a story
And it survived 

And we need one another
Like fighters in a ring
We're in this together
Passion and courage
Is everything

I still have faith in you
It stands above 
the crazy things we did
It all comes down to love

Do I have it in me?
I believe it is in there
For I know I hear a bittersweet song
In the memories we share
Do I have it in me?

We do have it in us
New spirit has arrived
The joy and the sorrow
We have a story
And it survived

And we know that we need one another
Like fighters in a ring
We're in this together
Passion and courage
Is everything

(I still have faith in you)

And we still have it in us
We've only just arrived

(Do I have it in me?)

We stand on a summit
Humble and grateful
To have survived

I still have faith in you
It stands above 
the crazy things we did
It all comes down to love

Do I have it in me? 
 

Yes, I do have it in me to survive, especially if I am not shut down! These powerful lyrics speak to me. 

I play these constantly whilst creating my art, it is relaxing and affirming.

Day 26: What language do you wish you could speak?

Te Reo Maori- it is one of the three official languages of Aotearoa/New Zealand. Alongside English and the NZ sign language.

I do understand more Te Reo Maori than I speak and love listening to waiata/songs.

Day 27:   What are the pros and cons of procrastination?

Pros:

“Giving you more time to think, allowing you to gather and process more relevant information before making a decision. It helps conserve your energy when procrastination leads you to postpone a task that ends up being canceled.” 

Bonus point!

Cons:

“Over-thinkers are some of the best procrastinators out there. Why? Because they let their thoughts eat up their momentum. While brainstorming and preparing yourself mentally for work is a good idea, overthinking takes what could be a proactive thought and turns it into a worried, impenetrable wall of inaction.” 

Yes that’s me too! 

But wait, there’s more – if I can only just get around to it. Well maybe ‘a round tuit’ is just what I need.

Bloganuary Catch-up – first week!

#2 Road trips – Wherever the road leads is where we will go.

Any road trip that does not depend on negotiating our own rural road (currently closed to the public)  is totally welcome these days.

The very best road trip I would love to take is around my own country which is probably well overdue.  I have been on a lot of road trips in other countries and some of these I would love to repeat. However there are many roads in my own country I have yet to explore. 

The North Island of New Zealand has so many choices! Should we travel the most direct route to Auckland, through the central North Island on State Highway One, enjoying the mountain views of Tongariro, Ruapehu, and Ngauruhoe, past Lake Taupo  and into the geyser land of Rotorua, or should we meander slowly along the West coast past Mt Taranaki, then head on the Forgotten Highway into the inland countryside.

The Coromandel on the East Coast is another long and winding road I have yet to travel so plenty of options.  Once past Auckland city there is Northland to explore.

From Cape Reinga in the top of the North Island to Bluff at the bottom of the South Island, not only would I love to take this road trip, it is very definitely on the plan.  

For now, we will complete a full circuit of the South Island this summer. From the top of the south we will go on our road trip to the East and West coasts, traversing the inland routes to the mountains and lakes, from the coastline to the Canterbury Plains, and hopefully reach the bottom of the South Island before returning as the summer days cool into Autumn evenings. We will go wherever the weather is kind and the road leads us. 

#3 Write about the last (first) time you left your comfort zone.

When the heart starts beating rapidly it is time. Don’t think about what others might think, just speak. Believe that the words will come. Sage advice given to this nervous first time public speaker many years ago. 

Standing up and speaking my mind was a scary thing to do. It’s not that I didn’t have words to say. It’s just that I felt too strongly about what my words meant to me. Where else would or could the words come from if not from my heart. And yet they resisted.

Where are the pages of my notes? What if my voice croaks? What if they laugh at me?My fears threatened to overcome me. Who else has felt that fear? 

Hidden deep within the hidden  tunnels and crevices of my beating heart, I felt them start to stir. With each surge they got stronger. The words were on their way. 
It’s true that we speak when our heart is in our mouth. I hummed to myself…,

“Drums keep pounding rhythm to my brain.  And the beat goes on! “

Then I thought; What  is the worst that can happen?  I set aside those notes. Just breathe. Just do it. And I did.   My heartfelt words found their way. And it was good. 

4 What is something you wish you knew how to do?

If only I could keep on task and actually respond to these daily prompts and write every day!  

#5 What was your favorite toy as a child?

Is it sad that I can’t remember what my favourite toy was?

 Reading books is how I spent much of my childhood time. I did have the obligatory doll or two however  I have fonder memories of the great outdoors building huts and swimming at the beach than playing with an actual toy.

My first camera at the tender age of 10 became my favourite ‘toy’ instead.  Not much has changed for me, except my age, the camera (and book)technology of course.  These days it is a digital camera or iPhone instead of that Brownie Starlet – and the Kindle for the reading might just be my favourite toy!

The starlet that started it all