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power of distraction

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A
covid distraction

2020 was bloody aweful
2021 was even 'worser still'

2020 was the year our world stood still.

We all stepped back into our own private spaces.

It was the time distractions helped us all to maintain our sanity.

For me my photography, web-sites and home became a refuge.

 

And, in 2021 walking Archie took on a new meaning.

Links to some of my pics..

Archie's Patch
has officially been granted
Covid-Free status

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A floral gallery

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JFimages 12 Framed Florals

EYE SPY

2021 proved 2020 was not alone

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Distrction can be a powerful tool, a great catalyst, and...

but it did prove something to me...

Distraction has the power to create a world

                                                                            outside of all our worries, fears, and circumstances.

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We all experience trials-n-tribulations, good and bad times; moments that if dwelt upon can really get us down.
It is my belief that we can only think of one thing at a time
so I always do my best to replace negatives with positives.

At moments like this distractions can help.
Yes, I've had my share of bad times and I've learnt from experience that distractions really help.
Sure they can't get rid of pain, remove an infection, a headache, whatever, but they have helped me.

You might find one type of distraction better than another.

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#1

Archie is my dog and we go for a walk every morning.
Before hitting the road
(mind you my hips only allow one block per day), Archie has his P&P time (pee-pee & poo-poo).
That way, hopefully, I minimise the chances of having to use the pooper-bag
(bending down is getting harder).
While Archie does his business, I stroll around the house / garden with my camera (smartphone) in hand.
Once we hit the road I keep my eye open for distractions - for photographing.

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Archie's P&P Time

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#2   Burbin'

During lockdown I set my self the task of walking every road
in our suburb
(one block at a time).

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Back in the the good old days (they certainly were for me) when I was a primary school teacher, I loved focussing on problem solving, creative thinking and technology.

One of my activities was The
 Invent-Event Challenge. This monthly homework activity was a combined parent/child task whereby the couple could research a topic, design a poster, write a report, build a construct or conduct an experiment; whatever took their fancy (based totally on an info-sheet given to all students).
Pupils would do a follow-up presentation in front of classmates.

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#4

A picnic pick-me-up....
Nothing like making a meal a special time; don't always have to go oujt to enjoy a picnic.
 

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#5

Our 5-o'clock drinkies-zone
         is shrouded in amazing memories

See: Jodie's A Touch of Life...

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#6

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What tag might be given to each of these pictures?         e.g. drinking money

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Small can be
big

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#8

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Nothing like a good distraction to take your mind off life's more pressing issues...

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#9

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For me it's Archie's P&P Time...

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#10

for many its surfing on the net...

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My amazing brother-in-law, Paul,

is really  into feel-good pics 

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and funnies

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#12

Ramblin' Rod loves...
-   exploring the local countryside 1   2   3   4   5   6
-   photographing birds   1   2   3   4   5

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#13

Tony Peach never ceases to surprise with his posts...
-   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10
    Tony's funnies always make me chuckle

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#14

It's hard to go past Evert van Dreven when it comes to anything re the cementies.

But, of late he has taken an interest in the world of beautiful and unusual things ~ plants, animals, buildings, artifacts, you name it....

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To see Evert's growing library click here

A good picture doesn't need words

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One of my life-long interests is in ....
You guessed it.... whisky

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#16

My first distraction of the day is the Bing wallpaper

And, sometimes I just can't resist the urge to play with a Bing picture...

 See my Bing Collection

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Impossibottle

Classic Art

Passion for Art

Romain Chancel  #1    #2

Joel Grimes  #1    #2

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Sites that always hold my interest...

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#23

Microsoft Bing wallpapers are amazing

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#25

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#26

You'd never guess

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#27

Business Title

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10 crazy clocks you won't believe exist.... Mark Frank

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#28

Family
is indeed the glue that holds us together during tough times

For a small amount of perspective at this moment, imagine you were born in 1900. When you are 14, World War I starts, and ends on your 18th birthday with 22 million people killed. Later in the year, a Spanish Flu epidemic hits the planet and runs until you are 20. Fifty million people die from it in those two years. Yes, 50 million.

When you're 29, the Great Depression begins. Unemployment hits 25%, global GDP drops 27%. That runs until you are 33. The country nearly collapses along with the world economy. When you turn 39, World War II starts. You aren’t even over the hill yet.

When you're 41, the United States is fully pulled into WWII. Between your 39th and 45th birthday, 75 million people perish in the war and the Holocaust kills six million. At 52, the Korean War starts and five million perish.

At 64 the Vietnam War begins, and it doesn’t end for many years. Four million people die in that conflict. Approaching your 62nd birthday you have the Cuban Missile Crisis, a tipping point in the Cold War. Life on our planet, as we know it, could well have ended. Great leaders prevented that from happening.

As you turn 75, the Vietnam War finally ends. Think of everyone on the planet born in 1900. How do you survive all of that? A kid in 1985 didn’t think their 85 year old grandparent understood how hard school was. Yet those grandparents (and now great grandparents) survived through everything listed above.

Perspective is an amazing art. Let’s try and keep things in perspective. Let’s be smart, help each other out, and we will get through all of this. In the history of the world, there has never been a storm that lasted. This too, shall pass.at lasted. This too, shall pass.

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In search of morning's glow ~ Every morning I walk with Archie around one block in our estate (that's all my gammy hips will allow).
Archie absolutely loves frosty mornings.
When we experience 'lock-down' I can't help but think of the long-term ill or house-bound members of our community. Perhaps this gallery may be a brief distraction. For more check Archie's Patch.

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#30

Hey!  I don't know whether you are into 'satire'.
This is a piece about Fyansford written around 150 years ago.

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#31

Hey!

you might just want to walk on the wild-side

and take a look at this Facebook Page.

Ah!

Now that's a fine drop...

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#32

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I first met Wray H. Salter back in 1966 while waiting under the T&G to be picked up by a coach for a camping tour to central Australia. Little did I know Wray was to become the major influence on the course my life would take. It was Wray who introduced me to fine dining (initially at the Masonic Lodge in Melbourne), live theatre, whisky and 'special education'. Wray  was best man at my wedding to Eddie and uncle to my children. I thank Wray for my TSpTC (Melbourne) and BSpEd (Monash) and it was he who kindled my love of photography.

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It was back in 2016 while participating in Martin Young's U3A Photography course, that I produced my "Melting Ice" series featuring a glass of fine whisky.

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In January, 2018, Mary and I invited a group of friends to an afternoon's entertainment. Each of the gents was a self-proclaimed whisky-buff.

 

The occasion was Flatty's first Ultimate Whisky Tasting Challenge.

Over the course of the afternoon participants were presented with a blind-tasting of a dram or two of four from six great whiskies: 

  • Bowmore (12-year old, single malt)

  • Jameson (Irish whiskey)

  • Gentleman Jack (Jack Daniels Tennessee whiskey)

  • The Macallan Amber (single malt)

  • Glenfiddich (15-year old, single malt) 

  • Johnnie Walker Blenders Batch (select scotch)

While participants nominated their selections from the six possibles, I rolled the dice for my selections. After tallying results, it was surprising that not one participant scored higher than my 'random' score.

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May not be the best whisky,

but I know what I like...

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Cheers!

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my faux 70th birthday cake

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a different time

Our world has truly shrunk

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2020 / 2021  (the corona era) has increasingly become a time of isolation,
     
sorting priorities,
           
family,
                 
relationships and
                        
distractions....

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Yes!
Archie's Patch
has officially been granted 117% Covid-Free status.

Feel free to enjoy
any of Archie's posts...

An Archie's Patch Publication

Take me
back to Archie's Patch

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