The link below is to a new web application that is all about keeping families together via the cloud/web. It is not yet operational but you can sign up for early access (which I have done). I have no more idea about this site than what can be read on the website at the moment – but I’m intrigued. I’m looking forward to seeing what the site has to offer.
To sign up for early access visit:
http://origami.com/
This week has been a busy one and has included visiting the sick and injured members of my family. The annexed photo shows my mother, who is in a remarkable condition, considering a week prior to the photo shown she was involved in a serious car accident that clould easily have killed her. She managed to get out with just some bruising and minor abrasions. From what I understand three cars were written off in the accident, so quite amazing. The photo also shows my grandfather who now lives at a nursing home in Wallsend.
As seems to happen on a regular basis, life gets in the way of my Blog posting plans and schedule. This week has been particularly difficult with various family members in hospital and a serious car accident involving my mother. So again I find myself playing catch up with emails, Blog posts and the like. At the very least I am back on annual leave for another two weeks so that will help enormously.
So that is just a quick post to let readers know why my ‘extra’ daily posts seem so few and far between at the moment – hopefully they will soon become more regular.
Since I was unable to visit Gap Creek Falls the other day, I decided I might pop in to have a look at the new animal enclosures at Blackbutt Reserve near Newcastle. I will say straight off the bat that I do have something of a prejudice against Blackbutt Reserve, as I see the place as nothing like a natural bush setting, it being far too ‘corrupted’ by human activity, weeds and the like. Having said that it is a good place for a family or group outing/event. It certainly has its place, but it is not a true nature reserve (in my opinion).
ABOVE: Visitor Centre
I do think that some well designed animal and bird enclosures at Blackbutt could lift the value of the reserve dramatically and make it a really great place for families, especially young families. There are opportunities for educational visits for kids, possible environmental activities and the like there. So the potential is certainly there for Blackbutt.
The enclosures of my youth are giving way to those that are much better and up to a more modern standard, which is great to see. Certainly the improvements I saw are great and some of them are outstanding. The Quoll enclosure, with nocturnal habitat viewing was brilliant. Some of the other enclosures are getting there also, though I was disappointed with the size of some of the aviaries and poor vegetation choices they appeared to have. They didn’t look to great for the birds, which I think is not a good look. Still, they are a major improvement on what had been there before.
Some of the other enclosures for snakes and amphibians were really good also I have to say and overall the place is going ahead and improving all of the time. So I think it has a place into the future, if it can continue to improve along the way. Just some thoughts…
ABOVE LEFT: Modern Enclosures ABOVE RIGHT: Koala BELOW: Nocturnal Quoll Enclosure
This photo shows a very young Edna Lilley (my mother).
This photo shows my Great, Great Grandparents (Joseph and Mary Baggs) and their young family, including my Great Grandmother Elizabeth Baggs.
This photo is of a family member – Mary Baggs. Mary Baggs lived from 1865 to 1940.
Pip.io is an online way of having conversations with family and friends in chat format. Discussions can be either private or public. It is a very useful site which I use with some of my websites. You can join discussions or start your own channels – for free.
I Rate My Day is a rather simple daily Blogging type tool. All it is is a simple way to let your friends and family know how your day is going. It is a simple micro-blogging site, with very brief notifications posted as to how the day is going for you. You can also link your ratings to your Facebook profile.
Visit at:
http://www.iratemyday.com/
It has now been a month since New Year’s Day and perhaps a bit under a month since the New Year’s Resolutions that many sought to undertake fell by the way-side. Now is perhaps the time to have another look at those resolutions (and perhaps others we have thought about and done little with) and plan to do something about them. This is where 101in365 comes in. 101in365 is a web application/social network that provides a tool to assist tn meeting goals – 101 of them in fact, in 365 days.
The first thing you need to do (after registering of course) is come up with a list of 101 things you would like to achieve in a year (365 days). You enter these into your listing of 101 aims/goals. Once this is done you can lock your list in and begin the work required to bring them to past. You are able to update your list by marking each item as in progress and then to mark off each item as it is achieved.
With 101in365, you are able to keep your list of goals private or you can share them with the wider 101in365 community and/or your friends and family. It’s up to you. You are also able to interact with others via both Twitter and Facebbok if you like.
The tool itself is rather simple to you and before you know it you can have it all up and running. It is somewhat more difficult to actually achieve the goals you set yourself. At least this tool is a welcome way to assist in reaching your goals and is certainly able to be used as a means of encouragement and stimulus.
Visit 101in365 at:
http://www.101in365.com/
Kevin's Daily Photo, Video, Quote or Link 