My Word of the Year for 2023 is EXPLORE
As I’ve mentioned a few times already, it’s all about exploring my world this year, so what better way to recap my month than in this monthly linkup with friends – Jo, Donna and Sue – where we look at what we’ve been doing, how our word of the year (WOTY) is going and what’s new.
If you write a similar type of post each month think about joining in by using the link button at the bottom of my post and leaving your post’s URL. We visit everyone who links up and you never know who you might meet, as I mentioned in my How did you find your blogging community? post recently.
Explore can relate to creativity, food, ideas, travel, books, music, exercise, relationships, fun, fashion – it’s a word that exudes adventure and curiosity – and how I love these words! I’ll definitely be exploring my options during the year.
What does EXPLORE mean?
To me, it means to dig into something, to learn from it, to experience it, and to grow from it. It means to get out of my comfort zone and explore the world around me.
And that’s exactly what I’ve been doing this month!
Exploring February
I’ve made a list of my main explorations this month and they fall into several categories – Technology, Artworks, Connections, Books, Photography, Exercise
Technology
As part of an initiative to help older community members, via my Rotary Club, I’ve started training to become a volunteer Digital Mentor through through an organisation called Stay in Touch which is funded by Be Connected to run the training. Be Connected is an Australian government initiative committed to building the confidence, digital skills and online safety of older Australians.
The overall aim is to help learners feel more confident when using digital technology so they can be happier, healthier and empowered.
I’m not sure how it will go but I’m learning a lot along the way. I’m required to do 2×2.5 hour online training sessions and encouraged to join other online events, such as Tech Tip Tuesday a half hour session looking at various issues – this week we continued with phone settings.
I’ve also been reading about AI, with Donna and Hugh writing about the use of AI in blogging, did you know WordPress has experimental AI paragraph* and image blocks available to use now?
I really am exploring the digital world!
Books
As I wrote in my latest What’s On Your Bookshelf post, variety is the spice of life. I’ve explored different genres so far this year, reading and listening to memoirs, fiction, classics and even a motivational self help book (which I won’t be finishing – it’s not that I’m unmotivated but it’s too repetitive and I’ve got the gist of it now).
Photography
I’m currently doing an 8 week photography course with a local photographer, Mick Egan, learning about camera settings, lenses, composition, the exposure triangle, and much much more. It’s every Tuesday night for 2 hours over 8 weeks, with a group of 6 others and we’re all happy to learn new skills and explore our camera’s capabilities.
I was given an Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II camera for my 60th birthday from my generous sister and brother-in-law, both of whom are talented photographers. I’ve never known how to use it properly though and have become reliant on my iPhone with its handy inbuilt camera, which does a great job, but I decided I’d take up the opportunity to explore my camera and try to learn how to use it.
The first few weeks were hard as I had no idea what Mick was talking about but I’m now finding that things are clicking (no pun intended). He didn’t know my camera either but found some great YouTube videos which have helped me understand where the settings are and how to change things around. I’m now trying to put these new found skills into practice and it’s quite fun, and not quite so overwhelming – thank goodness!
Here are a few of my latest efforts.
Connections
Only the biggest reunion of the year! You may have missed my exciting news earlier in the month where I was finally reunited with Tiny and Lea after 62 years!! It still makes me break out in goosebumps when I think back on the whole story. Tiny turns 95 in July so Lea reckoned it was a case of sooner rather than later – and it was a very special reunion!! You can read the true story here:
Artworks
In our area the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail has been a huge success. It’s a permanent public collection of over 30 sculptures in seven locations across the Snowy Valleys by artists from across Australia and the world. It is a new cultural tourism project in response to the bushfires of 2019/20 and aided by Sculptures by the Sea team who curate the wonderful annual collection at Bondi in NSW and Cottesloe in WA.
I’ve written before about some of these sculptures The Emerging Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail and recently I attended the unveiling of some new sculptures. I’m being honest when I say I had to expand my thinking with some of them.
The experience expanded my knowledge and opened my eyes to much more. I was surprised at how much I could take away from each sculpture.
Exercise and Cycling
I’ve been exercising regularly with my online buddies for some time now and it helps a lot. We’ve explored various forms of training during our time together – functional strength, stretching, core, balance, cardio, yoga and relaxation.
Up until recently I’ve done our sessions in my spare room but lately I’ve moved out into my sunroom, just to change things up a bit. I must admit I need a cap as the sun is quite bright first thing in the morning but it’s a lovely place to start the day. I had a massive clean up out there a few weeks ago and I’m much happier without all the red-back spiders!
I’ve been riding my ebike Eddie a lot, I pop into town, do some jobs then ride up the hill home again and it’s a delightful way of getting about. I’ve also been enjoying walks in the nearby forest.
Sometimes exploring new options is enough to lift our motivation and enjoyment.
What’s Been on Your Calendar plus Word of the Year
Our new monthly linkup for the year, will focus on What’s Been on Your Calendar #WBOYC and allows for #WOTY (Word of the Year) updates as well as anything else you’ve been up to during the month. The linkup goes live today (Friday 24 February 2023 Aus time) and is open for seven days, so we do hope you will join us. Hosted by Donna from Retirement Reflections, Jo from And Anyways… and Sue from Women Living Well After 50 and me Deb from Deb’s World.
You can find my lovely co-hosts posts here: Sue, Donna and Jo
So there you have it, another month down and a lot of exploring going on already!!
Have a great week and try to do some exploring of your own and let me know what you find 🙂
Deb xx
- One of the paragraphs in this post was written using the AI block – can you guess which one it was?
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You can also find Deb’s World in lots of other places – stay in touch by clicking any of the buttons below.
Everyone has a story to tell!
Deb is a young-at-heart & active 60+ blogger/retiree, after being made redundant from her 22-year career managing education programs in a men’s correctional centre (jail). She now spends her time reading, blogging, riding her ebike and travelling. Deb was awarded a Bravery Award from the Queen when she was 17 after a tragic accident – a definite life changing moment! She is married with 3 grown-up daughters & has 4 grandchildren. You can read more of Deb’s story here
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Deb's World 
You’re such a busy blogger. So much going on in your world, Debbie. But that’s good.
I like your photography and photos. Keep at it. I’m sure that course will benefit you even more.
I’ve been thinking about getting an electric bike for a year. But I’ve still not made a decision. Reading about your experience of having an eBike pushes me towards that purchase, but I’m still not convinced that if I buy one, I’ll use it twice, and then it’ll sit in the garage unused.
Thanks for the link to my AI post. I have to say that I find it hard to detect which paragraphs have been written using AI. You asked which paragraph AI wrote on this post, and I’d say the Exploring paragraph in the blue box. Please tell me I’m wrong. I don’t ever want to be right on that question.
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I feel I have slowed down in recent times Hugh but still enjoy blogging when I get the urge to create. I can’t recommend an electric bike enough and now use mine almost daily, even to pop to the shops for the mail and a few groceries. It’s great exercise for me! The AI paragrah was this one – To me, it means to dig into something, to learn from it, to experience it, and to grow from it. It means to get out of my comfort zone and explore the world around me.
I’m so glad it wasn’t glaringly obvious which one was AI and I can see it has its uses. Thanks again for stopping by!
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Exploring! What a great word! Loving the bike rides and outdoor time and your yoga/exercise area is awesome!
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
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Thanks so muc Mireille , it was a busy month with lots happening that’s for sure. My sunroom studio is perfect!
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Hi Deb, I always think your photos look amazing so I will be interested to see how they look at the end of your course. Your first attempts look very professional. You always seem to be so busy – I don’t know how you find the energy!
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Hi Janine, I think the only difference will be that I’m taking photos on my camera not my phone and hopefully I’ll be able to use settings a bit more. But I’ll still be out and about with my phone as it’s so much more portable. Thanks for your kind words. I’m on the go most of the time but also have times when I just stop and read, I’m not an energiser bunny that’s for sure!!!
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Haha – you do seem like an energiser bunny! You would be proud of me today – I got out on my bike for the first time in years!
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Yay go you Janine!! Did you enjoy it?
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I did. Thankfully it was very flat!
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Your post and exploratory life are an inspiration. And digital mentorship is such a great idea. I have friends with aging parents who struggle to keep them safe online with all the scams out there.
I hope March is is at least as wonderful as February for you.
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Thanks Janet, I enjoy learning (once a teacher always a teacher) and helping others so it’s a good use of my time and skills. I’m looking forward to a new month and seeing what I can find!
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Debbie, explore is a great guide word and you seem to have embraced it thoroughly. Kudos for exploring your camera and AI technology. Your photos are evidence of classes well learned. I’d be interested to know what you think of AI.
I read your reunion post and loved that you made the effort to reunite after so many years. That was a heartwarming story.
Your reading list is astounding and you have certainly ‘explored’ a variety of genres. Also, thanks for sharing the sculpture garden. Interesting, but I totally do not get the horse standing on his head thing. 🙂
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I do tend to embrace my words of the year Suzanne, some would say I become a bit compulsive 🙂 The whole AI thing is interesting and fun but I can see issues arising, I’m enjoying seeing what you and others like Donna are writing about using it. You’re not the only one who doesn’t get the horse on its head sculpture believe me!! Thanks for reading and commenting on my post, always good to hear from you.
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Last month, I started a monthly wrap up so I hope that qualifies! I don’t do a word of the year because I would forget it, not use it, or feel pressure to make it work! But, I may reconsider for next year as I read the way so many bloggers incorporate it into their lives. I feel like my life has stagnated over the course of the last few years. I need to break out of that! Thanks for the link up! I hope you’ll visit for one that started on Friday and an upcoming one Monday!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
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Yes of course that qualifies Marsha, it’s great to have you join us. Thanks for stopping by!
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Sounds like you had a fun but satisfying month – three tubby fellas climbing up a block of stone has to be the most intriguing sculpture I’ve seen a photo of in a long while 😊
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It was a fun month Cathy. That sculpture is called ‘Together We are Strong’ and is one of my favourites from the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail, it says so much about helping others and is cute as well, made by a very clever Danish artist.
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Your photos look fabulous! My son and I are studying photography and it’s funny that we will find what “button”/setting that the book is talking about often by accident and then we can’t always remember where to find it again.
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Thanks Joanne, the course is all about learning to use the camera and the various settings and has been interesting so far. There’s so much to remember though!
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Wow, you have had a very active month making the world a better place to be in! Cheers to you!
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Yes it was a good month and I like helping others 🙂
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Hi Debbie, What a fun-filled February you’ve had! Your reunion with Tiny and Lea is amazing. I host the weekly Photographing Public Art Challenge (PPAC) as part of Weekend Coffee Share so you’re welcome to share your photos of public art while you exploring photography with your camera. I’ve played with the AI paragraph and AI image blocks in WordPress. They’re cool, especially the AI paragraphs. Thank you for the WBOYC linkup. Have a wonderful March!
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Thanks for the comment and ideas about joining PPAC challenges Natalie, I’ve joined in before I think. The AI blocks are very interesting and I’m enjoying reading more about the whole concept. Have a great month x
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Well done on volunteering for the digital mentoring project. In my profession life I was responsible for assessing some projects on those lines and saw first-hand the difference getting online and building digital confidence can make to old people’s lives.
I’m very curious about the AI paragraph and have no idea which it was, although I would have thought it would be more obvious. You’ll have to tell us!
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Hi Sarah, the AI paragraph was this one: To me, it means to dig into something, to learn from it, to experience it, and to grow from it. It means to get out of my comfort zone and explore the world around me.
I’m interested that you didn’t get it and wonder wehat that says about my writing skills!!!
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I think the AI did a decent job, unlike some other examples I’ve seen. But on reflection I can see that this is quite impersonal, it could have been written about almost anyone, not necessarily you!
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You certainly know how to fill your days (and evenings!) – what a great idea to learn how to teach digital mentoring. In a world where we are increasingly dependent on technology it is so important to pass knowledge on.
You already take great photos on your phone so I am sure that we will be seeing amazing pictures from your new camera!
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Thanks Deb, the digital mentoring course is certainly interesting and so many older people have no idea what to do so if I can help a little that’s a good thing! Thanks 🙂
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That is a whole lot of exploring! I feel like a slug! Your photos are incredible. Hmmmm, me? Writing, reading (usually 3 books at a time), walking 10,000 steps a day plus Zumba and yoga, flying cross country with my guy to visit family and friends,and keeping up with the grandkids. 💓
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Yes a whole lot of exploring!! I also read multiple books at once which often astounds people so I’m glad to see you do it too. Your activities sound fabulous!
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Hi Deb. Things seemed to conspire against me this week, and I haven’t been able to get a post up yet. Hopefully tomorrow, but I couldn’t resist popping in to see what you’ve been up to. Your photography course sounds fantastic. I have to admit that I bought a new expensive camera about three years ago and used it once. I had every intention of learning to use it properly and it never happened. It’s getting close to be out of date now. Really, I should have known better
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Hi Jen, no drama at all. Learning to use the camera has made me lose some of the fear involved but it’s not all that easy to remember all the things to do! Thanks for popping in 🙂
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I love how you’re always up for new challenges like the photography course, and keen to take on projects to help others, such as the tech training.
Finding some buddies for exercising makes it a lot more fun….though I’d be very wary of those spiders! As for the AI paragraph, hmm…..difficult, possibly the par where you wrote about it, starting “I’ve been reading about AI a lot”….?
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I’m up for new challenges mainly to keep my brain working Gail but sometimes I just have to stop, take a deep breath and recalibrate! The Ai paragraph is this one: To me, it means to dig into something, to learn from it, to experience it, and to grow from it. It means to get out of my comfort zone and explore the world around me.
Funny how no-one picked it up!
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Kudos on the photography class. It’s something I’ve thought about a few times but then our good camera died so… love the biking and the outside yoga spot.
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My sunroom studio is just perfect Bernie and I love me new bike! I’m learning new skills with the camera but I’ll never take the world by storm!
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Plenty of exploration this month – love how you’re trying new things, learning new things and following your curiosity.
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It keeps my brain from atrophying Jo!
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Have fun with photography! I dabbled for years, took some classes to develop my own film (yay, the old days), and even made some money!
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Oh good for you Carol, I’m enjoying learning new things but won’t be making money out of it I’m sure!!
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What a great February! And what an inspiration you are too…
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Many thanks Barbara, I do try to inspire but there are days when I just curl up and read a book 🙂
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Hi Deb – great to see you out and about exploring new interests. Fancy cameras like yours scare me to death, so good on you for finding out how to use it properly and enjoying the challenge. Great about the course on teaching seniors more about IT – hopefully they also get told to watch out for all the sneaky scammers rather than falling prey to them!
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Hi Leanne, it’s been good to try and learn new things but it definitely can be overwhelming too. Yes the digital mentor course covers lots of topics but will be user driven, what they want to learn, need to do etc, I’m looking forward to helping out and giving back!
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I loved reading this update…so much happening for you to explore and share…. and to lead others as they explore! Thanks for the link up too.
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My pleasure Denyse, hope you are settling into your new abode now. So much going on!
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A great February full of exploration Deb. You constantly inspire me with all you do and I think I’ll need some help with AI. How wonderful to give back with Online Mentoring – it will help you stay ahead of technology as well. Your photos are great, although I always thought you took fabulous photos. Thanks for being such an energetic co-host of #WBOYC and can’t wait to read what you explore during March. xx
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Thanks Sue, it’s been so busy since I posted I haven’t managed to get back and reply to comments until now! March is underway and looks to be just as busy as Feb 🙂
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Hi, Debbie – What a fabulous, and very full, February you have had! I absolutely love a challenge. My guess is that the AI Block generated this: “Sometimes exploring new options is enough to lift our motivation and enjoyment” Or this: “So there you have it, another month down and a lot of exploring going on already!! Or this: “Have a great week and try to do some exploring of your own and let me know what you find 🙂” My reasoning is that they were the more general lines. Was I close?
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It certainly was a full-on month Donna but rewarding and interesting at the same time. My AI paragraph was this one: To me, it means to dig into something, to learn from it, to experience it, and to grow from it. It means to get out of my comfort zone and explore the world around me.
It’s a fun addition to look at so thanks for the heads up!
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Wow! I would never have guessed that. That sentence fit in seemlessly with the rest. Well done to both you and AI!
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