What is guaranteed to distract you? What is your “Ooh, shiny!”? asks a WordPress employee who proclaims: “I like to think of myself as a focused, disciplined person. I make lists, I schedule my day, I plan my work and work my plan.”
I wished I could proclaim that I am an ode to discipline but then I would disgrace another value which is important to me namely honesty. For a person who is attention deficient just about anything is guaranteed to be Ooh Shiny. But as I need to work and live and be productive and function, I need to know this and take measures to compensate. If in your professional live you react to all the shininess it will certainly take the shine off your abilities. And this is also true of your personal life. Too much shininess is fool’s gold.
Having said that I believe the most hardened disciplinisyst (of course there is such a word – you are seeing it right in front of you) would have been distracted by the Stick Insect as it materialized out of the blue onto my upper-arm and started the long trek down to my hand. For some it may have been an AARGH or EEK (i.e. less shiny) but for me it was certainly a photo opportunity. I also realized that it already had a much longer trek at speeds it would not be accustomed to.
In the post Electrifying Order I mentioned how I cycled up a mountain in between the Electrical pillars and going down the mountain certainly produced electrifying adrenaline. But what I didn’t mention is that I saw a Stick insect on a bush, took a few photos of it and then continued taking photos of the surrounding view from the mountain (being the reason why I cycled up there). When I returned to the bush ( which was next to my my bicycle and blue daypack), the Stick insect was gone. Pity as it was the first time ever I saw a live Stick insect. After my “electrifying” ride down the mountain I took the daypack off and immediately saw the insect on my arm. The Stick must have stuck to the blue daypack all the way down and rubbed off on my arm or climbed onto my arm when I took off the rucksack! This time it had all my focus and I displayed it on the wooden railing in front of the chalet where we were staying for a proper fashion shoot.

I assume it is a Stick Insect – not my field of expertise. The body remained straight I did not see it bend once or curl up its back end.

And here is a 3d photo for you without 3d glasses being necessary. It is clad in South Africa’s sport colours – the green and gold. I therefore make the logical deduction that that in the insect world they are the national cricket team (and take turns to be be the cricket stumps).

The wrong end of the stick looks like a head with eyes and pincers to confuse it’s enemies. That is called something – maybe the entomologists out there (amateur or professional) can help me out. Or maybe it is just an insect tow truck operator…
⇑ Later that day I drove (with the car this time) to go and take photos of a hops plantation (I was obviously on leave) but ooh shiny-ed myself and stopped to take this photo. A crow is literally distracted by and gathers shiny objects thus appropriate to include the photo here. The photos of the hops can be accessed via an Afrikaans post – but I assure you the photos speak all languages. KOM HOP(S) SAAM MET MY!
A few years ago when we had the financial crises (I work in the financial industry) I was reminded that assets and shares inherently remain fool’s gold as do gold itself. We cannot do without it, even if you do not invest in it your pension fund does but…
You were bought, but not with things that ruin like gold or silver 1 Peter 1:18… to read further click here
Great post. Cool stick insect and I am immediately going to start using the phrase “I ooh shiney-ed myself” whenever I see something exciting. 😂
I usually call it my ‘squirrel moment’ 😜
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Alba. I am flabbergasted by my influence 🙂 . You are certainly a squirrel moment
LikeLiked by 1 person
Why thank you. I like to think of myself as an appreciater of all, hence my easily distractedness.
(Plus I obviously like making up words) 😜
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do not know anybody else who is like that 🙂 🙂
LikeLike
Behalwe dat jy nie “Satire” in jou skryfwerk gebruik nie, kry jy dit reg om my te laat lag soos net Mark Twain kan doen. Dink jy nie daardie insek was stokstyf geskrik van die rit berg af nie? Hy is werklik interessant!!!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Sjoe Matk Twain!!! Bly jy kon glimlag Kameel. Jou teorie is na alle waarskynlikheid reg!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow … mooi
Die onderwerp gooi my die week!
LikeLike
Baie dankie Tina het my ook aanvanklik totdat ek die idee gekry het om te se dat basies enigiets my ooh shiny is (alhoewel dit darem ‘n moete enigiets moet wees). Seker jy sal iets kry
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ag en ek glimlag maar net altyd in my mou as ek by jou kuier. Nes Kameel sê. Ek kan my nou wel nie voorstel dat jy effe hiper is nie, maar ek stem vir jou sin vir humor.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nee darem nie hiper aktief nie – aktief wel (veral tydens vakansies 🙂 ) . Bly jou mou is vol glimlaggies Una
LikeLike
Wow, that stick insect shots! Crazy details. The bird capture is fantastic, Abrie!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Amy yes I was quite happy with that shot
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dankie ek het dit geniet.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dankie vir jou genietinge Madele
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dink jy die stokgogga se “ooh, shiny” is dalk om te reis?
LikeLiked by 1 person
😀 moet wees tannie Frannie moet wees😀 maar dan is ons nogal familie van die gogga!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dit was ‘n “shiny” bydrae wat ek regtig geniet het. Mooi fotos!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Danke Hester met die besonderse haarstyl wat ek het kan ek nie help om te blink nie!
LikeLiked by 1 person
😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Amazing, Abrie! I ‘m stuck on your highly entertaining blogs!
LikeLike
Bly die Stokgogga resoneer met die Seegogga – die bloggogga het ons mos gebyt
LikeLike
I love this and am so pleased you took a close-up of the tail end! We do not see stick insects nearly often enough so I am glad this one came on a short journey with you to be photographed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Anne. Quite right with not seeing it enough. As mentioned this was ths first time I could recall seeing a live stick insect
LikeLike
I am happily not a bug expert Abrie, but agree this is probably a stick insect. What a bizarre looking creature – but I suppose he thinks the same of us! Can you imagine what he was thinking (if indeed they do think??) as you were barreling down the mountain with him aboard?!?! Perhaps he was wondering when the snacks would be served 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
As he was the only passenger he must have travelled business class. Fortunately the pilot didn’t become the snack!
LikeLike
Great post and pictures, Abrie! I would definitely stop and take notice of this “stick”ly beauty! Thanks for stopping by my blog 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was a pleasure and thanks for returning the favour. Let’s continue to do that 🙂
LikeLike
Fantastic photos, Abrie. Love the Walking Stick – great detail on those and your bird.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Jane. I would like to get a macro lens but the financial priorities does not allow that currently
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great post and wonderful photographs, Abrie. I do love stick insects and your model for the fashion shoot was my kind of beautiful. “Too much shiny is fools gold”, I love that too.
You made my day! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Ally and the day making is reciprocal 🙂
LikeLike
I’ve never seen a stick insect either. I would have been photographing like you did as well. 🙂
Following your story, I thought the crow was going to eat the stick insect. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
No ways I would have protected the stick insect with my life 😉
LikeLike
Great photos. I love stick insects. They are usually brown around here and truly look like a twig. I had a similar experience to you – I was getting frustrated at not been able to capture the fast moving wasps on my grevillea bush and went back inside – only to find I had a stick insect passenger on my arm who was the perfect slow moving model for my close-up photography.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great minds experience alike 🙂
I was about to reply that there are indegenous parrots to Africa i.e. African Grey, but not to South Africa and it must amazing to see them in nature. Thanks and thanks for the visit
LikeLike
Being easily distracted myself, I’ll bear in mind that too much shiny can be fool’s gold! Lovely pics. I love the stick insect’s sporty colours (appropriate for it becoming a once-off daredevil rider) and the crowing crow that looks vaguely melancholy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed that daredevil – it is on my bucket list to turn an Imperial Chinese Western wax chess piece into a daredevil as well and i won’t stop cycling till it divulges its heritage :). Thanks for the follow
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 And likewise – thanks for the follow.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What?! too much shininess is fools gold? Bite your tongue! Just kidding. True words my friend. I love your photos of the stick bug, When I was teaching we had some as pets. The children loved holding them (teaching gentle and kindness), but the science questions it stimulated were the best. Thank you for your beautiful photos AND the flashback to a fun time. Have a good week. I’m on the search for fools gold. Wink.
LikeLike
Glad I could conjure those pure golden nostalgic memories! If hold a pebble in your left hand on a moonlit night while balancing on your right foot and kisses it wind it turns into gold…
Thanks for the follow Donna
LikeLiked by 1 person
hahaha. I will try it! My “inner” hippie is always up for stuff like that. Always inspired, my friend. I am so behind the learning curve and love blogs like yours.
LikeLike
Since I am a big praying mantis fan, I LOVE your stick bug photos…and the story connected to them. I have a mantis about an inch long living on my screened-in porch right now. I’ve seen a few around the yard too. I think they have come from a few pods I found in the winter and hatched in the house. Nothing like baby mantis all over your walls, but my husband is used to my antics with bugs and doesn’t mind…too much.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A stick insect is quite similar to a praying mantis – same temperament 🙂 Glad you liked it
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like that 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you do 🙂
LikeLike
Oh gosh! There’s enough shiny for everyone… because we don’t all want the same shiny. 😂😃
LikeLiked by 1 person
I prefer high mountains above high tea’s 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I gathered that… and that’s perfect. Imagine if you preferred high tea to high mountains! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, love pics though. Just can’t have such near me. Or any flyee or creepy or crawly… Haha.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I struggle with Jimmy Choo shoes 🙂 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hahaha! Luckily we have different likes and dislikes – enough to go around for everyone. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed
LikeLiked by 1 person