Bird Walking and a Flightless Several Weeks
I've written and deleted an update nearly a dozen times in the last several weeks. There have been numerous developments in my life recently, and the especially melodramatic part of me would want to believe that they are all aimed at breaking my heart. I've spared my readers the updates that I wanted to write. I'll simply give the status update that I wrote on FB for a brief recount:
I usually eschew making New Year's resolutions, but this year I decided that I wanted to adopt more of an attitude of thanksgiving. I just wanted to remind myself of how much I have (something easily forgotten)...and evidently, the universe found that hilarious because the first week of 2015 has absolutely leveled me. It's taken my car, my job, my pride, my self-sufficiency, my savings, and my foreseeable future. However, in my hour of abject humility (and in the spirit of my resolution), I am so very thankful that it hasn't taken my health, my lovely family, my appreciation for absurdity, and most importantly, my rich and invaluable friendships. If suffering the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune is our collective lot, then it is only bearable when we're shielded by friends. Thank you for your friendship.
So I've been avoiding LJ lately. I'll return to those issues once I've completely passed the storm, and in the meantime, I thought I'd share a reflection that I had. A dear friend of mine is earning her PhD in biology, and she's an ornithologist (she studies birds, if silly Greek words aren't your forté <-- and silly French ones are). I've had the privilege of going on several bird walks with her. A bird walk is as simple as it sounds: you walk while you listen and watch birds. I never really paid attention to avian life, but when you do start to notice it, you'll realize how ubiquitous and expansive it is. You'll also recognize how avian life goes largely unnoticed by most of the human world. However, it's like that cigarette burn on reel-to-reel films: once you fully realize it's there, it's awfully difficult to un-notice.
Anyway, she informed me of an ethical debate ornithologists have on whether one should imitate bird calls. The dilemma is that birds communicate any number of things with their calls, and convincing bird calls made by humans can disrupt those natural functions. For example, most birds locate their mate with certain calls, and when a bird watcher imitates that, they might take a bird further from its mate. When my friend told me this, I jokingly commented that that sounds like my love life. However, jokes aside, I think there is a relationship analogy to be made here, though I won't venture to make it.
In any event, hope you've been well. I'll be seeing you...
I usually eschew making New Year's resolutions, but this year I decided that I wanted to adopt more of an attitude of thanksgiving. I just wanted to remind myself of how much I have (something easily forgotten)...and evidently, the universe found that hilarious because the first week of 2015 has absolutely leveled me. It's taken my car, my job, my pride, my self-sufficiency, my savings, and my foreseeable future. However, in my hour of abject humility (and in the spirit of my resolution), I am so very thankful that it hasn't taken my health, my lovely family, my appreciation for absurdity, and most importantly, my rich and invaluable friendships. If suffering the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune is our collective lot, then it is only bearable when we're shielded by friends. Thank you for your friendship.
So I've been avoiding LJ lately. I'll return to those issues once I've completely passed the storm, and in the meantime, I thought I'd share a reflection that I had. A dear friend of mine is earning her PhD in biology, and she's an ornithologist (she studies birds, if silly Greek words aren't your forté <-- and silly French ones are). I've had the privilege of going on several bird walks with her. A bird walk is as simple as it sounds: you walk while you listen and watch birds. I never really paid attention to avian life, but when you do start to notice it, you'll realize how ubiquitous and expansive it is. You'll also recognize how avian life goes largely unnoticed by most of the human world. However, it's like that cigarette burn on reel-to-reel films: once you fully realize it's there, it's awfully difficult to un-notice.
Anyway, she informed me of an ethical debate ornithologists have on whether one should imitate bird calls. The dilemma is that birds communicate any number of things with their calls, and convincing bird calls made by humans can disrupt those natural functions. For example, most birds locate their mate with certain calls, and when a bird watcher imitates that, they might take a bird further from its mate. When my friend told me this, I jokingly commented that that sounds like my love life. However, jokes aside, I think there is a relationship analogy to be made here, though I won't venture to make it.
In any event, hope you've been well. I'll be seeing you...