#we birdwatch but only in the sense that we see a bird and then try to figure out what bird that is

[schadenfreudich]

Why the fuck the is the European robin called "Rotkehlchen"? This little guy does not have red throat. That is so incredibly orange.

[rebouks]

Previous // Next

Hey Bird Boy!

I promised I’d write didn’t I? I’m missing you already, which is kinda stupid and cheesy, but true! There aren’t any other kids around now the holidays are over, so it’s just old people and super outdoorsy people who walk really fast with weird sticks and stuff, lame! Daddy lent me his crappy polaroid he uses for work so I can send you pictures and stuff so at least I’ve got something to do, they won’t be as good as yours but it’s better than nothing.

I tried to get a good picture but it’s hard to hold this huge thing with one hand and this is the best I could do but my teeth are totally starting to grow back so maybe I won’t look so dumb soon.. you can’t really see em but I can feel em poking through!!! It kinda hurts but I suppose we only have to grow em once so it’s not so bad. Growing teeth as a baby doesn’t count cos you can’t remember it.. how many teeth does your little sister have?!

I’m super looking forward to getting to know you properly since I can ask you stuff now! I’ll try n remember to ask you things instead of talking about myself the whole-time cos that’d be annoying to reply to, wouldn’t it?

By the way.. I took a bunch of pictures of my dad until I caught him laughing just to show you that he can be fun and nice, not always grumpy! He thinks he looks cool with his gold teeth but I think they make him look goofy, like a wannabe pirate haha!! YARRR!

I set Amber free cos I started to feel bad about keeping her cooped up in that tiny plastic box and I don’t think I’d like it if I were her, like how I’m starting to hate this stupid tower! I miss looking at her but I decided to start collecting fancy rocks instead since they’re not alive and don’t have any feelings. Dad digs up stuff for work sometimes so it makes total sense!! He said I’m not allowed to join him for that but we can do it on our own instead.. he bought me a big pretty one to start my collection, even though it’s kinda like cheating it still counts!

We found a birdwatching book stuffed in the back of the bookshelf looking for this notebook and dad said we should put some food out to see which ones we could spot.. they attacked him whilst he was putting the seeds out though so he said it was a stupid hobby and that he didn’t want to do it anymore. GET READY FOR THIS!!!

Ahahahahaahaaa I almost dropped his camera laughing at him and he took it off me for a couple days but it was totally worth it, please please pleaaaaase keep this picture cos I almost didn’t wanna send it to you so I could laugh at it forever and ever hahahaha!!!!

Oh, and I told daddy to take some pictures of me whilst I wasn’t looking like you do cos I thought it’d be neat, but I forgot I asked him to do it and got mad at him cos I was in my pj’s and my hair was all crazy.. it’s kinda funny I GUESS!! Plus, he said it made us even for me sending you the picture of him with the birds so here you go BUT DON’T KEEP THIS ONE!!

I got carried away and forgot to ask you stuff so here’s a list!

How old are you?

When’s your birthday?

Do you have any pets?!

What’s your favourite food?

Do you have all your big teeth yet? (it totally looked like it but you never know!!)

I was gonna think of more stuff to ask you and now the back of this page looks really empty but my brain farted and I really wanna send you this so you can send one back! I’ll think of more I promise!! I’m looking forward to “talking” to you so I guess you can write about whatever you want.. and I wanna see your house!! I bet your pictures will be way better than mine!

Yours excitedly, Alex :]

[cainluvr69]

Let Me Tell You The Story Of A Rainbow - Chapter 8

Previous Chapter

Lennox: That's right. Development and cultivation of the land is slow going, but it's for the sake of supporting life there, not turning a profit.

Bradley: Hell of a waste if you ask me. Are Southerners just not interested in makin' that sweet cash or what?

Faust: …Imagine there's a bird in front of us here, one that makes for a top-tier ingredient.

Bradley: Huh?

Nero: What's all this about, all of a sudden?

Faust: What would you do once you knew about that kind of bird, Nero?

Nero: Well, first y'gotta kill it… Dependin' on the species, I'd probably wanna make it into a stew. What about it?

Faust: I can't make a stew nearly as well as you can, so I'd just sit back and watch as the bird takes flight. Despite the fact that I know that this kind of bird makes for a good ingredient, I'd just watch as it flies. I enjoy birdwatching. Even if it's simply spent in quiet observation and produces nothing, I don't consider it to be a waste of time.

Bradley & Nero: …

Faust: That said, I'd also look forward to Nero making stew with that bird.

Nero: Haha… I dunno the first thing about philosophizin' like that, but I do know I feel like makin' stew for dinner tonight now.

Faust: I see. I'm looking forward to it.

Bradley: That was a pretty quintessentially Eastern downer of an exchange. Moving right along, given how many gems they got on display here, d'ya think they'd notice if one or two of 'em happened to go missin'? I get why they wanted us t'be "security", but it kinda pisses me off when people think all of the Sage's wizards are gonna be meek little model citizens. I mean, hey, don'tcha think it takes some real brass balls to throw a bandit into this treasure chest of a building on purpose?

Faust: I wouldn't know. If you're trying to get thrown back into a cell, I certainly won't stop you.

Bradley: Damn, you're cold. It ain't like I'm the only one with sticky fingers around here, y'know.

Nero: What's your problem? Quit lookin' over here and grinnin' at me like that.

Bradley: Don't start gettin' shy on me, now. Hey, get a load of this one.

Nero: Oh, now this is what we're talkin' about! This one's really…

Faust: Hey.

Lennox: Keep your hands to yourselves.

Nero: Huh?

Bradley: What?

Lennox: Just what are you planning on doing with that gemstone? If you're thinking of smuggling it out of here…

Nero: !! Woah, no, I was just…

Bradley: Haha… C'mon, don't ask a question you already know the answer to. Gems are meant for slippin' into your pocket when no one's lookin'.

Faust: Oh, are you actually trying to get locked up again? Before you try to pull that kind of thing while we're supposed to be helping with security, just remember that the twins and Oz are in this building, too. Anyways, Nero. Bradley is his own problem, but I can't believe you'd start acting like a thief, too…

Nero: No, uh, Teach, you've got it all wrong. This was just…uhh, trainin'!

Faust & Lennox: Training?

Nero: Yeah, yeah. Like, our mission this time is t' act as security for this exhibition, right? Just because our job is t' keep our eyes on the enchanted displays doesn't mean no one's gonna get a little frisky with all these premium pieces around.

Lennox: I see… So you were putting on an act for hands-on training for us?

Nero: Exactly. That's exactly it. Ain't that right, Brad…ley, my regular friend.

Bradley: … You're such a pain…

Nero: Bradley!

Bradley: Yeah, yeah. That was all we were doin'. It was all a big act so the two of you could get some practice in. You guys should be grateful a real live bandit was willin' to put his skills to work for ya.

Faust: Sigh… Well, it did turn into practicing for what to do if a thief gets in. I'll admit that.

Lennox: It did. Bradley's involvement certainly added a sense of realism. You gave an exemplary performance of being a bandit too, Nero.

Nero: Haha, thanks…

Faust: Hold on, Leno. In the event of a real thief showing up, it'd be better to just apprehend them immediately without talking to them like we did here.

Lennox: Understood.

Faust: It's time to proceed to the next floor. Let's go.

Lennox: Alright.

Bradley: …They're gone. Man, you're such a drag to hang out with now. You ain't growin' out of your bad habits that fast.

Nero: I dunno, man… I'm just some guy. You better put that gem back where it belongs.

✦✧☾✧✦

Mitile: This one looks like a really fancy sheep.

Riquet: It looks like a cloud that's been dyed with rainbows.

Chloe: It looks like Murr's magic fireworks to me!

Mitile: We're all seeing completely different things, and I don't see a title for this anywhere.

Riquet: Yes, I don't see it, either.

Chloe: Hmmmm. I wonder what this painting is supposed to be of.

Riquet: How about we combine everyone's ideas and call it "Cloud Dyed With Murr's Rainbow Fireworks"?

Mitile: Hey, you left out my fancy sheep!

Riquet: You're right, I did. Then how about… A sheep saw a cloud dyed with rainbows from Murr's fireworks and decided it wanted to be just as fancy, so it asked a wizard…

Chloe: And the wizard used their magic to make the sheep's floofy fluffy wool all rainbow-y…that's all of us!

Riquet: How's that?

Mitile: That's great!

Rustica: My, what a splendid painting. The three of you seem to be enjoying yourselves.

Chloe: Rustica! Hey, hey, what does this painting look like to you?

Rustica: Hmm, let me see… The salad I ate this morning, perhaps?

Chloe: That's totally different from what we had!

Mitile: I sort of get it, though…?

Riquet: This has to be a tomato, and this is…

Chloe & Mitile & Riquet: Asparagus!

Rustica: Oh, how odd. I don't recall having any asparagus in my salad. I enjoyed it perfectly well, but I feel like it was a slightly bitter kind of salad.

Chloe: What kind of salad is that?

Rustica: It was a strange one. It was the first time I'd eaten it, but there was a certain sense of deja vu. Just like this painting, it was a lively combination of many different things, and it was very delicious. …Hm?

Mitile: Uwah?! Look at that…!

Riquet: The painting is moving!

Chloe: It's turning into…letters? It says "Transformation".

Rustica: That must be its title. I imagine it decided to tell us because of the conversation we were having. Hehe. Thank you very kindly.

Riquet: This must be one of the magical exhibits, then.

Mitile: Yeah, it definitely is. It's a good thing it knows its own name.

Riquet: But it's also possible that it was affected by the <Great Calamity's> influence…

Chloe: If that's true, I wonder if we'll be able to turn it back into its proper form. It won't be like we vandalized it, right…?

Mitile: What. It…I mean, maybe?!

Riquet: Oh, it's moving around again!

Mitile & Riquet: G-Go back to normal! Back to normal!!

Chloe: Ah…it's back! Thank goodness… Whew…

Rustica: I agree. This is truly your most charming form, my dear.

✦✧☾✧✦

Shino: Mithra, Owen. Where do you think you're going?

Mithra: I was planning on returning to the manor. Why?

Owen: This doesn't have anything to do with you. C'mon, Mithra, open a door already.

Shino: Hmph. Yeah, I figured you two were gonna run. It's not like either of you have interest in art.

Owen: I'm not running. Besides, aren't you the exact same?

Shino: I understand the value of art better than you two do. I do work for the famous Blanchett family, after all.

Mithra: But you still don't have any interest in art, right? You're bored and following us around, aren't you?

Owen: Where's your darling beloved master? The poor dear only has one guard dog in the first place, and now it's left him behind.

Shino: Excuse me?

Rutile: Oh, Mithra!

Heathcliff: Oh, Shino, here's where you were.

Owen: Oh, thank goodness. He came to pick you up.

Shino: Hey.

Heathcliff: I-Is something wrong? You have a scary look on your face…

Owen: Your pet is in a hurry to pretend he's useful. Hear his keening? He's crying because his master wasn't giving him enough attention.

Shino: I wasn't crying. Don't start lying about things.

Mithra: But you're not denying that he wasn't giving you enough attention.

Shino: Shut up.

Heathcliff: I'm sorry, Shino… I think we got separated while looking for some interesting exhibits…

Owen: And you aren't denying that you weren't giving him enough attention, either.

Shino: Shut your mouth. Stop saying words. Don't worry about it, Heath. It's a servant's job to take a step back when his master is enjoying himself.

Heathcliff: Don't say that. I was looking for you, you know. I finally found some fun exhibits, too.

Shino: The mechanical and clockwork exhibits you were talking about? I remember you saying you wanted to see them.

Heathcliff: Yeah. They have an amazing lineup. There was this wind-up toy they had where you turn the key the opposite way from usual, and… And, I wanted to look at everything with you. You might think it's boring, though…

Shino: I can just wait outside the area. You can look over all of them on your own. You'd enjoy that more than looking at them with me, considering how little I really know about clockwork.

Heathcliff: Shino…

Shino: I don't want to get in the way when you're enjoying the things you like.

Heathcliff: …I see. I'm sorry for asking for the impossible.

Shino: What are you pouting about? Why do you look so lonely? …Fine, I get it. I'll walk around the exhibition with you. You're so spoiled, Master.

Heathcliff: And just who's the one spoiling me…? Still, thank you, Shino.

Owen: Tch. They're back to being cloyingly obnoxious again.

Mithra: I wonder why. …I'm getting sleepy.

Rutile: Hey, let's look at the exhibits together, all three of us. There are these beautifully delicate clockwork dolls over there that are decorated with fake flowers that look so real.

Owen: Are they affected by the Calamity's influence? Will you die if you touch them?

Mithra: If you get close to them, will they lay a curse on you?

Rutile: It doesn't seem like either of those things will happen, so don't worry.

Owen: What? That's so boring. Maybe I will just leave.

Mithra: I think I'll leave, too. If anything happens, just blow on that bird whistle. If you do, I'll come running.

Rutile: Does that mean I can blow on it right now?

Mithra: Were you listening at all? Please don't blow it if you don't have a good reason to.

Rutile: But I want to look at the exhibits with you, Mithra. Don't you want to share fun things with the people important to you? I want to know what you like and how you feel, Mithra. Do you think you can tell me those things?

Mithra: Sigh…

Rutile: Please? Come on, let's go!

Next Chapter

[anonsally]

Days 0-1 of L.A. trip

With one very major exception, Day 0 of the trip went well.

I was fully packed and ready to go well before my planned time to leave the house. I had time for a good healthy lunch and then still had almost half an hour left, so I took out my computer. I had packed it when it was a bit warm and its fan was on, but since I'd closed it I figured it would just go to sleep. However, I had put it in a synthetic laptop bag, which meant the heat hadn't been able to dissipate. When I took it out, the fan was still running and it was burning hot. ...And it wouldn't wake up or turn on.

I tried not to panic--after all, once it had time to cool down, perhaps it would be fine. So I packed it directly in my somewhat breathable backpack without the laptop bag, and hoped for the best.

I left about 20 minutes early and took BART to the airport (this involved changing trains twice and waiting each time, but the last segment is a driverless double funicular (it changes cables halfway through), which is very cool, other than the fact that constructing it was hugely expensive and perhaps not the best use of funds). There was a short story dispenser in the airport, so I got a little story to read while waiting to board. The flight was on time, uneventful, and short; my aunt picked me up on the other end and we came home and ate dinner with my uncle.

Then I plugged in my computer and tried to start it up, to no avail.

I've had this laptop since November 2017, and it is definitely wearing out; I've known for a while that I should be preparing to buy a new one. But I was not expecting to need to buy a new computer on this trip, and I was afraid my data might not be recoverable. I made an appointment at a nearby Apple Store for the next day.

On the morning of Day 1, my aunt and uncle and I visited a Japanese garden associated with a water treatment plant. It was beautifully landscaped and had several ponds, so there were a lot of good birds. My uncle and I took photos of several of them. Back at the house after lunch, I did some backyard birdwatching, including trying to get photos of the Allen's/rufous hummingbirds at the feeder. I also did a little research about prices of new computers.

Finally, my aunt and I went to the mall to see if anything could be done to resuscitate my computer or at least recover the data. I tried not to get my hopes up. But the technician had some special tricks and miraculously managed to boot it up! He ran a couple of basic tests (which came back fine) and said that they could run more extensive tests for free but that I should first buy an external drive and back up my data (kids, please back up your data regularly! I hadn't done it since 2019 due to some software incompatibility and inertia). He also explained that repairs, if needed, would cost $500 and only come with a 3-month warranty, which would not make sense for such an old computer. So I will likely buy a new computer next week (I can get some credit for trade-in as well as an education discount), but at least this computer is not fully dead. I picked up an external drive to back up to and we came back home. I spent the evening catching up on 2 days of Tumblr and email, and then backed up my data.

[landlockedcorsair]

I think researching over the last few days kinda fucked me up. Unsure how to proceed. At least I know who I am. I just kinda regressed to the point that I can’t trust anyone and feel so so angry. TW: csa. Stop now if that’ll bother you.

I have three random memories that make no sense. I’ve known about then since I was 19. The memories are from when I was prolly 3-7yrs. They’re like snippets as sharp as if they were yesterday and then they go black.

I remember being at my grandparents house, playing with those stickers that pop up almost like a 3d effect. It was Simba and Nala stickers. Anyways, I could see the dust against the light shining through my grandmas white-doily curtains. Then there was a presence. The memory ends.

I’m in a bright room. My mom sent me to some two-week birdwatching camp with people I’d never met before. On the first day, I was forced to kill an abandoned baby bird and was trying to avoid people in that bright room. Someone started talking to me; I didn’t look at her, I was scratching at the paint on the edge of the closet. She said her pussy tastes like peaches and I don’t remember anything else about being at that camp or when left.

We went to my stepdad’s parents house in the winter. His two younger brothers lived there. I went into the “woods” with Matt to adventure. He was the youngest, just a couple years older than me. Suddenly something happened, idk what, but some alleged danger. He insisted that we climb into a tree. He was behind me. It was very cold out. I remember feeling his breath, hot against the back of my neck, and so hot behind my ears and then memory over.

Like, I know what happened at this point. First story is probably the marine kid my grandparents fostered, second is whoever tf my mom handed me off to, and the third is pretty blatant. I refused to take showers for years (baths only) because I would flip the fuck out of anything warm touched the back of my ears. What’s fucked up is I kinda have an impression of two others and I don’t even wanna fucking acknowledge them. It’s not okay. I don’t wanna remember them.

One of my previous landlords went to prison for cp. My partner and I have been kinda losing it since. I guess the disassociation makes sense now. My memory is shit, but I’d prefer it be swiss cheese, rather than know what happened after those memories end.

My life has been shit. Why’d it have to be this way? What is the point of this? Did it make any difference? Or was it arbitrary suffering? Why do I remember the chapel so well? What is this all for?

[rockislandadultreads]

Read-Alike Friday: What an Owl Knows by Jennifer Ackerman

A World on the Wing by Scott Weidensaul

In the past two decades, our understanding of the navigational and physiological feats that enable birds to cross immense oceans, fly above the highest mountains, or remain in unbroken flight for months at a stretch has exploded. What we’ve learned of these key migrations—how billions of birds circumnavigate the globe, flying tens of thousands of miles between hemispheres on an annual basis—is nothing short of extraordinary.

Bird migration entails almost unfathomable endurance, like a sparrow-sized sandpiper that will fly nonstop from Canada to Venezuela—the equivalent of running 126 consecutive marathons without food, water, or rest—avoiding dehydration by "drinking" moisture from its own muscles and organs, while orienting itself using the earth’s magnetic field through a form of quantum entanglement that made Einstein queasy. Crossing the Pacific Ocean in nine days of nonstop flight, as some birds do, leaves little time for sleep, but migrants can put half their brains to sleep for a few seconds at a time, alternating sides—and their reaction time actually improves.

These and other revelations convey both the wonder of bird migration and its global sweep, from the mudflats of the Yellow Sea in China to the remote mountains of northeastern India to the dusty hills of southern Cyprus. This breathtaking work of nature writing from Pulitzer Prize finalist Scott Weidensaul also introduces readers to those scientists, researchers, and bird lovers trying to preserve global migratory patterns in the face of climate change and other environmental challenges.

The Glitter in the Green by Jon Dunn

Hummingbirds are a glittering, sparkling collective of over three hundred wildly variable species. For centuries, they have been revered by indigenous Americans, coveted by European collectors, and admired worldwide for their unsurpassed metallic plumage and immense character. Yet they exist on a knife-edge, fighting for survival in boreal woodlands, dripping cloud forests, and subpolar islands. They are, perhaps, the ultimate embodiment of evolution's power to carve a niche for a delicate creature in even the harshest of places.

Traveling the full length of the hummingbirds' range, from the cusp of the Arctic Circle to near-Antarctic islands, acclaimed nature writer Jon Dunn encounters birders, scientists, and storytellers in his quest to find these beguiling creatures, immersing us in the world of one of Earth's most charismatic bird families.

Sentient by Jackie Higgins

Perfect for fans of The Soul of an Octopus and The Genius of Birds, this book explores how we process the world around us through the lens of the incredible sensory capabilities of thirteen animals, revealing that we are not limited to merely five senses.

There is a scientific revolution stirring in the field of human perception. Research has shown that the extraordinary sensory powers of our animal friends can help us better understand the same powers that lie dormant within us.

From the harlequin mantis shrimp with its ability to see a vast range of colors, to the bloodhound and its hundreds of millions of scent receptors; from the orb-weaving spider whose eyes recognize not only space but time, to the cheetah whose ears are responsible for its perfect agility, these astonishing animals hold the key to better understanding how we make sense of the world around us.

Flight Paths by Rebecca Heisman

For the past century, scientists and naturalists have been steadily unravelling the secrets of bird migration. How and why birds navigate the skies, traveling from continent to continent—flying thousands of miles across the earth each fall and spring—has continually fascinated the human imagination, but only recently have we been able to fully understand these amazing journeys. Although we know much more than ever before, even the most enthusiastic birdwatcher may not know how we got here, the ways that the full breadth of scientific disciplines have come together to reveal these annual avian travels. 

Flight Paths is the never-before-told story of how a group of migration-obsessed scientists in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries engaged nearly every branch of science to understand bird migration—from where and when they take off to their flight paths and behaviors, their destinations and the challenges they encounter getting there. Uniting curious minds from across generations, continents, and disciplines, bird enthusiast and science writer Rebecca Heisman traces the development of each technique used for tracking migratory birds, from the first attempts to mark individual birds to the cutting-edge technology that lets ornithologists trace where a bird has been, based on unique DNA markers. Along the way, she touches on the biggest technological breakthroughs of modern science and reveals the almost-forgotten stories of the scientists who harnessed these inventions in service of furthering our understanding of nature (and their personal obsession with birds).

[anniekoh]

I've been slowly, tentatively learning about birds and going out to bird, courtesy of the Bird Alliance of Oregon and the Feminist Bird Club. And of course, reading a zillion books about birds. Find More Birds is super helpful and I loved Slow Birding for its focus on the often overlooked "common" birds. The third book is on my to read list!

Find More Birds: 111 Surprising Ways to Spot Birds Wherever You Are

by Heather Wolf (2023)

"Packed with excellent photos and tips, deeply relatable anecdotes, and a palpable sense of joy, this gem of a book will make you a better birder."—Rosemary Mosco, author of A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching Seeing more birds than you ever imagined and witnessing exciting avian drama is possible—whether you're on the go or in your own neighborhood, local park, or backyard. As Heather Wolf explains, it all comes down to how you tune in to the show happening around you, the one in which birds—highly skilled at staying under the radar—are the stars. In Find More Birds, Heather shares her very best tactics—and the jaw-dropping photographs they helped her capture. Look for birds at their favorite "restaurants"— from leaf litter to berry bushes, and ball fields to small patches of mud. Watch for "tree bark" that moves . . . you may find it has feathers. Try simply sitting on the ground for a revealing new perspective. Plus, special tips point the way to crowd favorites such as hummingbirds, owls, and eagles—and can't-miss bird behaviors. As your senses sharpen and "noticing" becomes second nature, Find More Birds will turn your daily routines into bird-finding adventures, too. Whether you're strolling down the block or parking your car, you never know what will surprise you next!

Slow Birding: The Art and Science of Enjoying the Birds in Your Own Backyard

by Joan E. Strassmann (2022)

Many birders travel far and wide to popular birding destinations to catch sight of rare or “exotic” birds. In Slow Birding, evolutionary biologist Joan E. Strassmann introduces readers to the joys of birding right where they are. In this inspiring guide to the art of slow birding, Strassmann tells colorful stories of the most common birds to be found in the United States—birds we often see but might not have considered deeply before. For example, northern cardinals thrive in the city, where they are free from predators. White brows on a male white-throated sparrow indicate that he is likely to be a philanderer. This essential guide to the fascinating world of common, everyday birds features: detailed portraits of individual bird species and the scientists who have discovered and observed themadvice and guidance on what to look for when slow birding, so that you can uncover clues to the reasons behind specific bird behaviorsbird-focused activities that will open your eyes more to the fascinating world of birds     Slow Birding is the perfect guide for the birder looking to appreciate the beauty of the birds right in their own backyard, observing keenly how their behaviors change from day to day and season to season.

The Private Lives of Public Birds: Learning to Listen to the Birds Where We Live

by Jack Gedney (2022)

Jack Gedney's studies of birds provide resonant, affirming answers to the questions: Who is this bird? In what way is it beautiful? Why does it matter? Masterfully linking an abundance of poetic references with up-to-date biological science, Gedney shares his devotion to everyday Western birds in fifteen essays. Each essay illuminates the life of a single species and its relationship to humans, and how these species can help us understand birds in general. A dedicated birdwatcher and teacher, Gedney finds wonder not only in the speed and glistening beauty of the Anna's hummingbird, but also in her nest building. He acclaims the turkey vulture's and red-tailed hawk's roles in our ecosystem, and he venerates the inimitable California scrub jay's work planting acorns. Knowing that we hear birds much more often than we see them, Gedney offers his expert's ear to help us not only identify bird songs and calls but also understand what the birds are saying. The crowd at the suet feeder will never look quite the same again. Join Gedney in the enchanted world of these not-so-ordinary birds, each enlivened by a hand-drawn portrait by artist Anna Kus Park.

[olivia-anderson-fanfic]

Soulmarks, Part 2

First part

~~~

She sighed and rested her hands on her hips, her fingers carefully detaching her yoyo.

They were giving her orders, she could tell from their tone, but she couldn’t understand a word he was saying. She barely spoke English outside of a few vague lessons she’d had when she was a kid, and they were talking too fast for her to catch a single word.

“You know, I’d love to do that, but I don’t speak English.”

The person paused at this, and then they switched to fluent French: “Oh, sorry. Turn around slowly and don’t make any sudden moves.”

She slowly turned around, resting her hands behind her back. His gun lowered slightly to point at her legs and she let herself relax a little bit. A shot would be absolutely terrible, but at least he wasn’t actively trying to kill her.

She flashed Nightwing a bright smile. “Why, hello, sir!”

He raised his eyebrows slightly. “Who are you and what are you doing here?”

“I’m Ladybug...” They didn’t know who she was, so she didn’t have to hide her yoyo. She pulled it out from behind her back and started doing tricks with it to let out some of her nervous energy. “And, well, I’m here because I think my soulmate is in trouble. Apparently you, Batman, and Batgirl all know them.”

Nightwing’s eyebrows disappeared behind his bangs. “Uh… can you prove that?”

“See, the problem with that is most of my soulmarks have disappeared for them. All of them, actually.”

“Oh.” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “I guess I’ll explain it to you…”

“Oh! No, they’re not dead! I thought they were, but then a new soulmark appeared and it’s… weird? Weirder than their normal ones, at least...”

She trailed off. Her eyes narrowed slightly. He’d certainly phrased the ‘I’ll explain it to you’ thing oddly, it was almost as if there was someone else there that she didn’t know about.

Her eyes searched the area for a sign of movement as she continued: “I don’t know if you can make sense of it. It’s a gun, but it’s one of those fake ones with the little flags that say ‘BANG’ you see in cartoons…”

Her eyes spotted a flickering in the shadows and she cringed mentally. Damn, she hated it when she was right. Whoever they were, she couldn’t see a glint of metal. So it was probably safe to assume they didn’t have a weapon out --.

“Where was it?”

She pulled her attention back to Nightwing. “Over my heart. Do you know what it means?”

He obviously knew, but he seemed hesitant to say anything. This really didn’t help her anxiety about the situation. He’d been prepared to tell her that her soulmate was dead, so just how bad could this be?

He opened his mouth to tell her, but he was cut off as a gun went off a few blocks away.

Listen, she wasn’t proud of it. But she was anxious... and it was at least two-on-one... and he’d had a gun pointed at her. She latched her yoyo around his wrist.

His eyes found their way to the polka-dotted yoyo and shock flickered across his face. “You’re-- oh sh --!”

She threw him to the next building without thinking and brought her hands up to her mouth as he crashed into a wall. Oops. He was a human.

She wheeled around to find Batgirl and held up her hands with a weak smile. What was the English word? “Sor-ree,” she said. She pointed the woman in the direction of the gunshot. “Can you? I’ll fix ‘im.”

Batgirl was apparently stunned enough by what Marinette had said that she complied.

She quickly hopped over to where Nightwing was and cringed as she summoned her lucky charm. The first thing she thought of popped into her hand: a computer mouse. “Sorrysorrysorrysorrysorry,” she mumbled.

He could only groan in response.

“Miraculous Ladybug,” she said.

He was enveloped in ladybugs and, when they cleared, he was patting himself with a shocked expression. “What the-- how did-- why--?”

“I really didn’t mean to hurt you, I swear. Are you alright?”

“I’m… fine, apparently,” he assured her. He slowly pushed himself to his feet and gave her a weak smile. “Well… that was certainly one way to meet the inlaws.”

“HUH?”

~

She let them escort her, blindfolded, to the batcave.

Did she think it was stupid and unnecessary? Yes, she was already lost enough without the whole blindfold thing. Did she care? No, if this is what it would take to figure out if her soulmate was okay she would do it.

The blindfold was whipped off her face and a gasp left her lips.

“Oh, I need to get me one of these.”

Nightwing laughed and Marinette felt her face warm. She’d meant to be quieter.

She was allowed to wander around while Nightwing explained the situation to Batman and Batgirl. She tried not to laugh at all the names on plaques starting with ‘Bat’. She wondered if Nightwing was actually called BatNightwing.

“Ladybug!” Called possibly-BatNightwing.

She smiled awkwardly as she walked over. She perched herself on a railing.

Batman handed her a tiny device and she raised her eyebrows.

“It’ll translate everything so we can all speak in our native languages,” he explained calmly.

She nodded and placed it in her ear and pressed on. Lights flickered in front of her eyes and she stared at the interface in front of her with a stunned expression.

She reached up and selected her language and then waved for them to go ahead.

“Your soulmate is Tim Drake. He went missing on patrols about three weeks ago,” explained Batman.

Her eyes widened at the text in front of her and she pulled out her yoyo again. Her soulmate was a vigilante? You’d think she know about it from her soulmarks...

“What was his hero name?”

Nightwing shook his head. “Vigilante, not hero. And Robin.”

She hit herself in the face with her yoyo. Ah, so he wasn’t an avid birdwatcher, he was a bird-themed vigilante. She supposed that did make sense, considering her chosen career path.

Batgirl crossed her arms over her chest. “And you swear it’s a gag gun?”

“Do I have a reason to lie?”

Batgirl shrugged a little bit.

Batman seemed to think for a minute before sighing. “She’s a child, we can’t tell her this.”

“A child who launched that guy --” she jabbed a finger towards Nightwing “-- across some rooftops.” She smiled brightly. “So, how about we start talking, please?”

Batman sighed again. “No need for threats. We think he’s been captured by Joker.”

“And Joker is…?”

“A Rogue -- or I guess you would know of him as a criminal or villain. He’s pretty big here,” explained Batgirl.

She nodded slowly. That explained the deck of cards that had been on her back since she was a child. She started messing with her yoyo again.

“So, he was captured by Joker and…?”

Everyone looked at the oldest to explain, and Batman shook his head slightly. “He’s seemed to have lost his identity, if everything has disappeared.”

She thought about this for a minute and her face paled. What could Joker have done to him for him to lose his identity? She found herself hoping he’d just gotten hit too hard on the head once and lost his memory. That was the best case scenario.

Somehow, she doubted it.

“Right, so how do we save him?”

~

The Batmobile was… cramped.

The thing was huge, but there was very little actual room to sit for anyone besides Batman. Nightwing joked that it was almost as if he didn’t want anyone else in there.

In the end, Marinette got to sit in the passenger’s seat while Nightwing and Batgirl cursed their father out from the roof of the car. Sure, they were going slower than usual so no one would fall off and die, but it couldn’t be fun. She messed with her summoned yoyo (yes, she summoned a yoyo with her yoyo, what of it?) as she listened in to make sure they didn’t fall.

All too soon and yet far too late, they stopped at the gates to Arkham Asylum. She and Batman climbed out and helped the others down.

They all hopped the fence and Marinette sent a cheeky grin as she slipped through the bars.

Nightwing sighed. “I wish I was that tiny again.”

She gave a quiet laugh.

Everyone’s slight smiles dropped off their faces as they entered the asylum.

A shiver ran through her at the singing that floated through the mostly abandoned building. Everyone exchanged glances and then Nightwing and Batgirl split off.

She and Batman made their way through the halls, following the sound. She fought the temptation to curl in on herself or run away.

Batman sent her a look, a ‘stay back’, and then burst through the door.

Marinette slowly inched around the door as well, looking for cover. The place looked like Picasso had tried to make a house. There were walls where there shouldn’t be and an extra floor that just jutted out from the wall. Typical household items were placed around at random. It felt warped and… wrong.

The woman cut herself off and set a vase of flowers on the table. She turned around and looked up at the chair. “Puddin’, company!”

Marinette took the chance to dive under the table.

Her eyes landed on a… was that a bazooka? She’d never seen one in person before, and being so close to it made her anxious. She scooted as far away from it as she could. Her fingers pulled up the tablecloth slightly and she ducked down to see what was going on.

The man in the chair turned around to look and then smiled. “Hello there,” he said, stepping down. “Welcome to our happy abode!”

Joker and the woman embraced each other.

Batman didn’t humor them. “Where’s Robin?”

The couple looked at each other with mock confusion. “Robin? There’s no Robin here!”

“Maybe he means our little J!”

“Of course!” Joker snapped his fingers. “That’s it!”

They both looked at a blue curtain and Batman scowled as he strode towards it.

The woman giggled and reached under the table, her hand poking Marinette’s face. She made a quiet sound in the back of her throat and continued on, grabbing the bazooka. “Uh-uh! No peeking!”

Marinette’s eyes widened in horror as she pointed it at Batman but, before she could react, she pulled the trigger.

Ribbon wrapped around him.

She breathed a sigh of relief.

“Mommy’s little helper!” Said the woman brightly.

Joker pressed a kiss to her cheek. “You know, bats, we’ve been doing this little runaround of ours for years. It’s been loads of laughs, but the sad fact is…” He stepped towards the curtain. “None of us are getting any younger.”

“That old clock’s a-tickin!”

“Quite right, poo. And Harley and I were thinking it was time to start a family. Add a Joker Jr. to our merry brood.”

“But rather than go through all the joy of childbirth, we decided to adopt.”

“We couldn’t do it legally, but then we remembered you always had a few spare kids hanging around!”

Harley beamed and suddenly grabbed one of Marinette’s pigtails. A curse slipped from her lips as she was pulled out from under the table. “Whoops! There’s another one!”

“A surplus, really!” Joker grinned more widely than ever. “So we borrowed one.”

He pulled back the curtain with a dramatic flourish to reveal… an operating table?

She looked at the person on the table and felt bile rise in her throat. Their skin was blotchy white and paper-like from bleach treatments. Their eyes were unblinking and nearly pupil-less. The smile on their face was so wide that it had to have been stretched somehow.

“He needed a little molding, of course. What kid doesn’t? But, in time, we came to love him as our own. Say hello, J.J.”

The person started to laugh. The kind of laugh someone makes when they’re trying their hardest not to cry. They hopped down and laughed harder, their arms clutching their stomach as a few stray tears slid down his face.

~~~

Next part

Every time I think I know how long a fic is going to be I’m wrong help --

Taglist

@pawsitivelymiraculous @golden-promises @salty-fang @kitsunebell @sassakitty @octobitch @glastwime859 @miyla-lokidottir @onlyabatfan @ira-sairain @2confused-2doanything @ultimatetornshipper

[dansnaturepictures]

08/11/2021-A great day of birds at Lakeside and home 

I enjoyed seeing the Jay flying past the house again this morning as I did on Friday which was fantastic, and my first Blackbird out the back for a while too. Since I took part in the Global Bird Weekend October Big Day early last month, which required submitting bird sightings via eBird something I didn’t have or use before, I have been quite allured by the idea of submitting more of my bird sightings via eBird as it seems a very enjoyable thing to do and something I like doing and quite a worthy thing to help build this global picture of which birds are where. I have been considering the past few weeks how I could work submitting birds to this more often in with what I already do whilst making sure the recording element doesn’t take my focus away from being outside when out and that is doesn’t add too much of a task to my evenings. Lakeside the country park outside our house is a hotspot on the site and I especially feel I could contribute with sightings here I was happy to see when getting eBird it has already fairly extensively had checklists submitted for it. 

So the idea I have come up with is that I will submit an eBird checklist from one of my walks, so count every species on the walk, once a month. I will do this around the days the Big Days seems to fall in May and October so it’ll be the start of months roughly, so the big days can form part of it. I will mostly focus on Lakeside to hopefully give a good picture of the differences at times of year, but may do some at other places if I feel like it on a month. I did a little project in some down time last week where I checked my patch list and every bird species I’d ever seen at Lakeside that I had enough data on that wasn’t already on the eBird hotspot at any time I retrospectively submitted. Of course if its later found that something or lots of things I’ve seen somewhere is very significant, I can always submit just that bird or a checklist after it has happened. If I get patch ticks at Lakeside going forward it makes sense to submit at least that bird to eBird on the night to keep the picture building. I had planned the Lakeside walk checklist today but I did an impromptu one for a bit of time from my room mostly from little glances whilst working as I sit facing out the window so the Jay and Blackbird were right on cue. Pied Wagtail made a great sighting in the garden and on my walk out the front today too. I just joked to my Mum that I’m maybe a Redwing sighting at Lakeside away from declaring it winter as we go into November and some of the wintery birds or seasonal birds in places I have noticed the Pied Wagtails returning to the garden one. I of course know autumn has a course to run yet. 

Here is the link to the checklist I did at Lakeside at lunch time in case anyone is interested: https://ebird.org/checklist/S97318295 but in the Wildlife Sightings Summary below for today as I have this data written down I have done two for at home and on the walk with the number of each bird I saw during the time counting. What I would say again like the Big Day and the Great Solent Birdwatch I did at the same reserve Lymington-Keyhaven later on last month is once again with both the from home and at Lakeside lists it really made me thrilled and it was quite eye opening just how much I saw in terms of the total species. I would say I always watch for birds when out and in certain moments out the window of course its what started my hobby but when you start to quantify and really list it you suddenly think wow I saw a lot of that. Moorhen an example that stuck in my mind today I will very often see them at Lakeside and put them in the Wildlife Sightings Summary but I probably rarely think wow I’ve seen nine Moorhens on my walk. Admittedly I did get to inspect all three lakes in the binoculars today I think that idea of I’m doing this count which I’ll only do monthly I need to try and get as many species seen as possibly drove me to do a fuller walk so I maybe had more opportunity to see Moorhens than the usual lunch time walk. But I think that’s another key reason I only want to do this monthly as it almost preserves that novelty and fresh perspective on what I’m seeing and appreciating how much. One thing I’ve decided I want to keep separate to any eBirding, at least the setting out to do a count on a walk is New Year’s Day and the opening days of my bird year list in January but I think doing this today as I am sure it will if I decide to do one in December too really made me look forward to that time and the mindset I’m in for it by really checking every bird and getting as much in the binoculars as possible. 

Other standout birds at Lakeside today were an equally right on cue Cormorant flying high over not one I had seen at or around Lakeside for a while, three Tufted Ducks, nice views of Long-tailed and Great Tit, two Wrens heard as you can say what you heard too, notably high numbers of Black-headed Gull, Mallard (including a pair on the shore of beach lake in the second picture I took today in this photoset) and Magpie my top three species and not surprisingly, Coot and Moorhen which I took the fifth and sixth picture in this photoset of I liked seeing these two photos together as its quite good for comparisons of the similar species and I like how they’re in the same position in the shots and three Great Crested Grebes including one of the young ones which I enjoyed an intimate view of on Kornwestheim lake as it made its way onto the adjoining Concorde lake I took the fourth picture in this photoset of this bird.  

I took the first, third, seventh, eighth and ninth pictures in this photoset of views at Lakeside at lunch time including nice yellow autumn leaves again. Before getting back into the house I was happy to notice Goldfinches one shown in the tenth picture in this photoset sat in a tree out the front a really beautiful charm of them to see flitting around I saw a charm nicely at Lakeside too. Then a Blue Tit bounded out of the front garden which was great to see come in.

Wildlife Sightings Summary: (Lakeside) One of my favourite birds the Great Crested Grebe [3], Magpie [19], Carrion Crow [6], Jackdaw [7],  Woodpigeon [10], Feral Pigeon [13], Pied Wagtail [1], House Sparrow [2], Blackbird [5], Great Tit [1], Long-tailed Tit [1], Starling [7], Goldfinch [10], Robin [3], Black-headed Gull [62], Mallard [31], Tufted Duck [3], Moorhen [9], Coot [3] , Cormorant [1] and I heard Wren [2]. (Home) One of my favourite birds the Jay [1], Feral Pigeon [10], Woodpigeon [2], Collared Dove [9], Jackdaw [3], Carrion Crow [1], Blue Tit [1], Starling [32], House Sparrow [8], Blackbird [1], Goldfinch [3], Pied Wagtail [1], Black-headed Gull [4] and Herring Gull [1].

*[ ] = Amount seen or heard 

[llatimeria]

Favourite birds?

ive answered bird questions like three times now but just for you anon... more birds

since learning abt local pnw birds for both rehab-volunteer and birdwatching purposes ive become Excessively Fond of the backyard birds in my area. like i used to just kind of write most local birds off as boring and all of the cool ones were off in some exotic location somewhere but ,,, i like the birds here. even the ones that are objectively just kind of . birds. like these 

dark-eyed juncos, one of the first birds i was able to competently identify that wasn’t just common knowledge (crow, pigeon, robin, etc). they’re teeny tiny little things that i see in basically every yard and parking lot out here. probably the most interesting thing i know about them is that they come in a few different flavors but the only ones i’ve ever seen in person/can ID with ease are the oregon ones

since it’s literally just. Q: is it small? A: yes.Q2: is its head black? A: yes. that’s a junco you did it you identified the dark-eyed junco. they also have really convenient black-and-white bars on their tail feathers for when you accidentally scare one from behind and it flies away from you while you’re trying to ID it

i swear at this point you could show me a single frame of a junco in flight and i’d be able to figure out it’s a junco just from that

i am also fond of northern flickers, as they are the only animal that actually (minorly) injured me when i was rehabbing baby birds a couple summers ago. it wasn’t a lot it just climbed onto my arm and refused to get down because it was being a shitty little bastard of an animal and its little claws gave me some light scratches but considering how little hands-on stuff i actually did with animals capable of injuring me that was genuinely the worst injury i got there that wasn’t self-inflicted

anyways these are the bastards. they’re just fancy woodpeckers with some really, really pretty plumage. like the junco, they also come in multiple flavors:

(red-shafted and yellow-shafted)

but we only really get the red-shafted ones out here; the yellow ones live on the eastern half of their range

You would think i’d notice such a visually striking bird more often before i started actually birdwatching but I really hadn’t seen them at all before I started looking? but they’re actually really common and not hard to find. especially because they’re loud bastards and now that i know what their calls sound like i hear them All The Time 

though my confidence in identifying them by sound has been shaken by a Stellar’s Jay that was hanging out in my backyard a couple weeks ago and I swear i Watched it make the noise that I was Attributing to a flicker and i Thought I must’ve just mixed up the calls in my head at some point but as I was writing this I checked allaboutbirds and apparently

THEY JUST STRAIGHT UP IMITATE FLICKERS. WHAT THE FUCK. IS THAT WHAT I SAW???? I had no idea stellar’s jays had mimic abilities until now it makes sense they’re corvids which are secretly really good at mimicry but oh my god this explains so much. i am right about the noise flickers make. jays are just fucking bastards

[rpsocsandcanonohmy]

Camping 101

Summary:

You know that imfamous 2017 camping trip that August insisted required double checking all the supplies on the list for because they left the tent at home that year? Yeah. This is that.

Rating:

General Audiences/Everyone

Pairing:

Emily Walker/Cordell Walker

Tags/Warnings:

Camping, arguing, cursing

WC:

1154

@walker-bingo Square filled:

Free Space

A/N:

Nothing. Enjoy!

Emily Walker liked camping. Well, she liked the idea of camping anyway. The actual act was always rather tedious and dirty and tiring. But things don’t have to be good to be good, right? It was about the family bonding time that came from completely isolating yourselves from the world and roughing it for a few days at a time.

If only the rest of the family shared her opinion….

If only….

“August stole my sleeping bag!”

“It has my name on it!”

“Yeah, because you just wrote it there!”

“Kids, enough!”

Emily sighed and rubbed her temples as her family argued against the lovely backdrop of the woods. It was a scenic picture, if you didn’t mind angry people in your scenery. The first day was always the hardest. After a few hours cooped up in the car together listening to Cordell’s only Pandora station and the kids bickering over who was encroaching on the other’s side of the seat, they were free to really have at each other. By the time they got camp set up and a fire going, they’ll be calmed down and muttering apologies and stuffing their faces with PB&Js. Tomorrow they’d wake up grouchy because sleeping in sleeping bags was never as fun as advertised but once they had breakfast they’d be in better spirits. Then August would remember he was a ametuer birdwatcher and want to get out in the woods and Stella would remember when she had a serious rock collection and find a stream that had nice rocks and Cordell would find peace in doing monotonous tasks like looking for firewood and they’d all be having a good time. 

Right now, she just needed to find the tent. She knew it was packed in the bed of the truck...somewhere. It was crossed off the list. She saw it when they were loading up. Granted, she didn’t see it go in the truck since she had to go solve a packing emergency with Stella but Cordell said he’d handle it so it should be here. It had to be.

“Cordi? Did you pack everything that was by the truck?”

“Yes, Em, I packed everything. Even the picnic blanket we never use.” 

“Are you positive?”

“Yes, Emily.” She heard a very deep and exasperated sigh. “What are we missing?”

She chewed on her bottom lip. “...The tent.”

There was a long beat of silence. While she couldn’t see her husband, she could imagine the face journey he was going through trying to keep his reaction in check. Anger to confusion to frustration to annoyance to “Let me take a look; you handle the kids.”

Emily plastered a smile on her face and hopped down to see what they were arguing over now. After a few minutes of Mommy Moderator, she heard the worrying sound of soft cursing.

“Are you sure you put it with the rest of the stuff?”

“Yeah; it was the first thing I checked off the list. I put it right in the front of the pile so we wouldn’t forget it.”

Cordell shook his head. “No, that’s where you put the picnic blanket. I remember because I had to put it in first so I wouldn’t trip over it packing up everything else.”

Her brow furrowed and she heard Stella and August quiet down, probably noticing there was a bigger problem. “No, that was the tent. It was all rolled up by the sleeping bags in the corner of the attic, where we always put it.”

“Yeah, we put the picnic blanket there too because it fits right on top.”

“No, I-” Emily froze and suddenly remembered counting out five rolls from what was in the attic. There had been one left over. 

Dammit.

“...You packed the picnic blanket instead of the tent.” 

“....Yeah….”

Cordell let out a long suffering sigh, scrubbing a hand over his face. He was holding back. “I...am going to look for firewood.” He was going to kick a tree or two while he was at it.

She smiled at the kids, trying to elevate the mood. “How about snacks? I bet we could all use some snacks. I packed Oreos!” 

The campsite was quiet for a while. After a few minutes, Emily decided she should go check on her husband and make sure he hadn’t done anything that would get them banned from the campgrounds. August and Stella would be alright on their own for the time it would take her to find him and get him back. As long as he didn’t manage to hurt himself in the five minutes he was gone (it wouldn’t be the first time but that was a story for another day).

Emily found him sitting against the trunk of a big tree with his hat pulled over his face. She sighed and sat next to him. 

"Hey."

"Hey."

"You wanna go home?"

He sighed and put his hat down. "I didn't really wanna come out here in the first place."

"Hey-"

"I know, I know. 'Things don't have to be good to be good'." He smiled a little smile. "That makes absolutely no sense."

"I know." She leaned against him, resting her head against his shoulder. "I think we can rent a tent from the people who run this place. Or buy something at the supply shop."

He sighed and reached for her hand. "I guess we can try that. Better than packing up and going home after 10 whole minutes of quality bonding time."

"Come on then; we should get back before Stella and August find something else to argue over."

They made their way back to the campsite hand in hand. It was peaceful, all things considered. Birds in the trees, squirrels running all over…. This was another thing she liked about camping. This was the kind of quiet you couldn't get in the city. It was nice.

They got back to the site to find...more peace. Which was weird for day 1 of camping with the kids. And that’s when they saw It.

"-tie that part down there aaannnddd DONE!" Stella proudly stepped back from her creation.

It wasn’t pretty. It was far from perfect. It would need proper support from something besides a few sticks and hair ties. It probably wouldn’t fit all of them. It might fall over in the next small breeze. But, somehow, Stella put together a makeshift shelter with that damn picnic blanket.

Cordell chuckled softly and let go of Emily’s hand before going over and giving the structure a proper inspection. August was sitting off to the side with Emily’s camera and she’d bet good money he documented the whole creative process in cockeyed and slightly blurry glory. Stella happily told her father the whole story of putting it together.

Emily stayed where she was, watching her family with a small smile.

She really loved these camping trips.

[mhdiaries]

Monster Exchange Lorna McNessie Passport

5-30

So this is how ma day started: “Lorna McNessie, please report tae the Dead Master’s office.” Uh, oh. It’s usually nae good when you hear your name vibratin’ oot of a classroom speaker. As I left the room I could hear ma classmates giggling behind me; this nae bein’ the fiercst time I’d made the long walk tae the office. I was pretty sure this time it must be aboot me photo bombing the faculty fearbook picture. I just couldna help ma self; there they all were in their robes and finery, looking all stern and teacher-like, and there was that window behind them. I was drawn tae it like a werewolf tae a full moon, and even then I only stuck ma face in for one snap... or two... so I didna think it would cause a fuss. I stood outside the Dead Master’s door, drew a deep breath and got me, “Yes, I should have known better” apology ready. Then I knocked and stuck ma head in. “You wanted tae see me, sir?” He was on the phone and he waved me in and pointed tae a chair. I sat down while kept talkin’ tae the monster on the other end. “Ay, academically strong.” He just listened for a moment and then laughed himself tae tears. “Nae, nae, ‘twas something ye said struck me funny. I can assure you that self-confidence will nae be an issue with this one, Headmistress Bloodgood. Thank you for yer time, as well, and I’m sure we’ll speak again soon. Goodbye.” The Dead Master hung up the phone and leaned back in his chair. “That was Headless Headmistress Bloodgood from Monster High. She’s accepted you application for the monster exchange program.” I couldna believe it, which seemed tae be an opinion shared by the Dead Master. I asked if that was the reason he called me tae his office. He said, “Nae - ‘twas merely a happy accident. But since you’re here, I suppose I shouldna have tae tell you that you’ll be representing our school, and I’ll expect you tae be on your beast behaviour.” I told him that, of course, I would, and that I would make the school proud. “Very good. Now let’s have a little chat aboot the faculty fearbook photo, shall we?”

6-5

Ma parents are understandably cautious aboot me leaving the loch tae attend Monster High. I don’t blame them, though; it is in their nature tae be so. Sometimes they look at me like I’m an alien when I tell them aboot ma latest photo bomb adventure, and then they just roll their eyes and say, “Just like your Gran.” I take that as a compliment, sine ma Gran is the scaly coolest monster ever! I went tae see her today tae tell the news that I’d be going to Monster High, and I think she was even more excited than me. She has a whole album of ma pictures, at least the ones I could get copies of, and she loves the stories behind them. She’s feisty, funny, and is an amazing storyteller. She can even make the ones I’ve heard a hundred times seem as new and exciting as the first time. Her stories aboot being a young ghoul in the loch are so funny, they make ma fins hurt. But one of her best tales is aboot the time I took her aboot on a photo bomb expedition. There is this bird that lives around the loch called the Three-Eyed Dusky Dragon Owl. They’re as rare as slug hair, and you mostly hear them rather than see them, but every so often a pair will build a nest some place near tae a road, and then monster bird watchers flock in... hehe... by the busload. Now it just so happened that the nest was at the bottom of a very steep cliff and on a branch that hung aboot over the water. I suggested tae Gran that we swim under water and pop our heads aboot as soon as the first birdwatchers started snapping photos, but Gran said, “Where’s the fun in that?” She didn’t want tae be in ONE picture, she wanted tae photo bomb them ALL. That’s why there is now a framed magazine cover over her mantel from the monster world’s most famous nature magazine. It features a nesting pair of Three-Eyed Dusky Dragon Owls, and two pieces of driftwood floating in the water behind them. If you look close enough you can almost see the driftwood giggling. 

6-15

I’ve been getting tons of messages from different ghouls at Monster High saying they are looking forward tae meeting me. Then tonight I got tae video chat wit Howleen and Twyla. Howleen was super bouncy, and Twyla seemed shy but funny. It seemed like they had as many questions for me as I had for them. I was especially curious tae know if Headless Headmistress Bloodgood had a sense of humor or nae. Howleen got an odd look on her face, then started tae say something, but didn’t. Twyla actually laughed oot loud. “That depends,” said Twyla, “on whether or not her office gets filled with packing peanuts on a day when she’s giving foreign digniscaries a tour of the school.” I started laughing and asked Howleen if she got into trouble for the prank. “I had to come in on Saturday, and she made me clean them up by hand one peanut at a time. It took all day.” I said it sounded like she was no fun a’tall. “Wait,” said Twyla giggling, “you have to hear what happened next.” Howleen leaned back, and with a smirk on her face said, “When I got to school on Monday and opened my locker, I got buried in a flood of packaging peanuts.” At this point Twyla fell off the chair she was sitting on, and I could hear her cracking up on the floor. “It wasn’t that funny, Twyla,” huffed Howleen. “Yes. It. Was.”   “Okay, Lorna, we’re going to go, now. Twyla has apparently lost her mind, and we’re going to need to try to find it.” I think I’m going to like Monster High, and with friends like these it’s nice to think I won’t have tae be swimming down stream like a lost salmon when I get there.

6-30

Got another surprise call tonight from a ghoul named Marisol Coxi. She’s a bigfoot from Monster Picchu, and she’s going to be at Monster High at the same time I am. She told me that Headless Headmistress Bloodgood gave her my number and said that we should get acquainted. Marisol is a bit larger than unlife, and I had tae turn down the volume when she was speaking tae me. At fiercst I was a bit taken aback, but her energy is so infectious, I couldne help but like her. We checked our schedules, and we’ll be arriving around the same time, so it’ll be nice tae have another new ghoul tae hang aboot with. I’m also hoping she’ll give me some pointers on how she does her nails. They were fabulous.

7-1

Mum and Gran made a monster dinner tonight and invited the whole family for ma going away party. All ma brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews and aunts and uncles and cousins were there tae celebrate. The table was full of ma favorite foods. There was Cullen Skink, Eyemouth pales, Kippers, tatties and herring, rollmops, smoked salmon, rumbledethumps, black puddings, and the grandest haggis you’ve ever set your eyes on. Then Mum brought aboot coffin berry scones, and of course the best shortbread in Rotland. Then the pipes and drums came oot, and we played and danced intae the wee hours. We even took a family photo, and for once it was a picture I didna have tae sneak intae.

7-5

Had ma last swim aboot the loch this morning, and it was pure magic. I love ma home, and even though I’m excited aboot going on the exchange tae Monster High, there’s nae danger that that I’ll ever want tae live any place else. I also saw a boatload of normies casting aboot for a chance tae take a photo of the “mysterious” creature that lives in the loch. All the grown folk were on one side of the boat with their cameras, and there was a bonnie wee lass on the opposite, just starin’ down intae the loch. So I swam up, stuck my head oot of the water and waved tae her. She smiled and waved back, and then I was gone. I imagine she’ll still be tellin’ that story when she’s a gran herself. 

[explorer-9-blog]

Treasure amidst the City

It was a lazy Sunday morning, I had just woken up, took my phone and plugged it for charging and sat on the sofa still waiting for my body to come out of slumber. This was a daily routine. I sat there gazing at the greenery outside from my living room balcony. My balcony faces the garden from where you can see the Ashoka trees with their thick foliage, few coconut trees at a distance and a badam tree and a peepal tree at the periphery. There is something soothing and calming in this sight of the leaves fluttering in the breeze, movement of birds from one tree to another and the melody of various bird sounds. Obviously the crows are the lead vocalists you hear but in the background one can hear the different artist pitching in and it is those artists and contributors that make it a melody.

So as I was saying, it was a typical start to the day and as I sat there my brother tells me that he just saw a crow sized black bird with brown wings flying and settling behind the thick floiage of Ashoka tree, intrigued I joined him in the balcony and now we were trying to get a glimpse of it, hoping the breeze would shuffle the leaves a bit or the bird would make a movement to enable us to get a sight of it. And just moments later we see the leaves move at a place due to the birds movement and a closer look gives us the glimpse of the light brown back of the bird. Its like a trailer which keeps us interested and as we keep looking at the tree we are able to track its movement behind the leaves as it is a big bird. Finally it comes and settles at one of the branches towards the outer end giving us a full view and it was a triumphant moment as our patience bore fruit. As we admired it's beauty we realized it bigger then a crow, I asked my brother to take a pic so that we can flaunt it but just as he went to get his phone the bird took flight stretching it's brown wings and it was a beautiful sight. My brother came back with the phone and I told him it's gone. Nature had done a good balancing act. He saw it come and settle. I saw it settle and leave.

The next step was to google the description and find out who the unexpected visitor was. The result was immediate. The beauty is called 'Crow pheasant' or 'the Greater coucal'. I liked the name greater coucal. It suits the image of the bird. Crow pheasant makes it sound ordinary and it was not ordinary. The internet image helped us admire it's finer details like it's orange eyes and the blackish Purple body. Step 3 was to share our discovery of sorts with fellow beings with its name and internet image. Wow what a start it was to my day and I sat there with a sense of joyous fulfillment.

The events of the morning took me down memory lane and to the reason why this plain looking at trees, listening to bird sounds and occasional rare bird specie sighting is so pleasing to me. And this friends is the treasure I want to reveal. My family moved in to this Mumbai society in 1986 right after yours truly was born. Since my childhood I remember not waking up to the alarm but chirping of sparrows. We didn't have ACs in those days and both the bedroom windows would be kept open to let the air pass and keep the room temperature pleasant. One of the bedroom windows had similar view as from my living room balcony being adjacent to each other. And the next bedroom window had a green curtain of sorts. And no I am not talikng about the cloth ones. Once you open the cloth curtain you will find a Ashoka tree almost hugging the window grill and this was the abode of the sparrows. And our society has these Ashoka trees at a distance of every 6 feet along the motorable road inside the colony. So that window was flanked by this Ashoka tree and one to its either side. As if this wasn't enough, we have a mango tree just behind these Ashoka trees, so even between those Ashoka trees all you can see was green. And in this way the sparrows became our early morning alarm. I don't see them much now and the sound has also gone down several notches. Also the AC being used now has made us close the window :(. So as kids we woke up with a natural alarm and mom and dad used to carry us to the living room and setlle us on the sofa there. And though we didn't value the sight from our balcony much then, we now realize it was paradise. With the years gone by the present day view from the balcony desribed above has changed a bit. In our childhood days the green from the Ashoka trees was complimented by a bright red gulmohar tree in its full bloom. This and a full grown cocnut tree with its branches spread out was what we saw every morning. This coconut tree was right in front of the balcony and the badam and peepal tree were visible from between it's branches then. If only I could do anything to have that sight again.

The parrots were regular early morning visitors of the coconut tree and unlike other kids we never found parrots rare or exotic as we used to see them everyday. The gulmohar had a charm of it's own. The blazing red had a different beauty during sunset with the mix of orange skies. When the red petals fell to the ground it seemed as if the gulmohar has a laid out a red carpet for residents of the society. We lost the coconut tree to pests and the gulmohar to construction of a building. Had instagram and camera phones existed then, my balcony view would have been my best muse. 

One other thing which is worth mentioning is the sweet sounds of the cuckoo that summers brought with them. The cuckoo has always been a frequent visitor. As kids you just enjoyed the sound and didn't take the pains to find the bird. That and the cuckoo made it difficult too. Everyone will agree it's not easy to spot one. But that too was accomplished when I sat to study in my bedroom window during my CA days. As opposed to a crow it had a slender body, longish tail and a smaller beak. Spotting a cuckoo till date is exciting as it's not as common as the parrots were. Summers also meant school vacations and I am glad that  unlike kids of today, we spent our childhood vacations in outdoor activities. We used to play cricket in the morning till lunch time and after lunch we used to meet again as sleep was considered waste of good vacation time. Tired from the morning cricket and full with lunch we used to just sit and chill in the afternoon. And the place to chill was our colony garden. We had a tree we called our own. This was a small tree bearing small white flowers with a 4-5 feet trunk and branches going upwards in all directions from the center. Thus once you climbed the trunk you had 4-5 strong branches to sit and lean on. The tree easily managed the weight of 4 ten year olds. And our afternoons were spent mostly sitting on the tree and at other times playing marbles in the soft red soild in its shade. As we grew up while the sitting on the tree remained the same the tree changed. The small white flower bearing tree no longer could fit us and we had our sights on bigger things. Now we could climb the trunk of the mango tree. Not the one near my bedroom balcony but the one in our garden. Yes we had 6 mango trees in the colony and the seventh one had its trunk outside but the fruit bearing portion was inside our colony. So the teenage afternoons were spent on the mango tree in the garden. We used to pluck mangoes targetting the fruit with rubber balls or using a bamboo to pluck them. The mango fruit is also of different varieties as we all know. And the tree in our garden had a peculier variety. The fruit was round and slighly bigger in size. We used to call it 'Laddu keri' cause of the round shape. And we took pride in it as this was nothing of the ordinary. After plucking the raw mangoes we used to ask the society Gardner to slice them for us and give us a mixture of salt and red chilli powder to eat with it. Till date it's a pleasure to see the mango trees in full bloom with the fruits just before the arrival of the monsoon. 

With so much greenary around the beautifully coloured butterflies and hyper active squirells were a common sight. But we have also spotted snakes in our garden while playing cricket and an owl twice or thrice at night. One thing i find silly now is the fact that we never stopped playing in the garden despite the snake sightings. We might have stopped a game a couple of times but we used to be back the next day or the same evening if we had stopped a game in the morning. Over the years I have seen many rare birds be it from my balcony or while studying for my CA on my terrace (cost me an attempt) [list below]. Nature, thus, was always an integral part of my growing up. No doubt it has a calming and soothing effect on me till date. This greenery around me is like a treasure in the midst of this hustling and bustling city.

Other notable bird visitors - 

Magpie Robin it's a songster very melodious

Purple rumped sunbird - small and elegant

White spotted fantail - its got a name from its look, yes it has a fanned tail.

Eurasian golden oriole - this was a rare sighting. I have never seen a yellow bird before and it wasn't difficult to find a yellow bird native to Mumbai on Google.

#nature #birds #birdlover #Mumbaibirds #birdwatcher

-Bhavik

[s-oulpunk]

The Denbrough Show - Chapter One

[taylorinthe20s]

blog post five: book review on How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell

1. What is your favorite quote from the book and why do you find it meaningful?

“Let's not forget that, in a time of increasing climate-related events, those who help you will likely not be your Twitter followers; they will be your neighbors.”

This quote is meaningful within my own life because as a fellow Gen-Z, my entire existence seems to be validated by my social media presence - which is ridiculous to say out loud, or rather - type. I am so much more than the amount of followers, likes, or comments I receive online. It is true that the ones who will help and support us most are the ones that we truly value in real life, in person.

2. Why do you think this book, released by indie publishing house Melville Press, has become an unexpected bestseller in Corona Times?

In a time where we were meant to “do nothing” during the pandemic, I think many turned to this book for answers. Being stuck in one's home every single day can be a lonely and crucial self-reflection period, and this particular book has an immense amount of knowledge on how to change your perspective of where you see yourself in this world. The New York Times described it as “A Manifesto for Opting Out of an Internet-Dominated World” and it is just that - how to detach yourself from your life online and becoming closer to the natural world around us. During Corona times, that is what was needed since we were seemingly forced to only have a presence online, rather than living a life in person.

3. How does the attention economy benefit from our social media activity and media streaming consumption?

The real question is, how does it not? That is what it is built on - activity and consumption. During my time in quarantine I watched the documentary The Social Dilemma and was horrified, and again after reading this novel, I had to come to the scary terms that the attention economy benefits from our endless screen time. Apps such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are primarily active agents in the attention economy before being communication platforms. This is due to the aesthetics, selfie culture, and business purposes where focus is now primarily on attention rather than communication.

4. How does this book relate to the topic of celebrity culture?

People's obsession with celebrities is heavily related to the attention economy and how this is seen through social media. Their digital presence receives thousands of likes, retweets, and self-comparison from “normal folks” who live life unseen from the constant public eye. Celebrities are the opposite of “doing nothing” as they are consistently photographed and are forced to have an online presence, even being in pages of gossip magazines shopping in grocery stores with the headline, “Celebrities - They’re Just Like Us!” - but they’re not. It is almost seemingly impossible for them to “do nothing” since they rely on their socials and standing, because they need the attention for their occupation.

5. Do you take digital detox breaks? If yes, describe them. Have they been more challenging during the quarantine era? Why?

Yes I do take digital detox breaks, because I really have to. Due to my mental health struggles, and my Gen-Z obsession with social media, I become too dependent on refreshing my feed or comparing myself to those who have a perfectly curated page to the point where it becomes mentally and physically draining. During these breaks I typically delete apps off my phone such as Instagram and Facebook, and try to stay off my phone as much as I can to focus on being present and giving time to things that feed my soul, rather than harm it. I have even started having my mom (since I am currently living at home during the pandemic) place my phone in another room at night so that I am not constantly staring at a screen or “refreshing” for no reason. Digital detox breaks have become more difficult within the quarantine era because as I stated earlier, this time has forced us to have an online presence more than ever as we have been unable to enjoy eachothers company in person. We do everything online, and now when you are off social media, you feel even more FOMO because it is the only thing we are seemingly able to see of each other's lives.

6. Do you sleep with your phone or computer? Are you aware of impacts on your sleep cycles and relaxation caused by overnight proximity?

I sleep with my phone right next to me on my bedside table pretty much every night, but my computer and desktop are on my desk across the room. I am aware of the very negative effects this has on your sleep, and am guilty of not putting in place the proper measures to help my sleep and relaxation - which I so desperately need. As I said within my last response, I have been trying to keep, and charge, my phone in another room other than my bedroom at night so that my screen time does not impact my sleep cycle. I have noticed that this has been very helpful, and I wake up feeling much more rested than I do when it is right next to me. What’s funny is that even though I know this can help, my anxiety always kicks in and I feel the “need” to have it next to me just in case - of course feeding into the very negative rabbit hole of FOMO.

7. What is the role of nature in Odell's book, in particular the role of birds? (P.S. Did you know that birdwatching has become a HUGE pastime in the Covid era with a Snow Owl becoming a celebrity in NYC's Central Park?

Observing birds requires you to do nothing - it is the opposite of looking something up online. You can’t look for birds - you can’t have it identify itself to you. All you can really do is walk and wait until you hear something and then stand motionless trying to figure out what type of bird it is or how it sounds. In Jenny’s experience, time stops during this activity. It allowed her to pay more attention to the environment around her - to actually hear birds sing and notice this. These retreats affect the way we see everyday life when we do come back to it.

(I also did not know that birdwatching had become a huge pastime in the COVID era, but it does warm my heart to hear so. I have always found myself noticing birds in my surrounding environment when others don’t, so to read this within the book was comforting to me.)

8. Experiment: Leave your phone at home for one hour to take a walk in your neighborhood. Write down your observations when you return and draw a map of your path. What did you observe?  Take a photo of your map to include in your book review. Did the experience provide any revelations? Were you anxious, relieved, inspired? Did you notice anything you'd never seen before?

The beginning of my walk made me feel a bit anxious as for some reason, I rely on my phone for safety and as a woman, always feel the need to be on high alert. Luckily, my neighborhood is reliable and safe, so once the small fear subsided, I found myself appreciating the environment around me as I had not done since I was a kid. I walked from my house to a local park, where dogs were running around, people were playing cornhole, and two musicians were putting on a free concert for those who wanted to stop. I listened to the many sounds nature provides us constantly, and noticed myself being grateful for the fresh air that we so rarely get to breathe in due to masks (I am now vaccinated!). I even became a bit emotional because it was a great reminder of how beautiful the space I live in is, and how happy the outside can be - I really felt like my kid self again which has been rare. I noticed how the environment within my neighborhood still felt the same as when I was younger - the freshness, the greenery, the familiarity.

9. What does Odell mean by 'doing nothing?' Are we capable of doing nothing?

Odell states, “I want to be clear that I’m not actually encouraging anyone to stop doing things completely. In fact, I think that “doing nothing”—in the sense of refusing productivity and stopping to listen—entails an active process of listening that seeks out the effects of racial, environmental, and economic injustice and brings about real change. I consider “doing nothing” both as a kind of deprogramming device and as sustenance for those feeling too disassembled to act meaningfully. On this level, the practice of doing nothing has several tools to offer us when it comes to resisting the attention economy.” I sure hope that we are capable of doing nothing, but it has become a notion that is difficult for myself to believe in fully as I see the damage social media has done to those around me. Now, more than ever, we have a responsibility to help change our world for the better - to help it heal. We need to engage in active listening, placing less importance of an online presence into being more present in general.

[alanaknobel99]

Book Review: “How To Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy” by Jenny Odell

1. What is your favorite quote from the book and why do you find it meaningful?

“It's a bit like falling in love, that terrifying realization that your fate is linked to someone else's, that you are no longer your own. But isn't that closer to the truth anyway? Our Fates are linked, to each other, to the places where we are, and everyone and everything that lives in them how much more real my responsibility feels when I think about it this way! This is more than just an abstract understanding that our survival is threatened by global warming, or even a cerebal appreciation for other living beings and systems. Instead this is an urgent, personal recognition that my emotional and physical survival are bound up with these strangers not just now but for life.” (pg 183) 

I know this is a long quote, but when I first read this passage my eyes filled with tears and I let out the most inspirational “wow.” I was just shocked when I read this, at this point in the book this quote made everything make sense. We are connected to each other and to this earth, and our survival is counting on that connection. However, we are so absorbed in the attention economy we forget what and who are around us. We need to fall in love with each other again rather than the people stuck on our little screens. 

 2. Why do you think this book, released by indie publishing house Melville Press, has become an unexpected bestseller in Corona Times?

What else do we have to do during quarantine than sit our phones? We are quite literally in a cage where the only thing we have is to lose ourselves in the attention economy. People forgot how to take walks outside, rather than go to the gym, or just sit on the porch and watch the kids play. I think why this book was so successful during Corona Times is because people needed a break, and this book was a guide to that break. There was a pause in life, and I don’t think anyone truly knew how to take that pause. 

This past year has been a constant pressure cooker of the attention economy, and people needed to find a way to turn it off. While social media was a great way to connect us when no one could be together, we really had no escape. This book also came out at a time when a lot of people found it necessary to evaluate their life, and really look at themselves including what and who we surround ourselves with. The book, I believe, allowed people to open their eyes to seeing more than what was really there. 

 3. How does the attention economy benefit from our social media activity and media streaming consumption?

Refresh, Refresh, Refresh. That’s how the attention economy benefits from our social media activity. There are certain aesthetic choices that suck us into platforms like Instagram, or Facebook. The endless scrolling is what sucks you in as a consumer, and its main purpose is to keep you scrolling. There is always something new, and it never stops. 

Our attention span as society has continued to dwindle down to the bare minimum. Musicals and plays used to be over 3 hours, and now they are compact into 90 minutes with a 15-minute intermission, to recharge your attention. With the advancement of technology, our attention span continues to decrease. So much that we can’t deal with the feeling of not knowing something. We have to take out our phones and ask Siri. Our phones and other devices have allowed us to develop these emotions that we don’t want to feel anymore, and the only way to avoid that is to continue our use. 

 4. How does this book relate to the topic of celebrity culture?

Celebrity culture is a huge part of the attention economy. A majority of the ‘news’ on my Facebook feed is about celebrities. Social media allows them to develop a brand, and it’s almost as if they are constantly selling to us. Also, social media breaks down this barrier between the celebrity and the audience where it makes us feel as though the celebrity is our friend. The closer that connection becomes the easier it is to get sucked into this cycle of celebrity culture that is produced on social media. 

 5. Do you take digital detox breaks? If yes, describe them. Have they been more challenging during the quarantine era? Why?

I don’t take digital detox breaks. For one, I just don’t think I could remember all of my passwords after. 

All joking aside, for me I don’t know if they would work. I feel like no matter how long the break was, I would just go back, and perhaps it would be worse. What did I miss? Who messaged me? I’m not saying there aren’t benefits, but I try and find other times to avoid social media during the day. Maybe I’ll take one just for an experiment. However, I feel as though I would have to be alone. I don’t know how effective it would be because I have roommates, and watching someone else scroll all day wouldn’t give me the same benefits that I would expect to happen if I were alone. 

 6. Do you sleep with your phone or computer? Are you aware of impacts on your sleep cycles and relaxation caused by overnight proximity?

My phone is on my nightstand, plugged in, and on do not disturb at night and mostly throughout the day. Notification sounds just bother me, especially if I’m trying to concentrate on something else like homework or reading a book. However, I have many habits with my phone. Just like notification sounds, notification numbers bug me so much. If I see one I have to clear it, I like things to be clean on my phone. Usually when I’m stressed about something I will go on my phone to escape or avoid. I follow a lot of “aesthetically pleasing” accounts that I turn to in order to calm myself down when I get anxious. Scrolling through Pinterest always helps because I’ve tailored that to be aesthetically pleasing to my eyes. If I’m surrounded by a calm, good-looking space, it’s less likely I’ll be anxious, and that pertains to my phone as well. 

That being said, I am trying to limit my phone usage. I’ve noticed I can’t watch television without scrolling on my phone. This is just bad for my eyes and everything else cause I’m staring at two screens. My biggest habits with my phone are in the morning and before I go to bed. I’m very into my routines, and this has just become part of it. I also look at my phone when I first wake up, and I scroll for about 30 minutes. Mainly, it’s just to clear all my notifications from overnight. Then at night, which is where I watch tv shows or Youtube, and then scroll on my phone before I go to bed. I’ve been trying to break this habit by reading before bed, which ultimately limits my watch time because if it’s past a certain hour, I just go to sleep. I’m very aware of my habits and am trying to change them, especially because of this book. But I don’t think it has an impact on my sleep cycle, if anything my phone relaxes me because I use it in a relaxing way, but that is also a problem within itself.

 7. What is the role of nature in Odell's book, in particular the role of birds? (P.S. Did you know that birdwatching has become a HUGE pastime in the Covid era with a Snow Owl becoming a celebrity in NYC's Central Park? See NY Times (Links to an external site.)  article on Birdwatching and another on the snowy owl  (Links to an external site.))

The presence and care for nature in Odell’s book is what I mostly took away. We as a society are so absorbed within ourselves and advancement of technology that we have lost a state of consciousness with the very ground we walk upon. I watched a TED talk by Graham Hancock called “The War on Consciousness” (which was originally banned from TED due to it’s radical content) and he echo’s a lot of what Jenny Odell says. Humans have lost this connection to spirit, and if we don’t reconnect we may be holding ourselves back from further evolution. The way that Hancock suggests we grasp this reconnection is through the psychedelic drug of ayahuasca. There are a lot of parallels between these two because Odell suggests a lot that we need to render our attention, in order to open ourselves to more than what is considered surface level. If we allow ourselves to embrace a further, deeper state of consciousness we can reconnect with earth, and the nature that surrounds us in order to become a greater society. 

We need to reintroduce ourselves to nature, rather than take it for granted, which is why I think something like birdwatching became a pastime activity during COVID. I also want to mention the attention that nature has been getting during COVID. I remember a couple weeks after the lockdown there were stories of how animals and wildlife were starting to come back to places they haven’t occupied in a long time because nature was somehow repairing itself. There are also a lot of before and after lockdown pictures of cities where you can see the difference in pollution form the sky color. I think a lot of people took that as a sign that we are the problem, and things need to start changing. 

 Here is the link to the TED Talk, I highly recommend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0c5nIvJH7w

 8. Experiment: Leave your phone at home for one hour to talk a walk in your neighborhood. Write down your observations when you return and draw a map of your path. What did you observe?  Take a photo of your map to include in your book review. Did the experience provide any revelations? Were you anxious, relieved, inspired? Did you notice anything you'd never seen before?

I love taking walks, it’s been a daily activity for me since Corona Times have begun. I usually just plug my headphones in and listen to music, but I don’t really look at my phone when I’m walking. My phone is also a safety net for me, so walking without it made me a little more anxious than comfortable. 

I live kinda close to a park in New York, but it’s a bit of a trek to get to. Usually I speed through my neighborhood in order to get to the quite area when the park begins, but not this time. I took more of a casual stroll through my neighborhood, still the same route. There was a lot of traffic noise, music from people’s speakers at storefronts, groups of people talking in Spanish. I always walk by a pet store to stare at the puppies in the window. Once I got to the park there is always this sense of relief, and it was still there even without my phone. The wind was brushing through the trees, footsteps of people running, birds chirping. There was a lot that I noticed, I sometimes forgot my phone wasn’t there and I could just be present. 

9. What does Odell mean by 'doing nothing?' Are we capable of doing nothing? 

The very last line of her book when she describes her encounter with the pelicans was, “The answer was nothing. Just watch.” We need to be able to disconnect, and we have lost that ability to disconnect ourselves from the attention economy. We live in a society that tells us we can’t do nothing, because you can’t survive that way. To take time to breathe, relax, connect with nature is looked at as selfish rather than necessary. The question of if we are capable of doing nothing is simple, of course we are capable. However, are we willing?