Next year, I will be mainly doing...

I know that it isn't December until this coming Thursday, but my mind is already wandering towards 2012. So much for carpe diem...

What I'm thinking about is this. Where do I concentrate my efforts next year? So far my choices are:

Pan-listing: go for it. Blast the hell out of everything on offer, blitz the list and assault 3500. The downside would be plenty of stringing and a feeling of treating natural history as a product to consume and spit out.

Beddington love-in: embrace the smelly plot and study its undoubted wildlife in a celebration of urban diversity. The downside would be getting very muddy and possibly having to endure plenty of gripping off from the hard-core birders skywatching from the hide as I potter about looking at the ground mostly.

Go birding: Do I remember that? The days when I looked at birds and little else? I could finally get over 400 and look at some of the upstarts in the face again. Downside? I don't like many birders...

Botanical proficiency: my time spent with plants has often been botany-lite - I've largely steered clear of grasses, sedges, rushes, yellow crucifers - I could go on. So why not embrace them and become more of an all-rounder? Downside: I might get fully sucked-in.

North Downs Year: One year I'd like to just wander my beloved section of the downs and just watch without aim. See what comes along. Photograph it and get all Clare or Mabey about it. Write a book about the experience, start a religion, big stuff like that. Downside: confiscation of Beddington key, end up talking to myself as I 'wander lonely as a cloud', etc

So, in truth, I haven't a clue as to what I might do next year. Any suggestions?

Comments

Stewart said…
Steve, do the whole goddam lot!You know you can. Itll give you more to write about and we love that!
28 November 2011 at 20:33
Skev said…
Whatever you do, enjoy it - though maybe it is more enjoyable when it's spontaneous and free of targets?
28 November 2011 at 20:41
Steve Gale said…
Stewart: great idea! If it all goes pear-shaped it's your fault...

Skev: I will enjoy it, whatever. My Meldruesque persona is all a blogging front really.
30 November 2011 at 19:40
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