Life's learning curve

For 2014 I need to learn a few lessons and eradicate the negative aspects of 2013. These mostly centre around my irrational disapproval directed towards twitching and the banal use of Twitter. Confession time: I have twitched in the past and I do use Twitter (and sometimes in a less than useful way). I must also accept that twitching and the misuse (in my opinion) of a social media tool is harmless. I have the choice not get involved - it is an option.

Twitter does have its uses. It enables me to keep up to date with what is being seen (birds as well as other life forms). It can be entertaining. I can also keep abreast of what my fellow naturalists are up to. There is a downside to all of this, and that is that I will receive every single tweet sent from everybody that I follow. That is how it works. That is something that I have to accept if I am to use Twitter. So, I need to approach it like a prospector who has to sift through a heap of mud to find a gold nugget. Embrace the BOOM! Smile at the 'well dones' for driving a few miles in a car to see a bird. Accept hero status being bestowed upon the ordinary. It doesn't matter. It may do my blood pressure the world of good by doing so. And as for twitching - is it really any different than me driving to the New Forest to look for a rare plant? No...

I hope to get out into the field more next year. I have some freeing up of time. More birding. More botanising. More mothing. The pan-list might benefit. But as long as I benefit from it, that is all that matters - and when I mean benefit, I mean that my time spent doing all of this is enjoyable, is fulfilling, is worthwhile. I cannot quantify this by 'lifers' or 'ticks' alone. That would be shallow.

Most of my interest has focused down to my self-styled 'uber-patch', the local area which includes a small section of the North Downs and the woodland and heathland to the north of those same hills. This will still be the place that gets most of my time. It is, to me, a special place. However, I have neglected other places for too long, so I will try and make the effort to go a bit further afield. There are species, and places, that I miss. And others that I want to see.

Life balance is a skill that we all need a bit of help with. Even after half-a-century plus on this planet I haven't cracked it yet. Maybe 2014 will allow me to get a bit closer to achieving it.

Whatever you are planning to do, may it work out for you - and those close to you.

And if you detect any hint of sarcasm, anger or disapproval on this blog again, please let me know. It was all getting a bit tiresome.

Comments

Paul Trodd said…
Steve, just thought I`d get this one in before you wipe the slate clean and ditch the sarcasm for the NY. On the subject of modern birding parlance (`booms and rare`s` and all that) another little gem to add to you glossary I`ve come across recently on the blogs (what with two mega Arctic seabirds present in the country) is, "tick and run". All the best for 2014. Paul
30 December 2013 at 07:13
Steve Gale said…
And a good 2014 to you as well Paul. Hope to see you down at Dungeness very soon.
30 December 2013 at 20:34
unclefish said…
Steve, I have enjoyed your blog immensely. We share a demographic, and all that frustration, confusion and disappointment at the 'new way of things' resonated strongly with me. I tweet a bit (from just to the SW of you) and bird a bit more. My 'glory days' are behind me, and I'm slightly thankful. Your blog put a smile on my face every time I sought it out. So without a hint of sycophancy, I hope you keep your style in your 'new way of things'. Cheers mate and many thanks. All the very best for the New Year. martin @peediepuss
30 December 2013 at 22:38
Steve Gale said…
Many thanks Martin, it's good to know that somebody 'gets' my scribblings. I do follow you on Twitter, (as Surrey Nature) and always look out for any of your tweets, be they on crossbill identification, your fallen eucalyptus tree or the ageing of the Brunnich's Guillemot. Keep them coming, they are some of the few sane examples of what passes for a tweet! Happy Hogmanay to you.
30 December 2013 at 23:27
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