June doldrums

For some reason I just cannot get my natural history engines firing on all cylinders. Whatever I look at doesn't really excite me (including those two Spoonbills that flew over the garden!). Everything is a chore, from writing notes to checking pugs, from hanging up pheromone lures to examining grasses. It's not a case of not wanting to, more a case of 'can't be arsed'...

This pan-listing has a lot to do with it. I just cannot retain enough information in my crumbling brain to be out in the field and pretend to be informed on a lot of stuff. This has watered down my abilities in groups that I used to have a good hold on - my birding prowess was pants in May, I've forgotten most of the pugs so I tend to (ahem!) ignore them at the MV, and sometimes I stare at a plant and cannot remember its name, even though I know it.

What's the answer?

I've toyed with a break from it all. But I don't want to do that. Stop blogging? No, I still enjoy posting. My note taking has now reverted to just a field notebook without the need for a write-up at the end of the day. My lists are maintained but don't mean much at all - it's just a number, meaningless to everybody else, so if I cannot be bothered with it, then why have 'a number' at all?

The Football World Cup may well come to the rescue. A month's worth of that will entertain me, take my mind off of my poor hoverfly skills, my low spider list and my alarming lurch from decent birder to sham pretender.

If you do things by rote then the joy will fall away, the novelty wear off and everything becomes a chore. Time to shake things up...

Comments

Factor said…
This malaise seems to be catching. I've been feeling like that, young David has gone off radar and seems to have lost interest in social media. Jono needs to travel thousands of miles to take photos of skyscrapers to get a fix. Only the Tice's Meadow gang seem to be enthusiastic at present. What's going on? 2014 has definitely been low-key compared to the amazing 2013. Maybe that's just it. Last year was so good, nothing – to quote Sinead O'Connor – compares...
11 June 2014 at 22:15
Steve Gale said…
I've been here before Neil and it works its way out of my system eventually. I think it's all down to having to keep things fresh.
12 June 2014 at 08:46
Ali said…
For me PSL enlightens me to how many million things I don't know, When you are working in one group you are always going forwards. With PSLyou expand your awareness of ignorance so it can feel you are actually going backwards. Or maybe it feels too much like a job. Nothing cools my interest in something more than the feeling that I "have to" do it
12 June 2014 at 12:05
Steve Gale said…
You've hit the nail on the head there Ali - might quote you in my next post if that's OK!
12 June 2014 at 15:44
Unknown said…
Enjoy the lows Steve, they make the highs so much better. Without them, a lifetime of happiness and bliss would just be bloody boring.

A few weeks ago, I was feeling a bit fed up with it all as it seemed everyone was wanting a piece of me and I was getting nil time to myself. A short break in North Devon for a few days, cider and the footy has lifted me a bit. Just wish it was a little cooler.
14 June 2014 at 18:29
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