My dad this morning came downstairs and commented on how he felt like he'd walked back in time. Me and my sister were sat at the dining room table working on separate projects. She was doing work for school (she's a teacher) and I was doing a crafty thing to do with animals (a wildlife zine). When Emily and I looked at the scene we couldn't help but laugh, we may be women now but deep down we're still the little girls we once were- Me drawing animals and loving all things wildlife and her lining up her dolls to teach them the curriculum.
The irony is even our little sister has stayed true to herself, she was forever lost on beach holidays, only to be found engrossed in rock pool fauna or just swimming about in the sea. Our little mermaid is not so little anymore she's a slightly bigger marine biologist (in the making)!Life huh?!
It got me thinking about the people who've influenced me whilst I was growing up and on reflection nearly all of these are women. Wild women to be exact the kind that studied primates in deepest Africa or trekked through Amazonian rainforests. I'd get lost in their books or T.V. shows dreaming of the life they had (which lets be honest contrasted quite a lot to my suburban West Midlands existence)!
I take a lot of joy and solace out of spotting wildlife in urban places. The asphalt flower, the robin on the railway fence, there is so much beauty around us and if you blink you'll miss it. Simply doing your commute you can have some really wild encounters (and all in middle England)!
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| The intrepid Charlotte Uhlenbroek |
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| My hero Jane Goodall |
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| The Really Wild show was one of my favorite T.V. programs and I so wanted Michaela Strachan's job! |
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| The only male to make my list, Rolf Harris is a LEGEND and I absolutely loved watching him on animal hospital each week. Seriously who doesn't love Rolf Harris?? |
Monkey Business
I came across this blog of an anthropology student which perfectly summarizes the boomerang effect graduates go through in selecting a career. I found it really, really amusing and as its monkey related right up my street! (My specialism was primates at uni).
As to the big life decision I'm still up in airs about what I'll pursue but having space to think and not dwell on it has brought wildlife conservation back to the forefront. Loving nature is so interwoven with my history its making me contemplate whether its part of my future too.
I'll keep you posted.
:)
