Blaugust 12, 2014 - A Day of Bits and Pieces

Today while working in a client's garden a flock of Yellow-Tailed Black Cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus funereus) flew overhead. Few birds are as graceful in flight, and with their gentle, haunting calls and dark colouration they are such a contrast to Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos. We are extremely lucky to have such a bird, and I always take the time to stop and watch when a flock passes overhead.

To encourage these birds to make a stop in your area, plant Allocasuarina, Banksia, and Hakea species. That said, they need tall trees to roost on and breed in. I was reading their Wikipedia entry, and it cites a study which says that the average age of tree in which they nested in the study area was 228 years. So if we don't stop cutting down the little we have left to make way for more housing, we won't get to keep these magnificent birds.

During my extended lunch break (a perk of working for yourself if ever there was one), I caught up with an old friend I hadn't seen in a long time who I had missed. She's an introvert and I'm an introvert, so both of us found small talk hard. Although catching up for conversation is pleasant, I think I prefer doing it in a situation where conversation is not the only thing you are doing. Playing a game, watching a movie or other such things with company allows the introvert more freedom to simply say nothing until something comes to mind in its own time.

As a result of our conversation I got to thinking about how much time I need alone versus time in the company of others, and trying to pin down my point of equilibrium. I seem to be happiest, I think, if I'm getting at least seven hours of alone time each day and at least three hours of face-to-face social activity in a group setting, the rest being made up of anything. I'm even fine if up to half of my alone time involves being in the proximity of a single other introverted individual, who is likewise doing their own thing and doesn't force much interaction. That still leaves a need for three and a half hours absolutely alone in which my brain can digest, and none of this includes sleep. This creates a challenge when looking for a partner, or even just a housemate.

I'll leave you today with my favourite Fleetwood Mac album, from their earlier, much more more bluesy incarnation. I heartily encourage you to give it a listen.