It makes a change to get a double act that holds attention for the full night. A superb night and it would be highly recommended for anyone except this was their last date on tour, so if you didnt catch up with them, reflect on missing a great talk.
Afterwards we did the usual stand around and chat at the club. I say usual, it used to be usual for me. I never missed an indoor meeting for about 15 years until recently, but now the distance is a bit too far from home. I noticed another thing too, in my self imposed exile, half the attending members have changed into people I dont know! No sign of stalwarts like ADMC, Alan Jack, Richard Dunn, Nigel, John, John H, Nick Rossiter, John Richardson Tom n Mu, Les Robson, Ian Douglas, Bob Dack, Mike Holmes, Mike Natrass, Alan Johnston, Alan Janes, Lindsey MacDougall, etc etc. all ones I liked to catch up with.
This got me wondering about their absence...Some will have been busy, but others, I know for a fact, have jacked it all in. I wonder why? I wonder when I'll cut the reins and be added to the 'missing in action' list?
With the ready access to virtual birding colleagues via the internet, maybe these casual catch ups dont fill the gap they once did? More for discussion here another time...
Mmmm....Night all.
Oh we got our 2011 annual report -
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| One of the illustrations I did for BiN2011... |
5 comments:
Couldn't agree more - brilliant speakers and very inspirational. And it's uncanny - I've just e-mailed Martin about something, mentioned that I'd heard the last talk went well via the virtual grapevine and commented on how well you get to know a good circle of birding contacts through blogging etc.
Stewart
Maybe you left your glasses at home but I was there too!
Michael
Stewart, the dynamics of birding are shifting, that much is true. As you know, I am bemused by quite a bit in this arena and tend to put it down to not being in the loop as much as I used to. The good thing is that I could, if I put the effort in, haul myself back into it. And yes, another post on this very subject from yourself would be welcome - there is much to discuss!
Lindsey was there too and at least two of the peeps on your list haven't been club members in the last four years to the best of my knowledge (and possibly for much longer).
Also worth noting that as a result of the double-booking issue it was a Monday night rather than a Thursday, this may have created a problem for some?
Mark - Great minds think alike ;)
Mike - Eh, its not like you could hide behind many! I would have told you all about that Hemp Agrimony you gave me ...
Steve - If I dare...
Alan - Missed him too. I must get my eyes seen to. And I did indicate that I knew some had wrapped it in altogether.
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