Writing about writing and reading
I believe that Helen Macdonald could be for the life sciences what Carl Sagan was for astronomy and cosmology. There is so much wonder, joy, curiosity, and passion packed into these essays, but also sorrow, nostalgia, and pain at the loss of so much life around us. The subject matter varies widely, from many species …
Things don't always look like what they are... this picture could be an undersea growth, an abstract splatter painting, the shadows of some grasses, or a bare tree and blue sky. It all depends on how you present it, the angle at which you perceive it... I try to keep this in mind when writing. …
Naked trees, especially in the fog, make me think of nervous systems. They are kind of creepy looking if you think of it that way. The roots could be nerves too, though we don't see them. Branches are kind of like air-roots. The tree we see above ground is a mirror of the roots below... …
I've done a moderate amount of writing during this vacation trip. Sitting outside, with trees and plants in the garden nearby is most conducive to my creativity, I've found. Something about having life and nature nearby inspires more ideas in my head than bland office walls and florescent lights. Thunder rumbling, rain clattering, wind hissing …
Jonas David 