I’ve spent the past few weeks digging myself out from under several projects I’d committed to during my “say yes to everything” phase. These were projects that filled my time, not my soul. So about three weeks ago, frustrated and feeling adrift, I buckled down. I set aggressive goals and was determined to be done with all my “non-North” work by last Friday.
It wasn’t fun, and I wasn’t always nice, but I made it, and an interesting thing happened along the way. As I began to finish the old things, new things sprang up in their place, but these were different. These were cool, serendipitous, opportunities leading to other opportunities… the universe asking me to dance.
It should be exciting, right?
And it is. Of course. But honestly… it’s a little daunting, too, getting rid of my roadblocks like that, realizing there is nothing in my way, nothing to do now but head north. I am going, don’t worry, bounding forward however ungracefully. I’ll be adopting the necessary attitude, acting how I want to feel, radiating kick-ass confidence…
And building a bat house.
Yeah. That too. Last Friday, I was invited to the zoo by my friend and her wonderful 5-year-old son. I hesitated when they invited me. I have mixed feelings about zoos and I had a lot to do. “But there are fruit bats,” she said, and that was all it took. Look at these incredible creatures!
So, yeah, among other things, a bat house. (My friend is building one too. She is quite capable and handy. I am not afraid.)
I told some twitter friends that I was going to do this, and they suggested that I blog it, which, of course, I thought was an excellent idea. And, unless I chicken out, I’ll do it as a series of video blogs. Kind of like this, only not nearly as cute because I’m not Quinn Cummings.
Stay with me. This (the bat house and all the rest of it) is going to be fun.
Wow – you have filled me with inspiration. I completely get this and heading north sounds like a brilliant idea, especially as I have currently sent my personal compass into overdrive.
When I re-position it and remove some of the things that are obscuring north, I’m going to follow your lead. Apart from the bat house. Which is a little too brave for me.
Enjoy the journey!
You rock! Can’t wait to see what happens next! :o)
And you call yourself not cool? This is way friggin’ cool.
You GO girl! You’re really going to do it! Can’t wait to see the pictures and read about it in your blog.
yay! i knew you’d love those flying foxes as much as i do. :-D
hmmm… after we get our bat boxes built, i wonder if we can have our bats deliver messages to each others house? bat mail! :-D
Congrats on finishing all your projects! This post makes me excited to go to the zoo (and see the zebras especially!). Have fun building your bat house!
Melissa, I’m not entirely sure the bat house itself is north, but I’m hoping that doing it with all of you will make it fun. (You should see the building plans. Yikes!) ;-)
Caroline, Thank you! Me either!
Amy, That made me smile. Big.
Joanne, You only have yourself to blame! Wait, I mean thank. :-)
jb, Messenger bats! If you’d like me video tape your bat house progress, just let me know. (So I can steal your ideas and, if need me, claim your box as my own.)
Laura, I did go see the zebras! I got some pictures, but they all kept turning away from me. :-( I wished they’d all line up and turn away. THAT would have been a funny picture.
Wow! A bat house?! I’ve built a bird house =] That’s as far as I think I could go, but you never know.
Congrats on your projects, once you get rollin’ I think it’s hard to stop. Sorta like cleaning your house on a day off, you keep finding things to do, I love feeling like that!
We have a 2 finger zebra ring at my work( I know it sounds weird), I got all excited, and everyone thought I was crazy until I explained it.
I was soooo trying to find a really cool poem about bats and flying north or how they steer you north or how they help you follow the North Star….
I got nuttin’
But… as you can see by everyone’s comments, you are loved. Glad your North Star is shining… I think I can see it — yes, yes… there it is.
And… the Archie Bunker girl!
Tony, What is a 2-finger zebra ring? I need a picture! (It sounds kind of awesome to me.)
Becky, It’s the thought that counts. (The Archie Bunker girl?)
My bad — my useless trivia brain cell deactivated.
She was on Family.
My friend, DB, told me that in Native American animal medicine, bats represent rebirth. Wow. Even cooler (and more apropos than I realized!)
Robin: “Boy! That was our closest call ever! I have to admit that I was pretty scared!”
Batman: “I wasn’t scared in the least.”
Robin: “Not at all?”
Batman: “Haven’t you noticed how we always escape the vicious ensnarements of our enemies?”
Robin: “Yeah, because we’re smarter than they are!”
Batman: “I like to think it’s because our hearts are pure!”
Bats, huh?! Well, even though I am not a fan of housing an animal that carries rabies, ebola, sars, and the plague I am sure it will turn out to be a fun blog post! ha!
p.s — “Bats have been found to act as reservoirs for a number of diseases which can prove fatal to humans and domestic animals…” An interesting line from a little article I was just reading. Cant wait for the video blogs!
Bobby, you’re always so very smothering in your support! ;-) And here I thought you’d be all excited about video blogging!
Hey J, even though my mom had a wary eye and did not go “rah rah — you go boy!” when I told her I was going to jump over the pool in the backyard with my new bike I still, always, knew she was completely on my side when I hit the water!!
So, with that said, if you decide to raise cobras for next months blog post I will be on your side even though I dont sing out, “oh thats the best thing I ever heard of” like its a round!
p.s. you have to have liked the Batman quote though. It was completely applicable to your go get ‘em approach!
Bobby, on the plus side, since bats can eat 4000-8000 mosquitoes a night, at least we’ll be safe from West Nile Virus. :-)
Also, I found the zoo’s links to their flying foxes. They even have a video so you can see them in action.
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/animals/mammals/bat-malayan-flying-fox/
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/animals/mammals/bat-island-flying-fox/
Just learned that the Malayan one is part of the “species vampyrus”. Neato. (Don’t worry Bobby, I’ll keep a pointy, wooden stake nearby. :-D)
hey JB — picture me with my my hands out in front of me, palms side up, moving them like the scales of justice.
Now picture the deadly viruses I mentioned in one hand and eating a bunch of mosquitoes in the other. Which way do you think the scales are tipping?!?!? ha ha!!
I will want to see pics of the bat houses when you are finished. Have fun with the project!!
JB, you made me laugh! Thank you for cool bat videos!
I must admit that you and jb (hi, jb!) have me almost looking at bats in a non-creepy way. Almost.
It is quite likely that a fun “building a bat house” video (perhaps even featuring both of you) might persuade me to fully embrace the cuteness of the bat. I am willing to be convinced.
You must do it, the reputations of bats everywhere is at stake!
I’m with HippyChick – having to think happy thoughts while imagining non-creepy bats. Did I mention I’m a city girl… I’d watch the video with one eye open ;)
Mairi
“bounding forward however ungracefully”
J, there is a stunning grace in your willingness to leap that makes it impossible for us to see you any other way ~ even if you stumble, even if you fall, even if your bat house falls down. We will be here to help you up or hold you hand, whatever you need. Always in awe of you and grateful you share your journey north with us. *biggest hug**much love*
Hippiechick, Yes, the bats are a little bit creepy, but in a cute, cool way. ;-) I kind of suspect they won’t come to my yard, in the same way that birds won’t use our birdbath. Lexi, the Beast, scares them all away!
Mairi, No worries! The videos will be me attempting to build something . No bats. Just… probably slapstick.
Dani, That was the sweetest comment. Thank you so much. I do feel hugely supported by all of you.
Hey Bobby – picture me with my my hands out in front of me, palms side up, shrugging my shoulders and thinking “okay. whatever.” (Notice I didn’t roll my eyes, though. That would be rude.) :-D
Hi ya, HippieChick! :-D
j – I sure hope the bats are as excited about the bat houses as we are!
Thanks for clarifying. I didn’t realize that the eye roll is what makes a comment rude! Here I thought a line like “okay, whatever” or copying my illustration or a combination of both, after I said to take pictures and “have fun with your project”, would have been enough. Who knew?!?
Glad you had a lovely time at the zoo and figuring out how to get the roadblocks out of the way :)
That bat house seems like a great project, can’t wait to see the videos!
Meanwhile, here’s a quick video my fiancé and I made of fruit bats in 2007 when we visited the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden.
It was really hot in there!
J – okay. so as a girl my grandmother had alot of fruit trees in her orchard and always always had fruit bats.. and I recall so many summer nights, playing in the trees, the bats swooping our heads and run and scream in girlish delight… so run and scream and build and I can’t wait to hear how this turns out :)))))))
jb, I hope Lexi lets them see the house I build!
Estrella, cool video! (I didn’t realize you could embed video in a comment. Yay!)
Corey, Wow! Where did you grow up? Were they huge like the ones in the pictures? (The zoo writeup said wingspans of up to 6 feet! My house won’t be big enough for fruit bats I don’t think!)
Hippiechick and Mairi… I need a new category. “Posts my mom WON’T like.” I’m sure she is not at all happy with the bat shots. ;-)
Honestly Judy, I didn’t know that either (thought I needed the embed code for that)…
I just copied the link and when it appeared it had the embedded video… strange, but nice too :)
Glad you liked the video!
Bobby: You’re welcome! Glad I was able to clarify that for you. :-)
Estrella: LOVE your bat video! :-)
J: Maybe if we build Lexi a dog house, she’ll let the bats have their house?
Good for you! Keep kicking those obsticles out of the way. Quinn is adorable, haven’t seen her since The Goodbye Girl. The bats are wonderful, I sit outside at dusk and watch “ours” dart around overhead. They are not as fancy as your fruit bats, but I love them anyway.
jb, No. Lexi has full run of the big house! (Okay, maybe. We’ll see.) :-)
Joanne, I’ve never seen a fruit bat outside of a zoo either. I’ll be getting the less fancy ones, if I get any at all.