In the never ending search for maximum effectiveness and efficiency in helping parrots I'd given up caffeine about a year and a half ago. In some ways I’m a terrible Brit I don’t like football, beer or cricket, but Tea, well Tea was always an institution not to be messed with. When it came to tea I was more British than most. I had my favourite tea bags brought from England and drank many many cups every day. But for the parrots I decided to give it up.
Gone were the days of hyperactivity followed by naps followed tea and hyperactivity and around again. Instead I found a zen like steadiness where I could endure writing a grant application or churn out responses to the constant flow of emails. My work has moved more and more from running up and down hills to climb tress or rappel down cliffs checking on wild parrots, to sitting in front of a screen all day. Now the team do the fun stuff and for me being able to sit still has become important, but it was never ever my strong point. There were school reports saying so.
My blogging has been a bit the same. If blogging was bad then I’ve been a monk over the last year, ok maybe two, or so. I know dear Reader you have been neglected once again and I apologise. But now I’m in Costa Rica where there are White-fronted Amazons flying overhead, groups of various parakeets around every corner, great big (and bloody noisy!) macaws flying in gorgeous formation, howler monkeys that make macaws seems peaceful, capuchin monkeys that throw sticks at the dogs and I when we walk past, armadillos that remind me of hedgehogs, and, coffee.
Yes I like coffee too and so I’ve slipped. My name is Sam and have been having a bit of coffee lately. It’s so nice and I tell myself “This isn’t such a bad thing”. With this new bigger project, The Ara Project there’s an awful lot to do. I’m working hard to get the organisation working the way I want it. Just as I do with myself I want this thing to be effective and efficient. I want the teams at the different sites to be going full power and I simply can’t stand any time or energy being wasted. How can we, there’s parrots to help!
It’s more normal than not for me to be at the computer pre dawn (the first macaw squawk is at 5am) but by 10am I’m open to the idea of having a little coffee. My mum had bought me a hand made goblet from the Yorvic Viking Centre. The walled city of York was once a Viking settlement. It’s a beautiful city and Yorkshire is very special, there’s also Yorkshire Tea you know, it’s a lovely place, you really should visit. Anyway this Yorkshire goblet is just perfect for a Costa Rican coffee.
So I’m no longer abstaining from caffeine nor abandoning you dear Reader. One is a little naughty the other is a good thing, or maybe they both are good. Now I’m in a new place and loving all the stuff going on so there will be more blogs to come.
But anyway the reason I broke the silence and decided to put pen to paper this morning was because I had a lot of fun putting together our latest call to action. Yes we need your help. How else do you think parrot conservation happens? First though I have to give you a little background. My Dad and my younger sister both love music. Dad hosts quizzes that raise funds for the local school and Sophie has traveled to Africa with her drumming. When he got a new stereo dad pretty much immediately blew the speakers playing the Rolling Stones at full volume, aged 60! Though I’ve never cared to know how long Diana Ross’ hit was a number one in 1963 or whatever, I realised I’ve been exposed and have passively absorbed a lot of tunes.
Music was just in my head this last week and it found it’s way into the fundraiser. My question to you dear Reader is how many songs can you find reference too in our fundraiser letter and on the Razoo fund raiser page combined? Answers in the comments!
You’ll find the letter on the following link
http://us3.campaign-archive1.com/?u=2d9b1135c6f757586392ffdb0&id=b12a36ce49&e=bb17d0681c
(there’s a subscribe letter for other updates in the top left)
and you can click through to the fundraiser page from there.
Oh and if you’d like to donate and help the parrots find love that would be lovely too!!!
Parrot Bloggers
Search by:
