New mission in life

I know, I know: seems like I've got a new mission every day right now, right?  That's what sitting around at home all day does to a person -- gives you lots and lots of time to think, rock-hop around the interwebs, putter around, read, look at your stuff, rock-hop some more.

All of which is a great way to refine both one's capital-M Mission, aka what's my point anyway, and one's list of small-M missions, the little quests or organizing principles, if you will, that I think make things fun. [Some people call these items on their Bucket List, but I personally loathe that expression and will not use it EVER AGAIN in print or other manner.]

This is a post about a new small-M mission

Click to read more ...

Wolverines make me so happy

Photo credit: Alexei Bezrukov

In this wonderful tiny world we live in, there is a subculture for every interest and a way that the interwebs can serve it up to you, if you just plug into the right resources.  We discovered this when we began beekeeping a couple of years ago, and I am re-reminded of it regularly, now that I've entered Wolverine Land.  Since falling in love with Wolverine in December, I've been on several email lists which mean that I receive news and links to photos like the utter gem above.

And that I get to see how funny the results are when I say Yes to the Google Chrome auto-translate feature from Russian to English.  I really am better off dusting off my very dusty Russian skills to pick my way through the words on the page...

To read the story in English of how Alexei Bezrukov got the great photo above, see this post on The Wolverine Blog.  Or check out the original, even just for the incredible photos of Gulo gulo and some foxes, omg, I wish I were this guy.  And there's another blog by naturalist and photographer Igor Shpilenok with incredible photos that make me dream of Kamchatka.  It doesn't matter if you can read the words.  The images are incredible!

Photo credit: Igor Shpilenok

So yes, dreaming of the Russian Far North, but surprise, sometimes wolverine turns up in Marin County.  

Last weekend I got so excited as we approached the site of the Bakesale for Japan ($124K raised, wow!) when I saw, in the next lane, a cute little gray car with a stylized image of wolverine and www.guloguloathletic.com emblazoned across the back and sides.  I was just making a mental note to look it up when the little Gulo gulo car pulled into a parking spot two over from ours.  Naturally, I stood around waiting for the driver to get out and then, like a kid, asked her tons of questions.  Patricia, the driver and founder of Gulo gulo Athletic, said that generally people just think the name is cute and musical but have no idea what it refers to.  And then there are people like me who flip out.  She's just launching the business, including yoga wear, and I am watching and waiting and hoping to be attired in Gulo gulo head to toe someday, proud bearer of that name.

Just like Gulo gulo, Patricia was on her way to a work-out, then yoga.  Yeah, just one isn't enough for a wolverine like her.  She will do both, thanks.

Yay, Wolverine, my hero!