The man o’war hug

February 17, 2022 ~ Patricia Lezama ~ 4 Comments

(this story is written in English and Spanish)

Evita que se arruinen tus vacaciones y actúa rápido en caso de que te toquen, no te talles y sobre todo, no te orines. — Photo credit:
https://www.sdpnoticias.com/estilo-de-vida/medusas-playa-mala-agua.html

English version>

February 14th, 2022

Today, Valentine’s Day is being celebrated here in the United States, and living far away from my childhood friends, I began to miss their hugs. I miss those shared laughs, the ones that make emotions grow until you cry out of happiness. Not many people know how to hug.

Or at least I haven’t felt that satisfaction of the hugs given from within. There are people who hug sideways, who extend their arms and just as you approach to receive them they tilt a little and stick their shoulder in your eye (if they are taller than you) or in your chest, if they are your height.

There are also those in heat. Yes, like those puppies that come to rub their genitals on your leg for the simple pleasure produced by that liberating touch of contained desire.

Then, those repressed beings come and hug you from the front, even before you extend your arms as a sign of wanting to say hello, and they press you against their chest to feel your breasts, and they go up and down in small movements of rare excitement. To get away you have to go to the handbrake, that is to say to your arms, which push and manage to release those pheromones spread all over you.

With the pandemic, hugs were banned. Now we bring our elbows closer as if we were hens and flap our wings to greet each other.

Or the usual fist. The friendly fist like the one boxers give to each other before starting a fight.

I keep thinking about hugs

Last month, a friend took her only son for a trip to the Caribbean Sea. Her vacation was cut short because an aguamala (Portuguese frigate, jellyfish or man o´war) hugged the minor’s ankle with its tentacles.

She told me with maternal anguish that she felt guilty for not having heard or seen the warning signs. Those extrasensory, intuitive alert signals. “The sixth sense failed me”, she repeated to me. Before entering to the beach, many tourists commented that due to the pandemic and global warming, there was an overpopulation of jellyfish.

Seeing the sea after so many months of confinement, it is very difficult to attend to the other signs of the universe. Then mother and son jumped into the immense blue, until the boy began to scream in pain. When my friend could see what was happening, she tried in seconds to remove the living jelly from his ankle.

While he was screaming, in those same seconds her head was desperately flooded with possible solutions heard or seen on the internet: whether to ask the child to pee on his foot, but depending on the type of jellyfish, that could aggravate the injury; What if you put vinegar on it?, but who has vinegar at that moment? Or shaving cream?…

Finally they ran to the hotel, where first aid was given to relieve his burns with an ointment.

Upon returning to his hometown, and after going to school for a couple of days, wearing socks and closed shoes, his foot became swollen and infected. This time he was admitted to the hospital to drain the wounds, disinfect them and monitor the child’s reactions.

Anguish, recriminations, and the obnoxious questions that at times afflict us: the whys?

Why me?, why right now at this point in my life?, and the list goes on…

I only hope that the child heals soon and well, and that my friend embraces herself and forgives herself for whatever she thinks she is guilty of. How I would like to be there and hug her, with one of those supportive hugs.

That stinging hug from the aguamala made me connect with the unwanted hugs of some people. And no matter how much intuition is developed, some beings look harmless, they camouflage themselves among the days, between their clothes and their smiles, they dive into our lives and go around with their tentacles wanting to hug us, and with their poison, the one we don’t see. They knock us down, affecting us. They wait silently, floating they stay, watching how we burn, how we swell, or how we react after the event.

Is it because of beings like these that hugs are extinct? If so, how do we heal? Perhaps we should return to healing as children heal, sooner and fearless. With the same enthusiasm with which my friend’s son is planning his next trip to the ocean.

And on this far shore, I will welcome them, with a compassionate, non-abrasive hug.

El abrazo del aguamala*

*aguaviva, fragata portuguesa, medusa.

14 de febrero de 2022

Hoy, que se celebra el día de San Valentín aquí en los Estados Unidos, y que vivo tan lejos de mis amigos de infancia, comencé a extrañar sus abrazos. Extraño esas risas compartidas, las que te hacen crecer las emociones hasta llorar de dicha. No mucha gente sabe abrazar.

O al menos no he sentido esa satisfacción que dejan los abrazos dados desde adentro. Hay personas que abrazan de lado, que extienden sus brazos y justo cuando te acercas a recibirlo se ladean un poco y te clavan el hombro en tu ojo (si son más altos que vos) o en el pecho, si son de tu estatura.

También los hay en celo. Sí, como esos perritos que vienen a sobar sus genitales en tu pierna por el simple placer que les produce ese roce liberador de ganas contenidas.

Entonces vienen esos seres reprimidos y te abrazan de frente incluso antes de que tu extiendas tus brazos en señal de querer saludar, que tu quieras recibir ese abrazo anunciado, y te aprietan contra su pecho para sentir tus senos, y suben y bajan en movimientos de pequeña y rara exaltación. Para zafarte tienes que acudir al freno de mano, es decir a tus brazos, que empujan y logran desprender esas feromonas esparcidas sobre ti.

Con la pandemia quedaron vetados los abrazos. Ahora acercamos los codos como si fuéramos gallinitas y aleteáramos para saludarnos.

O el consabido puño. El puño amistoso como el que se dan los boxeadores antes de iniciar una pelea.

Sigo pensando en los abrazos.

El mes pasado, una amiga llevó a su único hijo a pasear al Mar Caribe. Sus vacaciones se vieron truncadas porque una aguamala (fragata portuguesa) abrazó con sus tentáculos el tobillo del menor.

Me contaba ella con angustia maternal, que se sentía culpable por no haber escuchado o visto las señales de aviso. Esas señales extrasensoriales, intuitivas de alerta. ̈El sexto sentido me falló¨, me repetía. Antes de entrar a la playa muchos turistas comentaban que a causa de la pandemia, y del calentamiento global, había una superpoblación de aguamalas.

Al ver el mar después de tantos meses de encierro, es muy difícil atender las otras señales del universo. Saltaron entonces madre e hijo al inmenso azul, hasta cuando el niño empezó a gritar de dolor. Cuando mi amiga pudo ver lo que pasaba, intentó en segundos quitarle la gelatina viviente del tobillo.

Mientras él gritaba, en esos mismos segundos a ella se le inundaba la cabeza desesperadamente con posibles soluciones escuchadas o vistas en internet: que si pedirle al niño que se orine sobre el pie, pero que depende del tipo de aguamala eso podría agravar la lesión; que si echarle vinagre, ¿pero quién tiene vinagre en ese instante?, o ¿espuma de afeitar? …

Finalmente corrieron al hotel, en donde le brindaron primeros auxilios, aliviándole las quemaduras con un ungüento..

Al regresar a su ciudad de residencia, y tras ir a la escuela un par de días, usando medias y zapatos cerrados, el pie se hinchó y se infectó. Esta vez quedó internado en el hospital para drenar las heridas, desinfectarlas y vigilar las reacciones del niño.

Angustias, recriminaciones, y las odiosas preguntas que a ratos nos asaltan: los ¿por qué?

Por qué a mí, por qué justo ahora en este momento de mi vida, y la lista sigue…

Solo espero que el niño se sane pronto y bien, y que mi amiga se abrace y se perdone por lo que ella crea que es culpable. Cuánto me gustaría estar ahí, y abrazarla, con uno de esos abrazos solidarios.

Ese abrazo urticante de la aguamala, me hizo conectarme con los abrazos indeseados de algunas personas. Y por más intuición que se desarrolle, algunos seres se ven inofensivos, se camuflan entre los días, entre sus prendas de vestir y sus sonrisas. Se zambullen en nuestras vidas y van por ahí con sus tentáculos queriendo abrazarnos, y con su veneno, ese que no vemos; nos echan abajo, nos tumban. Esperan silenciosamente, flotando se quedan, observando cómo nos quemamos, cómo nos hinchamos, o cómo reaccionamos después del evento.

¿Es por seres como estos que se están extinguiendo los abrazos? y entonces, ¿cómo nos curamos?

Quizás debamos volver a sanar como sanan los niños, pronto y con menos miedo. Con la misma ilusión con la que el hijo de mi amiga está planeando su próximo viaje al mar.

Y en esta orilla lejana los recibiré, con un abrazo compasivo, no abrasivo.

PL.

Referencias:

Fragata o carabela portuguesa (a.k.a. aguamala, aguaviva, medusa.)

https://www.semana.com/nacion/articulo/playas-de-cartagena-en-alerta-por-aparicion-de-agua-mala/202223/

Portuguese man-of-war

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/facts/portuguese-man-of-war

January 2022 News and Pictures

January 18, 2022 ~ melaniereynolds ~ 13 Comments

Hello Nature-led friends!

A rather informal post this week. I’m preparing to attend a virtual workshop hosted by my city regarding our future. This last November all but one Council Member who was up for re-election had lost their seat. Clearly, I am not the only one frustrated. I expect I’ll be lucky to get very little if any speaking time, so I am planning what I want to say in the most succinct way possible. Until now, Our City has been keeping it’s head in the sand in regard to Climate Change and Disaster Preparedness Planning. Lucky for them, I’ve elected to make it my new year’s resolution to become a big pain in their asses to help them out.

There was some funny business in the way the last guy became Mayor, and no one has forgotten that it would seem. Since then, there has been a complete lack of transparency in city operations and the traffic has become terrible. Political divisiveness has nearly melted away as we become united in our annoyance of trying to figure out what the heck is going on. I’m using these last few days before the workshop to check my attitude because these fresh faces that have boldly (or foolishly) stepped forward do not deserve my ire for what their predecessors were doing, or more likely, not doing. Climate Change (Sustainability), Disaster Preparedness Planning and Transparency will be my key talking points.

I would like to think they’ll offer me a job with a reasonable salary and a retirement plan, but that’s probably a fantasy. I’ll likely have to develop the job I want and make it happen in the form of a nonprofit or for-profit business model. As I forge my own path I’m taking notes so that others can follow or learn from my mistakes. Why waste time making your own mistakes when you can learn from mine?

I finally got to put my Dandelion wine in a bottle last Monday. I’ll have to wait another year before I can uncork it and tell you if it’s any good or not. If your new or you missed the post about Dandelion Wine, you can read it here: https://nature-led.org/2021/04/22/happy-earth-day-2021-may-hope-persist-like-dandelions/

Last Friday my eyes and spirit were gifted with this gorgeous sunrise after weeks of snow, freezing temperatures, flooding and rain.

Later that afternoon as I was taking in the sunshine I nearly fell in a sinkhole in my field. I did some exploratory digging to see if I might reach the other side of the world or a faerie realm, but alas, it was nothing but very sandy loam. This is a wet meadow across from a proper wetland. It was far from the water pipes, utilities and septic drain field. My best guess is that the mole had a hole here and the rain flushed into and worked down like a hydro jet into that extra sandy loamy spot. I have filled it in and will keep an eye on it. I tried to compact the new soil as best as I could by jumping up and down on it. My field is adjacent to a road, so when an old man and his little white dog saw me jumping up and down like a crazy bog witch they decided to turn around and “nope” their way back from which they had come.

A sinkhole would be a lot more scary if I lived in central Florida where they have limestone that crumble into giant sinkholes engulfing houses and buildings from time to time. (See brief news link below)

And finally, today I went grocery shopping and met this nice Crow who was very obliging in letting me take a picture to share with you all. Aren’t you a beauty!

I can tell you that without a doubt, the crows that live at the UW Bothell Rookery miss popcorn Fridays as much as the kids do at my nearby elementary school since the pandemic began. Somewhere I have a cool video of them swooping in as the cleanup crew as soon as the bell rings and all of the kids have run inside to back up and prepare to leave for the day. Many of these crows fly over my house as they head to the rookery each night.

I always say, “Hello, Crow.” When I meet one and the crows that frequent the end of my neighborhood hop forward in anticipation of my greeting. They cannot follow me home though. I have a Cooper’s Hawk couple that guards my field. (I’ll write a post about this hawk couple one of these days. I’ve known the male hawk for six years. This is his second mate.)

Have a great week everyone!

Links:

A brief news story about sinkholes in Central Florida from 2018: https://youtu.be/39pay3nFric

UW Both Crow Rookery Information: https://www.uwb.edu/about/crows

Crow Intelligence: https://www.thoughtco.com/crows-are-more-intelligent-than-you-think-4156896

Cooper’s Hawk: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Coopers_Hawk/overview

Adaptation & Transition: Climate Change Is Here

January 6, 2022 ~ melaniereynolds ~ 8 Comments

It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change, that lives within the means available and works co-operatively against common threats.
Charles Darwin

A common theme among Science Fiction novels and the apocalypse genre in general is that few people can rarely survive alone for any great length of time. I plan to expand on this notion in a future post citing some of my favorite novels and how they provide the “burden of proof” in a future blog post. The settings may be fictional and fantastical, but often times, the behaviors of those that walk within the worlds are not.

For decades we have talked about how human-driven climate change was speeding up global warming. That future is here now. I’m tired of seeing articles claiming this or that event is “unprecedented.” It’s time to adapt to radical shifts. You can do it. I believe in you. Anyone can be an agent for positive or negative change in our societies. I’m asking you to fire up your neurons and muscles to be a catalyst. You don’t need permission. We must break out of bystander shock. We, myself included, have been waiting for someone else to be in charge and take the lead because there are so many climate issues. It’s time to pick one and get to work. We can’t wait for “experts” in any given sector to make the changes we need done now. It will take all of us. What legacy do you want to leave behind?

~~Somebody should do something.~~

You should do something.

You are not too old. – The entrepreneurs over 70 taking the business world by storm | Winning new business | The Guardian

You are not too young. – 6-year-old makes history as Georgia’s youngest farmer – ABC News (go.com)

You are capable of great things. – 12 Disabled Scientists Who Made the World a Better Place | Mental Floss

What you do now matters.– Why your ‘personal infrastructure’ decisions actually do affect the cl (fastcompany.com)

This post was originally supposed to be an exciting review about a book I bought called:

Deep Adaptation: Navigating the Realities of Climate Chaos By Jem Bendell & Rupert Read

I tried to plow through it until the end, but eventually gave up. It’s dense reading with a lot of footnotes. When you write a book you have to know who your audience is. I wish the Authors had focused on whether they were writing for a General Audience or people already in the field of Climate Science., otherwise you risk alienating one and offending the other. They would have greatly benefitted by hiring an outside Editor improve the format, organizational structure and style. A good book engages readers. It’s about more than proper spelling and grammar. They clearly have expertise in their field of study, but I don’t have time or patience to be lectured by a book.

The Premise – A Snapshot

We can agree that climate change is already here and that global societies need to stop arguing about its existence and severity and start planning to transition into more adaptive societies. I like the framework of the 4R’s on page 73. That Deep Adaptation requires:

Resilience – “How do we keep what we really want to keep?”

Relinquishment – “What do we need to let go of in order to not make matters worse?”

Restoration – “What can we bring back to help us with the coming difficulties and tragedies?”

Reconciliation – “With what and with whom can we make peace as we face our shared mortality?”

Part of what made this book so hard for me to read is that I couldn’t get in the right headspace for it. I’m preparing to jump into action mode. I’ve been researching climate-related issues since 1997. It’s only recently that I’ve asked myself, when is enough researching, enough? Am I going to keep “researching” until I’m dead? Then it would have all been nothing! I’m ready to move from research phase to action station. I want to start making a bigger impact starting now.

Two good books have recently helped me take the next steps:

Good Work: How to Build a Career that Makes a Difference in the World By Shannon Houde

This book will give you ideas on how to make your current job more sustainability-focused or reassess and rewrite your resume into finding a career within the field of sustainability.

Any job can be a Nature-Led job and any career can take on issues of sustainability and climate action. You don’t have to throw your existing life in a dumpster and start over. Transition and adapt in a way that works for you. Work with the skillset, networks and opportunities you currently have. Pick up new skills as needed. Turtles can be surprisingly fast when they’re in the their element. Don’t burn yourself out trying to be a hare.

My only gripe about this book is its heavy reliance on using LinkedIn as a tool.

Climate Action Challenge: A Proven Plan For Launching Your Eco-Initiative in 90 Days By Joan Gregerson (And Optional Workbook)

This book gives me so many ideas I can hardly write them down fast enough in my eagerness to get to the next chapter. This book will ask you to build a team in order to succeed in your goal. At first I was intimidated by the idea, but then I thought about all the wonderful people I already network with that I would want to join me and that would be willing to join me. Some of them have already helped me branch out into meeting other ideal candidates. I had so many “coffee dates” in September and October I felt like I was peeing straight caffeine. Then the holidays hit and slowed everything down. Now I need to map out my next steps and proceed.

For four years I’ve tried working with my local City government on issues of Sustainability and Disaster Preparedness and Response only to be ignored. I’m done being nice and asking for permission. I’m fed up with the lack of action and transparency. I’m planning to build a nonprofit organization that applies pressure from the outside forcing them to respond. It seems I’m not the only one unhappy with the performance of my local City Council though. We just had an election in November and nearly every incumbent Council Member was voted out. I will address the new Council Members in an effort to work together, but I’m ready and willing to proceed with or without them. I’m planning to document my successes and failures in hopes that they might help others.

Special Note: I‘m not able to visit each and every person’s blog as often as I would like, but please know that I’m inspired by many of you in a variety of ways! Thank you for being you, for being here and for all the big and little things that you do!