S6 E27: Holographic Birding. A quantum conversation with Kim Score.

So you're definitely a lister.

At least you've had your moments when you take listing real serious.

Yes.

Yes.

But, you know, I realized that, um, you know, I realized that I was using eBird.

Um, I was using eBird in some unhealthy ways.

You know, I definitely was really addicted to, um, how it made me feel, um, um to keep finding these species and acquiring species um it was a very a goal-oriented approach i found myself not really um enjoying the birds as much as like i would just like okay i got this one now check you know and um i'm gonna now you know move over to the next county and find this one okay check and i'm chasing birds around and yeah, it was super fun, but like, um, I was using it to fill, fill kind of a hole and avoid in my life because I had, I had just gotten divorced and,

um,

I had, you know, I was kind of, um, struggling with, with, with identity and, you know, and meaning and purpose in my life.

And I threw myself into work and I threw myself into e-birding and

I

definitely got out of balance with it.

And so now I'm not so much of a lister as I, as I used to be.

Yeah.

How do you describe yourself now in terms of what kind of birder you are?

Oh, um, wow.

Now, um, I'm, I'm the type of birder that doesn't take their binoculars everywhere they go.

And I also know birds, all birds by ear.

So I don't really need to, I do so much birding by ear, um, that I don't really need to take the binoculars, but you know, um, I definitely am into more mindful birding, using birds as a meditative practice.

I have a sit spot here on our creek.

So I'm into slow birding.

Oh,

I love it.

Or in a therapy more mindful birding.

And these are some of the things that I like to shift into and lead some more retreats in this way.