Asakiyume mita

sovay linked me to a story from 2012, "Aquatica," by MC Clark, in which a male anglerfish's effort to avoid his own biological drive and the blandishments of a female anglerfish lead to profound conversations. Really gripping story that creates a full, meaningful vision of the anglerfish life cycle--which is one of those life cycles that seems really alien from a mammalian point of view. It's easy to sympathize with the male anglerfish's desire to outrun biological determinism, but it's not merely survival he's after--as the female anglerfish points out, death comes either way--it's wanting to perceive or understand something more than just the cycle.

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On the way to visit my dad on Christmas Day a small murmuration passed over our car. It was breathtaking--thinking about it makes me stop breathing. Dark bodies, wings, pale sky--a tessellating collectivity. Then on our way back later in the day, we saw bobcats in a meadow. Bobcats are so strange, if you're used to domestic cats: they're like someone has taken a domestic cat and given it extra-strong, extra muscular legs... and reduced its tail.

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Saw this and wasn't sure at first whether it was a branch on the path or the shadow of a branch.



(It was a shadow)