By the name of the title you can more than likely work out that it has indeed been a while since i wrote anything on this blog and once again i find myself wandering where the time has gone.
I could write a blog post explaining the reasons for the lack of any posts since June, some of them are career related (Trek Iceland!) and some are to do with my realisation that i have had problems with anxiety and depression (very hard to admit) and i am getting help for these, but this is not the time or the place.
In terms of updates the most significant one is that i have decided to move more into the area of wildlife film-making and photography (photos can be found here! http://500px.com/Slequesne). It is early days but i honestly feel that this is where my passion can really be fully explored as when it comes to science and research i have to admit that sometimes i am little too passionate and opinionated for my own good, even though i do still find science fascinating. This means that alot of time has been taken up taking photo after photo after photo, learning and discovering my style. As far as i am concerned wildlife photography/film-making and conservation are one and the same and it is my job to portray the beauty, honesty and sheer brilliance of nature to a wider audience.
Currently i am working part-time as an Education Officer and even though it has taken me a while to find my feet it is really going well at the moment. The best part of the job is definately being a role model or as one child called me 'the bug and worm man' for kids and it is always nice to see familiar faces. In the end that is what it is all about, to be a good example for people to see. I do not think that the conservation world does enough to create 'that' personal relationship with their supporters and to the public in general. Also, one big project of mine is to set up some sort of nature club for the organisation i work for, to really leave a solid foundation and to create something that caters for the future naturalists of tomorrow, the special personalities and mainds that the planets future will ultimately depend on.
I would love to go onto greater things, my ultimate dream is to be a world-renowned conservationist who people can trust and who politicians will listen to, because we honestly need more people like this, urgently. But for now i am happy that i am bringing joy and laughter and intrigue into the minds of tomorrow.
I hope everyone is well, i would love to know who actually reads this, so put a comment below :)
Stephen
