Gonzo Birding and Gonzo Geezer

Let me define Gonzo Birding. It is birding in an extreme and or, unconventional way. It is appreciating birds at a level, and in ways that may be different from, and certainly regardless of, other people and birders.  

Gonzo Birding is whatever one wants out of birding for themselves. It's putting one's own brand of weird in their birding. In short: It is allowing your own, authentic weird to flow into your birding however that can work for you.

The official Gonzo Geezer cardigan. I have owned this wonderful sweater for over 30 years. It is a heavy, cotton, shawl-neck cardigan. I added this photo today on 1 May because it is the Gonzo Geezer sweater (for me anyway- all things gonzo are our own).

Screen cap from inside first pages of MABT

Gonzo Birding is a thing whether you know it or not... it's actually more of a thing if you don't know it. This is the Gonzo Birding paradox.

Understand? Then you don’t. Gonzo Birding is like quantum physics or the Tao. If you think you know it, you don’t. I came up with it and I don’t know and therefore I do. As I said, this is the Gonzo Birder Paradox. 

Gonzo Birding in the Pyrenees, Catalonia 2011

Richard Baxter's shot of me on Christmas Island December 2022 definitely Gonzo.

I am also learning to embrace my Gonzo Geezer because I am one full-stop. In the opening pages of my second book, I quoted Hunter S Thompson’s, “When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.” And I wrote: “When the going gets weird, the weird go birding.” It is what I have done and continue to do. I am even weirder than any of you know and I have let y’all know a lot about my weird. Yes, my weird is a noun. 

This morning I shared a meme that said, “You don’t become cooler with age, but you care progressively less about being cool, which is the only true way of being cool. This is called the Geezer’s Paradox.” 

Stolen from the internet

I dig the word, “Geezer” because it is a time in my life when it is essential that I do. I am beginning to accept, understand and live being old better. I am only beginning, because as with all things, it is a process. It’s the journey, not the destination. These old truths remain true. There’s that word, “old”. Hunter Thompson was 67 when he made his exit from this earthly plane. Well played Hunter. He was finished and he knew it and left. I do not begrudge anyone their exit. If it is their choice it is their choice. 

Gonzo Geezer Granddaddy being shown his nose

Speaking of exits, I am going to continue writing about this today and in the future, but I am stopping at this point to share these words on my blog. There will be additional words about this, and possible edits and additions to this post (I just did).

I am more excited about writing than I have been in a while. 

Sending love as I do ❤️