This is what happens when you are creative and a weird lull descends upon the workday: a newly discovered spirit animal — the Boreal Owl!
Quiet times at work never happen so when they do, I take full advantage. AI tends to be great at killing time and it’s always fun to see the responses to my bizarre questions. (I mean, seriously — if any programmers are studying my AI histories, they are going to be so confused….and they might need therapy.)
Here are some interesting facts about Boreal Owls that align with my personality:
- Pretty quiet and able to fly silently: I might not be able to fly, but apparently I walk quietly. I’ve scared a few people both intentionally and unintentionally this way! I’m definitely quiet, and even my voice doesn’t seem to carry like others’ can when I do speak.
- Solitary: After living by myself for this long, there is no way I am going to survive living with someone. (Animals are fine.)
- Nocturnal: If I didn’t have to work, I could very easily stay awake to the wee hours of the morning. I occasionally have onset insomnia, so it’s quite possible to be up anyway.
- Lives in forest/woodland (or high mountains): Technically, I live in the suburbs, but if we’re going with natural living locations, those would be my pick. No beaches or deserts — I don’t do sand. Sorry, beach lovers (but not really.)
- Very good hearing: This is true for the most part. I seem to be able to hear things better than the majority of people around me.
- “Sit-and-wait” predator: Yeah, I’m not a runner. I’m not chasing or running away from anything. And annoying coworker at work? No worries. I can wait until you leave. I will outlast you.
- No migration to south: I don’t travel anywhere in the winter. I’m not going south to Florida! I bury myself at home under cozy blankets.
- Highly secretive and hardly seen: This is completely me. My real name has never been posted on any social media accounts. I don’t even use my real pictures online for work. Ask my neighbors. They will be like, “Who? She still lives here?” (This actually did happen once!) I like my home. I’m staying there. Travel? I saw what I wanted to see years ago. I’m good. Staycations all the way. Home in my sanctuary.
- Cache food: I cook one day a week and store meals in the freezer. I rotate them out for meals during the week, so I never have something for more than two days in a row.
Not quite a match with the Boreal Owl….
- Great eyesight: My eyesight isn’t great. Blame keratoconus — thankfully not bad enough for anything but corrective lenses as of yet.
- Asymmetrical ears: My ears are symmetrical – drat…. can’t have everything, I guess
Now for the mascot. Meet Whisper
She’s a Boreal Owl who monitors my writing. Don’t let her cuteness fool you. She can be quite judgmental, especially with editing. She mostly hangs out on Bluesky. I just recently signed up there, so if you have an account, look me up. You’ll see Whisper hanging out on my profile page.
🦉Whisper approved posting
Image by Copilot and tweaked by Gemini
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