11 Comments
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Mike Sowden's avatar

I loved your thoughts here.

Maybe part of the process of trying to pay tribute to this tree's life is the remembering of it, in the right way. The way you're doing here. Not seeing the tree as something less than us, something to be exploited, but instead an equal in many of the ways that matter, however differently it's alive (a difference we've yet to bridge with language). Life usually finds a way, but life also wants to be remembered when it didn't, and when it ran out of time to remain in our story.

Documentally's avatar

Thanks Mike, I think you’re right. Perhaps one day we'll have the language to better describe the kind of life a tree has, but for me remembering and acknowledging it felt like the least I could do.

Mike Sowden's avatar

There's also memory in the other direction. There's a fascinating story called "The Roots of Our Memories" by Joel Armstrong in the Jan/Feb 2022 edition of Analog. It imagines a future where mycelial networks are being used as data backup - specifically, the brainwaves of human memories - and what happens when ecological damage (a tree blight in a forest "server") means that humans lose the links to their own past as well. Reall;y got me thinking, that one.

Documentally's avatar

Fascinating. And I haven’t thought about Analog for years. Great to hear it’s still going.

Mike Sowden's avatar

Very much still going! According to a recent media kit, it's still got a circulation in the tens of thousands: https://analogsf.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/AFF_MediaKit2024.pdf

Paul C's avatar

Lovely, varied and engaging post Christian. I loved it.

Have you tried Erdinger as an alcohol free beer? It's fairly readily available in bigger supermarkets here and is one of the most enjoyable alcohol free beers I've found https://erdinger.de/en-INT/beers/non-alcoholic-wheatbeer

Strong agree on Lucky Saint and Guinness Zero as well.

Documentally's avatar

Hi.. Thanks and yes! I have seen it. Can't remember having had the non alcoholic version. Not seen in my local shops. Will check again. Cheers!

Tim LeRoy's avatar

'Water no up' and 'many many dig dig' have become surprisingly handy expressions in my lexicon.

Documentally's avatar

Ha! I'd wet myself if I was in the room when that was said. :-)

J&NE | JENNE's avatar

Thanks for the mention! Can’t wait to share my monthly mixes so you can just chill and hear some new discovered gems 💎🫰

Documentally's avatar

Looking forward to it. :-)