About

Contained here are thoughts, musings, and various other attempts to reason through the world. The rationale behind starting this blog, the way I conceive of the writing in it, etc. are contained in this post.

“Blikstiender” is a West Frisian word meaning something between “darn” and “holy shit”. I don’t speak West Frisian (unfortunately), but do find expletives to be generally funny.

Get in touch:

Bluesky: blikstiender.bsky.social
Email: see contact page.

In creating a visual language for this website I employ the illustrations of famed naturalist Ernest Haeckel. The favicon is Haeckel’s illustration of Spumellaria. Below you can see his illustration of various members of the Orchid family. Haeckel’s work hinged on careful observation. This observation led him to find beauty and order. It also led him to disproven, racist ideas that were weaponized to violent ends.

I find Haeckel’s journey instructive. It is through intentionally watching/listening/feeling the world that we arrive at interpretations about its structure. Yet, we should never let our conclusions blind us. The unexpected and under-considered is where truth and magic live.

A botanical illustration of orchids Orchidae by Ernst Haeckel