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A Marten Philosophy?
12 years ago
A few Martens have been trying to explore what being a Marten means to them.
So there are a few questions that I would like to ask everyone:
What does being a Marten mean to you?
Why did you choose to be a Marten?
What makes Martens appealing?
What is your personal Marten story? Or Marten Philosophy?
Write your thoughts here and share them with the other martens!
So there are a few questions that I would like to ask everyone:
What does being a Marten mean to you?
Why did you choose to be a Marten?
What makes Martens appealing?
What is your personal Marten story? Or Marten Philosophy?
Write your thoughts here and share them with the other martens!
Being marten is freedom.
Chasing a squirrel on the snow-covered pine forest. Sleeping in a hollow with soft bedding. Beholding the red sunrise and pink sunset. Going up to two meters for the flying bird and not worrying about tomorrow.
Feeling yourself as a marten is fun.
Walking the streets of the city and feeling a long bushy tail behind the back. Drawing on lectures animals. Writing funny nonsense and not being afraid of misunderstanding. Even lightly biting someone or throwing a teddy ferret (of course, none furry marten would not do so, but could!)
A Marten world view is wisdom. Composing sayings deep as the earth itself, even if you can not express them; feeling the light of millions of stars by your own fur; attaining enlightenment and finding out where the Yin and Yang where - is not it Marten wisdom?
. ***
And what could be more gratifying than running up and down with joy!
Anymarten else, please, answer!
Walking the streets of the city and feeling a long bushy tail behind the back.
It's sad, I've been able to feel fur and claws and big marten ears and a muzzle, but never the tail.
Why did you choose to be a Marten?
I think I have a close spiritual connection with these cute animals. If I were a Tibetan Lama, I would say I was a marten in one of my past lifes. May be even not in this world, but in world like Zin Tu or Sukhavati - my own worldf with martens looks like these. Moreover, sometimes I feel marten ears, fluffy tail (and may be yellow spot on a throat =3 ) Hmmm, when I think about martens, I feel like something in me awakes ... forgotten, dear ... eternal ... Moreover, martens take an important place in my world view as free, happy, mischievous and sinless wonderful beings. And only martens have a martenishness - wonderful quolity, Marten wisdom, something like Tao or Zen in Easern cultures =3
What makes Martens appealing? I think, their wonderful fur, misterious eyes, cheerful and carefree nature, love for the games, and, of course, their Secret. This Secret is misteriuos for me, but, i think, some Marten will be able to clothe it in words...
My Marten story... Well, I think, when I was marten, I was а courtier at the court of one mighty emperor, João. May be he was a cat, may be Mustelid - I don't know, possibly the cat. The Emperor sent me overseas to the Blessed land to find one ancient city and to find riches in the ruins. Then me and a lot of other martens went overseas, we saw flooded cities on the bottom of the sea, herring kings, tremendous ducks, mysterios islands and a lot of other wonders. Then the martens saw a Blessed land covered with jungles, and we landed here. We had a lot of battles with the savages - bloodthirsty, savage, cannibalistic hens who were throwing their eggs and poisoned arrows in us. But in the end we found a ruined ancient city, and there we found the full history of the Marten world from the beginning of time, a mysterious powerful substance that has generated all worlds - Cebollah, and Marten secret. But I forgot what exactly is this Secret and now everywhere look for it...
This history sounds strange, I know! Maybe anymarten has similar? =^"_"^=
Here is the answers to your questions:
What does being a Marten mean to you?
Being a marten means being unique yet rare. It is giving others the glimpse into a unusual creature.
Why did you choose to be a Marten?
After first discovering I was a furry (September 2011), I wanted a unique creature that was native to Ireland. I didn't just want to choose any animal and put them in Ireland and say they were Irish. So I went to a website that listed native animals of Ireland, saw marten (specifically European Pine Marten) and knew for a fact that is what I wanted to be. Have never really regretted that choice since.
What makes Martens appealing?
They're small and cute, their exotic, and not well known yet real (unlike dragons, unicorns, hippogriffs, etc).
What is your personal Marten story? Or Marten Philosophy?
Here is my story: Born 1:13pm, Friday August 13, 1982. After being picked on because of size, name (which sounds like "Murphy's Law") and the emblem on chest (wich denotes bad luck), I managed to develop a sense of humor to compensate. Also, I started working out a bit to become better physically. I am self-effacing, and loves pranks, jokes and puns. But while mostly pacifistic, I can be fiercely loyal towards my friends and family and will not be afraid to fight for them or use myself as a shield to defend them.
I have the power to change probability/luck. When my horseshoe birthmark glows, I can give someone either good luck or bad luck.
Every now and then it gets out of control. But for the most part, I just concentrate and make it happen.
But I am also a Furry Time Lord (associated with Doctor Who) and travel about in my purple TARDIS.
We'll mention it in our broadcast and article about marten philosophy. Thank you very much!
What about me, one of my fursonas is an Irish Pine Marten too! He's a monk, he lives in monastery and he rewrites books and draws illustrations for them.
Thank you very much for answer!
We'll mention it in our broadcast and article about marten philosophy. Thank you very much!
What about me, one of my fursonas is an Irish Pine Marten too! He's a monk, he lives in monastery and he rewrites books and draws illustrations for them.
Thank you very much for answer!
And Secret of Kells is my favotite animated film =3
What does being a Marten mean to you?
This is a difficult question for me, even though it seems so simple. I think what it means to me is that there is a certain uniqueness that stands out yet there is a familiarity that does not drive others away. I share a certain connection with them that some may call spiritual, though I think it's more psychological than anything. Either way, I don't know the answers and there is nothing I can do to really change that. I actually like it, which is why I kept it.
Why did you choose to be a Marten?
It occurred about five to six years ago when I was still in high school. I had no interest in furries at the time but I did have an interest in animals and animal stories which has been around since I can remember. To stimulate my rather lax imagination at the time, I read a lot of fantasy and science fiction novels, one of which depicted a pine marten. I never knew martens even existed, but when I looked at the back cover of the book where it depicted the marten character, I immediately said to myself "I must know what this is! That is me!" After looking them up and seeing photographs of them online, I felt that aforementioned "connection" with pine martens on that same day and I have associated myself with them since.
What makes Martens appealing?
There is something about the way they look and move. They are fairly small, very cute, can hold their own, and have a certain mystery about them that seems to be present in their black almond eyes and their silky fur. They are also exotic (and real), yet they don't appear to be much so. They are not very colorful nor do they seem all that interesting at first glance, but there is something that I find fascinating that I really can not explain well in words.
What is your personal Marten story? Or Marten philosophy?
I don't really have a story but I could say that my fursona is something of an observer and a wanderer. He travels a lot and is young, but his ultimate goal is to attain knowledge and wisdom. He seeks to understand how the universe works and is in complete awe of what he knows so far. He writes down what he has seen and wonders even more about what there is to know, and this excites him as much if not more than chasing squirrels and this is amplified by his already energetic nature.
I share some of these qualities with him, and thus I have a similar view on life as well. ^^
Could we discuss your essay on our broadcast and in article?
Thank you very much, it is so unusial!
I too get that fascinating feel I can't quite explain. :D
And I'm very glad to know that I'm not the only one who gets that feeling. XD
:3 trust me, I got the same feeling when I saw it for the first time :3
It's a pretty cool book. :) http://redwall.wikia.com/wiki/Ublaz_Mad_Eyes
And yeah, it was a good book. :)
Could we discuss your essay on our broadcast and in article?
Thank you very much, it is so unusial!
Less sarcastic? Sure.
What does being a Marten mean to you?
Being a marten is a lot like being weasel at the end of the day. I see them as playful, friendly, affectionate little troublemakers. Infinitely lovable. They make people around them happy and find the fun in any situation. It's about being resilient, rolling with the punches and not letting the little things in life get you down. A trait I admire in ferrets and also, possibly mistakenly, attribute to martens is their party hard and sleep like the dead attitude. A ferret will go from mach 3 weasel crazy to sound asleep in no time flat and sleep like a stone until it's time to wake up enjoy life more. I was never the kind of person to sit still for too long. I like to get up and move. Do stuff.
Why did you choose to be a Marten?
If you are going to be a weasel beast then why not be the fuzziest, cutest and most unique of all weasel beasts? It was never really a question for me, once you narrow down to a general type of animal the only choice remaining is to pick the most clearly superior species within that group. For me the more relevant question is 'why a sable?'. There was a time once when I was a pine marten, but it drove me up the wall when people misidentified pine martens, american martens and beech martens. I figured if I ventured into sable territory I could stay true to my marten roots and not have to deal with these sorts of mix ups.(Sables are most definitely martens, martes zibellina)
What makes Martens appealing?
See above.
What is your personal Marten story? Or Marten Philosophy?
Yeah, I guess this would overlap a lot with my answer to the first question. I like to enjoy life. I don't like being sad so I try my best in everything I do to be as happy as I possibly can. I try to share this attitude and happiness as much as I can with others around me. I don't really have much direction in my life but I can at least make people smile and know that no matter what, at the end of the day, that I've done something intrinsically good. I think the world would be a better place if everyone was just a little more weasely.
Being a marten means being happy!
What does being a Marten mean to you?
Weasels have a reputation. Ferrets have a reputation. Martens are something of an enigma to most. They have the playful nature of ferrets and otters, the mean (but fair) streak common to weasels, but on top of that there's a quiet grace and dignity that other mustelids, I feel, lack. (With the exception of sables, but sables and martens are almost the same thing, so) Fierce independence, self-sufficient, resourceful.
Ferrets can't jump. Martens can. Weasels don't have long, lush, fur-trapper worthy tails. Martens do!
Martens run, jump, climb, and can almost fly it seems at times. If a marten sees something it wants, it finds out how to get it. If there's an obstacle to overcome, they'll find a way. They'll party hard with the best of them, show grace and eloquence as needed, and sleep like the dead until it's time to start over again. They're complex and multifaceted, and yet elegant in their simplicity. They're martens.
Why did you choose to be a Marten?
The above answers it, really. But! They're sweet, adorable, and downright gorgeous. They're fiercely protective, capable, and yet still capable of dropping all their quiet dignity in order to roll around and have fun. That, and at the time, no-one new what a marten was, so I got to dodge any and all stereotypes, while reinforcing some that I found particularly desirable.
What makes Martens appealing?
Again, most of the above explains this. I like being myself, I like being unique, I like being able to introduce people to new things. The amount of people who have been apparently paralysed by cuteness after I've introduced them to pine martens is quite, quite high. Expanding the awareness of such an amazing animal can only be a good thing!
What is your personal Marten story? Or Marten Philosophy?
Weeeellll, as I said, I felt like being 'unique'. There were so many foxes, wolves and kitties running around, after all. I've always liked pine martens (I mean seriously look at them, who wouldn't?), and I wanted something native to the UK that I felt I fit, personality-wise. Now, I know this is all about projecting human qualities on an animal that lacks them, while backtracking qualities you've attributed to them onto yourself, but martens are amazing creatures. I feel that being a marten speaks of having strongly independent and capable characteristics, with the ability to not take oneself too seriously all the time. Being a marten means you can reach whatever heights you set your mind on, both literally and figuratively, take pride in your appearance (because my GOD look at those adorable creatures), and aren't too interested in trying to stand out by drawing attention to yourself. (As in, not a sparkledog)
Uh. I thought I had much more insightful, interesting things to say, but I don't.
ALSO. When I read all the way through His Dark Materials, I got a wonderful surprise at the end. Which I won't spoil.
Also also, look up the legends of the japanese martens, the 'ten'.
Tankuki have eight forms, Kitsune have nine. The martens have ten. A gathering of martens will lead to fire. The tricks of martens are some of the most effective!
Being unique, and being a part of an incredible family (weasels). Being smart and adaptable, and having the confidence to try new things and excel at them. Being “cute”, too.
Why did you choose to be a Marten?
When I was in grade school, I was the kid that ran the projector. We would show films in the Cafeteria during lunch on rainy days, and one of my favorites was “Beaver Valley “, the Disney True-Life Adventure. The beavers were cool, but what really got my interest in the film were the otters! It was my first experience with wild animals that played just for the fun of it. I started reading all I could about otters, and even found one at a pet store and another at a local animal rescue place that I could meet in person. Later, I visited a family that had kept otters and wrote books about them. Otters in person are Awesome! All my otter research became weasel research. I found a book, “Fur and Fury”, all bout the weasel family. On the cover was this cute, fox-like guy staring out at the viewer. I had never seen such a cute animal. I learned it was a pine marten, and I decided to find out as much about them as possible, too. When I began making friends in Science Fiction and Comic fandom, and started a fandom for Japanese Animation with some friends, some of the artists in the group started drawing themselves as animal-people. I had created an alien species, the Skiltaire, which were based on Earth weasels (otters and martens), and I started to turn my friends into Skiltaire. Most of them had more traditional Earth species as personal animals, so my mate and I decided to find our own animal personae. We both loved otters, but each of us thought that we really didn’t quite fit that species. He chose a mink, which he called and otter, with attitude. I wasn’t a big fan of water, and I loved how martens looked, so I picked an American Pine Marten. My personal Skiltaire was called “Sy”, because he was ½ of the mascots of our anime club (The Carftoon/Fantasy Organization). The female mascot was “Fanta” (based on my girlfriend) and I was “Sy”. I liked the name, and my mates and friends had started to call me Sy, so I came up with the name Sylys (I had a great uncle named Syrus) Sable (which, though a Eurasian species, is basically the same as a marten), since most of my friends were being lazy and just using their animal names as their last name. (Ken Cougar, Andre Tiger, Vinson Mink, Zjonny Fox, etc.). Sy was my Skiltaire, and Sylys Sable, the American Pine Marten, became my fursona.
What makes Martens appealing?
For me? I like weasels, I like tall places, I like how confident and clever they are. A predator designed to hunt on the ground and in burrows of their prey, adapting to hunt in the trees? They are curious (and sometimes easy to catch live because of that), but some are smart enough to avoid trappers, and can even hunt and eat porcupines successfully (Fishers, the big NA marten) Amazing! And, they are damn cute!
For everyone else? They are damned cute. They are related to ferrets, which are cute pet animals. Most people don’t know much about weasels, or about martens (the Internet is changing that), but the more they know, the more they will probably like martens. (one article about the return of the Fisher to NE America (which has panicked some residents) called them “big, beautiful weasels”)
What is your personal Marten story?
I have many, though most are about the general weasel attitude. I met my first mate at a Science Fiction convention. I had some of my Skiltaire art in the art show. I was sitting outside the video screening room (which I was in charge of), and this guy comes over and says that someone in the art show referred him to me. He asked me why my pictures of otters and martens had antenna. Now, most people would see a Skiltaire and say “what cute cats”… but not this guy. We’ve been together for 33 years.
Otherwise, I am in the telecommunication business. When I started out, the independent telecom companies were pretty common. I was an engineer (BS-ETE), and had worked for a piece of the old Pacific Bell company, after the anti-trust breakup. I had the knowledge and experience, but I was striking out on my own. I managed to get some work and even some big contracts, which I won away from much larger, better established companies. I might be small, but I was agile, adaptable and I could compete head-to head with the big guys. I had marten confidence, and it got me business (and meat on the table).
Marten Philosophy?
Really, this is more of a general weasel philosophy. Once, one of my co-workers asked me about how I managed to get work in a tech field that had so many other companies competing. I explained that even if the job required some knowledge I was unfamiliar with, I had the confidence that I could learn what I needed and could equal or exceed the abilities of anyone else in the field. It was my “weasel philosophy”. I used the line from “Ghostbusters” as an example:
“If someone asks you if you’re a God… say YES!”
Is there any specific Stories or Art out there for those of us who aren't yet as familiar with your Skiltaire race?
:3