Animals of East/Central Texas

I'm compiling a list of all the wild animals I've encountered in these Texan woods.


Arthropods

• Striped Bark scorpion (venomous)
• Fairy shrimp
• Crawfish
• Wasps (venomous)

Reptiles

• Eastern Coachwhip snake
• Coral snakes (the most venomous snake in North America)
• Copperhead snake (venomous)
• Hognose snake (only venomous to small animals)
• Red-eared Slider turtles

Mammals

• Feral hogs 
• White-tailed deer
• Possums
• Armadillos

Birds

• Crows
• Woodpeckers (Pileated, Red-headed, and possibly others)
• Red-tailed hawks
• Turkey vultures
• Sandhill cranes
• Great White herons

... and many more.  To be updated...

Posted: January 29, 2016

A Scratching Post

     I was today walking through the woods on a day off, treating my senses to the array of natural happenings.  Most often of these walks I become introspective and after a while I found myself nibbling on my fingernails.  This is a distasteful habit, I agree, so I balled up my hands with the resolve to clip the chitinous edges when I returned home.  It wasn’t long before my thoughts strayed and with them my fingers to teeth.  Just then, as I was about to step over a fallen log, a flicker of inspiration alighted.  Bending over, I began to vigorously run my fingernails over the exposed log.  The log was a trunk of hardwood, quite possibly an oak, which initial decay had stripped of its bark.  I was tactile-ly gratified by the naked tree.

     All true discoveries are imitations of nature.  Is rubbing one’s fingernails over wood really so strange?  Behold the arch of a cat as it sinks its claws into a suitable material before yanking feverishly upon it.  Bears do the same; great gouges in bark are memorial to this happy practice.  Even dogs will shred the right ground with a silly grin, getting their rocks off, prancing in place, getting their footing like a baseballer preparing their batting stance, cutting a rug, and really and truly going for it. 

     Let me tell you, the feeling is delightful.  Having worked off some rough edges thanks to the oak, I continued my trek.  Coming quickly upon a lightening-stricken pine, I couldn’t resist – this one, too, unsheathed.  An upright tree was equally worthwhile.  Along the pine’s fibrous flesh were traced sapsucker bores.  These meandering lines provided a finishing relief, allowing my finger to catch gently with each scratch.  Tantalizing.  While scratching, I imagined our ancestors doing the same.  Men and women of ancient forests circled in conversation, running their fingers across the logs they’re sat.  Soon, my fingertips were worked properly down.  The result of this session was smooth, even nails.  The urge to pick was gone. 

     Not all substrates are the same.  A surface that is too soft deposits debris under the nails.  An edge that is too unforgiving can cause discomfort.  I would like to experiment with different materials.  I suspect the right kind of stone would do nicely, perhaps a river rock. 

     The satisfaction of a good scratch is analogous to stretching a stiff muscle.  Not only is the act of scratching satisfactory, but also receiving.  Just the thought of a head scratch raises bumps on my skin.

     I suppose many will scoff or blanch at my proposition… to which I say: be whimsical.  Try new things.  Do what feels right.  What harm could come?

     And while you’re out caressing trees, I highly recommend pine needles for cleansing hands.  Grab a bunch of pine straw and rub it over your dirty paws; it will take soil clean off.  There is the added benefit of the resinous aroma being caught in your palms.  Give it a go.

Thank you, everyone, for entertaining my weirdness.

Really, though, isn’t is stranger still we call small pictures “thumbnails”? 

New Year's Resolution: No Facebook

Why I’m giving up Facebook for a year...



     Before Facebook, the social network of choice was Myspace. A Myspace profile was (is?) more customizable than Facebook and when I was introduced to it in middle school it was important to create a fashionable profile to get as many ‘friends’ as possible. Eventually, the public interest shifted towards Facebook’s stark, photo and newsfeed based layout. Part of Facebook’s luster is sharing information and getting ‘likes’. It is easy to say that trying to achieve a high number of ‘friends’ or ‘likes’ is a petty endeavor, yet my reasons for wanting to take a break from this form of media are more encompassing.

     Facebook is a good tool and well assembled. The minds behind this organization have crafted a highly appealing product by using effective psychological methods. It has great potential for uniting people over ideas and across distances. However, the same attributes that make this website useful can also make it divisive. I’ve seen posts of people lamenting others’ disposition to spouting politics. I strongly believe politics should be discussed and Facebook is a valid platform for such discussions. It is the unwavering beliefs that are disgruntling and there is something about an electronic screen that seems to embolden uncompromising expressions. I find the rampant negativity on Facebook to be tiring.

     Aren’t we all seeking some degree of attention? Isn’t that ok, within reason? I’m not questioning the morality of selfies. I’m simply not receiving enough satisfaction to verify the amount of effort I contribute to Facebook. If I were to put all the time I spend looking at notifications and the newsfeed instead towards a hobby (like writing), then I might actually accomplish something.

     There is a lot of information being projected at us. Mass media asserts opinions and events into as much of our waking life as possible. I’d like to think that Facebook assists in keeping connected with friends, but I don’t really participate in the meaningful interaction with them that I crave. I usually leave Facebook feeling more lonely than fulfilled. At the expense of missing out on some important occurrences, I would like to focus on my immediate, tangible endeavors. I want to base my achievements on mine, not to compare them to the deeds of another. I want to use my time wisely, to improve myself. I want to experience a virtuous life, not a virtual life.



"Society, you're a crazy breed,
I hope you're not lonely without me."

- Eddie Vedder, "Society"



Thank you for reading.

'The Divine Spark: Psychedelics, Consciousness, and the Birth of Civilization' Book Review

The Divine Spark: Psychedelics, Consciousness, and the Birth of Civilization Book Review



     Graham Hancock is known for his weighty themes and titles, and in this newest work he does not disappoint. The book is a collection of essays from scientists, academics, artists, theologians, medical doctors, authors, and others. Together they explore the relationships between anthropology (especially ethnopharmacology), psychology, biology, ecology, and even physics. However, while discussion of psychedelics and consciousness is explicit and prevalent, disappointingly little mention is made of “the birth of civilization,” or in those terms, at least.

     Consciousness and civilization stemming from the use of psychotropic substances (aka. hallucinogens, entheogens, psychointegrators) is an idea which hearkens to Terrance McKenna’s “Stoned Ape Theory.” This idea postulates that the enormous explosion in humans’ brain volume around 100,000 BCE is due to use of psychointegrators. Perhaps a more realistic assertion, some contemporaries suggest, is that the advent of symbolism, abstractions, and ancient art are partly influenced by psychoactive substances. Hancock’s collected writers posit that human-included (not human-dominated) ecological harmonies owe thanks to ingestion of certain alkaloids.

     My use of verbose terminology mirrors the academic approach of this book. It is not intended to be a simple read, or perhaps it is difficult for doctorate holders who write scientifically for a living to engage in pop literature. Hancock himself is wonderfully skilled at dialogue with a variety of audiences, as are a few other nonacademic contributors, such as Russell Brand.

     A number of authors are veterans of the counterculture movement and their distrust of authority is apparent. The underlying thread of contrarianism may be referring to a “birth of civilization” yet to come, though most discussion regarding ‘civilization’ focuses on its shortcomings. The authors rally again the domineering Western culture, citing such grievances as the Europeans’ genocide and cultural destruction of the Americas – a hemisphere raped in more ways than one.

     Despite the bristling at current power structures, this is a group of people who very soberly address intoxication. These are not toddlers coming to the grown-up table demanding to be taken seriously. These are students of a maligned branch of knowledge who are carefully presenting a collective thesis to a society that has been conditioned to shame or persecute their work. And these men and women should be heard. Divine Spark is valid testimony of the gravity and beneficence of sacred plants.

     Are the authors encouraging citizens to take drugs? To express their unspoken sentiment in my own words, “It’s illegal and we’re not telling you to do it, but do it.” Furthermore, they identify the hypocrisy of today’s drug legality. How can a culture which permits nicotine, alcohol, and sugar (three of the largest threats to national health) curse indigenous plants and fungi? Hancock maintains that the ‘War on Drugs’ is really a ‘War on Consciousness,’ a most egregious infraction upon individual human sovereignty. Additionally, what role do big pharmaceutical companies play? Why would these powerful entities allow substances that can quickly and effectively and cheaply cure depression, anxiety, PTSD, etc. when there is so much profit to be made from the perennial pill? This is not mere conspiratorial grumbling, but evidence-based skepticism of modern, ineffective prohibitions.

     Hancock masterfully weaves tales of personal experiences alongside educated inductions. For me, the most powerful section of Divine Spark is Rick Strassman’s “Preparation for the Journey.” This no-frills chapter explains the optimal environment under which a person may choose to have a psychedelic experience. Strassman, like Hancock, is a legend in certain circles. According to Wikipedia, “after twenty years of intermission, Strassman was the first person in the United States to undertake human research with psychedelic, hallucinogenic, or entheogenic substances.” His instructions are absolutely essential for outsiders to begin understanding the phenomenon of ‘tripping’, and are equally important for the trippers themselves. As a medical doctor and repeated researcher of successful experimental trials on the topic, Strassman’s words are indelible.

     While psychedelics sit in the forefront of this book’s discussions, the variety of ideas is unconstrained. For the uninitiated, this collection of essays contains novel and interesting information. For anyone who is familiar with these topics, it is a drink of fresh water after a long walk.

     The Divine Spark, like the subjects it approaches, is not easy to pin down, making for an exciting read anyone who engages it seriously.



Thank you for reading.

'Ender’s Game' Book Trilogy Review

Ender’s Game Book Trilogy Review (no spoilers)



     Having completed the original Ender’s Game trilogy by Orson Scott Card, I would like to share some of my thoughts. While the books are constructed with a similar fabric, each is woven strong enough to stand on its own: Ender’s Game, Speaker for the Dead, and Xenocide.


     Ender’s Game is undoubtedly the most famous of the trio, and for good reason. It is the most accessible and relatable. Card’s novel debut challenges not only our conceptions of strategy and space, but also the potentials of youth. The plot follows a young genius who must leave Earth to prepare himself to become the commander of a war against a threatening alien race. The book puts great emphasis on the science of science fiction, deftly explaining all of the extraterrestrial phenomena, especially combat in zero gravity, with a conviction that makes it difficult to think of them any other way.

     The story, characters, dialogue, pacing, and creativity all make Ender’s Game the perfect young adult novel, and a must-read for everyone else. The loneliness, confusion, and frustration that the main character, Ender, must face in becoming Earth’s last hope evoke powerful memories of adolescence in the reader… all while stimulating fascinating thought of mankind’s future. Card well deserves the science fiction community’s greatest awards that this book has earned.


     Speaker for the Dead is just as powerful as its predecessor. Though the influx of new characters, settings, and ideas may be initially off-putting, the dedicated reader will find the second book of the trilogy to be just as rewarding. In my opinion, this book may be even better. Speaker for the Dead is a wholly visceral work, exploring the relationship between our higher and lower selves. Prominently featured are both the biological and human sides of sex. The fear the reader feels for the alien and the different/other in Ender’s Game is made much more tangible in this follow-up work. Ender flies away from Earth as fast as physically possible, and while he has a short time on a spacecraft to ponder his past and future, the principle of relativity ensures that three thousand years transpire on his home planet (and others like it) during his short travels between the stars – Card’s scientific thoroughness once again shines. If the theme of Ender’s Game is creativity, then the theme of Speaker for the Dead is humanity.


     Xenocide is not as great of a departure from Speaker for the Dead as Speaker for the Dead was from Ender’s Game. The continuity of characters and settings lend stability, which is necessary for the brain-boggling ideas that are explored in this capstone work. Card’s powerful philosophizing from the previous books sits at the forefront of this one, if somewhat to the detriment of the story. Other reviewers who dearly love the first two novels sometimes despise Xenocide, but I find that the spirit of the trilogy stays true. Card’s personal ethics push through during weighty discussions of sentience, free will, and spirituality.

     In this episode, the greatest turning point of human history hangs by a thread as Ender continues to try to make sense of the world and himself, though the author pays him much less attention. This is the least accessible book of the trilogy, and parts of it seem forced. The pacing sometimes feels off and events haphazard, consequences barely present; yet the value of the concepts in Xenocide, though not always revolutionary, excuse the flaws. While Ender’s Game emphasizes the science of science fiction, Xenocide emphasizes more of the fiction aspect. Maybe that is partly why the book doesn’t seem as wholesome as the others. In my opinion, not enough attention is given to (my interpretation of) the meaning of the title. However, let me be clear that fans of the preceding novels will also enjoy Xenocide.


     Each of Card’s novels progresses further into mature thought, developing the overarching story as a tool for the ideas. Perhaps that is why the trilogy loses fans with each book. I do have one comment on the construction of these stories. All three of these books conclude rather abruptly: after the climax there is little heed given to the falling action – minimal cuddling. This leaves the reader closing the back cover of the book dazed. Maybe this is to make the audience hungry for the next work, but I feel that it detracts from the story. The novels could be made that much more powerful if some of the consequences were further explored.


Overall, the Ender’s Game trilogy is a series that explores exciting ideas through a valuable tale. Highly recommended.



Thanks for reading!



Edit: I have also read Ender's Shadow.  It is a parallel telling of the first book and equally entertaining.

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