There are times in our lives, when we’re sitting in an airplane going six hundred miles per hour thirty-five-thousand feet in the air, or when you’re watching a movie while also scrolling through social media and eating fast food, or when you’re driving your two-ton-car through a sea of other massive vehicles without a thought in the world, that being a human truly feels like existing on a different plane of reality to all the other animals of planet earth.
One of the great things about living in LA is that there are so many parts of the city where you're not that far from nature. We're far enough from the hills that we don't have to deal with bears (and those California brown bears are adorable), but we do get ducks in our swimming pool, coyotes wandering down the street, and this morning, past the french doors that lead to the already mentioned pool, and skunks who used to love surprising Sophie. Hawks circling overhead and on a few magical occasions, a silent majestic owl swooping across the backyard. And Susan once saw a bobcat on the hillside a block from the house. Easy to forget when you're trying to pick somebody up at LAX, but pretty incredible once you've out of the car.
Maybe the irony of being tear gassed by the National Guard while protesting the war in Vietnam. Sorry about this lacking an animal context. On second thought...
What a great observation, wonderfully crafted from a very interesting series of encounters! (I guess the main reminders of the primitives among us these days is hearing anything a MAGA or t***p have to say.)
Probably the most similar experience I had was playing ring around the rosie with a juvenile bison at Yellowstone National Park. I was just minding my own business taking in the geysers when, all of a sudden, a juvie bison came running straight at me. Being only 165 lbs, to his half ton (Estimated), I took refuge behind an exceedingly small trail sign. Happily, the bison stopped on the other side of the sign and we eyed each other for an indeterminate amount of time. Next, we slowly and warily started circling the sign, so we ended up on opposite sides. At that point, the bison must have lost interest in this game, because he turned tail and ran off to brag about scaring the bejeezus out of a human. For my part, I staggered off to the nearby Yellowstone Convenience Store and Ice Cream Parlor, and ordered a double milk shake to restore my blood sugar. And I swear on a stack of Bibles, Qurans, Books of Mormon, etc. that this is a true and accurate account.
All in a day's work for a regulatory biologist (or whatever the heck my job description was at the time). I was out there for a working meeting on wind turbine impacts on wildlife, little did I know that I was going to experience some wildlife impacts of my own.
HI WILL!!!!!! It's Ali M. I finally got the chance to read a Will's Dumb Brain entry and boy did I enjoy it! You are an amazing writer and I will be back for more <3
Yes. A person can have a Bottle of water a cell phone and go walking in a canyon, let's say somewhere in Arizona. All it takes is that person getting lost, and wasting precious hours trying to orientate themselves stubbornly. Then the battery dies on the cellphone. And the one bottle of water runs out. And the temperature in the desert plummets. And just like that, one can see how fragile our life is, through a bunch of choices made through ignorance, or not taking nature seriously. This even can happen if you planned better. Read the short story "To Build a Fire" by Jack London. Great piece BTW. Poor squirrel.
One of the great things about living in LA is that there are so many parts of the city where you're not that far from nature. We're far enough from the hills that we don't have to deal with bears (and those California brown bears are adorable), but we do get ducks in our swimming pool, coyotes wandering down the street, and this morning, past the french doors that lead to the already mentioned pool, and skunks who used to love surprising Sophie. Hawks circling overhead and on a few magical occasions, a silent majestic owl swooping across the backyard. And Susan once saw a bobcat on the hillside a block from the house. Easy to forget when you're trying to pick somebody up at LAX, but pretty incredible once you've out of the car.
So true! Everyone thinks of LA and the beach but I think of the mountains!
Maybe the irony of being tear gassed by the National Guard while protesting the war in Vietnam. Sorry about this lacking an animal context. On second thought...
Wow now that really was a wild time in American history! Thanks for standing up for peace! ☮️
Sinking a 15-foot putt after watching that carnage speaks to your steely nerves!
I wish I sank the putt! I two putted for par but still, not bad considering the carnage I witnessed!
What a great observation, wonderfully crafted from a very interesting series of encounters! (I guess the main reminders of the primitives among us these days is hearing anything a MAGA or t***p have to say.)
Thank you! Hahaha very true!
You know what would've been really wild stuff? If the bird were an eagle and then you sank an eagle.
Damn dude, that would have been way better
Probably the most similar experience I had was playing ring around the rosie with a juvenile bison at Yellowstone National Park. I was just minding my own business taking in the geysers when, all of a sudden, a juvie bison came running straight at me. Being only 165 lbs, to his half ton (Estimated), I took refuge behind an exceedingly small trail sign. Happily, the bison stopped on the other side of the sign and we eyed each other for an indeterminate amount of time. Next, we slowly and warily started circling the sign, so we ended up on opposite sides. At that point, the bison must have lost interest in this game, because he turned tail and ran off to brag about scaring the bejeezus out of a human. For my part, I staggered off to the nearby Yellowstone Convenience Store and Ice Cream Parlor, and ordered a double milk shake to restore my blood sugar. And I swear on a stack of Bibles, Qurans, Books of Mormon, etc. that this is a true and accurate account.
Holy cow (or should I say bison)! That really is wild!
All in a day's work for a regulatory biologist (or whatever the heck my job description was at the time). I was out there for a working meeting on wind turbine impacts on wildlife, little did I know that I was going to experience some wildlife impacts of my own.
HI WILL!!!!!! It's Ali M. I finally got the chance to read a Will's Dumb Brain entry and boy did I enjoy it! You are an amazing writer and I will be back for more <3
Awww Ali! Thank you so much for reading and commenting
i can't really comment other than to give 62yo me kudos for knowing about dr stone. great piece, will!
Wow! I’m impressed!
Yes. A person can have a Bottle of water a cell phone and go walking in a canyon, let's say somewhere in Arizona. All it takes is that person getting lost, and wasting precious hours trying to orientate themselves stubbornly. Then the battery dies on the cellphone. And the one bottle of water runs out. And the temperature in the desert plummets. And just like that, one can see how fragile our life is, through a bunch of choices made through ignorance, or not taking nature seriously. This even can happen if you planned better. Read the short story "To Build a Fire" by Jack London. Great piece BTW. Poor squirrel.