Backup

My Computer crashed. (Did I capitalize computer or did it? That concerns me) I'm now in the process of doing what I do every time I panic and worry about losing everything stored in this mysterious little box - I backup.

I'm basically copying files to an 80 GB backup hardrive and I'm currently watching it scan through 37 years of photos. It's freaking me out. The files are flying by and the computer is counting down. "214 minutes remaining". A file from a trip out to Montana just zipped by. That was almost 7 years ago? The Grand Canyon from 2002. The computer shuffles through several dozen files from the Vermont Butterfly Survey in Manchester with Kent in 2003 and the numbered files topple like dominoes. Here comes 2004 and the 2 trips to see Ma-Le in Ecuador. 1200 photos and they rocket past so fast. 2005 - new pictures of baby Peyton, my sister Mandy's wedding, Ash & Kate's wedding, Christmas with the family at Disney and the last picture of my mother - the moment is gone. "42 minutes remaining". The blur and pain of 2006 tears by with digitized moments that seem too quickly forgotten. I did that? Lost in a fog of coping. "19 minutes remaining". I'm watching the last of the photos and my mind hears the sound of driving on the rumble strip that separates the highway from the side of the road. DSCN3384, DSCN3385, DSCN3386 - no time to change the file name. The moment is here and gone. "2 minutes remaining". Does my computer know something I don't?

When I was a kid days seemed endless - now they go by too quickly. I've been back in Florida for a year now. It's been a great year for the most part but I can't help feeling like I'm driving downhill in a fog sometimes. Gotta keep going forward. Have to enjoy every bit of every day that I can. I never know when the ground is going to drop out under me. I can look back - I just can't backup. "finished"

How To Kick A Rabbit

Rabbits are fast and hard to kick. They're food for just about everything including alligators, bobcats, panthers, rednecks, snakes, coyotes and goats. Like most prey species they have exceptional range of sight and with eyeballs that protrude from their skull they can see a swift foot coming. They can see on the left and on the right but their vision overlaps for only 30 degrees to the front where they have a minimal amount of depth of field. They also have a 10 degree blind spot and this is the key to kicking one if you can't sneak up from behind. You can also wait outside a den but who knows when they'll creep out. You can always count on a rabbit to dart one way and then dart back the opposite way, but if you don't anticipate correctly, a quick change in direction and an errant punt can lead to a torn ACL.


When you do connect it's important to get the firm spot underneath. Remember - you're not trying to harm the bunny. You're just hoping for good distance.


What to wear? Fabulous colors. Rabbits seem to have only two types of cones in their eyes that allow them to see greens and blues so you can camouflage yourself by wearing spectacular pinks, reds and oranges. This may backfire by drawing fire from locals.


Don't blink because rabbits don't blink often - maybe 10-12 times an hour.


Threats abound for rabbits so they are well adapted to avoid the casual rabbit-kicker. For the well-trained bunny punter, all of these adaptations will be accounted for and one should find great success when patient.

Of course I don't condone such behavior. But it seems to be hardwired into boys brains. Tonight I watched a boy run up to a Muscovey Duck and kick it. His older brother followed and his father laughed. How is that not a punishable offense to wildlife!

While hiking with friends on Sunday I had hoped to see some wildlife and the thought popped into my head. If a rabbit were to run out - I'd kick it. I could have kept the thought to myself, but it came out and the lesson you've read above followed.

I love animals. I don't wish to harm them and I feel bad that I eat some of them, but why do we think this way. As far as I can tell - most women don't have these thoughts. If a deer prances along most women would think "awww" and many men would think "shoot it!". If a toad hops by many women would think it warty and gross and most men would want to lick it.

It could simply be that everyone thinks crazy thoughts and most don't express them. If I didn't there wouldn't be much of a blog.