The gift of PTSD

Today I was sitting outside the shop observing a squirrel raiding a garbage can.  While I watched him dart in and out in a hyper alert frenzy something occurred to me.  That squirrel has  PTSD.  I have seen the afflicted move just like that in a hyper alert situation.  The little rodent seemed to be aware of every little rustling leaf or even hint of movement.  He never let his guard down until he had thoroughly searched the entire trash can.  Then he scurried off and disappeared into the treeline.  I have been there and done that.  But when it was over I got to smoke a cigarette and relax, this little squirrel never had that opportunity.  That got me thinking!  Are we supposed to develop PTSD as an awareness tool for survival?  Most wild animals move and act just like this.  It is not until they become domesticated like the sheep or cow that they lose this hyper alertness.  Is it that war and traumatic events are so primeval that they awaken a survival trait that we as a domesticated society no longer have a use for and look at as a disease?    It makes me wonder if our ancestors had this ability and awareness of everything that surrounds them.  It also makes me wonder at what point in human history did we unlearn a survival skill that has managed to keep our people safe for thousands of years.  What other gifts were we born with that we discarded so long ago that we can no longer recognize them for the superhuman gifts that they truly are.  If you are the fortunate recipient of this gift learn to embrace it, listen to what it has for you and take pride in the fact that you have re-learned a skill that mankind decided to live without.  Don't let anyone tell you that you have a disease or a disorder, it cannot be treated only repressed.  Learn to use your gift not repress it, it just might save your life if it hasn't already.

Fire test

Here is a fire test that you can put yourself through in your environment. GOOD LUCK!

Swenson Knives Review videos

The king of the rats

Like I mentioned earlier I have been having a little problem with rodents around here.  I showed you how to build the bucket trap and that is really effective against those mice.  When I went out to the garage and seen that the can was pushed all the way to one side then licked clean of peanut butter I realized that I was not up against a little mouse.  So I set up the figure four alternative that I made out of rifle and pistol cleaning rods (you can see this in my video SUNDAY SCOUT).

 Of course it was a success and I killed the king of the rats.  I will continue to keep it set up but only at night with the garage door shut because this will kill my cat if it decides to investigate.  Who would have thought that all that work in the field trapping rabbits and squirrels for dinner would pay off at the house in an everyday situation to make the quality of life a little better.  That is what it is all about, learning how to transfer those skills around all aspects of your life and recognizing when they are useful .  That's Survivology!

I  don't know how it wormed out the backside of the brick, but that goes to show that this WAS one strong SOB.  No wonder Sierra (my cat) didn't want to stay out in the garage alone.  Do you remember the loony toons cartoon where Silvester goes in after the little mouse and the kangaroo kicks his ass, this is something like that.