Humans are a remarkably arrogant lot, or maybe it's just self-centered, which isn't too far from arrogance — about 2.7 meters, I think, in Olympic terms.

We move into semi-wild areas surrounding lakes and creeks and woods for the beauty and charm of life in a pastoral setting only to complain about the wildlife and then move to eradicate said critters.

We plant non-indigenous grass in our yards and complain about the water bill while we're trying to keep it alive and green during the triple-digit temperatures of the North Texas summers.

We try to control the natural world around us because by god, nature should not interfere or sully our pristine little lives.

OK, sorry for the tangential mini-rant there that's not all together germane — such a good word — to the overall topic of this week's wandering down Addled Avenue.

Or is it?