Becoming a Naturalist

Let me first say, I've always loved nature, but I've never been a "nature lover."  You know, the kind that eats wild plants or hangs a boa constrictor around her neck because it's so cute.  So while I've grown up with a sincere appreciation of the great outdoors, I've never been very hands-on with it.

That's about to change.

I am a 24-year-old college student and this blog is part of a course in Florida naturalism I'm currently taking.  I hope to continue it well after my class is over; learning is a lifelong process.  I'm technically supposed to write my journal down, but I find that a blog is much easier for a computer geek like me.  :-)

My camera is a Fujifilm FinePix A360.  It has always been a reliable camera that takes pretty clear shots...until recently.  I think there's some dust or maybe battery corrosion in it that makes it not want to start up properly.  I tried cleaning it last night and today it worked a little better, although it did have a few false starts.  I'll clean it tomorrow with a cotton swab and a flashlight.