Hey! I wouldn’t even have to change the acronym!
Pinky: wait a minute! Dis is da PANDA chronicles!
Pookie: it could be da pookie chronicles
Pinky: no it couldn’t
Frank: why not?
Mikey: yeah. Why not?
Inspired by an offering in this year’s Zoo Auction! A Zoo Encounter with the Pookies! (I’m pretty sure you don’t get to go swimming with them, but maybe?)
Be the Bear!
Bob T almost a pookie Panda
Meanwhile, back in the Panda House, Mei is trying to juggle room assignments, head off fights between Six and Sebben and well, anyone else there, and keep Josie happy while keeping Frank and Mikey out of her way. Whew! I’d say she has her paws full.
Hold onto your boo shoots. I think this summer is going to get crazy between indictments and panda room assignments.
Be the Bear!
Bob T never been indicted Panda
I’m still kind of having a moment after the news of Judy Young’s sudden departure so you’ll have to endure yet another rant from the fine cats and pandas at ZooNooZ about all things political.
I swear. There ought to be some kind of test to run for office.
Be the Bear
Bob T I’m sure it looked just like this Panda
Hey everyone, friends to bears and all. Popping in on a Friday with a sad announcement. I just learned that my dear friend, friend to bears, and especially friend to Princess Pinky Bao Bao has departed from this world.
Judy Young was among the first of the panda people I met IRL when I stepped out from behind the ‘toons to go to the National Zoo to meet the real life panda fans for the first time in 2012. Tai Shan had already moved to China. Pinky Bao Bao had not yet been born. I remember coming to the zoo, going to the Panda House and Cyndi Anderson picked me out of the crowd with her innate panda sense.
Judy was among the people who I met that day, there in the back room at Lillie’s restaurant, just beyond the gates of the zoo. In the 11 years since we met, Judy has been a staunch supporter of all my creative pursuits. She hosted me several times when I visited DC. She was an extremely talented photographer, and like the panda whisperer Mollie Rivera, had an unerring instinct for soulful photographs of our beloved bears.
The real world is a little poorer today. I am reminded that life can be short. That we never know when our last chance to tell someone how much they mean to us and how much they have added to our life. I am reminded that I have one last person in my corner, having been so careless as to let them slip off the earth with no word of farewell.
I hate that the pandemic years robbed me of almost 3 years of seeing my friends at zoos around the country and the world. I’m mad that I won’t get to see her when I hope to visit our pandas one last time before they go to China. I’m sad she won’t have another chance to go to China and see the pandas.
Fuck cancer.
If you feel like it, please feel free to share your thoughts and memories of Judy Young in the comments. I know I’m not alone in being devastated at the news that she is gone.
Panda on
Bob T Panda
Oh yes…As we return to our previous story…let’s see…Josie arrived looking for her cub Pookie. Pookie and Bikkie did not want to be separated, so somebody (who knows who…maybe Bikkie?) invited Josie to move in too. We’ll see how long that lasts. Lun Lun snuck out with Yang Yang after Ya Ya’s goodbye party, leaving Six and Sebben behind.
Fortunately, construction was completed on Pinky’s penthouse suite (hey, it’s fiction!) in advance of scheduled completion, so looks like there is room for everyone! As usual, Mei Xiang must make everything work and keep everything from falling into chaos.
I’ve been writing a little Inner Panda Diary over at my Substack home. You could check it out.
Also, I have procrastinated getting these original watercolors from The Panda Cub Swap posted. Rather than bombard you with all of them, all at once, I thought it might be easier to post them in groups.
This group is the small spot illustrations that appear in a double page spread in the book. They are each $95 including US postage. Outside the US (if anyone is interested) postage will be at cost. International shipping has gone up, so be forewarned. If you are interested, use the Contact Me page, and identify the painting by number.
The individual paintings are all about 4″x6″ ish, and are matted at 6″x8″
Be the Bear!
Bob T my house is still standing after the fireworks Panda
You knew it had to happen!
PODcast!!! Get it?
Be the Sea Panda
Bob T I’m a bitch, I’m an orca Panda
Back in my college days, I had my nose in a Big Fish Thriller and was completely engrossed. These were the days just after the release of Jaws, and everyone wanted to get on the Malevolent Sea Creature bandwagon. I think maybe there was a novel about a giant squid too.
So there I am, nose in book, and my friend was trying to get my attention, and finally she just yelled in my face, “ORCA ORCA ORCA!!!“
I might not remember what I went into the kitchen for today, but I do remember life’s high points!
This ‘toon (and Thursday’s) are based on the true story of a pod of Orcas attacking boats off the Spanish coast. Would I lie to you?
Be the Bear!
Bob don’t call me Flipper Panda
Last week on Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me (the NPR Nooz Quiz) they shared a true story of bears in the Nooz. I thought it was worthy of a ‘toon, so I made one! Do you think this will get me on the show?
I looked up an article about the incident, which had several amusing quotes, my favorite being: Presumably the bear did not have a search warrant either.
Curious? Check out the article here after you read The Panda Chronicles version of it!
And who has the theme song Secret Agent Bear ear-worming your brain now?
Secret…agent bear
Secret…agent bear…
They’ve given you a number,
And taken away your name!
Be the Bear!
Bob T it wasn’t me either Panda
There have been so many stories of bears in the Nooz lately. Are the bears being especially naughty? Or are there just more people filming the naughtiness of bears since almost everyone has a camera in their pocket?
Whatever the reason, we have bears coming out of our ears! (Which is better than hair coming out of our ears…) But here at The Panda Chronicles, we say, you can’t have too many stories about bears! Here, to tell you about bears and play a little Nooz quiz, are some of our favorite bears: Frank and Mikey (an don’t forget Pookie!) on a show we are calling;
Be the Bear!
Bob T I crack me up! Panda
Keep those bear stories and videos coming!
After all that folderol of TFG’s arrest and all the blathering he and the rest of the GQP are doing, I think we need something light and fluffy.
We are not even close to be out of the soup, not by a long shot, so take two small bears, a cuppycake, and some hot cocoa with little marshmallows, and call me in the morning.
Be the Bear
Bob T on the edge of my seat Panda