But really…who can blame the little piggy! Chips are really hard to resist!
I really don’t want to think about the clean up. I suspect the owner would be better off just torching the car.
Be the Bear (or piggy!)
Bob T Panda
The 50th Pandaversary celebration of all things PANDA would hardly be complete without an examination of every thought that has ever passed through the magnificent brain of the most important panda that ever resided at the Smifsonian National Zoo!
Oh sure, you might think Ling Ling and Hsing Hsing were those most important pandas, since they were the first to reside in Washington DC. Or maybe you might think that the well loved Tai Shan (aka #1 son), being the miracle cubby who arrived in 2005, is that most important panda.
A tip of the tiara to Pinky’s twidder typer for this idea!
Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda
Yes, pandas have become a part of every day life in Washington DC!
Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda
Pay no attention to those reports of Ling Ling biting one of her keepers! I’m sure it was just a little panda nip!
Yes, I know that Mr Wu is not an SNZ Panda, but he is related through his mom and Papa Tian Tian, who are half siblings!
Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda
tappity tappity tappity
Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda
I think I see some trouble ahead…
Be the Bear
Bob T Panda
Yesterday one of my pandemic ‘toons popped up in someone’s time line, so I thought I would revisit the pandas experience of the Panda-demic.
There is always excitement in store when Six and Sebben show up. Mei must have been desperate to suggest this. I bet she won’t make that mistake again!
I just sent a check for $500 off to the Whatcom Humane Society, thanks to everyone who ordered a felty support kitty! There are still 6 more available, so check out the Felties Revisited page for information on ordering!
Till Tuesday (when I WILL have a new ‘toon)
Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda
I’m afraid this is one of those weeks when time got away from me, so there is no new ‘toon today.
Be the Bear
Bob T Panda
It’s now official. A book written by Beth Bacon and illustrated by yours truly will be released on September 6, but you can pre-order it now via Amazon. It’s called The Panda Cub Swap and it’s all about the birth of the first twin pandas born in the US who lived to young adulthood, Mei Lun and Mei Huan of Zoo Atlanta.
This book took almost 8 years to come into being. I met Beth through working on Pandamorphosis, and while the publisher she was working on at the time kind of crashed and burned, and did not ultimately participate in publishing Pandamorphosis, she helped to shape the book and we connected through our interest in writing for kids.
Fast forward a few years from working on Pandamorphosis. Beth was completing an MFA in writing for children at Vermont College of Fine Art. She needed a project, and she suggested we collaborate on a picture book, which hopefully we would be able to interest an agent or publisher. I suggested the story of Mei Lun and Mei Huan (aka the Meihems) since they were the first surviving twins born in the US and we were off to the races.
Well, if you think things are going to happen quickly and easily in publishing, you are going to be disappointed. The project had various moments of interest, then rejections, and we each got busy with other projects and put it aside. Sad, because we thought it could be a beautiful book, but there is a lot of “oh well, what might have been,” in publishing.
About 2 years ago, Beth called me and said she wanted to self publish the book and could she hire me to do the illustrations. I had some sketches from the early drafts, but really had to start from scratch other than the source photos that I had already saved. In the end, she decided to try once more to find a publisher who would be interested in the project and she finally did.
This was such a fun book to work on. She had lots of communication with the panda keepers at Zoo Atlanta, so that the story she told was accurate. I got to draw pandas! I know September seems like a long time to wait, but it will go faster than you think. Meanwhile, pre-orders really help to get the book more notice in a crowded field of children’s book, and help the publisher make a larger first printing. Over the months while we wait, I will occasionally tease you with an image for the book!
Remember I said something about presents from the universe? There was this story on the mid week edition of Wait Wait, Don’t Tell Me about a job posting for a Grizzly Bear Conflict Manager in Montana. Doesn’t that sound like the perfect job for Frank and Mikey? (MX: yes! It sounds perfect! Can I help you pack?)
Well, that’s all we have time for today! Alas, I think this job listing has already closed, but if Frank and Mikey are on the job, I’m sure there will be another opening *soon*!
Be the Bear!
Buy my book!*
Bob T Panda
Sometimes I have ideas, and sometimes I don’t necessarily know where they are going. In the way of pantsers* everywhere, I will just start writing and drawing and see where it goes. (*Pantser: a writer who writes with no plan or plot in mind)
Over on #PandaTwitter Six and Sebben are on the loose! Who knows what they will get up to, or where they will turn up. Mama Lun Lun bought them around the world tickets, paid extra for their passports, turned up the music and locked the door. Not necessarily in that order.
Sometimes Twitter #PandaImprov turns into ‘toon story lines. Sometimes we are just having fun!
Stay ‘tooned!
Be the Bear
Bob T Panda