I am about to reach 18,000 visits to The Panda Chronicles! Huzzah!
A vote for pandas is a vote for cuppycakes!
Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda
I’m not sure what is worse: Bob’s continuing delusions that the panda kindergarten has turned over a new leaf, or the behavior of the panda kindergarten. I really think I should just stay out of it, although I have left some literature on Bob’s desk about Outward Bound programs for young pandas. I think maybe a session with Bob’s therapist is well overdue. (Ok, OK, Ellen, your Roll of Honor placement is coming….)
Mehitabel the cat; Be NOT the the Bear!
No, I’m not talking Rembrandt here, although once in a while I channel Carravagio in my compositions. What I’m talking about are the cartooning greats: Gary Larson, Bill Watterson, Scott Adams….recently I’ve been devouring Doonesbury by Gary Trudeau and the late, and extremely great Walt Kelly’s Pogo. “We have met the enemy and he is us.” Were truer words ever spoken in cartoons, let alone real life? For some one who is notorious for only looking at the pictures in art books and not reading the text, I am lovingly absorbing every word in these books, written by and about these cartoonist. One comment made by Walt Kelly that was reported in the book struck a cord with me. On being asked about the 500+ named characters, plus hundreds of un-named characters that appeared in his cartoons, he replied, “Well, I just assume that they have jobs in other cartoons when they are not here.” People sometimes ask where I come up for the ideas for my cartoons. I can now authoritatively say that my characters are really in charge. I am just the person holding the pen.
Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda
We are pleased to announce *2* new inductees to the Roll of Honor! First, we would like to welcome Sue Frause, in the catagory of “Random Acts of Cuppycakes,” for leaving a little package of cuppycakes on her doorknob before she went off on her errands. Was that cool or what? There she was on Fez Book talking about Farmer Bob making cuppycakes for her birthday, and I comment that I’ll be right over. So, she writes back that she’ll leave some on the porch for me! This is the very definition of awesome. And to top it off, she mentioned me ( Bob T. Panda) in her Seattle P.I. Blog, because after all, if you are talking about cuppycakes, you are talking about me! So welcome to the Roll of Honor, Sue! (Good cuppycakes, by the way!)
Our second lucky Roll of Honor inductee is Nina Laden, children’s author and illustrator extraordinaire, for the wonderful panda earrings she made for me out of something called shrink film. The little pandas are sitting and holding a pencil that is almost as big as the panda. I’ll take a picture and post it. They are really the cutest thing. I can’t wait to wear them. (They will look really good against my black ear fur!) Opening the package totally made my day. By the way, the reason I was so fortunate to receive this fabulous gift, was a little challenge that Nina was passing along, where the first 5 people who commented on this post from Nina (on Fez Book) would receive something from Nina, made by hand. It is a little like a chain letter, as Nina said in the note that accompanied my earrings, but with the MAJOR difference that the recipients self-select themselves, as opposed to some %@@!#$$&* chain letter that you have no interest in perpetuating. Also, then you get something cool and special made by hand (or by paw, in my case). By the way, if you ever send me an actual chain letter, I will be the one that breaks the chain. (Oh god, does this mean that the economic meltdown is ALL MY FAULT????) Anyway, I’m working on my “made by hand thing” but if you’re not already on the list, it’s too late now. Sorry. I highly recommend this kind of activity. Thank’s Nina. You are the Bear!
Till next time, when the panda kindergarten begins “helping” Bob with his campaign,
Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda
It had to happen. Even with the trials and tribulations of controlling (HA!) the panda kindergarten, Bob feels that he has no choice but to declare his candidacy for President. Of course, there are many questions to be answered. Does he have to declare zoo panda rental fees in his financial disclosures? Will Babette be his “first lady”? Will the panda kindergarten obtain positions in his cabinet? And what about his birth certificate from the San Diego Zoo?
You can declare your support for a panda in the White House (the first since the Nixon Pandas took up residence there in 1972) by acquiring a Bob T. Panda for President bumper sticker from www.cafepress.com/pandyland
Now, a portion of our meager profits will be donated to Pandas International (no, really, you can ask them!) to support real, actual pandas! After all, our cartoon ceases to be funny if pandas go extinct! So, you can skin 2 cats with one purchase, aiding real pandas and declaring your fed-up-ed-ness with politics as usual. Buy stuff with pandas at Cafe Press Pandyland. Pandas everywhere will appreciate it.
Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda
In light of the upcoming 2012 Olympic games to take place in London this summer, I thought I would occasionally bring you some highlights of Panda Olympics past. As you can see, the panda bobsled team (comprised of the 2010 panda kindergarten) had a few …um…problems.
Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda