Tag Archives: panda kindergarten

100 Years of Solitude

Gee. I hope it’s not going to last that long, no matter how much this first week feels like it has already been 100 years long. I hope it gets easier. But although I am still healthy, covid19 cases are growing in Island county. In theory, I’m pretty safe. I work at home, I don’t go out to crowded places much, but when every door handle is a ticking time bomb, and knowing how extremely contagious this virus is, it does not give one much peace of mind.

In times of trouble, we need art and laughter more than ever.

Doesn’t impeachment seem like a million years ago?

A bear can dream, am I right?

I have a lot of thoughts, having a bit of extra time to think, so I thought I would share it here.

Also, if I put these nuggets of wisdom between the ‘toons, it will be harder to just scroll past it and get to the good stuff. 🙂

The transition from staying home most of the time to staying home all the time (except for one post office run and maybe a weekly trip to the grocery store) is not a big one, but somehow it feels significant. It feels different. I’m trying to remember to talk to people on the phone, not just text or tweet at them. I’m trying to keep in mind that even though I am not on the front lines in health care or restocking grocery store shelves, creating humorous panda satire, and beautiful paintings (and felty pandas!!!) is still important.

Don’t get mad. Get even.

Rising up from behind the stories of inept and malignant “leadership”, are teachers and writers and artists who are making broad and generous offers to share what they have created online, so that families who are suddenly homeschooling or coordinating online learning from their closed schools, have interesting, joyful content for children.

Theater companies are offering their seamstress services to hospitals to make mask to protect the doctors and nurses on the front lines.

Governors and mayors are stepping forward and doing what needs to be done to keep their people safe, when the federal government drags it feet.

And of course everyone is starting their own podcast!

Because of course she does!

So much FLANNEL!!!!

It’s hard to believe that I’ve been creating panda satire for more than 12 years, starting in early 2008.

In all that time, as the readership has swelled, some people have been here almost from the beginning and some are more recent friends and readers.  For those who are new here, most of the ‘toons are here in the archives for you to read, to get to know all the characters that reside here in Pandyland.

This is not a land with millions of followers. But those of you who have decided to get on board the panda bus, well, I think you are pretty special. (You obviously have excellent taste in humor) Our numbers may be modest, but our love of pandas and warmth of spirit are mighty. It makes my day when I get a card (in the actual mail!!!) from one of you. It makes me feel like what I do matters.

When I see references to cuppycakes, comments and conversations in the voice of the characters of The Panda Chronicles (Otherwise known as panda improv) It makes me smile and makes my heart lighter. It makes me feel like I have created something significant. I have created characters that have come to life in minds other than my own.

Who would ever imagine Pinky would do something to offend someone? #ClapLouder

Make no mistake. These are dark times.

If we are to get through them, we need each and every one of us to keep that panda light in our hearts. We need to believe that there will be a rising up against the malignant force that has taken hold in the center of our government. We need to believe that good hearts and good spirits will prevail. ( We need to VOTE in November)

Pinky: when are people gonna learn dat pinky knows da best!

Being endangered means never having to say you are sorry.

bears will be bears!

Let Pinky be Pinky!

George Washington Bridge lane closure satire.

Princess Pinky Bao Bao…what have you done now?

Panda on, Panda on!
Bob T Panda

Beware, the Ides of Pinky!

Hey, it’s the Ides of March today, March 15th! I’m not entirely sure what the reference is from, but I think it might be something Shakespearean.

With that in mind…

After all, the playings the thing….

As people hunker down into self isolation or quarantine, it has been suggested that you read or watch something funny or uplifting to counter each thing you read about COVID19 or HWMNBN.

The Panda Chronicles is here to help!

Mr. Wu was very expressive and creative...By request!

We are sailing in uncharted waters. All schools in Washington State are closed, people are being asked to self isolate, voluntarily for now. I’m doing what I can to say home (actually, pretty easy as I work at home) and not amass ridiculous quantities of toilet paper and canned soup. (I do need to up my frosting supply! I need to keep my strength up!)

For now, the best service I can provide to humanity is to share funny stuff, so here we go!

new years eve party, panda kindergarten

The panda kindergarten at their best…or is that worst?

yoga for pandas

All salute the sacred cuppycake!

Pandanastics star, PO of Atlanta Zoo, practices for the Olympics, while the Torch Bears continue their around the world journey. Where will they turn up next?

This looks kind of dangerous, doesn’t it?

Maybe Pandas DO have a better idea…..

Princess Pinky helps with new years resolutions

You say you want a resolution, well, you know, it is hard to change a bear….

deleted footage from press conference

Pinky answers difficult questions from the press in her own way.

And remember, the best advice we can give you to stay healthy is…

pandas in the laboratory

Can you calibrate the cuppycake?

Stay safe, everyone! let’s be careful out there!

I can’t afford to lose any readers!

Panda on!
Bob T Panda!

Doctor, Doctor, Give me the News

…I got a bad case of coronavirus blues!

Fortunately no (known) cases exist on Whidbey Island but I’m doing all the sensible things: staying home as much as possible (kind of easy when you are self employed and work from home), stocking up on supplies (both food and felty pandas), and watching lots of panda videos!

Speaking of felty pandas…

I am working through each group of felty panda rewards from my Kickstarter project, and will have all of them out to their new homes probably within the next 8 weeks. This is actually far ahead of schedule, for which we can thank HWMNBN for creating such an atmosphere of dire foreboding that relief through felty panda making is essential.

There has been some interest from people who either missed the Kickstarter project, or now that they have received their new felty friends, they want the rest of the characters. Once I finish with the Kickstarter pandas, I will open up to new orders, so please hold that thought. I don’t want to take a chance on requests getting lost in the shuffle.

In the meantime, did someone call for a doctor?

All My Pandas……

I'm not a doctor but I play one on television

And what could cheer you up more than Boopie and the Pandas?

Boopie and the pandas…

a morality tale…

…in several parts…

…but Boopie and the pandas live happily ever after. Ben does not.

And who could forget:

This doesn’t have anything to do with Mei Xiang, but I was looking for this one!

We hope this helped you forget about…um…everything.

Panda On!
Bob T Panda

 

What did we do last February?

What were we doing at this time last year? I suspect we thought things could not get possibly get worse, but then, here we are!

Meanwhile, tiny pandas are marching off to save everyone!

The discovery of thousands of tiny pandas has rocked the archeological world! This find has been compared to the thousands of terra cotta warriors, discovered in China!

Some of the tiny felty pandas have already made their way to their new homes! More are on their way. Currently, I’m able to complete the pandas for about one group every week or so. Fans of Mr. Wu, heads up! your pandas will heading your way late next week!

But let’s see what we were up to last February!

Please, just go away, KittySue!

Wee are pandas too!!!!

Unka Rusty has some seriously feisty opinions!

Dis. Will Not. STAND!!!!!

Note to Bubba: never listen to Pinky

I see trouble in my crystal ball…

Even Nancy Pelosi listened enthusiastically!

Pinky is in the House!!!!

Panda on everyone!
Bob T Panda

Keep laughing everyone! And remember, we are laughing AT 45, not WITH him!

 

The Year in Review Part 2

Before we dive in to our Year in Review encore presentation, can I just say OH MY FRIGGING GOD!!!! The tiny panda (Hold me closer tiny panda) Kickstarter reached its goal amount 13 minutes after launching. I am astounded with gratitude for this response. It also was listed as a Kickstarter Project We Love most of the day on Friday. Needless (or needle-less) to say, I have a lot of felting to do over the coming months. If you are afraid you missed your favorite panda, check back at the project, because I added some more reward categories!

Thank you again, from deep within my heart. I can’t wait to get these pandas to you! (After I make them of course!) This has the added benefit of getting to visit the Abundant Earth Fiber store again, which may now be called my happy place!

But now, on with the Year in Review for April, May, and June (Wherein we are reminded of why we need emotional support pandas!)

it was a total coincidence that Babette’s ‘toon should run today.

Moove over! You’re crowding me!

Look who’s here!

On to May!

If you go out in the woods today, you’re in for a big surprise!

Irony is dead:

Who could have done this????

Did I just see what I thought I saw?

June is in ‘toon…

Bwahahahaha!

Frank and Mikey make another return appearance!

So, Mikey…how was the Grand Ol’ Opry?

And let’s not forget Six and Sebben!

Will these two ever get along?

Well, that’s it for today’s wrap up! See ya real soon!

Panda on!
Bob T Panda

Day 31 ~ 31 Days of Pandas

Oh my goodness! It’s Day 31!!!! It’s New year’s Eve in my time zone. for some of you, it’s already next year! What ever time zone you are in, take a deep breath, sleep in, if you can, and think about how you are going to combat authoritarianism this year!

I’m going to do it by speaking out here, and in the real world, and keep drawing my ‘toons that speak my truth!

Keep being the bear!

WE need to do better in 2020! What can possibly go wrong?

Panda on!
Bob T Panda

Have the Happiest New Year that you can!

Day 30 ~ 31 Days of Pandas!

It’s Day 30 of 31 Days of Pandas! Thank you for joining me for this month-long Pandapalooza! It is always fun dipping into the archives to see what floats to the surface!

We are looking at a very stressful year ahead. HWMNBN is not going to go quietly into the night like Nixon did. He is going to go kicking and screaming and saying UNFAIR WITCH HUNT all the way. We need to be very brave and stand up for the Constitution and for Democracy. We need all the pandas and frosting that we can get!

To that end, let me leave you with some of my all time favorite ‘toons from over the years!

2011

Ever wondered where all these pandas came from?

2012

The panda kindergaten knows where you live.

2013

An explorer’s work is never done.

2014

deleted footage from press conference

Pinky answers difficult questions from the press in her own way.

2015

Thanks a lot, Leslie. I think you gave Pinky this idea.

2016

Oh those red pandas! They are such characters!

2017

international woman's day

…and due to the International women’s day strike of 2017

2018

Well *bleep* and take your *bleep* and stick it *bleep*!!!!

2019- We introduced Frank and Mikey late in 2018 (when they allegedly ate Supreme Court nominee Bart Kravenclaw) and I think these (non-panda) bears are here to stay!

Ruh Roh….

I hope you enjoyed this look back at panda satire through the years since we started this blog! Tune in tomorrow for the 31st day of 31 Days of Pandas, and all next month as we do our Year in Review on Sundays!

Be the Bear
Bob T Panda

Day 29 ~ 31 Days of Pandas

We are so close to the end of 31 Days of Pandas that I can almost taste the cuppycakes that I get to have once I get done setting up all of these posts! I’m hard at work, thinking about what the pandas are going to get up to next year! These little bears keep me on my tippy toes!

Which reminds me…

are you SURE it’s not “carbonated”?

I’m sure Greta Thunberg would applaud Bob’s efforts to reduce his carbonated foot print.

well, what if I….

but…WeREndangered!

Pandas LOVE science! They are also very good at literature!

What do you mean by “was?”

Bob’s first foray into the realms of literature …

is it….

…time for….

…a little something?

be the bear
Bob T Panda

By the way, I am hard at work inventing the reward levels for the felty panda project, which I am calling Hold Me Closer Tiny Panda! I’m very excited, as I have always felt that the only way you get good at something is to do it a lot! To that end, even though the project hasn’t started yet (look for it to start around the 9th of January, for Kickstarter’s #Make100 initiative) I am already making pandas! I keep designating ones I want to keep, as well as refining my panda felting techniques. Stay tuned! as soon as I have a bit more done on the project page, I’ll share it with you here so you can follow along and be ready for the launch!

Day 28 ~ 31 Days of Pandas

Oh my. We are almost at the end of the 2019 edition of 31 Days of Pandas. Recently, one of my readers asked how 31 Days of Pandas got started. Maybe what they actually asked was “What the heck were you THINKING!!!!????”

As I recall, the first year I did this, it was in November, and an illustrator friend had just completed A Monster a Day during the month of October. Another popular one-a-day art project for artists is Inktober, where people post a drawing a day during the month of October. While I have not participated, I’ve seen some great drawings posted for Inktober, and I think for those looking for a kick in the pants to do some regular drawing, I think it is a fine thing. Since making art is my day job, there is less of an incentive, and it feels like another thing on my lengthy “to do” list. Don’t let my attitude stop you from trying this!

My original 30 Days of Pandas was to create a drawing that every day, in honor of Po’s Birthday! I added a new panda to the drawing every day for a month. This turned out to be more work than I thought, as I had to re-scan the drawing every time I added a panda. It did turn out to be a really fun drawing, though!

Days one and two!

Day nine!

I think I need to have the ballon panda as something on Redbubble!

18 pandas

Day 18

day 25 -30 days of pandas

30 pandas day 28

Day 28

And the final image…

30 days of pandas - day 30

30 Days of Pandas!

I hope you enjoyed this look back at the origins of 31 days of Pandas!

Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda

Day 27 ~ 31 Days of Pandas

Yesterday’s ‘toon made me think about all the other occasions that Mei Xiang delivered some resolutions for Pinky, so I thought that today’s ‘toon round up could feature those ‘toons! (Pinky: I don’t know why! I’m already perfect!)

Is Pinky perfect? You be the judge!

Princess Pinky helps with new years resolutions

You say you want a resolution, well, you know, it is hard to change a bear….

resolution

Once again proving the intransigence of Pinky, and the omnipotence of Mommy Mei

resolutions

Pinky: “rules are for other pandas.”

Bubba: my resolution was just to chew my food more, an’ mebbee not eat so much frosting.
Ping: ping!

This one is not “resolution” based, but is one of my all time favorites!

See? I told you it was broken!

Be the Bear
Bob T Panda