A Trip to the Bronx Zoo

[amalthya]

Despite the freezing temperatures yesterday, I went to the zoo. Sure, many of the animals were indoors, warming up (as I often felt like I should be) but I braved the bitter cold to see BEARS! (always makes me think of Katamari, Ursa Major). I also saw Giraffes, Monkeys, all sorts of otters (I steered clear of their bellies), and, of course, gorillas.

Seeing the infant gorillas made my heart ache with love for my kids in Congo. I kept looking for familiar faces in the group, but of course there weren't any. It did put a bit of a sad spin on it, but they seemed so happy -- and with their natural mothers -- that it made me happy again.

There are lots of happy photos here

The zoo was predictably empty too, but that did mean that there were far fewer children screaming and running around. It does give you a closer view of certain people's parenting skills -- While in the Mouse House, I overheard a man telling his daughter that if she liked mice, she would love the story of "Three Squeals and a Splash of Blood" which seemed... from afar... to be a story about eating baby mice. EATING. BABY. MICE.

The "splash of blood being when you bite down!" according to this man, speaking with his daughter, small and impressionable.

Can I enforce mandatory sterilization now?

---

I'm compulsively wishing that I had those sneakers the kids have with the wheels in the soles. As bkleber says, my wheeling would be appealing! It would have been SO useful at the zoo! Because really, it's quite spread out. It was still a wonderful day, and fun. I bought gorilla socks too.

We got a bit lost coming back down from the Bronx. We did, however, pass this incredible looking building that had a "For Sale" sign on it, in the middle of the slummiest-looking area. I squinted to read the old sign on the building, and, funnily, it said "Federal Community Development Center" ...

Whoops!

Anyway, after an afternoon in the Columbia computer lab, I'm feeling pretty good. Studious, even. I have Swahili in about 30 minutes, and afterwards I'll go downtown to span time with infd and Joe. It feels like it's going to be a good week. Not only is my room nearly finished in its decoration/aesthetic-pleasingness, but I'm going away this weekend with noranac, stephantravels and gmonger. Oh, and I might get to see slipjig while there!

Comments

[gatsbys-regret.livejournal.com]

I (heart) zoos. The National Zoo is across the street from my shrink's office, and I usually visit the big cats before or after my appointments. CATS! That are BIG! RAWR! *makes swiping motion*

[amalthya.livejournal.com]

The National Zoo is awful, though ;) They're mean to their animals!

[shaysdays.livejournal.com]

Three Squeals: A (probably mythical) Chinese dish of a live baby mouse - there's three squeals, one when you put it on the plate, one when you put it in your mouth, and one when it gets to your tummy. I'd chalk that up to good old-fashioned racism and gross-out.

Still, although it's gross, Neen knows that snakes eat mice, and hambugers come from cows, and meat is muscle, etc etc.

[amalthya.livejournal.com]

Don't get me wrong -- I fully endorse Child Disclosure™ :) I just felt like this little girl was oohing and aahing over the cuteness of the mice. Was the story really appropriate?

[shaysdays.livejournal.com]

Nope, I just think it's weird that kids today are groing up with no connection whatsoever between their meat and the animals.

[slipjig.livejournal.com]

*crosses fingers*

[amalthya.livejournal.com]

I'll be in Troy until Sunday at 5. We can exchange celly's if necessary.

[slipjig.livejournal.com]

No cell phone, I fear, but I'm sure we can work something out, one way or the other. Let the e-mail fly!

[amalthya.livejournal.com]

Should we do smoke signals? Perhaps operate the morse code or just throw abacuses (abaci?) at one another?

[littlekatydid.livejournal.com]

I'm all for that mandatory steralization in that case. WTF!?

[amalthya.livejournal.com]

My thoughts exactly. Poor girl!

[leighbug]

Ok, I have no problem with Zoë knowing that the cute cows in the field are the same things that are in the hamburgers from McDonalds that Mommy has been craving, but really, that father needs some sensitivity training. Plus, that's just gross.

[glib-dichotomy.livejournal.com]

I bought wheelie things for my cousin for Christmas. They attach to your real shoes so's they are awesome and grown-up sized. I got them at the mall out in w. nyack and almost didn't give them away.