Intro to Water's Edge

New Year, new animals to share. A brief overview of the last year, since my blog wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole: Being a shift supervisor at the Bagel Factory brought me nothing but stress and... really just stress. In May, I got my way out- the Pittsburgh Zoo offered me a seasonal position in their Grounds Dept. Less pay, but I thought about fresh air and animals watching me work, and I couldn't resist. That position ended in November, and I won't say much about it. The work wasn't bad, and I liked the zoo itself, but I was ready for the season to end. One very positive thing came out of that five months: I applied for an internship at Water's Edge, where the polar bears, tiger sharks, and sea otters live.

Intern mornings begin with the chopping and weighing-out of the otters' and bears' daily ration of fish. Fun Fact: Sea Otters are the only marine mammal without blubber. That means that in order to keep warm, it has the densest fur in the world and an incr

edibly fast metabolism. Alki and Chugach, the Pittsburgh otters, eat five large meals a day, as well as snacks of shrimp and pollock. They are also the most dangerous of Water's Edge's three species, from sheer unpredictability. With the polar bears, there will always be a sturdy barrier between keeper and animals, whereas the keepers will actually enter the sea otters' enclosure with them because most of the time it's safe. Our otters are highly trained, and as long as they think food is about to appear, they probably won't attack. The moment food is gone, all bets are off. That cuddly, adorable demeanor masks a fiercely territorial nature! Despite all this, the keepers are far from immune to their charms: yesterday when I arrived in the morning, the first person I saw was a keeper staring in at the otter window. Upon seeing me, she instantly pointed through the window, all the while grinning and making the "hehehe" sound of the truly besotted auntie. I looked, and the otters weren't doing anything we hadn't seen them do a hundred times, and yet I too was reduced to a doting puddle.

The bears are currently playing out one of those animal soap operas I love to write about. For years, the Pittsburgh Zoo polar bears have been a pair of brothers, Koda and Nuka. Recently, however, the boys celebrated their sixth birthday, a very important number in a male polar bear's life. In short, the boys were now The Men. Polar bear populations being what they are, this meant that it was time for Koda and Nuka to take the AZA's version of sex ed (essentially, being throw into the deep end and told to tread water). Nuka flew to another zoo where a beautiful new enclosure and a stunning new roommate awaited him, and a female named Kobe flew in from Arizona to meet Koda. That was when I came onto the scene as an intern. I've been lucky enough to witness a lot of the big moments for these two: the first day Kobe explored the exhibit, the first time they interacted through one door instead of two, and the first time they were fully allowed together. Since then, we've watched their affections wax and wane. For a time, they couldn't get enough of each other, and I wish I had posted while that was going on. Right now, however, there's waning and a lull in their breeding activity. Kobe has a limp, and she's blaming Koda for it. She must have blamed him with some vehemence, because he actually seems to be avoiding her at the moment.

The sharks are our least dangerous charges. There are five, and they are mostly referred to by numbers, except for Female One, Large Marge. She and Female Three are the most food-motivated of the bunch, and have special tricks for stealing fish from the others. Male Two, who is believed to be the oldest, has taken to staying near the bottom, theoretically to avoid being bitten. Female Two is annoyed with us this week for feeding a species of squid that she doesn't like. [Disclaimer: I'm blatantly anthropomorphizing for fun. A part of me would prefer to go Behaviorist and tell you everything in terms of "X displayed behaviors A and B in response to C stimulus" but I have a feeling no one would enjoy that.]

The only other thing I want to add for now is a shout-out to my grandmother, Elizabeth Merriam Schmidt, who turned 100 years old on the 7th of this month! She doesn't read blogs, but I think a feat like the 100-year mark deserves recognition either way: Happy Birthday Besty!

Humdrum Redefined

It might be time for another entry. I've had complaints lately that my blog has been neglected- kept without food or water, languishing in its own filth... Lies. Fortunately, this is the virtual world, where you can leave a thing alone for months on end, then return to find it still bushy-tailed and thriving.

I will now proceed to demonstrate exactly why I have chosen not to bore you with the details of my existence. Tally Ho Shenanigans has previously been a tale of travels and misadventures. Now I live in Pittsburgh, and work in a bagel deli. Being a ladder-climber of the first degree, I have already risen to "shift supervisor," which position merits a whopping fifty cent raise and a few dozen extra headaches a week. It is now my job to make sure everyone does their work properly, to learn how to Scold without inspiring defiance, and to deal with those customers who need to vent their life frustration on anonymous bagel workers. Oh, and we flirt for tips.

Basically, I perform the tasks of my job like a robot, try to ignore the urge to shriek out "I quit," and let the people around me make life worthwhile. For all that my workplace sounds like a parking lot for the ambitionless masses, it's actually full of young, educated people who have fallen prey to the crappy economy. Masters Degrees, artists, musicians, travelers, this is my crew, and most of them are awesome. To make matters even better, back in September I stumbled into a great living situation, sharing a two-bedroom apartment in a house with a woman named Barbra, who happens to be a thoroughly enjoyable person. And there's still the college roomie hanging around, as the whipped cream on the hot chocolate.

Passtimes! I have those too. On my days off, I volunteer at the Animal Rescue League, walking and afterwards cuddling dogs who are between homes. It sounds depressing, but there's actually a fuzzy glow that goes along with it, especially when you get a forwarded email from a family who adopted a dog you've worked with. Embrace the fuzzy glow!

Also, I've been trying to get out to Wolf Park once a month. This year was my firest time being there during breeding season. I found it both fantastic and hilarious! The Main Pack soap opera goes on, with the youngest female, Dharma, ardently pursuing the bottom-ranking male, Ruedi, and consistently getting him in trouble with the higher-ranking males. And although Ruedi seems to return her affections, he doesn't always take the time to establish which end of Dharma should receiving his attention. And who says romance is dead?

So that is a basic overview of my life as it stands. As for future plans, I prefer to remain mute at the present time. They depend on a large number of factors- personal, legal, financial and practical. No, I am not content as I am, and I do not plan on staying in Pittsburgh. Them's the limits of my forthcomingness... forthcominghood.... forthcome... forthcomedom... Thing.

So that worked out great...

Drama, drama, drama- since when do I have a dramatic life? I'll tell you- since never! Oh, I know, I travel a fair bit, but it usually doesn't come with much drama. In fact, in a lot of ways, travel is a great way to AVOID drama. Perhaps in my old age I'm simply more stressed out by the little things? Perhaps.

My sublease with Amy ended last week, and a new location has yet to come through for me. Living out of my car has officially lost it's charm, and I'm ready to NOT be homeless again. Amy's parents have been great about letting me squat in their house, and I've also done guest spots on my friend Emily's couch, and at a friend's place on the Ohio border, but my sense of adventure is wearing thin. I comfort myself with all the cool restaurants I get to try out while I don't have a kitchen. Today it was Ethiopian food, which goes a long way towards reviving the abovementioned sense of adventure.

The bagels send their greetings. They're a little under the weather, because the kettle is malfunctioning, which makes them little more than dense bread with a hole in the middle. I don't say this where they can hear me. The cream cheese is pretty embarrassed. I recently bonded with the raisin-walnut variety- surpisingly delicious.

I do turn to food in times of stress. Sad story. But the other morning, I got a smoothie and took a hike in the park before work, and something about the breeze and the tall trees assured me that I'll have a home soon. It'll be affordable, my roommates will be cool, and the commute will be low-maintenance. Tall trees wouldn't lie, would they?

In Which I Show Off My Family's Shorter Members

Zoe the Nissan kidnapped me again last Thursday. This time I found myself down in West Virginia, at Capon Springs, where my father's half of the family gathers periodically. The family consists of a grandmother, an aunt and uncle, two cousins plus spouses, and six children from said cousins, aged 2 through 9.

The visit started with a long stare at the six kids, while I dazedly listened to myself exclaim over how tall they had gotten. You know, you hear that all the time as a kid, and you never realize that the speaker really can't help saying it. These revelations were immediately followed by a double-serving of baked fudge pudding. Which I shall never do again, although it was glorious while it was going down. The trouble starts while it's all trying to fit into your stomach at once.

I spen four days swimming, hiking, and indulging in other outdoor pursuits. Also cards- my grandmother has passed her love of competition through many of her descendents, so in the interests of spending time with her, I allowed myself to be forcibly tied down and re-taught the game of Sheephead (I don't know if you'd deduced this, but I am not a card player by nature).

But they tell me a picture is worth a whole bunch of words. Just below is Kiersten, 5, who is supposed to look like myself and Val. She spent the whole of the bonfire in my lap- never met a stranger, and constantly inquisitive. Next down is her sister Caroline, 2, having a grand old time on the swing, as you can see. Shy at first, then dauntless once she's comfortable. Also, I think she might be psychic. After her is their sister Leisel, 4, a bit more daring on the swing. Leisel never stops smiling, and being so good at it, why would she? The boys are next- Andy, 7, who's the brother of the above girls, and has a knack for well-timed, hilarious statements, and Callan, 9, the family's school and sports prodigy. Callan's sister Kylie is posing with yours truly at the end. She's a brilliant ping pong player and a great singer, if only you could convince her of it. They're a cool bunch. Are we not a well-favored family? Modest too.

Of Puppies and Pyros

The car is a problem. Or rather, my brain is a problem, and the car is a catalyst. Every time I see her sitting outside by the road, I want to jump in and hit the highway. Fortunately the car is also the solution to another problem- to whit (I finally found a place for this phrase!) my long-overdue visit to Wolf Park.

For those who aren't familar, I've done two internships at the Park, totalling five months, and known the people and animals there for five years. For the first time in those five years, Wolf Park has pups again- Dharma, Tilly and Gordon. The fourth little girl, Devra, tragically died a few weeks ago, of a congenital defect.

Dharma, a little black female, will be staying at Wolf Park, with the hope that she will fornicate with Wotan and Wolfgang, thus propagating the Wolf Park line. Tilly and Gordon (the above picture is one of them, courtesy of Tom O'Dowd) have a home set up for them in a zoo. All of them are characters, with their own patterns of greeting. Tilly instantly flops on her back, and being nine weeks old she has a wide range of highly expressive whines to remind you that belly rubs are no less than her due. Dharma's a submissive piddler- you'd better hope she goes before she gets to your lap. She will then nibble politely on your chin. Your nose is also her property. As for Gordon, he prefers you to stay still and provide a barrier against which he can squish one of his sisters. All of them are gifted at stepping in their kiddie pool before charging into your lap. You aren't supposed to enjoy these things, and yet... I do.

Of course, there's more than one reason to visit Wolf Park at 4th of July. Let us not forget that wolf people are mostly closet (some not so closeted) pyros. Yes, even I- just ask my high school chemistry teacher. The fireworks are a massive affair, prefaced by bison burgers, salads that include edible blossoms, and lots of beer. Chief dangers include being hit by a firework and Monty slipping one of the super-hot peppers from his garden under the cheese on your burger. I wasn't caught by the pepper this year.

After fireworks comes the pants-burning. Oh yes. Pants worn all year for work and/or butchering get very grungy, and pass the point where they can be worn in the outside world. These are set aside for the celebration of our country's independence. A bonfire is built, and designated pantsdancers are, one by one, given a pole with the pants on the end. Light the legs, and wave the pants without dropping them. Give us a show. Tom was accredited with the longest and most creative display.

I'm back in Pittsburgh now. In a week, I'll be out again, to visit family in West Virginia. It's a little overwhelming, to be honest. For months I traveled in Africa, and I was very lonely most of the time. Sometimes I forgot how many pockets of family I have, scattered around. Some of them are related by blood, but not all, and many aren't even human. Just family.

Blather

Remember when I found out my skull had been in the wrong place for 18 months? That was funny. So funny, we decided to have a reenactment. Courtesy of sleeping in a weird position, I spent most of yesterday moving like an old lady, and wondering whether US chiropractors are as friendly as South African ones. Today I decided on an unorthodox treatment- Jillian Michaels' Yoga Meltdown, free on On Demand. By the end of the 36 minutes, I couldn't decide whether to throttle the little lady or turn lesbian and marry her. Exercise is always such a love/hate deal. To conclude the sordid tale, I feel toned and my neck is more comfortable.

The job search is ongoing. One thing I've learned is never to stop applying, even if you think you've got something in the bag. If you stop sending out applications and watching Craigslist, you'll jinx yourself for sure.

I've recently had an influx of news from friends in my past adventure spots. Some happy, some very sad. It's hard to always be far away when people and animals you care about are being born and/or dying. Despite the fact that I'm constantly leaving places, I am at my core a loyal person, and I become very attached to places and people. Maybe I move so much to avoid attachment and its inherent problems, but in the end I think I do miss out on a lot of pleasure by missing a lot of pain.

It's funny how travel can make you so confident in some ways, and so vulnerable in others. The hardest part of leaving a place is knowing that those people will move on from you, find new friends- people who will stick around. I can't blame them, it's the way the world works. I can visit, but it's a shallow pleasure. But as the years go by, it feels more and more sad to always be the Passer-through, the Unsafe Bet, because "everyone knows she's leaving".

Hm. Well, that was cheerful. For the most part, things are good here, and once I find a job I can take a very queasy weight off my mind.

Intro to Bub's Place

We've named our summer sublet Bub's Place, which happened all on its own. The door has a weak latch, so that unless bolted, it opens at random moments. But it seeemed to me that a ghost was a better explanation, and I named him Beelzebub. Bub takes the credit for most strange noises or motions.

Bub's Place is equipped with free On Demand, wireless internet, and a small library of classics and history texts stored here by the sublettors. Needless to say, I'm a fan, and wish the sublease didn't expire at the end of the summer. My sister would say we've nested, based mostly on the windowsill plants, Mary Rose the rosemary and Simon the basil. But since these delectable herbs belong to Amy, I still feel that no uncomfortable nesting label applies to me.

My success on the job front has been very much in line with the economy (which is now my least favorite word). Someday I'll need to face up to the fact that although my resume is such that most employers do a doubletake, it isn't the kind that makes them spring for the phone. In hiring an office assistant, do you want the sweet older lady with years of experience, or the cute(?) younger sled dog handler/dog walker/wildlife volunteer who spends no more than 6 months in one place? Admittedly, I look like an unsafe bet.

Over the weekend, my sister arrived from Columbus, I tortured her by walking her around the hills, then the next day we drove to the Massachusetts headquarters of my parents. There was an enthusiastic greeting from Ivanhoe, who was trying to figure out how to climb into two laps at once, and of course we got an update on my mother's recent Peru expedition. I stayed a day for the purposes of family time, then took the drive back. The biggest point of the trip was to transfer Valerie's car, a little Nissan named Zoe, to my tender care. V is busily following her heart to Germany, and I have no objection to taking charge of my adorable four-wheeled niece. That's how selfless I am.

And now I've returned to the various quests of Pittsburgh. Finding a job, staying in shape, catching up with friends, and keeping my sanity. Maybe I should think less.