Cute fix: Knut
I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I cannot get past my obsession with this little bear. I’ve been watching him since he was incubator-tiny, and I’ve reveled in his progress and in his close relationship with Thomas, his caregiver. Every time I watch a video of him, I get really emotional. At first I thought it might be PMS, but even post-M I feel this way. I feel like … like I love him. I know that sounds dumb, but it’s true.
One time I was waxing poetic to my boyfriend about his brother. I was saying how great he was, and how much I liked his wife, and how great it was to visit with them. My boyfriend said, “I’m glad you like my brother so much.” And I said, “I love him!” And then I realized how silly I sounded and I crawled under the table to hide.
Since that chagrin-filled moment, I’ve resisted pledging my platonic love. People are funny about non-romantic declarations of love–somehow that word feels too emotional in our cynical age. So to keep my cool, I no longer love anyone who’s not in my immediate family. I like them and respect them.
But Knut. He’s not only not in my immediate family, he’s a polar bear. Yet I’m deeply moved by him. And I feel love, perhaps even more love than for my boyfriend’s brother and his family.
I will continue to chronicle Knut’s growth, given my personal stake in his future. So this is not just your typical cute fix. This is a love fix.
“Knut Day” in Berlin as polar bear cub goes public
[photo copyright Reuters/Hannibal Hanschke]
liz | 10:01 AM | Uncategorized
Liz,
You have turned me into a Knut fan as well.
Thank you for keeping us up to date with this darlings progress.
I can’t help myself. I look on the dark side and like to drag people down to my level, but this from a Manchester Guardian blog:
Just days after Knut the polar bear cub warmed even the most satirical of hearts, tragedy has struck Berlin zoo with the death of the panda Yan Yan.
A dead panda is a bad thing. But that’s not all.
There are accusations in the German press that Knut was in part responsible, with the disruption from the visitors who crowded the zoo at the weekend leading to the 22-year-old’s untimely demise.
I couldn’t just leave it at that. So here is an up beat Panda story, a little twisted but up beat:
Chuang Chuang the panda has been spending his days in front of a big-screen television watching panda porn. Authorities at the Chiang Mai Zoo in northern Thailand hope the images will encourage him to mate with his partner, Lin Hui.
Hello Liz & fellow faithful readers:
if you find you need another “cute fix” I would suggest the website of Zoo Atlanta, which has a 6 month old panda named Mei Lan. She’s visible on live video link Mon-Fri from 10a-5p on “Panda Cam”; there are also still photos and video clips available. This little bundle of joy & energy was the only panda born outside China in 2006. Enjoy!!
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