Author Archives: beth

About beth

Ann Arbor-ite writes about enjoying life with all of its ironies and surprises.

Nov5

beach donkey.

Posted on November 5, 2022 by beth

A plucky penguin at the New England Aquarium has a new bounce in her step after being fitted with a pair of custom orthopedic sandals. The 24-year-old African penguin, named Beach Donkey, was diagnosed with a chronic foot condition common among avian species, and the sandals were crafted as part of her treatment plan. But getting her to happily wear them required some buttering up by the people who know her best.

“Field trips” around the aquarium served as incentives: The little bird enjoyed “novel views” as she strolled through the facility, allowing trainers to work with her feet in a more hands-on manner. “She has always been a curious bird and seemed to really like the opportunity to explore the aquarium, outside of her exhibit space. Of course, our staff also loved when she would make appearances in unexpected places,” said Senior Penguin Trainer Amanda Barr.

In addition to caring for Beach Donkey and her fellow penguins, the New England Aquarium participates in a program called African Penguin SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction), which supports conservation efforts and breeding programs to increase the birds’ presence in the wild.

*i can so identify with beach donkey,

as i began wearing birkenstock sandals

when my feet (and my doc)

rebelled against me going barefoot any longer

changed my world

and i have my own cool name too – peaches

we are almost twins.

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photo credit: new england aquarium, nice news

Nov4

gifted.

Posted on November 4, 2022 by beth

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after 3 days of conferences with parents

sharing stories of each child’s gifts

i’m all talked out

but really loved the conversations.

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“we are all gifted, that is our inheritance.”

-ethel waters

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photo credit: bbc earth

Nov3

q and a.

Posted on November 3, 2022 by beth

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back in my advertising days

i often had to find answers to odd questions of all kinds

as there was no google then

when i exhausted all possible avenues

(asking 2 or 3 random people in my office)

i knew there was a place i could go to find someone

who would unfailingly find an answer to my questions

i dialed up the local phone number

of the woman sitting at a desk in the detroit public library

who held the very interesting and important position of

‘chief and brilliant question answerer/researcher’

(or some such title as i imagined it to be)

she answered my call

when i asked in all seriousness:

“did gumby (of gumby and pokey fame), have a nose?”

she did not waver or judge and said she would research it and get back to me asap

true to her word she returned my call within the hour with this report:

she could confirm

that gumby did indeed, have a nose

brilliant

client crisis averted

just another moment in her day and i wish this position still existed.

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“i used to think i knew all the answers.

then i thought knew maybe a few of the answers.

now I’m not even sure I understand the questions.

nobody knows anything.”

― pete nelson, american author

Nov2

go fish!

Posted on November 2, 2022 by beth

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The Paris Aquarium Is Home to a Massive Rescued Goldfish Sanctuary

The future rarely looks bright for an unloved goldfish. Its owner may confine it to a small bowl and deprive it of the space or stimulation it needs, or worse, flush it down the toilet while it’s still alive. But the Paris Aquarium is offering regretful pet owners a better solution: Any unwanted fish that are brought there will be cared for and given a new home in a massive tank, The Nation reports.

The French aquarium launched its goldfish rescue program two years ago, and it houses roughly 600 rescued fish today. Many of the pets that are handed over arrive in poor health. Each specimen is given medical care, including antibiotics and anti-parasite treatments, and kept in quarantine for a month before transitioning to the tank with the rest of the fish. Some goldfish don’t survive the move, but those that do often thrive, growing up to a foot in length.

People have different reasons for taking advantage of the aquarium’s service. For some, it’s a convenient—and eco-friendly—way to get rid of a pet they no longer want. When fish are disposed of in sewage systems, they face almost certain death, and when they’re released directly into a pond or river, they can grow to monstrous proportions and wreak havoc on the local ecosystem.

In other cases, pet owners see that the aquarium can provide a better life for their fish than they ever could. Goldfish can suffer from depression when they’re kept in a small, empty environment, and goldfish bowls have even been banned in some parts of the world for being inhumane. The fish sanctuary is open to members of the public to view—including anyone wishing to check up on a former pet.

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“a goldfish is reason enough for living, if someone needs a reason.”

-martin cooley

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credits: michelle debczak, mental floss, the nation

Nov1

already?

Posted on November 1, 2022 by beth

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“i can’t believe it’s november already, it feels like halloween was just yesterday.”

-author unknown

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photo credit: pinterest

Oct31

hot stuff.

Posted on October 31, 2022 by beth

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i loved wearing the costumes of my childhood era

and happily ‘suffered for my art.’

recent neighborhood nextdoor comments on the halloween costumes are wonderful:

They were so ugly but if you made your own costume, it wasn’t cool. We had to buy these things…jumpsuit tore easily, and elastic snapped off mask. And the sweat…and trying to breathe through the tiny mouth hole!

Those masks were so HOT! Didn’t hold us back tho! Was so safe then and went out by ourselves.

You couldn’t see out of them, sometimes the parts that touched your face were sharp, the elastic that held it on got tangled in hair. It is a wonder we survived Halloween in these masks!

then the elastic broke so your mom tied it and was even tighter and hotter!

and tangled it whatever hair was still left!

I’m surprised there weren’t thunderstorms inside the mask with all the condensation from breathing too. My favorite was my Hot Stuff costume. I still have a picture of me in it!

I totally had one of these costume with the mask…but this…this looks like a Pink Floyd video.

It was miserable wearing those masks, but we didn’t care, we wanted that candy !!

Looking back at those costumes, they were actually a little creepy!!

How about the little tiny slit near the mouth so that you could attempt to get air? Your parents couldn’t understand why you had to take it off before you went up the steps of the next house. Your face would be drenched with sweat but you would wipe it off and keep going.

Made of suffocating plastic but we loved them anyway.

happy halloween!

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“when you’re wearing an animal costume and something bad happens,

your facial expression doesn’t change. the animal is deadpan the whole time.

if you’re skiing in a gorilla suit and you fall, you just see a gorilla who has no emotion.

it’s just a stoic gorilla wildly falling down a hill, out of control.”

-dimitiri martin

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photo credit: vintage pinterest