Showing posts with label A Letter from Monkey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A Letter from Monkey. Show all posts

Monday, March 9, 2009

A Letter from Monkey

Dear Mr. Z -

I would like to keep you updated on today's experiments so that you are fully briefed upon our return. It is a shame you are not exploring this exotic locale with us, as there is just so much science to be done here! Here are a few of today's highlights (although I assure you that there were even more experiments performed than are listed here):

Drove boats.Made sounds.
Studied amphibians.
(Alligators as well as turtles, the turtles being the more exciting.)
Joined NASA.
Enjoyed zero gravity.
Bubbles. They are highly suspicious.
Rode a horse.
Mastered rock climbing.
Tamed a twister.

All of this before the afternoon siesta, of course. In the evening I enjoyed a rousing game of cross-species soccer, an excellent meal of peas, rice and whole grains, and a raucous bath.

How was your day?

Love, Monkey

Friday, February 20, 2009

A Letter from Monkey

Why, hello, Internets! I hope that you are all doing well. Life here at the Zoo continues to fascinate and excite. I've been continuing work on my Very Important Scientific Research and am making great progress in some key areas. I thought you might appreciate an update on my findings.
I have become a very accomplished sitter, and this enables me to greatly expand the scope of my experiments. From this position, I have discovered that not only can I pick up my Scientific Equipment as I wish, I can also use two different pieces of Scientific Equipment at once. If you bang them together, they create sounds! I am exploring including these sounds in my next musical composition. My tone poems feature dissonance and unusual rhythms.
Much of my new research involves exotic cuisines. Thus far, I have sampled several varieties of unique vegetables. I find that my preferences follow the color of the food. In order of my appreciation, I have experimented with sweet potatoes, winter squash, carrots, green beans and peas. Lately I have been researching the addition of oatmeal and rice cereal, and thoroughly enjoying the magical pear. Do you know about pears? They are fantastic! You should try some.
I also enjoy testing various utensils. I have a pronounced fondness for spoons. However, my research has proven that utensils of any kind are not necessary.
Mobility is another of my primary research areas. I have been highly successful in my vertical maneuvers, and can attain an upright position on most furniture, including my crib, toy boxes, chairs, and laundry baskets. (Laundry baskets do require additional stabilizing forces, kindly provided by the giant people.) Now I am working on moving from one piece of furniture to the next.
I have absolutely no patience for this 'crawling' that they say the other tiny scientists are discovering. What an inferior method of locomotion. All of this Very Important Scientific Research requires a great deal of energy, naturally. Yesterday I was so fatigued by my experiments that I fell asleep all on my own in my crib. The giant people say that this is an important milestone of some sort, but I find that sleeping in general is highly overrated. No new discoveries can be made while sleeping.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have many new experiments planned for today. I have spoken with my videographers and they should have some new video clips documenting my research to post shortly.

Adieu!

-Monkey

Sunday, November 16, 2008

A Letter from Monkey




Dear Santa,

My name is Monkey. I am sure you know that I am new here and this is my first Christmas, since they tell me that you are watching me and judging me all the time. That's kind of weird, but however you want to spend your time is fine with me, I guess. Just so you don't get confused, I wore this shirt so you would know I've been good. (It says, 'Dear Santa, I've been good all year. Just ask Mommy')

They also tell me that it's traditional to for me to write you a letter with some ideas for things that you can bring me for Christmas morning. Apparently you are going to break into our house and leave gifts? I know, it sounds crazy to me too, but then most things sound crazy to me (again, because I'm new here).

So, here is my first Christmas list:

- Food and love for kids everywhere. Heifer International, Prevent Child Abuse Indiana, and the Indiana Mothers Milk Bank could all use your help more than I could use another toy.

- Bumkins Diaper Covers (size M) Lately the giant people have been reading me some very fascinating books by a man with a funny name. Seuss or Zeus or something. I was helping Mrs. Z shop online the other day and discovered that I can have pants that match my books! I think that Mrs. Z bought the Grinch pants. We don't have that book so I don't know who that is, but apparently he pretends to steal your job? This holiday just gets more and more confusing all the time.

- Evenflo Switch-A-Roo toys These can swap out the toys on my exercauser for even more exercitement. I hear that you can find them in the store at Babies R Us.

- Right now I really like fabric or wooden toys. Things I am getting into:
- Soft blocks (good examples here, here, or here)
- Stacking toys (good examples here, here, or here)
- Soft balls (a whole page of great ideas here)
- Sassy Earth Brights toys These are at Babies R Us too.

- Also at Babies R Us, they have these awesome clothes by Amy Coe. Monkeys and rock stars!! They clearly had me in mind. Mrs. Z says they should be 6-9 month size, as I am growing so fast.

So, that's it, Santa. I'm not sure what happens next, but I guess you'll just let yourself in to our house?

See you then - or not, I guess. If I'm awake I promise I won't peek. (Or at least I'll try.)

Merry Christmas,

Monkey



P.S. - Dear Santa, I hope you remember our little chat about trying to avoid toys with batteries and/or BPA. All we want for Christmas is a healthy Monkey and a happy planet! These stores have some great ideas (and in-store pick up or cheap/free shipping!) if you're stumped.

We'll leave you some cookies!

Love, The Zookeepers

Monday, October 20, 2008

Letter from Monkey

Dear Mr. Zookeeper:

I like you. You are fun and warm and much more scientific than the other giant person. Thank you for letting me try your oatmeal. It was a most excellent experiment and you know that the other one would never have let me have some of hers.


Thank you also for letting me sleep on you at the pumpkin patch. It was windy and chilly but you are warm and cozy. You were much more interesting than the lines of people and pumpkins anyway.



I always appreciate it when you tell me that I look silly or that the other one has put me in some ridiculous get up. I am new here and no one else will be straight with me about what looks good. That onesie and navy socks combination you cooked up was pure sartorial brilliance, even if the other one keeps saying 'best look in the world' and laughing. You are so right, I look like someone so advanced in years that they are sure to serve me at the bars. (Can they serve me more oatmeal??)

So I will miss you this week when you are ... somewhere I have never heard of before. I'm not sure I like it when you leave the room, so I am sure I will not like it when you are even farther away. I hope you come back soon.

Peace out.

Love,

Monkey

Thursday, October 2, 2008

A Letter from Monkey

Dear Internets,

Hello! As you can see, I am a highly advanced Monkey who is typing this blog entry right now. All by myself. Ignore that giant hand! Yes, yes, this is actually Mr. Zookeeper's laptop, but I've been very busy conducting my Very Important Scientific Research (V.I.S.R.) which leaves little time for making money. Like so many academics, I find that my funding is somewhat limited. So my very own laptop is going to have to wait awhile.

I'm sure you realize, Internets, that for someone who is three months old I have a very busy schedule. My resident photographers and videographers have been kind enough to document some of my very exciting activities today for posterity. (Although I am seriously considering hiring some replacements because their skills of a photographer are sort of lacking).

This has been a very exciting couple of weeks because I have made many new discoveries. The biggest breakthrough is that my eyes are working together now so I finally have binocular vision and depth perception. Whew! Now I can grab all sorts of things with one hand (currently, I prefer the left hand for grabbing). In addition to my regular schedule of eating, napping and exersaucing, today we read some books. Brown Bear Brown Bear and Snuggle Puppy. I like the pictures in Brown Bear and the song that Mrs. Zookeeper sings in Snuggle Puppy. Strangely enough, our copy of Brown Bear seems to be missing 2 pages, so the White Dog only appears at the end! I will need to conduct some more V.I.S.R. on that.

After a trip to the local library, sending some presents to my new friends in Massachusetts, and flirting with all the elderly ladies at the grocery store, I did some Pondering. I Ponder many things, but today's topic was, will my hair actually come in red? Or is this just a strawberry phase? What do you think, internets?



Then, I supervised Mrs. Zookeepers activities in the kitchen for awhile. She's not that interesting in the kitchen, so I also did some V.I.S.R. on String Theory. My theory is that I like to play with the string. Also, it is good to look at. I like to refer to my Bumbo seat as my Laboratory. You know, like, la-BOAR-a-tree. It's the most scientific way to say it.










When Mrs. Zookeeper was done in the kitchen, I retired to my Boppy only to discover that my airspace was being invaded by teddy bears! If this activity continues I will open diplomatic relations with the teddy bears and begin trade negotiations. I like to carry my rattle as a symbol of my peaceful intentions.


When I was born, my Grandpa T said that my long fingers would destine me to a career as a pianist. Since the Zoo houses a piano from Grandma and Grandpa K, I have been practicing diligently. No one is paying me for my concerts yet, but surely that day is very near. I like to add my vocal stylings as well. You know, for the ladies.



Well, Internets, that is as much V.I.S.R. and artistic excellence as I can fit in one day. I must go now and practice my swimming so that I can defeat Michael Phelps' paltry Olympic records.

Until then, I wish you all an evening of political excitement.

So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Good Night.

-Monkey