Category Archives: A to Z challenge

It’s P-P-P-P-Panda day!

I have been waiting
so.
very.
long….

for today…this peripatetic population of pandas, these paragons of pageantry, pandas at parties, pandas in pairs, panda panda panda! Pandas with their palpable need to pampered, pandas in pursuit of pomp, pandas having pancakes while participating in panicked  PANDAMONIUM!!!!!

Here come the pandas!

What’s a little pandamonium among friends?

Princess Pinky, that paradigm of >Poof< , never paranoid nor parochial, permanently partaking of pop-overs, pretty as a picture.

Pandas….brought to you by the letter”P”

Never say "No" to a Pinky!

Never say “No” to a Pinky!

Pairs of pandas in pajamas…

Atlanta Twins have a fight

Sweet dreams, little bears! (editors note, this cartoon was drawn before Pinky poofed the Cublanta twins and turned them into girls.)

…pandas partaking in pursuits of the poetical….

panda poetry slam

The cake abides….

and last, but hardly least, perky panda pirates!

An explorer's work is never done.

An explorer’s work is never done.

Thanks again to the A to Z for hosting this monthlong panda-thon, not to mention Cordelia’s Mom, Still for inviting  the pandas over for a guest post.  (I swear I’ll have the carpets cleaned. Sorry about all that frosting and the picture window.)

And have I mentioned that “P” also stands for Pandamorphosis?  Just sayin. (stay tuned for news as it appears!)

Keep Being the Bears!
Bob T. Panda

“O” is for Optimism

Let’s face it, despite all the opposition that pandas face, they are pretty optimistic, or at least that’s what I observe. Some obdurate oafs opine that if pandas have such a hard time reproducing, they should just be allowed to go extinct. O-contraire, I object! I feel obligated to oppose such an obtuse viewpoint.

Consider: a grizzly bear will eat you as soon as look at you, and probably use your toothbrush to scratch places a toothbrush has no business being. Whereas upon meeting a panda on the trail, he will share his lunch, give you directions to the nearest coffee house and offer to carry your pack. OK I may be overstating the out of this world wonderfulness of pandas. But still, as the song says, We do not eat hikers in the woods, I don’t think a panda should!  Is it any wonder I am OBSESSED with pandas?

Occupy your inner panda!

Just how hard would it be...

Just how hard would it be…

...to embrace your inner panda?

…to embrace your inner panda?

And Bob, ever optimistic, tries to rehabilitate the panda kindergarten.

Nothing like a bit of the great outdoors to straighten up the panda kindergarten.

Nothing like a bit of the great outdoors to straighten up the panda kindergarten.

...if I were a panda, yadda dah dah da- da- da-  AAARGH!  I can't stop!!!!!

…if I were a panda, yadda dah dah da- da- da- AAARGH! I can’t stop!!!!!

Todays post was brought to you by the letter “O” courtesy of the A to Z Blog challenge! My pick of the day is Goldfish Stories. head on over and check it out.

Nah Nah Nah Naaaah Nah It’s International Panda Day

Oh that Panda Kindergarten….not for nothing are they known as nuisances throughout the nation. No nagging doubts about nonsensical nitwits here!

Meanwhile, Bob tries to elevate the tenor of ZooNooz by adding stories of scientific interest. And yes, there really was an article about this in the Smithsonian.  (Of course I didn’t read it, I just absconded with the headline for its comic possibilities, n’est pas?)

No nonsense to be found here!

No nonsense to be found here!

Meanwhile, I have been dropping hints about the release of Pandamorphosis, my wordless picture book, which was supposed to debut today.  There have been a couple of bumps in the road, but Pandamorphosis cannot be stopped, even if it can be delayed.

I will spare you the gorier details, but let’s just say, for various reasons, the publisher who had been going to publish Pandamorphosis no longer seemed to be the best home for my little bears. But, it was an excellent detour, as I acquired my book designer, who did a marvelous job making me look better than I am.  Because said publisher uses a printer that I have worked with on all the Panda Chronicles books, I know what the quality of the books will be and through said Panda Chronicles, I have a multitude (OK, a small multitude but nevertheless)  of fabulous panda loving fans who are poised to bring glory to Pandamorphosis.  That’s you guys, in case you were wondering.

I am now planning for Pandamorphosis to be let loose on the world the first week of June.  This gives me more time to proof the book, plan the panda-ing and make some cuppycakes! And here is another preview of what the pandas of Pandamorphosis have in store for you:

Let Loose the Bears!

Let Loose the Bears!

Today was brought to you by the letter “N” which is just two letters away from “P” which is going to be a very panda-ful day here at the Panda Chronicles, where all letters bring pandas to mind. Thanks to the A to Z for letting the pandas come to play!  There’s a very interesting post on the history of Murano glass over at The Art of Not Getting Published, with my pick of the day.

Be the Bear
Bob T Panda

Mea Culpa! It is the day of “M”

Mmmmmmmm….me thinks there may be many messages and mottos that my minions might merit, starting with the letter “M”  And of course, we must not forget Mehitabel!

Mwahahahaha!

But just a moment…there are monumental Machiavellian maneuvers and maledictions in the making. On Monday, oh malicious Monday, the Pulitzer Awards of Merit were made public.

Did you know there is no Pulitzer awarded in the field of Panda Satire?????? Likewise, those misanthropic mucky-mucks at the MacArthur Foundation also have marginalized Panda Satire as if it were miniscule rather than mighty.

Why IS there no MacArthur Fellowship for Panda Satire, anyway?

Why IS there no MacArthur Fellowship for Panda Satire, anyway?

Nice to know that there are at least two times a year when panda satire can be overlooked, spring and fall! My oh my!

Meanwhile, motherhood is in the air, as the panda season of love continues.  But you might want to think this through lest mischief manifest itself. Enjoy this episode about how Princess Pinky got her Magical Wand.

National Zoo cub makes mom Mei Xiang disappear

oops.

Princess Pinky is fooled by Mei Xiang at the National Zoo

Oh Princess Pinky, mom has a trick or two up her paw, I think…

Thanks again to the folks who made the A to Z challenge manifest itself in such a marvelous manner. What a merry madcap mis-adventure we are on.

Thanks to all who have checked out my books here.  Who wouldn’t want to take the pandas home with them?

Till tomorrow, may we meet again!
Be the bear,
Bob T Panda

 

 

Less is more on the Day of “L”

“L” stands for Luddite, lest you think that, lo and behold, that by the mere fact that I write several blogs, have embraced email, am fond of facebook, and tolerate twitter, that I am NOT a Luddite,  you are laboring under a false impression.

Lamentations of Luddites lay waste to Linguini.

Lamentations of Luddites laying waste to Linguini.

Being the day from “L” it is also time to laugh a bit about the Panda Season of L-o-o-o-o-ve.

I hope people haven't had enough of silly love songs!

I hope people haven’t had enough of silly love songs!

A panda by any other name, would smell...well, they would just smell...

A panda by any other name, would smell…well, they would just smell…

We’ll have more from the panda season of l-o-o-o-o-ve tomorrow!  Meanwhile, this presentation comes to you courtesy of the 2014 A to Z Challenge!  I hope you have had some time to checkout some of the other blogs on offer.   My pick of the day is Muppets For Justice, because, hello? Muppets? Humor?  Say no more!

Hope you are all being the bear,
Bob T. Panda

 

 

 

The Kindness of Strangers

Our letter for the day is the Letter “K” as in ‘kay mommee…pinky needs her wand NOW.

“I have always relied on the kindness of strangers”... has always been one of my favorite movie lines.  But it is true that people have been extraordinarily kind the last few days. Whether you are talking about the support I have received for my new book to be, Pandamorphosis, or the sympathy expressed at the death of a dear friend. Thank you all.

so, oK! “Kickstarter” starts with “K” as does “Kindergarten” and the panda kindergarten kicked kitty butt when they “helped” with our Kickstarter Kampaigns.

Get ready.......

Get ready…….

Says Babette de Panda:  "It's all about MOI` "

Says Babette de Panda: “It’s all about MOI` “

fundraising on Kickstarter

Ha ha! George Clooney… where do those little pandas get these ideas?

Take a tip from Mr. Kitty and Keep being the Kat…um…I mean the bear.

Thanks for the A to Z folks who have let the Kindergarten run amok among a wider audience.  You is da bears.

Bob T. Panda
“we’ll do better next week!”

 

 

Today is the day of “J”

In the words of a true fan of the pandas (OK and Mehitabel too,) “Cats are Jerks.”

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the Jacuzzi….

What cats are reading at the beach this summer!

What cats are reading at the beach this summer!

Really, we can hardly wait till tomorrow when we can write about Kickstarter, the Panda Kindergarten and many other things that start with “K”  But that’s tomorrow.  Today is the day of “J”.  This one is for you, Jude.

Well, heck, everyone deserves an “off” day from the A to Z.  Here’s a few other cartoons to get you through the weekend.  (I’m going to take off tomorrow and post on Sunday instead, just sayin.)

I was framed!

sorry, Judge.

So much for those new navigation systems...or is it "nagagation systems"?

So much for those new navigation systems…or is it “nagagation systems”?

Nothing like the panda kindergarten, out for a joyride in their jalopy!

Nothing like the panda kindergarten, out for a joyride in their…um… Bob’s jalopy!

Be the bear!

Bob T. Panda

“I” is for Inspector Panda

Well, OF COURSE it is.

Inspector Panda, that insouciant investigator of illicit idiots, that ironic icon of mystery and intrigue, living the idyllic existence while idling indolently on islands of igneous rock, while inscribing on his ipand and listening to his ipawd, and of course, is in touch with his inner panda.

Gee, I like “I”,  which brings you today’s offering in the A to Z Challenge!

Inspector Panda, Bob T. Panda

..in which we introduce Inspector Panda….

inspector panda and cuppycake pushers

Inspector Panda says, “Know the signs of cuppycake dependency”

Inspector Panda has appeared in several of the panda stories, including Mr Wu Joins the Circus. I hope to start working on an extended Inspector Panda story soon.

This is a case for...Inspector Panda!

This is a case for…Inspector Panda!

I’ll be in touch!

Be the Bear,
Bob T. Panda

 

 

Humor and Heartbreak

Monday was harrowing. Hurtful things happened. Some can be put right, but others…not so much. Hours crept by in a darkened room, a habitat for heartbreak.

Light beams from a reflecting pool outside the window shimmered on the ceiling.  I imagine my friend, following them and being absorbed as pure light.

Hello.

Goodbye….oh, “G” was yesterday. Today we go about the business of harvesting the hoopla, making headway, healing with humor. Some might think that humor is unseemly at a time like this. Hooey, I hypothesize. To heal, you must happen upon the things that help heal your heart. For me, that is humor and happiness, and of course, pandas. Jude loved the pandas, and more than that, she loved what they did for me. So, Panda On, I say. Somewhere, she is happy.

Today is brought to you by the letter “H”

As you know, pandas are big fans of Shakespeare.

As you know, pandas are big fans of Shakespeare.

Over at the A to Z….my pick of the day is The Ninja Librarian, because let’s face it, could anyone keep order in a library better than a ninja? Put that cell phone away NOW!!!!

Thank you again for all your kind words and comments.  My heart is still aching, but pandas, tea (OK, scotch) and sympathy work wonders.

Be the Bear,
Bob T. Panda

 

Grace notes

Grace notes….
Grace period…..
States of grace….
Gratitude….

Goodbye.

No, it’s not me who is leaving, but  I must step away from the funny business for a moment to say goodbye to one of my dearest of girlfriends. She departed this world yesterday evening. Now grief begins.

We had a grace period from when her cancer was first diagnosed two and a half years ago. We almost lost her one year ago, but strong and stubborn as she was, she fought her way back. The struggle is over, she had guts, she had moxie, she had true grit, she is…gone.

Go in grace.

goodbye my friend.

goodbye my friend. we will go on.

Be the bear
Bob T. Panda