P - Pets

Pets: thing, animal

My family has mostly had dogs for Pets, but on the whole I've come to realize that I'm not really a Pet person. I'm glad I had some dogs growing up (Rufus, Scruffy, Molly(especially)) and I got enjoyment from them being in my house (even the ones that scared me, or smelled), but I'm also glad that someone else was more responsible for them than me.

Two of the dogs were, non-euphemistically, given to some people with more space/ sent to live on a farm. (unless my Mom is still actively lying to me)

There have also been occasional fish, some birds, and a rabbit, but those were not mine.

I like animals a lot, but I like them in zoos and in books and on TV. I like knowing about them, but not so much cleaning up after them, having to care for them on a daily basis, etc. Pets are not like Children. They don't someday grow up and talk to you, or teach you things, or be Humans, and I don't think not wanting pets is equatable to not potentially being a good parent.

SEE ALSO: Animal shows, Blankets,

B - Bear

Bear: thing, animal

I still have a blue Teddy Bear that I got at Valley Fair when I was 4 years old. It's been with me pretty much since then. It's name is "Valley Fair Bear," which is very concrete and literal. It is sitting on my bed right now.

"Bear" is also currently my favorite sign in American Sign Language.

In 7th or 8th grade I was playing Hide and Seek in Hartley Field just behind my house. I was hiding, and my friends could clearly see me but were not chasing me. It turned out that there was a black bear meandering around just across a very shallow ravine and tiny creek from where I was hiding. Probably less than 50 yards away. The bear did not eat me.

O - Otter

Otters: Thing, living

Otters are probably my favorite animal, more specifically, North American River Otters (though sea-otters are decent). I like them because they are really fun to watch at the zoo. I would probably like to be one (or at least how I idealize them) and swim and run around all day.

I have, on my desk right now, a small plastic Otter that I stole from my brother when he was very young, and I was not so young. I'm not giving it back. I also have an awesome blanket with an otter and a really cool painting.

There was an incident last year of a group of Otters attacking a Human swimmer. I didn't like that.

Z - Zoo

Zoo: Place

Both of my parents took me to the Zoo (The Duluth Zoological Gardens / The Lake Superior Zoo) often when I was a young kid. I would make them read all of the placards about the animals. Trips to the Twin Cities usually involved a visit to either the Minnesota Zoo or the Como Zoo.

I love the zoo. I may not want pets, but I will definitely take my hypothetical future children to the zoo. It's where I learned to love animals (well, along with the Library and TV).

My favorite animal at any zoo is always the Otter, and if they're out playing, I'll spend at least 20 minutes to a half hour watching them.