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This page is a sorta info center for my students.
Mr. Seezen's Choppin' Blog
Friday, February 24, 2006
crappity crap. In a hurry to do my laundry tonight; what a dose of mistfortune. Out of the wash, into the dryer; out of the dryer, covered in red streaks. Someone before me left a wax crayon in the dryer. In one fell swoop, every single dress shirt I own is ruined. [more]
Dresden's favourite newborn now has a name: Thabo-Umasai here.
The name was chosen after a survey of "over 7,500 votes ... after the survey we chose the double-name Thabo-Umasai ... Thabo and Umasai were by far the most suggested names, whereas Thabo was in first place. Why a double-name? Although Thabo was the most voted for name, some had reservations that while speaking to the Elephants, some irritation might arise, because the second syllable of Thabo is identical with Drumbo. With a double-name, however, it is possible to choose between the two names when calling the elephant" --Wolfgang Ludwig, Head Zookeeper
Thabo-Umasai is the first Elephant born at the Dresden Zoo in its 144 year history. The baby was born without complications on Sunday, February 5 2006 at 11:30 pm after a 629 day gestation period. He weighed 107 kilograms and is the child of the 16 year old cow, Drumbo, Dresden's oldest living elephant. She was artificially inseminated by Tembo, a bull in captivity in England.
Julie and I went to see the little baby yesterday. He is adorable.
and it's still cold outside but apparently not freezing cold. When I went downtown to get my new visa early this morning I thought that it could almost pass for early spring. The layer-upon-layers of crusty ice and snow finally began to cede and resign itself to gritty slushiness.
Yet the early afternoon proved to be rainy and windy and generally antagonistic, and while much of the slush washed away, vast stretches of compacted snow regrouped and became nefarious slippery slides of treachery despite *** pepperings of grit from previous days and weeks. From the safety of the elevated viewpoint of the number 8, I bore astonished witness to to all of pedestriated Dresden--reverend Grannies, foolhardy young boys, toddlers adorned with animal-shaped winter gear, slutty teenage girls, exasperated parents--all doing a frantic softshoe routine along the slidewalk, ultimately busting ass or flatout eating it with such a passion and widespread frequency that it seemed to be a national pasttime.
By early evening the streets and gutters moaned with the anguished gushings of melted ice, adding to the whole mess quite nicely.
Home safe and sound, no intention of leaving the appartment for any reason until tomorrow afternoon, when I hope it will all be a bit less nasty.
