Pepper playing it cool during a sunbath

I’m getting ready to get ready to go to Cincinnati for my internship. I came down with a hideous cold and for the last 10 days I’ve been flying and coughing, flying and sneezing and flying and blowing my nose. The living room sounds like a tubercular ward as the birds try and help by making coughing and sneezing sound effects every time I do either one. If I sneeze and start with a “Ahh-Ahh…”, they complete it with a resounding “CHOOO!” right along with me. If I wasn’t so sick, I would have laughed.

I have a mile long list of junk I have to take to the Zoo with me: camera and attachments, computer and attachments, digital audio recorder and attachments, clothes I don’t care about getting destroyed by penguin poop, Lory poop, (accoding to the Aviary Manager, Steve, they have zoo issued raincoats and hats for the Lory exhibit workers, it gets that bad. Apparently it “rains” Lory poop from above when you’re cleaning the exhibit) and emu poop, batteries, chargers, warm clothes for cold weather, clothes for warm weather, sweatshirt for chilly mornings, long sleeved t-shirts, short-sleeved t-shirts, 2 pairs of work boots that weigh about 2 pounds per boot, 2 alarm clocks, bedding and a pillow, space bags so I can compress the stuff, coffee, paper, pens, toiletries, aspirin for achy muscles, and an outfit for an actual day off where I might go out and have a nice meal. My suicase is the size of an aircraft carrier, and I’ll be wearing my uniform on the flights to make things a little easier to get around the airports. So that’s more crap I have to take with me.

I contacted Robin Shewokis of “Leather Elves” about what to bring and she reccomended khakis because she said I was going to get pretty wet when I worked the penguins. Jean aren’t the way to go. She also said workboots were a must. I happen to have a pair of Timberland standard issue workboots and a pair of army issue desert boots so that’s one less thing. And I wasn’t about to go out and spend a bunch of money on new khaki pants just to get penguin poop all over them, so I went to the Salvation Army and got 3 pair for about 4 dollars a pair. 2 pair still had the tags on them. I have to find another 3 pair that fit me and I think I’ll be in business.

I’ve been staying in Hotels, traveling and living out of a suitcase for 21 years now. You’d think I’d know how to do this. But I’m not real adept at packing for almost 3 weeks and knowing I’m most likely going to get absolutely filthy every day.

I also found out that the Intern House has no computer hookups. I have to do all of my computer work fom the Zoo. Drat! But I’ll just compose at night when I’m done at the zoo and then post my stuff the next day. I can’t complain at all and won’t complain. I’m just happy to have some place to park my bony butt while I’m there.

I know it will all work out. I’m just tryng to be a good scout and end up “being prepared”. But am I excited? You bet!

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