You May Say I'm a Beatnik, but I'm Not the Only One!

Today was zoo day. You know it's hot in the MIDDLEwest when you go into "The Swamp" and "Tropic World" to cool off. We had a heat-index advisory and they said on the radio that the heat index was about 105 degrees (Fahrenheit) today. The 1000 degree heat added to the experience of seeing the elephants and giraffes and camels seemed like we could easily have been in the Sahara or Nairobi. I've always liked Brookfield Zoo; we have even been members from time-to-time depending on our year's itineraries. They have done some really nice upgrades. The reptile house is a lot better, the wolves aren't an after-thought in the back of the zoo any longer and the bears are finally being given the respect that Winnie T., The Berenstains and Smokey T. have worked so selflessly toward over the years instead of the treatment of The Hair Bear Bunch. Some tips before you go to the zoo - clear out your camera's memory card (you'll need it), take your own beverages (two sodas and a bottle of water cost $9.25), have some good walking shoes, arrive early, go with the flow and don't be in a hurry. Those are the biggies for me I guess. We did not end up getting a Mold-A-Rama because it was so hot that it would have looked like a Mold-A-Rama of the Gulf Coast Oil Spill before we had gotten to the car. Also, Tropic World is not Tropical World. There were no tikis or boat drinks or hula girls as I had hoped.

I think skinks are cool. That's right...I blogged skinks.

Reports are saying that 2010 is the hottest year on record. The climate has changed so drastically that an island of ice more than four times the size of Manhattan has broken off a glacier in Greenland. Of course the debate goes on whether Global Warming exists. Some experts say that chunks of ice break off from glaciers all the time and we should not jump to conclusions. If we do jump to conclusions and start caring about the planet and become more responsible for Earth's well-being and we're wrong what's the worst thing that can happen? We would have saved the natural resources for our great-grandchildren? I would rather err on the side of being responsible wouldn't you? I don't mind being wrong in this instance. I should have gotten a Sea Lion and Dolphin Mold-A-Rama since they will soon be running this planet.

August 12th, besides being Sugar Momma's birthday, is the anniversary of the publishing of Dr. Seuss' book Green Eggs and Ham! I researched GE&H and found that Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel) only used 50 different words in the entire book (not 50 words total but 50 DIFFERENT words). Since he had used so many different words in his debut book, The Cat In The Hat, his publisher bet him $50 that he couldn't use only 50 words but he did. He did not write it with too many words, He wrote it with 50 - it seems quite absurd!

I sure hope it's "Africa Hot" again next week for Six Flags; they have a water park.

I need some new music added to Roz. I am thinking about some Jimmy Cliff and Cat Stevens. Xavier Rudd has some new music out too and I could always add more Mishka. Any suggestions on music I should add? Whatever I add I want to add it to my: Earth Day, Zen or Island Music playlists. I have plenty of hard stuff on my Workout playlist. The word on the street is that I am becoming a beatnik. Just because I play the bongos and am a vegetarian and hangout at a "cafe" and make everybody call me "The Dude." Why can't it just be a MIDDLE-life crisis? Dude, "so that's what you call me. That or His Dudeness... Duder... or El Duderino, if, you know, you're not into the whole brevity thing." Beatniks don't get promoted to Supervisor at their part-time jobs man.

Friday's here again...payday! I'm heading to Wisconsin Saturday to smell their dairy-air. It's barely Wisconsin (Clinton) but let me know if you need any cheese or fireworks. Blog you again tomorrow. Until then I don't want to play I just want to beat(nik) on the bongo all day! Don't harsh my mellow, man!

** shaggy and scooby photo bogarted from fanpop.com & hair bear bunch yanked from the-medium-is-not-enough.com **