Penguin is the new black

Max sent me this incredible photo today of penguins surfing off the coast of the Falkland Islands. It truly makes me happy to look at that picture. I just love penguins, I always have. There's this stuffed animal I've had since I was 3, which my grandfather gave me - he's a penguin, and his name is Peruccio (peru-kee-yo). Some of the many nicknames I've been given include Pengy, Penger and Mrs. Pengerton.

When March of the Penguins came out, I had all these messages via email or phone from people, asking if I'd seen it. I would love to be able to get up close with a penguin - touch it, feel it, feed it, walk with it. We're probably close in height! Everyone loves the King penguin, which are beautiful, but my favorites are the African (or Jackass) penguins. The hotel we stayed at last year where we got married had a few African penguins, and we would visit them everyday. The Academy of Sciences has a large group, and I filmed them swimming and playing over the summer. Perhaps one day I will have to apply for the National Science Foundation's Antarctic Artists and Writers Program.