Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Special Guest Wednesday

This week's guest is Kelley Bell, activist, philosopher, poet and mother. Kelley was asked to define Panther.

Panther, n. One of the great cats. A secretive and solitary predator, often idolized and emulated by humans. Florida panthers live in marsh lands and play on football fields, while black panthers roam dense forests and urban ghettos, and are generally active only at night.

Pan-thurr is also a formal term heard from cooks who speak with a lisp.

Antonym: Pink Panther. A lisping panther often mistaken for a flake.

About Kelley: Kelley seems to be first and foremost, an incorrigible do-gooder. A fundraiser for wildlife and domesticated life, friend to the falcon and the furry, a firey sister for women's rights and an innovative helper with her daughter's homework. Kelley writes several weblogs, including For Whom The Bell Tolls, Wildlife Rehab and Falconry, The Adventures of a Starving Artist, and Martial Arts and TCM (I have no idea- Kelley?) What I'm sure of is Kelley kicks butt, raises money, conjures ghosts, does yoga, explores and wears armor for the residents of the animal, spirit and female realms.

She's also a first-rate photojournalist. This story and this were the first of Kelley's narratives I read and inspired both fascination and her word assignment. Stunning pictures and elegant words. A cute story about Kelley and her daughter is here.

How to be a future guest on this site: Just send an email to dpascover at mac dot com. On a future Wednesday, after posting that week's guest, I'll send you an email with a word to define. You'll be expected to return your definition along with a graphic representing either your definition or yourself by the following Saturday. The only rules are no profanity and no novels, please. And whatever I make up at the last minute.

30 comments:

dddragon said...

(WooHoo ... first!?)

Panther - that mascot from Pittsburgh. When in the domain of the Nittany Lion, one can see a picture of this Panther sitting on a toilet (Sh*t on Pitt).

Outside the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Panthers are a whole different animal.

Nice to meet you, Kelley, and fun definitions!

Unknown said...

Sounds like my kinda gal. Glad to meet you, Kelly!

Here's one of my favourites from Ogden Nash:

THE PANTHER
The panther is like a leopard,
Except it hasn't been peppered.
Should you behold a panther crouch,
Prepare to say Ouch.
Better yet, if called by a panther,
Don't anther.

Minka said...

Hi Kelly. Nice to meet you adn well done with being a special Guest.

about panther?

About 9 years ago I would have pronounced it panzer, in the appropriate German fashion. Than it would mean tank and I wouldn´t get what you guys are talking about here. Thank goodness for the last 9 years. Here is "Cheers" to me!
I have the amazing ability to make everything about ME! :)

Doug The Una said...

First, Dddragon! Did I ever mention that my mother was a Panther for a year or two?

Haha, Karma, Nash is great

Minka,
Sein Blick ist vom Vorübergehn der Stäbe
so müd geworden, daß er nichts mehr hält.
Ihm ist, als ob es tausend Stäbe gäbe
und hinter tausend Stäben keine Welt.

Rilke understood the word. And, yes, I googled that.

Kel-Bell said...

LOL!
This is my kind of Party!

You guys are great.

Sar said...

Nice to meet you Kelley! Your definition wath tho funny. You have an admirably full plate, however do you manage it all?

Panther: A persistant dead-ant earworm on the loose in Waking Ambrose this week.

Chatham said...

Panther: what us smaller kitties aspire to be.

Anonymous said...

oooo, what a very interesting guest!
Nice to meet another fascinating blogger.
So fun, Wednesdays wock!

mireille said...

Hi Kelley! Incorrigible do-gooder meets irascible curmudgeon! Welcome! xoxo

Doug The Una said...

Kelley, hope you brought your dancing shoes.

Sar, sing it from your window, sing it to the kids.

Almost there, Chatcat.

Wednesday's Wokka wokka, Logo. I agwee.

Cowgirl, at some point I'll have to share the story of rehabbing Macaws in Peru. I almost opened the first Amazonian KFC.

Fate, right, Mireille? Zockso!

Miz BoheMia said...

Yes Kelley, however do you manage it al? Honored to meet such a strong, talented and fiery sister! And a yogi at that! Swoonalicious!

Panther... what ragdoll kitties grow up to be yet act nothing like...

Hola hermanito Doug! Como siempre, has estado fantastico!

TLP said...

Hiya Kelley. Good job. You too Doug.

dddragon: I thought the main cry against that particular panther was Puck Fitt.

Doug The Una said...

Miz B, Es mi trabajo duro.

Thanks TLP, for the compliment and the insight.

Minka said...

Rainer Maria Rilke! I am very impressed, impressed indeed. You are turning out to be a very literate dog! Thought the Devil´s dictionary is the only book you chewed on;)

Kyahgirl said...

HI Kelley-nice to meet you. :-)

Jamie Dawn said...

Kelley: That story about the exchange between your daughter and the author of "Too Many Amandas" is so sweet. That should be submitted to Reader's Digest.

Doug: Since my dad is a fan of the Pink Panther movies as well as the movie, A Shot in the Dark, I am a fan too. I recently saw the remake starring Steve Martin & Kevin Klein. They did a superb job in their roles, but the movie just wasn't nearly as funny as the original.

Kel-Bell said...

O.K. Jamie Dawn. I sent it in. I dont expect RD to publish it though. They get close to a quarter million submissions each year.

As to the question about "how I do it all" (Kelley throws back her head in maniacal laughter), my husband is my secret, darlings. He is Absolutely Fabulous.

Doug The Una said...

Minka, don't be impressed. In the U.S, Der Panzer and Erlkönig are pretty standard German III reading. If I knew any other German poems you could start to be impressed, but I don't think I do. Maybe some limericks.

Thanks, Kyahgirl.

Great suggestion, Jamie Dawn, and I see Kelley took it. Good for you. I couldn't bear to watch the remake. There was just no way it would be as good.

Aha, Kelley, good for you and good for him. Having fun?

Lila said...

Another great guest! Well done, Kelley, and thank you for your do-gooding!

Janet said...

Nothing to see here. Just brushing up on excellent Wednesday words of the past and present and making a not so mental note as I write this...:)

Kel-Bell said...

Ya'all are a great gang to hang out with.

Thanks so much for inviting me to the party.

But, Im turning into a pumpkin now, so nighty-night.

Anonymous said...

Panther: Not to be confused with a Cougar

Anonymous said...

I swaer I posted here earlier. Can't rememebr what I saind though.
Nice to meet you , awesome blogs.
Panther: big cat endangered only in Florida as is everything worth anything.

Doug The Una said...

Aral, thanks, that's nice. Congratulations one more time. Anyone still wondering why I'm congratulating AP3 should stop by her site and join me.

Actonbell, you'll like them. Thanks.

Janet, mental notes are better for students than counselors I've found.

a4g, well done and the Panthers had it coming. Every day's a new day, no need to account for yesterday.

Thanks, Kelley. Good job.

Haha, Revi. I'm guessing you have a ways to go before you get there. That's a new addition to my vocabulary, by the way.

Cooper, not kangaroos if it helps you sleep. And to continue the longest farewell in my personal history, have a great trip.

Anonymous said...

Moi.

Doug The Una said...

That's funny, Christpher. You always looked like a kitty cat to me.

Anonymous said...

Vile Dogtist FILTH!

opiatedsherpa said...

Let's not forget about the Florida panthers who love to play on the ice as well!!

Doug The Una said...

Ah, Christopher! The Captist bar of soap!

Welcome, Opiatedsherpa! I recognize the author of a fun website. Who could forget the Florida Panthers? They drafted Manon Rheume, didn't they? Or was that Tampa?

Mutha said...

Hey -- I haven't thought about that lisping pink panther cartoon character in a very long time...and I feel as if I've just gotten the vague 1960's reference that if the panther was pink, then he must be gay, and if he was gay then he must lisp. Like the swishy guys that used to make appearances on Barney Miller.
Please let me be wrong...