AND THE TROPHY GOES TO...

Okay, I waited until the last possible minute of the month to give everyone a chance to enter the "Write the Caption" contest for January. Some of you blog lurkers just disappoint me; you can't win if you don't enter! There were some awesome entries(and a pretty gross one):

"Keep us on leashes . . . I don't think so. We're out of here, Molly" by Anonymous

"Step one: cut a whole in the dog; step two: ...; step three: open the dog" by Anonymous

"No, I said you should dress him in a pouch loincloth, not a pooch loincloth." by Taran

"Doggone Monkey!" by Vince

But the WINNER, once again, HAS to be Bobby:

"Quick, the door! Before he pees on the carpet again!"

CONGRATULATIONS, Bobby. The trophy is in the mail!

EVERYTHING COMES DOWN TO POO

If you missed last week's episode of Scrubs...I feel so sad for you. I know that some of you don't watch Scrubs, don't like Scrubs, or don't get Scrubs humor. But I love it and last week's episode was a Scrubs musical. It was awesome, and even more so if you like musicals, music, singing, dancing or breaking-out-in-song-whenever-you-please.

It's rather difficult to pick my favorite song from the night..I enjoyed them all. But one that had the catchiest tune that you'll be singing in your head (or out loud in my case) all day long was EVERYTHING COMES DOWN TO POO. If you missed it, here it is for your watching and listening pleasure. And in case you didn't know it - monkeys like to fling poo!

TODAY I FEEL...

My friend, Lyndsay, is in town and brought me this gift. It's so much fun!!! There's a large magnet with 9 monkeys (really cute monkeys) and 9 moods. There's a smaller magnet frame that says "Today I feel..." that you place on your mood for the day.

I think everyone should have one of these. In fact, I think I need one for home, one for work and maybe one to wear as a necklace so that anywhere I go, people will know how I'm feeling and whether to mess with me or not!

The only problem is...what if I'm in a different mood other than excited, tired, stupid, apathetic, happy, confused, bored, stressed or confident. Or do you think those pretty much cover it all???

OOPS!

Have you been hiding under a rock and missed the latest monkey news?? And I'm not just talking local news, but this one made national news. (Several of you emailed me about this one to make sure I was paying attention...thanks!)

In a previous post I shared with you about Chimp Haven located in Louisiana, not far from where I lived for many years. When retired boy chimpanzees arrive at Chimp Haven, they are all given a vasectomy. But on January 17, one of the girly chimps gave birth!! Oops! And paternity tests have begun. "Workers have started collecting hair samples from the chimps for testing. Once they identify the father, it's back to the operating room for him."

BITTERSWEET

Thanks for all your comments about who I should pull for in today's game. I did root for the Saints, but knew it would be okay if the Bears won. It was so cold here...there's no way a Saint could survive!

Today's photo is part of a tribute to the 1985 SuperBowl Shuffle. You can go here to see William "AwChimp the Fridge" Perry, Jim "ChimpTron" McMahon, and Mike "Chimpinator" Singletary.
(I know that some of you were still in diapers and don't remember the shuffle. Here's some help for you babies out there!)

CONUNDRUM

Who should I root for on Sunday?

Chicago Bears - where I live
New Orleans Saints - where I was born

BALD IS CUTE

You CANNOT tell me that this chimp isn't a cutie!!

This is Cinder, a resident at the St. Louis Zoo. When Cinder was 5 months old, ALL of her hair fell out. The veterinarians discovered that she had an autoimmune problem that causes her body's defense system to prevent hair growth. It's called (can you guess?) alopecia universalis. Other than that, she's perfectly healthy. The zookeepers say that the "other chimps don't seem to care about her baldness, and treat her no differently than they would if she had hair." That's really good to know.

YOU COULD BE A WINNER!

I know, I know. I really dropped the ball! I let my monthly "Write the Caption" contest fall by the wayside. For those of you who waited on pins and needles for the next installment, I sincerely apologize. And for those of you who have completely given up and have renounced contests altogether, I ask that you reconsider and give it another try.

So here is the first "Write the Caption" contest for 2007. Remember, there are no wrong answers and the winner gets bragging rights for the month. You could join the list of PoMonkey Hall of Famers: Wince's Mom and Bobby. However, also remember that if your vote is not chosen, you may not pout, boycott or throw a temper tantrum! We're all adults, right?

BLACK-EYED PEAS?

I know that there are A LOT of things that I do and/or say simply because I lived the majority of my life in the south. However, I REALLY thought that everyone ate black-eyed peas and cabbage as a traditional New Year's Eve/Day meal. But this year I discovered, after several odd looks and weird laughs from friends, that this is a southern tradition ONLY. Black-eyed peas are believed to bring good luck and cabbage to bring money, although my family never bought into the superstition - we just ate it as tradition.

I researched and found lots of information (some of it rather gross, in my opinion) about New Year's food traditions. Are any of these foods tradition in your home?

Noodles, Sauerkraut, Grapes, Pickled Herring,
Boiled Cod, Beets, or Donut-like Fritters

KEEPIN' TOASTY

The Down Coat has got to be the BEST invention EVER!

I finally (after purchasing 4 coats over the period of 4 weeks and returning them all) purchased a new coat for my walk to work in the mornings, and I can't believe how cozy and warm I am now! I've never really had a need for a down coat, so I never understood all the hype. But I must say, next to the Hot Shot Hot Water Dispenser and Ear Pops, nothing warms you up better than a puffy coat! Do you have any favorite inventions that make winter easier (besides electricity and gas)?

(My coat is not yellow, but it does have a
fur collar! Hopefully I don't look like this.
But even if I do, I don't care, because I'm warm!)

WHAT A COUPLE!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
to a fine Diva and Stud.
Join others in wishing this handsome couple
a hardy Congrats!

Plus, see what others have to say about this momentous occasion:

Mister Ginger

The Weight of Glory

Unswerving Hope

Coffeespoons

Waters Edge

Other than that, how'd you like the play Mrs. Lincoln

Algona Bread

...and more coming soon!

THAILAND MONKEYS

This monkey photo is one I received from some friends who just moved to Thailand. Apparently, the crowd in the background was there to watch a special dance for the monkeys. People will "promise" something to Buddha if they receive the answer to their prayers (good test grade, promotion at work, etc.) and one of the things they offer/promise is to hire a special dance for the monkeys.

While I like monkeys and I like dancing, it's sad that this is what these people believe.

Jesus answered, "I am THE way and THE truth and THE life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

TUNE MY HEART

On my way to work this morning the Lord shared the most beautiful sunrise. The colors were incredible - a million shades of blue, pink and orange. Our God is the only one who could create such beauty!! At the same time Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing began playing on my iPod. This is a hymn I've sung my whole life, but it was like I was hearing it for the first time! Tune my heart to sing Thy grace. Let Thy goodness bind my wandering heart to Thee. Here's my heart, Lord, take and seal it. WOW! What a wonderful prayer for 2007! I'm so thankful for these reminders as I begin 2007. I pray that today you receive some reminders like this also.
(The photo above is Monkey Island in Bintan, Indonesia.)

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet, Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it, Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger, Interposed His precious blood;
How His kindness yet pursues me Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me I cannot proclaim it well.

O to grace how great a debtor Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above.

HAPPY 2007!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Did you purchase fireworks for your celebration? Did you get any Monkey Missiles? They look kinda crazy, but I bet they're fun!