Eats, Shoots and Leaves

Our days are busy. Super busy. Go to class, go to rehearsal/sports practice/whatever, go to meetings of various clubs, do homework, somehow fit in seeing friends and eating. There certainly isn't any time for relaxing, and you can forget about sleep. Wouldn't it be nice if there were somewhere to go that's made especially for you to get yourself centered again? Yeah, you could do some yoga or listen to some music BUT... there's a zen meditation garden located right in the chapel here on campus.

Taken by Deborah M. 

Good thing bamboo also grows here - adding to the zen decor. You know who loves bamboo? PANDAS. And before you Panda novices get all up in my case about Pandas "not being bears". They are... we think. Maybe.  In Stephen O'Brien's study of Panda, Racoon (Red Panda) , and Bear DNA, he concluded that Pandas split from the Ursidae family much later than the Red Panda. Therefore, they are more closely related to bears than to the Red Panda, as was previously thought. However, a recent blood protein study used albumin (a blood protein) which suggested that Pandas are related closer to raccoons. Basically, it's still way up in the air as to whether or not Pandas are really bears. But that's okay. If you frequent the meditation gardens, you might see them snacking on some bamboo anyway. So grab your green tea, your ramen noodles, and your other stereotyped asian items and make your way to the meditation gardens for some quality 'me-time' with the Pandas. 

A panda walks into a café. He orders a sandwich, eats it, then draws a gun and proceeds to fire it at the other patrons.

'Why?' asks the confused, surviving waiter amidst the carnage, as the panda makes towards the exit. The panda produces a badly punctuated wildlife manual and tosses it over his shoulder.

'Well, I'm a panda,' he says, at the door. 'Look it up.'

The waiter turns to the relevant entry in the manual and, sure enough, finds an explanation. 'Panda. Large black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves.'