I have been a fan of penguins since my days as a first-grader (1984). My class had to pick an animal to research, and then assemble a project showing what we had learned. I ended up researching penguins, and created a mobile, laced with penguin facts. The body of the mobile from which the facts hung was a penguin that I created from egg cartons and lots of paint.
After this project, my life was never the same. Something struck me about the uniqueness of these animals. To this day, penguins amaze me. They possess a sophistication that is uncommon to many other organisms. So much sets them apart from other birds: their dignity, their incredible aquatic abilities, their affinity for colder climates, and to top it all off, they are so darn cute!
I now make a special point, whenever I travel to a new place, to find out if there is a zoo/aquarium nearby that houses a penguin exhibit. To read about my "penguin trips," click here.