playing catch-up, part 1.

Recounting all of the past events that have happened in the last year and a half. In no particular order. Part one. Here we go.

Me: Folks, you can touch any shark you like, along its back, with your first 2 fingers.
[40-something year old man proceeds to reach under the sleeping shark and lift it up, almost out of the water]
Me: Sir! 2 fingers. Please do not pick up the sharks.
Man: Oh. We can't pick them up?
Me: No.

This happens at least once a day. And I am only at the shark-touching exhibit for an hour or two per day. So let's think about how many times these sharks have been picked up.

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Some back-story: we have 2 female Hippos. There are also hundreds of African Ciclid fish in with the hippos.

[In the shark exhibit]
Father, slightly apart from his family: Excuse me, those back there, those are hip- hippopotamuses?
Me: Back over there? Yes, we have 2 female Hippos.
Father: Those are the big fish in there?
Me: Big fish?
Father: Yes, the big fish in there.
Me: You mean all the colorful African Ciclid fish?
Father: No, those big grey things. The big fish- those are the Hippos?
Me: Well, those are hippos. But they're not fish.
Father: They aren't? But they can stay underwater like that?
Me: Yep. They hold their breath.
Father: Honey! They're not fish!

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Kid: Oooh! Look! Starfish!
Me: Where?
Kid: Right there!
Me: That's not a starfish.
Kid: [confused] Yes it is.
Me: Is it shaped like a star?
Kid: Yes....
Me: Is it a fish?
Kid: Uh...
Me: Nope. So "starfish" doesn't make any sense. So we don't call them that anymore. We call them sea stars. That's the real name.
Kid: Oh. Hey, mom! Come look at the starfish!

This also happens multiple times per day.

More to come.