There isn't really much to tell. I was fortunate to be brought up by a couple of loving parents. My father's name was Ward, boy was he cool! My mother's name was June and she always provided great loving support.
I was born in the Emperor Rookery at Penguin Gulch, Antarctica. After mom laid me, my dad took over most of the work until I was hatched. I guess you could say he was a very involved parent.
Those first few years were filled with a lot of fun and excitement. I still remember my first swim... Boy was I scared. I took that big leap from the ice shelf not even knowing if I could swim and hoping that there wasn't anything dangerous down there.
I guess you could say I was pretty average for a young penguin. I couldn't sing, dance or surf (unless you count my awesome body surfing which I would do for hours as a kid.) If anything, I was kind of a geek. I was slow to get my adult plumage and I was always a little skinny and awkward.
I feel great about myself now. However, there is one awkward issue I need to address for my presidential candidacy. I'm not married. The truth is, I just haven't found "Ms. Right".
Most of my buddies, long-ago, married their rookery sweethearts. But I'm not looking for another pretty face; for that perfect yellow accent coloring or gorgeous plumage. I'm looking for that gal whose sole wants to melt into a relationship of love and caring for each other and our planet and all its creatures. I know she's out there...
During those tough adolescent years I developed a budding interest in learning about the world I lived in. (Six months of dark and blowing snow gives you lots of time to think about things.) It was at the end of one of those winters that I became keenly aware of our environment.
As you might imagine, that first spring swim is a very exciting time after standing so long huddled together with the rest of the clan. I wasn't really paying attention as I rushed toward the edge of the shelf anticipating the rush of cold water. Then whooooosh, I was dropping through the air and hitting the water so hard it knocked the wind out of me. The shelf had ended about 100 yards earlier than it had ever ended since I was born.
There was a tumble of Emperor penguins in similar condition all around me. I ended up being one of the lucky ones because somehow I made it back on the ice. Many close friends were lost to predators in their weakened condition. This was my first exposure to global warming and it became my life's mission and passion.
I attribute so much to mom and dad. They were the ones that encouraged me to understand the things I cared about and not to be afraid to work to change the world. Without them I wouldn't be running for the presidency today. Thanks mom! Thanks dad!
