There is one animal which I find very intriguing.  They are not only strong and beautiful, but look so gentle. Like most animals, I’m sure they are not so gentle when you get near their babies. It is the Panda Bear.  Here are a few interesting facts about the Panda:

• All pandas in the world are on loan from China. When a baby panda is born, it is shipped by FedEx to China to help expand the gene pool.
• 99% of a panda’s diet consists of bamboo. In fact, the giant panda spends around 55% of its life collecting, preparing, and eating bamboo.  A grown panda must eat as much as 80 pounds of bamboo per day to meet their nutritional needs.
• About 2,000 pandas are found in the wild.
• The life span of giant pandas in the wild is approximately 20 years.
• Pandas are considered to be endangered with about 1,600 in the wild and another few hundred in captivity. A newborn panda weighs less than an iPhone.
• The giant panda’s black and white coat and prominent black eye patches have made it one of the best-known species, although it is among the shyest and rarest animals in the world.
• Pandas are born looking like baby badgers. They are furless, pink, and blind.  The iconic black and white color comes later, after about three weeks.

There was a legendary panda in China named Pan Pan.  He was in captivity but was very well taken care of, had a wonderful, large habitat to roam around and was very loved by the conservationists.  Pan Pan lived to be 31 years old and was the father and grandfather to over 30 cubs.  He was also related to more than 130 Pandas.  He was essential to help the Chinese researchers find ways to care for geriatric pandas.  Seeing pictures of Pan Pan, he looks wise yet playful.  He lived next to his grandson Tai and the two would often visit through a howdy window.  I can just imagine the elder panda giving the grandson words of advice and wisdom.

When I think of the black and white of the panda, I think of what else is black and white.  How about a QR code?  When I think of QR codes, I automatically think of Penless.  I have used the Penless QR codes countless times.  I always have a few handy.  When I buy a cup of coffee for a friend, I affix a Go-Anywhere sticker and upload either a picture of us together or a short message.  It is always appreciated by the recipient and it is fun for me to do. I also use one when I send packages to kids away at college.  When they get a package from me, they always look for the QR code to scan.  It is nice for them to get something personal from home.  So, I would suggest keeping a few Go–Anywhere stickers handy and when you attach them to a gift card, greeting card, or anything else you are giving someone, the message or picture will make it that much more personal.