X, Y & ME: Day 18: The Bird Said It, I Swear!

(Instead of writing about one studio, I decided to compile all my studios into one..but that takes time and I need to study about psychology..I don't want to fail)

I have always been fascinated by birds. Especially parrots. I think my interest in parrots came when I went to a pet store when I was young.

I love visiting pet stores, especially to see the birds. In the back of this store, however, they had this giant Mollucan Cockatoo.

It was a giant, pink marshmallow of a bird. My young mind told me to go touch this bird.

When I got closer to it, it laughed hysterically, like some possesed voodoo parrot.

Nevertheless. I was freaked out, but in awe of this bird and always wanted one ever since.

My parents didn't want a bird. But one day, while I was at my parents store, my dad found a tiny white baby pigeon, huddling in the corner of the door.

I was hooked. My creative mind named it "Birdie". It wouldn't eat so my dad said it was best for me to let him go. My mom really didn't want a pigeon either..

So with much tears, I watched Birdie waddle away from me.

and into the open doorway of the chinese restaurant next door.

It was like some twisted, sappy, kids movie..

The people who owned the place said that they would take care of Birdie, since he was a good omen..I never saw him again...My dad said that they couldn't keep him there because they make food...I dunno...

One day someone came by the store and asked them if they wanted to take two cockatiels that he couldn't keep anymore. When I saw them, I was hooked.

We started out with two..

But then we ended up with 14.

my mother claims it was because she kept calling them useless goodfornothing balls of fluff. I think its because I did what my grandmother told me to do..take some old shells, grind them up into a fine powder, and mix it with their food. This way they'd be able to make eggs

One baby cockatiel stood out from the rest. It wasn't getting fed because its siblings would pick at its head. I took it out and raised it myself. I named it Mrs. Turkey.

Eventually she grew all of her feathers back and became my buddy...later on she abandoned me for one of the male birds and always wanted to be by his side.

One day, when my parents came home, My dad told me to help him empty out the car..
and there I saw an African Grey Parrot sitting on the backseat. (Someone at the store asked my dad if we could take care of him...my dad for some reason, didn't say no)

For a moment I thought it was a pigeon. But his bright red tail gave it away.

Being either courageous or stupid, I held out my arm to pick it up.

he crawled up my arm, sat on my shoulder, and stared at me...

then he bit my nose.

Disclaimer: He didn't bite me hard, but don't ever let a parrot near your face like this. I was a kid and didn't know better.

Spanky made our lives rather interesting.

When we first got him, we didn't know that he could talk. So that night, when I went to go get a drink...

I heard a "hellooooo" in the dark.

and stayed in the bathroom for the night.

I learned that African greys are excellent at mimicry. This was no lie..He mimicked my parents, my grandparents, some songs, and me...everything..

My mom particularly hated him...he unfortunately learned to mimic the telephone...