Took a quick trip to the L A Zoo during Spring Break with neighbors and kids. Did not have much time to draw animals, but spent the most time with the Rhinoceros, about 15 mins. If I want to learn how to draw dragons, I come here. But with kids, it's look and dash. I feel sorry for most of the kids; they are accustomed to being entertained every minute on new technology, who have to walk to look at the animals, and who are sorely disappointed when the animals don't have the energy or passion to perform as they do in Madagascar. As I quietly observe and sketch, admiring the forms, shapes and anatomy, kids were banging against the fence, screaming at the animals to do something, parents are ignoring their behavior or just looking away, some kids were shoving me to see the animals while I tried to draw; and to my horror and disgust, I saw one girl chuck an object into the Black Bear's enclosure. As a nation, we are raising scores of kids who have no appreciation for the natural world before us, nor know how to be still and know how to just be. The sense of wonder has been robbed by immediate gratification of being entertained...