Happy Wednesday!

What's the biggest thing you've stood next to other than a building? Like you just stood there in awe and thought, "there's no way something can be THAT BIG?!" Well, today that thought ran through my head SEVERAL times. Standing next to a 8,200 pound elephant will really make you feel small. 22 year old "Edie" let me inside the stall with her and her curator, Jim Naelitz. I have to admit I was a little intimidated at first, but Jim was great at getting me comfortable with Edie, and vice versa. The way elephants get to know you is by smelling you. It actually feels a little like a vaccum when she started sniffing my leg and arm. It was so wierd! When we were finally comfortable with each other I fed her apples and sweet potatoes. I handed them to her trunk and she put them in her mouth. We also took a look at her teeth! She has 4 and they're the size of bricks! Once in a while Jim would rub her tounge...yea I didn't do that! She is so adorable and has the sweetest look in her eyes. 

The reason we woke everyone up is for a new segment on East Tennessee This Morning called "Take This Job." Today, I took on the job of an elephant handler and yes, you can only imagine what that means...shoveling "poo." Hey, somebody's gotta do it! Yes it smells and yes there's a lot...about a ton a day to be exact! Enough about that. As I sit here typing I can still smell a "hard day" on me. (I hope the person sitting next to me doesn't mind!) Every day Edie also gets a bath. This may sound bad, but it's a little like washing a car. You use a big brush and a bucket of soap and just scrub! It takes about 20 minutes. Now, this isn't all Jim does. Among other things, he excerices and trains the elephants. Oh yea, there are two others named Tonka and Jana. If you've been to the zoo you know who I'm talking about! Every week we'll be taking on someone's job. If you want it to be yours, send us an email at ettm@wvlt-tv.com. Thanks Jim and Edie...we had a blast! It was an amazing experience.

See you in the morning!

Allison