Squirrel of the Month for November 28, 2012

I know I have been remiss in my squirrel postings. It is not from lack of material, but rather an increasingly filling schedule. So, my apologies for this late entry. I give you the November Squirrel of the Month: Sandy Cheeks.

Picture from the Spongebob Wiki page: http://spongebob.wikia.com/wiki/Sandy_Cheeks

One of the things I first liked about Sandy was the fact that she was from Texas. I was born and raised in Texas and I sometimes get tired of seeing characters from the more popular states (New York and California are over-represented; there are 50 states, not 2, and many other countries to boot). Sometimes Sandy's Texan, however, is a little too over-the-top. This is actually by design, as her character is meant to represent one of the 7 cardinal (or "deadly") sins: Pride. Sandy is definitely overflowing with pride. She shows kids that it's okay to be proud of your accomplishments and abilities, but she also illustrates the dangers of extreme hubris. When her ego gets too big for her helmet she finds herself in trouble that only the sometimes-humble (humility being the saintly virtue that counters pride) Spongebob can help her out of. Then Sandy shows that she can swallow her pride and graciously accept help when she needs it.

Speaking of smart, Sandy is one of the few characters on Spongebob Squarepants who seems to have a fully-functional brain. As a scientist, inventor, and explorer, she shows kids that anyone can accomplish great feats, regardless of their gender. Of course, sometimes her "genius" leads to a cold calculating response when warmth and caring are needed, but this is thankfully not always the case. She also breaks another female stereotype: weakness. Sandy's karate, coupled with her feats of strength, make her a formidable foe and a great ally to have fighting in your corner. She balances brains with brawn when solving problems, showing that there is never just one way to accomplish goals.

Sandy Cheeks is a strong, intelligent, talented, air-breathing female in a male-dominated water world. She is adaptable and loyal to her friends. Even when she lets her ego get in the way, she still tries to help out with the best of intentions. So, thank you, Sandy Cheeks, for teaching us the ups and downs and having self-confidence (sometimes too much) and for teaching us that we can adapt to just about anything if we put our minds to it.