SELF PORTRAIT

Lisa Buehler

DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH: Sept. 24, 1966, Kansas City, Mo.

A BOOK I RECENTLY READ AND LIKED: Dr. Seuss’ My Book About Me — my grandson read it to me

WHEN I HAVE DOWN TIME I LIKE TO spend time out by my pool because it’s relaxing. Most of the time I’m picking up toys, which is fine. It just means they’re having a good time. Sometimes I like to ride in the cart while my husband goes golfing.

THE EXHIBITS I MOST ENJOY WHEN I VISIT OTHER ZOOS ARE the ones we don’t have in our zoo. I like to watch the elephants and the giraffes and the big cats, but if they’ve got something we don’t have I like to go see those and spend time learning about those animals.

THE ANIMAL I MOST IDENTIFY WITH IS the cheetah. They have a lot of high energy, and they’re fast-paced. They go for a long time, and then they rest. I would love to be a big cat sometime and get as much rest as they do.

MY FAVORITE TIME OF DAY IS morning because my grandkids wake up and they have big smiles on their faces. It’s good to see them before they’ve gone to school and gotten worn out.

SOMEDAY I WANT TO go to New Zealand.

I ADMIRE my parents. My mom spent a lot of time volunteering and doing things at the school when I was younger. I may not have appreciated those things like I should have at that age. And my dad just spent a lot of time working, and his work ethic was instilled in me.

MY TOP PICK FOR A SPLURGE MEAL: fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy

THE BEST ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED: My mom said, “If you stay focused you can do what you set your mind to do.”

THREE THINGS I ALWAYS HAVE WITH ME: my sunglasses, my iPhone and my passport

ONE WORD TO SUM ME UP: tenacious