All the RomCom of Qi Xi

Everything I Needed to Know About Life, I Learned From Sesame Street (and Mister Hooper)

Sesame Street's anniversary makes me grin and shake my head and realize that I'm getting old. I grew up on Sesame Street. To really get an understanding of how much Sesame Street, 3-2-1 Contact, Electric Company and Mister Roger's Neighborhood meant to me, I need to explain where I grew up and what little exposure to the outside world I had.

I lived out in the middle of bumfuck. We had 20 acres, most of which went back to woods with deer that would walk around our orchard looking for fruit. We had a garden that was a few acres big and we, for the most part, grew all of our veggies and fruit. We made our own jelly, canned our own tomatoes and I cannot tell you how awesome it was to steam up our own asparagus.

My driveway was half a mile long and we owned a snowplow that broke more often than it worked. We lived in a huge dip in the road and that dip resulted in me, literally, walking uphill both ways to school. In the snow. My walk to the school bus was over a mile long. One year, for Girl Scouts, as part of our environmental awareness campaign, we had to count the cars that drove past a major intersection near our houses at rush hour. I had 3. All day. For sitting at that intersection for 4 hours.

So all this is to say that there's a reason we only got three stations, the local ABC affiliate, the local NBC affiliate and PBS. Cable? HA! We would've had to pay for the poles to go down our street and our driveway!My family and I devoured the PBS because it was either that or movies (rented from the nearest movie rental place that was a 30 minute drive away and was a mom-and-pop store) as far as young children went. We watched everything. 3-2-1 Contact was huge in our house. I learned about electricity and helping others and science. Mister Roger, on the other hand, scared me. It had something to do with the changing the sweaters and the shoes. IDK, my little kid brain was weird. Or, god, Captain Kangaroo. That show ROCKED.

But, by and far, the most popular show in my house was Sesame Street. I remember Gordon, Luis, Maria, Linda, and Bob. I remember signing along with the songs and dancing about as Big Bird and Oscar taught me about caring and sharing. I remember learning a bit of Spanish and that pinball routine where they taught you to count. (and I might still sing it) here is a link and you'll be singing it for hours afterwards. It's addictive.

I remember learning about death when Mister Hooper died (offscreen) of a heart attack. I remember my mum and dad sitting down with my older sister, my older brother and me and talking to us about how sometimes, when people get old, their hearts give out. I remember crying and wondering where Mister Hooper was because who was going to run the store and sell paperclips to Bert if Mister Hooper wasn't there.



I just rewatched it again and, I'm not ashamed to admit, I still teared up and sniffled.
( Moar on Mister Hooper and Sesame Street )

What's your favorite episode of Sesame Street? What do you remember from it? What's your favorite muppet?

( my favorite are mostly embedded below )

Am getting ready to head to the garage to have my hood release looked at. I've my fingers crossed that it's just because of gunk build-up that the latch won't open. Don't burst my bubble until the garage does, yeah? I'm hopeful they can get it opened and do the oil change I need and switch out my turn signal fuse, too.

I've had pretty bad insomnia this past weekend and into last night. I've gotten about 6 hours of sleep in dribs and drabs since Friday. Just little catnaps. Stupid stress.

However, that only means that I've watched a metric asstonne of movies. After cruising the flist, someone rec'd Shelter and then linked to someone who had the download. Of course Firefox crashed before I could thank the person so I've no idea who I ganked it from BUT - omgsogood. It's a very lovely story that has a nice pace to it. ( spoilery thoughts and rambling review )

10 out of 10

I uploaded it to share the love. Definitely go out and buy it though as there are some really brilliant cast commentaries and special features on teh DVD that aren't on the download. here is the download. It's a zip so you'll have to unzip it and it's rather HUGE (almost a gig by itself). I also converted it to the iPod so I can watch it on that when I get bored at Fry's.

I made the mistake of watching The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. ( Run, do not walk, away from this movie )

2 out of 10 and it only gets that because the camera peeps deserve a spot of love.

Random observation - there are certain words that should never be used in a sex scene. I read one fic this morning that utilized the word "girth" as a name for a cock. ie - "He sucked the girth into his mouth and sucked". Um, bwa? When I think of girth, I think of my fat ass and how girthy it is. I don't think of a giant cock of doom. In conclusion, girth is not a sexxehtiems word. Stop using it. Plz.

Went to watch a movie on Sunday with my sister and one of her friends. I'll have a proper review of it later (probably tomorrow as I'm so beyond behind on posting my resolution reviews, it isn't funny). I'm still on track for finishing the 50 books/50 movies this year even with working assloads of hours.

Anyway, when we came home, I watched Newsies. This is such my guilty pleasure movie. ( ramble ramble, Newsies, Christian Bale is hot, jury duty, Fry's whinging )

So, um, I'm sure you've noticed that it's, err, Thursday and no update on Memories as a Teacup. There's a good reason for it. Really, there is. It's just that...well... I, um, I've lost my thumbdrive. The one with the story on it? Yeah, that thumbdrive. I've been looking all over for it and I cannot find it at all. Thankfully, nefernat has a copy of the beta'd version and will be sending it to me tomorrow. Also, elanorofcastile has seen the additions thus I have everything. Just not in one organised place. So I'm not SOL but I am late. You may now being hurling salmonella-poisoned tomatoes at me. I suck and I apologise. I'm cleaning my room only to find the damnable thumbdrive.

Dear Scheduling Person at Fry's -

The time to call me to cover a shift is not with 15 minutes to spare when I work 45 minutes away. Just, yanno, a hint. Also - not my fault that you a.) fucked up my schedule, b.) that the VP of Kroger's is coming into town for a visit and c.) that you are paying an incompetent moron 3 dollars more an hour than me.

Not working tonight,
me

PS - take your supervisor position and its 30 cents an hour and shove it. Give it to the incompetent moron.


With that out of the way, hi! I finished my hpvalensmut. Well, I finished it off enough to send it to my betas and have them read over it. With luck, prayers, twine and bubblegum, I will make the deadline. I am made of fail at deadlines right now.

I'm also fairly ill in my tumbly. Mental note - when your stomach is already upset, do not eat Taco Bell. No, really. It's a Very Bad Idea.

Has anyone here seen Enemy Mine? It's an absolutely BRILLIANT movie. OMG, I love this movie. It tells the story of a vindictive and hate-filled human pilot and "Jerry", the Drak (or Drac depending on where you read the summary). They're both rather bitter and they have a history of conflict between their species to overcome. At its heart, it's a story of redemption, friendship and overcoming hate, stereotypes and assumptions. I cannot tell you how very very much I love this movie. There are certain scenes that I can remember from childhood and watching this with my mother. We just rewatched it and I fell a bit more in love with it. It's so good and if you haven't seen it, go out and get it. I especially love Louis Gossett Jr in this movie. The ending gets me every time.

What about you all? Seen any good movies lately?