Classic Sesame Street!

How come no one told me that Classic Sesame Street is on Netflix?!!?!?!!??!?

I bet you'll never guess what I'm watching while grading. No really - guess! Unfortunately, there are only two "seasons" up on Netflix right now, so I'll have to switch to something else soon. I've watched all my Christmas-themed horror movies too, so that's a tragedy.

It's probably for the best that there are only a few of these, though, because I clearly am unable to grade while watching this. Instead, I'm just staring as Kermit the Frog teaches me how to be in a box.

IT IS ABSOLUTELY RIVETING. 

Seriously though, it's a lot of fun. There are segments I do remember, along with some I don't at all - I don't remember Buddy and Jim, two ridiculous vaudeville-esque performers who can't do simple tasks such as hammering a nail into a wall (at one point they try to hammer with a balloon, which is far funnier than you'd expect) - and since these are very early, they feature an almost pin-headed Big Bird and an orange Oscar. It's great.

Also, it's nice to know I can totally still count to ten. This is important, as sometimes I feel like I need to be reminded of my capabilities. 

There's just something delightful in these episodes. To be perfectly honest, I can't watch the show's current iteration. It's so saccharine and doused in Elmo that it's almost unbearable, and the lessons and learning opportunities are much weaker. Brian read me an article a few days ago that I think effectively summed up the problems of the current show. It's by Kevin Wong, titled "How Elmo Ruined Sesame Street", and definitely worth a look. He makes great points, and really hits on what made the show so special for so many years and how so much has, unfortunately, changed. 

I think a large part of it narrows down into the idea of complicity. The show never used to talk down to anyone; the audience was always meant to be complicit in the jokes, in the learning, in the fun. Of course the lessons being taught were aimed at children, but they're done in a funny way - seriously, watch that Kermit and Grover sketch - and there's always at least one character that clearly functions as the audience, drawing us in. Everyone's involved, and it's a lot of fun. Now? I dunno. 

Oh well. I'm afraid that's as far as my insight goes today. I'm going to eat some Cheetos puffs, finish this segment, and go grade more stupid papers. I need the Count here to count down for me as I complete them....

30! 30 more essays! Ha ha waaaaaaaaah........

EDIT: I lied! There are a ton of episodes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There goes *my* life.