Can You Tell Me How To Get...

How To Get To Sesame Street?

I grew up on this show. My daughters watch it now. I don't believe I'll ever stop watching it. If you want details on the 35th anniversary, click here.

'Sesame Street' Celebrating 35th Anniversary

LOS ANGELES -- If you were watching "Sesame Street" in the 1980s when Elmo first came on the scene, you know he talked like a baby.

He'd go "Elmo! Elmo!" Kevin Clash is the Elmo muppeteer. He said "early on his English was very, very primitive."

He said the "Sesame Street" people decided he shouldn't be like Cookie Monster. Instead he should speak in complete sentences.

Clash said they had gotten letters about Cookie Monster -- people upset that he wasn't speaking properly. But, Clash said, "Cookie became such an icon that everybody got cooled out about it."

All the characters from the show will be on a prime-time special Sunday night celebrating "Sesame Street's 35th Anniversary."

Twenty Truths to Live By

Some of these seem are common sense. Some just bring a smile to your face. I think if I could follow half of these I would be a better person.

1. Faith is the ability to not panic.
   
2. If you worry, you didn't pray. If you pray, don't worry.
   
3. As a child of God, prayer is kind of like calling home every day.
   
4. Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.
   
5. When we get tangled up in our problems, be still. God wants us to be still so He can untangle the knot.
   
6. Do the math. Count your blessings.
   
7. God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.
   
8. Dear God: I have a problem. It's me.
   
9. Silence is often misinterpreted, but never misquoted.
   
10. Laugh every day, it's like inner jogging.
    
11. The most important things in your home are the people.
    
12. Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional.
    
13. There is no key to happiness. The door is always open.
    
14. A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.
    
15. He who dies with the most toys is still dead.
    
16. We do not remember days, but moments. Life moves too fast, so enjoy your precious moments.
    
17. Nothing is real to you until you experience it, otherwise it's just hearsay.
    
18. It's all right to sit on your pity pot every now and again. Just be sure to flush when you are done.
    
19. Surviving and living your life successfully requires courage. The goals and dreams you're seeking require courage and risk-taking. Learn from the turtle -- it only makes progress when it sticks out its neck.
    
20. Be more concerned with your character than your reputation because your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are.
    

Spiritual Gifts

Have you ever been curious what yours were? Check out this questionnaire to find out.

Is This Your Kid?

This definitely applies to Munchkin. Getting her to go to sleep and take her naps each day is a constant struggle.

Survey: Children Aren't Getting Enough Shuteye
When Kids Don't Get Enough Sleep, Parents Suffer

WASHINGTON -- America's children aren't getting as much sleep as they should, according to a new report.

The National Sleep Foundation's annual study found that many young children are getting about two hours less that what's recommended and about two-thirds of children are experiencing sleep problems.

Happy Birthday to ?

I signed up for this site where people can tell me their birthdays and I will get reminders so I can send cards and gifts. At least that's the general idea. If you click the link above you can start your own calnedar. if you click the one below you can add your birthday to my calendar and then start your own. And for those of you who were counting, my 30th birthday is quickly approaching. The princess in me wants gifts. Lots and lots of gifts.

Hi

I am creating a birthday calendar for myself. Can you please click on the link below and enter your birthday for me. Don't worry it is quick, and you don't have to enter your year of birth:-).

http://www.BirthdayAlarm.com/dob/13248175a567461104b970

Thanks
Ayaba

What Will They Think of Next?

Albertsons takes self-checkout to the next level
The country's second-largest grocery chain will introduce handheld scanners next month allowing customers to scan and bag their groceries as they move through the store. The Shop 'n' Scan system keeps a running tally of purchases and notifies customers when film or prescriptions are ready to be picked up.

Unconscious Mutterings

1. Pitbull:: Snarl
   
2. TD:: Touchdown
   
3. Carter:: Noah Wyle
   
4. Japan:: Yen
   
5. 50:: Yard Line
   
6. Streak:: Blue
   
7. Rifle:: Man
   
8. Trap:: Snare
   
9. Easter:: Bunny
   
10. Mitt:: Oven
    

Munchkin and Squirm Update

Munchkin and Squirm go to school and day care respectively starting on Monday. Why? It's time for me to go back to work. Yes it's been 12 weeks. 12 weeks exactly come Thursday. Munchkin will be starting a new school. As mentioned previously MD and I pulled Munchkin from her school because we weren't happy with the location any longer. Squirm will be going to the same daycare that Munchkin went to. She will be loved and spoiled appropriately which is really important to us. Plus we already have a relationship with these ladies. It should be interesting getting two children ready and out the door come Monday.

Babycenter gave the following update regarding Squirm:

Cooing is your baby's way of showing she's happy. This pre-speech exercise lets her play with sound just as she plays with her fingers and toes. Show your approval by cooing or talking in response; see if you can have an extended conversation. While you're at it, set her down in front of a tape recorder and preserve her first sounds for posterity. In a few years, both of you will love listening to that early baby talk.

MD and I are ahead of the curve. Squirm has been talking for weeks now and she has a lot to say. MD and I have already recorded these musings for posterity sake. She carries on conversations with whoever will listen to her and talk back. Let's see what the upcoming weeks hold.

Unconscious Mutterings

1. Wife:: Beaters
   
2. Criminal:: Intent
   
3. Campaign:: Contribution
   
4. Infection:: Mecurocomb
   
5. Portland:: Trailblazers
   
6. NASCAR:: Racer
   
7. IMAX:: Theater
   
8. Martian:: Invasion
   
9. Nike:: Air
   
10. Trial:: 10 Days Free
    

Getting to Know Me

I found these quizzes at sasoozie's place and found out that:

Do I Like Math Or What?

I am p Everyone loves pi _

what number are you?

this quiz by orsa

This is totally cool because I love math. WOOHOO!

My Soul Force
I think this is very neat and on point as well.



You are guided by light. While all can be bad
around you, you still stay calm and make things
better. There aren't a lot of people in the
world like you. (Rate my test)


What force is your soul?
brought to you by Quizilla

Baby Update

Squirm is officially 10 weeks old (11 on Thursday). She discovered her hands a two weeks ago and she talks all the time. She is vocal. We love her. Munchkin is feeling a little of the left-outs. She obviously isn't getting as much attention as she did before Squirm was born but she is a great big sister. She gives Squirm hugs and kisses whenever she can. It's when we go in public that we have a problem. She gets into everyone's face and tells them she's five. On top of that she is being disobedient. WE have to tell her multiple times to do things before she does them. It's very frustrating and Mommy is tired of hearing "No, but..." I don't have the patience for it. Basically if I ask Munchkin to do something I need her to do it as quickly as possible without the excuses and dragging of sleep. Secondly she doesn't want to take naps and doesn't want to go to sleep at night. She's trying to get attention but she isn't going to get the kind that she wants. This is the hard part of psarenting.


My Baby This Week -- Your 2-Month-Old, Third week
Your baby is busy absorbing the sights and sounds around him. How? By looking, listening, and touching. You can help keep those brain cells multiplying by letting your baby handle a wide variety of objects such as soft teddy bears, hard plastic cookie molds, and rubber balls. Just make sure they're too big for him to choke on: Children under a year old shouldn't play with toys that have parts smaller than 1 1/4 inches around or 2 1/4 inches long.

And You Thought You Knew Me

Khandi found a few interesting surveys. I've posted my results here.

What's Your Life Rated?

My life is rated R.
What is your life rated?

Belief-O-Matic
The top score on the list below represents the faith that Belief-O-Matic, in its less than infinite wisdom, thinks most closely matches your beliefs. However, even a score of 100% does not mean that your views are all shared by this faith, or vice versa.

Belief-O-Matic then lists another 26 faiths in order of how much they have in common with your professed beliefs. The higher a faith appears on this list, the more closely it aligns with your thinking.

1. Orthodox Quaker (100%)
2. Eastern Orthodox (92%)
3. Roman Catholic (92%)
4. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (91%)
5. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (82%)
6. Seventh Day Adventist (81%)
7. Liberal Quakers (60%)
8. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (58%)
9. Orthodox Judaism (56%)
10. Sikhism (50%)
11. Hinduism (49%)
12. Unitarian Universalism (49%)
13. Reform Judaism (46%)
14. Islam (44%)
15. Jehovah's Witness (44%)
16. Bahá'í Faith (36%)
17. Neo-Pagan (34%)
18. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (31%)
19. Scientology (30%)
20. New Thought (29%)
21. New Age (29%)
22. Mahayana Buddhism (26%)
23. Theravada Buddhism (25%)
24. Secular Humanism (24%)
25. Taoism (19%)
26. Jainism (17%)
27. Nontheist (12%)

Unconscious Mutterings

1. Old Navy:: Performance Fleece
   
2. Out:: House
   
3. Indecent:: Proposal
   
4. UPN:: WB
   
5. Pupil:: Apt
   
6. Toothpaste:: Fluoride
   
7. 1999:: The Artist
   
8. Passion:: The Christ
   
9. Social security:: Fraud
   
10. Cliff:: Hanger
    

Ahead of the Learning Curve....

According to my weekly update from Babycenter, Squirm should be doing the following activities. But we all know that she's been doing this for a couple weeks now. My daughter the high achiever! :)

All the diapering, feeding, kissing, and cuddling you've been doing for the last two months will be rewarded now with a real beaming baby smile — and when you see it, you'll know the meaning of pure joy! Her past smiles were probably involuntary or the result of passing gas. These are the true "I'm happy" signs. Take advantage of your baby's new ability to show joy by making her grin and giggle. Silly faces, funny noises, and blowing bubbles are surefire hits.

Who Wants a Dish Now?

After this happens what happens to all the DISH customers in these markets?

Viacom Channels Yanked From DISH Network
Customers In 16 Markets Lose CBS Affiliate

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- As many as 9 million DISH Network customers across the United States lost some of their TV channels early Tuesday morning.

EchoStar Communications, the parent company of the DISH Network, pulled the plug on 10 Viacom-owned nationally distributed channels, including MTV, Comedy Central, VH1 and Nickelodeon.

Unconscious Mutterings

1. Dogma:: Rhetoric
   
2. Spirit:: Holy
   
3. Voodoo:: Doll
   
4. Demon:: Devil
   
5. Digital:: Revolution
   
6. Ceremony:: Wedding
   
7. Research:: Lab Rat
   
8. Career:: Lifetime
   
9. Penis:: Enlargement
   
10. Film:: Noir
    

A Drunk by Any Other Name...

I found this at Carlos's who found it at Quizilla.:

Alcohoroscopes MRK 2- the stars and your drinking style
Taurus Style: (like me)
Taurus prefers to drink at a leisurely pace, aiming
for a mellow glow rather than a full on zonk.
since a truly intoxicated Taurus is a one
person stampede, the kind of
bull-in-a-china-shop inebriate who spills red
wine on white carpets and tells fart jokes to
employers, the preferance for wining and dining
(or bud and buddies) to body shots and barfing
is quite fortunate for the rest of us. this is
not to say that the bull is by any means a
teetotaler -- god, no. a squiffyTaurus will
get, er, gregarious (full of loudmouth soup or
verbal squits, some would say) and is extremely
amusing to drag to a karaoke bar when
intoxicated


Alcohoroscopes MRK 2- the stars and your drinking style
brought to you by Quizilla

What is the world coming to?

Third-Grade Boys Allegedly Molested 7 Girls
Mothers Hold Daughters Out Of School During Investigation

CHICAGO -- Several girls who attend Sandridge Elementary School stayed home Wednesday and will continue to stay home until their parents are certain their children are protected from sexual harassment.


Racial Slurs Continue To Air On Fire Radios
Mayor Says Offenders Should Resign

CHICAGO -- Fire Commissioner James Joyce said Wednesday there were two more incidents of racial slurs over fire radios in the previous 24 hours -- making a total of five incidents reported since last week -- and aldermen are calling for fast, decisive action.

You wanna know?

You wanna know which side of the Mason/Dixon line you really live on? Click here: Yankee or Dixie.

I'm 42% (Yankee). Barely into the Yankee category.

You wanna know your political standing? This quiz will tell you your political standing...leftist or rightist, but also authoritarian or libertarian.

Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: -4.38
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -1.95

Now you know where you are on The Political Compass, you might like to explore the ideas of those with similar (or wildly differing) views in our Reading List.

I am similar to globally known figures Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama.

What's in a name?

Thanks to sasoozie I found out that

My very British name is Amanda Callaghan.
Take The Very British Name Generator today!
Created with Rum and Monkey's Name Generator Generator.

Parenting 101

As of yesterday, Squirm (yes I've decided) is officially 2 months old. This necessitated the 2 month visit to the doctor. All of our visits up until this point have been pretty easy. This visit would introduce a new loop in the life of our growing baby - SHOTS! I don't care what anyone says. Immunizations are important for a child. There are many resources for parents who can and can't afford to immunize their children. No child should go un-immunized. With that said I will get off my soap box and continue the story.

Squirm got 3 shots yesterday. She got them in her thighs. One thing I will say for my nurse, she's good at what she does but she hates giving babies shots. Believe it or not that is a comfort for me. It means that she will do her job but she will try to do it as quickly as possible to cause the least amount of discomfort to the baby. Squirm did pretty good. As a parent who has been through child immunizations before I had the infant tylenol at the ready. I gave Squirm the doctor recommended dose before she got her shots. Word of warning - don't try to give a baby medicine after the fact. She will be much more cooperative before you have inflicted pain on her without warning.

Squirm took the medicine like a good little trooper and gave me a laugh. Little did she know that the laughter would be replaced by pain. Nurse gave Squirm the first shot in her right thigh. Squirm looked like "What was that?!" and cried for about 10 seconds and then stopped. Nurse gave Squirm the second shot in her right thigh too. Squirm looked like "Now wait a minute" and cried for about 20 seconds. Nurse gave Squirm the third shot in her left thigh. Squirm looked like "WTF?!?!?" screwed up her faced and cried until she turned purple. The mommy bounce didn't help. She was pissed off and in pain. I was able to placate her by nursing her.

She fell asleep - wouldn't you after all that crying - and Munchkin and I were able to grab some lunch and drive out to my job for a visit. Squirm was pretty cranky. Usually she lets people pass her around like a sack of potatoes but I had to stop and feed her 3 times while we were there. I will say that she did sleep through the night with minimal feeding and this morning work up and gave me a great big smile. Hopefully all is forgiven - until 2 months from now when we have to do it again.