a tribute.

Twenty years ago, the world lost Jim Henson. I don't know what I would do or who I would be if I didn't grow up loving his creations. Here are ten memories from my formative years and beyond:

1. Learning how to spell "Elmo" and writing it on a paper plate.
2. My beloved Kermit doll that I played with throughout my childhood, squeezing his mouth together and apart to make him "speak". I did this so many times the fabric at the corners of his mouth wore out, I have since acquired another one.
3. All of the classic songs I first heard as parodies on Sesame Street... from The Beatles' "Letter B" to Madonna's "Cereal Girl"
4. The Tale of the Bunny Picnic. I think my brother and I watched it so many times that the VHS broke. "Well, I think we'll just call you Skee-bop-de-diddly dog bop" "That's MISTER Skee-bop-de-diddly-dog-bop to youuuuu!"
5. My brother being yelled at during dinner for the bad manners he had picked up from watching Cookie Monster eat.
6. Seeing the Muppet Christmas Carol when it first came out in the theaters, and again on the big screen a few years ago at the Dryden.
7. Watching my brother perform "Rainbow Connection" at the church talent show.
8. In first grade, my classmate telling saying, "Did you know that Mary Martin died? The lady who played Peter Pan," and my retort being "Yeah, did you know that Jim Henson died?"
9. Searching through the (paper) television guides when they stopped airing Muppet Babies on our non-cable channels as a child, in hopes that I would find it.
10. An ex-boyfriend comparing me to Miss Piggy when I got pissed off at him. (this pissed me off too)