A Muppet Purist

It was just Halloween people, I like to use the most current pics.  But yeah, some days I do wear a purple wig around the house just for fun too.

Sometimes it takes NPR and the Muppets to
remind me how sweet life really is....




Twenty minutes.  That is all I get.  It is a great 20 minutes though.


I am talking about the short drive from my house to the car loop and back.  This is a very pivotal part of my day because it presents a window of opportunity....the opportunity for some quiet alone time.  You see it is imperative that my baby Wade fall asleep in the car while taking my son JT to kindergarten.  The napping baby is then transferred very carefully to his crib upon arriving back at home.  Once the transfer is complete, mama can sit down and do whatever she wants for at least an hour.

You know whatever she wants like laundry, cleaning the house and paying bills.  But at least it is quiet.


Since school started, I developed a strategy which involves a small blast of heat, a pacifier and National Public Radio (NPR).  Does that scream nap or what?


NPR starts right when we get into the car and puts us all in a calmer state of mind.  Although the lady I glared at in the car loop might not think I seem so calm.  But seriously people, if you are going to get out of your car, open your child's door for them and give them a long hug....you should not be in the damn car loop!  That is what the f-ing parking lot is for.  Can you say helicopter parenting?  (I recently heard a very brilliant interview with a child psychologist on the dangers of this helicopter parenting on NPR.)

But what started out as a selfish, get-a-baby-to-nap strategy has turned into so much more.  I love NPR.  Here I go again, pushing my liberal agenda, but I really think every stressed out person should listen to NPR.  I simply feel smarter, a bit calmer, when I am listening to NPR.  

No one is yelling or arguing, even when they disagree.  And believe it or not I have listened to a few programs with some more conservative panelists and interviews.

The other day when the baby and I pulled back into our driveway, I sat in the van and listened.  While the baby sucked on his pacifier in the cozy, but a bit overheated backseat, I was fascinated by a show about the Muppets.

Look, I like NPR, but I still find stories about pop culture the most fascinating.

Jason Segal was being interviewed about the new Muppet movie.  He sounded smarter on NPR.  I think everyone would.  Anyway, Segal was discussing the fact that he is a "Muppet purist."  Explaining how he didn't make the new movie to make fun of the Muppets in anyway. And in fact the Muppets aren't about making fun of anyone, except maybe themselves.  Their humor doesn't come at anyone else's expense, he explained further.  How refreshing.

Inspired by all this sweet Muppet talk, I chose "Muppets Take Manhattan" as the family movie night showing. 

It was good.  I mean really good.  Remember the Muppets?  (Did anyone collect the Muppet glasses from McDonald's?)

Miss Piggy and Kermit get married in this movie and I swear to god it is one of the sweetest wedding scenes in a movie. Ever. Yes, I am serious.

Here are some of the lyrics from the wedding song, a little Muppet poetry:

He'll make me happy

Each time I see him

He'll be the reason 

My heart can sing

He'll stand beside me

And now I'm everything.

She'll make me happy

Each time I hold her

And I will follow

where my heart may lead

And she'll be all I'll ever need

Days go passing into years, years go passing day by day.  

They'll be so happy

Now and forever

Until forever their love will grow

The song and the movie ends with Kermit singing this:

"What better way could anything end, hand and hand with a friend."

And that my friends is why I too am a newfound f-ing Muppet purist.  And I didn't even listen to the whole interview.  Imagine how smart,imaginative and appreciative I would feel with an entire hour of NPR!

What better way could anything end,  hand and hand with a friend.

This is good stuff.