A purty girl dancin' to jug band music and a mess o' mama's barbeque

I've seen two references to this in the last couple of days, so I thought it must be a sign that I need tor write about it. Kat said she thinks "Emmett Otter's Jug Band Christmas" is a depressing Jim Henson movie, but it's one of my all-time favorites. I could watch it (and "A Christmas Story") over and over each year.

I haven't seen Emmet Otter's all the way through in a long time (don't have it on DVD), but I remember watching it with my dad when I was a kid. Seems like Dad was always willing to take me to Muppets movies or sit through them with me when I was little. I can still sing a lot of the songs from Emmett's.

One of my Facebook friends posted a seven-minute blooper reel from the movie, and it's pretty funny. The crazy thing is that the boards shown in the clip say March of 1977. I had no idea the movie was that old. That's older than I am!

What struck me as I watched it was how lifelike the Muppets truly are, even in bloopers, and even as I, Jill the 31-year-old, watch them. Henson truly was a master, and to this day, I love the Muppets. "Fraggle Rock" was my getting-ready-for-school show every morning back in the day. I'd turn it on HBO, and sing along with the theme song, and watch Wembley, Gobo, Red (loved her!), Boober, Doc, the Trash Heap, the whole she-bang.

I want to know - is this a result of my age? Was I just a part of the right generation, the one that got to watch the Muppet Show and Fraggle Rock, along with Sesame Street? I'm sure I watched a lot of Sesame Street when I was a kid, but I just don't remember it as fondly as I do the others.

Here's a little piece of the Jug Band. If you haven't seen it, you should add it to your Christmas movies list. And, all you parents out there, watch it with your munchkins!

Quick trip down and back

Last weekend I had to go to the KSPA winter meeting in Wichita. I'm happy to attend the meeting, because I get to see my journalism teacher friends that I don't see very often.

I'm also happy to go because I get to visit my Wichita family. Adam and I drove down Friday night after school. We didn't get to Derby until about 8:30, but we did get to see Kyle and Noah just before bedtime. Of course we were glad to see them, but right before bedtime probably isn't the best time to visit a 3-year-old...

We need to learn to time that better, so we don't get the K-Man all riled up before he's supposed to be going to bed.

After the meeting on Saturday morning, Amy dropped me off at Jeff and Kat's so I could visit with them for a little while, too. I really need three-day weekends to go to Wichita, so we can actually see everyone we want to visit.

After we sat inside and visited for a bit, Jeff headed outside to get some yardwork done, and we went out to provide moral support and take Haley for a walk. L decided she needed a little ride on the mower.

I was already looking forward to Christmas break, but now I'm really anxious for it. The weekend trip provided just a taste of hanging with friends, and I'll have some more time to do so during the holiday. Maybe Amy and I can actually get some knitting time...

Even though we don't get a lot of time together, it's still all quality time. I'm so glad that even though we don't live in Wichita anymore, we are able to stay friends with our tribe.

This one's worthy of Jay Leno

As Mom and I were driving home from the mall the other day, we passed a neighborhood elementary school, and I just had to stop and shoot a photo of their marquee.

I guess we can see why they need a "Litercy Night."

The Last Knit

More economic confusion on my part

Isn't it better to possibly take a pay cut than to have no job at all?

I was just reading this story about the auto bailout collapse last night. It looks like the plan fell apart because they couldn't agree on language concerning wage concessions for union workers.

(Don't read this and think I am anti-union. I am a union member.)

When GM is talking about the possibility of not making it through the year (like, two more weeks), maybe the workers ought to think about taking some wage/benefit cuts. Cuts are better than being unemployed. It's not as if they'll be able to walk off the line, head over to the next carmaker (or fast food restaurant for that matter) and get a job quickly. When we lost a record number of jobs last month, I would think people would be interested in doing everything they can to keep the jobs they already have. There's a whole lot of people in this country looking for work right now.

I heard on NPR yesterday, one of the Michigan senators say that one in seven jobs in this country are connected to the auto industry. If that's true, we're in hot water. If that's true, some of those workers are going to have to take pay cuts.

I say this knowing full well that wage freezes could most definitely be in my future, too. Would I be happy about that? Certainly not, but I need my job.

It's called "taking one for the team," and every other person in this country has been asked to do that since the financial bailout, that "one" just isn't coming directly out of our pockets.

And yes, I know the workers didn't make the decision. It was the senate who couldn't come to a consensus. I just don't know what to think, whether or not I should be mad, who to be mad at, etc., when it comes to this talk of bailouts. More and more, we're sharing our money with companies who, for lack of a better term, screwed up.

Surely, someone who worked at the Big 3 could have figured out that gas was going higher and higher, and eventually people would wise up and stop buying Expeditions, Hummers and Suburbans. Didn't they see the tipping point? Greed, greed, greed.

Sound familiar? It's the same crap that got the financial sector in trouble as well.

I am proud that Adam and I can take personal responsibility for our actions and current station in life. I can go to bed at night knowing that we are doing the right thing. How did all those other guys sleep at night?

Weren't they nervous? Guilty? Scared?

Maybe severe sleep deprivation led to their poor decision-making skills?

Why can't people just do the right thing?

Knitted Christmas

So far, the handknit/handmade Christmas extravaganza is going quite well. I've finished five gifts, and I'm working on my two Secret Snowflake gifts for the publications gift exchanges at school. I'm not going the handknit route for Adam. He spends so much time shopping online for electronics and random junk that we don't need, that I'm pretty sure he'd divorce me if I said "Merry Christmas, baby. Have these handknit socks."

Actually, he'd probably like them, but I'm sure he'll like other things better!

And no, I will not be posting photos of the five finished gifts. Their prospective owners are readers of the blog. No Christmas spoilers here.

Two days left this week, then two days next week before finals. Fall semester is winding down.

Thanks to Betsy, Rachel, Dave, Andrea, Mike and Aunt Janet for donating to DreamsWork. I'll be doing the drawing this weekend. Betsy has graciously removed her name from the running since she won the charity drawing last year. So, the rest of you have a damn good chance of winning!

Eyes are dry, and I'm a little sleepy, so that's it for tonight's update. I have some photos I need to post, but I can't find the stupid card reader. I'll work on that this weekend.

They wrote about it, so I don't have to - Biggest Loser

I have been complaining to Betsy for WEEKS about my least favorite "Biggest Loser" this season.

Her name is Vicky, and she is bad news. She seems to be there solely for playing the game and winning the money, and she's not afraid to stomp on anyone who gets in her way. The other contestants had their chance to vote her off last week when she was on the chopping block, and they chickened out.

Two writers have weighed in (pardon the pun) on this phenomenon. If you're a fan of "The Biggest Loser" check out the story here.

I almost said an "Amen" when I finished reading it. They hit the nail on the head.