Stuff I Like #16: Outsourced

No, I'm not advocating sending jobs overseas! I want you to watch this awesome new sitcom from NBC.

One of my college roommates used to call me the sitcom queen. I love humor, and I love laughing. Since I'm not married, it's often difficult for me to relate to family sitcoms. I love twenty- and thirty-somethings sitcoms, but it seems like a lot of the humor is based on making fun of someone else. There's enough meanness in the world that we shouldn't find it funny when people are mean to one another.

There's a lot of humor in the difference between cultures, however. The basis of the show is a recent graduate who comes to start his first day as manager of a call center only to find that his call center has been moved to India. He has student loans, and if he wants to keep his job, he has to move to India as well. So, he packs up and moves himself to India where he finds that his call center is what another American call center manager terms the "B" team.

There is humor in the Indian misunderstanding of American novelties such as Cheeseheads for Packers fans, and bachelorette party favors. The assistant manager tells the American that there is a celebration called "Vindaloo Day" and that they take half a day off for that day. The sexual harassment seminar provides for a lot of laughs, and the manager is shocked when he has a harassment charge filed against him.

If you want a good laugh, and are tired of seeing only white actors and actresses on TV, tune in on Thursday nights at 9:30 p.m. on your local NBC station.

Stuff I Like #15: Jim Henson

Jim Henson is an American Legend, in my opinion. I honestly feel sorry for the kids growing up today who didn't have The Muppet Show to watch. He created such memorable characters--Kermit, Miss Piggy, Beaker, Animal, Fonzie! Not to mention the Skeksis in The Dark Crystal. I never would have imagined that puppets could be so expressive, memorable, and become such beloved icons.

One of the things I loved most about The Muppet Show was that Henson brought actors, actresses, musicians, and I believe even some politicians onto the show. It was satirical and fun, and not the mean humor that I see so often these days. It was a way for kids to relate to these public figures. I would love to see someone bring it back!

At the same time, Henson left a legacy. The Jim Henson company is still very involved in movie making now. I love their work in the Sci-fi show Farscape. I am so glad that Henson's spirit still lives on.

Stuff I Like #14: Shel Silverstein

   I don't remember the first time I heard a Shel Silverstein poem. It seems like I've always known them. I don't know if my parents read them to me, if I had checked one of his poetry books out of the library, or if I heard them first read by Shel himself. Regardless, I credit him for my lifelong love of poetry.
    We had a tape of poems from A Light in the Attic that we played in the car, especially on long car trips. They were read by Shel, and he had such an expressive voice! He was funny and serious, and poignant. I had a connection with his words. I had a connection with his voice. He made me laugh and he made me cry. Because of him, I most love to hear poetry read in the poet's voice.
     As an adult, I love Silverstein's poetry still. I still find that same connection. I still laugh, and I still cry. I still love the sound of his voice. I still treasure his words. There are even some poems that I have memorized inadvertently and can recite at any time.
     I truly believe that the world lost a treasure when Shel Silverstein passed away in 1999. I can't imagine how many lives he touched in the time he was writing, drawing, and singing. I can't believe that it's been 11 years that he's been gone. I only wish I had gotten a chance to know him personally. I can just imagine what kind of amazing person he must have been.

Stuff I Like #13: Being a Special Education Teacher

I'm feeling frustrated and the only thing I can think to do in order to make it better is blog about it.

I love my career as a special education teacher. With a burning passion. I don't have a hard time getting up in the morning to teach. I talk about it possibly more than I should. I think about being a better teacher and how to better reach my students when I'm home at night. I worry about my students, but try to separate myself enough from them that I don't get bogged under by the emotional drain that teaching can be.

I love working with children. They energize me, amaze me, inspire me, flabbergast and baffle me! I like working with other teachers. I like the exchange of ideas that goes on when teachers are truly collaborating. I like planning exciting lessons. I love spending time with other special education teachers because they are my kind of people. I believe I could talk to a special education teacher from anywhere in the United States and get along with him/her.

I love the challenge of working with students who have learning disabilities. They have such interesting quirks! I should probably correct their social skills a bit more than I do, but I love who they are. I love it when a student asks me if he can have a buffalo or answers questions with "Ham sandwich!" I appreciate their sense of humor.

I like that each day is different. I like that each child is different, and that each disabilities requires different strategies. I like trying to find a way to get through to a student, and it's amazing when that break-through comes! I don't think I'll ever be bored as a special education teacher.

Won't someone give me a job doing what I love again?

Stuff I Like #11: Three Musketeers Truffle Crisp

Who doesn't love chocolate? And if you don't, I feel for you. It's such amazing food! I am always looking for new candy to try because I have a ravenous sweet tooth. I recently came across 3 Musketeers new Truffle Crisp at the local gas station.

I can't say enough good things about them! They are light and crispy, not too chocolatey, and just delicious. I think that my favorite is actually the crispy part. It is crispy, but it still melts in your mouth, almost like a meringue cookie(another of my favorites!).

If you haven't tried these yet, try to find one at your local gas station. They are definitely worth it!

Stuff I Like #10: Mani-Pedis!

I am not a girly girl by any stretch of the imagination as those who know me in real life know. I am happiest in jeans and t-shirts. I don't remember the last time I put even a smidgen of makeup on. I don't enjoy shopping. However, I do enjoy some things that girly girls like. I have somewhat of an over-fondness for shoes. I used to be crazy about romantic comedies. I am a definite fan of romance novels.

I've been wanting a mani-pedi for quite a while now. I finally stopped and got one today. It was heavenly. The chair vibrated in umpteen different ways. I got to soak my feet in water that was at my temperature preference. Someone clipped all the excess cuticles off and smoothed out the skin on my feet. Then, they moisturized and massaged my hands, feet, forearms and calves. I could have fallen asleep in the chair.

I could pay someone to do that every day!

Stuff I Like #9: Sixlets

When I was a kid, I lived in a tiny, tiny town in Kentucky. There were only two stoplights, and if you blinked, you'd miss it on the way through. Needless to say, there wasn't much entertainment. However, we kids were pretty good at entertaining ourselves back then. We would ride our bikes around town, go wading in the river, hang out at someone's house, play make-believe, and generally spend all the time we could outside. One of our favorite things to do was to head down to the local convenient store.

Ours was called Mr. Miser's. I don't think that anyone named Miser owned the store, and I don't know why anyone would call their store Miser. We loved it. They had Slush Puppies and candy of every kind. You could go in with a dollar and come out with a sack full of candy.

My favorite was Sixlets. M & Ms don't compare. These little candy coated balls of chocolatey goodness trump the other guys hands down! M&Ms all taste the same to me. Sixlets have an individual taste for each color of candy coating! I think the orange ones taste the best.

You can still find Sixlets in some stores. I recently found some at the local Dollar Tree. Go find some today, and you'll never want M&Ms again!