Nobody had to tell me how to get to “Sesame Street.” It was easy. I just plopped down on the shag carpet in our living room and turned that plastic knob on our console TV to channel 11.
Bert. Ernie. Big Bird. Grover. The whole gang was there to entertain me starting in 1969. And while the show’s producers wanted to teach kids like me about feelings, acceptance, confidence, imagination and sharing, I learned some other important things, too.
No. 1. We all collect something, whether we want to or not. Bert showed us how a bottle cap collection can be exciting, and a paper clip collection, too. This somehow made me feel better about my collection of “Charlie’s Angels” trading cards.
No. 2. Don’t forget to scrub behind the ears. Sesame Street may have had more awkward bathing moments than any TV show at the time, but what kid couldn’t use a little sanitary advice? Ernie taught me to not forget to scrub behind my ears, and I still think of this each time I shower. And, yes, I have a rubber duckie. And, no, I can’t recite the song.
No. 3. Two lessons: there is no such thing as being obsessed with cookies, and monsters don’t have to be scary. Cookie Monster proved both, despite his poor grammar. Keep in mind, this was a generation that had cookies as a breakfast cereal, but it was all with good intentions.
No. 4. Counting matters. I track a lot of things in both my personal and work life, and I give credit for this discipline to The Count. He had one of the most memorable voices from TV, yet he also made vampires less scary. I also learned to count to 12 quickly, thanks to the pinball machine cartoons with the funky music that played frequently on “Sesame Street.”
No. 5. Imaginary friends are OK. I don’t recall having an imaginary friend as a child. I never felt the need, I guess. Even so, I have been intrigued by Big Bird’s pal, Mr. Snuffleupagus. “Snuffy” seemed to be part Eeyore, part Clifford the Big Red Dog, and part Bigfoot. I remember wanting others to see him, but it didn’t happen during my viewing years. Keep in mind that I also wanted Wile E. Coyote to catch the Road Runner, Charlie Brown to be able to kick the football from Lucy’s hands, and Mike Tyson to knock out Jake Paul. There’s still hope for the last one.
The shag carpet and the console TV may be gone, but “Sesame Street” has survived on HBO, on public television, on YouTube, and in my mind. What did you learn from “Sesame Street”? Send me a note and let me know.
Have a thoughtful Thursday, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com
See Shane Goodman's previous columns here. |
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Your Clear Mortgage forecast
Rain is on the way tonight into Friday morning. A rain/snow mix moves in Saturday night, changing to mostly rain Sunday into Monday night.
For help with pre-approvals or refinancing, get in touch with Originating Branch Manager Carrie Hansen at carrie.mortgage. |
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| CITYVIEW's Best Of Des Moines® | | | The results have been tallied and published in the February issue of CITYVIEW and online!
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| Featured home for sale | | |
$499,999 3210 Southern Woods Drive Des Moines, IA 50321
Dont miss out on this gorgeous home in the coveted Southern Woods neighborhood, south of Park Avenue. A large walkout home on nearly an acre provides plenty of space for living and entertaining. The main level features 9 -foot ceilings, hardwood floors, crown molding, kitchen with granite transformation countertops, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, and a bonus room perfect for a home office featuring custom built-ins.
See the listing here.
| | | See More Homes For Sale |
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| From the March issue of CITYVIEW | | | PEOPLE & PETS
Visit 37 alpacas, free of charge
By Jackie Wilson
When offered a handful of grain, Stella, an alpaca, sticks out her long tongue to scoop the food into her mouth, leaving slobbery drops on the offering hand. Within minutes, more alpacas arrive with hopes to gobble up a special treat.
The alpacas are part of the Rusty Stars Alpacas herd, owned by Aron and Kari Shultz.
When the Shultzes lived in Colorado 16 years ago, they purchased three alpacas. Their original plan was to grow a herd and sell them, as was popular to do in Colorado. However, an economic crash hit, and they rethought their plans for the alpacas. | | | READ MORE |
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Inflation news. Prices at restaurants and other eateries were up 5.1% in January compared with January 2023, while grocery costs increased 1.2% during the same period (US Labor Department)... Oreo maker Mondelez said it would continue raising prices on some of its products this year, largely because of cocoa prices, which earlier in February surged past a 46-year-old record and doubled in one year... Hershey said it expects more expensive cocoa to cut into the company’s profit this year... Kraft Heinz said inflation is moderating but that its costs are still higher, driven in large part by pricier tomatoes and sugar. (WSJ)
La Vaca Birria, a restaurant in San Francisco’s Mission District, is catching attention online after bumping the price of its signature burrito from $11 to $22 "to keep up with inflation."
Special deals. Bamie’s Stromboli Sandwich will be served at Gusto Pizza Bar (2301 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines) starting today at 3 p.m... Kids eat free at Scornovacca’s (1930 S.E. 14th St., Des Moines) on Thursdays... Tillamook's Sharp Cheddar took Best of Class in the Sharp Cheddar (6 months to 1 year) category at the 2024 World Champion Cheese Contest in Madison. It is widely available and sells for only around $5 in most supermarkets. Fareway features it on sale through Saturday at $3.99 for an 8-ounce chunk.
— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com |
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| Keep Iowa Beautiful photo contest winners |
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ABOVE: Iowans in Action, second place: “Bringing in the Harvest,” by Sharon Scarff of Wayland
Keep Iowa Beautiful has announced the winners of the 14th Annual Keep Iowa Beautiful Photography Contest, aimed at raising awareness of Iowa's natural and environmental beauty. To see all the winning photos, visit Keep Iowa Beautiful.
Send your photos of beautiful sights in Iowa to tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com. |
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| Weekly fuel prices | | | • The price of regular unleaded gasoline rose 14 cents, averaging $3.31 across Iowa according to AAA. Prices are up 12 cents from a year ago.
•Retail diesel prices in Iowa rose 1 cent this week with a statewide average of $3.79. One year ago, diesel prices averaged $3.90 in Iowa. The current Iowa diesel price is 26 cents lower than the national average of $4.05.
•Wholesale ethanol held steady and is currently priced at $2.16.
•Propane prices averaged $1.59 per gallon statewide.
•Home heating oil prices averaged $3.20 per gallon statewide.
•Natural gas prices rose 2 cents at the Henry Hub reporting site and are currently priced at $1.70/MMbtu |
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FROM KCCI: DCI investigating eastern Iowa jail inmate’s death
IOWA CITY, Iowa — The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is looking into the death of an inmate in the Johnson County Jail after an apparent medical emergency last week. According to a release from Johnson County Sheriff Brad Kunkel, 36-year-old Nathaniel Davis Jr. was booked into the jail on March 10 to serve a seven-day sentence....READ MORE FROM KCCI
FROM WHO-TV: Law enforcement questions bill that authorizes arrest of undocumented immigrants in Iowa
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa — Iowa Republicans in the house and senate greenlighted a bill that would give local police officers some of the duties of border patrol. Senate File 2340 would make it illegal for an undocumented immigrant who commits a crime and has been denied admission to or has been excluded, deported or removed from the United States to be in the state of Iowa.... READ MORE FROM WHO-TV
FROM WOI-DT Local 5: Measles outbreak: Iowa pediatrician shares warning signs
There are currently no cases of measles in Iowa, but neighboring states Illinois, Minnesota and Missouri have all reported cases......READ MORE FROM WOI-DT Local 5 |
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| Birthdays and notables | | | These celebrities were born on this date: Jace Norman, Lorenzo Zurzolo, Ronaldinho, TINI, Gary Oldman, Antoine Griezmann, Matthew Broderick, Scott Eastwood, Adrian Peterson, Rosie O'Donnell, Miles Bridges
SUBMIT: Send your birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com |
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The answer to yesterday's riddle:
What is the name of Audi's new SUV that seats 20? - AN AUDI-TORIUM! - Gail Tomlinson. Or Audi Audi Audi else in Free. - Rex Post. Or, The Audi Venti! - Peri Van Tassel. Or, The "Audience"! -Carolyn Rogers.
Today's riddle
What do you get when you cross a parrot with a shark?
Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com |
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To advertise in the Daily Umbrella or the Grimes/Dallas Center, North Polk and Adel Living magazines, contact:
Dan Juffer
Senior Account Executive
Office: 515-953-4822 ext. 303
Mobile: 515-371-2290
dan.juffer@dmcityview.com
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