Book Review: Street Gang

It should be well known by now that I am a nerd. I wear the name proudly. When we first visited our new library, I dawdled up and down the non-fiction section looking for some good biographies and how-to books. I found this awesome gem: Street Gang by Michael Davis.

It is a history of the awesome TV show, Sesame Street! I've loved this show since before I can remember- my mom would turn it on and I'd come crawling as fast as lightning  down the hallway to watch the antics of Bert and Ernie and the lovable Grover. Now that I am a mom, Chucky and I watch Sesame Street together often. It's even the theme of her upcoming birthday party. But all of that has nothing to do with the book.

The book reads very easily- it goes through the many collaborators and creative people involved with the beginning of the show and their resumes, all leading up to when they finally got the revolutionary show on the air. I had not realized how much research went into making an educational television show- they had professors and academic panels reviewing each segment and testing it on preschoolers to see just how much a child was learning from Big Bird and Mr. Hooper. The book also shows a great deal of the politics behind a multi-cultural, woman-lead show. Obviously, I wasn't around then, so I had no clue just HOW much it shook up government funded television. The book is full of great factoids, like how Julia Child's cooking show in Boston opened up the idea that educational television can be enjoyed outside of a classroom setting, or that Joss Whedon's father Tom was one of the first writers on the show! You literally read the show growing from a dinner party question of "Can television teach children?" to a world wide phenomenon in just a few hundred pages.

I highly highly HIGHLY suggest this book to anyone who watches the show- the behind the scenes information is just too interesting to pass up! if you go to Streetgangbook.com you can get the book autographed for free by the author, Michael Davis. There's a whole bunch of information and extra chapters on that site too.

Note: I was not asked to write this review, I was not compensated in anyway, Michael Davis has NO clue who I am. I just really enjoyed the book and thought some of my friends would like it as well.

I liked the show

This was the comic today, I found it particularly relevant to my life.

Post Withdrawls!

With my computer out of commission (Should be up and running next week if apple delivers the part on time!) I haven't had time to blog as much as I would like. Jake and I are at the mercy of the computer lab's summer hours. I have so much to say and talk about, I'm just gonna put it in a big mess of a post here!

We've been working pretty much 24/6 (and while we don't work sundays, we are busy!) for the past two weeks. Mostly we work the same shift (8-5) but lately, our manager has decided it would be fun to put us on opposite shifts and see me try to beg my way home. Luckily, most of the other employees live in our town, or I'd be sleeping in the Faz!

When we're not working or at church, we're sloooooowly packing up our tiny apartment (which, surprisingly holds a lot of junk) in preparation for our move soon. We're hoping we can get into the new place BEFORE our vacation, and it looks like we will, but the landlords may still take their sweet time.

Speaking of our Vacation- we're super excited for it! Not working, road trip and family time, It is shaping up to be a fun vacation. I get to show off Jake to my extended family (most of whom are meeting him for the first time!) and see one of my adorable cousins for the first time. The L side of the family is hoping to achieve one of the hardest achievements in history- a GOOD family portrait. There have been attempts before, but often end up with a child looking the wrong way, or an adult about to sneeze etc. etc. Now Gram has pulled out all the stops, a professional photographer, coordinated colors (after emails and emails of deciding!) and hopefully no colds ;) With 23 (?) people, it will be an amazing feat. I'll definitely post the results as soon as we get them!

I must profess my love of a certain TV show, in hopes to find fellow comrades. I am head-over-heels in love with Big Bang Theory on CBS. It's a very simple sitcom set up. 4 different types of geek (Science, Math, Engineering and Foreign) being best friends and living in NYC. Two of them live across from the pretty "dumb" girl and hilarity ensues whenever they speak. The quick wit, the interesting puns and smart jokes definitely put it higher than the average (*cough*2 and 1/2 men*cough*) sitcom. Yes, the storylines are predictable, and the characters are semi-stereotypical, but the constant one-liners keep me coming back. Tonight is the Season Finale, and I must admit, I have popcorn and white grape soda waiting to celebrate it.
in baby news, Jake, my mom and his mother really didn't like the name SeaMonkey for the lil fetus. Due to popular demand- it has been changed to Fishstick, or just Baby Fish. Jake was full of puns when giving me suggestions. He thinks I'll let him call the next one Popcorn Shrimp. =D I married 'im, I gotta live with it!