The Electric Company!

No, not the one that powers the lights.

The show. The show that ran from 1971 - 1977 and has been resurrected for today's kids.



Heyyyyy Youuuuuu Guyyyyyyys......


I remember the first go-round so well that when Sarah ran upstairs one Saturday morning to say "hey mom, there is a new show on TVO kids that is fun AND educational and you should come see it", I took one look at it and something whispered into the recesses of my mind "Electric Company". It had the feel. Notsomuch the look (it is after all 35 years later, I admit chokingly!)

Sure enough, within seconds, it identified itself.

Oh how I loved that show! So much that Hey You Guys was said (yelled in that gravelly voice) by me several dozen times a day. So much so that I never forgot that it was how Morgan Freeman, easily one of Hollywood's 25 Best Actors of All Time, got his start as Cool Cat. So much so that seeing the old show-opener online again after so many years brought back instant memories. I loved that show. I loved Sesame Street but would be equally excited when it ended and Electric Company came on.

Now, I know that the reason it's back is because once again the statistics show that early reading levels are at an all time low. And that's too bad. But on the other hand, the show helped once so I bet it will help again.

And it's just so darned funny and entertaining too! The main guy raps, another guy does beat box sounds and sounds of other kinds as well, they sing, and there is always a main story woven in to the "variety" show aspect. And well, we watched one episode together and Sarah knew from that moment on when a word had a "soft C" or a "hard C".

Now we have a standing date for 9:30 a.m on Saturday mornings. And I wouldn't miss it.

But to think that at first I actually told Sarah I was busy doing some "stuff around the house" until I looked at her little cherub face and saw that she was sad that I wouldn't take a look. I didn't want to be that mom. So I took her hand, expecting to go down into the family room and go "oh, yes, that's really good! I'm glad you found a new show to watch" and then go back to my chores. Instead, I got taken back, had a good chuckle, sat down on the futon and patted the seat beside me in invitation.

I highly recommend it. Sarah needs all the help she can get, and it appears to be working. But even for other kids, it's just fun. And funny. And it's problem-solving on so many levels.

So tune in! And enjoy! Sit down with the kids and be taken back. And well, you'll be sitting down with the kids instead of laundry or something else that prevents you from sitting down with the kids.

And then come back here and let me know what you (all) thought!

Have fun, "....youuuuuuuu guyyyyyyyyyys"

Here's the Facts, and nothin' but the Facts:

It's inevitable. We ARE going to be leaving this world. We are going to leave it, and whatever we mess we made WILL be left to the children. No ifs ands or buts about it. So here's the deal. If we CARE about our children, nieces and nephews, cousins, or friend's kids, then WE have a responsibility to do something about it while we can.

Last week I had a letter to the editor printed in the Metro newspaper, in response to an article written by a columnist about the proposed Wind Turbine project off the shore of Ashbridge's Bay in The Beach. Said columnist is against such an action by Ontario Hydro. She called the turbines "an eyesore" as well as an "ugly collection of industrial clutter." She said they should be put in some nice remote area. She said they were going to "mar" the lovely shoreline we've worked so hard to beautify in recent years. I got mad. Livid, in fact. I could not believe what I was reading. I couldn't fathom that this was a person who gave a single thought to what she had written, who was putting asthetics ahead of necessity. So here is what I said in response:

re: "Wind Farm Would be an Ugly Mistake" by April Lindgren, Jan. 30, 2009.

I can't believe what I am hearing.
First on 680 News and now reading in your paper.
Windmills as EYESORES??!?!?!?

I am SHOCKED and dismayed. Absolutely. It astounds me to read and hear such nonsense from people, who apparently and by all evidence have absolutely NO sense.

"Collection of ugly industrial clutter"? That will "haunt generations to come"? Apparently you have never traveled to Europe and seen windmill after windmill after windmill, dotting the landscape and sending the message that something is being attempted to save mother earth. Off the shoreline in Copenhagen they are ever-present. And NOT an eyesore. What are you thinking when you say these things? Do you honestly think they are so much more heinous to look at than the smoke stacks dotting the skyline and spewing their black toxins in to our city and water? It is time for us to realize that we are at the point in our evolution that we MUST seek alternatives to gas and oil. Harnessing what already exists in nature is not monstrous, it's beautiful. Let's please be responsible about this, and teach the children that these ideas are not something we "hide" in rural areas (since we're the power guzzlers right here), but something that we fit in to our lives right here, get used to, and see the benefit of. I say yes to wind turbines in my water. I'd much rather hear them than the hum of other types of electric generators. I'd rather see them than smoke-stacks. I hope so fervently that detractors come around. Our world depends on it.

I felt better after. A little.

But that's not the first time I have heard something of an environmental nature that has made my skin crawl. Friend Aaron over in Alma's Soulfood (see my sidebar for a link!) speaks of the many cities and towns that have outlawed clotheslines. Add to that the people I've heard say: "yeah, I don't want to see anyone's granny panties wavin' in the breeze while I'm sipping my morning coffee."

Or how about the people who think it's taking it too far if one adopts the "if it's brown, send it down, if it's yellow, leave it fellow" theory of toilet flushing? I mean REALLY. I keep my toilet bowls clean. But I don't need to send 10 litres of water down there every time James has one of his teensy wee boy pees. Do I?

I am not entirely there. I have some issues with cleaners (as in, use powerful, stinky ones. Have an impossible-to-keep-clean kitchen floor that I am after CONSTANTLY, and I have to let go of the idea that powerful smell equals powerful clean). But I am letting go, slowly. I don't use fabric softener anymore. I use cool or cold water to wash, and I air-dry lots. I fill up the machine. We use the dishwasher only a couple of times a week. I try to buy less packaging and I recycle everything allowable. I've taken to pulling tissues out of the garbage. I use old tea towels to clean my windows and dust, not swiffers or paper towel. I buy the large rolls of toilet tissue and teach the kids to use less of it. I talk about turning the lights off in rooms not in use, as well as not letting the water run for any length of time.

I know I am not doing enough and that I could be doing more. But I DO think of myself as a "green" person, so if I can admit that I am NOT doing enough, then what are the people who aren't nearly as green as me doing? Not their share, that's for sure. Not enough for their kids or grandkids. Not enough considering that each of us in this part of the world has created something like 5 tonnes of garbage PER PERSON.

I dunno. Maybe it's just me. But seems to me if you're going to make some of the mess, you gotta clean some of it up. I mean, isn't that what we teach the kids? You make a mess, you clean it. You make a mistake, you own it. You do something wrong, you work to make it right. So why all the hypocrites? You think this world owes you something? Because my dear, sad, friend, it owes you NOTHING. It's given you water and sunshine and nice things to eat and see and smell. It's sustained you and yours for generations. It's held up your home and car and given you a job (in my case, literally. My own juxtaposition is caring about an environment when the industry I work in rapes the moraine on a daily basis!) It owes YOU nothing, friend. You owe IT your life.

So my challenge is for each of us to do a tiny bit extra this week. Something we wouldn't normally do. Then in a month or so, add something else. And so forth until you're living greener. Use vinegar to clean the windows. Use baking soda to clean the sink. Use less paper towels and napkins.

Aha! Eureka, I just thought of my contribution. My kids are rabid napkin users. I am going to go home and drag out 8 linen napkins, and we're going to use those at supper time. I have them in my drawer! I might as well make use of them!

What's your contribution, dear reader?

I woke up in the rain....

......the rumble of thunder reverberated through the ground under me. Another flash. Lightening seemed to burn in to my eyes. As consciousness seeped in to my being, I realized I was wet - my back, my legs. Oh damn, the tent has a hole in it!!

The deep feeling of loneliness grew more palpable with the knowledge that my safe haven was against me. So much for the idea of running away to the wilderness to collect my thoughts, have some peace, do some reading and writing, and give myself a good stern talking to. Now it seemed obvious that The Plan would have to be abandoned and I would have to go home. My heart sunk.

No one was there. Wouldn't be for another 5 days. My time away was to have been double that. It was part of the deal. There wasn't money enough for me to get a room for all that time. And that was contrary to the whole idea of me getting away to collect myself. To find myself. To take many deep breaths in order to steel myself to continue to live my life.

No one was around. Not a soul within hearing distance. And who would hear me if I did have a much-desired tantrum? Who would hear against the raging patter of sheets of cold rain? Against the wind that threatened to tear the tent from over me? More lightening. I jumped. The tears began to flow freely down my cheeks and I didn't bother to wipe them away or blow my nose. I wallowed self-pityingly. Why not? It WAS unfair! I had worked for MONTHS on this plan. Had practically threatened that if it didn't come to fruition something more drastic was bound to happen. I finally got my way. And yet......now it was crashing down around me, my plan to reclaim my grip on my life.

I yelled. And yelled. And screamed. And cursed. And threw anything dry back into my back pack. Got dressed hastily. Grabbed my cash and the most valuable of my belongings. My car keys. Put on my rain jacket, a baseball cap, and steeled myself for the onslaught of water that would hit as I ran to the car. My more logical self tried to calm me, to make me wait at least until the rain wasn't coming down so hard; but I wouldn't listen. I was inconsolable and stubborn. And completely bereft of a plan......