FMM: The ilk of Milk

Today is one of the few times that our Friday Magic Madness song comes from my childhood constant - Sesame Street.

It's the truth. Sesame Street produced some of the most memorable songs. What's great about these songs is the fact that there's a lesson tied to it.

Just like this "Milk Song" which Sesame Street released way back in 1975.

It actually came as a surprise that this song was that old. It was in the 80s when they started showing this on TV here in the Philippines. But it might have been playing in the US way before that.

This song taught me where milk came from, and it also made me want to be part of the dairy farmer ilk, and try to milk a cow myself. 

That never happened, of course.

But hey, this song does and always makes me experience it vicariously.

Memorable

This Sesame Street sketch pops in my head during grocery runs.

It's probably 40 years old by now, and the visuals are very telling of the decade it was done. But the story itself - remember things - is so timeless. And the way it was executed is both intelligent and child friendly.

Now, it's time to go to the grocery to get a loaf of bread, a container of milk, and a stick of butter!

FMM: Talk Bubble

When they would show re-runs of Sesame Street, this was one short feature that I'd always look out for.

"B is for Bubble" resonated with me because of my affinity with bubble gum. After seeing this for the first time, I'd always sing this song in my head each time I'm chewing Chiclet, BigBoy, Bazooka Joe, Tarzan, Hubba Bubba, Bubble Yum and Bubble Yum.

Thankfully, the Sesame Street Youtube channel archives these classics. It allows me to look back with a smile on Friday Magic Madness days.

FMM: Schooled

And just like that, tomorrow is the last day of classes. Again.

I've been teaching online for 2 semesters, and as much as I've gotten the hang of it, I'm still looking for the thrill of teaching face-to-face. Seeing my students. Looking at their reactions. Hear them throw around ideas that turn into brilliant concepts.

Hopefully, we'll go back to that mode of teaching soon. But right now, we discover the different ways of teaching and embrace them.

Which is the inspiration for this Friday Magic Madness song. An old song from Sesame Street about the different ways you get to school.

Soon, we'll find our way back to school.

Lego-ne

 

Why am I not surprised.

Today was the launch of the Sesame Street Lego sets in the official Lego stores in the Philippines. They accepted pre-orders via phone calls, and part of me knew that this toy will be a hot seller.

Their stores open at 10am, which means they would start to accept calls for the orders that time.

I called around 10:50am, and I was told by the branch that they were all sold out. When asked whether their other stores might still have it, the nice person on the other line said that the situation was the same.

Lego was Le-gone in less than 60 minutes!

Can you tell me how to get?

As a fan of both Lego and Sesame Street, this new Lego set is just geeking me out.

GEEKING.

ME.

OUT!!!

Bonus part, it's designed by a Filipino!

So now, can you tell me how to get, how to get this Sesame Street Lego Set?

FMM: Two for the road

Sesame Street has a lot of classic songs.

Even if these songs are decades old, and even if I first heard them when I was 4 or 5 years old, they still play in my mind today as vividly.

I've written about a couple of them already, and today, there's a new addition to this Sesame Street Friday Magic Madness.

The "two" song.



Both the song and the visuals make this a classic. The way it was written, visualized and acted are top notch. Plus, the two little cats made it such a fun sketch to watch. After 4 decades, that line still plays on loop in my mind:

"What's that, small pitter-pat. One, two! Two little cats!"

Ah yes! The joys of Sesame Street.

FMM: Working together

Starting Monday, life is going to be "semi" and "new" normal as some offices and businesses begin to reopen.

After more than 2 months in quarantine, people are understandably very worried about this situation. There's that feeling that everyone will all storm out en masse. There's that feeling that the crowds will re-appear, discipline will be set aside, and the former chaos the city has lived with is set to make a comeback.

And those worries are very much founded.

But there's this old, favourite Sesame Street song from the 80s (which makes it a good Friday Magic Madness song) that I think will help in ensuring that our fears won't happen. It's a very simple, very old word that is almost a mainstay in Sesame Street.

Cooperation!



The first time I heard this song as a very young boy, it really stuck. Not just because of the catchy tune, the cool muppets in it, but the basic premise of the song. A premise that's needed now, more than ever.

"Cooperation makes it happen. Cooperation, working together!"

(Sesame) Street Style

It was supposed to be a regular Serenitea run to get my usual Choco Royal Milk Tea.

When they served my drink, this pleasant surprise greeted me!

They have a tie-up with Sesame Street!

All their cups are adorned with Sesame Street characters. And I was tempted to buy one more cup just to get the Ernie and Bert cup. (I didn't.)

But this just means I'll be going to Serenitea a bit more often this time.

So, can you tell me how to get to Serenitea?

Eight is great!

And just like that, it's August. The 8th month of the year.

When I think of 8,m the first thing that comes to mind is the Sesame Street sketch on the "King of 8." I loved this as a kid, and memorized it word per word.

And to quote the king: "Eight is great." And I'm sure August will be, too.

That's good enough for me!

Mark knows that I'm a huge fan of KitKat, especially the ones that we don't get in the Philippines. 

Thanks to him, I've tried KitKat Green Tea, Wasabi, Sakura, Orange, and a host of other new flavors. And now, he's added this to the roster:

KitKat Cookies & Cream!

After trying one piece, it's mind-blowingly good. It's true to the ice cream flavor it was named after. The creaminess is so pronounced, and the cookie bits provide the right texture.

Even Cookie Monster would agree!

Greetings... I am the...

The Count's Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder


It started with a simple affection for counting and
the terror it induced in others, didn't it?
But now it's turned into a full-blown
life-consuming chaotic nightmare of order,
repetition, zealousness, and perfectionism.
You used to be so grand, but now you find
yourself obsessively worrying over the littlest
things--like, maybe if you don't check the
light switch at least once every two minutes,
the electricity will go out (and damnit, you're
a vampire--that shouldn't be a problem!), or
maybe if you don't wash your hands until your
seams are coming out, you'll get some fatal
disease. Get yourself some treatment.


Which Sesame Street Muppet's Dark Secret Are You?
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