"Rubber Ducky, You're the One."

Sesame Street. I'm sorry I'll have to admit that I couldn't stand the show when I was younger. It hit major popularity when my younger brother was about four, so he had to watch it every morning. It just pissed me off. I could have been watching recorded episodes of Super Friends or Shazam!, but we were a one-TV family back then. So I just sat through it.

"Today's episode of Sesame Street is brought to you by the number 2..." (for crap) "and the letter F" (can you add a U to that?). Big Bird annoyed me. Mr. Snuffleupagus looked like a moving ratty couch. I couldn't even identify with Oscar the Grouch. And I was pretty dang grumpy. I did sometimes like the animated segments ... you know, the 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 ... 10 piece with the action-packed cartoon and hyper song. But mostly, I just gave my little brother hell for watching the program.

When everyone gets nostalgic for Sesame Street (and even worse, Mr. Roger's Neighborhood), my eyes just glaze over, or I try to direct the conversation to "Zoom!" or "The Electric Company," which I thought were much cooler.

Then ... Ernie moved in with me.

This is what I get when I'm trying to get out the door for work: "You are my sunshine." Sorry ... that doesn't work for me in the mornings.

Middle of the day, a text message "You are the most wonderful man in the world" Excuse me ... I'm working on a project plan, a spreadsheet and a meeting agenda here.

A call while he is at the grocery store, and I'm still at the office "Are you out of beer, honey?" Hell, didn't you check the refrigerator last?

If he took baths, he'd have a rubber duck, for sure. And he'd sing to it.



Uh, wait ... he does have a rubber duck.

It only brings out my Bert-ness. But anyone who has ever watched Sesame Street knows that Bert's grouchiness was never a match for the duckman's bliss.