Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?

I've had a love affair with Sesame Street ever since I was a preschooler sitting on the floor of my parents reddish-orange-and-black-plaid basement carpeting, watching the magic of Bert and Ernie (my favorites then), Snuffy and Big Bird, Prairie Dawn and Cookie Monster, Oscar, and the rest of the gang. It was mesmerizing. My sisters and I still talk about that wonderful "Christmas Eve on Sesame Street" when Big Bird went up on the roof to wait for Santa Claus, and froze. Oh, and that skating rink -remember that?

Don't you think a few select TV shows helped to define your childhood? Like Little House on the Prairie in elementary school, and The Cosby Show in later elementary/early junior high years. I wasn't allowed to watch a lot of TV growing up (it was always outside most of the time with us), and I did not have cable until - ready for this? - I was a junior in college. True story. I still don't care much about a lot of TV. Brian and I didn't even have cable for the first 6 years of our marrige. Now we mostly have it for the reception, 'cuz PBS stinks without cable hookup!

Anyways, now that I'm a mom, I, too, am selective about what my kids watch. Never have to worry with Sesame Street! And I'm woman enough to admit that I still love Sesame Street, and love watching it now through my kids' eyes. All 6 of them (eyes, not kids). When Sesame Street is on, you can usually hear a pin drop in my house they are so still. Exhibit A:

It is the most fun, clever, children's show ever. Guess that's why it's been on for nearly 40 years! Amazing. Isabel's favorite segment is "Meal or No Meal," with a puppet character that looks and acts like Howie Mandel, and crazy contenstants that have to identify whether the food options presented to them are meals or not meals. Pure genious, I tell you! And the things they learn. Exhibit B (from a fairly recent conversation with C and I):

Isabel: "What is your favorite dinosaur, mom?"
Me (thinking I was going to wow them with my knowlege and use of a really big word: "Oh, I like the Tyrranosaurus Rex."
Isabel, not missing a beat: "Oh, yeah, that's a good one. But I like the Triceratops!"
Me, masking my stunned silence, "How did you know about the Triceratops?"
Isabel: "I learned it on Sesame Street!"

Then she asked, "But why did all the dinosaurs die?"
Connor: "It's not called dying, it's called being 'stinct."
Me: "Connor, where did you learn about the dinosaurs being extinct?"
Connor: "From the animal doctor, you know, on Sesame Street, mom!"

And last, here's exhibit C: A chance to stroll down your own Sesame Street memory lane. Click here, and then play the promo segment from "Sesame Street Old School 2 (1974-1979)."

You might get hooked all over again (if you aren't already).