I watched cartoons this morning with the girls.

It was scary.

Doesn't anyone remember The Cartoon Express? What happened to Magilla Gorilla? What happened to Space Ghost?

I grew up watching the classics. I am a classic. Things like Jimmy Neutron (ok, I would kill the kid if he was that much smarter than me), Spongebob Squarepants (endearing, yet - unnerving) and The Fairly Oddparents (ick.. ick) just don't do it for me. There is something about computer animated pixaresque cartoons that make my skin crawl. I mean, tonight - all in a 1.5 hour timespan - Jimmy Neutron and friends traveled back in time to ancient Egypt, saved the tomb of King whatever, Spongebob went on strike from his job as a frycook and burned down the whole restaurant, only to get his job BACK at the end, and - Timmy Turner saved the world from the Pixies, who apprently took over FairyLand for a shortlived overthrow of the fairy government.

WHAT?

Yeah. How about some Fraggles? What about The Smurfs? Anybody?

The Fraggles greatest troubles were visitng The Great Trash Heap, and how Red might fill the pool with water again... Blue (remember her?) was the resident Hippie who promoted peace and friendship... and as a kid - your highlight - always the postcard from Traveling Matt. Dang, I loved the Fraggles. My dad always watched them with me.

The Muppet Show? I lived for it... SB and J have no idea who Kermit is - or Miss Piggy - much less details of their troubled relationship.... Janet Jackson was a guest, even John Denver... how can you go wrong with James Taylor and Kermit singing, "It's Not Easy being Green"...? You just can't.

And SUPERFRIENDS? Who could forget SuperFriends? Apache Chief, Aquaman, Batman, Vulcan, Black Cyborg, Green Lantern, Superman, Robin and the Flash? (sigh)

Oh well... I guess times, they are "a changin'," and I am just getting old... animated sea sponges just don't do it for me the same way Gonzo and Fozzie did - and could never warm my heart they same way Wembley and the gang did every weeknight.... we've moved into this world of silly animation and plotless, dumb cartoons that have somehow captured the attention of my girls...

... and now, Dora's having a baby sister. Oy. Just when you get used to something.


Rachael