The author, hugging Frank Oz's Muppet-clad arm in 2004.

Am currently going back over Ulises's piece on things which are epistemologically near and far, and even though I finally understand what he means by it (even if I don't totally agree), I still can't shake Grover screaming NEEEEAAAR?! FAAAAAAAR!! when I think about it.

So it occurred to me... yes... I checked YouTube, and Grover's original sketch on NEAR and FAR is actually up there! God Bless YouTube!

The funny thing is, the original sketch also has something to do with epistemology. Nobody really remembers this, but Grover spends a lot of the sketch "checking in" with the viewer about whether they actually understand what "near" and "far" mean.

"This? *pant* This is NEAR. You must understa*pant, pant* -- you don't understan'?! RRrraaiiiugh!*sob**runs away from camera* This is-- FAAAAAAAAR!!!"

Of course, the Internets have already logged my own rendition of this sketch with Ulises's revisions.

More on epistemological nearness and farness when I manage to get something written down. Which seems unlikely, because I'm hellishly scattered. If I don't run away to Boston today I think it's quite likely I won't get the requisite things done by the end of the semester.