Brains in Your Head, Feet in Your Shoes

In just a few weeks, I will officially be an aunt, and I'm so excited! I love being an auntie to M's niece and nephew, who are simply awesome, and now it's my own sister who's having a baby.

There are babies, babies everywhere! Our fridge is already becoming covered in baby pics, and it makes me so happy to see their squishy faces every time I walk into the kitchen. And, in anticipation of the question, No this does not make me want one, and Yes I sigh with relief each time I see them because I don't have one. (Yet?)

I went to the Stanford Bookstore today and picked up a couple Dr. Seuss books to send to my soon-to-be born nephew, because Dr. Seuss is freakin' AWESOME, and also they are perfect for learning to read AND learning English!



"One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish" is especially good with all of the above - reading, numbers, as well as colors and English (the baby's Italian. My family is very international. That's how we roll).

I wish the bookstore had "The Places You'll Go," which I think is the best of the Dr. Seuss repertoire. It has an incredible message - you can do anything you set your mind to, but along the way, life will be hard; just remember that you will persevere!

I think I will share a few snippets of this wonderful book with you here (go here for the full text):


You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.

...

You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed.
You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you'll be the best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don't
Because, sometimes, you won't.

I'm sorry to say so
but, sadly, it's true
and Hang-ups
can happen to you.

You can get all hung up
in a prickle-ly perch.
And your gang will fly on.
You'll be left in a Lurch.

You'll come down from the Lurch
with an unpleasant bump.
And the chances are, then,
that you'll be in a Slump.

And when you're in a Slump,
you're not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself
is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked.
A place you could sprain both you elbow and chin!
Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?
How much can you lose? How much can you win?

...

Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. there are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame! You'll be famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don't.
Because, sometimes, they won't.

I'm afraid that some times
you'll play lonely games too.
Games you can't win
'cause you'll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something
you'll be quite a lot.

And when you're alone, there's a very good chance
you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.

But on you will go
though the weather be foul
On you will go
though your enemies prowl
On you will go
though the Hakken-Kraks howl
Onward up many
a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike
and I know you'll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.

...

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3 / 4 percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So...
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
you're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!