A leap into "Before You Leap"...

"...it's time to look inside yourself. I'm not talking about opening your mouth and saying "ahh" or craning your neck to peer deep into your ear, fun though that may be. I'm talking about the inner you, or, as we call it around the swamp, your inner tadpole."

In 2006, Kermit released a fun, green book of memoirs and wisdom. Dedicated to Jim Henson, "...who first held me up for the world to see...", the book Before You Leap is a frog's eye view of life's greatest lessons, edited and typed by Jim Lewis. The book leaps (before you do) from topic to topic, delving into the subjects of love, life, and lillypads. About midway (just after adulthood and before life crisis) Kermit pauses to discuss getting in touch with your inner tadpole. Here's a selection taken from there.

"What is your inner tadpole? There are many different definitions. Some call it your soul or spirit. Others call it your conscience. Others call it that annoying little voice that tells you to laugh even though the last joke that Fozzie told was really not at all funny. Whatever you decide to call it, your inner tadpole is what guides you through the calm streams and raging rapids of life. It is what keeps you afloat at low tide and goes skinny-dipping with you at high tide. It is the essence of you.

"Why would you want to get back in touch with your inner tadpole? There are three simple reasons:
1. You want to make the most of every day.
2. You want to have someone to talk to when no one else is around.
3. You want to have someone to talk to after you get picked up for talking around talking to yourself.

"Let's start by opening a line of conversation with your inner tadpole. This is as easy as having a conversation with a friend. Just say, "Hello, inner tadpole, are you there?" and wait for an answer:
If you get no answer, wait and ask again.
If you get voicemail, press "3" followed by the pound sign (#) to leave a message.
If you still get no answer after several tries, try text messaging.
If all else fails, the network may be busy, so call back later.
If you get an answer but don't recognise the voice, chances are that your inner tadpole has outsourced its services to a country with a better cost-per-call ratio.
If, however, you hear a little voice inside respond, "Yeah, what is it?" then congratulations, you've reconnected with your inner tadpole."

To read more of Kermit's advice, such as how to get comfortable ("Put on the fuzzy bunny slippers. Heck, get crazy and make some hot cocoa."), the definition of love ("...the most overwhelming feeling in the world."), and what best to eat for lunch ("Never eat anything that could eat you for dinner."), then head out to the Amazon (dot.com), put on those bunny slippers and settle down with your own copy of Before You Leap.