Grouches

The Grouches are a race of creatures in Sesame Street.

Background

Grouches are an eccentric race of pessimistic, argumentative, unhygienic furry creatures who prefer to live wherever trash can be found: trash cans, city dumps, even the occasional landfill (although, some Grouches live in crummy houses, broken cars, and some live in "yucky beautiful houses"). Grouches are a distinct species from the Sesame Street Monsters (including the AM Monsters).

Being as grouchy and miserable as they possibly can be is any Grouch's main mission in life. They also feel that they have to make everyone else feel the same way. Even though that makes them happy, however, a Grouch will never admit to being happy no matter what the circumstances.

Grouches like anything dirty or dingy or dusty, anything ragged or rotten or rusty or trashy. They will only buy appliances that don't work, they normally keep elephants, worms pigs, goats, and donkeys as pets, eat undesirable foods (particularly sardines), sing out-of-tune, play radios at the highest volume, and bathe in mud as they all love not being clean. Grouches also like to use phrases such as "scram", "get lost", "go away", and "beat it".

Gemstone

A gemstone or gem (also called a fine gem, jewel, or a precious or semi-precious stone) is a piece of mineral crystal, which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments. However, certain rocks (such as lapis lazuli) or organic materials that are not minerals (such as amber or jet), are also used for jewelry, and are therefore often considered to be gemstones as well. Most gemstones are hard, but some soft minerals are used in jewelry because of their luster or other physical properties that have aesthetic value. Rarity is another characteristic that lends value to a gemstone. Apart from jewelry, from earliest antiquity engraved gems and hardstone carvings, such as cups, were major luxury art forms. A gem maker is called a lapidary or gemcutter; a diamond worker is a diamantaire.

The carvings of Carl Fabergé are significant works in this tradition.

Characteristics and classification