A Valentine's Day gift from Groupon

   Thanks to the collective buying power of Groupon.com (my new favorite way to save money), I received a coupon for a night in a recently renovated classic Kansas City hotel, a bottle of wine, and breakfast for two for the low, low price of $69 (a $71 savings)....and I'm redeeming it tonight!
   Groupon offers you fantastic deals on hotels, restaurants, gyms, dental services, massages, jewelry - you name it, they discount it - all in your area.  There's a new deal every day and the more people who sign up, the better the deals!  It's free, so if you haven't already done it, feel free to use this handy referral link.  (Then, create your own referral link and invite more friends.)
   In the meantime, this blog is out of commission for the next 24 hours. Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

"This Too Shall Pass"

You may be familiar with OK Go from their Web-famous treadmill video.  Their latest YouTube offering is even more creative and will appeal to any parent who has ever sat through countless hours of marching band festivals, like yours truly.  (And, yes, that is really Notre Dame's marching band.)  My kids are going to love this.

Happy Light casts alien glow

My early bird neighbors are curious about the weird light emitting from my bedroom window every morning.  Never fear, Gladys Kravitzes!  It's only my full-spectrum Happy Light that I have set up inches away from my treadmill.  40 minutes of exercise AND a vitamin D infusion each day and I'm a freakin' Pollyanna!  (Oh, and note to playlist makers:  "Fire" by Jimi Hendrix - perfect running song!)

Love: Nature or nuture?

Here's a story I wrote on the chemistry of love, featuring one of the most adorable couples I've ever met, and another about traveling on the cheap.

How to report the news

As a former TV journalist, I found this Charlie Brooker video fall-down funny. I'll bet you do, too.  Click on video twice to view full-size:

Sluggy Patterson on the origin of "Slug Bug"

One of the eagerly anticipated Super Bowl commercials is a Volkswagen spot starring "30 Rock"'s Tracy Morgan featuring the old "slug bug" game. (Remember all those bruises on your arms in the 60's?) VW hasn't released a preview of the spot, but here is the alleged inventor of the game hilariously explaining how it came to be.

Two Sunday stories

As promised, here is my piece on poetry class at the men's jail, and a little fluff for your peanut butter on toast.

Sure, it's pretty and all...

 

...but come on, Mother Nature!  And 12 more inches expected on Sunday?!!

Cathy (n): Cool or cocaine?

   The latest irresistible time-wasting activity circulating on Facebook this week is to go to UrbanDictionary.com and look up your first name. 
   Mine has a number of definitions ranging from "the act of being extremely interesting, smart, cool, athletic, and just about every positive thing that a person can be" to "code name for cocaine."
   Hmm, I think I'll go with the first one.  It's slightly more appropriate than the second, the words "smart," "athletic," "cool" and "extremely" notwithstanding.  Besides, I only tried cocaine once in college, and I didn't inhale.

I'm into Pink!

   I admit I wasn't really listening to the music during Pink's astounding half-naked performance at the Grammys (which I plan to replicate at my next dinner party, after a tad more practice). But, I downloaded the song from iTunes and it's now among my playlist faves along with Dave Matthew's "You and Me." (Dave was so spiffed-up and cute, and I love the way he added layer after layer of orchestration and chorus....such a great celebratory love song and exuberant performers!)

I used to be up on all the great music before the Grammy's. 'Guess that's another sign of getting old.  Enjoy!

Six more weeks of winter

 

I think we should adopt a new policy regarding Pugsatony Phil and Ground Hog's Day:  

Don't ask, don't tell.