Right-wing conservatives like Anne Coulter voting for a Democrat.

I'm sure it's all talk. When push comes to shove, they'll toe the party line.

I had no dog in last nights' fight (I'm a Steelers fan), but still found myself jumping off the couch, hopping up and down and covering my eyes with my hands in the last minutes of the Super Bowl XLII. It was football at it's best and I absolutely loved it.

I was rooting for Eli and the Giants to take Tom & Bill down a few notches.

My reasons for not liking the Patriots are, admittedly, girly:

An AOL Finance article "Worst Things to Say at Work" caught my eye this morning.

It's dead on career advice -- particularly the "It's not my job" phrase (a colleague and I have a special name for those kind of co-workers -- he or she is a "notmyjobber").

"It's not my fault" is another huge workplace phrase pet-peeve of mine. I don't care who's fault it is...fix the problem...now...then we'll talk about how it happened. Offer solutions not excuses. Or, as my mentor says, "strive at all times to be a part of the solution."

At least a once a week -- sometimes more -- someone at the gym or the store or church or the library (etc.) tells me that they love my work.

I'd be a big, fat, giant liar if I said I didn't eat up every one of those comments. Who doesn't love to be appreciated? (seriously, I think it's the most important need that human being have...to feel that they matter).

Just last night a woman came up to me at Cardio/Strength class and said, "I just love Her Times magazine and I always read your organization column. I don't know how you come up with all those ideas."

Being recognized has it's draw backs, like at the gym when I'm sweating my way through a tough workout or when I'm in Wal-Mart and I snap at the kids. But, for the most part, I love the opportunity to interact with our readers. I love to get feedback and to hear that people are using the information I labor over (feeling like I matter...you know, feeding that basic human need).

Can you tell who is really happy? That's the question posed by this enlightening article on Oprah.com.

According to the article, a key factor in a person's happiness is their outlook and attitude about life in general.

I've always considered myself a pessimist, but the older I get, the more optimistic I become. When a door closes, I see open windows. When a friend announces she's getting divorced, or I hear about someone who just got laid off, I think...that sucks, but wow...exciting opportunities lie ahead! Sure, there's some muck to slog through first, but...a chance at that butterflies-in-your-stomach, first-date, making-out love again?...a chance to switch careers and try something all new?...that's pretty exciting stuff.

Three things I'm LOVING this week:

1. Woman's Day magazine's Web site. I have long believed that very few people make the leap from print to web. You're either a print lover/reader or a web lover/reader. As evidence, I'd point to the fact that I subscribe to several magazines, but have never went to their Web sites...even if they heavily promote -- in the print product -- things you can "find on the web." Well...this week I made a lair out of myself and went to the Woman's Day magazine Web site to check out a story they promoted in the mag about the top kid-friendly vacation resorts. While I was looking at that story, I noticed about five other ones I wanted to read that were scrolling below it and spent a good 1/2 hour messing around on their site, looking at the slide shows -- including this one on cool things to do with digital photos. BTW -- if it's been awhile since you read Woman's Day, you might be surprised. It's now my favorite magazine.

2. The Hog Blog. I've always thought it would be cool to go to Punxy for all the Groundhog Day hoopla, BUT gas is $3 a gallon and standing in the freezing cold with thousands of other people at 5 a.m. doesn't sound like something I'd enjoy... This year, I got to go to Punxy thanks to laptops, wireless internet service and ETN reporter Sarah Weber who did all the driving, freezing and crowd shoving for me.

3. My new cell phone. Oooh...I can open it up and text, text, text. And, I added unlimited texting to my plan, so I'm positively dangerous now. BTW, dear readers, did you know that if you have Verizon Wireless you get the best deal if you shop for you phone online? My new phone cost me $40 because I have a $50 credit for the new-every-two-years thing and when you shop online you get a $50 credit (and free shipping). Go to the store and you will not get nearly as good of a price as you will online.

I happened to catch a Dr. Wayne Dyer lecture on PBS a few weeks ago in which he was encouraging his audience to live the wisdom of the Tao.

Much of what he was teaching resonated strongly with me and reinforced the new calmer, more peaceful, less materialistic outlook on life that I've been moving toward in the last year.

I'm not sure I can explain this new path I've gone down because I don't even understand it myself -- and perhaps it's just maturity -- but I've found a more peaceful life by choosing to be more peaceful and kind and compassionate and far less materialistic.

I bought a Valentine's Day card for my husband a week or two ago and I've been looking for it ever since.

I vaguely remember the card. I remember it was funny. I remember buying it. But, for the life of me, I cannot remember where I stashed it. It's not with the rest of the cards I keep on hand -- which, in hindsight, probably would've been the best place to store it.

I do remember that wherever I put it, I knew I'd run across it before Valentine's Day.

It's not tucked in the pages of my journal. It's not in the pile of school papers on the microwave or on the stack of reading next to the couch. It's not in my car or my underwear drawer or the top shelf of my closet (all occasional "hiding" places).

I am truly baffled.

And, I feel old as hell.

All I can do now is trust that I was right...and that I really will come across it before Thursday. Let go. Let the card come to me.

St. Valentine, St. Valentine, turn around. Something's lost and must be found!

Why is he laughing? Because I told him that I want to run up to Borders tonight to take advantage of my rewards coupon to buy the 25th Anniversary edition of Michael Jackson's Thriller.

Sure, he's nothing but a freak show now, but 25 years ago Michael was the man and everyone had Thriller -- on vinyl, of course. (And everyone COOL had a zippered shirt or jacket just like Mike's).

Check out this blog where there is a debate raging as to which was the better Michael Jackson album -- Thriller or Off the Wall.

So, my husband can laugh all he wants, but who can blame a 36-year-old woman for wanting to revel in the good old days -- back when I was a P.Y.T.?

And, this is a man, by the way, who was recently busted by a co-worker dancing on the job site to Prince's Purple Rain (he thought he was alone). So...the man's got no room to laugh. :-)

The Erie Times-News gave you a sweet Valentine's Day gift today. This fantastic story of true love by Lisa Thompson.

Be sure to watch the slide show, too.

It's a tearjerker, so get some tissues and, ladies, be prepared to reapply your makeup.

Three things I'm loving this week:

1. Holidays with kids. I've been married for...13 years now...so Valentine's Day hasn't been a big deal for awhile. But, when you live with small kids -- every holiday is a BIG deal. The girls could barely contain their excitement last night and couldn't wait for today to come (one couldn't sleep last night, the other was up at 6 a.m.). Nothing can bring life to a worn-out old holiday like two giddy girls hopped up on chocolate, clutching Valentine cards that say "Ilikeyoumom." View image

2. My mother. OK, I love her every week, but this week I'm truly appreciative for her because she's always there to rescue me in a crisis -- minor or major. This week, it was fairly minor -- a project I'd been putting off for weeks and just couldn't get started by myself. View image View image After days (weeks) of procrastinating, I decided I needed my mother to kick my ass into gear. She rode in the the rescue that afternoon, got things going and in four hours we had most of the spare bedroom cleaned out. You want something done, call a mom.

3. Hotcakes at McDonald's. I know the last thing you'd ever expect to see me say is that I like anything from McDonald's and the truth is, up until a couple of months ago I hadn't set foot in a McDonald's in probably 8 years or more (really, no lie). But, the girls love pancakes and I love getting up and out of the house quick on Saturday mornings (beat the crowd at the grocery store). We stop by Giant Eagle and I get my bagel and coffee and then we go to McDonald's and get hotcakes for the girls to split. Everyone's happy, fed and ready to shop in about 15 minutes.

...at the Family First Golf Dome. All you need is the sports park's ad in yesterday's Showcase section in the Erie Times-News -- page 5 -- and you and the family can play a round of indoor mini golf for free.

(The dome is open Saturday from 12:30 to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 2 to 7:30 p.m.)

you might want to occasionally check out my other blog -- "Runner's Notes." I don't update this blog as often, but I sometimes post some cool health/fitness links or information.

Today, I have a question from a reader who started run/walking at Barb Filutze's Beginning Runners Training Program last summer. And, she's still at it. She's questioning her dedication and wondering if this is a permanent change for her...and well, it's obvious to me that it already is. She's hooked.

Have you seen the videos of the cows being abused at the slaughterhouse in California? If you watch TV news at all...there's no avoiding them. They keep showing it -- over and over and over. And, much as I'd like them to stop -- because I do not have the stomach for it -- I want as many people to see them as possibly can.

And, yet, I can't bring myself to link to them here. So, let me just say -- for those who haven't seen them -- that they are disturbingly sad. They are "downer" cows (those too sick or old to walk into the slaughterhouse) being beaten, stabbed, pushed around with forklifts and God knows what else (I had to look away).

Three things I'm loving this week:

1. Winter sunshine. Is there anything better than having the chance to wear sunglasses in Erie in February? Even if it is to shield your eyes from the glare of the sun bouncing off a freshly-fallen 8 inches of glittering white (freezing cold) snow.

2. Hump days. It's the only night of the work week I don't have something I have to do or some where I have to be after work.

3. Preschool politics. My 4-year-old came home from preschool on Monday (President's Day) all excited to tell me. "Hey...hey, mom...guess what? There's a white man, a black man and a woman running for president!" I asked her who she thought should win. She said, "Well, the mommy, of course. Mommies are always in charge." Ah...you've learned well my little grasshopper.

Seems like just yesterday that I was losing sleep trying to decide whether to send my older daughter, Kelly, to Kindergarten. She was a late July baby and her preschool teachers thought it was in her best interest to enroll her in 5-day preschool rather than send her to Kindergarten a few weeks after turning 5.

I was crushed. I thought it was something I did wrong and wondered why my child wasn't ready for Kindergarten. Until it finally occurred to me that it wasn't about me or what I did or didn't do. It was about Kelly and what was best for her. And, she was academically ready, she just wasn't socially ready. She was a shy, sensitive, quiet kid who still sometimes napped and was likely going to struggle in a class of 20-some kids at "big" school.

I knew, in my gut, that the preschool teachers were right and that Kelly wasn't quite ready. We made our decision (sent her to 5-day preschool) and I haven't regretted that decision at all. When Kelly went to Kindergarten this year, she was a completely different kid -- confident, outgoing, enthusiastic and a step ahead of most of the other kids in the class (from the benefit of having 5-day, K-like curriculum for a year).

This morning I had a parent/teacher conference with my younger daughter, Lauren's, preschool teacher and I was fully prepared for her to recommend 5-day preschool for Lauren who is also a July baby.

But the teacher threw me for a loop and said she thought Lauren would do fine in Kindergarten.

I was stunned. And, yet, I knew she was right.

It's 4:52 and I just remembered that I didn't blog yet today and there's so much I'd like to say -- and, yet, I have so little time to say much of anything.

I could do what I normally do -- say to myself "I'll do it at home tonight," but I won't. I won't read the files I keep taking home night after night either.

What I will do is go grocery shopping because I forgot to do that this weekend. Yes, buying food for my family completely slipped my mind until I went to pack my lunch last night (guess who had Cheerios and toast for lunch today?).

After grocery shopping, I'll pick up the kids (and probably a pizza) and then the real fun begins -- baths, dinner, packing everyone up for tomorrow (not to mention putting the groceries away).

I also have to move the contents of my two clothes closets to the basement where the hubby and I are bunking while he creates the master bedroom of our dreams. He's warned that demo starts Saturday and if I don't move the clothes and shoes, he will.

And, I can't let that happen or he'll start thinking I have too many clothes and shoes.

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard that next year we'll have digital technology thrust upon us (whether we want it or not) which is likely to create an e-waste environmental nightmare.

Just stop and think for one minute how many TVs will be tossed to the curb come Feb. 17, 2009.

Can't say I was thrilled to find 8 inches of fresh snow outside my doorstep this morning, but it was stunningly beautiful.

One of the few winter rewards of living south of I-90 (in Erie's "snow belt") are the picture-postcard worthy winter scenes.

A friend (and SIL) just sent me a link this post in the New England Mamma's blog that is filled with some creative B-day party ideas.

I, personally, LOVE the idea of a pseudo sleepover -- my girls would love it and I wouldn't have to spend all night yelling "SERIOUSLY...GO TO SLEEP." (We're actually going to get to test this concept out on Friday when our church Sunday School teachers are hosting a PJ and Movies night at the church.)

I'm a big fan of theme parties and -- go ahead, laugh at my anal-ness (somewhere a copy editor is cringing at that made-up word) -- I deliberately planned summer babies so I could have their birthday parties OUTSIDE. I come from a family of five..as does my husband...even a small family gathering is 30 people.

Plus, we have a pool -- which is instant party entertainment in the summer. I can't wait until the girls get old enough to have friends for a real, honest-to-God pool-theme party. I've got it all planned in my head already -- the cake, the decorations, the games, the favors, the invites....

Tomorrow, I'll share with you some of the themes we've done (with photos).

And, I'd love to hear from you Mommy readers -- what fun party themes/games/ideas can you share?