Birth Control for Men: It is going to be announced this week that researchers at the University of Massachusetts have discovered a way to make a male birth control pill. (About time) Although a woman would hope that her sexual partner is trustworthy and all that other crap, I wonder how many women would reliquish control over this issue and rely on their partner to keep them from getting pregnant. Nonetheless, I am thrilled that the option may soon be available.

A New Strategy for Finding a Date: A New York City taxi driver is playing matchmaker while he drives people around town...and is succeeding! I'll try just about anything...

Take 5: Although I often post about great meals and favorite restaurants, it is rare that a pre-packaged food, let alone a candy bar, is great enough to be worthy of my blog. However, I have found nirvana in the new Take 5 candy bar! The marketing is crappy (the wrapper looks like it is a third-rate candy bar you would buy at the dollar store) but it is seriously one of the yummy-esy things I have tasted in a long time. (Even better than my new favorite sandwich, the Chicken and Spinich panini at Amelia's) The candy is like Chubby Hubby, without the ice cream. Peanuts, pretzels, peanut better, caramel and chocolate. Heaven!

Shannon O'Brien to Lead Girl Scouts: How ironic...as I was lying in bed last night thinking about some work I need to do with my volunteer role with the Girl Scouts (I am on the Development Committee and chairing the Individual Donor Sub-Committee...hope to be joining the board next year) and this morning, it was announced that Shannon O'Brien will be their new Executive Director. She is MA's previous State Treasurer and Former Democratic nominee for governor. Mitt the Snitt beat here. I am now revitalized in volutneering with the Girl Scouts, as I think it will be great to get to meet her etc.

Essential Workers: Yesterday the mayor and governor announced that "only essential workers should come into work". In today's Globe, there was a great editorial to help us all sort out which category we fall under.

So herein, a few guidelines on how to determine your place in this world:
- Essentialness operates on an inverse proportion. The more essential you regard yourself, the less you probably are.
- If you use any sort of title, whether it be Ambassador or Mr., there's a high probability that you're nonessential.
- If you have an assistant, he or she can pretty much do anything you usually do. If you typically use that assistant to dial calls and announce to the called party, ''Please hold the line for [insert title here] so and so," then you are the most nonessential of the nonessential....
So who is essential? Apparently the guy charged with plowing the left lane of the Southeast Expressway was deemed essential, the guy who was supposed to plow the right lane was not.
As a rule of thumb, the less you are paid, the more essential you probably are. If you sit in an office, the probability of being essential plummets dramatically, unless you work for the Patriots and are in charge of distributing Super Bowl tickets.
The men and women who clean the streets, fix the pipes, empty the trash, deliver the newspaper, bake the doughnuts, tend to the sick, care for the homebound -- these are the most essential people of all, lacking fame but never honor. The woman down the street who allows the neighborhood kids to hang out in her finished basement? The most essential person in town.

(Please note that MIT was the only university in town that was open yesterday. I suppose this speaks well to my essentialness...or MIT's perceived essentialness in the world. I mean, even Harvard closed.)

Unexpected Visitor in My Bed: It is a good thing I didn't have a heart attack last night! As three in the morning I woke up to find a BLACK CAT in my bed!!! My upstairs neighbor's cat have come into my apartment through the basement door, and crawled into bed to with me. Surprisingly, I woke up, calmly thought "Oh, Smartie is in my bed....", and just picked him up and put him back in the basement. Very odd.

Take 2 for Photo 

Where I Am This Weekend (I thought you would all be interested to know what you are "missing" out East. I went to bed last night around midnight with about 8 inches on the ground and it snowing hard. I woke up nine hours later to...it STILL snowing hard. There are 5-6 foot drifts in the driveway and, I would guess, close to 3 feet all over. *AND*, it's still snowing HARD!)

Where I Was Last Weekend (all the photos will be on Snapfish later this week) 

Cold Friday Five: (It's -30 windchill today!)
What is the coldest place you have ever lived: Saint Paul, MN for college at the fantastic Macalester College. There were times you could throw water up into the air and it would freeze! Plus there were advisories that you should have NO skin showing because the water in your skin cell would freeze!
What is your favorite cold food: ICE CREAM! Coffee Oreo at Christina's! Or Chubby Hubby.
When was the last time you had a cold: Thankfully (knocking on every hard surface I can find) last winter..I think in February.
What is your favorite food on a cold night: Although there are lots of foods I would like, a big bowl of pasta is always nice...so is grilled cheese and soup!!
If you wanted to get warm, where do you know someone to visit: I think I would head right back to Phoenix. I am thankfully going to LA and San Diego in just a few weeks, otherwise I would be complaining even more. Wish my friend Renu still lived in Hawaii (not that I could visit her, but that is a REALLY warm place to go.)

Example Number 23,457,283 of the Ridiculously Litigous Society We Live In: A high school student is suing his school for giving him homework over summer break.

2-4-6-8: Who do we appreciate?! The Pat, the Pats, YEAH Pats! Just my personal cheer for the football goddesses for a Pats win on Sunday. After all, I need to host my Super Bowl party for the World Champion Pats again this year! Gooooooooooo Pats!

Beware of the Gay Sponge: Who would have known? Appartently Sponge Bob Squarepants is not only bringing silly joy to kids and exploring the world with his little friends, he also is part of the gay agenda! What a multi-taking guy! Unfortunately, I never cease to be surprised that there are people in this world who think tolerance is a bad value. It both surprises and sickens me too often than it should.

Beware of the Gay Sponge: Who would have known? Appartently Sponge Bob Squarepants is not only bringing silly joy to kids and exploring the world with his little friends, he also is part of the gay agenda! What a multi-taking guy! Unfortunately, I never cease to be surprised that there are people in this world who think tolerance is a bad value. It both surprises and sickens me too often than it should.

Four (Tear) More (Sob) Years: Another installment from Jib Jab. He he!

Where’s the Sun?: I returned from a fabulous trip to Arizona last night…leaving not a cloud in the sky and mid-70s to come to gray wind chill advisory 7! Insane! I got to Phoenix a day last, as my flight from Boston to Houston was delayed *9* hours. I got to a cheap Holiday Inn in Houston around midnight, slept for about 5 hours, went to the airport, and arrived in sunny Arizona at around 11:00 a.m. (They flew me first class from Houston to AZ, which was nice.) Eva and I went to a little bread/coffee place called Wildflower Bread Company for a yummy lunch and then we drove around Phoenix/Tempe a bit. I have never been to the Southwest before and it was absolutely spectacular. Because it is in a valley, every time we turned the car, we were facing beautiful mountains. I think I drove Eva crazy because I couldn’t stop remarking about how beautiful it was. We had dinner at a Thai restaurant called Pink Pepper and made it a pretty early night. The next day we went down to Tucson, where were went to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. (We had breakfast at Wildflower, where I had a delicious frittata with roasted veggies and feta!) The Desert Museum is part gardens and part zoo of desert animals. Eva is unbelievably knowledgeable about horticulture, especially desert plants. It was fun to tour with an expert! (Plus it was another perfect day, so I enjoyed strolling around outside.) We had lunch in Tucson at El Charro, which as probably my favorite meal of the trip. (Although it is hard to choose…we ate WELL!) After walking around Tucson, we drove back up to Phoenix, with a stop for Blizzards at DQ. (Reese’s and Oreo for me!) We caught most of the Golden Globes and hit the hay. Monday we went to the Desert Botanical Gardens (beautiful!!) and had lunch at Crazy Jim’s (Greek food) Eva drove me around Phoenix, where I saw where she works (the Department of Transportation…hence her being a great tour guide) and saw the baseball stadium etc. Dinner was at China Max Seafood Restaurant. I begrudgingly went to the airport yesterday morning, where I flew first class from Phoenix to Boston, via Cleveland. Em picked me up at the airport, and very sweetly brought me a fleece to pull over my legs as we drove home in the Arctic conditions. When can I go back????

Off I Go: I am going to Arizona today! I am going to be visiting a good frined from Macalester, Eva (aka Major Mocha). I have never been to the Southwest and very excited! Eva lives in Tempe, but we will go on a little side trip to Tucson I think. Plus, I fly back first class. Ooooooo!

Two of the Funniest MIT Alumni: Yup! Click and Clack, aka Tom and Ray Magliozzi, went to MIT. A fun little article about them in today's Globe...."What gets listeners most upset is wondering if the guys get the answers in advance," says "Car Talk" executive producer Doug Berman during a recent Tuesday morning production meeting. "And what the guys say to that is, 'If we did, would we be as wrong as often as we are?' "

Timely Follow Up: Star of Wicked falls through trap door.

Sex, High School and Friends: (got your attention, right?) Tonight Emily and I are going to Curves, to grab take out from Amelia's (my new favorite food is their chicken spinich panini) and going to see Kinsey. A high school aquaintance, Michelle Federer, is in the movie with a small role. MUCH more impressively, she is one of the leads in the Broadway play Wicked. She is getting fabulous reviews.

Weekend In Review: A fun, movie-filled weekend. Friday I went over to Amy and Mandy's where we had Ladies Movie Night In...talked a lot, ate some yummy treats (including english muffin pizzas) and saw Eat, Drink, Man, Woman. Saturday (nasty weather all day!) I went to Curves, did some things around the house, ran some errands, and then met up with my brother for dinner at Fajita-n-Ritas and the movie Aviator (B+). Sunday I went over to Amy and Jose's (it was a 2 Amy weekend) and hung out with them and their ADORABLE boys! Good weekend overall.

Baseball News: It will be interesting how THIS plays out...pun intended.

Special Events Friday Five: Seeing as how I am in the midst of planning the Women's Leadership Conference, and all I am seem to be thinking about are events and speakers, I thought I would use that as the theme of today's Friday Five. (Not only is the Women's Event in April, but I am in the midst of planning events in LA and San Diego in February and London in March.)
Who is the most famous person you have ever hear speak in person? I suppose if depend who you are asking in terms of famous-ness, but I have seen Walter Mondale, Jimmy Carter, Oprah Winfrey, Mr. T and Kofi Annan speak.
What is the largest audience you have ever addressed? Actually probably the group that came to honor my grandmother when she received a special award for service. I think there were about 300 people there.
What is the fanciest event you have ever attended? The black tie benefit for The Health Museum of Cleveland (I was working there at the time, but was allowed to attend, as opposed to staff it.) However, some of these cushie dinners and events I have gone to at hotels are running a close second.
How many weddings did you attend this year? Actually none. It seems like many of my friends go to far more wedding than me...which is certainly good for my pocketbook, if not my dance card.
Would you attend the presidential inauguration if invited? I don't think so, but I think I would be tempted, just to say I went.

Sometimes I Really Like a Copy Cat: Serveral airlines, including my fave American, have slashed their prices to compete with Delta, who just lowered its fares SIGNIFICANTLY. Yeah!

The Epidemic Touches Anyone/Everyone: South Africa's Nelson Mandela, one of Africa's most committed campaigners in the battle against AIDS, announced that his only surviving son had succumbed to the disease Thursday.

But I Should Be in BETTER Shape: Appartently I moved from the 24th fittest city (Cleveland) to the 11th fittest city (Boston). So why have I gained 5 pounds since I moved??? So close but yet so far, NYC is the 8th fattest city.

A Dumb (and Litigious) Society: A toilet brush with a tag that says "Do not use for personal hygiene" has taken top prize for the wackiest consumer warning label of the year, according to an anti-lawsuit group. Other highlights include: A digital thermometer with the advice "Once used rectally, the thermometer should not be used orally." and A scooter with the warning "This product moves when used." Perhaps they should simply write "If you are too dumb to use this properly, don't."