You know, I was just thinking about Trapper Keepers. Do you remember those? They were the coolest notebook to have in school. (After stone tablets, of course.) They held everything but your lunch, and they had these cunning little pockets for papers, pens and pencils, and even makeup.

These days, the coolest notebook to have in school are netbooks. Unless you have an iPhone. Only thing is, there’s no place to put your makeup. That kinda sucks. Still, I wonder how long it will be before we’re not carrying notebooks OR netbooks, because we’ll all be fitted with a microchip.

I bet that’s not too far off.

Here comes the onslaught for Valentine’s Day.

Flowers, chocolate, lingerie, jewelry…but you know the best kind of unique gifts for her? Time. Minutes, hours, whatever you can spare. I’d much rather have an hour with my loved one than a bucket full of diamonds.

Wait. Let me think about that for a minute. Heh.

Honestly, I’d really rather have time with my peeps than gifts that die, put weight on my ass, give me a scratchy wedgie, or sparkle coldly in the sunshine. Not that I don’t appreciate gifts, mind you, especially buckets full of sparklies, but there’s nothing that takes the place of a hug, a kiss, a snuggle.

When the kids were little, I’d spoil them on Valentine’s Day. It’s supposed to be the day where you show the people who mean the most to you how much you love them, and that doesn’t mean lovers only. Although VD has become disgustingly commercialized, much like Christmas, I still like the idea of showing the people whom I love so dearly just how much they matter to me. That goes for friends, family, and lovers.

So, when you think about a special Valentine’s gift, think about the gift of time. It’s unique, one size fits all, and there are no calories.

Am I the only one who still feels nineteen in her head? No matter what the mirror shows me, my mind’s eye has a totally different vision going on. It’s quite rude, I think, for the mirror to disagree so vehemently. What’s up with that?

I remember wondering at several points in my life just exactly what the next decade will hold for me, and if I should actually be seriously considering life insurance quotes. It’s getting to that point, as I figure if I’m extremely lucky I may have conceivably 20-30 years left on this planet.

That may seem like a lot, right? Until you look back and realize just how fast those first 20-30 went and how much has happened since then. Jeez, just take a look at the past 16 months…wow. It seems both a lot longer and a lot shorter, you know? So, what’s next?

Part of the “fun” *insert level of sarcasm here, depending on local ordinances, personal tolerance, and advice from your chiropractor* is not knowing, right? Except some people don’t really like suspense. I know I don’t. Suspense just makes me crazy, makes me nervous, makes me worry…I don’t watch suspense movies anymore for that very reason. If I’m dragged to one or forced to watch something in that genre, I usually put my hands over my eyes and peek through my fingers. I often walk into the other room during competitive-type stuff when it gets really intense and I can’t take the NOT KNOWING WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN! Will they win or lose? Who will get there first? WHY DO I CARE?

And yet, I love the Winter Olympics. Go figure.

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Wasn’t that some tangent? Bet you never expected to end up there. Heh.

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Well, anyway. What’s in the future? At my age, I have no more idea than the nineteen year-old did way back when. Some things never change.

A couple of weeks ago we endured below zero wind chills, and then we caught a break and the temps rose to the 40′s. Watching the news tonight, it seems like we’re in for another round of cold and frigid weather, so I suppose it’s way too early to pack away the heated blanket. And let me tell you, I’m READY.

Spring is not normally my most favorite time of year — my first love is autumn. But, I will tell you that this year, I will welcome spring with open arms and a big fat kiss on the cheek. For some reason, this winter has just dragged on and on…of course, I probably say that every year.

I’ll still be happy to see more sun than clouds, more rain than snow, and allergies be damned.

Remind me of that when I’m miserable from pollen overload, mmkk?

One thing about online colleges — there are more options than ever before for non-traditional type students. When I took a few college courses over a decade ago, there weren’t near as many choices as there are today. Online colleges have evolved and are a great choice for people who don’t have the access to an accredited or specialized college near them, but who want to continue their education.

Establishments like Northwestern college offer flexibility, personal support, and degrees in hot careers such as an HIT degree. Tuition is cheaper than a “mortar and brick” school, and financial aid is available for those who qualify.

I think this is a fabulous option, and one well worth looking into.

Since late last year, I’ve really been watching what I eat and trying to make some healthy changes. So far, I’m not doing too badly — I’ve taken off some weight, but of course, it’s never fast enough. My tummy woes have simmered down a little bit, although just the thought of a fat, greasy, and oh-so-delicious bacon double cheeseburger with onion rings and a glass of soda is enough to set the damned thing off.

Of course, I’m watching the Biggest Loser on NBC. I cannot believe the amount of weight these people lose, until I take into account they’re in a controlled environment, complete with a state-of-the-art workout gym; the services of two of the best trainers in the world (although Jillian would yell in my face ONCE, and then she would need extensive plastic surgery), personal chefs, medical support, and let’s not forget they’re not working a full-time job while they go about their quest for quick weight-loss.

There is no easy way. Not surgery, not diet and exercise, not even what they’re doing on the Biggest Loser. However, I wouldn’t mind a personal trainer. You know, a hunky one. In spandex with bulging muscles. I’m sure that would keep me motivated. Heh.

You know the kind. The running-around-headless kind.

If only there was an anti aging product that could give new life to the limbs, not to mention a shot to the brain. I’d like to think if I were younger, I could get more accomplished with a higher energy level, but you know, I’m kind of on the bandwagon that says youth is wasted on the young. I think there must be a sweet spot somewhere, where age and experience meld together and you know what you’re doing and you have the energy to do it. I believe my 40′s was it.

Hopefully, my years of experience will start to make up for the decline in mobility.

And so can grandchildren.

My Muffin has been sick, although he’s doing better now. I thought when my own kids grew up, I wouldn’t have to worry about getting up at 3am to deal with earaches, pukeage, fever, or other assorted ailments. However, I was wrong. Now the torch has been passed to my beloved grandchild via long distance, and he is the reason I’m running on only minutes of sleep. Still, I love my bubbe like no other, and I would go forever without sleep if it made him better.

The one thing about grandchildren is, at least they don’t give me stretch marks like my children did. Heh. Although, reading strivectin reviews I probably could have mitigated the ones I did get had there been such a product on the market when I was pregnant. All I had at the time was baby oil and cocoa butter, and it really didn’t make a difference as far as I can tell.

At any rate, those are my battle scars of motherhood, and actually, I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

It sounds like a punchline to a drug joke, doesn’t it?

Truth to tell, as I get older I notice I’m not as bendy as I used to be. Walking through Wal-Mart, I end up looking at all the new products in the pharmacy department wondering what body part is the next to go and what I can do to head disaster off at the pass. I prefer the more alternative type products, mostly because I don’t trust that the pharm companies have my best interests at heart. Of course, anyone that stands to make a buck off people probably doesn’t either, but I digress.

So, on my last foray through the Ninth Level of Hell (aka Wal-Mart) I wandered down an aisle that displayed joint supplements. Since I know as the years pass, you wear away some cartilage and other necessary components for a bendy body, I picked up a bottle and took a look at the ingredients. I couldn’t pronounce most of them, and if I can’t pronounce them, I’m not ingesting them.

For those of us without bendy body parts, I think the best way to proceed is to acknowledge we can no longer get our legs up over our head without a call to 911, and make other adjustments. Who knows, I may happen upon the best position EVER that I wouldn’t have found otherwise.

A girl can hope. Heh.

I didn’t watch the entire thing, at best I caught bits and pieces of the Golden Globe ceremony last night. I saw a couple of Ricky Gervais’s jabs, and they were hysterically funny. I caught Drew Barrymore’s acceptance speech and wished I hadn’t. Then, I saw Sandra Bullock’s tearful shout-out to her husband, and that actually choked me up a bit.

I love the clothes, although I have a sneaking suspicion many of the women of the red carpet utilized the “benefits” of a colon and body cleanse to fit into some of those creations. Not to mention the suspension of most laws of physics to get those “golden globes” to stay in place.

In light of the tragedy in Haiti, it seems frivolous to party like a rock star, but most stars seem to realize they live a very sheltered life and have reached out to those in need. Sandra Bullock donated $1 million to the relief efforts, and besides admiring her as an actress, I admire her as a person. There’s not really too many other actors I can say that about.