My “baby girl”, Cydney, turns 12 today! I can’t believe it! She’s moving out of tween-land into adolescent life without even so much as a turn of the head backward to see me staring in disbelief. I am so torn about this transformation. I’m so proud of her confidence and accomplishments, and yet my “baby girl” is less and less like a “baby girl”. It’s an age old dilemma I know. Maybe the real issue is that her coming of age story is at the expense of my aging story. I’m not great with numbers…but I do know I am not going backward as she moves forward! Oh, if only that Benjamin Button, reversing your age plan, was for real!

Before you get mad at my blog’s title, believe me it is meant as a tongue-in-cheek,  juxtaposition! The majority of Columbus is so hockey blind right now that there is barely a mention of the OSU Lady Bucks going into a regional semifinal game against Stanford, Saturday, in the Women’s NCAA Tournament. I think the girls are getting shorted in a glaring fashion! Look, I am happy for the Blue Jackets and the Columbus fans who have waited a long time for a possible playoff adventure, but there is another accomplishment that deserves our attention. The front page of the Sports section today, again, has no mention of tomorrow’s battle. Inside the ”Dispatch”, is an article about the women and the fact that they do play against former OSU and now Stanford coach, Tara VanDerveer, but there is nothing on the front page. Yes, I realize the women’s game is not the run and dunk fun that the men’s game is and never will be…but still, the Lady Bucks are in the dance! I know I’m barking up a tree where coverage of women’s sports is concerned, but I still have hope for at least recognition of the slight. That would be a big step! It’s not a wish for me at all, but for my daughter -that she will know more about equality and less about inequality in her years on this earth. THERE! That felt good! Thank you for allowing my rant. Feel free to rant yourself if you are so inclined.

So the discussion began about Twitter this morning….Dino wants to know why anyone would tweet meaningless status updates, while Stewie can’t understand why people wouldn’t care that he ate an hardboil egg! It was a technological throw-down and I was in the middle trying to moderate the debate. On the one side is Dino, an odd little man who still types on an old school typewriter and rejects anything that smacks of technology. Then, there is Stewie, the youngster who lives for social networking and finds sharing egg details paramount to maintaining quality relationships with his fellow Tweeterers. I am on the fence about this one. I like tiptoeing through Facebook and catching up with those who aren’t prone to stalking, but I really don’t care to share if my Dentist appointment is running 20 minutes behind. I’m stuck! Or am I? Being in the middle worked pretty well for Switzerland in a war once upon a time!

It’s Spring and that time when you have to get “real” with yourself, whether you really want to or not! Up goes the thermometer, and down goes the amount of clothing you put on your body. For me…it’s crunch time-literally and figuratively! My goal is to get in shape by the first of May, which gives me almost six weeks. Doable? I think so, but it’s all up to resolve. Yet, considering right now that my Spring clothes and I don’t seem to be talking; I think I had better get serious because the stimulus help isn’t trickling into a new wardrobe! So, to all of you who go through the Spring cleaning and stare down the winter “you” still in the mirror; I feel you…and hopefully you feel me! So, here’s to looking forward to feeling a little less of each other in six weeks!

I finally broke down and got a Facebook page posted. Why the delay you ask? I guess for a couple of reasons: 1)We have a facebook page for the morning show so I didn’t feel the need for my own;  2) My son gave me grief for being on Myspace, and I thought I should give him his Facebook freedom. Well, so much for that…I caved! I jumped in and I am trying hard not to become a junkie. I know the trap of these things; I’ve been there before. I tried online dating once and I actually felt a bit anxious when I couldn’t check it all the time. OK, in truth maybe I was just anxious because I was striking out so badly, but whatever the case it did make me a bit of a wreck. Hopefully being a part of the Facebook community will not have the same affect! Who knows, it could hold better dating prospects! Couldn’t be worse that’s for sure!

When a friend sent me a text around 8:30 last night to tell me about Natasha Richardson’s death, I suddenly was very sad. What a tragic death.! A simple fall on a hill,  just like the type we skiers take all of the time, and suddenly she is gone from a fatal head injury. I was fond of her acting. She had a vast body of work but I remember her for the simplest of her roles. I spent many hours in front of the television with my daughter, Cydney, watching and laughing at her character in the reprise of the movie, “The Parent Trap”. It was a sweet movie. She seemed like a sweet person in her real life as well. What a tragedy. I’m just sad.

We get all kinds of email directed at the morning show. Email is a great source of feedback-even the negative ones make us pause and look at ourselves more closely. But, I have noticed that there seems to be anger and not mere suggestions in many of the ones that aren’t complimentary. Why is this? One woman, Mary Ann, wrote today to say  that she is so angry that we cover American Idol and reality television- she is threatening to find another morning show. Really? Does a three minute portion of our “DVR Rewind”, really upset her that much to the point of lashing out? We never mean to upset anyone with our content. We have a tough task…we have to cater to the majority of our listeners’ tastes and not a select few people. That means talking about the most popular shows on television. Like them or not, reality television shows are in the top ten each and every week.  I realize these are tough times for all of us. Whether the problems are financial, job-related, health or family-related, we ALL have problems of our own. Yet, I have never been compelled to lash out at others in anger. I may jab and tease at my co-workers and media types, but I am never so angry as to threaten anyone. I don’t get satisfaction from it and like to think I can take a deep breath and rise above it. Everyone is entitled to their opinions…even Mary Ann. Who knows what is going on in her life right now? But, I just hope she knows she is in good company with Dino, Clark, Stewie and me….and she is even among friends.

Good news everyone! We are sexier in the Spring! Don’t blame me-blame MSN, because they came up with the supposed scientific evidence! See if you can feel the springtime proof in these observations:

1) Daylight is sexy-our clocks move ahead and extra sunshine is key. (Really?…I am pretty sure that seeing my translucent skin in all it’s glory is not a sexy thing!)

2) Spring is the season to celebrate sexuality and rebirth, just as cultures around the world have been doing for centuries. (Having gone through the birthing process twice and experienced the cruel tricks it plays on the body; I think rebirth -especially of the baby variety can be someone elses’ Spring celebration….thanks anyway! )  

3) Spring is a time for feeling good! Give yourself a Spring makeover: hair, wardrobe, everything! (Yes, the sunshine perks you up a bit….but it also shows me that my roots need touched up! There is something to be said for Central Ohio grey skies and what they keep underwraps!

4) Spring is a time for getting out there! There’s more to do outside…play sports, walk the dog -you might renew or even begin a relationship! (Because nothing is more romantic than a potential partner with a doggie-doo bag in their hand!)

OK…I get the point…Spring is all about changing your mood.  People pick up on the new vibe, and when your mood improves you’re sexier to people. So celebrate Spring! We can all be moody and sexy!

Don’t you just cringe anymore when you watch the television news? I know I do. I’m stuck though because I do have to watch it for my job and so turning it off entirely isn’t possible. Still, I find all the negativity draining. From the moment the “talking heads” begin the newscast we are bombarded with an economy that has drained us, white collar crooks who have stolen from us, and innocent, young children who are taken from us. I know it is the reality, but does it have to be the same reality every night and does it have to make up the first fifteen minutes of every newscast? How about some good news? The troops are coming home I hear, many who are still employed are satisfied with their jobs despite the economy, and both OSU basketball teams have a likely shot in the NCAA tournament! See there is good news afterall! Look at me, I’m a regular “Pollyanna”! And now…the weather…..

Whether it’s an email from a prince in Nigeria asking you to help him claim his fortune in the U.S., or a phone call from your “supposed” bank asking you to clarify your personal information, it is apparent the scammers are out in force and preying on anyone and everyone they can.! I have heard so many different stories recently about these predators and the rackets they run, that it makes the blood boil! These are such tough times and many unsuspecting people are easily swayed by the lure of promised money and opportunity. Just yesterday, my son, Graham, came home from school with a letter warning the community that there was an impersonator pretending to be a school psychologist, calling homes and collecting private information. It is just unbelievable the lengths people will go to cheat others who are already down on their luck! And don’t get me started on the elderly being swindled out of their life savings; that makes me furious!  Let’s cut the scammers out of their profits. Be vigilant and warn others before it happens to someone you know. It’s about time we scam the scammers!