• the story of this father in oregon who set out in the bitter cold to find help for his stranded wife and two daughters is so sad. i don't even know what to say about it, except that i felt like i needed to acknowledge the story because it is touching and, in some ways, inspiring. officials say he walked over 10 miles before finally succumbing to the elements and dying. in street clothes. i just envision this man so determined to save his family, yet so miserable, yet he kept going until he could absolutely not go any more. the worst part to me is that he was found just about half a mile from his car. he had sort of made a circle. it doesn't seem he was headed back to the car, but, had he been, there probably wouldn't have been much that could have been done for him anyway, since they were still stranded. it's just so sad. my heart goes out to his wife and daughters... :(
• britney apologizes for being a little out of control. on her website, she said this about her recent partying and hoo-hoo flashing: "It's also been 2 years since I've even celebrated my birthday. Every move I make at this point has been magnified more than I expected, and I probably did take my newfound freedom a little too far. Anyway, thank God for Victoria's Secrets' new underwear line! I look forward to a new year, new music and a new me." hey, at least she can make fun of herself... now get your act together, girl, and go be a mother to your sons!
• seriously, do we really need chewable birth control pills? they say this will help women who sometimes forget to take their pills. how exactly?? this little sucker can either be chewed up and tastes like peppermint, or you can just swallow it like a regular pill. i find this incredibly odd. and would like to place a bet with anyone willing to go in on it with me that this will not be on the market within a maximum of 2 years. if they made it gum that might be different. but a chewable pill? that you still have to drink 8 oz. of water with? dumb.
  
• hey this is cool, they found some evidence of water on mars! my husband and i went to this astronomy night at penn state last year (we are complete and utter dorks and proud of it) where they did a virtual tour of mars. i am so fascinated by space and other planets and all that. and i'm of the school of thought that believes there must be something else out there. not necessarily little green men, but something. so anyway, i just think it would be cool if in my lifetime they found some evidence somewhere else of some kind of life, and water on a planet apparently is the first clue that it could be there......