Republican Senator Arlen Specter has challenged President Bush's authority to be the "decision-maker" on issues of war. Uh-Oh! Something tells me as we speak Dick Cheney is hiring an illegal alien to oil his shotgun. Look out loudmouth ducks and anybody else quacking too loud! (HaBlog)

Iran is getting more involved in Iraq. Officials in Iran say they are planning to open a branch of the Iranian national bank in Baghdad. That’s right. Anyone who opens a new account in the Baghdad branch will receive 72 virgins and a toaster. (Conan O'Brien)

Showing his determination to increase the U.S. military presence in Iraq, President George W. Bush said today that he would send 20,000 Democratic presidential candidates surging into Baghdad. (BorowitzReport.com)

Hillary Clinton got a big laugh in Iowa when she said she had lots of experience dealing with evil men. It works everywhere. If Saddam Hussein had told a Bill Clinton joke on the scaffold he would have gotten the crowd back on his side. (comedian Argus Hamilton)

So far a total of eight people have announced they're running for president. My writers tell me we have to get that number up to at least 12 if we're going to sustain the jokes through the entire campaign. (Toms Lake Humor Company)

Everyone’s running for President! Hillary’s running, Obama’s running, McCain, Little Miss Sunshine — everybody! John Kerry announced he won’t run. And everybody went, "Okay.” (Craig Ferguson)

The Army Corps of Engineers has just identified 146 levees nationwide that it says pose an unacceptable risk of failing in a major flood. Vice President Cheney is calling the report "hogwash," and "a major blow to morale in our war against hurricanes." (Jake Novak)

Restaurant workers are mad at a Nationwide Insurance Super Bowl commercial that depicts Kevin Federline working at a fast food joint. They say it insults restaurant workers. Give me a break. When fast food workers finally remember to put ketchup packs in the bag then we’ll listen. (comedy writer Alex Kaseberg)

Scientists say they can now use radio waves to screen airport baggage. This begs the question: do you really want Howard Stern going through your luggage? (Gorsefeathers, RadioOnline.com)

The TV show "Armed and Famous" was cancelled. Producers of the show realized the huge mistake they made by arming these people, especially when they had to tell them the show was cancelled. (Pedro Bartes)

Professors at SMU debate housing the George W. Bush presidential library. A section will contain all of his writings on the issues. The University will designate almost half a shelf. (Alan Ray)

Van Halen and original front man David Lee Roth are set to tour this summer. It won't be the original lineup. Missing will be bassist Michael Anthony, and David Lee Roth's hair. (Jim Barach)

Jay-Z "Kingdom Come"

The recently unretired Jay-Z seems more like an elder statesman -- at 36, he's the president of Def Jam Records, has sold tens of millions of records, is head of the Roc-A-Fella dynasty, part owner of the New Jersey Nets pro basketball team and a living rap legend. Yet the release of his comeback record, "Kingdom Come," may be the biggest challenge of his career.Jay-Z is once again working with the trendiest hitmakers -- The Neptunes, Dr. Dre, Kanye West and others.

But whereas "Show Me What You Got," the first single, is a definite party jam, Jay-Z calls the record "very mature."But whether fans want to see the vulnerable, emotional Jay-Z remains to be seen. Tracks from "Kingdom Come" have been leaking on the Internet for weeks, and the response has been mixed. A few have even boldly wondered whether Hova has lost his edge.In addition, some of his rap peers have been jabbing at Jay. Method Man and LL Cool J, both on Def Jam, complained about his skills as a record exec when their albums bricked. DMX insinuated he was getting soft because of his romance with Beyoncé, while Cam'ron and his buddy Jim Jones -- who is on fire with the hit "We Fly High" -- are taking pot shots at the king.But others are there to laud Jay-Z for his involvement with the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, and the rapper himself -- looking positively collegiate in a jacket, sweater vest and button-down shirt -- implores more action on the issue. No, this is not the same Jay-Z who once bragged about bling, sipping Cristal, hustling drugs or one-night stands. But it is still Jay-Z. Just on another stage, in a more adult phase.

-- By Nekesa Mumbi Moody, Associated Press

Invitations
Invitations help set the tone for any party. You can get fun football themed invitations at most gift stores. Or, why not try a personalized invitation from Party411's Creations for You? It works for the Super Bowl or any bowl game you might host! Contact the Custom Queen, for more information.

Favors
Need party favors that go with the theme? There are football whistles, football balloons, blowers and hand clackers for good and bad scores, and you know who knows what else. In our party store, you'll be able to find all sorts of football-themed paper goods...you may want to make a football shaped cake for dessert to go along with those dessert plates. Here are some more great ideas.

Frankly, this isn't a party to make yourself crazy over. Football conjures up a hopefully good game, some hopefully fabulous commercials, a few hours of great snacks and maybe dinner, plus the best excuse to let off steam--yelling, screaming, carrying on, throwing soft footballs at the screen, horsing around with your friends...and there's not much more to a party than that!

To stock up on your Super Bowl party supplies, look below for just some of what you'll find in our Party Shop. And for the latest scoop on Super Bowl trivia, players and news, try www.SuperBowl.com.

Decorations
Kick it off by dressing for the color of the team that most of your guests will be rooting for. Then, fill the room with Mylar football balloons and latex balloons that match the colors. Make sure the buffet is screaming "football!" by using football-themed paper plates, cups and napkins and scattering football confetti here, there and everywhere (on any flat surface there is food--of course, that's my opinion!). At this writing, the party girl doesn't know which teams will square off—for information go to www.superbowl.com. You can use a custom banner to give your party the personal touch.

Football parties are great because your guests can use many of the decorations as toys. Give them some pompoms, football maracas , football whistles (if you can stand all the noise) and some soft rubber footballs they can throw at the TV or at each other. Save the coolest decoration for yourself….football eyeglasses.

Menu
For an overall look at what to serve, check out our Football Menus Then and Now or look at our Super Bowl Fiesta and Super Bowl Beach Party themes for other "first-down" ideas! Try our Mardi Gras menu for more ideas.

Taste of the NFL Restaurant Guide
You do not have to live in Detroit or travel to Super Bowl XL to enjoy Taste of the NFL food selections. You can be part of Taste of the NFL by purchasing the Restaurant Guide. Prepare the dishes served at Taste of the NFL in Detroit in your own kitchen. The new Restaurant Guide is packed with savory recipes, color photos of the featured dishes, TNFL chef and alumni player biographies and information about hunger agencies in every NFL city.

Activities
Have the beer iced and ready...and maybe, if you want to, make beer cup holders for your guests to wear around their necks, so they don't misplace their beer and take another one (gets expensive). Actually, before the game starts, try this great activity. Buy large plastic cups. Provide an ice pick or something that would make a hole large enough for a leather or rope necklace to go through, a magic marker so they can mark their cup with their name and yarn, leather or other material to use as a necklace.

Instead of the usual "football pool," do some other fun things that even non-Super Bowl fanatics can get into. Like pass out a history of the Super Bowl and of the football itself. At the bottom, insert a multiple choice "contest," and give football-themed gag gifts like a football mask or football stickers to all those who correctly answer the questions. Any information you could possibly need to help you compose this Q&A is right on the web with just a little research.

For the non-fans in the room, why not do a "player competition?" Give each one a form where they list the best looking player, which player has the best beard, who looks best in a helmet, shoulder pads, uniform and more. Tally the votes up at the end. Those who picked the popular player in each category should get some sort of gag gift (like an inflatable football hat). At least they will have a reason to watch the game!

Finally, for the sore losers, let them bat around a football piñata after the game to get our frustrations! Fill it with foil-wrapped chocolate footballs and other goodies.

By Kurt B. Reighley
Special to MSN Music

Hooray! After the post-holiday slump, the world of new releases starts turning again this week!
First up: After countless months of subsisting on a meager diet of rarities, old album tracks and repeated viewings of "Garden State," fans of The Shins can glut themselves silly with the quartet's new third album, "Wincing The Night Away." Title aside, there's nothing cringe-worthy about the follow-up to the Portland, Ore., outfit's cherished 2004 disc, "Chutes Too Narrow." As if band leader James Mercer didn't already score enough brownie points with his dreamy tenor vocals, he merits extra kudos for top-notch songwriting. New cuts such as the gently psychedelic opener, "Sleeping Giants," and the fuzzy first single, "Phantom Limb," solidify The Shins as one of the most inventive, melodic rock bands of our era.

"The Good, the Bad & the Queen" -- isn't that the title of that new reality dating show on Lifetime? No, it's a supergroup featuring Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz), Paul Simonon (the Clash), Simon Tong (the Verve) and Afro-beat percussion great Tony Allen (Fela Kuti). What, you want more star power? Fine: Danger Mouse produced. Seriously. The band's eponymous debut features a dozen moody, brooding tracks that hint at the ensemble's globe-trotting pedigree, yet feel distinctly urban -- even claustrophobic at points -- no matter what timbres or time signatures the boys use. Not quite as abashedly genius as "Parklife" or "London Calling" but infinitely more listenable than "Sandinista" or "Think Tank."

Speaking of icons: Lee Hazlewood, the gravel-voiced crank best known as Nancy Sinatra's longtime musical foil (he wrote "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"), returns with the sublime "Cake or Death" -- but not for long, because Hazlewood claims this will be his last album. If so, he's exiting on a high note. He ropes in a mess of esoteric guest vocalists (including his own granddaughter) to complement his trademark rumble, but the emphasis is on idiosyncratic songwriting chops. If nothing else, this bizarre swan song should dump any lingering trace of what Jessica Simpson did to "Boots" from your memory cache.

And now, back to the Clinic. No, not for another round of painful injections -- just more of the dark yet beguiling fare offered up by that Liverpool quartet. Their fourth album, "Visitations," features jagged guitars and throbbing rhythms, interwoven with woodwinds and organ (hear album). Don't be put off by their mysterious surgical masks; if you're tired of pop pabulum, originals such as "Gideon" and "Family" are just what the doctor ordered.

Think Shins fans had to twiddle their thumbs for an eternity? Devotees of John Mellencamp have been sitting by, five years, waiting for the heartland rocker to emerge from his Bloomington, Ind., studio with a new album of originals. (His previous studio outing, "Trouble No More," primarily updated blues and folk classics.) Their patience is rewarded with "Freedom's Road" (hear album). If you thought Bruce Springsteen was the leading spiritual heir to the Woody Guthrie legacy, give a listen to Mellencamp's recent hit "Our Country," which combines the populist vibe of "This Land Is Your Land" with plenty of timeless roots-rock oomph.

Do you believe in reincarnation? Have you heard Kenny Wayne Shepherd? Since he started his professional career at just 16, this boy wonder has been playing the blues with chops that rival the greats. And, he puts that very notion to the test on "10 Days Out" (hear album), his soundtrack to the documentary of the same name. Shepherd traveled around the country with a portable studio, a backing band (Double Trouble) and producer Jerry Harrison, and jammed with a veritable who's who of blues survivors: B.B. King, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown," Pinetop Perkins, Cootie Stark, Hubert Sumlin and Etta Baker. Read that list again. Yeah ... it's killer. Juxtaposed with the polished rock of Shepherd's last album, "The Place You're In," "10 Days Out" is bluer and more authentic than a warehouse of unwashed Levi's.

But Kenny Wayne was almost a senior citizen when he started singing for his supper, compared to Kristin Hersh. She assembled postpunk pioneers Throwing Muses at age 14 and now begins a new act in her storied career with her latest solo disc, "Learn to Sing Like a Star" (hear album). A clutch of soul-baring cuts and fiery, intense performances (punctuated with a couple quieter instrumentals that serve as aural sorbet), the album was produced by Hersh and mixed by two-time Grammy winner Trina Shoemaker (Sheryl Crow, Victoria Williams, Lisa Germano).

Releases from two very different acts that hail from below the Mason-Dixon Line round out this week's big titles. Memphis, Tenn., hard-rock, five-piece Saliva drop "Blood Stained Love Story," their fourth album - and the first to feature new guitarist Jon Montoya (ex-Full Devil Jacket).
And last, but not least, there's "Late Night Special" (hear album), the sophomore full-length from Pretty Ricky, the Miami R&B quartet that brought you the timeless romance of, ahem, "Grind With Me."

Hey everyone,

We are getting ready to go live with our internet radio station, but we need your help! We have close to a 1,000 of the best party songs of all time, and we need help sorting it all out...

If you want to check out our playlist, and help pick the music just email romeo@partykansascity.com

You can veto bad songs, and make requests for your favorites...

Thanks,

PartyKC.com

One last slow week before the deluge of new releases begins its regular gush. Given the prominence of the film "Dreamgirls" over the holiday season, it only makes sense that Diana Ross, whose life is the obvious inspiration for at least some of the film's pastiche, would crawl out of the woodwork. It's unlikely, however, that "I Love You" are words she would say to anyone associated with the movie, or the stage show that inspired it. Still, Ms. Ross is legendary, and her new album features covers of, shockingly, love songs by Joe Cocker, Berlin, Heart and others. "I Love You" is intended (according to her publicist) as "Diana's personal offering to honor celebrations of love, from the glance of your first true love, through the joy of children, and love everlasting."

A more surprising comeback arrives courtesy of America, the early '70s hitmakers now best known as the band that sounded exactly like Neil Young on that one song ("Horse With No Name") and George Harrison on that other one ("Sister Golden Hair"). "Here & Now" is a new LP, produced by Adam Schlesinger from Fountains of Wayne and James Iha from Smashing Pumpkins, that features songs written by contemporary indie groups such as Nada Surf and Maplewood (members of both groups appear on the album, along with Ryan Adams, Ben Kweller and, uh, Stephen Bishop). America '07-style sounds pretty fresh, but still kind of '70s AM radio. A nice combination.

The unimpeachable Rev. Al Green is also back with "The Definitive Greatest Hits," a two-disc collection of hits and favorites, while Portland, Ore., indie popsters Stars of Track and Field offer this week's freshest blood with the catchy, rocking "Centuries Before Love and War."

Also New This Week
The Smithereens: "Meet the Smithereens!" (Beatles covers)
Stacie Orrico: "Beautiful Awakening"
Sarah Vaughan: "Music for Lovers"
Dinah Washington: "Music for Lovers"
Joe Williams: "Music for Lovers"
Nancy Wilson: "Music for Lovers"

1. Because you whine that you need to. Have you ever been wrong about anything?
2. Twenty pounds of warm human fat can refill every bottle in an empty case of beer, with enough left over to fill your blender.
3. The statement "There's more of me to love" has an actual bedroom translation of "There's more of me to endure."
4. It's not scaling Everest or writing the great American novel. You can do it in your spare time.
5. You'll speak of toaster pastries the way you talk about that dirty blonde from the blues bar in Berkeley, another whiskey-soaked lament over a love too great to last.
6. It's the difference between being thought of as jolly or witty.
7. You'll lose weight everywhere, including the suprapubic fat pad at the base of your penis. So as your belly shrinks, something else appears to grow.
8. Decreased: your chances of developing heart disease, prostate cancer, diabetes, sleep apnea, depression, back pain, impotence, gallstones, joint problems, high blood pressure, low sperm counts, and an impressive collection of prescription-drug bottles.
9. Increased: your chances of putting four fingers on a basketball rim.
10. You'll literally get closer to women.
11. Holy sh— . . . abs!
12. Men who lose weight never have less sex. They may not have more, mind you, but they never have less.
13. You'll shock the world at your local pool by being the only "big splash" champ to win the "little splash" crown.
14. Research shows that since you'll have less weight propelling you into the windshield, you'll also have less risk of dying when your car hits a semi.
15. Every time you pick up a 20-pound dumbbell, you'll remember.
16. You'll be able to reach even more places to scratch.
17. The clothing cliche: It's liberating the first time your pants fall down by themselves.
18. More pullups, because there's less to pull up.
19. Wait till you ride a WaveRunner, quad, or snowmobile when you're 20 pounds lighter. Vroom, baby.
20. In our society, people respect weight loss. Even if you do nothing cool or interesting or memorable for the rest of your life, you'll have done that.

By Lisa Lombardi

Whoa. The animal magnetism between you and your date is so strong you’re finding it difficult to speak, much less pay attention to anything either of you is saying. In a way, feeling instant sparks with fourth-of-July wattage is any dater’s dream come true... and yet, it also can present challenges. Like: Can you two keep your clothes on long enough to figure out whether you have anything in common? Could there be true love in your future? Well, it turns out there are ways to actually get you two bonding. Try our advice to achieve that enviable state of love plus lust.

Try to take things slow
Diving headlong into bed with each other sure may be tempting, but the longer you can hold off, the better it bodes for your relationship potential. “Lust has to do with hormones and requires no work. But there is no safety net with lust,” says relationship expert Bonnie Eaker Weil (www.makeupdontbreakup.com). “Love takes time to develop, so go slowly. Don’t give into your lust if you can avoid it—that is, if you want more than a booty call.” To keep your urges from overwhelming you, try getting to know each other in less charged environments where you can’t get into trouble—over email and the phone, or lunch dates vs. 10 p.m. meetings, which all too easily involve alcohol and can lead back to someone’s apartment.

…And if you don’t wait, enjoy it!
Of course, not everyone has the will power to wait—nor should they! It all depends on what you’re looking for. “If you’re easily hurt or really want to be in a relationship, this might not be the best decision for you,” says Sharyn Wolf, author of So You Want To Get Married: Guerrilla Tactics For Turning A Date Into A Mate. One way to tell if you’re psychologically capable of taking the plunge is to ask yourself: If you get up tomorrow and you don’t hear from this person in 24 hours, how will you feel? If your answer is “devastated,” then do your best to abstain. If your answer is “Not great, but hey, that night of unbridled passion was worth it anyway!” then feel free to proceed.

Up the intensity in bed
Whether you sleep together sooner or later, there are plenty of things you can do during sex that can make a purely physical connection feel much more romantic. For starters, try some eye contact. “Anytime you look into someone’s eyes during sex, it’s intense,” says Julie Taylor, author of How To Be A Dominant Diva. “Also, caressing someone’s face or hair feels especially tender.” And if you’re the talkative type? While it may be tempting to shower them with compliments like “You’re so hot/amazing/gorgeous!” you’re better off with exclamations that emphasize how you two are amazing together, like “I can’t believe how our bodies fit together so perfectly.”

Make it known you want more
What if, after a few dates (or nights) together you find yourself wondering, “Could this be the real thing?” Then it’s probably time to put out some feelers in your date’s direction. “Let this person know where you stand, instead of trying to fish around and find out where he or she stands, which never works,” says Wolf. “Say something like, ‘The level of chemistry here is intense, and that makes me curious if there’s something more here.’ That way you’re just throwing it out there rather than putting on the pressure.” If your date responds with “I feel the same way,” then you may well be on your way to a relationship. If your date shrugs it off, that may mean he or she isn’t interested in a relationship and that you should move on.

Time your “I love you”
It’s the moment of truth: You’ve spent enough time together that you could swear you want to spend the rest of your life with this person—and not just in bed, either. It’s time to utter those three little words... only when? And is it too soon? Here, some general rules of thumb: Don’t say it in bed after getting busy; great sex can cloud your judgment. Plus, the recipient will forever wonder, “Does this person love me because the sex is great, or does this person love me for me?” So instead, choose a moment when you two are doing something incredibly unpassionate—parting ways after a lazy weekend brunch together, or just sitting around one evening watching bad reality shows. Because these are the moments, no matter how unsexy, on which a solid relationship is really built.

Lisa Lombardi is a writer and editor based in New York. She’s contributed to Redbook, Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire.

Admiral William Fallon will run the U.S. Central Command in the Middle East. It's a tricky job. You have to be smart enough to get U.S. troops out of Iraq and a good enough actor to convince President Bush they are still there. (comedian Argus Hamilton)

A Gallup Poll says 44% of Americans read a newspaper every day. That means that President Bush for once is in the majority on something. (Jim Barach)

For the first time, the House of Representatives was controlled by a woman, Nancy Pelosi. It was wild, the House voted to have a sleep over, braid their hair and freeze the bras of the first representatives to fall asleep. (comedy writer Alex Kaseberg)

Gas prices are headed back up. Oil companies plan more exploration in 2007. They seek to find remaining dollars in customer wallets. (Alan Ray)

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced a new plan that would give everyone in California health insurance. Not surprisingly, it will be paid for by Blue Cross of Mexico. (Conan O'Brien)

The big news from Hollywood: Lindsay Lohan had her appendix removed. She had no choice. The pain was making it hard for Lindsay to concentrate on her drinking. (Toms Lake Humor Company)

NBC, always on the forefront of new ideas, is bringing back the series "The Bionic Woman.” Do you think that will be a hit? I don’t know, these days a women walking around L.A. with a lot of fake body parts, is that a big deal anymore? (Jay Leno)

Sharp unveiled a 108-inch TV at the Las Vegas electronics show. Not that many people will buy one. They cost more than Lindsay Lohan's appendix on eBay. (HaBlog)

President Bush will make a major speech on Iraq this week. He's expected to change course by sending more troops and more money to Iraq. It's a change of course because this time he really means it. (HaBlog)

January 9

• Today is National Static Cling Day.
• Today in England is Plough Monday, time to get back to work on the farms after the festivities of the 12 days of Christmas.
• Today is Word Nerd Day, celebrating all those who enjoy playing with words (sponsored by Maria Schneider of Writer's Digest).
• Today is National Stuffed Animal Laundry Day.
• Today is National Milk Shake and Muffin Day.
• Today is Aviation in America Day, marking the first manned free balloon flight on this date in 1793 at Philadelphia. Jean-Pierre Francois Blanchard rose 5,800 feet, traveled 15 miles, and landed 46 minutes after lift-off in New Jersey. Blanchard also had a passenger -- a little black dog.
• Today is Martyrs Day in Panama.

On this date in . . .
1902: New York State introduced a bill to outlaw flirting in public.
1913: Richard Milhous Nixon, the 37th U.S. president, was born in Yorba Linda, California. Today is a public holiday in Yorba Linda.
1940: Singer/actor Jimmy Boyd was born in McComb, Missouri. From 1957 until 1961 he played Howard Meechim on TV’s "Bachelor Father." His biggest song was 1952's Christmas hit, "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus."
1959: CBS-TV premiered Rawhide, starring newcomer Clint Eastwood as Rowdy Yates, Eric Fleming as Gil Favor, Sheb Wooley as Pete Nolan, and Paul Bringar as Wishbone. The western lasted 7½ seasons.
1975: The longest continuous yodel was recorded, lasting five hours and three minutes.
1979: Olivia Newton-John, Rita Coolidge, the Bee Gees, Rod Stewart, Donna Summer, John Denver, Kris Kristofferson, Abba and Earth, Wind & Fire led "A Gift of Song," a benefit concert at the United Nations General Assembly in New York..
1982: The Johnny Cash Parkway was opened in Hendersonville, Tennessee.
1987: Actor Arthur Lake died at age 81. He starred as Dagwood Bumstead in 27 Blondie movies. Although Penny Singleton played Blondie in the films, Lake’s wife Patricia Van Cleve was one of three Blondies on radio. Lake also played Dagwood in the 1957 Blondie TV series.
1993: Responding to a sensor alarm, Mission Control at Cape Canaveral scolded space shuttle Endeavor astronauts to please remember and put the toilet seat down.
1993: When German bank robber Rolf Gorlach called to complain that the newspaper had made a mistake in reporting his robbery, reporters taped the conversation. Police recognized Rolf’s voice and arrested him immediately.
1994: Following a speech to NATO leaders in Belgium, U.S. President Bill Clinton was given a saxophone from Dinant, Belgium, the home town of the instrument’s inventor, Adolphe Sax.
2003: U.N. weapons inspectors said there was no "smoking gun" to prove Iraq had nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons.
2003: A 20-ounce burger fashioned from ultra-tender Kobe beef debuted at New York's landmark Old Homestead restaurant. At $41, it was the most expensive hamburger in the city and the first time the 135-year-old steakhouse ever sold a burger. It came with garlic shoestring fries.
2004: Archaeologists announced they'd found five more chambers in the tomb of Qin Shihuang, China's first emperor. The rooms were believed to cover 750,000 square feet.

Birthdays:

• singer Crystal Gayle 56;
• singer Joan Baez 65;
• singer David Johansen 56;
• singer Jimmy Boyd 66;
• Backstreet Boy A.J. McLean 28;
• guitarist Jimmy Page 62;
• rocker Dave Matthews 39;
• sportscaster Dick Enberg 71;
• golfer Sergio Garcia 26;
• NBA guard Muggsy Bogues 40;
• football’s Bart Starr 73.

1. Falling in love.
2. Laughing so hard your face hurts.
3. A hot shower.
4. No lines at the supermarket.
5. A special glance.
6. Getting mail.
7. Taking a drive on a pretty road.
8. Hearing your favorite song on the radio.
9. Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.
10. Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.
11. Chocolate milkshake (or vanilla or strawberry!)
12. A bubble bath.
13. Giggling.
14. A good conversation.
15. The beach.
16. Finding a 20 dollar bill in your coat from last winter.
17. Laughing at yourself.
18. Holding a newborn baby.
19. Midnight phone calls that last for hours.
20. Running through sprinklers.
21. Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.
22. Having someone tell you that you're beautiful.
23. Laughing at an inside joke.
24. Friends.
25. Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.
26. Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.
27. Your first kiss (either the very first or with a new partner).
28. Making new friends or spending time with old ones.
29. Playing with a new puppy.
30. Having someone play with your hair.
31. Watching the sunrise.
32. Hot chocolate.
33. Road trips with friends.
34. Swinging on swings.
35. Making eye contact with a cute stranger.
36. Making chocolate chip cookies.
37. Knowing that somebody misses you.
38. Holding hands with someone you care about.
39. Running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or bad) never change.
40. Knowing you've done the right thing, no matter what other people think.

Included this week is: