True, this February has brought us Americans many a bountiful entertainment gift - the Saints triumph at the Superbowl, the awesome Vancouver Olympics, a brand new season of "16 and Pregnant." But in my opinion, this month is torturous and elongated, despite its curtailed twenty-eight day calendar. February is way too close to spring, yet so far removed from it. Funny how the shortest month of the year is feeling like the longest...

So how can we, fellow summer-supporters and beach-lovin' folks of the world, get through these darkest and dreariest of days? Well, I recently google'd the phrase"beat the winter blues" and what did I find? Stuff that my doctor's been telling me to do all my life: eat healthy, exercise, avoid binge drinking (sorry about that last one, Doc!) But most people don't follow these overly-obvious instructions. Most people sit down on the couch with a pack of Oreos, channel surf until their fingertips hurt and maybe glance once or twice at their folded-up treadmill, mocking them from across the room, sporting a fine layer of dust on its metal handle bars.

One thing I did recently to battle my own blues was sign up for two adult education classes, which start in a couple of weeks. One is Italian Cooking. The other is Pilates for Beginners. So now, I can learn how to make fattening, delicious meals on Mondays and work off those calories I consumed on Wednesdays. Move over, Giada de Laurentiis - soon enough, I'll be able to cook as good as you AND look just as good as you...maybe ;-)