Happy New Year!

"If things are going untowardly one month, they are sure to mend the next." - Jane Austen

Come Fly With Me!

I hope your holidays were fabulous. I have returned to Southern California and have gone back to work singing, "Hi ho, hi ho..." (That's for my boss...in case she's reading this -- the rest of you know the truth.) My holidays were a whirlwind of jet travel and family visits -- both of which can be treacherous. I arrived on the east coast to frigid weather and found myself in a blizzard two days later which slightly delayed my trip back to my beloved north woods of Michigan. I'm happy to report that I passed through the Detroit airport before the terrorist incident that is currently in the headlines.

I did, however, get to visit "the cottages" in the tony resort community of Newport, Rhode Island. I've never seen such outrageously ostentatious mansions -- and these were just summer homes. It was great fun on a gloriously sunny-but-dreadfully-cold winter day.

Last night we went and saw "It's Complicated" with Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin. I liked it better than I thought I would. My favorite part was the scenery and settings. The film was supposed to be set in Santa Barbara -- and that photogenic city never looked so good. Turns out most of the film wasn't shot there -- but the parts that were are recognizable and beautiful.

I have been devoted to my Kindle since I became the owner of one on my birthday. My first download was "The Blind-Side." It was a great book -- very well written by one of my favorite authors. The movie was almost as good. I've become a fan of the Baltimore Ravens and follow the play of their rookie tackle Michael Oher. Me. A woman who has a love-hate relationship with professional football. Seriously. If you want to learn more about Michael, 20/20 will be doing a feature about him and the Tuohy family tonight. It's well worth a peek -- a feel good story that doesn't come around that often.

But you'll have to set your DVRs because also on tonight are the Kennedy Center Honors. It's my mom's favorite television viewing night of the year -- and this year's honorees include some of my very favorite entertainers ever. It's on CBS -- and you won't want to miss it.