And they call it puppy love....

It's Superbowl Weekend! Yay! You know what that means...yes. It's Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl. Watch the football game for the commercials and then the Puppy Bowl for the fun. I could watch those puppies play for hours. Check out the starting line-up here.

It's tradition during the Superbowl to eat food that's not very good for you. Meet a heart attack on a plate.

Everything old is new again...

What am I doing this weekend?

I'm going to the Smuckers' Stars On Ice. Woo hoo! Along with all the 'stars on ice,' my favorite skater, Yuka Sato, is going to be there. I've never seen her skate in person.I love Yuka Sato. I can watch her performances over and over again. Her skating style is something I've always aspired to -- and missed by a mile -- she's gentle, effortless, flowing, with artistic grace and athleticism in one perfect package. Ok, I'll stop gushing. Just watch.

Luck Be A Lady Tonight

Rumor has it that the company I work for will be laying off approximately 1,000 employees on Monday. I believe I have a 50-50 chance of keeping my job. The report on the escalating unemployment rate in the United States this morning scared me to death...but I'm going to attempt to remain positive. It's tough. The minute that they tell you that your job may be in jeopardy, your skill set suddenly seems very small. I can write headlines and update a news website, but can I serve up a spicy bean burrito at the Drive-thru window? In the mean time...I'm going to focus on all the fun stuff that's happening right now.

Sunday is the Golden Globes awards. They mean nothing...the show does act as an unofficial kick-off to the award season...and I think it's great fun to see all the movie stars dressed up in gorgeous gowns to do the red carpet walk. And since they serve alcohol...the acceptance speeches can get outrageous. Good times!

Is it me or does the computer-enhanced image of what Barack Obama will look like at the end of two terms as President of the United States look a bit like George W. Bush? Scary, isn't it?

Check out this grand old dame of a distant era....photos here.

Oh and CNN put together a list of companies that will be hiring in 2009. Just in case!

Daily Hot Flash

• It's the most wonderful time of the year...when you read this, think of it as sung by Andy Williams. Branson, Missouri is so lucky to have him year-round. His Christmas album is a classic. I have to force myself every year to wait until after Halloween to listen to it. I love the holiday season. I spent the weekend looking at festive holiday decorations to cover my windows and tabletop. Of course I didn't buy anything because things are so tight this year. I think everyone is feeling a little pinch in the pocketbook. I thought this might help with some ideas to keep your Christmas shopping on budget.

• Best news story of the month...so far.

• Two really cool things are happening for web surfers -- One is that the Obama Administration is going to continue to use the web to directly communicate with the American population. The other is that MGM is going to start posting full films on YouTube. Both moves are incredibly forward-thinking and will reward those of us how are frequent internet users.

• An intriguing article about Malcom Gladwell. He's the writer who brought us both the Tipping Point and Blink. I consider both books to be MUST READS in order to understand the current economic climate and digital media explosion. Gladwell is a little strange, yet he covers some really relevant topics.

• Because women only want men for snuggling...here's a gift only a man could think was cool.

• A fixer-upper to end all fixer-uppers...you have got to see this place!

• You've heard of Cat-in-the Hat...Here's the Cat-in-the Box. It's Maru, who never met a box he didn't want to attack. Apparently he's huge in Japan. Here's his blog. I can't read Japanese (in fact, my computer doesn't register all the characters) but his photos are cute.

Daily Hot Flash

Cinderella is working overtime today, so I'll keep this short. Even though I'm looking at a twelve hour plus workday, I want you to know that I'm making time to exercise my privilege as a United States citizen to vote. Please make sure that you do too! You can be certain we'll be talking about the results of today's vote tomorrow.

• Did you have your lucky charms for breakfast? You can bet Obama and McCain did.

• A classic gets a little bit of a nip and a tuck here and there...

• Have you met Rachel Maddow? She's the new girl on the block on MSNBC.

• And she twitters!

• Just be glad you're not voting with these guys!

• We're either all going to be in our jammies by bedtime...or it's going to be a long night.

Daily Hot Flash

Happy Halloween! May all your trick-or-treat buckets be filled with chocolate. I, myself, am going to attempt to eat my weight in candy corn. It's a tough job but someone has to do it. There's so much to talk about today...

• Did you know that 2008 was the year of the nightly newswoman? Oh yeah, sisters are doing it for themselves.

• The LACMA (which used to be a block from my house when I lived in Los Angeles) has succumbed to the cult of celebrity. I am still a member of the museum and I just might have to swing past and check it out!

• Just so you know, you're not the first person who has announced (usually under the influence of a couple glasses of cabernet) that if John McCain wins the election, you're moving to the great white north! So many people are packing their bags for Canada that someone's taken the time to put together a soundtrack of Canadian music for your listening pleasure on arrival.

• Wait a minute! Brit guitar god Peter Frampton lives in Ohio! How did this happen?

• I'm not sure if this Frenchy film about a woman of a certain age who pays for sex is intriguing or insulting. I'll let you read over the review and decide for yourself. Films with subtitles have to be very very good for me to want to go see them. Especially now that my eyesight is not my most highly developed of the senses. To be honest, the only sense I have left that is highly developed is my sense of humor. (Insert rimshot here!) Two shows nightly, ladies and gentlemen! ...And try the veal!

• It's 'Little House On the Prairie' on Manhattan! Laura Ingalls Wilder would be sooo jealous!

• Just in case you haven't had enough Halloween haunts yet...

Extra Tit-Bits

• When I was ten years-old, I wanted to go see "The Yearling" with my friends. My Dad, who could always be counted on to never say no, said absolutely not. I went anyway. I left the theatre right after the deer was shot in the head and ran all the way home with tears and snot streaming down my face. I take this trip down memory lane as a way of introducing you to this bittersweet animal story...and here's the happy ending that I wished had been in the movie.

• Friday is National Girlfriends Day! Before my boyfriend has a chance to freak out and hide his credit cards -- it's not that kind of girlfriend. It's a day to celebrate your female friends. The fabulous website, Girlfriendology, has created a list of ways you can let your 'girltourage' know that you love them.

• When I was twelve, I wanted to be an architect. When I was thirteen, I found out it involved math, thus bringing my career plans to a close. No worries, when I was fourteen, I wanted to be a rock star. I think we all know how well that turned out. I'm glad I left the architecture to the professionals -- here's a little something about one of the best.