I have a feeling that most people celebrated today’s Irish holiday this past Saturday night, so how are you guys feeling today? I have a hunch that the only thing you early celebrants will be able to muster today is a weak “sláinte!”

I think that he already celerated this weekend!

But if you did wait to have the fun on actual March 17, I say more power to you. But I caution you to remember this, whether you’re out and about or staying at home with at least one other person: you have to wear at least a wee bit of green today or else you can get legitimately pinched. I always warn Mr. X to make sure he wears it even in the house because I do believe in pinching the non-compliers on St. Paddy’s Day!

By the way, for those readers who do not remember every single lesson that I’ve given here on INAM for the past fifteen or so years, (no worries—neither do I! And I’ve written every word of them!,) and you’re wondering why I’m labeling today “St. PaDDy’s Day,” rather than “St. PaTTy’s Day,” let me explain. It’s “PaDDy” because it’s short for “Pádraig,” which is the actual name of the Irish saint the day is in honor of. Simple dimple.

Who ate this missing slice?

I don’t even know why I love this semi-holiday so much—I’m not very into Irish food, and I don’t even drink! At all. But I love all holidays with fun involved, and socializing and dressing-up in green with fingernails to match, is indeed fun to me.

But mainly I’ll be using today to gear-up for tomorrow! Do any of you know that is? I’ll give you a moment. I’m sure that all sports fans know what March 18th is this year, even if you’re not a fan of that particular event. It’s the start of…March Madness!!! I’ll try to update you on all of that college basketball craziness as it goes along, (so check my tweets, @MajorCelebrity,) but for today, I’ll leave you with an Irish Blessing:

“May you have all the happiness
and luck that life can hold.
And at the end of your rainbows,
may you find a pot of gold.”

I wish you all a very fun, very safe, and very Happy St. Paddy’s Day!

I’m trying to start the new year on a positive note, so I’m kicking-off 2025 here on INAM by wishing you all a fabulous, healthful, and productive next twelve months. (And beyond, of course.)

Let’s all try to make it so!

Usually, the first few days of January bring elation, with everyone being full of hope, having expectations for a wonderful new beginning.

But this year, most everyone I knew is quite fearful because in little more than a couple of weeks, we begin four years that have the big potential to be absolute hell for this country!

However, instead of using our collective energy cursing the darkness of that next quartet of years, I feel that we must all pitch in to try to uplift each other in some way. If each one of us helped others for just even an hour a week, (as I’m doing right now for all of you, by making this my most brief column ever!,) the mental, emotional, and perhaps physical, as well, health of the world, in general, would be further along. And that would give us something to be happy about while we wait it out.

Let’s make the year as sparkling as this image portends it to be!

So, I’m putting aside all the political tension for now to suggest that we all try to catch our New Year’s opportunities to renew, refresh, and recharge. (And, of course, to celebrate my upcoming January 14th birthday!)

Let’s all work together to make 2025 a brilliant year, for everyone!

Happy 2025!!!

In addition to using this three-day week-end as a break from work, and as a time to relax and have some fun, we all need to keep in mind the real purpose of Memorial Day. At least on Monday, the day of the actual holiday.

And that purpose is to honor our country’s armed forces who have lost their lives in service to it. I hope everyone can remember that.

But this year’s Memorial Day is especially poignant. It’s not just the war veterans of the United States I’ll be remembering. I’ll be thinking of the modern-day warriors of Ukraine, who are giving their lives to keep their country going in this extremely trying time. I’m sure that most of us in America cannot even begin to imagine what everyone there is going through.

And there are no warriors braver than Ukraine’s President Zelensky and his wife. I pray for them every night, actually, right along with my own friends.

And even though Memorial Day was designated to honor fallen military personnel, I also use the day to remember my own deceased loved ones, no matter how they left this level of life, even more than I usually do.

Extremely sadly, I’m sure that many of us will also be thinking of the families of the at least nineteen children and two teachers who lost their lives in the Uvalde, Texas horrendous school shooting just the other day. I hope that all of us who care about our fellow human beings will take a minute of this work break to let our representatives know that we want gun control in our country!!!

So, yes, please go ahead and have some fun this week-end; we all deserve it after the past two years of solitude. But also please remember to think of the ones who went before, on every level and in every way, especially to say even a silent “thank you” to the people who gave their lives so that we all can have our celebrations of the holiday over the next three days.

I wish you all a happy, healthy, and especially safe, Memorial Day Week-end. I hope you enjoy however you spend the next few days while still sparing a thought for the people this holiday was designed for to begin with.

I’m really hoping that we all have at least one thing to be grateful for this Thanksgiving. Of course, people who’ve lost loved ones this year, due to Covid or not, may not think there’s anything to be thankful for, which I totally understand. Mr. X and I have shockingly lost several friends recently, which breaks our hearts.

But you guys know me—I always try to find something positive in life. So, in general, I feel that we can all be grateful that life is finally getting back to at least a semblance of normalcy. Just think back to last year at this time, when we all had to stay home for the holiday, with just the people in our abodes, which often meant all alone. We even basically took our lives in our hands just going to the store for supplies to cook Thanksgiving dinner!

I’m not exaggerating—Mr. X and I dressed in almost hazmat suits!!! We wore double-masks, (often along with a face shield,) rubber gloves, hats, glasses, and old clothing and shoes that we took off in the garage! To look on the bright side of even that, there was zero chance that anyone would recognize us looking that bad.

After we undressed, we sanitized every single package from the store, which took about an hour each time. Exhausting. And sort-of crazy, as I look back on it now. So therefore I’m grateful that, even though the pandemic is far from over, we don’t have to go to those extremes again this year.

I’m also thankful that after so much time has passed without any social interactions, I’m finally back in the loop of life again. It’s actually been a tad hard to even remember who all my friends really are, but I had a lovely reminder this past week-end when my best ones helped me, big-time, with my…garage sale! Major Thanksgiving thanks go to (in order of appearance,) Curtis, Marc, Jeanine, Lyndsey, and Celia. I seriously could not have done it without those peeps!

I’m also grateful the sale went so well! Not just for me but for everyone. First of all, I’m thrilled that all the shoppers were sooooo happy with their purchases. Besides that they got the bargains of the century, (if I do say so myself,) they could not stop smiling the whole time. And thanking me! When does that ever happen at a garage sale?! Secondly, I’m qvelling for Mr. X to now have soooo much more room in the house. That’s just about all he’s ever asked me for in life. Next comes my happiness at finally getting to hang with people again; it seriously was akin to having a party here, in many ways. And lastly, I’m grateful that I was able to make a few bucks during the holiday season. [No worries if you’re a local reader and feel bad you missed it—you can be grateful that we’re doing it all again in December, just in time for you to find unique holiday gifts! Just check all the garage sale sites for the deets.]

Iman Shumpert and Daniella Karagach winning this season of Dancing With The Stars.

And, since you know what a major fan of fairness I am, I’m sure you all figured-out that I’m thankful that Iman Shumpert and Daniella Karagach won Dancing With The Stars on Monday night. Her choreography is genius, and though Iman was not the actual best dancer on the show this season, he was by far the most entertaining. And charming. He’s the only contestant Mr. X and I looked forward to seeing each week. We both even spontaneously applauded in the middle of some of their routines! In addition to that their performances were spectacular, I feel a kinship to both of them individually; Iman’s name is an anagram of the acronym of this e-zine (“INAM,”) and Daniella is my fellow Capricorn and Brooklynite. So major congrats to Iman and Dani, and thanks to those of you who read my plea to vote for them a few weeks back, and did exactly that!

Franklin finally has pals sitting with him on his side of the table!

Other than all that, I’m also appreciative that once again Mr. X and I will be celebrating Thanksgiving at the home of our dear friends, Fred Deni and Jim Crystal, who are the owners of Back on the Beach cafe, so you know the food will be extra-delish. It will be a lovely break from my own year and two-thirds in the kitchen!

I wish all of you a similarly fun and tasty Thanksgiving. And a very happy, healthy, safe, and especially thankful one, as well. Let’s all try to concentrate on the positives, with extreme gratitude, (or at least as much as you can muster right now,) this entire holiday week-end. Stay safe out there!

This Monday, something will occur that I don’t remember ever happening before in my lifetime—Labor Day and Rosh Hashanah will be on the same day! (I actually researched the topic to see if it ever had, and I came up with nil.)

So I went back and forth on which one we should celebrate here, and I decided to fete…both of them! Together! (I know that I could wait until Monday, the actual day the holidays fall on, to write about one or the pair, but let me point-out that since they’re both holidays, I’m taking them off, of course! I’m both a laborer and a Jew-ess! So I should get two days off next week!)

Let me begin with Labor Day. For those who think of it as just three-day-week-end fun in the sun, that’s fine. But in case you want to know more about this federal holiday, its raison d’etre is to celebrate and honor American workers, especially for their contributions to the economy.

I’m pretty sure that this year it involves many more people than it did in 2020. That’s because so many were laid-off last year during the main part of the pandemic, and now they’ve either learned how to work from home successfully, or, because of vaccines, they’re returning to the outside-the-home work force. (Of course, I feel that everyone should still be working from home because the Delta variant is making it way too risky to go back to normal life, which soooo many people are doing! And I’m really worried about super-spreader events happening this week-end.)

So, if you are someone who works in any capacity, (which must be most of us,) I wish you a very Happy Labor Day. And an extra-special shout-out once again to all the essential workers, (not just the ones in healthcare, but the people who help us in our daily lives, in any and all capacities.) You are the ones who deserve to have a good time right now more than just anyone else!

And then we have Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which actually lasts from Monday-Wednesday. I was wracking my brain for something new to say about this holiday this year, and was coming up empty. And then I realized that most likely not all of you have seen the YouTube video I did for Rosh Hashanah last year; it’s the story of the craziest jewish holiday I ever had, which I shared with the mother of none other than Steven Spielberg! (Maybe he’d like to include this tale in the movie he’s making now about his family. If any of you can get it to him, let’s make it happen!) Since this is one of the happy holidays, (and who isn’t in need of some happiness right about now?,) I figured everyone can still use the laughs. Here’s the link to the mirth: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUZw1cpCY2c&t=38s.

To all my Jewish readers, I wish you a lovely, peaceful, healthy, and especially in 2021, a safe New Year.

And to all the workers of the world, I suggest you just kick back and relax/have fun over this holiday week-end, and especially on Labor Day itself. Just take care of yourselves and try not to be in crowds. Otherwise, it could be your lungs that are laboring next! (It’s always good to end a light article on a note of warning, isn’t it?!)

The actual holiday is not until Sunday, of course, but I’m doing something different this year. Instead of suggesting great gifts or places to celebrate, I’m writing a brief tribute to my own little mother, a decade on from the final Mother’s Day I got to spend with her. Even though she passed lo those many years ago, I’m still getting choked-up just writing this.

May Rose Salkin was always different from any mother I ever met. She was a teacher from the get-go, which I was so proud of. Most of my other friends’ mothers didn’t work outside the home at all, let alone in the academic field. No disrespect to them, of course, but all the other mothers in my elementary school were homemakers, and wore pants and much make-up, while my mother rocked skirts and the natural look. I’m not going to lie—when I was a kid, I sometimes sort-of wished she would put on a pair of stretch pants and false eyelashes, as well. (But I didn’t think about that often.)

One of the best aspects of Maybelle was that she was the funniest woman ever! My friends always chose to hang-out with her, even when it was not very convenient to do so. In later years, when I’d spend a month or so in New York with her a few times a year, my pals would opt for us to go out to dinner much earlier than usual, so they could come hang-out with my early-to-bed mother for an hour or so before we left. And occasionally, they’d even ask to bring food over and stay in my house instead of dining out, just to spend the evening with my little mo!

The co-best part of her was all the charity work she did, mostly behind the scenes. When she noticed that one of her students perhaps needed some new clothes, she got it for them. She even gave money to many kids’ families! And I can’t tell you how often my entire fam would visit her students when they were sick.

You may have to look at this one twice to see that it says Happy Mother’s Day on the right!

And here’s another kind deed she did every weekday morning–she stopped at a bakery on the way to school, and bought a bunch of pastries with her own money, and then sold them to the teachers in their lunchroom to give the money to charity! (So, in other words, she could have just given her money to charity to begin with, and cut out the middle part. But she wanted the bakery to have money, too, and give the teachers something fun to eat at the same time!)

And she always got her talented students together to perform shows at the local children’s’ hospital. And, of course, we brought all the kids goodie bags. You may think I first learned that concept at all the Hollywood events I frequent nowadays, but no–my mother pioneered it! Our dining room was always loaded with bags which we kids loved helping to fill. I adored giving them out even more. I have never seen another teacher do things like this for people. She was beloved by everyone.

I guess you’re getting the idea that May Rose Salkin definitely marched to her own drummer, which she did even in eras when it was not very cool to do that. (Mr. X just emphatically stated, “She was a rebel!”)

She was that, indeed, which I usually admired. But I have to admit, entertaining as they were, some of her little quirks did drive me a tad crazy. I never knew if she did them on purpose or just by accident, but to this day, when I see a crooked stamp on an envelope, I think of her; every single stamp on every single missive she ever sent was askew. When I’d ask her about it, her attitude was basically, “Oh well.”

And actual envelope from May to Karen Salkin. Photo by Karen Salkin.

And for years when I was very little, we loved eating at a neighborhood eatery, which she called “Hamburger Heaven.” Years later, when I learned how to read, I discovered that the name of it was really “Burgerama!” She just called it what she wanted to, even though she was an English teacher! (I have tons of stories like that one!)

Some of you may remember the traumatic story of my first school Halloween, (which Mr. X said I must tell here, not knowing I had already included it.) The short version is that one October day when I was in kindergarten, my mother told me it was Halloween, and dressed me in my bride costume. Well, I got to school, and of course it was not Halloween yet! I was the only idiot in a costume. Even she didn’t know how she made that mistake! (You can read the entire crazy tale right here. Trust me, it’s a good one: itsnotaboutme.tv/news/holiday-happy-halloween.)

Also when I was very young, my father was the one in charge of playing records. But if he was out giving exams at the Board of Education, (yes, both my parents were educators,) and my siblings and I wanted to hear something, my mother would brave putting a vinyl on the turntable, but only with us three kids standing around the player, all chanting, “Gently, gently,” until she got it on, unscathed. Oysh.

May Salkin with producer David Permut, the two people this YouTube video is about, way back in the day. Photo by Karen Salkin.

One of my all-time favorite stories about my mother is her first trip out here to LA. It’s too long to relate in all its glory here, but I told the entire tale in one of my YouTube videos that I shot during lockdown. (You can see it here; the story starts at 3:50 in, and please know that I was more than a tad punchy on this one: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtRsfXDIrNI&t=20s.)

My mom could cook only two things. (Perhaps that’s why I became a restaurant critic! The first time I was on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, I told him that my mother taught me how to not cook, which he got quite the kick out of.) My mother made hands-down the best matzah ball soup in the world! To this day, I’ve never found more perfect hard matzah balls anywhere else! And she occasionally concocted her famous “mishmash,” which, when I grew-up, I found-out was really shepherd’s pie. (Actually, on this one, I don’t know if she even knew that it was an already-established dish!)

My mother seemed to have two favorite words–“charming” and “adorable.” Nowhere was that more obvious than when she guested on my TV show, Karen’s Restaurant Revue, which she did three times—the first alone and then two as the comedy team that was my parents together. She deemed all the restaurants we reviewed, (and their male owners,) to have those two qualities, while my father said that everything was “unusual,” (which none of it was, by the way.)

Here are some interesting occurrences: May Rose learned to drive at fifty-two! And she discovered her talent for painting around that age, as well. She was already a successful published poet, but that she become an accomplished miniature watercolorist, too, was a surprise to all of us. If she bestowed one of her works on you, you were considered special. Which reminds me–she often sold her work at the Brooklyn Heights Promenade art shows. But if she deemed you to be adorable, she just gave you a painting! And if she didn’t like you, for one crazy reason or other, she wouldn’t let you purchase a painting! How nutty was that?! It drove my father crazy. (As Mr. X pointed-out, that was not the best business model.)

A sextet of miniature watercolor paintings by May Salkin, proudly displayed in one of Karen Salkin’s “precious possessions” areas. Photo by Karen Salkin.

In more examples of how different my mother was, I recently noticed a Facebook post entitled Mom’s Favorite Sayings. There were ones like “What part of no don’t you understand!?” And “Money doesn’t grow on trees,” “Eat your vegetables,” and “Because I said so, that’s why!” And it hit me in a nano-second—never once did my Brooklyn Jewish mother utter even one of those sentences! Ever!

She was a cut above, in every way: she always wore skirts, never pants; she was a teacher when all the other mothers were stay-at-homes; she let us play in the living room and anywhere else in the house that we wanted to, while at everyone else’s homes we were confined to one playing area and never the living rooms; she never threatened or even punished us, (my father did that); and though not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, she gave me the money I needed to go out with my friends, without making me have an allowance or do chores for the cash. I could go on and on, but you get the drift by now.

And one of my favorite miniature paintings of my mother’s by itself. Photo by Karen Salkin.

And, boy, could that woman plan activities! Since, as I said, both my parents were teachers, the whole family had the summers off from school. And every single day was full of fun things to do, all planned perfectly so none would get repetitive.

And yes, I did always appreciate her for all of that, even when I was a kid! And I’m thrilled that I let her know of that appreciation all the time.

So, of course I wish my mother was here to wish a Happy Mother’s Day to. But absent that, please let me remind all of you to show-up for your moms as much as possible, even if she isn’t as “adorable” as my maternal parental unit was.

And to all of you who are celebrating this week-end, let me be the first to wish you a Happy Mother’s Day. And stay safe out there!

Halloween will be here in three days, but I’m discussing it now so that I can give you some safe ways to celebrate. It’s one of my favorite holidays, second to only Christmas, so I want it to be good for everyone, even in this crazy year.

Even the pumpkins are reacting to 2020!

Sometimes when I’m writing about a holiday, I look back over my previous columns on the topic, for inspiration. But Halloween in 2020 is a totally different animal. There’s no other year I can compare this one to.

It’s a spooky holiday to begin with, and no year has been spookier than 2020, so maybe this one is just status quo.

Please heed this red circle this year!

It’s a shame that Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, when no one can, nor should, be going out! But, on the bright side, that lack of being able to celebrate on the exact day and night gives us the ability to observe it all week, even more than ever.

So, everyone, please stay at home this week-end, and, actually, for all the upcoming 2020 holidays. There’s nothing worse than having regrets, and wishing you had listened to the experts and not endangered yourself and your family is one of the worst ones you’ll ever have!

So many ways to celebrate Halloween without going out this year!

So please, please, please do not put yourself and others, especially the little ones, in harm’s way for the sake of trick-or-treating or partying this year! There’s a plethora of Halloween-related activities we can all do to have fun, while still staying safe. Yes, it won’t be the way most of us would like it to be, but it’s so much better to be safe than sorry. There will always be another Halloween next year, knock on wood. Just please safeguard yourself and your loved ones to make sure that you’ll be around for it!

Here are several fabulous ideas to ensure you have a Happy Halloween from tonight through the end of the month, including ways to make it special at home.

Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz’ Animation Fest.

~ This one is tonight only, and will be a fun way to kick-off the festivities, especially for you animation fans. Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz’ is celebrating International Animation Day by bringing us their Animation Fest at 8:00pm tonight, October 28, 2020. It’s being presented on-line, of course, so everyone in the world can share in the entertainment. There will be a septet of award-winning pieces from France, Belgium, and Portugal, all in French with English subtitles. (But for me, the visuals are king in animation, anyway, not the words! And I’ll be happy to practice my French!) There will be a variety of animation techniques on display, which I can’t wait to see. To view the trailer, and to purchase the most affordable tickets I’ve ever heard of, click here: www.trkanimationfest.eventive.org/welcome

The Brett Loudermilk Halloween Special.

~ This season’s America’s Got Talent semi-finalist, the hilarious Brett Loudermilk, is kicking the week-end off right with not one, but two live shows that you can watch on-line! The Brett Loudermilk Halloween Special runs tomorrow night, (Thursday, October 29th,) and Friday, the 30th, and will ensure that your holiday week-end starts off in a really fun, and funny, way. He’s a comedic sword swallower, and we never know just what will come out of his mouth! (See what I did there?) He’ll be joined by fellow AGT alum, the creative Puddles Pity Party, along with Gilbert Gottfried as Dracula. There will be some other surprise guests, as well. Here’s the link for very affordable tickets and all the other info: www.stellartickets.com

Bob Baker’s Marionettes’ Hallowe’en SpOoKtAcUlAr.

~ Bob Baker’s Marionettes are back on PlayhouseLive with their Hallowe’en SpOoKtAcUlAr. And for this one, you have until November 18th to stream it! Kids and grown-ups alike will enjoy seeing the almost-one-hundred puppet characters, including the Purple People Eater, Dracula, and the Invisible Man. And closed captioning will be available in both English and Spanish. For all of the information about PlayhouseLive, go here: www.playhouselive.org.

~ If you’re uber-cautious, as I am, there are plenty of spooky virtual experiences, like the ones above. There are on-line shows, Zoom experiences, and even a few radio ones. The latter can be the scariest—just shut all the lights, and hold flashlights under your chin for the others to see. If you can listen in a tent in the backyard, all the better!

~ If you have kids, (or just sugarholic grown-ups around,) do a candy search around the house. (Mr. X actually does that every night. He begs me to hide it from him, since he doesn’t want to eat sugar, and then he winds-up desperate to find it!)

So many Halloween treats!

~ There are several drive-in movies this season, featuring scary films this week-end. You just have to check around for the ones in your area.

~ Speaking of local fun, many cities around the country are having drive-thru attractions, like the ones we usually walk through. There are haunted “houses,” exotic pumpkin patches, and the like.

~ Make Halloween-themed treats and decorations. It’s fun to do with kids, and actually, with just a couple of grown-ups, too!

~ Have your kids still don costumes, (and you do it, too,) and have a Zoom “party” with their friends. I really do think it can be tons of fun. They can also compare candy, decorations, and take turns telling scary or jokes. (I was an elementary school teacher, so I really do know of what I speak!)

My favorite Halloween ever! Clockwise from front left: Alex Hazel, TJ Jones, Ronnie Hazel, Jr., Karen Salkin, and Collin Louro. The boys told the grown-ups where we trick-or-treated that I was their sister, Wandita! Oysh. Photo by Arianna Jones.

~ Drive around to see all the decorated houses in your town, dressed in costumes yourselves. Just don’t forget to put your masks on, (your PPE ones, in addition to your scary ones,) if you have the windows open. (Here are a few in Los Angeles: a Disney-inspired extravaganza at 1505 N. Valley St. in Burbank; a Beetlejuice-themed design on the 14000 block of Valley Vista in Sherman Oaks; one that was recommended to me on Crescenda and Saltair in Brentwood; and a nighttime-and-week-end-only one at Chapman and Magnolia in Riverside.)

Just part of the fabulous Holiday Fantasies Come To Life display in Burbank. We visited at dusk, but I hear it’s even more spectacular at night! Photo by Karen Salkin.

~ Spend the time to send out e-cards, making each one personal, instead of just a group email.

And just a reminder…not everyone celebrates Halloween, so it’s never imperative to do so, especially this year. Once kids are around twelve, they’re usually done with it all, anyway. As late teens, they may get into the holiday again, but for parties only, not trick-or-treating. So if your little ones miss one year of going to the homes of strangers for mystery treats, so be it. I grew up in Brooklyn, and kids always missed something around this time of year there because of getting sick. So just deal with it, people!

Even THIS group needs masks for their gathering this year!

And just remember—the scariest thing in the world is getting the coronavirus! Is a little free candy worth that? I think not. (And really–do any of us really need any more sugar, now that we’ve all gained the “covid nineteen”?!)

If you still need something to make you happy right about now, just remember—all those bags of Halloween candy leftover in the stores will be just about free next week! Now that’s something to look forward to.

Happy Halloween! At least 2020’s rendition will be a memorable one!

[And when you’re done celebrating on Saturday night, in one of the safe ways I just suggested, don’t forget to turn your clocks back! It’s the perfect day to get an extra hour of sleep, even though that’s what most of us have been doing for the past seven and a half months! But, in general, it is another perk of having Halloween fall on a Saturday!]

For Valentine’s Day, I usually either give you guys sage advice for today, or use this space as an open love letter to Mr. X, or suggest things for you to do to celebrate this coming Sunday’s occasion. And, those previous Valentine’s Day columns have been pretty good, if I do say so myself. (You can always check my archives for them, if you’re interested, by either putting the words into one of the two “Search” boxes on the front page, or clicking on all the past “Februarys on the right side of any page.)

As I’ve mentioned before, Mr. X and I rarely do anything on the actual day or night of February 14th. We don’t need to—we’re romantic every day!

But even if we wanted to this year, I’m pretty sure that I’ll be too tired to go out with him that night. That’s because I’ll be spending the day at GBK’s Gifting Suite for the Grammys! If it’s even close to as fun as it was last year, I’m in for a really exciting, (and exhausting) day!

Speaking of gifts, I didn’t have time to gather a group of potential Valentine’s gifts for you this year. But, in case you’re in need of some some last-minute suggestions, I’m including the link to my recent Holiday Gift Guide, (in case you missed it the first time around.) The items in it are perfect for Valentine’s Day gifts, as well. (The two shows in there are no longer applicable, of course, but tickets to something are always a good idea.) Here ’tis: itsnotaboutme.tv/news/gift-ideas-holiday-gift-guide-2015

And let me be the first to wish all of you, my supportive loves, a super Happy Valentine’s Day!

I know I should start off on a positive note, but I noticed that when I put this column on my work-planning page awhile ago, (yes, I do actually plan all this!,) next to the title I wrote, “Ugh.”

Where did 2014 go? It was supposed to be my favorite year! (That’s what I thought because 7 and 14 are my favorite numbers. And yes, I do know that I’m a tad nutty.) And now it’s gone in a second! I often forgot to actually feel it. And to get a kick out of writing “2014” on each of my work pages.

So, maybe my plan for 2015 should be to stop and smell the roses. (Except that I have asthma, so that may not work out too well for me.)

Okay, before I become too much of Debbie Downer, let me wish you all a wonderful 2015, and I’ll try to join you all in making this year a great one!

Happy New Year!

[P.S. If you missed my New Year’s Eve bon mots on twitter, about how the uber-creepy Kathy Griffin was ruining our night, (that were re-tweeted and favorited several times, so thanks for that, the ones who did them,) you may want to follow me on twitter, right off the bat of this year! @MajorCelebrity. As Scrooge says, (when he becomes a good man,) do it before you dot another i!]

Did you guys notice how we’re celebrating my thousandth column?! We re-vamped the entire website!

I am the last person for change; hence, my same very long, straight hair since I was teen. (Well, with a few disastrous accidents in-between. Remember my “Anybodys” from West Side Story look? That was a horror show.)

Does anyone know what this is, and why it’s applicable here? Give up? It’s the “Temple of the Warriors, The Thousand Columns!” Get it? Thousand columns to celebrate my thousandth column!

We’d been planning this since the Spring, but I had to take one last torturous trip to New York, (to finish the depressing task of cleaning-out my childhood home,) which took-up not only many weeks out of my life, but most of the space in my mind. And my soul, which is really what runs ItsNotAboutMe.TV.

But now that that soul-sucking situation is almost over, (thank goodness,) I was finally able to turn my attention back to business.

I hope you like this semi-new look, (a leopard can only change so many of her spots at one time,) and that it works for all of us.

Please, please, please let me know what you think of this new web design, yay or nay. I can take it. (I think.)

[Big Note!: I was really hoping the look would be perfect by the time I published today’s milestone column. But, alas, the web designer ran into a few glitches. I couldn’t be more disappointed myself, but I’m asking all of you to please excuse that it’s not totally camera-ready yet. It’s, unfortunately, still a work-in-progress at this point, and I really, really, really hope to have it all looking much, much, much better than this in the next few days. Knock on all the wood I can find!!!]