Dear editor

Today I wrote a "letter to the editor" and sent it to my paper. I'm on pins and needles to find out whether they'll publish it. I found that I had so much fun writing it that I'm considering sending letters on random topics to random newspapers on a regular basis. A couple of years ago, I got my letter published when I wrote about - ready for this - Columbus day. When I saw my name in print, it literally made my day.

Maybe I can even send them in this!

Toilets in space

This morning as I was reading the paper on the train I saw the best headline I've ever come across:

Space Station Astronauts Face Toilet Troubles

I have so many questions.

But I'm not going there. This is, after all, supposed to be a mature blog.

However, I have to point out that they were able to send a lander on Mars but apparently toilet technology is a different story. Supposedly the missing toilet part is going to be sent on board Discovery. I hope they send it soon. Those poor astronauts...they really...need to go. NASA should seriously think about building a second toilet in the space station.

Anyone else heard the new single from Coldplay called "Viva La Vida"? I love it. Or at least I used to - I've played it so much that I'm sick of it. But it was good while it lasted.

From AmeriCares

Today I received a wonderful surprise - Lisa from AmeriCares sent me a very kind email in response to yesterday's post.

She writes:

Dear Hazel,

This morning I noticed a mention of AmeriCares on your website, so I checked it out. I usually don’t email folks that mention us in blogs, etc., but I was so impressed with your beautiful jewelry that I’m going to keep your site on my favorites list for when I need to purchase a gift for someone!

We so appreciate that you are encouraging people to give to our fund for Myanmar – the situation is unspeakably awful there and much needs to be done. We will likely soon have a dedicated fund for China too so please keep checking our website for updates.

Best regards

Thank you for your very kind words, and for all the work that you guys do!

Dresses and millionaire marriages

I bought this cute red dress from Old Navy. The sleeves are my favorite feature (Old Navy calls them "lantern" sleeves, whatever that means), and the color is so festive. I'm thinking of wearing this to Mr HD's holiday office party.

I've also been following the news about Google's co-founder Larry Paige, who is engaged to be married. His fiancee really scored big time! But at least she doesn't sound like a trophy wife - apparently she is a doctoral student at Stanford in...er...something called "biomedical informatics", which sounds like a very, very serious PhD indeed.

The other Google founder, Sergey Brins, also got married a while back, and I read that Google then invested $3 million to his new wife's start-up company. That's a great source of venture capital right there at her fingertips - I wonder if she had to make a "presentation", if you know what I mean. This guy is actually pretty cute - he sort of bears a faint resemblance to that actor Reid Scott from My Boys.

And that's all I have to say for today.

Wanted: Sugar Daddy

I've been kept endlessly entertained over the story of the spectacularly beautiful gold-digging woman who posted an ad on Craigslist New York searching for a rich husband. Preferably one who made more than half a million a year because any less wouldn't even get her to Central Park West.

The woman has since pulled off her ad because of the infamous attention it has garnered, but if you haven't seen it yet, then click here. The ad itself, classic as it was, was not even the best part. Oh, no. The best part was the response she received from a male investment banker, which appears below her actual ad.

Granted, I should be fair and at least give the gold-digger props for her brutal honesty. No beating around the bush, that one. But the smackdown she got from the banker made me laugh so hard tears started coming out of my eyes.

He sounds like he might be a huge jerk in his relationships and could probably win worst boyfriend awards, but, man, when I got to the part where he calls her a "depreciating asset," I thought I would surely pee my pants.

Dinner report:
Tonight I made broiled lamb chops with a butter and onions sauce, served with orzo. Mmm, mmm, good.

TV report:
I scared myself silly watching Ghost Hunters on the SciFi channel. They were investigating the Sprague Mansion in Rhode Island during this episode, and inside the mansion was a tiny room filled to the brim with creepy, ugly dolls. I am certain those dolls come alive at night when the house is silent. I was so terrified after the show that I couldn't move from the couch until Mr. HD came home.