Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink...

In honor of World Water Day, I've decided to do a post on gratitude since the abundance of clean water we have should make those of us in the West extremely grateful we live here.

Aussie web news site The Mosman Daily profiled 94 year-old Anne Parcell. The grandmother of five is completely independent and even drives to her local nursing home to visit the residents there. Parcell began her volunteering back in 1955 as a social hostess before moving on to work with the blind and deaf, the homeless and the Red Cross. A quote from the story notes she is grateful for her volunteer work as it gives her a "new lease on life." Some of us nearly three-quarters her age should be shamed by that.

As math has never been my strong suit, I won't even try to figure out the fraction of Anne Parcell's age represented by the middle school students in the following Tampa Bay Online article. As part of Lenten festivities, Catholic school students in sixth and eighth grades participated in Operation Rice Bowl. Catholic Charities organizes this every year: Instead of a regular meal, substitute a meat-less meal and donate what you would have spent on the regular meal to Operation Rice Bowl. And the lesson is not lost on the pre- and teenagers: student Jodie Anderson said, "I'm eating this meal for lunch today, and it may not be much, but at least I know I'll have a regular meal for dinner tonight. Other kids won't be so lucky. I've learned not to take what I have for granted."

In professional sports, you tend to see an even split between spoiled athletes and grateful ones. However, as Yahoo! reported, former New Orleans Saint Scott Fujita just scored one for Team Grateful. Traded to the Cleveland Browns after winning the Superbowl, Fujita donated half his championship check to Haitian relief efforts and to coastal restoration in New Orleans. He and his family wanted to "protect" the city and residents they cared so much about.

(Photo courtesy of Yahoo! Sports)

Who dat sitting at her desk all sleepy?...

So, like 90 percent of the country, I am beyond tired this morning. I debated calling in sick, but I couldn't justify it as I'm more anti-Colts than pro-Saints. However, I am very pleased for the city of New Orleans and the Saints franchise.

As a former advertising copywriter, I usually look forward to the Superbowl ads since the are really the pinnacle of that industry's yearly body of work. However, this year I was less than impressed. The Doritos ad above turned out to be my favorite, followed closely by the e*Trade baby commercials.

I promise tomorrow I will be back with actual news stories, but today I just couldn't be sure of being coherent...

Superbowl Sund-, er, Friday...

Since I don't post on the weekends, I thought I'd do a football-themed entry today. My friend B mentioned this morning it doesn't feel like it's time for the Superbowl. I'm not going to lie, I actually forgot it was this Sunday. I've been in a baking frenzy, trying to assemble 120 iced cookies into 40 baby shower favors, so I'm not really sure what day it is, much less what's on TV. However, I shall spend the weekend on the other end of my apartment from the kitchen, parked on the couch, watching as much TV as humanly possible. : )

I will, in fact, be rooting for the Saints. Not that one of the highest-powered offenses in football is an underdog, but somehow, a franchise's first trip to the big game (despite the ridiculous numbers put up by that team all year) do not compare with a four-time league MVP and multiple trips to the Superbowl in the last few years. (PS - This is one reason for the dearth of Colts stories in today's post...The other is I'm from Baltimore.)

The following Reuters article is fun to read for its educational tone alone. Aimed at explaining the hoopla to non-Americans, the story nicely juxtaposes the Saints' success with the struggles of New Orleanians post-Katrina. Pay no attention to the Danny Downer somewhere in the middle of the story; focus on the "Saints Salve."

The Saints have been a big part of helping to rebuild New Orleans from the inside out, particularly in terms of education and the well-being of the city's children. As this story on www.NOLA.com tells, New Orleans teachers are returning the favor. Schools of all levels throughout the area are teaching their children through football-themed lesson plans. Some of the more creative ideas include third-grade math students learning how far $4000 goes for people attending the game, music students wrote lyrics to a Saints mambo, and one class of fourth-graders will Skype with their counterparts in Indianapolis.

This last little one isn't necessarily Superbowl related, but it's a nice thought (and good excuse to get on Facebook during a slow day at the office). St. Jude is partnering with Target and Facebook to help the kids at the hospital. Target is giving away $1 million to St. Jude's and other charity partners via its Super Love Sender app. Facebook users have until Feb. 14 to send football-inspired, customized video cards to family and friends (up to 10 per computer per day), and St. Jude will get one vote for every card sent which designates the hospital as the sender's charity of choice.