Well, the snow's been falling for about 16 hours already. They're predicting 6-10 inches MORE snow on top of what we've already gotten. Everyone I know is working from home or just flat out off. All the schools in the surrounding counties are off. Some of the schools IN the county are off. And yet, here I sit at work, because the university flat out refuses to close. I loaded my kids up into their car seats and, against my better judgement, drove them over to the sitter's house. I passed accidents, and cars in the ditch. I passed a car facing the wrong way in the median that had just been abandoned there. I spent 1.5 hours driving my 45 minute commute, to arrive and find that my students are all smarter than I am: They're all staying home today, rather than drive in the snow and slush like an idiot. Which means I've got absolutely nothing to do for the rest of my work day. Guess how happy I am about it?

If you've read this far into my blathering, you deserve a reward. So here's my offer: I'd like to send you a fake news story. It's going to be something I made up, with absolutely NOTHING to back it up. Oh, sure, I'll play it off all "Scientist now believe, this is a PROVEN FACT, fo sho" ... But they don't, and it won't be! It may not even sound plausible! But that's the point.

Most likely, these will be written out on paper that isn't so pretty, and stuffed into a prettier card after I get home - so they may not be sent off immediately.