Raise your hand if you're a raving lunatic

It ain't just Charlie Sheen. Although, I did have a bit in common with him as I bicycled in the pre-dawn chill today.

Yeah, it was cold.

Yeah, it was dark.

Yeah, I was the only one out there. And I do so mean Out There. Quasi-delirious.

See, I was deathly afraid of getting mugged by a raging, rabid raccoon in Central Park, not that either of us would've been more crazy than the other.

Turns out it was a false alarm about those furry fiends.

So g'head and get outdoors today for a little dose of crazy of your own. There's plenty of federal, state and local parks. Some doctors're even prescribing a visit to their patients.

But before you head on out, please accept my thanks for reading all the way down here.

Mother Nature is your secret admirer today

Whether you take advantage of today's weather or not, this is Mother Nature's Valentine's Day gift to you.

Biking to work, while sloppy, is encouraged.
So is wearing shorts (seriously - one guy in the agency actually did today - see the photo?).
Maybe it's time for a slightly shorter-than-usual haircut.

In any event:
• Unmuffle those scarves
• Unhand those gloves and - c'mon -
• Don't be a nay-sayer; skip that extra layer.

Enjoy thoughts of shorter-sleeves and longer, sun-doppled days. Okay ok. It's not quite sandal weather, but it's encouraging to think that way.

Happy Valentine's Day and thanks for reading down here.