There are no official statistics on how many people get engaged on Valentine’s Day, but I’m going to guess it’s a whole lot.

This time last year I was planning my March 2011 wedding and working on Mindy Weiss’s newest book THE WEDDING PLANNER & ORGANIZER which was very convenient, because I had no idea what I was doing and Mindy knows everything.

I wouldn’t say that I loved planning a wedding–but Mindy’s guidance made it tolerable. And in the end, it was an awfully romantic evening.

So, all of those newly minted fiancés out there, listen to an old married lady and do yourselves a favor: let Mindy help.

(You can also download Mindy’s e-short, DREAM WEDDING ON A BUDGET, for absolutely free until February 29.)

Congrats you crazy kids.

Full disclosure: I didn’t think a Hat calendar would be all that great.

I was so, so, so wrong.

Below are some behind the scenes snaps from our very first 365 Hats Picture-a-Day Calendar photo shoot. Was it a lot of work? Yes. Was it insanely glamorous and high fashion? Double yes. Did it make me wish we lived in an age where hats were an everyday kind of thing? Uh…YEAH. I’m hoping this calendar turns the fashion tide in my favor because today I saw a few chapeaus that are crying to be worn. By me. At work. Every day.

It all starts with a bulletin board and a vision.

Each hat required different hair and make-up. It was amazing to see how something as simple as a change of lip color could transform an entire look.  Below, Gabriella (left) gets a marcel wave while Susie gets prepped for another hat.

We spent a lot of time pairing the hats with the right model: Not everyone can rock a vintage sequined coolie. Jessica (below) managed it pretty much better than anyone. Actually, she looked so amazing in it, she kind of ruined it for those of us who thought they’d found their new “going out” look.

And here’s Natalia in a showstopper of a hat.  Those are feathers. REAL feathers. (Superstar stylists Prissy, left, and Amy work their  magic.)

I know 2012 is only 10 days old, but unless Prince Harry surprises me with tickets to the Oscars, this was by far the most glamorous day of my year.

And if I DO go to the Oscars with Prince Harry, be sure to look for me: I’ll be the one in the sequined coolie.

One of the best things about being a Workman employee is that we’re often just one phone call away from expert advice. Three of our pregnant colleagues took advantage of this perk and asked body expert Elaine Petrone, author of the new Miracle Ball Method for Pregnancy (and the million-copy bestseller Miracle Ball Method), for tips on managing the aches and pains of pregnancy. She was happy to oblige!

Q: Over the past couple of weeks I’ve had some dull, achy pains along the sides of my abdomen. What to Expect tells me this could be “Round Ligament Pain,” or growing pains of the ligaments around my uterus! Is there any relief for these cramps as my uterus continues to grow? –Melody, 17 weeks

ELAINE: Yes, breathe! As the baby gets larger it pushes up against your diaphragm which can make it harder to breathe. Most of us breathe with our upper chest as opposed to our diaphragm (which is lower down). By lengthening your exhalation and making an S-sound, you can retrain yourself to breathe from the diaphragm and improve circulation which then sends oxygen to areas where you may be experiencing cramps.

Try 10-15 minutes a day. With your hands against the sides of your waist, make a gentle exhalation while making a “SSSS” sound. Can you feel these muscles working to exhale? At the end of the exhalation feel the muscles under your hands expand as the breath gets pulled deeper into your body. After repeating three times slowly, check in with your natural breathing. Bring your attention to the areas that are cramping. Do you feel the effects of the oxygen as it gets deeper into your body, easing up these tight muscles?  Let your whole body rest as you do this. This breathing can be done sitting cross legged on the floor or lying down on your back. When you are past 20 weeks you can lie on your side.

Each time you make the “S sound” you may find that the muscles respond easier to the inhalation. Some people find counting helps them to lengthen their inhalations and their exhalations. Good luck!

I’m dealing with a lot of lower back pain. Is there anything I can do? –Courtney, 26 weeks

ELAINE: Get on the ball! As you get larger (and for some of us, this happens quite early), the pelvis begins to tilt and as a result the lower back muscles shorten. To take the pressure off of your lower back, lie on the floor and place a Miracle Ball under your pelvis (one under each hip is great, too.) If you are past 20 weeks, remove one ball so your pelvis leans to one side and takes pressure of the vena cava. Breathe using the “S sound” technique described above and let your weight sink into the ball(s). As the tension releases, more blood and oxygen can get to those lower back muscles and the pain will lessen.

I haven’t gained much weight yet, but—and this seems weird—my tailbone clicks when I walk! And though it didn’t use to be painful, it seems to have spread and be having an effect on my lower back now. What can I do to keep this from getting worse when I’m 35 weeks in? –Megan, 17 weeks

ELAINE: The growing weight of the baby can compromise the ability of our legs and hips to support the lower back. By toning your leg muscles, you can help take pressure off the lower back and hips and help you walk with more ease.

Lying on your side (try this in bed!), place a ball between your inner thighs close to your knees. Let the weight of your top leg give into the ball. Breathe using the “S sound” technique described above. Give yourself a minute or two to feel the tension drain out of your legs and hips. Gradually, begin to slide the top knee an inch or two forward, past the bottom knee. Notice how the hips gently move. Then slide your knee back, letting your top knee move a little past the bottom knee. Repeat slowly, two or three times. These gradual, gentle movements are amazingly effective at loosening your lower back muscles.

We’re doing a new feature called Workman Nights and Weekends in which Workman employees reveal their hidden talents, secret hobbies, and other extracurricular pursuits. The first installment features a member of our Art Department, Jose Martin Vegas.

Jose and a colleague

Five mornings a week, Jose Martin Vegas is up with the birds. Actually, he wakes up before the birds—as a professional falconers at one of the city’s major airports, it’s important that he gets to work before the avian population starts its day.  These feathered birds, some of them quite dainty, paradoxically pose a tremendous threat to the enormous steel birds taking off and landing on airport runways. Falcons are sent up in the air to keep the little guys away.

Jose’s love of falconry goes back to his childhood in Lima, Peru, and, fittingly, began with a book. Browsing in the library one day, he found a visual encyclopedia on birds of prey and was immediately hooked. His mother (who must be the soul of patience and fortitude) let Jose get a falcon of his own. He built a mew (an enclosed room for birds) in his backyard and soon, he was training up to five birds.

Falconry remained a hobby until his late teens when, seeing a business opportunity, he and a couple of fellow falconers hired out their services to the local vineyards and other companies needing to keep birds away. A few years after moving to New York in 2004 with his then girlfriend, now wife (and Page-a-Day designer) Cynthia Garcia, the opportunity arose to do the same work for the airport.

It’s remarkable to think that in an age where computers and technology make so many things possible, the best way to protect airplanes from bird strikes is to send up a bird that no other bird wants to mess with.

Thanks for sharing, Jose!

In honor of DoSomething.org’s Epic Book Drive to raise money for the New Orleans Recovery School District, Workman’s Editorial staff have nominated their favorite childhood books: the ones they read in bed with their parents, named their stuffed animals after, and repeatedly checked out with their first library cards. Of course, narrowing down this list was no easy task for our book-loving editors–hence it’s nearly epic status. What books did you love as a young reader? Let us know in the comments section. To help kids discover their own favorites, check out the Epic Book drive! (DoSomething.org is the amazing organization behind Do Something! A Handbook for Young Activists.)

Here’s what we had to say:

Eloise, Kay Thompson; The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle

“It’s a toss-up. I love Eloise’s spunk and NYC know-how, but I also really liked making butterflies a la Eric Carle’s final image.” –Emily

Redwall, Brian Jacques

“Actually, I was enamored with the whole series… particularly Salamandastron, which may have fueled a lifelong fascination with badgers. The characters regularly sit down to lavish feasts, speak in their own dialects, and have epic battles—kind of like Lord of the Rings, but with talking animals. And what little girl doesn’t love talking animals? May Mr. Jacques, who died this February, rest in peace.” –Liz

Heidi, Johanna Spyri

“Heidi is not my absolute favorite children’s book by any means, but it holds a special place in my heart, because my dad and I read it together as part of a fourth grade class project (basically, read a challenging book with one of your parents). I went on to name one of my stuffed animals (a sheep) Schneehöpli after one of the protagonist’s goats (guess I didn’t have any stuffed animal goats…).” –Liz

Harriet the Spy, Louise Fitzhugh; Matilda, Roald Dahl

“I loved Harriet the Spy and Matilda. Harriet kindled my lifelong obsession with dumbwaiters, not to mention composition notebooks. Matilda, with her wagon full of library books, remains a role model. Both 1996 film adaptations are highly recommended!” — Heather

The Trouble with Jenny’s Ear, Oliver Butterworth

“When I was a kid my mom gave me a copy of her favorite childhood book, The Trouble with Jenny’s Ear by Oliver Butterworth, and it immediately became my favorite as well. The story is original and really charming: After her big brothers play a prank involving an extremely loud radio, Jenny finds she’s able to hear people’s thoughts. Over the course of the book Jenny uses her new power to cheat on a game show (by “listening” to the answers) and raise money to save a neighborhood park, among other funny adventures. It’s a book I’ve recommended on many occasions, because it still has its appeal even 50 years after it was written.” –Avery

A Wrinkle in Time, Madeline L’Engle; From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, E. L. Konigsburg; Beautiful Joe, Margaret Marshall Saunders

“Mixed-Up Files was a sort of uber-Boomer-kid thing—published around the same time as Harriet the Spy. Beautiful Joe, I just found out, was written in 1893! I had a paper-over-board version someone gave me as a gift—it might be the original anti-animal cruelty story.” –Bruce

Nancy Drew mysteries: Ramona, Age 8, Beverly Cleary; All The Babysitter’s Club books (obviously); Anastasia Krupnik, Lois Lowry; From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, E. L. Konigsburg

“When I was six, my dad would read me a chapter from a Nancy Drew book before bed. They always ended on these intense cliff hangers (Oh no! Nancy’s sporty coupe was cut off by a truck–will she crash? Oh no! Carson Drew’s seaplane looks like it’s in trouble–will he crash?!).  My dad would be nodding off and I’d be like: DON’T STOP.” –Maisie

The Complete Illustrated Stories of Hans Christian Anderson, Hans Christian Anderson

“I’d read the sad tales over and over, particularly The Snow Queen and Little Match Girl.”  –Netta

Momo and The Never Ending Story, Michael Ende.

“If you’ve only seen the movie, you’ve only just begun.” –Netta

Every book by Lois Duncan

“I thought that if I practiced enough I would develop ESP. I’m getting close.” –Netta

Few things in life are epic: The Battle of Bunker Hill, Homer’s Iliad, the movie Alien (not the sequels), and, as of this week, DoSomething.org’s Epic Book Drive.
In partnership with Better World Books, Do Something.org is encouraging kids to hold book drives to raise funds for New Orleans’ Recovery School District libraries. The school or community that collects the most books will win a $1000 donation to their school library and a pizza party for the WHOLE school!

For more information on this truly epic cause go to DoSomething.org/epic-book-drive. While you’re there, check out a still from an upcoming PSA with Ludacris who happens to be a big fan of our book, Do Something!: A Handbook for Young Activists. And be sure to keep checking back here for some more awesome-but-not-quite-epic related posts.

The Place: Mood, mecca of fabulous fabrics and site of Project Runway’s high-speed shopping sprees

The Book: A much-loved, much-referenced copy of Diana Rupp’s S.E.W.

Come across any Workman books in the world? Snap a pic and post the link in the comments section!

Kids have all the fun, even when they’re trying to make the world a better place (and especially if they’re using Do Something!: A Handbook for Young Activists, as their guide).  Most of the time, when kids are having fun, we grown-ups are suffering, painfully.  But who said that grown-ups can’t try to steal a little of that fun for themselves?

It’s not everyday that I get to create my own superhero, especially in my office cubicle, so how could I pass up Do Something‘s Project #15: Superhero Help. Using the supplied templates, I picked a body for my superhero (the one that most resembled my own, of course), colored it in, and designed a costume using everyday office supplies like highlighters and colored labels from the supply closet.

WorkMan

Meet WorkMan: editorial intern by day, superhero by night. What makes WorkMan so awesome? Well, besides his superior line-editing, fact-checking, and origami folding abilities, he fights for the equality of all, ensuring that everyone has the same basic human rights all around the world. He also has an awesome blue jumpsuit.

–Editorial Intern Justin would like you to know that he was a mustache last year for Halloween. This year he will be a fish or a sweater.

This summer, I was driving down a country road with a friend who also happens to be a biology teacher.  As we passed a pond surrounded by marshes, he said: “Hey, look!  A muskrat path.” I looked to where he was pointing. I saw a lot of grass but no path. We slowed down. “There, look, can’t you see it?” I looked again. He pointed vigorously to a spot to his right.  Indeed, there was an imprint about four inches wide leading towards the pond. It was minuscule. Barely distinguishable from any of the landscape around it.  How on earth had he seen that from the  passenger seat of a moving car, 20 yards away?  He just shrugged. “I know what to look for.”

I was jealous. Not because I actually care that much about muskrats and their habitats, but because he saw more than I did.  Where I only saw “grassy stuff,” he saw a dynamic, bustling hub of biodiversity. 

Determined to start seeing more in the natural world, I popped the Trees Fandex into my enormous handbag and carried it around with me for the rest of the summer. My afternoons in the park now included at least 10 minutes of tree identification. Dorky? You bet. There was some gentle mocking and then, well, below you can see my friend Adam taking the matter quite seriously in the crook of a white maple.

Adam takes a hands-on approach to learning.

I can now identify a gingko, white maple, and black maple.  Can you?

Michelle Obama was rocking a pretty fabulous curly ‘do at this month’s state dinner (along with an electric blue gown and killer rhinestone belt–hello, Eighties-chic!).

You can't see the belt, but trust me, you want one.

I flipped through the First Ladies Fandex and discovered that Michelle is by no means the first Curly Girl to grace the White House with her presence.  Since I’m working on an update of our awesome book, Curly Girl, and have curls on the brain, I’ve decided that it is very important to create a list of these lovely Ladies for posterity.

First Curly Ladies of the United States of America,
organized by curl type :

Tight little cherub curls

• Hannah Van Buren
• Dorothea Madison
• Martha Jefferson
• Abigail Adams
• Martha Washington

Bouncy sausage curls

• Abigail Fillmore
• Jane Pierce
• Julia Grant

Curls that poof on top of her head

• Florence Harding
• Ellen Wilson
• Ida McKinley
• Caroline Harrison
• Frances Cleveland

Cute little spit curls

• Elizabeth Monroe

Short halo curls

• Barbara Bush
• Nancy Reagan

Man-made curls (we can’t all be natural Curly Girls!)

• Eleanor Roosevelt
• Elizabeth Truman
• Rachel Jackson
• Louisa Adams

Sometimes curly

• Michelle Obama

One day, history will thank me for making this Very Important List.