Declare

... what you are a "nerd" for. We're all nerds for something. That thing you cannot get enough of or know enough about. The one that would make you the perfect "Phone-a-Friend" if your cousin were asked about it on a game show.

Bonus! It's now socially acceptable. Nerd for model trains? Join the NMRA for the promised "portal to more fun in scale model railroading." Jazzercising, knitting--with the vast and varied Internet community you're sure to find others happy to be nerds for (fill in the blank) right alongside you.

So, this week declare what you're a nerd for. Tell us why and, while you're at it, share any favorite sites or resources--just in case you have a lonely fellow nerd out there. (Nerd for handmade gifts? Visit Morphologica's web site on http://www.etsy.com/ for necklace pictured here.)

Read

... the comics. Maybe you always do. Maybe you throw out everything but the sports section. This week, read some and come back to share a favorite. (By the way, no requirement to read all of them, especially that weird "Alley Oop.")

Do

... kindness. This is the motto of the Random Acts of Kindess Foundation. I found it online today at http://www.actsofkindness.org/. Looks like the site offers lists of ideas. I'm going to look it over with my kids--we'll each choose one thing to try. See if you find a cool idea, try it and come back to tell us about it.

Haiku

... that can be a verb. Sure. Let's call it a verb. I haven't gone all new-agey on you. Just thinking about poetry kinda makes me want to hurt somebody. It's not my favorite. But, it's good to step out of that comfort zone. So, this week, haiku. 5, 7, 5. Get inspired by anything, then come back and post it here.

Make

... a "coupon" for someone you love. Valentine's Day is coming up. Chocolates are good and all, but think of something your loved one enjoys that isn't necessarily first on your to-do list. It could be a coupon for dancing from a hubby to wife, building a snow fort from mom to son, a trip to the shooting range from wife to hubby. You get the idea. What are your ideas?

Post

... a not-so-flattering photo online. Come on, admit it. When you post a photo on Facebook (blog, etc.), you scrutinize it: Is that my good side? Is my hair doing that weird swoopy thing? Any zits? Only select photos pass the test. It's like you're declaring to the world (and those old high school friends): "I am not embarrassed to look this way. In fact, I would go to the store looking like this." They can make their judgements from there.

I love personality photos and people who have the guts to share them. Halloween costumes, funny faces, crying babies. The polished family photos complete with newly whitened teeth are nice, but I also like to see how people look just before and after they have the formal photo session. You know, the kids wiping dirt on their new sweaters; the wife's head resting on her hubby's shoulder; the life moments. May be humbling, but it feels authentic. And, it helps us remember no one is perfect. The people I like and look up to most aren't perfect. They're real.

So, your verb this week is to post a not-so-flattering photo somewhere online. It'll be good for you, and us.

Spend

... a few mintues looking at what you spend, what you spend it on, and why. This one comes from a book I picked up at the library last week. It's called "Spent: Sex, Evolution, and Consumer Behavior." Author Geoffrey Miller gives a "Possessions Exercise" to try out: "List the ten most expensive things (products, services, or experiences) that you have ever paid for (including houses, cars, university degrees, etc.) Then, list the ten items that you have ever bought that gave you the most happiness. Count how many items appear on both lists." Could be interesting. Come back to let us know what you find.