Smile

I hope everyone has taken a few moments to collect themselves after that spectacular finale. Midway through, I was a bit worried as the episode was beginning to seem more like a series finale than a season finale. However, the last 15 minutes provided everything a good finale should: suspense, murder, a love triangle (quadrangle!), a drug overdose, break-ups (bonus points for calling off an engagement), a conniving friend, heart break, a parent finding their child unconscious, unplanned pregnancy, a declaration of “never speak to me again” followed by a quick hang up, an engagement, a serious accident (plane instead of car, way to go big!

Editor: When I walked out to get my paper on a cloudy, wet Wednesday morning, I was pleasantly surprised to see Ms. Spear smiling and giving me a thumbs up, celebrating John Archer School's first ever prom. I've been smiling ever since, and the sun has been shining ever since. Thank you Aegis , for recognizing the event. I can hardly wait for my son Ryan to attend! Bill Dee Bel Air

My time is short and so is yours, so why not tell the truth: A person can get along very well in life without one bit of the mathematics and physics they rammed into our brains in high school. Fifty years later, and there hasn't been a single moment when I've thought, "Oh if only I could remember higher algebra!" No, it isn't smarts, it's personal charm that propels you forward in this world and I, who grew up on the windswept godforsaken plains, know this for a fact. We Midwesterners have a charm deficit from day one and never catch up. Southerners have it in spades and many big city people and Texans and Unitarian women and Hispanic folks and black church ladies and hospital nurses and Jewish mothers, of course, but we prairie dogs are solemn and cold and people do not gravitate toward us and I, having been brought up fundamentalist, am a colder fish than most.

Steamed crabs, cream of crab soup, crab cakes, crab imperial, soft shell crab, deviled crab, corn and crab chowder, crab bisque, crab dip, crab salad, crab fritters, crab ravioli, crab pie, crab quiche - but that's probably enough for the first day. Pardon us while we drool at the news that the Chesapeake Bay crab population has rebounded. The annual winter dredge survey has projected an estimated 764 million blue crabs bay-wide, the highest crab population estimate since 1993 and a stunning two-thirds more than last year's total.

Walter Fullwood strode up to the window of the Snowball Stand in Woodstock on a recent, steamy afternoon and handed over a bag of four "empties" before placing his carryout order. One of the stand's original customers, he has made weekly summer pilgrimages from his Ellicott City home of 42 years to the nearby rural spot since it opened in 1975. He has also made a habit of returning the cardboard containers as a courtesy. Fullwood requested four of the 101 varieties of the tasty treat Tuesday, including chocolate with a center of marshmallow for his wife, Marilyn, and plain vanilla for Winston, their 2-year-old Australian shepherd.

For Josephine Nguyen, a friendly and happy teen-ager, the hardest part of Plebe Summer at the Naval Academy was learning to control her emotions. Yesterday was graduation day -- her toughest test."

A DOCUMENTARY photographer and ethnographer we know said she spent two years interviewing and taking pictures of the people who live on a single block in Hampden and who are famous locally for the enthusiasm they bring to the decoration of their houses at Christmas. During this season, the sidewalks of the 700 block of W. 34th St. are busy with smiling "tourists" from other parts of town; cars stream slowly by, their drivers and passengers gawking and grinning at all the glittery lights and the blood-bright faces of plastic Santa Clauses.

On paper, infertility would seem a distasteful subject matter for light comedy. On screen, it only gets worse."A Smile Like Yours," featuring a terminally bland Greg Kinnear and a too precious Lauren Holly (both in "Sabrina"), is a massive miscalculation. The humor, straight out of a junior-high sex education class, is adolescent in its mockery of the truly embarrassing and painful procedures infertile couples endure. What could be funnier?Kinnear is Danny Robertson, the owner of a small construction company, and Holly is his wife, Jennifer, who sells perfumes as aroma-therapy.

Lyle the Crocodile is full of life, love and amusing tricks. Although Lyle has traveled the world and appeared on the silver screen, his favorite place to be is with the Primm family on East 88th Street in New York. Lyle loves doing household chores, conversing with people on the street, and making everyone laugh. His personality and charm give him the reputation of being the nicest crocodile people have ever met.Book titles in the Lyle the Crocodile series include:"Lyle, Lyle Crocodile," by Garrett Christopher"Lyle Finds his Mother," by Bernard Waber"Lyle at the Office," by Bernard Waber"Lyle & the Birthday Party," by Bernard Waber- Courtesy of Visa Rewards' "Read Me a Story"Pub Date: 5/03/98

I DON'T KNOW about you, but I haven't said anything right in my house for a long time. My opinions are always unsolicited and inevitably unappreciated. No one cares what I think. But I can't seem to keep my mouth shut, and as a result, I am always in trouble with some member of my family. One harmless little comment from me about, oh, say, a wardrobe choice or a possible college major, and someone gets upset. Sheesh. What a prickly group. I was complaining to my friend Susan, the flight attendant, about the poor reception my comments get, when she flashed me a smile that would melt the chocolate bar in your pocket.

The Orioles break out the cartoon bird logo, and all of a sudden they're unbeatable. Coincidence? Well, yeah, almost certainly so. But it's hard to deny there are some good vibes reverberating through the city right now. Camden Yards has a new rooftop bar in center field, that adorable grinning bird is everywhere you look, and the team actually appears competitive. Think back to 1997, when the Denver Broncos changed their logo and uniforms. The next thing you knew, John Elway was windmilling into the end zone in the first of two Super Bowl victories.

In order to become truly happy, Canadian country veteran Terri Clark knew she had to leave the one relationship she had worked so hard to build - the one with BNA Records, the Nashville-based label owned by Sony. After spending 14 years on a major label, Clark announced in 2008 that her constant pursuit for a hit record had worn her out, creatively. Grateful for her past success but more than ready to forge on independently, Clark left BNA and finally felt liberated. She said it was no surprise that after her announcement to leave BNA, the subsequent album - 2009's "The Long Way Home," released on her own Baretrack Records - immediately poured out of her. Three years later, Clark says leaving BNA was the best career decision she ever made, no matter how many records she sells.

It wasn't long after Dr. James Higgins became chief of the Curtis National Hand Center at Union Memorial Hospital last January that he answered a call from Operation Smile, the Norfolk-based humanitarian group that provides free surgery for needy children with facial deformities. He already knew Dr. Randy Sherman, the group's chief medical officer. Sherman was a visiting professor at a school where Higgins studied. But this conversation would prove more life changing for him – and dozens of people in Nepal.

Editor: Whenever I would see the late, iconic Imogene Johnston, she knew what to expect ... every single time ... you see, many, many years ago when I first met this fine, energetic lady who was a political dynamo, she reminded me of a busy, flying creature of nature ... and thus on our first meeting the name "Dixie Hummingbird" just came out instead of calling her "Miss Johnston" or "Imogene" ... and so it was, over the years, on photographic shoots,...

GP Sports Management is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our dear friend and client, Dan Wheldon. Dan was a winner. For the past 11 years we were privileged to watch Dan become a champion on the track and a devoted family man off it. He loved the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and was immensely proud to have his name etched twice on the Borg Warner trophy alongside some of the Indy 500 greats. He touched so many people in racing and around the world with his warm smile, his charming personality and his genuine good nature.

Name: Lola Owner: The Trush Family Age: 7 years old Breed: English Springer Spaniel Home: Kingsville Favorite outdoor activity: Taking “Mom” for a walk every morning, so I can chase squirrels. Favorite indoor activity: Hiding biscuits and chews all over the house. Funniest moment: I give a “cheeky” grin so I can go out! Social butterfly: I love people. I make people smile when I am out for my walk. They say I am so cute! If Lola had a motto for life it would be: Wake up each day with a smile, look at life as an adventure, go for the “treat”, love back the people who love you, and always make new friends!

Triple Crown nominee Ops Smile upheld his even-money favoritism yesterday, coasting to a length victory over Hold What You Got in the $75,000 Woodlawn Stakes at Pimlico.And this time there was no dispute."We got our redemption," said trainer Bill Boniface after the roan colt covered the 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in a respectable 1 minute, 43 1/5 seconds."I really thought we got robbed in Kentucky. Another horse bumped into us and we got taken down."Ops Smile won the Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland on April 9 in his previous start, but was disqualified and placed ninth.

In a town known for its birds, Oriol Servia wants everyone to know he fits right in. "My name is Oriol," the IndyCar driver was excited to point out before a recent interview even began. "I am from Spain. Ever since I moved to the United States in 1998, people say to me, 'Oh, Oreo, like the cookie.' And I say, 'No, Oriol, like the Baltimore Orioles.'" The name is actually Spanish for Oriole, and Servia — who is currently fourth in the points standings — hopes that helps him win over fans at this weekend's Baltimore Grand Prix.

If a smile is truly contagious, then residents of Havre de Grace were spreading the love July 20. That's the day 156 seniors living at The Graw and St. Johns Towers received fresh flower arrangements displayed in sunny yellow Be Happy Mugs, compliments of a local florist, floral wholesalers and a world-wide flower wire service. Flowers by Lucy in Abingdon and Aberdeen coordinated the arrangement giveaway during the floral industry's Make Someone Smile Week. Telefora donated the mugs, flower wholesalers donated fresh flowers and Flowers by Lucy owners Susie Mabe and Jim Weber donated the time and talents of Flowers by Lucy's employees to prepare and deliver the arrangements.