Things we look forward to in February:
• Groundhog Day. It’s today. How can the critter not see an imminent end to winter? More importantly, can we go through the second half of winter with as little snow as the first?
• The Super Bowl — and the passing of the Super Bowl. ’We’re fans, mind you, but how much can you blah, blah, blah about one game? Honestly, ’how can the hosts on those sports call-in shows do it, day in and day out.
• Wave All Your Fingers at Your Neighbor Day. It’s always Feb. 7, didn’t you know? Don’t just nod or cock your hand. Be ostentatious and wiggle all your digits. If you miss it, there’s always Feb. 20, when you’re supposed to go out at noon, wave your hands over your head and chant “Hoodie-Hoo” to chase away winter and bring in spring.
• Valentine’s Day. There’s always hope when love is in the air.
• Pitchers and catchers report. We’re less than three weeks until the beginning of spring training (Feb. 19 for Yankees, Feb. 21 for Mets), with all the hope and promise it brings. Can spring be far away?
• Presidents’ Day. we won’t dwell on it, but Washington and Lincoln were two amazing guys, with strengths that met the era. Did the times make the man or did exceptional men rise to the occasion?
• A virtual lull in GOP campaigning. There won’t be a stop, of course, but the election focus shifts out west for a while. There is only one debate, we expect, in the month before we rev up to Super Tuesday (10 primaries or caucuses) on March 6.
• Beginning of the budget season in local government and schools. Nothing sharpens the mind as much as deciding where you are going to spend your money.
• School election decisions. Moving to a November vote would change the pace of the community calendar, with less emphasis on school issues.
• Longer days. By the end of the month, the sun will begin to awaken us at 6:30 or so, more than a half-hour earlier than today. Mother Nature will tag that time onto the afternoon, and it’ll be light until 6 p.m. and longer. By the end of the month, Daylight Savings Time and “springing ahead” is less than two weeks away.
• The Oscars. We don’t see many movies but this tips us off to the ones we should see.
• Feb. 29… it only comes around once every four years. Feeling a touch of spring fever!
And — even with 29 days this year — February is the shortest month of the year!

