JOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND

One first date ended when he got so drunk he went in for a kiss and knocked her off her bar stool. After she regained consciousness, he skipped out on the bill - only to reappear in the parking lot, begging forgiveness: "Don't blame me! Blame the Prozac!"

Your teen son wants your help choosing a Valentine's gift for his girlfriend. Should you agree?

Q: My ex has just asked me out for Valentine's Day. No one else has asked so I'm thinking about going. I'm just not sure what to say to the kids - "Mommy is going out with Daddy?" What's good ex-etiquette?

If you have only heard about "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" and decided you hated it, the Tiger Mother has a request: Read it. All of it. And then decide.

Dear Mr. Dad: We're about to have a baby and my wife is trying to convince me to have a home birth with a tub of water. I just don't feel comfortable with this idea and would really rather just go to the hospital and deal with a regular doctor. I'm worried about what could happen if something goes wrong. My wife is getting irritated that I won't do things her way. What should I do?

Granted, it is on the early side to be thinking about gifts for Valentine's Day, but this very special gift requires a few days for the swelling to subside. According to a press release, the must-have for Valentine's Day this year is a trip to the doctor's office to get the perfect pout - "a smooth pout with natural, youthful-looking volume."

Q: My 5-year-old daughter is in "rehab" for some listening issues at school. When she comes home with a note from her teacher indicating one or more of these incidents at school, she is confined to her room for the rest of the day. What should I do if she is constantly calling me, wanting to ask me something, wanting me to get something for her, and so on? She isn't coming out of the room, but she is constantly trying to engage me. It's driving me nuts.

"The Zone Diet" author Dr. Barry Sears says that the obesity crisis sweeping America is due to hormones being out of balance, not a lack of willpower. The true driving force behind our obesity crisis is the rapid increase in diet-induced inflammation that turns on the genes to make us fat and keep us fat. The doctor's theory is that this inflammation comes from the combination of the over-consumption of refined carbohydrates that raise the hormone insulin coupled with increased dietary intakes of cheap vegetable oils rich in omega-6 fatty acids.

I want you to cast your mind back to every horror movie you've ever seen, specifically the moment when the terrified woman running through the graveyard falls down and lies there helplessly, waiting to be attacked.

Q. Can my baby's identity be stolen?

Winter weather does not have to mean an end to fresh produce. While the variety is not quite as bountiful as in spring or summer, some foods do reach peak ripeness during winter months.

Long lines and toddlers seem to go together like eggs and ice cream. But that doesn't always have to be the case. Here are a few tricks I've developed throughout the years that can help make waiting in a long line fun for both you and your kids.

Most parents look forward to that special bedtime story with their little ones. It's a time when moms and dads devote their full attention to their kids and the day-to-day distractions are put on the backburner.

"Big Hugs, Little Hugs"

Having enough sleep affects your child's entire day. It will affect their mood, their concentration, how well they behave, and their ability to retain information. A good morning routine actually starts the night before with a good night's sleep, but as every parent knows, getting a child to sleep can be tricky. Use your child's dominant sense to make going to sleep a comfortable process.

Mice Guys

Sure, you can do it all, but you shouldn't - you need to rest and heal during baby's first weeks. Here's how to get others to lend a hand.

How would you like a little extra special protection added to the other assets of your baby's name? Patron saints are guardians over particular aspects of life - they can defend against an illness, or look out for people practicing a certain occupation or other interest. Sometimes these assignments were set centuries ago, others have been made more recently, as in the cases of ecology, advertising, computer technicians and television. Here are some of the most usable and interesting patron saint names, with their special areas of protection.

The United Nations officially declared an end Friday to the famine that struck parts of Somalia last year, but it warned the country still faced dire conditions and could see a reversal.

BIG MIRACLE

When Bob Gubrud heard about a survey saying that arguing with your spouse at least once a week makes for stronger, longer marriages, he chuckled as he quipped sarcastically, "That must mean that our marriage is fantastic, because sometimes we have one a day."

Your son wants to take ballet lessons but he's afraid his pals will tease him. What should you tell him?

When Patricia Masterson's boyfriend broke into her email account in search of evidence that she had been cheating, she was deeply offended by the violation of her privacy. The fact that she had, indeed, been cheating hardly seemed like a good excuse.