February brings us Super Bowl Sunday and Groundhog's Day. What else?

T.S. Eliot wrote, "April is the cruelest month," but we think February wins that prize, hands down. And that's even if you do have a valentine to call your own.

The days are dark and cold, without Christmas lights to pierce the gloom. Even those who find Winter brisk and invigorating at first tend to be sick of it by February.

And speaking of sick, while this year may be different, February is often the height of the flu season. Surely, this year, with the flu spread so early, it won't be worse in February, will it?

Well, it might.

For a month that is so short, February drags on pretty near forever.

But there are some things to look forward to in February.

February will Black History Month, Library Lovers Month, and Plant the Seeds of Greatness Month. No, we don't know of any catalog that offers to sell the Seeds of Greatness. We'd order them, too.

Some February observances have obvious tie-ins. We have Valentines Day in February and, so, a number of heart-related observances: American Heart Month, for example (sponsored by the the American Heart Association), or National Mend A Broken Heart Month (which is not sponsored by a group of cardiac surgeons, although maybe it should be).

Less obvious, perhaps, is the February tie-in for National Marfan Syndrome Awareness Month. But some think that Abraham Lincoln may have suffered from Marfan's. That would suffice.

We can't figure out why February might be Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Low Vision Awareness Month, but it is.

February is also Sleep Safety Month. If you're coming home at night to sleep, you're probably observing sleep safety. If your neighbor frequently travels on business and you're staying over with your neighbor's wife instead, you are not properly observing sleep safety.

February is also Return Shopping Carts to the Supermarket Month -- although we have found no indication of any particular amnesty granted during this time. While you're at the grocery in February, you may wish to celebrate National Cherry Month, Grapefruit Month or Beans (Dried or Fresh) Month.

Usual Suspect Brownielocks.com includes Pull Your Couch Off the Wall Month in her list of February observances. Granted, February is a short month, but does one really need an entire month to accomplish this?