1. Did anyone enjoy last year's advent calendar enough that I should bother again this year?

2. I really just don't know anything intelligent about Capuano vs. Coakley. Anyone of my Mass friends want to chime in on what I need to know?

3. Speaking of mass, I just can't get my exhausted brain wrapped around some of the orbital mechanics math, and it's reaching a point where I just can't fudge it anymore in my writing. Can anyone walk me through (with substantial assistance with the math, I'm sad to admit) on figurin' out my planet stuff?