I am doing a session at the spring conference of the National Conference of State Legislatures. The topic? Blogging–what else.

I’d really appreciate your thoughts on what makes a good blog by an elected official. What works? What doesn’t?

Also, in a time when there are continuing calls for a code of conduct among bloggers, I’d have to say that the discussion on this blog has always been unusually civil. Thoughts on that??

I will use your actual comments in the session–I am going to be able to show folks the blog in real time. Thanks in advance for your help.

And on May 3, we’ll find out what she has to say.

About the only actual surprise of yesterday was the announcement that Queen Elizabeth II will address a Joint Session of the General Assembly on May 3.

I was surprised by the size of the defeat for the Governor’s proposed smoking ban, but not by the fact of it. Although we have now established that the leaves on the ceiling of the House chamber are Acanthus and not tobacco leaves, this is still a state where tobacco has a huge economic impact.

Still, Virginia is changing. Computer chips, not cigarettes, are now our number one export. So I expect we will see this issue again.

And I won. Among the women. And among the electeds. But hey, a win’s a win.

Sign of a mis-spent adulthood is all I can say. Also a daughter who used to be a sportswriter.

But this is IT. I am a basketball fanatic, but not a general sports fan. So no posts about how the Nats will do. Don’t expect me to wax rhapsodic on the Skins. Won’t write about the Masters.

In fact, until the Maui Invitational, this may well be a sports-free zone.

Except in the dead of July.

When there may be one teensy little post on the Tour de France.

Did you ever wonder why one of the TVs in the exercise machine room at the gym is always tuned to the Food Channel? (Yesterday’s recipe: Deep-Dish Breakfast Bread Pudding — “You’ll want to use day-old bread, because it soaks up the custard better.”)

“It’s not a perfect bill,” the Governor said about HB 3202. It certainly wasn’t perfect when he received it, as we have detailed here previously. And no one–not the most ardent supporter of a transportation solution–is pretending these amendments are perfect either.

The Governor has made some major fixes. First, he fixed the technical amendments that created such problems with the original legislation.

Second, there is now a dedicated revenue stream backing up the bonds. Because of that, the total amount of bonds sold can actually be raised.

The most important fix for Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads is the fix to the regional plans. When HB 3202 arrived on the third floor, it contained regional taxing plans that were simply nonstarters. At least the package included in these amendments is something local governments say they can support.

But let’s not kid ourselves. This isn’t a transportation “solution.” It’s a step.

Tomorrow night at 7 PM, Kris and I will be on BlogTalkRadio with Vivian Paige and Jim Hoeft of Bearing Drift. BTR says it broadcasts “the very best information on Virginia politics,” so get your questions ready and call in.

(Even though it’s radio and you won’t be able to see us, to mark the occasion we’re going to dress up like in the picture. You have our word on it.)

Fifteen years ago, I had breast cancer. It was the toughest battle I ever fought. And it was a battle, with two major surgeries and seven ghastly months of chemo.

Now every time I go to the doctor–every single time–I break out in a cold sweat. Could that ache in my knee mean the cancer is back?

Yesterday, we learned that Elizabeth Edwards had one of those doctor visits every survivor dreads. Her cancer is back, and it’s bad.

So what should the Edwards do? Everyone in America seems to have an idea.

Here’s what I did: Ten days after major surgery, I went to a School Board meeting. I never missed another one, not through the long chemo sessions that sometimes made me leave the board table to be sick in the back room. (The great anti-nausea drugs came on the market about 15 minutes after my last chemo.)

Was it nuts? A lot of people thought so. But keeping my head up and moving forward was the only way I knew how to fight a disease that never fights fair.

That’s what Elizabeth and John Edwards say will work for them. Let’s keep them in our prayers. And then let’s all write a check to one of the many organizations fighting this damn disease.

The Roanoke Times laments that, with California leading the parade of states moving their presidential primaries to February 5, “Virginians’ roles in the selection process became much less meaningful.” I admit that that’s the likely outcome of clustering all those primaries on one date: by the time we go to the polls a week later, it’s probable that the game will be over, and both parties’ nominees will effectively be chosen. And yet . . .

 A sage  has noted that “It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.” It’s conceivable that one of the two parties will emerge from “Super-Duper Tuesday” on February 5 with two candidates close to clinching the nomination, but still short. Virginia could be the tie breaker. That’s where the “Potomac Primary” comes in.

A year or so ago, when it seemed that Virginia might be on the verge of producing a first-tier Presidential candidate in each party,  a bunch of us talked about promoting a “Potomac Primary” — having Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia hold their primaries on the same day.  Among the three jurisdictions, we’re fairly reflective of the US as a whole (and certainly more so than the traditional lead-off states of New Hampshire and Iowa), and our adjacency to DC would guarantee media coverage.

Nothing much came of the idea, and fate conspired to take our two Presidential contenders out of the running. But now Maryland is talking about moving its primary to February 12, and DC may follow. So we could end up with a Potomac Primary, and we could end up on the evening of February 12 hearing the words, “It all comes down to Virginia.” Remember how much fun that was on November 7, 2006?

When I first arrived in the General Assembly, I was assigned to the Chesapeake and its Tributaries Subcommittee. The work was important–protecting the jewel that is the Chesapeake Bay.

It was also complex. How could we assure that we not only protected, but also improved, the water quality in the Bay and its tributaries? And was it possible to do that while not producing economic harm to an area that had been hammered by unemployment?

There was always one place I turned for wise advice: to my seatmate, Albert Pollard. (The task of deciding which bills were worth supporting was made a little easier when I realized that the best legislation usually had his name on it.)

Those of us who care–deeply–about protecting Virginia’s natural resources should therefore be thrilled to learn that Albert will run for the State Senate in the seat being vacated by Sen. John Chichester.

Welcome back, Albert! The General Assembly needs you. Count on both of us for lots of support in this effort.

Like every other sentient being on the planet, I am now in a basketball pool. And, although these are not my choices, I offer you these possible Final Four combinations. (Think of this as my homage to Tony Kornheiser, who originated the idea.)

Crayola Final Four
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Creighton Blue Jays
Niagara Purple Eagles
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

Feline Final Four
BYU Cougars
Memphis Tigers
Pitt Panthers
Davidson Wildcats

Westminster Final Four
Butler Bulldogs
Gonzaga Bulldogs
Southern Illinois Salukis
Albany Great Danes

General Custer Final Four (Big Horns)
Texas Longhorns
VCU Rams
Arkansas Razorbacks
FAMU pep band

What the H— Is Your Mascot? Final Four
Indiana Hoosiers
Georgetown Hoyas
Virginia Tech Hokies
Virginia ‘Hoos

Costume Drama Final Four
USC Trojans
MSU Spartans
Holy Cross Crusaders
Xavier Musketeers

Wizard of Oz Final Four
Arizona Wildcats
Jackson State Tigers
UCLA Bruins
Miami of Ohio (OH-MI)

Anger Management Final Four
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Illinois Fighting Illini
North Texas State Mean Green
Texas Tech

“Honest, Mom, I’m Studying for My History Final” Final Four
Tennessee Volunteers
Long Beach State 49ers
George Washington Colonials
Vanderbilt Commodores