I used to know every musical that had won the Pulitzer, but my mind decided to let that tidbit go. It was, IIRC, a weird group. SOUTH PACIFIC? Sure. RENT? Hmmmm. A CHORUS LINE. Maybe. FIORELLO? I would like to see what else opened that year. While the show has some crowd pleasing moments ("Little Tin Box," The Name's LaGuardia"), it doesn't hold up particularly well. There's Marie's Law, for example, which begins: "My law/Shall state/To whom/It may concern." (The line is repeated as a man pretends to take dictation.) "When a lady loves a gentleman he must love her in return." Transpose the genders and it's basically a pro-stalking anthem.

But, sometimes, I like to make laws of my own. Here's my latest: When you see someone you haven't seen for a long time and they look different to you, don't say in an accusing voice: "You look different." Try: "You look great!"

The person will then say one of three things.

1) Thanks!
2) Thanks! I changed my hair/lost weight/bought a new dress/got some plastic surgery/stopped shaving off my eyebrows and painting them on.
3) Really? I haven't slept since the baby arrived/I haven't showered in days/I put on 40 pounds/I had my left arm amputated after a motorcycle accident.

See? Two out of three times, you will find out why the person looks different to you. And under the first scenario, you might not be able to figure out how the person has changed, but you will have made him/her feel nice.

As our country celebrates its 233rd year of independence (check my math), what laws would you like to pass? Have at it. Meanwhile, I'm going to check my memory of the Pulitzer Prize and will correct any errors I made.