Last Gratuitous Patch Promotion Until the Next One

1. We know you are addicted to The 5 Things, but you can wean yourself off of this clever column long enough to check out several other features debuting on Marietta Patch throughout the day:

•  "Get Out" - a planner for the weekend
• "House Hunt" - a listing of open houses scheduled for the weekend
• "Viewfinder" - a photo gallery of people, places and things from all corners of Marietta
• "Patch Picks" - a sort of Top 5 about a topic that is timely or relevant (this week it is the Super Bowl)
• "Bites Nearby" - a short review of an essential Marietta-area restaurant

As always, let us know what you think, either in the comments below, in the Shout Box on the home page or by messaging me at phil.taylor@patch.com.

2. The 2011 Encore Series at the Cobb Civic Center's Jennie T. Anderson Theatre continues at 8 p.m. tonight with a performace of "How to Succeed in Business Without Even Trying." Students from Cobb School of Excellence in the Performing Arts at Pebblebrook High School are the featured performers.  The musical continues through Saturday. Tickets are $15.  For information, call 770-528-8490.

3. Meanwhile, at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, the musical version of the "Wizard of Oz" debuts at 8 p.m. today. Tickets range from $20 to $56 plus fees. For information, call 770-916-2800.

4. So the groundhog called for spring yesterday, so of course we will have to wait. There is rain in the forecast for the next two days with highs in the mid-40s. But Saturday is promising with sunny skies and a high of 62 degrees.

5. Today marks "The Day the Music Died," a reference to the Feb. 3, 1959 plane crash that took the lives of rock-and-roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson. The phrase "The Day the Music Died" comes from the Don McLean hit "American Pie."