Friday night is, without question, my favorite time of the week. Mini-Me doesn’t usually stay up too late with me because she’s tired from getting up early all week, and, armed with the knowledge that the alarm clock will not ring the following morning, I am at liberty to stay up as late as I possibly can, doing nothing productive. It’s beautiful. And it’s a great time for me to cobble together some random thoughts.

POLITICS
So I finally broke down on Thursday and put gas in my own car and paid for it myself. I’m a little disappointed that Barack Obama hasn’t arranged to have my gas tank filled by now; after all, he’s been President for a whole three days! And what up with the balance remaining on my mortgage? Where’s the change I can believe in?

Caroline Kennedy had a, you know, moment of lucidity and, you know, withdrew her name from consideration for, you know, Hillary Clinton’s former US Senate seat. You know. Is there some reason that prospective female politicians, you know, refuse to act in a way such that, you know, they can be taken seriously? You know?

MOVIES
Thirteen (2003)
Wow. Powerful stuff. I’m pretty sure I’m going to build Mini-Me a safe room and lock her in it until she’s 30. I had this movie in the back of my head on the want-to-watch-someday list, but when I learned that Catherine Hardwicke (director of Twilight) directed this and Nikki Reed starred in it (AKA Rosalie Hale), I bumped it to the top of my Netflix queue. I thought the acting was really, really, really good in this one. Holly Hunter is great as the mom of an out-of-control teenaged girl. This film takes all my worst fears for Mini-Me and wraps them up into one neat little package.

The Black Dahlia (2006)
I’m gonna need to watch this one again, for sure. Especially since it has Josh Hartnett in it. I was multitasking during the movie and I got a little lost a few times, so it’ll require another viewing before I can really comment on it.

Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008)
Watched this with Mini-Me. She has a crush on Josh Hutcherson after seeing him in Bridge to Terabithia, so she was entertained. Me, not so much. I thought it was cheesy.

Movie watching is about to get kicked up a notch or two around here. Today my new 50″ plasma TV, Blu-Ray player, and stand were delivered from Best Buy. The Geek Squad guys are coming out Sunday morning to set it all up. Woot! I just spent money I don’t have on a TV I shouldn’t watch. Skillful and mature.

BOOKS
Still working on The Great Gatsby. Why am I not yet finished with this relatively short book, you ask? Perhaps you haven’t heard of the rare affliction known as reading-induced narcolepsy. It doesn’t seem to matter what I’m reading; just the act of reading puts me to sleep faster than a vodka-and-Valium martini. I simply must get over this before law school starts or I’ll be in serious trouble.

COOKING
This week I tried a couple of new recipes. The first one, Honey Crusted Chicken, sounds way better than it tasted. Mini-Me liked it, but I thought it was bland. I’m not even going to bother posting the recipe here. The other one was Taco Soup, which was delicious, and I’ll post the recipe and pics within the next couple of days. Next week I also plan to make at least one loaf of bread in my new handy-dandy bread machine.

LAW SCHOOL
I was supposed to have received a receipt and a letter in the mail this week from the admissions office for the $300 seat deposit I made last Friday. Hmmmm…. maybe it will come tomorrow. If it isn’t here with Monday’s mail, I’ll call to check on it.

It’s getting cold here. Today it was in the high 70s; tomorrow it will be in the mid 40s. Hurry up, spring!!