I spontaneously drove home this weekend. This is what I do. And this is all it takes:

Love Actually. I've been looking forward to this movie for over a year. Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson -- hi, this movie was specially cast for me. Yet, somehow, it wasn't playing within two hours of me. So Lani and I drove to Canton to see it!

And it was worth it. So, so good. They're going to tell you it's cheesy and schmaltzy, and they're not going to grade it any higher than a B, but don't listen. Terrific movie. It is cheesy and schmaltzy, but consciously and wonderfully so, and I really don't think a critic would ever positively review any cheesy and schmaltzy movie. Hilarious, adorable, and ultimately utterly depressing. The happy couples make you sad. The sad couples make you sad. The fact that you don't have a British accent makes you sad. So, so sad.

I felt such a connection with the 16-year-old girls in the row in front of us, crying as much as I was, and at the end exclaiming in exasperation: "That movie is so depressing! Because none of that will ever happen! It's just going to be me and 70 cats!" Commiseration is wonderful. I was half thinking the same thing.

And half... I think I was as inspired as I was dauntedly depressed. Love actually is all around. Isn't it? I know I will go to the airport and observe as many annoying people as I will loving people but yet... All around. And... there could be someone out there I'd learn Portugese for. And I could easily wind up like Emma or Laura Linney's characters... But it seems worth the risk.

In any case. Good movie. Drive any length necessary to see it.

Now I've just returned from lunch with my moogie, which was altogether enjoyable. Except she told me they've raised her insurance at work - and she now has only $5 extra in her budget per month. My mom and brother are living on $25 for groceries per week. And I feel incommunicably selfish for a lot of things. I told her to drop me from her insurance. She would have $20 extra per week, which sadly seems like a goldmine. She has to drop me. I'm living luxuriously by comparison. I don't know if she'll do it. I have to force her, somehow.

But I'm in a very good mood, because I came home to an insane amount of mail -- some website or group I've given my information away to has sent me all sorts of catalogs and address labels and surveys and requests for donations. I know this is beyond silly, because they're mostly just asking me for money (which I would give if I could! Oh Ralph Nader and The Public Citizen, how I adore you.), but it makes me feel like I'm a part of their little progressive club. Haha, it's cool.

I'm in too good a mood and too short on time to discuss these things - which is not to say they are not worth my time to discuss, because they definitely are. Just, two important things on my radar screen this week:

• The "partial-birth abortion" ban. I tried, to I don't know what end, to explain to my mother what "partial-birth abortion" is and how disastrous this law is going to be. She may have understood my point only so far as "Ughhh I hate Bush" goes. So if you think you're in favor of this law because stopping legal murder of innocent children "an inch away from life" sounds like a pretty positive thing, please read this and if you know why you're opposed to it, get on NARAL stat.

• After speaking quite cynically about Dennis Kucinich's chances at nomination or election, two things: I received a very cool and very true note from roxyelliot saying, in part, "Kucinich is as electable as people believe he is." And I have -- somewhat against my will, but there was no stopping it -- allowed myself to be inspired by a politician again. To feel some sort of faith in the potential of the political process again, to have some hope for redemption again. Dennis is the man. A real progressive, a real liberal among Democrats, is a rare thing. Everyone who believes in him has a duty to get behind him. He believes it is possible, and I ought to, too. And if you don't believe in him yet, check out his site. Click on the platform link -- he lays out all his views in no uncertain terms.

And finally, this is fucking hilarious.

So, a couple more hours of relaxation, taking my brother to see The Matrix, writing a diary entry of substance at some point, and then it's back to the grindstone.

Hang in there, love you all - don't forget! Love actually is all around! :)