TGIF

Friday nights hold a special wonder for me.

What I love most about Friday nights is that they lazily stretch out before you. You have no obligations! In fact, the whole world seems preoccupied with relaxing, so you're nearly always sure to be left alone and you can do whatever you want. And though I enjoy the company of my friends and family, I'd prefer to reserve Friday nights for just me.

My favorite Friday nights aren't spent at a club or a fancy restaurant. Instead, they start with no expectations and no commitments. A typical Friday night usually begins with my changing into comfy pajamas, eating something delicious and warm (bonus points for anything cheesy, gooey, crunchy, or salty), and drinking some wine or a big mug of hot chocolate. Then, I proceed to do whatever I feel like.

Sometimes I borrow half a dozen movies from the library spend Friday night kicking off a weekend of watching them all. Other times I borrow half a dozen movies and decide to ignore them and not watch any at all! I spend many a Friday night catching up on DVR-ed TV shows, reading chapters upon chapters of books, or playing Tetris until my thumbs are sore. Other Friday nights I take a bubble bath, paint my toenails, or putter around the house with beauty potions and pastes on my skin and in my hair.

The best thing about Friday nights is that nearly everyone is unwinding in his or her own way from a long week at work, so it's unlikely that you'll have any specific responsibilities. There are no doctor's appointments to rush to, no banking that can be done, no commitments to keep. For a few precious hours, nothing lies behind you but another completed work week, and nothing stands in front of you until the rush of Saturday morning. For a few glorious hours you can do whatever you want.

I love my Friday nights because they help me unwind from one long week and prepare me to gear up for another. For a few hours I can be selfish with my time and do whatever I want to do. Sometimes, it's the only few hours of my week that aren't pre-scheduled -- with commitments or fun. Even though I love participating in my sign language classes and going to the theatre, sometimes they those things run the risk of becoming just another item on a list of errands, appointments, and tasks. Friday night is the one block of time I can nearly always count on to be open for anything.

With that in mind, please pardon me. I think it's time for a novel and a bubble bath. Or perhaps another glass of wine and a few games of solitaire. Or maybe an hour of Project Runway and a pedicure... The night is young!