10 on Tuesday -- The "It's Pre-Dawn & I Can't Sleep" Edition

It's after 2:00 AM. As I sit here on the sofa, my big old tomcat Joey beside, here are 10 things on my mind.

1) Paparazzi. I watched Smash His Camera, a documentary on HBO about Ron Galella. I feel bad about how much I enjoyed his work. It's so voyeuristic of me to be as fascinated by his day in/day out shots of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis as I was, but they were so revealing about the lady and her life! I even love that when he sued her -- basically a publicity stunt on his part -- she counter sued him, won and somehow managed to get the First Amendment overturned with a ruling that he could not come within 50 ft. of her. Anyone who picks up a copy of US probably feels the same twinge of delight mixed with guilt.

2) My best friend. His own birthday is coming up and yet it's his daughter's birthday, also in June, that is making him a little blue. She's turning 13 … she's away from home this week, vacationing with a friend's family … he seems to be missing the devoted Daddy's Girl she was. He has often told me about his transformative moment: when she born, and the doctor allowed him to be the first person ever to place hands on her. So I guess her turning 13 feels very Important-with-a-capital-I, too.

3) My niece. She's growing up, too, but we seem to coming back together again as she comes into her own as a young woman. I mentioned casually a few weeks ago that I missed the movie she claims as her favorite (Away We Go) when it was in theaters. I got a text from her today, letting me know one of her friends just returned her DVD and asking how she could get it to me. It's sweet that it means so much to her that I see this.

4) My oldest friend. She is focused on getting her house in order and is now my idol. I feel guilty that I haven't followed her lead today and earned a "Clean Me" dustbin and broom. I worked late and was soooo tired when I got home Monday evening. The important thing is that even though I didn't do anything yesterday or over the past weekend, that doesn't mean I should abandon my goal of improving my standard of living at home. To borrow from Katie Scarlett O'Hara, "Tomorrow is another day!"

5) Homeless people. Specifically, my homeless people. The homeless gentleman in front of McDonald's has reappeared, as suddenly, it seems, as he disappeared. He no longer seems to remember me, but that's OK. He probably sees literally hundreds of people every day from his perch on top of a box on Wabash. And he still asks God to bless me, and can't we all use a little more of that? On the other hand, Molly the Cat, and her people, have disappeared.

6) The Cubs. Why can't my heroes in pinstripes put a string of wins together this year? At home or on the road -- it doesn't seem to matter. Win one day, lose the next ... They just don't seem to be able to get momentum.

7) Commercials. Why are they so much louder than the shows I'm watching?

8) My friend, Barb. She is so organized at work, and such a complete ditz outside of it! We keep scheduling her birthday dinner, and then rescheduling it because of something that came up, or that she forgot about. She is always playing with her precious iPhone. Shouldn't it help her stay on top of things?

9) "Mr. Kerry." The suspect in this 2008 documentary about a murder in Richmond, VA, is "John Kerry." How unfortunate for the real John Kerry!

10) I'm tired! Yea! FINALLY! Off to bed for this ol' Gal.