You know when you have some free time coming up and you think about all the things you want to do with that time? Things you've been putting off, things you just haven't been able to do because there hasn't been enough time, things you want to do now you'll have that time? And then the free time comes, and you try to do all those things and next thing you know, the time's gone and all those 'things' you were going to do are only half-done...! Here's what I learned from my recent time off: choose one thing and one only. Do that. If you finish it, choose another thing. Do not be tempted to do a bit of one and a bit of the other, and don't even begin to imagine you'll do everything.

A busy period this 'free' time turned out to be then! To the preview of the Hunger Games: Catching Fire Friday evening. Love that young adult storytelling and the strong female lead. A great role model. Saturday night saw us at our lucky friends', whose house is a perfect little 1930s Art Deco gem, all curves and metal window frames, and with a sneaky roof terrace that makes you feel you've gone on holiday.

Monday found us at the 100 Club seeing the obscure and original indy band, Pere Ubu. Hadn't been to the 100 Club in maybe 100 years, but it's reassuringly the same, though maybe the graffiti in the ladies' has been updated, though it's hard to tell. Someone had written the name of one particular band over and over all over the place, but weirdly, I can't remember what it was. So much for saturation!

Tuesday we were all in 3D glasses watching Free Birds at yet another press preview. Can I say better than expected, but I still prefer The Hunger Games?

So the 'free' time is all gone and it's a tight work schedule from now until lift-off for the annual New York Christmas. The bedroom is still only half-painted, the novel hasn't progressed (though I did finish a short story) and I can't even remember how the other days slipped away, only that they did...

Still, it's Friday, which usually puts the world into a good mood, so have a happy one!