It’s a lovely morning. I got to work extra early. Wheeeeeeee. Before getting to work I bought a pound of coffee at the new Intelligentsia, and got my free cuppa joe. It snapped my eyes wide open. I’m flying. I’m listening to “Limbo Jazz” by Duke Ellington; I’ve checked in all the customer returns; I’ve even written down all the voicemails. Manic. Watch me: I’ll crash in about ninety minutes.

“Nixon in China” is on Sunday and I’m thrilled. It got a rave in the Trib this week. Furthermore, we’ve decided that after the show (it’s a 3 o’clock matinee) we’re going to dine at the Golden Budha Chinese Steakhouse. They’ve got a waterfall!

Binny’s is having a Weekend Clearance sale, which fits snugly with my Saturday plans to stock up the bar for Andy’s party. I’ve got to get all the punch ingredients.

Last night we watched “My Beautiful Laundrette.” Something about it I didn’t like. I didn’t hate it, mind you; there were parts I liked a lot. It’s quite funny in parts. But Omar’s character just didn’t make any sense at times. Distanced me. And the tone of the film was wildly uneven, veering from pseudo-farce to social commentary to parable to family drama. Can’t hold a candle to Stephen Frear’s “The Grifters.” So I dunno. I can see why it’s an important film, and Daniel Day-Lewis was great (notwithstanding his dye-job). The 1985 London fashions were hilariously dated. Big padded jackets, teased-up lion-mane hairdos. The comparison might be a stretch, but the films of Mike Leigh that date from around this period (“High Hopes” for example) are much better in my view.

Okay. Now that “Blue Monday” is playing on my iPod I feel I can really get to work now.