A smooshy, let’s-contribute-to-the-world Friday Five today, apparently. I never keep track of this stuff, so this ought to be interesting.

1. What was your most memorable moment from the last week?

Watching CNN while a news conference was going on at Central Command in one window, and a larger window showed an Baghdad street at night. Hearing a droning military voice be suddenly drowned out by a fast, deep whoosh and a very very very loud explosion.

I don’t think anything will make a more lasting impression on me in this conflict.

2. What one person touched your life this week?

My nephew, who very literally grabbed at my cheek, dug into it with his tiny sharp bird-claw fingernails, and raked me across the face. Then he giggled delightedly and did it again, before I could fend him off.

Later on in life, when he’s either a professional wrestler or raising hell with his parents, I’ll tell him I knew he was a shit-disturber from the start.

3. How have you helped someone this week?

It’s sort of my job to be supporting and helpful to the people around me, so I’ve probably met my quota there in the last seven days.

On my own time, though, when I’m not getting paid and you can’t accuse me of being mercenary, I’ve given plenty of shit to friends who needed it. Not all help has to be of the hand-holding sort, I hope.

4. What one thing do you need to get done by this time next week?

More than I can count. A game review or two, an article or two, the next round of the Junkdown to arrange, car insurance to fix, transponders to re-assign… oh, the list goes on.

My head hurts, all of a sudden.

5. What one thing will you do over the next seven days to make your world a better place?

I pledge to shut up when people start talking politics around me. I can at least stop contributing to the wrong side of the signal:noise ratio.