Friday mornings, I am lazy.

Not for long - more on that later - but today, at least, I dropped one child off at Mother's Morning Out, dropped the other off, a few minutes later, in his crib for his morning nap (which he is almost out of - hooray! - but occasionally really NEEDS or life is too sad to be allowed), picked up my mug of mostly cold coffee, stepped over the PILE of laundry waiting to be folded, ignored the PILE of paperwork waiting to be addressed on the table, and sat down in front of the computer to read blogs. I don't know who these people are who are more productive when their children are in school. They aren't hanging out with me on Friday mornings, that much is obvious.

Anyway, Missy is talking about favorite t.v. shows for her Friday Faves. And I am playing along mostly because her description of women who don't own televisions made me laugh out loud. OUT LOUD, friends - go read it.

Truthfully my television watching revolves around timing. We don't have TiVo, and I hate reality shows on principle (humiliation and sarcasm - why would I support an industry based on humiliation and sarcasm?). The kids watch cartoons first thing in the morning, and Max and Ruby while dinner is cooking. The TV is mine during naptime (while I do other things, usually, but it is on) and after about 8:30 p.m. And on Sunday afternoons (during naptime, again) I love to find something good to watch while the rest of the house sleeps. Otherwise, our television is off. But here are my favorites (within those constraints) right now:

1. Lately I have been into cooking shows. Sandra Lee is my favorite, but Everyday Italian is interesting, too (though it cracks me up to hear her pronounce spa-ghet-ti with such an emphasized Italian accent. Pa-lease, I say in response). There's nothing better than a Sunday afternoon marathon of Amazing Wedding Cakes. And in the afternoons - hand to God - Asher's very favorite way to come out of his post-naptime fog is to sit in my lap and watch Barefoot Contessa. He'll even wait through the commercials for her to come back on. So, yes. Cooking shows.

3. I also like to watch American Justice on A&E. Each episode is focused on some issue related to the justice system - it's really interesting. I grew up on Law and Order, and will still watch reruns if I find them, though I'm not nearly as devoted as I used to be. But American Justice will suck me in every time.

4. I have a Pavlovian response to the West Wing - it is the show I watch (we have the series on DVD) at 2:30 a.m. because I am then guaranteed to be back asleep by 2:31 a.m. Regardless of how wide-eyed I am when CJ announces, "Previously, on the West Wing ..." I am THOROUGHLY ASLEEP by the end of the theme music. No kidding. I don't watch many episodes when I'm awake anymore (though I have almost the entire series memorized - it's embarrassing, really), but I couldn't do without it at 2:30 a.m.

5. But far and away, my very favorite thing to stumble on in the evening is the Discovery Channel's Planet Earth series. Have you guys SEEN it? The scene where the lions take down the elephant takes my breath away every time. And did you know there are creatures who are never once in their entire lives exposed to light? THEY DON'T HAVE EYES. Planet Earth is art, friends. I never get over it.

What shows do you watch?