Claire's Twelfth New Friend: She makes me eat like I live on the Seam in the 12th District

Friends have been on my mind a lot this week. I have really been thinking about how I don't have any!! I have 1 friend (who I do not live with....you guys don't qualify) who lives in Vegas and who is interested in hanging out with me. So that means I have to do a lot of things on my own. I go to the movies, coffee, out to eat, the bar, volunteer, workout, etc by myself. Sometimes I feel a little awkward just sitting and blatantly staring at every other patron who walks in, so I have learned to always carry a book (whether it be so I can pretend to read, but actually still stare at everyone, or actually fit in some reading). This weekend, after seeing all the Facebook posts about the midnight showing of The Hunger Games and then hearing about how it is the top grossing movie ever, I decided I better read it and then see it...obviously, I am not what you would call an early adopter.

After reading the first few pages where they go into great detail about being starving and eating fresh bread, I had to stop reading and eat approximately 8 pieces of garlic bread. Carbo load for the marathon reading sesh!  I am a super, super slow reader, so give me a week. (I can read the words fast, but I won't retain any of it as I will just be thinking about how fast I am reading. I blame my second grade teacher, Mrs. Bean for that one. She put me in the advanced reading group for some reason and we read The Indian in the Cupboard and the other students breezed through it and comprehended it and discussed it. I didn't say much during said discussions. When I watched the movie, it was a whole new story to me, like I had never even read the book! It turned me off from book clubs for years. I think I may be ready for one now.) So, meet my new friend The Hunger Games.....that is, if you have not already met.

Me and my girl Katniss just hanging out.