Family you can’t choose. Marriage takes a lot of work. And friends come and go. But having the right babysitter is key.

In Highland Park there are like 20 “A-List” babysitters, but #1 is a girl named Samantha Mitchell. She is seriously pretty – I know that’s shallow, but these are the times we live in. She ALSO has a good personality, though. Because lots of times your parents come home late and if your stuck with the babysitter and you can’t relate to her, then what good are her good looks? And lastly (and perhaps most importantly), she is good at homework. Because an A-List babysitter will do your homework for you (at least 90% of it), if you play your cards right.

Sam Mitchell fulfills all three main criteria AND despite being the most sought after babysitter in Highland Park (she charges a full $2 more per hour than Beth Altman, the #2 best babysitter!), she is very down to earth. Sometimes, when a babysitter becomes popular with the parents , they get a big head and think that all they have to do is make a TV dinner for the kids and talk on the phone with their friends. Samantha never goes that way, and as far as I'm concerned, her only flaw is in her choice of boyfriends. She's currenly dating this big meathead who happens to be the quarterback of the High School football team -- who incidentally are 0-6, though I blame that on coach Policastro and his primitive defenses.

Now, one pitfall to avoid as a babysit-ee is not to be a letch. A letch is like when you try to cozy up to the babysitter despite having no shot in heck. This can be very risky, because a babysitter is of Sam’s caliber has the pick of the litter, so if you step out of line, you can actually get nixed from her roster of babysitees. Just appreciate her presence and try to learn a thing or two. Ask for advice about your own dating life, and she will think that is really “cute.”

If you have a similar problem and your parents don't want to pay the extra kwan for quality, remind them of the sayings “penny wise, dollar foolish” and “you get what you pay for.” Explain to them how would they feel if they got a B-List babysitter and she fell asleep right when the town murderer was stalking your house and you got robbed or kidnapped – all over $10.

In any case, Samantha Mitchell is actually babysitting for me and Benjamin the next two nights because my parents are going to see "Michael Clayton" tonight and the Rutgers-South Florida game tomorrow. Sam and me usually watch a movie after the little monster goes to bed, and I'm torn between going for the "maybe she'll be scared enough to accidentally jump into my arms" factor of "The Changeling" (check it out, it's seriously freaky) versus the "let's lay the groundwork for five years from now by revealing my sensitive, emotional side" of "The Real Thing (which is kind of like Before Sunrise, except set in a little Jersey town like Highand Park). Leaning towards the latter, but either way, this should be one of those nights with the babysitter you look forward to...

Chud and Connell and Crozier asked if they could come over and play video games, but I said that probably wasn’t a good idea.

P.S. No news yet. I'll keep you up to date