I’m off the midnight shift for the rest of the week, as usual.

Since I work one day shift a week on Wednesdays, I have one of the most eclectic jobs in the newsroom.

One day it’s a traffic story, another day it’s about saving a dog, and today it was all about the Hawaiian Kingdom Government taking over the Iolani Palace grounds.
I don’t get into sides on these issues, but I appreciate the passion and beliefs that people stand up for. It ended peacefully, which was probably the best news of all.

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Diet update: I (heart) Country Cafe is great for dieters. Brown rice, greens and furikake salmon or mahi. I need to be more Cat-like and start taking photos of these dishes.

After the long stand off today my big meal was at Karen’s Kitchen — brown rice, salad and mahi. Of all the great food over there I think this may have been the healthiest choice, and to me that’s an A-plus of a baby step.

Exercise-wise, played a little basketball after work yesterday, biked and did 35 minutes on the illiptical machine.

Bottom line, I know weight loss is slow but I’m tackling this about as head-on as you can.

I know “patience is a virtue” and “good things come to those who wait,” but if I were to gain weight after all this I’d make up my own fortune cookie and it would read something like this: “Eat what you will, because sometimes, you’re just screwed.”

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Spike’s Ultimate Fighter is on tonight. I think it’s the best of the reality shows, next to the Deadliest Catch, of course.

Having Rampage Jackson and Forrest Griffin as the coaches was a stroke of genius by Dana White. It’s the best matchup of coaches since Randy Couture and Chuck Liddle in the show’s first season.

I’m a Rampage fan. You? Feel free to vent your UFC thoughts here, because I love this sport.

If you haven’t seen the video of Hillary Clinton chugging a beer and getting peer pressured into taking a shot of Crown Royal during a stop on the campaign trail, you will soon. It’s all over the news.

A better, deeper man may question what chugging has to do with becoming a better president.Me? I wonder why she didn’t take it a step further and pull out a little “Frank the Tank” to really show she’s “Old School” and knows how to let loose.

If you don’t know Frank the Tank, rent “Old School,” an instant classic in the “Animal House,” “Something About Mary,” “Caddyshack,” and “Stripes,” class.
It also may be Will Farrell’s best character.

I can see it now: Hillary, reluctantly takes a shot as the crowd chants, and as she swallows hard she ramps up, her eyes widen and she shouts “Hit me again!” before turning to the farmer next to her explaining it “tingles” when it touches the lips …

Mix in a little tank immitation, complete with finger guns blazing and arms churning, a little “You know it!” shouting and presto — Hillary would have locked up every Will Farrell fan vote. and that’s pretty big fan base.

“She’s my Boy, Blue!” at least for a day.

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The last two traffic fatalities, here on O’ahu and on the Big Island, have involved drivers who’ve suffered medical problems leading to their crashes.

Just an observation …

The police scanners had a lot of chatter overnight regarding callers asking police to check out suspicious characters. Some involved strangers in neighborhoods slowly walking past and looking in vehicles, two involved possible house breakins.

None grew into anything substantial, but I tip my hat to the callers who are watching out for themselves and their neighbors.

It’s no fun going to a beach and worrying about if your car will be broken into, or if your backpack will be taken when you head into the water.

Here’s hoping more people look out for each other, and would-be thieves get thwarted evey time.

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Set your TIVO or adjust your sleep schedule around it: The Deadliest Catch makes its season debut tonight on the Discovery Channel. This is the fourth season on the tube for the King Crab fishermen of the Bering Sea, and it’s one of the coolest and most intriguing shows on the tube.

Put another way, these guys are nuts.

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Every night there are certain things you’re guaranteed to hear on the scanner: A Honda vehicle, most likely in the Ewa area, has been reported stolen; EMS or HFD will be called to help someone with “chest pains,” and at least one fight, weapons unknown, will be called in.

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The next jellyfish influx isn’t supposed to be here until the end of the month, but several were washed up on Kailua Beach yesterday.

Gettng to the beach on a weekday is one of the greatest perks of the overnight shift.

Other top things to do:
1. Golf, even walking on at the Ala Wai
2. Hit a matinee. The $1 theater at Restaurant Row rocks.
3. Hike. I’ve been doing the basics — Makapu’u Lookout, the boxes in Lanikai, Manoa Falls — but I’m ready to branch out. Suggestions, anyone?
4. Run errands. Shopping is never easier, and no lines at the post office and DMV. Can’t beat it.

Anyone have any other favorite weekday activities or season debuts to look foward to?