Some oil change questions

[stateofidleness]

So I think I'm going to attempt my first oil change tomorrow, as I've been unable to get to the indy for some time and I keep putting it off... i'm long overdue...

I have the filter and the oil, is there anything else i absolutely will need before I drain the car? special tools? small things?

Also, I think I'm gonna fill it back up with Mobil 1 Extended Performance as it's on sale at AutoZone right now. Do I need to do anything special since I'm switching from "regular" Mobil 1 synthetic? Any recommendations on oil weight for a central texas spring climate?

any other tips welcomed!