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Thursday, January 1, 2009

Free Fridays

Tomorrow is my first Free Friday. I had to make up a name for it, and Free Friday sounds a lot better than "Pay Cut Friday" or "Be Glad You Have a Job Four Days a Week Friday."

(Due to my unavoidable penchant/habit of free association, in my mind the words Free Friday cannot help but take a tiny detour and become Free French and then I also have to hum "La Marseillaise.")

***

Of course, I'm not comparing my new day off to the brave French Resistance and I'm not even trying to make any sort of political or military observations here. But I am thinking about what I might do with some of these Free Fridays to make a valuable impact on my life and perhaps the lives of others.

There's something symbolic in not being at work on a traditional workday, to me at least. I'm sure I'll get over it in time, as I get used to the idea or as my economic circumstances change. However, I'm not one to let something go by without making a symbolic statement to myself, for the time being.

Take the word free, for example. At the moment I am looking at it as 1. free to do as I please, 2. free from the ordinary, and also 3. freedom to not spend money. And then I wonder, why is it taking this mental exercise when I can have this any day I wish, if it's important to me? I guess I go with the flow more than I'd like to.

I am making a list of things I can do that are free, but that will also be rewarding and interesting. Of course the standbys are photography and writing. But what about volunteering? Mentoring? An apprenticeship? Exploration? More time for friends and family? I'm even trying to envision a free tango scenario, like the dances in the park we used to have.

Not a lot of specifics yet, but I'll narrow the field soon. In the meantime, I'll just keep singing to myself.

***

This version of "La Marseillaise" and this scene are the best part of Casablanca. I always get a tear in my eye when I watch this. Screw the Nazis.



And then this one is just the cutest thing I've ever seen. I think she's going to be the anthem of my Free Fridays.

17 comments:

Ron McBride January 1, 2009 at 2:06 PM  

that is the cutest little singer I have ever seen.... haha

Vive la France!!

Ron

Queenie Francie January 1, 2009 at 2:48 PM  

i love that scene from Casablanca...it gives me goosebumps whenever i watch it, which was on Christmas Day!

Best of luck with your Free Fridays!

vsm/whirling dirvish photography January 1, 2009 at 3:12 PM  

Interesting insight... The positive attitude is contagious...

Love the videos... I had totally forgotten about Casablanca.
Cute vid of the kiddo.

Brenda Susan January 1, 2009 at 3:29 PM  

Adorable & mesmerizing!

Gabby January 1, 2009 at 4:04 PM  

Oh, I am so confident that you will be swept into the perfect day. Maybe you'll stop by the Blue Parrot!

But for now:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zB0RygrYy8

Anonymous January 1, 2009 at 4:08 PM  

Ah yes, the art of free association. But clearly, ours go in opposite directions. My immediate thought was "who locked up Friday?"

I suppose together we cover a very wide range :-)

Genna January 1, 2009 at 4:34 PM  

How about starting your film, your novel or fencing lessons? I think that for the circus, you will need more free time. ;)

Tess Kincaid January 1, 2009 at 5:11 PM  

That scene in Casablanca is my favorite. Funny you should post on this. My daughter is dating a native of France and he was just telling us how brutally frank the words are. Like this part:

The bloody banner of tyranny
Has been raised against us
In the fields, hear the shouting
Of the fearsome soldiers
Who are coming to cut your families' throats.

Cynthia Pittmann January 1, 2009 at 5:26 PM  

That tangobaby girl in the making really got to me. I adore her sincerity, innocent pride and flowered headband-too cute!Your Friday's will be filled soon enough, the problem will be trying to do what you have decided to do. I think you know that! Freedom and frugality...poised in tender tension. Sorry, I spaced...I'm still under the spell of that little girl's facial expression. Charmed.

Alessandra Cave January 1, 2009 at 7:20 PM  

Oh! This post made me a tad nervous as I will be having every single day to make a difference this year. Ooops! :) Kidding. I'm excited for both of us! Wonderful things will come in 2009 for us! I just feel it. xo

Anonymous January 1, 2009 at 9:28 PM  

this was a powerful out-of-the-box statement tango. strong encouraging words to embrace in the new year:

Take the word free, for example. At the moment I am looking at it as 1. free to do as I please, 2. free from the ordinary, and also 3. freedom to not spend money. And then I wonder, why is it taking this mental exercise when I can have this any day I wish, if it's important to me? I guess I go with the flow more than I'd like to.

La Pianista January 1, 2009 at 10:30 PM  

And there's a fourth:

Freedom to be free.

Gosh, I love this country. :)

Char January 2, 2009 at 12:20 PM  

you know, this blog may be the kick in the pants I needed today. maybe, while I'm unemployed - I need to find a volunteer thing to do a couple day a week to make me realize what I have.

paris parfait January 2, 2009 at 1:16 PM  

I know you're going to make the most of your time and have fun to boot! Adorable little girl - rather like the Miss Parker I know and love! xoxox

The Pink Cowboy January 2, 2009 at 6:20 PM  

A la bon votre!!!! What a great scene from Casablanca. Le jour de gloire est arrivé...Freedom what a sweet word.

Unknown January 3, 2009 at 1:09 AM  

Okay! That's it, I'm teaching my son to sing La Marseillaise! Too cute! In my spare time I will transfer all of the French I know into his expanding brain! I've been lazy!
xoxo
Judith~

Relyn Lawson January 3, 2009 at 11:33 AM  

Knowing you, your free Fridays will turn into something amazing. I love the idea of free things you can do on free Fridays. I'd love to see the photos that resulted.