Free

A couple of free things happened to me today, supporting my conviction that I can spoil myself this summer, despite my income-free lifestyle.

Maybe it's the fact that I'm looking for free stuff, or that I'm noticing stuff that I would normally get for free and therefore appreciating it more, or maybe I've acquired special powers--like King Midas, only instead of turning stuff into gold, I'm turning it into... Free? Whatever the reason, Free abounds.

In the afternoon, I enjoyed an informative tour of the Met with Pat Pillar, personal guide extraordinaire. I got in for free, via his $60 membership. Pat seemed to know the layout of the museum as if it were his own mansion. Not only did he know the layout, but he also knew the detailed history of everything we encountered; clearly, the museum is a place where one can whiled away quite a bit of the summer, a haven for the person with too much time and too little to do. I plan on making the $60 investment there soon, which will last me the year (hopefully long after my unemployment).

Then, onto a show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg with Juju & friends, to see a fellow Kansan's band, Woods (I got in for free, via a serendipitous encounter on my flight from MCI to LGA this past Tuesday). Juju & friends, though they paid to get in, were offered free beer by beer promoters; I'd like to think I'm attracting Free to myself and the people around me.

Then again, in a cleaning rampage today, I did foolishly throw away a $20 metrocard I purchased a few rides ago. Maybe the universe is simply trying to restore order for my carelessness by rewarding me with an illusion of Free.