A Bob Rae Mental Health Day.doc

Anyone remember "Bob Rae Days" back in the good old NDP spend-a-thon Ontario? You'd be hard pressed now to find that kind of government spending happening, but I will remind you that the mandatory days off were unpaid for all civil service workers. Today I took a "Rae Day", or a Mental Health day as some friends like to call it. April has been a busy month. What with two courses and a paper I'm writing (pales in comparison to what I went through at UofT), sometimes a boy just needs a break.

The day began with the free lunch time concert at the Concertgebouw that I have enjoyed going to in the past. Since we haven't had time to go in over a month, Courtney and I planned to enjoy some really beautiful piano playing. It's a pretty funny scene some Wednesdays. The lobby is packed with Amsterdam residents and tourists alike who have flocked to the historic building for an hour of free music. The door to the concert hall is locked and those wishing to enter must queue and hope for a spot. I always arrive about half an hour before the concert begins and never fail to be surprised to find at least a hundred others in line ahead of me. Once the gates open there is a mad, yet organized, rush to get inside. You'd be surprised how competitive people get when sometime is free...yet with limited space.

The concert was wonderful as usual. The pianist played some Schubert and Chopin. I just like to listen and let my thoughts wander. There was a group of young teenagers there on a school outing. I had a moment where I realized I wasn't one of them anymore. Attending lunch time concerts is now a choice and not a mandatory obligation. It makes me wonder if it's the type of thing I'll invest in when I'm making an actual salary. One can dream.

From there we camped out in the beautiful park behind the Riksmuseum (it's the one with the I AMSTERDAM sign). I started a new book called The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz. It won the Pulitzer so it should be a good read. I discovered that lying your bicycle sideways on the ground and using the seat for support is a great way to enjoy the park. We faced the sun, snacked on stroopwafels (not quite a 'micmic lunch' but one of your five a day), and enjoyed spring bliss. It's days like this when the work piled up back home seems to float from consciousness. It always gets done, so there is no use stressing over its completion. Besides, I'm chipping away on an essay that isn't fully due until mid-June. Those of you who know me well will not be surprised.

The day got better and better. After soaking up the sun we met Adam and went to FOAM which is a famous photography museum in the city. We had heard about a fantastic exhibit of the work of Richard Avedon. It was a name I had heard before but I really didn't remember why. Turns out I had heard his name because he's one of the most well-known photographers of the 20th century and he passed away not too long ago in 2004. The collection was awe-inspiring. It included 200 of his best shots. He's most well known for the type of portraits he took against a white backdrop where he looked to capture a moment between photographer and subject rather than a posed image. His snapshot of Marilyn Monroe might be his most famous, but I was also really struck by his photos of Andy Warhol and the Factory gang, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Igor Stravinsky, and Samuel Beckett. It was nice to see writers, artists, and politicians displayed alongside the more "popular" film stars. I think I want to find more photography exhibits - his work is really captivating.

After such wonderful pursuits, one gets a little thirsty. To catch the little bit of the day's remaining sunlight, we loafed down on a patio and sipped on a couple of beers. We received a little reprimand from our waitress for pulling our table into the sunlight after it peeked behind the top of a building. Apparently it's dangerous to pull your table into the street. A concert, a park, a photography exhibit, and a patio all in one day. I think I made the most of my Bob Rae Day...my mental health couldn't be better!

Tomorrow will be spent back at the grind, as will the weekend. I'll be sure to pepper in a few social activities to keep things lively. A week tomorrow is Queen's Day - unfortunately not a gathering of QU alumni, but the biggest holiday of the year in Amsterdam. I, of course, have volunteered to host the start of the day's events...but that's for another post.

Doc's Prescription of the Day: Can you afford to take a Bob Rae Mental Health Day? Or afternoon even? I think you can.