Just got a text with only 4 letters: TGIF. Thank God it’s Friday. I guess texting anything more complex would be just too tiring on a Friday. So today I’ll spare you the effort – I have for you four expressions related to Friday and a great song to begin the weekend with!
1. casual Friday – also called Aloha Friday or Dressdown Friday; it is celebrated in some companies as a day when casual clothes like jeans can be worn to the office.
I work in the IT Department, so it’s casual Friday every day of the week.
2. a boy Friday / a girl Friday – an expression related to office work as well (a bit old-fashioned, though); describes a person whose job is to do a variety of tasks, usually not very challenging.
We need a girl Friday around here ‘cause this office is a mess!
3. Friday the 13th – a common expression describing a day considered as unlucky; the term “freaky Friday” also is used to denote strange, unusual or outlandish things happening on a Friday (originated from a Mary Rodgers novel “Freaky Friday,” adapted for film a few times).
4. Black Friday – it is the name of the Friday which follows Thanksgiving (which takes place on the 4th Thursday in November); this day unofficially starts the Christmas shopping season and for many years it has been the busiest shopping day of the year. Why black, then? In accounting jargon, if an account is “in the black,” it has positive balance, and negative when it’s “in the red.” Black Friday is for many retailers the first day when they take in the year’s profits.
However, because of heavy crowds flooding the malls on that day, which often leads to violence, the media also call this day “Black and Blue Friday” – blue standing for bruises which unexperienced Black Friday Shoppers may get in exchange for some good deals in shops.
Today, though, forget about freaky Fridays that happen to all of us from time to time, not only on Friday the 13th; forget work, even if you are lucky to celebrate casual Fridays; forget the fact that your boss treats you like a boy Friday. And God forbid, don’t go shopping on a Friday afternoon because it can easily turn into a Black and Blue Friday.
Today, just sit back and relax, watching this cheerful video by the Cure.
