I continue to get opportunities to see plays and concerts at my daughters' university, completely free of charge.
Last fall, I had the opportunity to attend a piano concert and a play. Then last Wednesday, my theater daughter had to usher at another play, so again, I got to enjoy the theater. That particular performance was a preview showing. My daughter ushered, and was given a free ticket to invite a guest. A friend from her class didn't need her free ticket (each student in that class received one free ticket), so my daughter scored a second free one. Both my other daughter and I could sit and watch the performance. The preview showings don't offer refreshments during intermission, but for a free seat, I can give up that cup of punch.
Cheap seats at a professional live theater, in downtown Seattle, run around $30 per seat. While what I get to enjoy are student actors, and not professional, there is something fun about watching the students as they increase in acting ability over the course of the year.
In addition to live entertainment on campus, the art gallery rotates exhibits on a regular basis. I've only had a couple of opportunities to take in these exhibits, but have thoroughly enjoyed them when I could. One Saturday, a couple of weeks ago, my art student daughter needed a ride to campus. There was an exhibit going on at the time, and I got to spend an hour enjoying that exhibit, again, free of charge.
For the whole family, we've been watching movies borrowed from the local library each Saturday and Sunday evening. Not only did I not see these movies in the theater when they were first relieased, but it's likely that I wouldn't have, as many of them are older, or more obscure, but still worth the time to watch. The real bonus in watching these movies at home, we discovered, is if a movie is not up to our standards, we change to another dvd, on the spot. We had one such movie, a week ago. The language was so foul, we all agreed to change it right away.
And for my personal entertainment, my most recent fixation is online sudoku puzzles. I play them both online and on paper. When I've had to take my fun on the go, I find a puzzle or two online, and jot it down on a piece of graph paper, to work with a pencil while in waiting rooms, or while sitting in the car at the park-and-ride picking up my girls. Oh yes, I know they make those handy booklets of sudoku puzzles, but as I can get them for free, online, I can't bring myself to spend the money to buy them.
Each season brings its own free entertainment. For now, we're enjoying indoor activities. But it won't be long until a long walk to the beach, or backyard campfires, are heavily featured in our bargain entertainment schedule.
What free or cheap fun things have you been up to this winter?
