Also, old. Because that “dumb pop song,” (Robert Smith’s own words) was released in 1992. That’s 30 years ago. Thirty.

“‘Friday I’m in Love’ is a dumb pop song, but it’s quite excellent actually, because it’s so absurd. It’s so out of character – very optimistic and really out there in happy land. It’s nice to get that counterbalance. People think we’re supposed to be leaders of some sort of ‘gloom movement.’ I could sit and write gloomy songs all day long, but I just don’t see the point.”

Robert Smith, to SPIN/Ultimate Guitar

And 30 years ago, in 1992, here’s what else happened, just to give you a frame of reference (for the year, not just for January):

President George H.W. Bush signed NAFTA. USA launched Cartoon Network. The Mall of America opened. Bosnia Herzegovina declared independence (and a three year war followed). Hurricane Andrew hit Florida. Euro Disney (now Disneyland Paris) opened in France. The U.S. refused to sign the UN convention on Climate Change and Biological Diversity. The FDA urged banning silicone breast implants. South Africans voted for political reforms to end apartheid. Mike Tyson was convicted of rape. The officers who beat Rodney King were found not guilty.

Kurt Cobain was still alive in 1992, which I mention because thinking back to that grunge music era gives added dimension to Smith’s comment about his/The Cure’s “dumb pop song” — the song that might now be stuck in your head today, because that’s how songs like “Friday I’m in Love” work.

In contrast to all the dark music and worry-worry-worry, was/is it really so terrible to have a fun pop song in the mix?

So if that song gets stuck in your head, then maybe you’ll let the sentiment of counterbalance ride along. In the doom-and-gloom world of climate change, unrest in the former Soviet republic, seemingly-intractable racism, and the somehow-enduring magic of Disney, it’s Friday. Be in love — with yourself, with the world, with someone or something that makes you feel happy. Why not?

But before you sing off into a Friday sunset, let’s jump back to Monday for a minute and make sure we’ve closed out the week properly, so next Monday won’t be such a bear.

Before leaving your desk (or whatever workspace you have, if a work week is part of your life schedule), write down the things that need to happen Monday morning. Plan your Monday before you declare full-on Friday. I promise you’ll be pleased with yourself, come Monday morning. Just try it?

And once you can get the upcoming Monday settled, and once you fully digest that Monday is, in fact, the last day of January, then maybe you can Friday however Friday-ing makes you feel happy.

Yes, I’m going to continue this silly day-of-the-week theme for two more days. On Saturday we write, and maybe clean (which I’ll write about). On Sunday? I’ll let that one be more of a surprise.

See you tomorrow. (Yes, there’s a short bit on cooking in the postscript, below.)

P.S. Friday night is very often pizza night in our house, and when it is, I start with Mark Bittman’s basic pizza dough, which I’ve recommended here countless times. But tonight, this last Friday in January 2022, will not be pizza night. Tonight I’m going to use the rest of the chickpeas that have been hanging out in my refrigerator since the last time I made “The Stew” to make, yes, ANOTHER batch of that spicy chickpea stew with coconut and turmeric. Because I love that stew. I love it. And I’m going to make it extra spicy. And I’m going to make my own naan. So there.