Friday, November 09, 2007

antidote

A while back, I put together two playlists: one with music to wallow to, because sometimes I like to sink back into my melancholy and let sad music music embrace me. Then, fearing it might make a listener suicidal, I made the antidote, a collection of songs that always make me feel good and alive. The playlist is heavy on African music, and there is one track in particular that I have been listening to over and over again lately. Its English translation is "Beware Verwoerd! (The Black Man is Coming)" and the women's voices ring out all joyous and the men's voices thrum below, their threat concealed by the melody. You can't help but tap your toe, and I guarantee you will find yourself humming the tune for hours after you listen to it. Not only does the music make me feel good, but also the fact that Africans would not be silenced by apartheid's long oppression, that they used music as both weapon and affirmation, and finally, eventually, as celebration once more. The point of all this, however, is not to muse on the significance of South African music in the struggle for freedom; you can watch Amandla! A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony for that (which I highly highly recommend).

I really just wanted an excuse to get you listening to "Beware Verwoerd" as background while I shared our very good fortune. The best I can do is this 30-second sample. (Please try and find the whole song from the Amandla! soundtrack - it's wonderful.)

Miriam MakebaBeware Verwoerd (Naants' Indod'Emnyama)

We got some fantastic news. First, Sugar D got the job in Waterloo! And it pays even better than the Toronto job! This is the sign I have been looking for all summer. We were literally days away from putting our house on the market in preparation to move to the Big Smoke, and change everything. Three days before we were due to put the house on the market, Sugar D got an email about a job prospect in Waterloo. I heard late in the day at work. By the time I got home (like 15 minutes later) I was giddy at the prospect of not having to move, which made us think that perhaps we should reconsider everything, even if this particular prospect didn't pan out. He had to have two interviews, and this week was offered the job. So let's recap:
  1. 3 days before making irrevocable moves, they approached him.
  2. He was not actively looking for jobs in the area so wouldn't have seen the job on his own.
  3. Even if he had been looking for jobs, he probably wouldn't have applied for this one, because the title was quite a departure from the usual job titles he qualified for.
  4. Going back to his original position, the one that he lost back in May, now it's obvious that they did him a favour. He wasn't totally satisfied there, but he probably never would have gotten around to applying for other positions.
It's also looking like I will be getting a promotion at my work, which I will still be able to do part-time, bumping up to four days a week.

Houston, we have a sign!

So it looks like we were meant to remain here. Whenever people ask me how long I've lived here or why I moved here, I always used to tell them that I came here to go to school and never quite got around to leaving. Now, after going through this whole process, I can't say that anymore. We could have moved, and in the end we decided that we wanted to keep G-town as our home, that we belong here, at least for a bit longer. It feels much better living here because we actively want to than just being too lazy to get our shit together for somewhere else.

I haven't been able to blog about this awesome turn of events for nearly a week, waiting for the formal offer and for Sugar D to give notice at his current job (just in case any of his coworkers have discovered this blog) so my initial ecstasy has given way to a calmer joy and intense relief. Relief that all the open doors and possibilities and threats of change have closed, and we find ourselves in our own comfortable home, now even more comfortable knowing that we don't have to vacate it any time soon. After the months of emotionally distancing myself from our home, I feel the need to throw a house Re-Warming party, to jumpstart the process of re-inhabiting it.

Of course, the best part about all this good fortune is that it's not too good. I still have a child who will not sleep, and a mentally ill mother-in-law. So it's really just a nice balance now.

23 comments:

Mary Jo Koch said...

That is absolutely wonderful news. I am so happy for you. We moved from Manhattan to Maine and from Maine to Long Island within two and one half years, with 4 young kids. I am so happy you are spared for now.

Mad said...

There's always that rumbling under the surface just like in the song, right? I love Miriam Makeba, btw.

CONGRATUALTIONS to SD and to you and Swee'pea. I know that I, for one, am thrilled you're staying put even though it means seeing you maybe once a year.

Bea said...

That IS fantastic news! Hooray!

Kyla said...

That song! Not only toe tapping, but also head bobbing!

I am thrilled for you. Thrilled.

I feel your pain on the sleeping front. In fact, I think of you often because of it. I know we are just vacationing here until KayTar gets her bearing about her again...you've been living there on and off for almost two years now.

Tint~ said...

The music took me home in a heartbeat. Congratulations on the job offer. The promotion would be nice too :)

Roots are good. You have roots where you are. Being a wanderer might sound adventurous, but there's a lot to be said for stability and that sense of belonging.

Beck said...

CONGRATULATIONS!

karengreeners said...

Congratulations! Things really do have a way of working themselves out.
And that is one of my favourite songs on the CD.

Suz said...

Balance is oh-so-good. I'm really glad for you that everything has turned out this well! Congratulations!

dawn224 said...

I *love* signs!

Bon said...

i am thrilled for you, for all three of you. you're right, there's a total difference in ending up somewhere because you never leave and in CHOOSING that place...and i think it sounds like you've chosen with your hearts and gotten a few little bits of well-deserved luck along the way.

:)

Jennifer said...

I'm loving the music and loving the happy news. Congratulations to all of you!

S said...

That is FANTASTIC news. Congratulations!

b*babbler said...

Oh, what terrific news! I'm sad you won't be joining us here in T.O., but really, it was meant to be. What happy news!

(Miriam Makeba is terrific...)

N. said...

The OM and I have been discussing that killer commute. Good news abounds. You know what would be the icing? A new baby.

HAHAHAHAHA! I'm just being evil. Sorry

11111111 said...

Congrats to you!

moplans said...

Things always seem to work out the way they were meant to. I am so happy for all of you.

I can't click on the song right now for fear of waking the baby so I will have to come back.

Run ANC said...

Sometimes you just have to believe in fate, no?

Aliki2006 said...

Hooray! I'm so glad that the news is good--finally! And that certainly seems to be a sign from the universe for certain.

niobe said...

What great news. Things (well, not all things, but some important things) seem to really have falllen into place.

Beck said...

As asked, I have an easy vegetarian supper up at my food spot now:
http://becksrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/11/black-bean-burritos.html
Hope you like it!

Christine said...

congratulations! oh--i'm so behind on posts so i am going to condense many comments into one--

--that pizza/pasta fiasco sounded really crappy--you were jinxed!

--swe pea is a doll-is really already 21 months??!?!!

--i have never read any harry potter. i'm so lame.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, if it were too good, you'd be bored and miserable anyway- so thank you to life for providing us with challenges.

Congratulations you guys. I love that you are choosing your city. That is a good feeling.

(can't help but be selfishly disappointed that you aren't moving to the tee dot though)

cinnamon gurl said...

AD, that IS evil.

And B*babbler and K, this process had also made me want to take advantage of being so close to the t-dot and enjoy its amenities more frequently. So you won't be getting rid of me that easily. ;)