Day One, Term One, 2015

The other day I complained to someone that my holiday was almost at an end, and that I'd soon be going back to work. He said, "Well, at least you have a job to return to."

He's right, you know. I felt really bad that I'd complained.

The truth is, I was retrenched in October 2010, and it took me almost two full years to get back into steady employment, because our economy was (and still is) so bad. In that time, I did a few contract jobs, and taught guitar lessons, to survive. The months between contracts were torturous, taking me to the brink of hopelessness. It was the love of family and friends (and my stubbornness) that brought me through that darkness.

Today was only my third consecutive Day One of Term One, since my retrenchment. I am grateful to have a job, in a field in which I'm qualified, and in which I have lots of experience. In January 2011 and 2012, I was unemployed, as was I the Decembers before. Facing a new year as an unemployed person is depressing, to say the least. Life just goes on, relentlessly, with all its demands - rent, food, electricity, etc. I've been accused of being too generous when people come begging at our door (a common occurrence in South Africa), but it's because I can relate to that feeling of desperation to feed one's family. When you have no income, and someone gives you R20 for electricity, it's just about enough to get you through one night and into the next day - but when you're in survival mode, that R20 feels like a million rand.

Even though every job has its less exciting aspects, and there'll always be colleagues who drive you insane, I have a lot to be thankful for. I work about 6km from home; even without a car, it's easy to get to work. I work on a campus that has grass and trees, which makes me happy. I teach a subject I love - English - and that makes me feel alive. I'm in daily contact with young people we call the "born-frees" (born after we gained our freedom from apartheid, in 1994), and that in itself is a privilege. I learn almost as much as I teach, from my students. Meeting the new students at the beginning of the year is exciting, and I can't wait till lectures start.

When I was unemployed, I had a checklist for my dream job. Some of the items were:
 - not far from where I live
- in a field that excites me
- where I earn enough to live without anxiety
- where I can look out of my window and see a garden
- where I can make a difference in people's lives
- where I can contribute to the new South Africa

So, yes - I had a gorgeous 32-day summer holiday, I feel relaxed and revitalised, and I am deeply grateful to the universe for enabling me to have a job that I can return to.

Reflecting on my 28 Dec concert with Wayne (Adaptation of a Fb post)

It's always strange, going through the emotions of putting on a concert. Very different to any other type of gig, my self-produced concerts entail months of preparation and lots of personal investment. Because I'm a perfectionist (a blessing and curse, let's be honest!), I tend to obsess about every last detail of every aspect of the event. What I'd like to achieve, in future, is to have an assistant do those detail-orientated tasks for me, so that I may spend a lot more time focussing on the music itself.

Anyway, judging by comments from the people who attended, it was a very enjoyable evening. I was extremely happy to have held the concert in the District Six Museum, a place with special meaning to me. What surprised me was the number of people who said they'd never been there before.

I also loved the fact that the refreshments were summery and healthy, lovingly put together by my dear friend, Shanaaz. Another aspect of the evening that touched me was how many of my friends actually knew each other - it was like a reunion!

Having my immediate family - my mom, my sister and my children - there, added to how incredibly special the night was for me. Other family members' presence also meant a lot to me. And then there were my friends, some of whom I've known almost my whole life, and others I met fairly recently.

Basically, having an opportunity to share my original songs with people I love and respect is one of the biggest blessings in my life. Being accompanied by my mentor, Wayne Bosch, is a feeling I can't adequately describe. Wayne's mastery of the guitar, coupled with his sensitive interpretation of my songs, makes the whole experience quite surreal, in a way.

Having my son as the MC was very special to me, although he admitted it felt very different to when he had his drum kit between himself and an audience.

And then I have to be honest, my highlight (besides Wayne's beautiful music) was my daughter's solo set. She sang four songs, while playing her ukulele. Someone commented that, with her flowing dress, bare feet and flower crown, she looked like Shakespeare's Ophelia. Not only was she as pretty as a picture, but she sang so beautifully, I had a lump in my throat throughout her set. She situates herself in an interesting genre - I'm not even sure what to call it, but I suppose "Indie" would best describe it? She has a lilt in her voice and, at age 16, a touching mixture of a child's voice and an adult's voice. What struck me most was her ability to convey layers of emotion, without making it look like she was trying very hard.

Ok, so I'm her mother, and I'm biased, but all I can say is: look out for a vocalist called Summer Dawn Geffen. She is here to stay.

Thank you to everyone who helped make the evening a success. May the feel-good ripples last long enough to inspire you to do something awesome with your own passion in life.