Today feels like a slice of magic. It's a beautiful, sunny October day, with every butterfly in our back garden whispering to me that spring has indisputably arrived.
How am I spending this day? Relaxing, soaking up the Vitamin D? Nope, but giving myself a different kind of gift - catching up with laundry, other housework, and myself. Teaching full-time means that weekends are the only times I can do these things. So here I am, typing a blog post (which makes me happy), while keeping an ear out for the end of the washing machine cycle. Every 30 minutes, I get up, put a load on the line and another one in the machine, then carry on with my other activity. Right now, it's blogging. Oh, I'm also defrosting my freezer - I left it way too long, again!
I know I often write this, but I'm always surprised to see how long it's been since my last post. I love writing so much, that I could easily blog every day. Anyway, I get my daily writing need met by journalling, so that's probably why I blog so infrequently.
Ok - updates!
My Day Job
Yes, I still have one! In fact, my application for the 4th term post, which I submitted during my 5-week contract, was successful!!! YAYYYY! And I've just completed two of the ten weeks of this school term. I go to school every day, appearing to be completely normal, but inside my heart is a vibrant Bahian band, laying down a pulsating samba beat for my brainwaves.
Around the time that I applied for this term's post, I also applied for two of the school's advertised posts for 2024. To my utter surprise and delight, I've been shortlisted for both, and am being interviewed this week. Oooohh!!!! Watch this space!!! I am SO grateful for these opportunities, I don't even know where to start! I look forward to updating you in my next post, which may be in more than a month, given how busy life has become.
So, yes! What a different path I'm on! Eight weeks ago, I was in my third month of unemployment, following the conclusion of the part-time programme in which I'd been teaching, at College of Cape Town. In the preceding 6 months, I'd gone through the indignity, along with six colleagues, of not being paid! Despite this case having reached the CCMA, there's been no resolution yet. We have not yet been paid for teaching from January to June 2023! Truly a case of truth being stranger than fiction. It messed up my life so much, that it will take me years to undo the damage done. Fighting for what's owed to one can be exhausting and extremely frustrating. I'm beginning to understand why people who don't get paid for work done, end up walking away from the dispute: never underestimate the lengths to which people in power will go, to assert that power, which usually entails not taking accountability for their mistakes.
But, I digress. My main point is: THANK YOU, UNIVERSE!!! The wheel has indeed started to turn, and my gratitude knows no bounds.
So, how does it feel to be in a new work environment? I actually find it very interesting being the new person, at my age. At this stage, I'd say I'm grateful for the lessons I've learnt over the years - especially about myself, about other people, and myself in relation to other people. I've added a codicil to my mantra, "Know who you are". It's "Know what you need". I know who I am, and I've learnt to maintain my individuality in the company of others with different worldviews, but what I've realised is that knowing that is not enough. To avoid slipping into default mode and inclining towards the views of extroverts, simply because they're expressed so confidently and frequently, I have to have my practices that put me in touch with who I am. Basically, I've had to remind myself that my Trudy Routines are by no means superficial or faddish - they keep me grounded and were arrived at through many, many years of trial and error. There's a quiet confidence in this kind of self-knowledge, which is why I say Yes to things that may make no sense to others. Is teaching at a high school stressful? Yes! Is it interesting? Hell, yes! Is this an environment where I can learn and grow? Most definitely! Will I make a difference while I'm there? I hope so! Will I make new friends? I already have.
That's enough for now. Oh, before I move on to my next topic, I have to share a little classroom exchange: In response to my reminding a Grade 8 class that I had actually lived during the apartheid era, a student asked, "Did you have slaves?!"
My Music World
With the busyness of school (including after-hours school events), I've inadvertently allowed my music to take a backseat. I haven't been practising as regularly as I used to, simply because I've been too tired. There have been a few highlights, though:
- On 30 September, I sang three of my original songs at The Castle of Good Hope, as part of a Heritage Festival. It was the first time I'd sung there. It was interesting, especially to meet and enjoy the work of other artists. Someone present filmed us and sent me the videos of my songs. It's always interesting for me to watch myself performing live - that's how I learn about my unconscious mannerisms, and what about my performance worked or didn't.
- On 4 October, I filmed myself at home, singing a few covers, and posted the videos on Facebook.
- On 8 October, I sang a few originals at the launch of Willy Mathys's book, entitled "Tjerel Tjind, Wat Praat Jy Als?" What I love about performing in different contexts, is that I often get to meet new people, including artists. This time, I met Didi Didlof, a lovely violinist, and we hit it off immediately, even managing to jam a bit after the formalities.
- Last night, I sang three originals at a fundraiser for a community outreach programme run by my friends, Shaun and Nicole Brown. Again, I was delighted to have the opportunity to listen to other musicians and enjoy their artistry: Trevor Parker, Jason Benson and the band Ambience: Sheldon Erasmus, Belinda, and Wayne Smith.
I have another significant change happening in my life, in under two weeks' time, but I'll write about that in my next post. It's a BIG, life-changing event, which will set off other changes, over the next couple of months.
And life - with all its endings and new beginnings - goes on.
