wayfaringwordhack: (Default)
wayfaringwordhack ([personal profile] wayfaringwordhack) wrote2012-05-12 01:00 pm

Name that tune

One month ago,* while grocery shopping in one of the biggest supermarkets in St Jean de Luz, my cellphone rings and the following conversation with J ensues:

J:  Hey, Quela, can you help me with something?  Can you tell me who sings this?  You probably know...

J plays this song:

 


M: Easy. That's "Walk Like an Egyptian" by the Bangles.
J: Do you ever walk like an Egyptian?
M: Sometimes. It's been awhile.
J: Would you like to do it in Cairo?
M:  Are you serious?**
J: Yes.
M: NO!?!
J: YES! We've been taken [for the next open embassy post there].  It's not 100% sure yet, but we are first in line!
M: When?
J: December.***
M:  Christmas in Cairo! Ok, get ready for it; I'm going to walk like an Egyptian in the supermarket.
M does the "sand dance" down the exotic foods aisle, with the Sprout looking on like her mom has lost it.

So, here we go: four years in Egypt. Very much looking forward to it. :D
_________________
* I didn't say anything earlier because with J's job, it is better to wait until things are more official.  We still don't have the plane tickets in hand, but things are looking great.

** I immediately knew what he was talking about because Egypt was our second choice for the embassies, Congo being first.

*** The departure date has now been moved up to 24 October, Julien's birthday, meaning that things are very serious indeed and I shouldn't have to post a retraction. :P

[identity profile] asakiyume.livejournal.com 2012-05-12 12:57 pm (UTC)(link)
EEEEEEE! SO EXCITING!!!

I can't WAIT!!

[identity profile] mnfaure.livejournal.com 2012-05-12 01:32 pm (UTC)(link)
You and I both! Going to come for a visit?

[identity profile] asakiyume.livejournal.com 2012-05-12 01:34 pm (UTC)(link)
I would *love* to. I'll save my pennies!

[identity profile] mnfaure.livejournal.com 2012-05-13 08:57 pm (UTC)(link)
And quarters and dimes, too. ;)

[identity profile] asakiyume.livejournal.com 2012-05-13 09:17 pm (UTC)(link)
And tens and twenties... and stock certificates and treasury bonds :-P

[identity profile] mnfaure.livejournal.com 2012-05-13 09:29 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, those will get you over sooner, that's for sure. :D

[identity profile] asakiyume.livejournal.com 2012-05-13 09:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Now I just have to figure out how to lay my hands on some...

[identity profile] mnfaure.livejournal.com 2012-05-13 09:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Don't do anything I'll have to romanticize about afterwards. ;)

[identity profile] asakiyume.livejournal.com 2012-05-13 10:03 pm (UTC)(link)
LOL!!!

[identity profile] aeriedraconia.livejournal.com 2012-05-12 03:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh WOW!! Egypt! How awesome! Congrats! And be careful over there too.

P.S. I loved that song! Along with a couple of other odd ball songs from that era like: Rock Me Amadeus, The Safety Dance, I wanna Be a Cowboy....

[identity profile] mnfaure.livejournal.com 2012-05-12 04:11 pm (UTC)(link)
*lol* While getting the video for this post from YouTube, I saw "Rock Me Amadeus" and then had to bop around the house singing it. I remember "I Wanna Be a Cowboy," but "The Safety Dance" doesn't ring a bell. Will have to go look it up.

[identity profile] aeriedraconia.livejournal.com 2012-05-12 04:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Taking a musical trip down Memory Lane, my mission is complete!

Saftey Dance

[identity profile] mnfaure.livejournal.com 2012-05-12 04:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah HA! I had no idea that was the title of that song. Total earworm. :D

Re: Saftey Dance

[identity profile] aeriedraconia.livejournal.com 2012-05-12 05:09 pm (UTC)(link)
They're all earworms. *laugh* The Safety Dance video was pretty neat and medievaly but is sure didn't fit the song. ;-)

Re: Saftey Dance

[identity profile] mnfaure.livejournal.com 2012-05-12 05:29 pm (UTC)(link)
No, it didn't fit at all. :P In fact, the lead singer looks pretty scary a lot of the time, too.

[identity profile] mnfaure.livejournal.com 2012-05-12 05:31 pm (UTC)(link)
I know! I was hoping and hoping we would get a posting this year, but a small corner of my mind insisted that I remain realistic about our chances of leaving so soon. I can now stick my tongue out at that staid old realist. :P

[identity profile] sunflower-sky.livejournal.com 2012-05-12 06:41 pm (UTC)(link)
We'll be neighbors!!! But.... no chance I'm coming to your side. :P You'll have to come visit me. Stay safe, things have been pretty rough there recently... :-/

~D

[identity profile] mnfaure.livejournal.com 2012-05-13 09:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Do you mind telling me what you think about Egypt and Jewish beliefs in general in Egypt's direction? My uncle and his family and my brother and his wife recently converted to Judaism and they were quite distraught about us going to Cairo. I tried to have a discussion with them about Egypt and their faith, but sadly there wasn't much discussion, just a lot of quoting at me. :(

If you prefer, you can email me at tangerinetanglefish at yahoo dot com.

[identity profile] sunflower-sky.livejournal.com 2012-05-14 03:52 am (UTC)(link)
Weird. There's nothing inherent in Judaism against Egypt or Egyptians. The only issue for me is safety, both as a Jew and as an Israeli. Back before the revolution, Egypt was a popular vacation spot for young Israelis, particularly the beaches of the Sinai. Rabbis like to make cynical jokes about Israelis vacationing in Egypt during the Passover holiday (the one commemorating our freedom from slavery in Egypt...), but there's no actual issue with physically being there or interacting with modern Egyptians (who have nothing whatsoever to do with the Egyptians of the Bible, and even if they did it wouldn't be a problem; King Solomon, for one, had a great relationship with Egypt during his reign). I'm curious what they were quoting at you...

Also, I don't know what kind of Judaism your family members practice, but many of the rules in the Torah that apply to Jews don't apply to non-Jews. Jews have 613 commandments to follow. Non-Jews are only required to follow the Seven Noahide Laws according to the Torah, making us the only major religion that does not actively encourage conversion and in fact makes it purposely difficult. (That is, at least in Orthodoxy...) We believe the other nations have their own purpose and mission in the world.

~D

[identity profile] mindseas.livejournal.com 2012-05-13 01:04 am (UTC)(link)
Wow!! That is so cool! I've always been fascinated by ancient Egypt. Think of all the stuff you'll learn that will end up in your writing!

[identity profile] mnfaure.livejournal.com 2012-05-13 09:06 pm (UTC)(link)
I know! Egypt was definitely one of the choices with the absolute coolest "cultural" things to do. :)
pjthompson: (Default)

[personal profile] pjthompson 2012-05-13 09:44 pm (UTC)(link)
OMG!!! How exciting, how major!!

[identity profile] mnfaure.livejournal.com 2012-05-13 09:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Very major. I was of the belief that we would get a posting this year, but I tried to tell myself not to bank on it too much. :D Good thing we took a furnished rental, eh? Nothing like knowing we saved least 2K euros on moving fees.
pjthompson: (Default)

[personal profile] pjthompson 2012-05-13 10:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes! Another complete household packup so soon would have driven ME mad, don't know about you.

[identity profile] mnfaure.livejournal.com 2012-05-14 12:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh yeah, very mad indeed. And I don't need to go any farther down that road, you know. ;)
pjthompson: (Default)

[personal profile] pjthompson 2012-05-14 04:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Mad Miquela, arrrrr.

[identity profile] cathemery.livejournal.com 2012-05-14 12:46 am (UTC)(link)
Wow!

Sprout will probably learn to pack her own valise earlier than any other child I know of. :)

[identity profile] mnfaure.livejournal.com 2012-05-14 12:11 pm (UTC)(link)
For the moment, she unpacks pretty well. ;)
clarentine: (Default)

[personal profile] clarentine 2012-05-14 05:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Adding my Wow and Yay to the chorus, and my admiration to J for his clever means of giving you the good news. >:-)

[identity profile] mnfaure.livejournal.com 2012-05-14 07:36 pm (UTC)(link)
He is a clever boy, and he made it such a memorable memory. :D

[identity profile] renakuzar.livejournal.com 2012-05-16 04:41 am (UTC)(link)
Enjoy where ever life takes you!

[identity profile] mnfaure.livejournal.com 2012-05-16 01:25 pm (UTC)(link)
That's pretty much my motto! :D