I have spent a lot of time on this blog talking about all things related to me, and that really should not be surprising, given that my name is in the URL. However, today I'd like to spend some time talking about someone who is actually related to me, and that is my brother Jamal.

As you may or may not have read, Jamal, my sister-in-law and my nephew left the DC area at the end of June and headed north to Brooklyn, NY. But their place was not quite ready yet, so they had to stay with her mother in Trenton, New Jersey for a few weeks. My brother had yet to find a job in NJ or NY, so he had to commute back and forth to his old job here in the DC area. He would spend weekends in NJ, look for a job in NY during his off days, drive back to DC to work, and then he'd crash with me before repeating the cycle. Since I am his older brother, I was very concerned about the toll this was taking on all aspects of his life..but he convinced me he was doing just fine (lies).

Then finally at the start of this month, he had two favorable interviews, and he felt like one of these employers would hire him. Then he had two more follow up interviews with each emloyer, and the momentum was seemingly building..but all the days he was taking off from him DC area job, were starting to add up. He knew he either had to get a job quickly, or quit the DC job to free up more time for interviews, family, etc. He asked my father and I for advice, and we told him to quit his job and take a chance. He quit his job on a Monday, and shortly thereafter he got offered a job in NY..the same weekend he and his family officially moved into their place in Brooklyn. All was well, but not really.

Although Jamal was happy to have A job, he did not get THE job he really wanted. THE job had a much higher salary, allowed him to do what he really wanted to do, and it would also help him in his business on the side. I told him that given he had just moved, and money was tight, he needed to take the job, but he was hesitant. And sure enough, this past Monday when I emailed him to ask him how his first day was going, he told me he informed his employer that he would not be working there..before his first day of work. Now when he told me this, I literally said out loud, "dude what the f**k are you doing?" But Jamal calmly told me that he wanted to hold out for what he really wanted, but all I kept hearing were the (un)sweet sounds of poverty. Sure his wife was working and all of that, but nothing beats a two salary household. I was officially worried..

But yesterday, my brother called me and told me that THE job he wanted had been offered to him, and he gladly accepted. He's making more money than he's ever made, and he's happy that he can conduct his side business, see his family, and start settling into his new life in Bed-Stuy, NY. So Jamal if you're reading this (and you should be), let this situation be a reminder that you should never, ever listen to me or anyone else for that matter. You knew what you were doing all along, and it worked out. And now I will link a corny, hokey song in honor of your situation

I Knew You Were Waiting - George Michael and Aretha Franklin