Moves

So the Prophet, yeah, the big one, you know... google it. Well, his birthday is next week but on all calendars it's a 'tentative' date. This surprises me on a few different levels. Doesn't your birthday stay the same all the time? If you were born on the 29th February, then OK, I'd understand that you might have to move it but...

Plus, when planning anything, particularly training like I do, it's very difficult. My issue was that the birthday could be the 13th or it could be the 14th. One of those days would be a public holiday and with it no classes. But which day?! In the end I did not plan class on either just to be on the safe side. So far so good.

Confirmation of the actual date comes around 5 to 7 days in advance and guess what? The date was neither the 13th or 14th. It was the bloody 12th. A day that I scheduled class. Being the calm, considerate person I am, I didn't let it phase me. On the outside. On the inside, I wasn't pleased.

Can someone please decide when these holidays are going to be, well in advance. It would seriously help in all manner of ways.

So I need to work on a public holiday and take a day off later in the week. Not great, but not bad.

Happy Birthday.

Droplets

I arrived at work it it was all dry. Granted, it was dark, it always is because the suns not up until after I get to the office. Besides, I work 'underground'. I just thought the sun would come up like it usually does. Low and behold I get a text saying that it is pouring with rain. I went up stairs to ground level to find out what the fuss was about. And yes, rain. Lots of it. And it was dark as anything. It was like being home in Scotland.

The problem is, Dubai isn't exactly set up to deal with lots of rain. The roads do have drains etc but they aren't all that effective and generally there is a lot of standing water on the roads and pavements. When I left the office to drive home, it was still raining - I think it had stopped during the day, but I work underground so I wouldn't know! - and the street next to mine was under water; it always is. I'd love to drive through it and soak whoever is close to it.

Clearly, I didn't though, just in case!

By all accounts North America have it cold. A 'polar vortex' whatever that is. It sounds all very sci-fi. I bet it isn't much fun!

2nd.

Back to work.

No holiday at all over the Festive period. Working on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and on top of that, Hogmanay. It's a sad state of affairs and one that has made the past week feel mostly like any other week apart from the fact that the Christmas tree is up in the corner of the living room.

The in-laws flew out and back to Scotland, so I managed to meet them at the airport before they left. They seem to have enjoyed themselves so that's great. That's what's all about.

And that's the last of our visitors for now. In the previous couple of years, no one came and visited, then all of a sudden we had people every other week coming and staying. It's great people want to do that, but it can also be tiring. So far, no one has said they are coming over in 2014. I suspect that might change in time!

The weekend is here.

Lost

New Year, new habits. Right?

Thank you 2013. Hello 2014.

Can I aim for 1 post a week? Two posts?

On this day:

Woke up late, had a bit of a fry up for breakfast, watched Kevin Bridges - check him out, he's funny in a Scottish kind of way. Then headed out to Mango Tree in Souk al Bahar next to Dubai Mall for Thai. I had a yellow Thai curry which was excellent. Fairly knackered after all. And the best bit, back to work on the 2nd.

Did Dubai claim the firework world record? 10 months in the planning, something stupid like 800,000 fireworks planned, all for 6 minutes worth of entertainment. I'm sure it looked good. I'm sure all the traffic jams weren't. Could the money have been spent on anything better, I ask myself?

Happy New Year.

Morse

Sandstorm alert. Not pleasant. It's 'sunny' but extremely hazy out today. It was the same yesterday. And with it, the temperature goes up as does the humidity. Not only that, but everything gets covered in dust. No way I'm getting the car washed today. Or cleaning the balcony. That can wait until it passes.

No chance of even going for a swim upstairs. Little point given the amount of dust I'll suck up. I might invest in a breathing mask. I wonder if that would impede my swimming stroke?

Changed

April 1st.

Just another day. Kind of. I quite like that fact that a lot of newspapers and websites throw in a fake story. In fairness, it's often not limited to the 1st April but that another conversation!

Some of the fake story stories I liked were:

Virgin Atlantic saying that they were going to introduce a glass bottomed aircraft so that passengers could look down and see what's going on below. Working in the aviation field, I know that there is no way that could happen, I mean, your luggage is directly below so you could see out anyway, but the layman might get excited about it.

Also, the Guardian goggles. A definite dig at the Google goggles. The Guardian ones stream 'liberal' views and news straight to the wearers line of sight. It might actually happen in future but for now, it's a fake!

One story I did see, and I though was fake, was the one about a flea circus losing it's entire cast of fleas due to the cold weather. Apparently, it's real. Who knew there was a flea circus?

Alas, no April fools in this household.

Pixels

I've never been hip but at least I can say I have Hipstamatic. It's an app for the i-phone and it's adds that retro feel to photos. I love it. I did have a polariod camera and probably spent a bit too much on the film but I just like the way they looked. I preferred to the look a digital cameras. Strange but true.

So, in honour of being a Hipstamatic man, here are a few shots I've taken: