I'm at work. I'm annoyingly hungry. It's not time for lunch yet.
My only options to tide me over- diet coke and skittles.

Somehow I don't think grandma would approve.

a fool off his guard may fall and fall hard

Remember the beginning of Aladdin when the guy is selling stuff in the little bazar?
One of the things he is selling is a "combination hookah and coffee-maker".
How cool would that be?

You may recall me mentioning a few days ago that I have an announcement to make. Well, now that all the pertinent parties are informed, I can spill the beans.

I got a new job!!!

It’s a fantastic opportunity and I am genuinely pumped about it.

The organization is a very successful and progressive (rare for Dubai) group of companies- and my position: Bright Ideas Superintendent. J Sounds silly, right? That makes it perfect for me!

It’s basically a combination of performance development, program management, and organizational development. Just what I was looking for!
And so far everyone that I have met within the company, especially those in my department, seem like they will be great to work with. Very important.

Start date is not confirmed yet, paperwork and logistical stuff, but I am really anxious to get started and it seems they are anxious to have me!

So- yeah. Yay for me! ; )

Yesterday was my 5 year high school reunion. Of course, I didn't go, because I am stuck here in the land of fire and brimstone. Accordingly, I am plagued with an overwhelming curiosity- and nothing to satisfy it.
I don't really know what I am so curious about- I am sure people haven't really changed that much. I think I look the same... (that could be my own simple disillusionment talking)
But a great number of those people I have not seen since graduation day, and I can't help but have the curiosity seep in.
I harrassed a few friends that I think went- to give me the low-down. But I don't think it will satisfy me.
What to do?

got a lead foot down on my accelerater

7 years of driving in the US and I've never even been pulled over, ok one time, but that didn't count, but I've definitely never had a ticket.
In the last 2 months in Dubai I've had 3. Apparently.

Still never been pulled over though.

Actually I would have rather been pulled over- then I would have stopped after the first one. But no- they let me continue to speed unknowingly and slap me with 3 tickets in the mail. Tricky, tricky.

On the other hand- maybe not- since I don't 'technically' have a license here.

I guess it is bad when you don't even know the speed limit on the road that you drive home every day.
Ok- I guess it time to slow 'er down, bessy.

I think this is the strategy that the managers in Dubai must use.

you're not sleepy as you seem...

Today is one of those days where I just can't shake the sleep off
Just like that nescafe mycup commercial where the guy has the mattress stuck on his back (this may be only an arab thing) but...
two and a half hours into the work day I'm on my second cup of coffee... still waiting to wake up.
Why won't my mattress fall out of the window?

During college, when the sleep attempted to gain control over me during classes (usually econ), I used to do full body flexes. I would flex every muscle in my body for as long as I could stand it- over and over again- to stay awake. It worked. I just hope no one was looking at me, I probably made funny faces.
Somehow I don't really think that would work as well now. Because, although it kept me awake, it was usually the only thing I was thinking about the whole time. Fine for econ- who needs econ anyway?- but probably not the best technique for work. I have to at least look productive.
So when coffee doesn't cut it, and I can't hide myself away for a nap, how do I stay awake at work?

I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair

I don't know why I am so attracted to this song at the moment. I think my co-workers tolerance for me singing it over and over to myself at my desk might be wearing thin. Thank goodness for online radio to distract me.

Anyway.

I'm hoping to make an exciting announcement in the next few days. Stay tuned!

If tomorrow all the things were gone I'd worked for all my life...

Lately I have been in a Debbie Downer state of mind about my country- why people are being so dumb, what it really means to be American, the way the US is percieved internationally (especially in the arab world), how people think of me when I tell them I am American... etc.

This last part was never a huge concern of mine until, well, Saturday.
The government stuff- I don't like it either- you want a debate or discussion, I'm down.
And I have of course encountered the many people who think all Americans are a. rich and b. have no moral values c. basically any other negative stereotype you'd like to tack on here. Never really bothered me so much. If someone cared to listen, of course I would tell them how we are not actually all like the cast of 90210.

Saturday though- I had a new 'all-american experience'. I was standing with my friend, making casual small talk with this older veterinarian man, waiting for Shady. He asks me where I am from- I tell him. He makes one of those disgusted pshsh noises and turns his back and starts to walk away. I, not expecting someone to be that rude and actually mean it, laughed, thinking he was joking, and asked what that meant. Apparently this laid out the welcome mat for him to attack me about my gov't its foreign policy... which in itself is fine- but the way that he did it- the aggressiveness towards ME, not the government, that was what shocked me. I think I sputtered a couple things back about not all American people having the same opinions and values as the government, that I didn't like most of the stuff they are doing either. He said that of course he recognized the difference between the government and the people. Well, obviously that mental line was a little foggier than he said with the way he was talking to me. Seriously, you would have thought that I personally built a bomb and fired it straight at his mother. I was dumbfounded.
After a two minute verbal lashing (I think I might still have some of his spit imbedded in my contact lens) I ended up just turning around and walking away. Not a very good diplomat, I know. But there was no point in even trying with how worked up he was and how blantantly rude.

It wasn't even until later when I told Shady about it, that he told me the guy was Palestinian.

I really don't know what made this man think it was ok to talk to me like that. So you don't like my country- well sometimes neither do I! But really. Luckily, this is far from the norm. But one little incident like this, if you let it, can change your whole opinion about something.

Normally I do try a little harder to be a good diplomat. I would never lie about where I was from to get people to like me. I hate it when people do that. I knew this guy who was all proud of himself that when he was backpacking he wore a Canadian maple leaf on his bag so people would be nicer to him. Yes- thats the way to make a positive difference.

Anyway- so lately I've been at a loss.
I do love my country in many ways. I love the people, I love the culture (in some ways), I love the diversity (some places), I love Target...
But the government- really needs a kick in the ***. Currently, at least with the stuff going on in the Middle East- they are in a tough spot- whatever they choose they lose face. But they made their own bed. And still, my countrymen (the politicians and idiots who are controlling them) somehow always choose the worst of two bad choices.

So what is a girl to do?
While I can sit and critique and insult my country (in certain ways) left, right and center, when someone else does it, in a way that is so aggressive like this- I get a little defensive.

I can't change my nationality- well I could, but you know what I mean- and while apparently we are a 'democratic' nation... can I force them to pull their heads out of you-know-where and their noses out of everywhere we don't belong?

So, for the time being... I'm a little lost and confused. I hate that.