Posts from December 2008

Holy buckets of rain Batman! It actually rained in Doha yesterday. A full on proper thunderstorm with lightening and gallons of heavenly rain flooding the streets. It was amazing. You really learn to appreciate rain when you go without it for sooooooo long.

It came down in torrents, rivers running down the streets to the lowest point because storm drains don't exist here. Even now, the day after, there are huge ponds scattered around the desert. My car is covered in 'smud' (that's what I call the sand mud here).

Half the mall had to shut down because the water, and this is gross, was coming up through the sewage drains! I mean it looked like some kind of fountain feature the way it was just gushing out of the floor! Next thing you know there are 50 men running around with squeegies making futile gestures of pushing the water back in the gushing holes.

I was thrilled. It smells so fresh outside and you can actually see COLOURS! Trees and bushes are green, the bricks on are red, pavement is black....it is like the moment the Wizard of Oz goes from black and white to colour!

It is also a refreshingly 'chilly' 73F today! Ciao!

Have a delicious birthday!

You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not pout
I'm telling you why
Ladycroft is coming to town

She's making a list,
Checking it twice;
Gonna find out who's naughty or nice.
Ladycroft is coming to town



She sees you when you're drinking
She knows if you're a fake
She's bringing her fab man along
So show up for goodness sake

With a little black dress and shiny new shoes
Hair done up and some make-up too
Ladycroft is coming, Ladycroft is coming, Ladycroft is coming to toooooooooooooown!

I just beat Portal. If you haven't heard of it, it's awesome. If you haven't played it, DO IT! I love puzzle games, and I love little robot voices - this is both, oh joy!

Check out my new user song!

This was a triumph.
I'm making a note here:
HUGE SUCCESS.
It's hard to overstate
my satisfaction.
Aperture Science
We do what we must
because we can.
For the good of all of us.
Except the ones who are dead.
But there's no sense crying
over every mistake.
You just keep on trying
till you run out of cake.
And the Science gets done.
And you make a neat gun.
For the people who are
still alive.


I'm not even angry.
I'm being so sincere right now.
Even though you broke my heart.
And killed me.
And tore me to pieces.
And threw every piece into a fire.
As they burned it hurt because
I was so happy for you!
Now these points of data
make a beautiful line.
And we're out of beta.
We're releasing on time.
So I'm GLaD. I got burned.
Think of all the things we learned
for the people who are
still alive.

Go ahead and leave me.
I think i prefer to stay inside.
maybe you'll find someone else
to help you.
maybe Black Mesa...
THAT WAS A JOKE, HA HA, FAT CHANCE.
Anyway this cake is great.
It's so delicious and moist
look at me still talking when there's science to do
when I look out there
it makes me glad I'm not you
I've experiments to run
there is research to be done
on the people who are
still alive.


and believe me I am still alive
I'm doing science and I'm still alive
I feel fantastic and I'm still alive
while you're dying I'll be still alive
and when you're dead I will be still alive
still alive
still alive

• You're not surprised to see a goat in the passenger seat

• You need a sweater when it's 80 degrees Fahrenheit

• You believe that the definition of a "nanosecond" is: the time interval between the light turning green and the guy behind you blowing his horn

• You understand that 'wadi bashing' isn't a criminal act

• You make left turns from the far right lane

• You send friends a map instead of your address

• You think "Mamsir" is one word

• You think it perfectly normal to have a picnic in the middle of a roundabout at 11pm

• You know exactly how much alcohol allowance you have left for the month

• You never say Saturday instead of Friday or Sunday instead of Saturday anymore

• You accept that there is no point in asking why you are not allowed to do something because there is no good reason why

• You expect queues to be 1 person deep and 40 people wide

• You carry 12 passport size photos around with you, just in case

• You can tell the time by listening to the local mosque

• Phrases like 'potato peeler', 'dish washer', 'coffee maker' and 'fly swatter' are not household items but actually job titles

• Habibi isn't just the ex-president of Indonesia

• You say "Insha'allah" when you actually mean "No f**king chance!"

I finally got the Halloween pics, but I don't have enough time to post everything right now. Here is a quick picture from Halloween as Morticia and Gomez. I'll post more pics next time, as well as fancy ones from the St. Andrew's Ball this weekend!

Happy Turkey Day in advance!

Toot-toot!

I started sailing lessons a few weeks ago. I'm so excited to be learning a new sport that has been on my life list for a looooong time. It is SO much fun!!! The weather is beautiful out these days, not too hot, not too cold, not too humid - just right.

Anyhoo, here are some pics from last week's lessons.


Rory falling out of the boat - we had to practice capsizing so we know what to do when we inevitably do so.



You have to get over the ropes and swim behind the boat, then put your weight on the dagger board to flip the boat upright - which is what Rory was just about to do.



Then you oh so ungracefully yank yourself back into the boat with out capsizing it the other way- as I demonstrate here.



Ta-da!



Simon (our friend and instructor) gives us a briefing on how to use the 'fun boats'.



And we're off!


Between the 5 of us we only had a few minor collisions, and an incident where an ass-tard jet skier decided to tow another jet ski right in front of me and Rory - and then yells at me to "stop my boat". What an ass monkey.


Such a pleasant way to spend a beautiful afternoon!

I'm finally working on Cambodia and Vietnam photos! I swear it. See?

Ugh. My IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) has been acting up something FIERCE this week. I'm probably much more stressed with work than my mind believes, thus my body is reacting with vengeance. Meep. I even took a day off work I was SO sick...and that's unusual. I hope it gets better soon.

I started another 'Life List' activity this week; Sailing lessons! I've always wanted to learn to sail and now I'm finally taking a course. It makes me so happy to finally be doing all these things I could only dream of before. My life is turning out to be just great! I forgot my camera this round but I'll be sure to bring it next week and get some action shots, presumably of me capsizing my little boat.

Meanwhile we celebrated 7 months together yesterday!

Well, thanks to everyone who posted photos of the Halloween party! I'm so sad I couldn't be there, it's always one of my favorite nights of the year.

I had a lot of fun at the Gangsters and Molls Monster Ball. Although I'd say about 80% of the guys were all dressed alike: black pants, black shirt, white tie.

Apparently I did a good job cutting my wig because people thought it was my real hair and asked if I had gotten a special haircut just for the event. They didn't believe me when I told them there was golden brown locks to the middle of my back tucked neatly under that short,short bob! Yah...I know what you're thinking...LOOOOOOOOOTS of bobby pins, that's how.

The next night we did Morticia and Gomez Adams but I was disappointed so few people dressed up. LAME. The Tina Turner impersonator was entertaining and Rory knows everyone who works there so we go to eat for free. I guess I can't complain there!

I'll get photos put up very soon! Happy Halloween everyone :)