a bit distracted

Life doesn't have to be a spectator sport

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

You can't keep a good blog down

"It's back!" came the cry across continents (over IM, natch). And so the world of PR celebrated - dancing in the streets and popping champagne corks to drown out the whimpers from the likes of Chris Lewis et al who will - once again - have to retain a lawyer just to get these pesky blogs gagged all over again.

Joy.

...the world's leading... (TWL for those in the know) is BACK baby. And this time, it's personal. Actually, having a read through the first three blogs since it's return, it's a bit vanilla so far. But I'm confident it'll get some speed up, regain it's loyal readership and be back on the cynicism trail with a vengance.

TWL rocks.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Something to muse

There are two articles from TIME magazine that I've been mulling over this morning - and yes, I have also got some work done! Both were part of a feature on 10 Ideas that are Changing the World Right Now - quite an interesting series if you have a spare minute or ten.

The first talks about how religion is adapting to economic times, and that people are feeling resigned to accepting a certain inevitability of fate. At least, that was my interpretation:

Calvinism is back... John Calvin's 16th century reply to medieval Catholicism's buy-your-way-out-of-purgatory excesses is Evangelicalism's latest success story, complete with an utterly sovereign and micromanaging deity, sinful and puny humanity, and the combination's logical consequence, predestination: the belief that before time's dawn, God decided whom he would save (or not), unaffected by any subsequent human action or decision.

Can I recommend that when you get here...you read that excerpt again? It's not exactly one for skimming eyes over in speed-read stylee. Pure genius at work, I thought, although a little depressing in sentiment. Humanity is definitely looking slightly puny when some of the biggest names in the world's financial community are looking, at best, 'a bit shakey.

And then - in at number 5 - is a concept that I saw as bizarrely closely related...Amortality. I definitely suffer from this now, although it is debatable as to whether I came across as in any way credible - much less experienced - in my younger days.

Amortals live among us. In their teens and 20s, they may seem preternaturally experienced. In later life, they often look young and dress younger. They have kids early or late — sometimes very late — or not at all. Their emotional lives are as chaotic as their financial planning. The defining characteristic of amortality is to live in the same way, at the same pitch, doing and consuming much the same things, from late teens right up until death.

Chaotic doesn't even begin to cover it! But I like this concept - it's about fitting as much into life as you feel the need to, and getting the maximum out for as long as is physically possible. This, as opposed to feeling the burden of inevitabile fate while you grudgingly change and mould your life to accommodate finances, kids, work, and so on....and on. I admire people who have children (actually, this sentance could stop there - but I'll contine) that bring a new addition into their life and still live it to the full; rather than stopping travelling, never going out, choosing sensible shoes and being incapable of holding a conversation without inserting baby language or talk of poop and nappies. I'm talking about people who don't let these things get in the way of having some good old fashioned fun on the journey that is life.

We only get one shot, so lets pack in the Calvinist attitude and vote for Amortality. Here's a parting shot from the article that I particularly like. You can probably guess why.

"The important thing is not how many years have passed since you were born," says Nick Bostrom, director of the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford, "but where you are in your life, how you think about yourself and what you are able and willing to do."

Well said, Nick!

Monday, March 23, 2009

Free...or not so much?

Today I read a piece on one of our GCC neighbours that said: "The country is committed to having a free media, however social and political constraints make self-sensorship commonplace"

It reminded me of people who say: "I'm vegetarian, but I still eat chicken"

A spring in my step...the other thought

Ah yes...the other thought.

Well I was talking to mum yesterday (of course, it was Mother's Day) and she was telling me how she, dad and my auntie had just enjoyed lunch in the garden for the first time this year. It was a lovely British spring day, with blue sky, hazy sun and just a little chill in the air.

Gulp.

Pangs of longing for a fresh spring walk by the river.

People did say when I moved to the desert that it would be the changing of the seasons that I would miss the most. More than being able to buy wine at Waitrose, I said? For the record, those people were right. Sure, we have 'weather' - I had at least 3 spots of rain land on my windscreen on Saturday and today a shamal has arrived and clouded us in dust for the next few days. But the year rolls round with no marker that says "spring has sprung" or "winter is here". There's no wardrobe overhaul as the winter togs get relegated and summer tops brought out.

Spring is a beautiful, fresh season in England, but Autumn has always been my favourite. I love sitting in the beer garden when it's just that little bit too chilly, or nipping into a coffee shop when my cold nose says it's time for a cup of tea. Plus it's my birthday (although that's not such a great thing as the years pile up!) and it used to signal the new school year...which meant a change in routine, netball instead of athletics (thank goodness), and - most importantly - new shoes.

See how I got distracted first time around?!

A spring in my step

There are two parts to this blog. I got half way through one thought and was side tracked to another that struck me as equally worth a mention. Those of you that know me well (or even just a little bit) probably aren't surprised! Second - sometimes even third, fourth and fifth, thoughts can strike mid sentance and send me stuttering off into distraction.

Anyway, before I get side-swiped by that musing...

I've started running. Yes! Despite it previously being firmly placed on my 'morris dancing' list of things never to do in life, I succumbed with a couple of friends from work and have donned trainers and hauled ass to the park a couple of times a week. Surprisingly it's fun! Well, maybe fun is a little strong, but it is nice to be outside, refreshing to smell grass and so far proving mightily effective at lifting one out of impending grumps. The purpose built track is made of springy stuff that puts an instant bounce in your step (also protects knees and hopefully other bits too) and has handy distance markers that prove quite motivational in getting round the track in a kind of run-walk combo. As one that gets obsessed by patterns and numbers, I also found it interesting that I had a mental block at every 300m of running. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get past that distance in one go. Until.......I bought some lovely bright pink and black trainers! 500m, no problemo!

In discussing this with my colleague at work, he sagely pointed at aforementioned card on my desk and said..."you see, it IS all about the right shoes"

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

If you don't like it....leave

This week the Dubai government reissued its rules of conduct, in which playing loud music, dancing, nudity, kissing and holding hands in public is considered inappropriate behaviour.

These guidelines are not new - just a reminder of the society we live in - but for some reason they have sparked endless debate in the media.

Driving back from a meeting today I heard the topic discussed for the third time on Dubai Eye (and that's just the ones I have caught on one radio station!), which seemed to conclude with 'if you don't like it, leave'.

So if all the people who didn't agree with the dress code, moral code, behavioural code and attitudes of the Emirate towards drugs, alcohol and public indecency did leave town, what would that mean for Dubai?

Well for starters, Barasti would close down! Closely followed by Alpha, Yalumba, Chi and the IV. Expat haven events such as the Dubai World Cup racing, Rugby 7's (x2) and polo would have to rethink their allure, and Friday 'all you can drink' brunches would be a thing of the past.

I do love rugby (but drove to the last one and had a great time, thereby disproving the link between alcohol and fun at the 7's) and enjoy the odd night a Barasti (cocktails on a sun lounger, sunset over the Arabian Gulf and good sheesha, what's not to like?!), but I like to think that I've adjusted enough to life here to enjoy an Arabic tea and sheesha with friends as much as a few bevvies down the Dhow Palace!

All in all, I agree that culture needs preserving and these guidelines are a good clear statement of that. As long as they are applied with common sense to curb extremities - and therein may lie the biggest problem! I also think that restating the rule book at a point where people are considering whether to stay or go brings this into sharper focus. You never know, it might rid the place of some of the leering money-grabbing eejits that spoil a perfectly enjoyable, and not necessarily too drunkard, Thursday night on the dancefloor.

As an interesting aside - the guidelines were not published to the media, but sent to government departments and private companies. It was leaked through an Arabic newspaper, Emarat Al Youm ...which has since removed the story from its website.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Crisis is the new black

An IM conversation with a friend just now went something like this:

Her - having client issues
Me - uh oh
Her - but as I was saying this morning...
Her - I'm definitely more comfortable when faced with a crisis (actually she said crisit, but we'll let that one pass)
Me - haha, it's the new comfort zone for 2009
Me - if you're not in crisis, something is about to go wrong

It struck me as incredibly insightful for a couple of PR bunnies that were happily nattering away.

I can't help thinking we're onto something. Crisis is the new comfort zone - if whatever can go wrong will, then we're happier knowing what it is and dealing it face on than waiting in a moment of calm for crisis to strike. And you know it will - just as soon as you grab a cup of tea and sit down.

So there I see an upside to economic turmoil. It gets rid of the cobwebs that say all is going to plan. Business leaders, government officials, PR bunnies alike - we're all more on our toes...on the ball...switched on and tuned in.

Crisis rocks!

Monday, March 09, 2009

Le crunch Dubai

I just read an article on a blog I wander to every now and then. It talked about the differences that this guy has noticed in Dubai since le crunch hit our shores. He notes taxis (easier to flag down), traffic (fewer jams - hmm), property (cheaper) and friends (leaving...) as the four differences that he has seen in recent months. It got me thinking.

Just as in London I tried not to talk too often of late running tubes, grotty weather and why old ladies to feel the need to shop in Boots during workers' lunch hours, here I do try to avoid talk of traffic and property. But it's all getting a little closer to the bone.

This weekend, for example, I fell foul of the latest faux pas. Sitting down at the rugby next to a lovely friend that I haven't seen for a while, she casually says "how's it going?" I condence my reply into a short, sharp "oh you know, still got a flat - just (watch this space!) - still got a job and still here. And the sun's still shining. How about you?". Now I knew she was on the verge of having to move house but it was news to me that she had been laid off just two days earlier...and a timely reminder to be a little more sensitive! She's in good humour, I'm happy to report - so far focusing mainly on partying her way through the tough bit before knuckling down to some serious job hunting when times begin to look brighter.

In case you're still interested, the four differences I've noticed in 'recessionista' Dubai are:

1) The firework displays are less ostentatious, but thankfully someone has finally figured out how to use the confetti machines (and now probably has a job for life!)

2) It's easier to find a parking space closer to the door of the malls. Joy.

3) The sky is bluer. I love the rumour that this is because construction has slowed therefore it's less dusty and am hereby convinced it's not just because it's springtime

4) My working hours are 8:30am-5:30pm. 'Nuff said.

Monday, March 02, 2009

Anyway...back to shoes

"Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world"

I have a card from my dear friend Loz that I keep by my desk (the card, not Loz...) with this inspired quote from Bette Midler. I look at it quite often when I'm trying to rouse some semblence of creative focus! Though not to everyone's taste, I admit, it definitely inspires me in a moment of contemplation.

If this client was a pair of shoes, what kind of footwear would they be. Flashy disco boots, classy heels or sensible flats? You wouldn't suggest a wacky stunt to a brogue touting client, nor a desert hike to one with a penchent for 4" silver stilettos. The colour, style, heel, fastening...everything says something about the shoe/client's personality and taste.

There is another quote that says something about walking a mile in my shoes before throwing any stones (I may be at risk of mixing my metaphors!) and it's true. Literally putting yourself in your clients shoes is - for me - great inspiration for a creative yet appropriate campaign.

I'll be over here in my 2 1/2" mary janes if you need me.