a bit distracted

Ludditt's plan for saving the planet

2009-12-31T08:54:00.006+04:00

Russian scientists will soon meet in secret to work on a plan for saving Earth from a possible catastrophic collsion with a giant asteroid in 26 years.... [7 Days, P13]

Very interesting, n'est pas? Reading on, it seems that in 2036 we are facing 1:250,000 odds (down from 1:45,000 - phew!) of being struck by the Apophis asteroid, which, if it hits us, will create a desert the size of France. The exact path that the asteroid follows on a flyby in 2029 will determine whether it smashes into the Earth seven years later.

Blimey.

Apparently this gathering of the world's shiniest foreheads from Russia, Europe, US and China (what....no one from the Middle East? But we've even got Virgin Galactic launching from Ras Al Khaimah soon) are going to try applying the laws of physics, rather than nuclear explosion, to avoid a collision.

Jolly good.

I studied Astronomy as part of my physics GCSE - with variable success - so have a bit of a fascination for all things planetary. And I'm sure these guys have thought of this already. BUT...if we're to believe old Newton then I'm wondering where we're going to find a 350m diameter object that's pretty damn solid, to project into space on the right path...in the right direction....at the right time and speed....in order to cause the equal and opposite reaction and send Apophis back from whence it came. In the grand scheme of the universe as we currently know it, I'm thinking that's a bit 'needle in a haystack'-esque for this particular task.

So here's what I'd do.

I would gather together all 'end of the world' type movies, particularly those involving Bruce Willis and any that are futuristic sci-fi (therefore involving technology that's more imaginative than your average nuclear bomb), and invest a month or so in a bit of research. As an aside, it's a fine excuse to study Ben Affleck. We've got nine years until the first milestone and no one seemed to feel rushed into getting their heads together when odds were five times higher, so I'm thinking there's bandwidth here.

This would be followed by an open session brainstorm that invites 4-15 year old kids to dream up the most far-flung and ridiculous ideas possible for saving the earth. The ideas of children are constrained only by the realms of their imagination, unlike us boring adults, so I would put money on one of them coming up with something that one day turned into gold. Only then would I introduce a computer and put a bunch of scientists in the room.

By this time, we are probably much closer to aforementioned fly-by and can either say goodbye to France, or...positive thinking....put the drawing board away and congratulate ourselves on dodging another bullet.

On the other hand, I do agree that it's a damn fine job that I don't run a country - though my cabinet meetings would be a lot more interesting than Gordon's probably are!

What colour is your mood?

2009-12-28T09:24:00.003+04:00

Everybody knows I love a spot of pampering...and am fascinated by any kind of mystical reading...so imagine my joy on finding this little gem in JBR!

Last night I used a random 'buy a treatment, get a free thai massage' voucher to treat myself at Spa Dunya. I'd never been before - and was more than a little put off by the name - but actually it may be one of Dubai's best kept secrets.

The concept for the salon is colour - light, energy, health and well-being through colour. So before my treatment I was taken into a little room to choose my colours. Here's what we found out:

Purple: I crave a return to basics, have a nostalgia for the past and feel like I'm suffering from extreme materialism. This colour represents a connection to family - especially my mum - and a need for more balance in life. Well I am missing London a lot...but then, who doesn't want to be at home - and especially with their mum - at Christmas, and who in Dubai isn't a victim of excess materialism?!

Pick another colour...

Orange: This is a feminine colour that represents creativity, a connection to the senses and a need for reassurance or intimacy. It is a healthy colour for women, encouraging energy flows in all the right places. Also craved by those with a tendency to over-intellectualise things. Do I over-think? Nooo....surely not. Do I? I do, don't I. Actually, I surprised myself by picking orange, but not as much as with the next selection...

Yellow: This is the male colour so complements the previous choice of orange (back to balance again - did someone say Libra?), and is all about joy, happiness, spontineity and self confidence. It is good for releasing stress held in the stomach and for un-blocking emotional, er, blockages. And to think my friends laughed when I said I think I needed my energy flows unblocked! I think she said yellow was also good for weight loss - bonus.

And finally...

Indigo blue: Indigo is all about embracing change, living in the moment and being yourself. Tends to appeal to those seeking mental clarity (yup!) and whose mind needs calming (yup yup!) so that they can sleep (oh sleep would be lovely). This colour also aids intuition.

Apparently your choice of colours may change at different times, depending on your mood and what your body needs. I guess it's a bit like tarot cards, that you can read into it whatever you like...but I enjoyed it and now have much to ponder (without over-thinking, obviously!)

And the treatments? The Thai massage was good - not the best in the world ever, but all my various kinks were ironed out and I'm feeling very bendy today! The facial was simply AMAZING. I'd definitely recommend this spa to a friend, so look past the name and give it a shot.

Christmas: approach with caution

2009-12-27T09:11:00.004+04:00

As with most things in Dubai, my second festive season spent in the desert was a spectacular, yet all too brief, firecracker of a celebration with a slightly surreal edge. Blink (or should that be drink?)...and you'll miss it.

This year I spent the day with 14 other Christmas orphans, and it was actually pretty magical. We had a table in the garden that was sprinkled with glitter, the obligatory Secret Santa, a festive feast and more wine than you could shake a cracker at. I missed my family -although I genuinely think they appreciated my slightly tipsy wake up call from 3,500 miles away - but had a truly fab time with friends (and people I didn't know but was drunk enough to befriend pretty quickly).

Highlights include:

- That first make-or-break glass of bubbles
- The real life dancing elf-in-a-box sent round to apparently 'woo' a girl (for future reference - it didn't work!) and the truly terrible Dubai version of 'Ten Days of Christmas'
- Sitting in the sunshine thinking of friends and family back home, and - later on - cowering from the rain, thinking of friends and family back home!
- Christmas dinner - delicious
- Cheeeeeeeeese....and lots of it
- Discovering secret psychic powers - don't challenge me to a game of charades!
- Getting locked in the toilet (but relieved to find out how quickly I was missed - aaaahhh)
- Finding sparkly bits of table decoration that got EVERYWHERE!
- That sodding talking parrot pen!

And finally....

- Having all of this fun on Christmas Day and still having gifts to unwrap the next day!

Festive camel seeks Christmas spirit

2009-12-23T09:11:00.003+04:00

Approaching the end of the year brings a welcome close to a few exhausting months in the land of sand. Contrary to world newspaper reports, the UAE hasn't sunk or imploded - we are in fact still very much alive and kicking. And while ever we've still got jobs, a beach, a blue sky, bars, restaurants, malls - need I go on...oooh nearly forgot sheesha - I think many expats will be sticking around.

So, having put that rumour to rest, where the bl**dy hell is Christmas guys?

There are pockets of sparkle around the city, but frankly it's a bit disappointing that the most festive place I find on Christmas Eve Eve is Spinneys Supermarket in Oud Metha. All of the way into work I was frantically willing the radio to put on a Christmas tune, just a hint of Nat King Cole would make my day, but no - Simply Red came on and I had to switch over to the news channel. Caribou, a Canadian coffee chain that even seems Christmassy in the 50-degree heat, was barely in the spirit and my Christmas tunes CD is still MIA.

Undeterred, I donned my santa hat and purchased the team mince pies...but it's still not doing the trick. Come on Dubai - show me some Christmas spirit.

World press freedom...with hilarious consequences

2009-10-29T13:24:00.002+04:00

A return to my soapbox on the topic of press freedom. But hang onto your hats, we're going global.

There's an article in the Economist this week that looks at the World Press Freedom Index, noting that although Western Europe has its issues, they seem to be nothing compared to the new entrants to the EU.

In Slovakia, for example, the parliament passed a law last year that means editors have to guarantee the subject of a story the right to reply, and the reply has to be the same length of original and placed in the same prominence within the publication....even if the original's facts were correct.

This is clearly one of those laws that should end in "....with hilarious consequences!"

Imagine if the Slovaks had the same celebutante obesssion as the Brits. Victoria Beckham would practically own The Sun, Paris Hilton would be hospitalised from the exhaustion of creating more....more....more....more column inches for herself, and we'd never hear the end of the Big Brother contestants.

Having said that, the likelihood of any of these people having the wits and wisdom to fill the column inches to which they become entitled is pretty low.....so I guess it would keep us PRs in a job for a little while longer!

You want DVD?

2009-10-13T21:07:00.002+04:00

Yes folks, the famous fake DVD sales people of Dubai were dealt a shocking blow today as six people were jailed for selling illegal DVDs.

I've never bought any myself. I once borrowed a friend's copy of Lions for Lambs and wasn't overly impressed that the night scenes were so dark I couldn't see any action. Granted it does probably get quite dark in the middle of the Afghan desert at night, but I presume the director thought about that and brought some lighting. I was, however, amazed by Tom Cruise's fluency in the Russian language and the way he effortlessly slipped between that and his native American. Who knew Tom Cruise was a cunning linguist?

Whether it's this experience, or a symptom of being shockingly honest - or maybe the FACT advertising that banged on about how fake DVD's single-handedly support those naughty drugs barrons actually worked on someone - I can hold my hands up and say I have never bought a fake DVD. Even at 10 dirhams a pop.

I mentioned this to my Kuwaiti colleague the other day who was stunned. "But I see it like this" he said, "in buying fake DVD I support my local economy rather than some international film maker". How so? "My neighbour is probably the guy making the DVDs"

A lovely piece of cultural insight!

BB viewers in 'finding life' shocker

2009-09-23T08:52:00.004+04:00

Admittedly I'm a bit slow on this one, but I've just got my 4 September issue of PR Week and am DELIGHTED to read that Big Brother is to be scrapped next year.

Sorry @shoesandtattoos, but you know it's rubbish too!

I'm surprised not to have picked up the news on Twitter earlier, but - despite being 3 weeks behind the times - it's made my morning.

It's a fine day for the British population when viewers finally show that they quite simply have do have better things to do and voted with their feet. One fine friend aside, good for the Brits that have discovered life beyond watching 10 losers waste their life in a bungalow in East London while it's sunny outside.

finger painting

2009-09-22T09:25:00.002+04:00

Check out these mini video clips on The New Yorker...

It's like a flash back to Tony Hart, who used to keep children throughout the UK mesmorised as he turned a blank piece of paper and a few random swishes of colour into a true-to-life image of the city. Only this is on the iphone using the Brushes application. Fascinating stuff.

UAE Ranks as Freest Arab Economy

2009-09-16T10:04:00.001+04:00

...and its media continues to butcher English grammar!

(PS. the story is here for anyone still interested)

Moon Sighting Committee to review job description

2009-09-16T09:32:00.004+04:00

For those not familiar, the Moon Sighting Committee plays a vital role in Middle East society - they declare when our public holidays are going to be.

You and I both know that the moon is a cyclical thing, it travels at a fixed speed on a pretty predictable orbit, and the Christian calendar uses this science to plan years, decades, centuries ahead for Easter holidays each year. Want to know when Good Friday will be in 2017...no problem! Other holidays - in Britain at least - are at equally predictably times: last Monday in August, 25th December, 1st January...

Not so in this part of the world - it is at once an amusing cultural quirk and a bizarre irritation when trying to plan an Eid get-away more than two days in advance.

In a potentially historic turn of events, however, the Government yesterday announced that 'regardless of when the new moon is sighted, the public sector will observe Eid holidays beginning on Saturday'. Which means we can similarly predict private sector hols with a whole four days notice.

The Moon Sighting Committee - who must be wondering where their career path goes from here - will meet anyway on Saturday. But they must be wondering what they are going to discuss when their key decision making responsibility has been done for them. If there was a Moon Sighting Trade Union, they'd be going on strike.

I had previously been of the opinion that this 'calling' of public holidays at such short notice must be one (of severak) factors that hinders the smooth running of international trade, but now I kind of miss the anticipation! There's just no pleasing some people!

Eid Mubarak to family and friends.

Super TED hits Dubai

2009-09-11T12:00:00.004+04:00

I'm looking forward to October for a multitude of reasons...and, unusually for me, my birthday is way down the list.

The months spent air-con hopping are drawing to a close, which means a welcome end to the merry dance that goes something like this: apartment - car - office - car - mall/gym/restaurant/bar* - car - apartment.

*delete according to day of the week

Another equally - if not more - exciting reason is that TED is coming to town. TED is my latest love. He's inspirational, he makes me think, he has amazing - sometimes wacky, sometimes idealistic, sometimes distinctly odd - ideas and an ambition to make the world a better and more creative place. Based on that, who could fail to love TED?

My mum will be disappointed to learn, however, that TED isn't the man I'm going to marry. It's a conference that was started in the States and is docking in Dubai as an independent event organised by a couple of ambitious guys who want to bring this 'spa for the brain' to the desert.

Unusually - especially for this place - money doesn't get you through the door. Everyone has to apply for a ticket and then keep fingers crossed that they get a place. I almost fell off my seat at a TED networking event recently when my application flashed up on the preso...but have taken that as a good sign and have everything crossed!

Wish me luck!

Launching Dubai Metro

2009-09-10T18:19:00.003+04:00

I've previously ruminated the relative merits of the Dubai Metro. On the whole, I - along with many others in the city, I'm sure - have been fairly patient (well, ish!) with the disruption to the roads, watched the construction in wonderous awe (it is pretty amazing), and debated not whether but when I shall be using it to gad about town.

It launched on schedule, on 09.09.09 at 09.09.

Except it didn't.

It launched at 21.09 - a technicality that baffled all of the people that excitedly turned up to try their new morning journey into work. And even then , it didn't officially open to the public until 10.09.09 (today).

For such an historical occasion - and it is, honest - there should've been a flashy ceremony the night before, a celebration and an event that embraced the whole of Dubai's community. The 'My City, My Metro' tagline was never less inclusive than with last night's exclusive launch.

I've been in PR for too long, I'm sure, but my recommendation would be that this is all about the public - get them onboard. Literally.

The National did a great live blog/twitter today to mark the first day by racing four journalists from the airport to Jebel Ali by Metro, car, taxi and bus. The poor guy on the bus took hours (in 40 degree heat and 80% humidity - ouch), and the Metro broke down at Mall of the Emirates for a good half hour. It was quality entertainment and I was hooked all along. Well done to The National!

Which movie had the greatest impact on you?

2009-07-31T11:27:00.001+04:00

At dinner last night, conversation took an interesting turn towards discussing which movie had had the biggest impact on each of us at the table.

Clearly a question that @shoesandtattoos would love to debate for hours, and I look forward to her views (preferably over a pint in Camden next week).

Unfortunately I run into problems here in that I can rarely remember the title of a movie I saw last week, never mind one seen eons ago. I'm now on a mission to remember and (depending on successful completion of step 1) rewatch a few of those films have set me thinking for days on end.

Anyway the film that I do remember as clear as if I saw it yesterday isn't actually a movie but a tv mini series - Bangkok Hilton, starring Nicole Kidman. It must be 20 years since it was on (goodness that makes me sound old!) but I could recount the story to the slightest detail today. Yet, even having put a lot of thought towards this over the years, I can't tell you WHY it had such a massive impact. Did it put me off travelling to far flung places through university years - something I wish I had done then and am always looking for opportunities to rectify now that I can stay in multi* hotels rather than flea-ridden hostels?!! Maybe it was simply the first really eye-opening piece of film that I'd watched about how different countries around the world are and the dangers that lurk outside of the safety of our parents home.

It was a fascinating dinnertime conversation - one to remember and re-ponder in the morning after wine-induced fog! I just wish I could remember everyone else's answer!

On today's news agenda...

2009-07-29T13:45:00.003+04:00

I'm reading a newspaper while finishing off my lunch (as an aside, I don't recommend the falafel wrap from the sandwich lady). Admittedly it's not a very high quality newpaper, kind of a News of the World - Dubai style. It's called 7Days (though only actually published 5 times a week)

Standing apart from its daily rivals, which are reporting on Abu Dhabi's investment in Virgin Galactic or a woman's body washing up on a beach in Ras Al Khaimah, I'm delighted to read in this newspaper that Esther Rantzen is running in the Luton South constituency election; and an unnamed 67-year old lady got stuck in her own toilet in Queensland, Australia.

A strange co-incidence

2009-07-23T09:41:00.002+04:00

I read this morning on Auntie Beeb that 52 pubs are closing each week in Britain. That figure is up from 27 a week in 2007 and 2 a week in 2006.

Now, I left the wonderfully sociable B&B to join Hotwire in 2006. At this point the burden of 10-13 hour days and a daily schlep all the way across London meant that my previously healthy social life took a gravity-defying nose dive. I left Blighty towards the end of October 2007.

Is it just me or is there a spooky correlation there?

One thing that does worry me is the 'official' guy that says "...unfortunately if you are a community pub, you can't transform yourself into a trendy town-centre bar." Why unfortunately?

Hold that thought

2009-07-16T13:17:00.002+04:00

Not quite sure what to do with this piece of info, so I might just stick it here for now and come back to it when I get more substance...

@HHShkMohdjust approved a new federal government communications strategy which aims to enhance the country’s image

Etisalat-schmisalat

2009-07-16T08:40:00.004+04:00

There is a storm brewing here in the UAE about a software upgrade to mobile devices that Etisalat issued recently via SMS. Some sources are saying it downloads suspicious software onto the mobile device, the operator says it is a network enhancement patch. I'm not going to comment on the story, but you can read The National's report here if you're interested.

I think I saw the SMS that told me to watch out for a download. Emphasis on 'think'...because Etisalat is a serial spammer and it drives me to distraction.

I can enjoy days without a peep from them and then one day I get five within the space of an afternoon. And three of them will be in Arabic. My bill is in English, I "press option 2 to continue in English" every time I phone the service centre, and I have British clearly stated on my records - so why is there not a little box to tick on the marketing dashboard that says 'text this customer in English language or it's going to be a waste of time'.

Etisalat frequently feel the need to communicate with me at 1, 2, 3 0'clock in the morning. When my phone goes at those times I normally think it's a drunken friend or someone from England that has forgotten all about time differences - both excusable actions - but for a home-grown network operator to think that this is an appropriate time to catch my attention is just nuts. Although I guess I'm not doing anything important at the time....except, oh yeah, sleeping!

You don't have to sit through as many marketing lectures as I have to see that all of this makes for a very irritating experience. Wasting time and money on behalf of the operator, and alienating an audience with potential to be engaged. If I see Etisalat has texted me, I rarely even look to see what they want to tell me. When O2 texted me back in the UK it was about things I had asked to be informed about - music gigs, shoe sales, travel updates...

As a final thought, aren't we always hoping that little SMS bleep is something more interesting from someone else?!

Internet censorship - a growing issue

2009-07-06T12:20:00.002+04:00

Here's an interesting project from the Guardian in the UK - a map illustrating different levels of internet censorship around the world. It's early days for the project, in fact they don't even seem to have data for most of the developed world, but it will be interesting to see how it develops.

Here in the UAE, Flikr is banned and so are all sorts of other dodgy websites. Personally, can't say I notice much beyond things my friends are talking about that I can't see on Flikr...but every now and then you follow a link sent by a friend to something quite innocent, and it comes up as banned. It can be quite infuriating.

There's an article here for anyone interested.

Another Gulf newspaper suspended

2009-07-06T08:55:00.004+04:00

Last month I mentioned that a newspaper in Bahrain, Akhbar Al Khaleej, had been suspended until further notice. It turns out the Iranians complained to Bahrain about an article that criticised their country. The article in question was an attributed opinion article that was stating just that - an opinion held by the author. Despite living in the region for some time, this still doesn't sit well with my home-grown sensibilities.

This week, Emarat Al Youm - an Arabic language newspaper based out of Abu Dhabi -has received a 20 day suspension following a story it published in 2006. The article in question suggested that a UAE stable had doped horses with steroids for a race in Dubai...a story that suggests there may have been a hint of - shock horror - investigative journalism going on. In 2006? Amazing!

Reporting on the story, Gulf News highlighted Mohammad Yousuf, Chairman of the UAE Journalists' Association, as saying that media circles were "disturbed by the suspension, especially when the UAE media is witnessing a qualitative leap and development."

I totally agree. Yes, laws against defamation are appropriate and should result in a fine if found guilty; but a 20-day ban on publishing three years after the event...??

"Funny" blog

2009-07-04T11:42:00.002+04:00

As anyone that has found themselves at the mercy of my red pen will know, I have many grammatical bug bears...

This blog is all about one of them - unnecessary use of "quotation" marks. If nobody said it, don't use them!

My carbon footprint

2009-07-02T11:07:00.004+04:00

My colleagues, who work with a prominent ecological and environmental body here in the emirates, presented a few slides at our regular office breakfast on calculating your carbon footprint.

The UAE has the world's largest carbon footprint, but as a recycling vegetarian who mostly enjoys non-carbon sports such as running and yoga in the park, I was under the impression that my footprint would be a mite less than your average bear.

Shockingly not. Try this, err, 'fun' quiz and see how you compare (although note it is only set up for US, Canada and Australia so far - I chose the States)

If everyone lived like me, we would need a shocking 6.9 planet Earths to provide enough resources. My 'energy land' requirement is enormous...I guess that's due to my dependence on Harry the Jeep to get around town, and several flights a year to the UK and elsewhere.

All very thought provoking.

A similar application - that does have all countries in the world listed - is Carbon Footprint. I was a little more cheered by this one as, although still shocked and stunned by my contribution to the end of the world as we know it, my footprint is less than the average UAE resident...though still enormous compared to the rest of the world.

If you try it yourself, please post your result and where you are living - I'd be interested to see how lifestyles around the world compare.

Summer days...

2009-07-01T08:46:00.001+04:00

...condensation on the outside of the windows will never seem normal to me

Movie review: Transformers

2009-06-30T13:56:00.002+04:00

Went to see the new Transformers movie last night. I have to say, if I'd seen reviews (like these on Rotten Tomatoes) then I might not have bothered but we were looking for a 'boy movie' as my partner in crime was resolutely against seeing any rom-coms or chick flicks (spoil sport).

Oh how he regretted that decision when we stood up 2 hours and 40 minutes later with burst eardrums and very little storyline for discussion!

I'm not great with boy films, but - as one would expect from a Spielburg production - this was fairly good entertainment though lacking in content and substance. The eye candy was sadly amiss as well (though the girls were all really hot, as my friend went to great pains to point out!), but the amazing setting in Egypt/Jordan - the director never really seemed to figure out which - made a nice departure from the usual Western metropolis location.

About this time last year I went to see the very same pyramids at Giza, just outside of Cairo - they are simply stunning. So this film was quite nice to watch if only for a reminder of that. Possibly not the take-away that the director was looking for, but probably more positive than it would have been without the scenery.

Conclusion = if you're going to see it, do it at the cinema...but don't put yourself out if you're not a fan.

Got distracted...and missed blog's birthday

2009-06-29T11:20:00.002+04:00

Continuing my trend of being approximately 48 hours late on all birthday, anniversary and miscellaneous event good wishes...A Bit Distracted was 3 years old on Saturday.

So three years ago I was resigning from the good ship B&B and planning to join Hotwire

Two years ago I was making the decision to move to Dubai after a holiday to visit Ellie earlier in the month

One year ago...I can't remember. Might dig out an old diary and take a look.

Dubai to host 2020 Olympics?

2009-06-29T09:08:00.003+04:00

In a statement that falls just short of 'Sheikh Mohammed for President', local headlines today are all a flutter about Dubai's plans for 2020, hosting the Olympics, the Paralympics AND the World Expo. These events co-incide once every 20 years, and 2020 is apparently going to be Dubai's year.

You have to admire the ambition. Especially as this announcement comes as high profile executives continue to resign, the property market is on its knees and people are said to be leaving the city to avoid the rather extreme consequences of job loss and bankruptcy. The news is fairly comical these days, unless you're in it of course!

Living here, reading the news, talking to colleagues, clients and friends, it is very difficult to get a grip on what the actual situation is. Some say the boom is over, some say it's just a hitch and the emirate will be back to [a more grown up version of] its bling-tastic self by the time the summer is over. Some focus on the doom and gloom, but I am just planning to get through the summer and then resume the beach/sundowner/all-year-round-sunshine lifestyle that takes the edge off living somewhere so inherently stressful. My philosophy is that if I spend within my income and just enjoy all that is around me without getting swept up by the 'expat lifestyle', then inshallah I can't go to far wrong.

Clearly this isn't the attitude that wins one the 2020 Olympics. But that is an ambition I plan to watch with interest from the sidelines.

When communication works...

2009-06-28T15:02:00.006+04:00

At the recent Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival, Leo Burnett in Bahrain was rightly recognised for a very well executed campaign that promots the empowerment of women in Lebanon.

The Khede Kasra campaign shows how something simple - but very creative, clear and effective - can turn into a very powerful piece of agenda setting and opinion shaping communications.

It's the kind of campaign that makes this job worthwhile.

You've been Googled

2009-06-28T13:38:00.003+04:00

Ego surfing.

Inspired by my friend's blog on the top 10 Google results for her name, I tried my own. I've been in PR for over 10 years now (...my soul is truly beyond rescue!) and have sent out a fair few press releases in my time. I'm also pretty active in social media circles through general interest and also trying to keep up to date for work purposes.

So I boarded my ego surfboard with confidence and Googled away.

Katy Ludditt comes up with:

This blog (which also came up on a media monitoring at work once - woo hoo, and slightly cringe-worthy!)
A posting from 2006 about shoes
My ZoomInfo profile - interesting because I've never been on ZoomInfo before now, this site collects info on you without your permission and from various sources. Slightly stalker-ish
Me on Facebook
My Blogger profile
Syndicated article from PR Week announcing my joining Hotwire in 2006
A Nominet (client) press release, also from 2006
Networking for pros - another aggregate site that has somehow linked me to Mohammed Aly Sergie, a friend made on arriving in Dubai who has now moved to Saudi (random!)
LogicaCMG press release from 2005
LogicaCMG press release from 2006

So it's all me, but a couple of these (3 & 8) are not created or in any way controlled by me - which is a slightly worrying thought.

I remember my brother commenting a couple of years ago that he Googled 'Ludditt' and found that me and my press releases dominated the first 10 pages of results. With the online bandwagon well and truly gathering speed, I went on to see whether the same was still true.

It isn't!

I don't even get a mention until page 4, where my 'Ludditt exits Band & Brown' article of fame is listed, closely followed by this blog. Gutted!

Strangely, of all the Ludditt's listed before me, I have only ever heard of one of them (Fred Ludditt - who I now discover has written a book called 'Campfire Sketches of the Cariboo'!). They're on Ancestry.com, bebo, Facebook, myspace, twitter and LinkedIn...possibly we're not such 'Luddite's' after all!

Learning to think - a short debate on education

2009-06-24T12:26:00.002+04:00

It was a late night at the office yesterday - partly because I was dreading the thought of driving up Sheikh Zayed Road in a Nissan Tiida while my rather more robust Jeep was being fixed. Anyway, the radio debate on Dubai Eye was quite interesting so I focused on that as I drove along at hub cap level with the 4x4's and trucks zooming past me.

A panel was talking about education, and posed a rather interesting question: should children be taught to learn or taught to think?

I pondered this one and conclude that it is a very interesting question! We have all crammed for a test, pushing knowledge in through one ear for it to all fall out of the other as soon as the bell goes to say time's up. And I remember sitting hungover through university lectures, having information thrown at me with no idea whether it's going to stick, how useful it might be in later life, and for how long it's going to remain relevant and true.

That is teaching to learn, and all seems a bit short term considering the amount of time, energy and money invested in it.

Teaching to think on the other hand is getting kids to question the world around them. Teachers answer a question with, "what do you think?" or "why don't you look it up and tell me what you find out?". It's about encouraging kids to think for themselves, explore the world, question authority, even...excuse me and my ambitious ideas...read a newspaper and pick up a book or two.

My first thought was, kids would come out of school not knowing anything. But on consideration, who cares what they know, it's what they can do that counts! How much of what is taught in schools is actually directly used in daily working life? As one of the panel said, most of the time we're all making it up anyway...but what enables us to make it up is our knowledge of where to look for information, how to assimilate it, and how to use our experience and initiative to get the job done.

If schools can equip kids with this kind of skill set then they are welcome in any company I work in. The rest is down to training.

A bit of bite as well as bark

2009-06-22T09:51:00.002+04:00

News has come through from Middle East neighbour, Bahrain, that one of the Arabic daily newspapers - Akhbar Al Khaleej - has been suspended "until further notice" for reasons relating to the country's press law. The suspension was issued minutes before today's paper went to press.

With speculation ongoing in the UAE about the nature and impact of our own media law, this is certainly an indication that governments in this region are willing to take action. The offence committed by Akhbar Al Khaleej remains undisclosed - and the rumour mill seems slow in gathering pace this morning - but it will be interesting to find out what has happened.

As one of my colleagues said on circulating the news: "this shows how Government laws on the media certainly have some bite along with their bark"

A spot of economics with your coffee?

2009-06-21T20:54:00.001+04:00

I'm reading the Armchair Economist by Steven Landsburg...and loving it. For anyone that has studied Economics, or just has a healthy interest in the world and its workings, this is a brain-teasing piece of work.

One quote that I am left pondering over my coffee is this:

By the standards of economics, a policy that does nothing but encourage people to work harder and die wealthy is a bad policy.

...discuss.

Around the sheesha pipe today...

2009-06-18T08:36:00.007+04:00

There are so many interesting things in the news at the moment that I barely know where to start. We have kidnappings in Yemen, truck convoys in limbo on the UAE/Saudi border, a daylight bank robbery in Sharjah...and the fact I haven't had chance to chat about all of these things serves me right really for not blogging more often.

Anyway, I have selected two Dubai news highlights that caught my attention to give you a taste for what is being discussed around the sheesha pipe today:

Commonwealth Office tells Brits to cover up and behave themselves

Quite right! I really cringe to see holidaymakers (at least I hope that's what they are) from all over the world wearing clothes that would make your eyes water on Oxford Street, never mind in a Muslim country. Do these people even read a guidebook, or do they just buy 'sun, sea and sand' whilst conveniently forgetting that there is a culture, a religion and a different law to consider?

Gulf News made this into a picture story - not a bad idea for all the ignorant Brits that can't be bothered to read. I particularly like the picture that say's holding hands in public is allowed (advice that should be treated in caution for those that aren't married)...although my take away from this is that women of certain shapes and sizes probably shouldn't be wearing a string bikini!

Paris Hilton says 'Dubai is hot' (doh!)

I wouldn't normally dedicate brain cells to this celebutante but the fact that she has even been allowed into the country is quite intreguing. The authorities must be blinded to her pole dancing, champagne lifestyle by big flashing dirham signs. I'm sure the malls are all opening their doors with enthusiasm, but I watch with interest for how those same authorities view (or choose to ignore) the lines that she will inevitably step over.

So far reports are that Paris is being v-e-r-y careful, wearing traditional Arabic jewellery, practicing local greetings and complimenting the beauty of the country. But take it from a seasoned PR girl, you can polish it and you can roll it in glitter but, at the end of the day, it is what it is!

Abu Dhabi sets up media courts

2009-06-15T18:47:00.002+04:00

Today's news...

Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Judiciary Department HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan issued yesterday an ordinance setting up public prosecution and circuit courts to try media related cases in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. Article No.1 of the ordinance stipulated the establishment of a public prosecution to handle and conduct investigation of media related cases in the emirate and to refer them to competent courts. The same article also stipulated the establishment of circuit courts to hear these cases and pass verdicts. The ordinance assigned the Judicial council to issue decisions and bye-laws to execute it. The ordinance took effect from the day of its issuance and will be published in the official gazette. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

I'm no legal eagle, and would really appreciate someone telling me what this means. Based on earlier posts about the very controversial revamped media law that is in process of being finalised, I can see the pros (it being taken out of criminal courts) and cons (it sounds pretty serious) of a specialist court.

Coverage of this has been limited pretty much to the above so far, issued from the Government news agency.

One thought that does strike me (...as, y'know, I'm never knowing short of an opinion!) is that if they are going to all this trouble for the media industry then maybe the Government should consider its application to other industries that cause it far more embarrassment and headache. Given the trouble that the property industry has landed itself, its customers, its partners, suppliers and the authorities in...I would look at that as the first contender for special treatment.

A spot of vehicle psychology

2009-06-10T18:23:00.004+04:00

Here is the result of an in-depth survey carried out by yours truly over the 20,650 km that I have driven to date on Dubai's roads.

Drivers of Toyota FJ Cruisers are officially the worst drivers in the world. Ever.

On the road back to Dubai from Abu Dhabi today, I put some idle brain power towards a reason for this result (which I am sure will be influencing road safety policy and vehicle safety design from now onwards).

The issue is that people who buy TFJC's do not have enough respect for the power and solidness of a proper 4x4, and buy this lesser version because they don't have the dedication to go the whole hog and get a Jeep or a Land Rover. They kind of look like a Hummer, but without the balls.

On the other hand, it's not really a car. It's kind of a chubby version of a car - the overweight bully from school. And that's the way it acts on the road, pushing other drivers out of the way and charging across lanes like a bull in a china shop.

Sugar for Tzar

2009-06-08T19:04:00.002+04:00

Sir (or should I say Lord?) Sugar has sparked off a whole new controversy.

According to an article on the BBC, he is weighing up the post of Enterprise Tzar for the British Government, against continuing with BBC's The Apprentice.

Tough choice? I'd say not. Although I don't agree that he says this is not a political move...and am really hoping it's not a publicity stunt (although hats off to his PR consultant if it is). Anyone that works as an advisor to the government has to have a vested interest in seeing their role through to success, which would mean success for the government too and therefore be to their benefit. If you're a staunch Conservative (or BNP, given they're the only ones that give two hoots about elections these days), you wouldn't dream of such a thing.

However that's not my point here.

My point is that it is the BBC that is asking him to decide between the (long running) Apprentice series and this new gig as Tzar to Gordon Brown. Doesn't that strike you as odd? Surely if anything the Government should say that he must reconsider whether it is appropriate in his new position to keep firing people so very publicly. Maybe he could offer offer them some training instead.

Forever, or at least a few months...

2009-06-01T08:01:00.004+04:00

Have you ever read trendwatching? It's a monthly update that is sometimes really useful for sparking bright ideas. Well, it works for me occassionally anyway.

June's focus is all about 'foreverism', the concept that behind our hunger for the now there is also a longing for conversation, relationships (see how I said that without stuttering - my, how I've grown!) and products that are made to last. It's a nice thought but I'm not wholly onboard with the logic, purly because forever doesn't seem to mean as long as it did for previous generations.

Trendwatching cites the likes of Facebook and MySpace as places that people go to forge relationships and put up a profile of themselves that evolves, endures and represents them through their lifetime. I'd like to find out how many of these profiles are abandoned in the first month, six months or year of being established. Personally, I use Facebook daily because it keeps me close to home and is a stress-free way of hanging together all the friendships that I value around the world.

But another example is LinkedIn. I started to use LinkedIn about five years ago when it first started up...but stopped soon after because it didn't 'do' anything. I randomly picked it up again about six months ago (after emailing off for help on my password and user ID) to find a backlog of link requests and some interesting (though by then out dated) job offers! Twitter and Yammer I jump on and off as and when I feel like it, and my blog - which languished for a year when I moved out to Dubai - is testimony to my wavering attention span. As for Friends Reunited and many others that have gone by the wayside, well the fact it's just taken me ten minutes to remember the name says it all.

So I wonder if there is actually a trend these days to things that are not so temporary, disposable and lack in depth as people seek out products, relationships and sources with more substance. I can believe the theory, especially in times that hold uncertainty for many people. The thought of a constant in life, something or someone reliable is very appealing when the economy goes south for whatever reason. But bandwagons will still be bandwagons, and we all love to jump on one!

Time Out wins 'most pointless article' award

2009-05-26T13:28:00.006+04:00

In one of the world's most pointless articles ever, Time Out Dubai has helpfully published a ticklist to ensure people here do actually realise that summer has indeed arrived in the UAE. A whole 25 points, indeed.

A couple of them did make me laugh though:
- You can’t decide whether you should be covering up to survive the AC or wearing shorts and T-shirts to avoid boiling to death! Very true
- You get third degree burns getting into your car. Ouch yes.

However, if you'll forgive me for stating the obvious, surely the biggest clues might be:
- it's 41 degrees at 9 o'clock in the morning (like today)
- temperatures are expected to 'drop' to 31 degrees overnight
- everybody leaves town and goes to places like London where you get normal weather

Based on this morning alone, I'd also add:
- you seriously consider whether it's worth risking a 150AED parking ticket to reduce walking distance between car and entrance
- you get dressed in a nice cool apartment and, on stepping outside, very quickly realise there is absolutely no natural fibre content in your trousers
- your banana gets cooked in your handbag!

The key to a good omlette is a well fitting lid

2009-05-25T22:50:00.001+04:00

At last, i've reached a point in my pursuit of Domestic Goddess-ry where I have tips to share. Knowing my history in the kitchen it's a proud moment indeed.

Some of you know what a fan I am of a good old fashioned omlette. With beans, with wine, with friends - omlette rocks. But making one myself that fits the criteria of being firm yet fluffy, cooked but not burned, tasty and fresh, had eluded me for years. I figured I simply couldn't cook, which was also for years a pretty fair assumption.

But then - joy - I bought myself a mini frying pan especially for the job, and fitted it with a lid. What do you know, the perfect omlette. And it's no fluke. I've now made two perfect omlettes in a row (the latest accompanied by a tangy red pepper and tomato salsa on the side - woo)

At the end of a really crappy day at work -or maybe just a crappy day in life, since there was no specific catalyst for it - my omlette triumph tasted like the best thing ever and turned my day around.

Better yet, I have a big pack of Maltesers for desert.

Put the kettle on, I'll be there in two weeks

2009-05-15T15:53:00.002+04:00

Before tackling the weekly Waitrose shop, I ducked into Nero's for a cheeky coffee and a skim through the newspaper. "Have you got a Nero's card?" asked the guy behind the counter. Well, yes, but wouldn't you know it's in another handbag at home.

Anyway I grabbed one of the comfy chairs - my luck was in - and texted Lawrence to see whether he fancied joining me.

Me: In Nero's. Fancy coffee?

Loz: Coffee? Great. I'll be there in just under two weeks.

Two weeks??

Remind me to write and thank Mr Nero for creating me a home from home in Dubai Mall. If it wasn't for the view over ice rink - rather than Wimpy's (did you know they sell beer in Wimpy's?)...or whatever has now replaced it! - and the call to prayer in the background then I could quite easily be back in Twickers right now.

I may be 3,500 miles and four time zones away, but some things stay stubbornly the same!

One week on

2009-05-14T17:46:00.002+04:00

If I promise not to harp on about this, would you tolerate one quick update on the wardrobe?! Ok cool.

I decided to give this stylist advice a shot and see what improvement it made to my life. Sadly I have to report that I haven't been swept away by the man of my dreams, offered a Vogue cover shot opportunity or spent a fortune on shopping for new clothes and - more importantly - accessories (not yet, anyway).

Normally thoughts of tomorrow's outfit is literally my last consideration of the day, and the pondering I submit myself to as I fall asleep. However, as advised, I have been thinking about the next day's outfit before hitting the pillow this week - there has been planning, accessorising and ironing all going on before lights' out. And you know what...it works! It makes for a much more relaxed morning too.

I have permitted myself some spending...lovely wooden bangles, a chunky wooden necklace and a lovely new turquoise handbag. All from bargain high street shops (which isn't exactly on message with the stylist) but they have really made a difference to my outfits. I think so anyway.

People at work have been most supportive - mainly because they are mostly women and have counselled me through my post-stylist experience!

I quite like going through the working day knowing that I have planned and put thought into my outfit, which may not be designer but has been put together with a bit more care than usual. This revelation came as a surprise to me...but a good one at that :-)

Humps in the road

2009-05-12T08:51:00.002+04:00

Heard on the radio traffic report today:
"Slow moving traffic on the 611 this morning due to a camel on the road"

The style session

2009-05-10T08:42:00.002+04:00

If waking up with a hangover this morning wasn't bad enough, I reluctantly opened the door to a very stylish Scottish lady who was here to do a 'consultation' on me. I hate to think what her first impression of my baggy eyes and bare feet were!

"I always wear black" was one of my first statements, whilst sitting there wearing white and going on to tell her all about the red dress I went out in last night.

It's fair to say that credibility was lost fairly early on, so I just opted for honesty: I love shopping, hate rummaging in sales, love shoes and lack any kind of forethought that would go into 'planning a wardrobe'.

The consultation started with a questionnaire that explored the style [I thought] I had and the style I [possibly unrealistically] aspired to. The two turned out to be not a million miles away, but that may just be attributed to a lack of creativity running through my aching brain.

We moved on to my wardrobe, which again dispelled the black theory by sporting red, green, blue, khaki... Hmm, I really have changed since moving to Dubai! I admit there has been a conscious effort to embrace colour, and in generally she seemed to approve.

I meant to have a clear out well before this session and, if I'm honest, could probably have avoided much of the cull that followed as she ruthlessly cast aside items that "added bulk to my hips" or were clearly boredom buys from Top Shop that would be more suited to a sulky 19 year old than a (sulky) professional 30-something. She laughed at a blouse I had bought from M&S in an effort to look like a grown up, but which actually transformed me into a telephone operator from the 1940's. And she barely bothered to comment on a linen skirt that fortunately I rarely wear anyway because I can't be bothered to get it dry cleaned very often. The blouse bit the dust with great speed; the skirt - too expensive for such treatment - will now take up valuable hanger space and never get worn again.

All in all, it was an interesting and very worthwhile exercise. Of course I say that while clutching a lengthy shopping list and awaiting further instruction on compiling an outfit from a mix of designer pieces (which are on said shopping list) with high street chic. I have a renewed mission...oh, and also need shoes.

Sporting a beautiful monochrome outfit (far too sassy for a Saturday morning I thought), my advisor didn't seem to agree that a Tiffany's necklace and diamond earrings are classy and go with everything, and smiled sympathetically at my idea of accessorising being a different bracelet now and then. It turns out I am useless at this bit of getting dressed. She made me promise to team the beads I say I can't wear because they 'hang funny' with a cobalt blue sweater for work tomorrow...and maybe one day I will graduate to a stylish neck scarf. I was duly warned off jumping straight in with the scarf though - that's more of an advanced manoeuvre.

So if anyone is looking for me, I'll be in the shops!

Metro rumours

2009-05-07T08:52:00.003+04:00

As the Dubai Metro nears completion, a frequent topic of conversation is who will actually use it. Will it take cars off the road? Won't it be too hot to walk to for most of the year?

It's funny that on my recent trip to Istanbul I was all too happy to hop on the Metro instead of using cabs. And in London, even when I shun the tube, I love to take the bus...or, preferably, walk.

For Dubai Metro there are rumours of different carriages for women & children, upper class and workers. And we await with interest the revealing of a pricing strategy that must be make or break for the project.

In conversation with a colleague yesterday, he mentioned a theory that instead of reducing car ownership, the Metro will actually double it. Why? Because people will need one car to drive to the metro stop, and another to leave at their work stop to drive the rest of the way to the office.

Add to this a point on the radio today that low income earners might be banned from owning cars, and another rumour on the grapevine that the Government will raise Salik (the road toll) by a dirham on opening of the Metro...and it's clear that the country is yet again falling back on money as the disincentive tool of choice. Why not make it beneficial in ways not related to the wallet? Encourage people to walk, take exercise, enjoy the city instead of rushing past it at a 100k/h.

Hamam: a survivor's report

2009-05-04T12:28:00.002+04:00

What could be better to round off a weekend of excess than a good scrub in the bath? In essence, that is what the Hamam is all about.

Having become acclimatised to the modest ways of the Middle East, with its strictly single sex spas, conservative dress codes and laws against PDAs (public displays of affection, not the mobile devices), I was more than a little dubious to receive a scrap of material and a towel without any specific instructions on how this ensemble was supposed to cover me up! Especially when I peered tentatively through the gap in the changing room door to see that the pool area on the other side was unisex. Horror struck, before I remembered I am in fact British and regularly wear less by the pool.

But obviously this modesty has permeated my mindset, because I was shocked to discover a unisex steam room where one man was doing very bizarre leg stretches and, on entering the scrubbing area, another guy happily lathering up. Fortunately he was cleared out and the door firmly locked before my treatment got under way.

From there onwards, it was a slightly surreal experience that has to be tried to be believed. At the same time invigorating and relaxing, I came out of the treatment room feeling like I was all brand new but ready for a good kip...though that might have also been as a result of the weekend. After sharing with the therapist (female - phew - and no moustache!) my three and a half words of Turkish, and the five phrases she knew in English, there was no needless chatter as my knotted muscles were pummeled and lathered. With all that soap around it took a fair amount of concentration not to go sliding off the marble slab though!

I left for the airport a layer of skin lighter, but feeling brighter and more relaxed for the experience. Much recommended.

Fancy takıng a ferry up the Bosphorous?

2009-05-03T15:03:00.003+04:00

No? Me eıther. But next tıme I have the pleaure of vısıtıng Istanbul ıt's goıng to be top of my lıst.

In a 48-hour madcap gırly dash to Istanbul (joıned from London by my valıant partner-ın-crıme, Cathy) we feel we have quıte successfully 'done' the cıty. What an amazıng, energetıc and excıtıng place! And what a collectıon of moustaches.

There was no ferry up the Bosphorous thıs tıme - use of the word 'perılous' ın the guıde book put us off a bıt, even though that doesn't even begın to descrıbe the abra trıp across Dubaı Creek! But we explored the Sultanahmet wıth ıts awesome Ayasofya, wındıng lanes, cafes and shops; the bızarrely wonderful Bazaar Dıstrıct; and the vıbrant nıghtlıfe ın Beyoglu. Dıverse doesn't even begın to descrıbe ıt - from flashy vıew-over-Golden Horn restaurants and wıne bars, to a warm and frıendly cellar restaurant boastıng home cookıng and beer ın bıg mugs...wıth every Madonna-playıng, turkısh dısco dancıng joınt ın between.

Havıng waved Cathy off to the aırport thıs afternoon and taken a short stroll to explore the cıty walls, I'm currently waıtıng wıth some trepıdatıon for my hamam. I'm more than a lıttle worrıed about the descrıptıon ın the Tıme Out guıde book and am hopıng that there are no moustachıoed 'burly, near-naked strangers' ınvolved or too much scrapıng, kneadıng and pummelıng of flesh, for that matter. But when ın Rome...!

So post-hamam, what's left of me wıll be hot footıng ıt to the aırport and back to Dubaı. My lıver and I are lookıng forward to a good kıp!

Proof that parents are bad for you

2009-04-29T15:42:00.001+04:00

Let me start by clearly stating that I love my parents very much! I admire them for their 40 years of marriage (being celebrated this weekend) and I very much enjoy spending time with them, whether here in the UAE or in the home land.

With that disclaimer out of the way....

My recent spate of family visits - during which I was naturally called on to entertain, play tour guide, abandon the low carb diet and drink lots of fine wine - seems to have undone a lot of headway made in getting into shape and losing a kg or two along the way.

Work hasn't helped in the times in between playing host...do these companies not know there's a global economic downturn in full swing? Of course not - because here it has been officially declared 'over' by the powers that be. Well it was getting a bit 'yesterday's news'! So I guess that was that and now we can all get back to some heavy duty spending.

Similarly, with the sofa bed packed away for a few weeks I donned trainers and headed for the running track after work yesterday...only to be wiped out and gasping for breath minutes into setting up stride. The shame as I felt my right arm lose feeling to selflessly donate blood toward the struggling leg/foot area, and the disappointment as my friends legged it on ahead (not for long tho - that'll teach 'em!!).

I finished ok, but am vowing to raise my game for sure.

Having beaten myself up over this, however, I did get back in the car and notice the temperature gauge reading a sweaty 34 degrees.

Here comes the summer....

Camel cloning in the UAE

2009-04-15T09:23:00.002+04:00

I couldn't not mention this story...

Dubai scientists have cloned the first camel. Priceless.

2009-04-15T08:42:00.008+04:00

What is it about radio adverts that makes them so painfully bad?

I've never been involved in a radio campaign - we leave that to the advertising bods - so this isn't me speaking with any kind of authority...just as a Dubai driver that spends a lot of time in my Jeep with only the radio and a world-class display of bad driving skills to keep me entertained.

There are so many that I would like to make tribute to, but I'll keep it to the top offenders that spung to mind this morning.

The shortlist of joint winners for most annoying are:

>> Air Arabia, where the voiceover changes not only mid ad, but mid sentance. A young high-pitched girl with an American accent says "The food is good but I'm not a big eater..." "....so why should I pay for more than I want?" continues the smooth voice of a middle aged British woman. Seamless! (not to mention really pathetic scripting)

>> Etisalat, boasting it's "official" partnership with Barcelona football club, apparently values the relationship so highly and is sooo closely integrated that it has renamed Barcelona's world famous Neu Camp stadium to Camp New. If ever there was a proof point of a close partnership, this clearly isn't it.

>>Anything that is sponsored by du du du du du du duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

>> One that recently - thankfully - departed our airwaves: the Al Agria ad for Cirque du Soleil. Not only did the ear splitting 3-second music clip have me reaching to change channel every time it was played (at every ad break on every single sodding station) but the guy that they interviewed to say how fabulous it was had clearly been dragged there by his wife and managed a distinctly unenthusiastic "It's nice, yeah. I've seen it twice now". Wow what a testimonial, pass my my credit card immediately.

Ode to National ID cards

2009-04-14T15:07:00.004+04:00

I can't remember whether I've mentioned this before but Dubai is taking a shot at an initiative that the UK has been debating, objecting to, procrastinating on, lobbying, demonstrating against and generally acting all of a quandry about for a good 5 years at least.

National ID cards.

As a quick summary, at some point last year the Government decided that everyone had to have an ID card. Finally around October 2008, this hitherto best-kept-secret made it into the press and let everyone know they had a couple of months to get it done. Imagine the scene at the ID office that day, after several months of wondering why no one was coming through their door!!

Anyway, these smart cards will replace the need to have a driving licence, work permit, employee card, and all that - even replacing passports for travel in the GCC. Without it Emirati's can't get access to government services like healthcare, and expats....well I can't remember what happens to us. Which is probably why I duly dropped my form in to the Jumeirah branch of Emirates Post on November 11th last year and promptly forgot about it.

The deadline for white collar professionals was originally early December, then we got another two weeks....and then until 2011! Clearly the scale of the undertaking was coming to light.

I only mention this now because, having abandoned hope of ever owning one of these cards and wondering when would be an appropriate time to look into the relevant legal/deportation implications, my application has been processed!

It's a 6-month miracle and calls for celebration.

So I wrote a quick poem. It's called Ode to National ID Cards

National ID cards are a nuts idea...
That the UK bods can't even get near...
But here in Dubai, where the limit's the sky...
We don't actually get a choice so just give up your fingerprints and a large amount of personal information that may or may not result in us all being defrauded, spammed and cloned before the actual cards even appear

And by the way, when I say 'processed' I mean I received a sheet of paper containing 11 bar codes.

Funnily enough, I'm not feeling under pressure to rush on this one.

meme

2009-04-07T09:55:00.002+04:00

I couldn't resist...and it only takes 2 mins right?!

1) What is your salad dressing of choice? French (low cal)
2) What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? Miss Siam in Twickles, or Tokyo at the Towers in Dubai (for pure entertainment value)
3) What food could you eat for 2 weeks straight and not get sick of? Halloumi
4) What are your pizza toppings of choice? sweetcorn and mixed peppers, perhaps an artichoke or two
5) What do you like to put on your toast? I don't eat toast. But if I did it would be Veggimite
6) How many televisions are in your house? 1...for dvd only
7) What color cell phone do you have? black
8) Are you right-handed or left-handed?Right
9) Have you ever had anything removed from your body? just teeth
10) What is the last heavy item you lifted? I can't actually remember - there's usually someone to do it for you around here
11) Have you ever been knocked unconscious? Yes - by a kitchen cabinet door while a little tipsy at a student party in Birmingham
12) If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? No, definitely not
13) If you could change your name, what would you change it to? I like my name. I used to like the name Jenny, but then I called my dog that so it's no longer suitable for me
14) Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000? No - I would need way more 0's than that
15) How many pairs of flip flops do you own? See earlier blog! Lots - I have to buy a pair every time I go for a pedicure and forget to take a pair with me
16) What is/are your goal/s for the year? Enjoy life, lose weight, learn a bit more Arabic, do well in my job (ongoing!)
17) Last person you talked to? Elizabeth...about how I don't drink enough water
18) Last person you hugged? James, who is leaving Dubai at the end of the week
19) Favorite Season? Also see earlier blog! There is hot and hotter here...I prefer the former
20) Favorite Holiday? My impromptu Christmas trip to London, skiing in Killington and my latest Sydney/NZ extravaganza (I couldn't pick just one!)
21) Favorite day of the week? Friday
22) Favorite Month? October - my birthday and perfect weather
23) First place you went this morning? Bathroom
24) What's the last movie you saw? Duplicity. And I have to watch it again to understand it
25) Do you smile often? Yes - lots
26) Do you always answer your phone? Mostly, but not always
27) It's four in the morning and you get a text message, who is it? Lawrence!
28) If you could change your eye color what would it be? I wouldn't change it from blue/grey - it changes itself when I'm tired or angry
29) What flavor drink do you get at Sonic? Huh?
30) Have you ever had a pet fish? A goldfish - technically my brother's I think
31) Favorite Christmas song? Santa baby - cheese on a stick
32) What's on your wish list for your birthday? Tiffany's and a happy day
33) Can you do push ups? Well yes, ladies ones anyway
34) Can you do chin ups? Hahaha...no
35) Does the future make you more nervous or excited? Excited
36) Do you have any saved texts? Yes - some by accident, but others just because...
37) Ever in a car wreck? Yes
38) Do you have an accent? Generally not, but a bit Yorkshire on some words...however no one can quite put their finger on what those words are
39) What is the last song to make you cry? Probably one of the songs from Les Mis last summer
40) Plans tonight? Running then early to bed
41) Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom? I thought so at the time, but I probably didn't. I have, however, hit Rock Bottom...mostly Ellie's fault
42) Name 3 things you bought yesterday. I don't think I bought anything yesterday, but I do owe Ben for dinner!
43) Have you ever been given roses? Yes
44) Current hate right now? myself for eating manaeesh! Oh the calories!
45) Met someone who changed your life? Not specifically - influenced, yes; changed, no
46) How did you bring in the New Year? Nice and relaxed at Deema's houseparty
47) What song represents you? That's a silly question
48) Name three people who might complete this? I guess Cathy, maybe Loz and I would've said Em but I nicked the quiz off her in the first place...
49) What were you doing 12 AM last night? If you mean 12 midnight then I was stumbling into bed after too much wine. Shocking behaviour for a school night
50) What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up this morning? Am I late? Can I sneak another 10 minutes? Have I put the water on? ....all at the same time

If you want a job doing....outsource it? I think not

2009-04-07T08:24:00.005+04:00

I've just read an article in PR Week on outsourcing PR services...much like banks outsource their call centres and phone companies send their 'help' desks abroad (note the nuance). If you're in the UK, you may vaguely recall this article from the 6th March issue, but the copy only just landed on my desk so bear with me...

So I'm thinking. And I'm thinking. And I still wonder...why?

Cost savings apart (and short term at that), I remember a wave of companies that suddenly realised that things weren't necessarily working out so well and customers were abandoning them because of language barriers, a lack of appreciation for service level expectations and a feeling that there wasn't someone nearby to offer support. As a result, insourcing became the new outsourcing.

In the PR industry, an agency thrives or dies on its service levels. Even those that position at the top end, and take pride in getting under the skin of their clients to provide really meaty business-led advice, still need to be service-orientated and able to handle the basics at the end of the day. This is how we are most often judged...on the results we deliver through the media. More to the point, junior staff rise through the ranks based on understanding and experiencing the whole gamut of operations. I remember the monthly grind of cutting and sticking (straight please!) clippings for coverage books, and I see no harm in today's juniors going through exactly the same experience. It's a discipline.

With all of this in mind, I am not saying that there aren't very competent PR people the world over across whom a company could share tasks (especially if its all part of the same organisation), but I am pretty sure that outsourcing what we consultants see as the "grunt work" is the tipping point on a downward spiral.

PR Week suggests that campaign analysis, media analysis, and media monitoring could all be done abroad. Why would a good agency do that when all of this is measurement of its hard work and proof of return on investment for a budget-scruitinising client? This is the fruits of our labour and yet the industry is advocating that we treat it as second best to the more interesting stuff. Surprisingly it also suggests that case studies, whitepapers and campaign reports be outsourced...oh yes, good idea - let's send everything that has to be produced in immaculate language and grammar (whether English, French, Arabic...) to another country, another culture and another language base. Why would the big boys bother to maintain an agency network that spans the globe with local offices in all major business centres, if it could all be done just as efficiently and effectively from a single outpost in Mumbai? Quite simply, it can't.

If you send a job elsewhere, you no longer retain a handle on its quality. Call me a control freak if you will - oh, you already did, ok - but I like to keep it in the family where people are responsible and accountable to the company, rather than shipping things to a third party.

The article's one saving grace is that it does not anywhere hint that pitching and distributing media announcements should be outsourced overseas. I think, after many a heated discussion with a company that wants me to outsource this oh-so-important part of our work (no names, but you know who you are Mr News Services Group Middle East!), I may have just exploded!

[Sound of soapbox being dismantled....]

Profession: Warlord (retired)

2009-04-02T09:14:00.006+04:00

On Sunday a man was shot in JBR car park. Small shockwaves rippled through Dubai, a land where crime is astonishingly low and any there is gets swept under the carpet before the grapevine even gets out of bed. But this story was far from finished.

...By Monday he was identified as Chechen
...Tuesday revealed that it was actually an assassination
...By Wednesday we had forgotten all about it
...But today the fun really started. It turns out there is some confusion over whether he is alive (says family) or dead (say officials). And all the middle class residents of JBR* discovered they had been living next door to a warlord! Sorry...retired warlord.

What a shocker for those residents (which includes a colleague of mine) to know that a former Chechen warlord was living in their midst. Maybe they bumped into him in the pharmacy, sat next to him in a restaurant or queued behind him in Starbucks. Perhaps their car was parked worryingly near the spot now marked with a chalk outline (in my imagination).

As the story emerges - in The National, of course - it seems this guy has the luck of two-and-a-bit cats, having survived 19 previous attempts on his life. Nineteen! You'd have a serious chip on your shoulder by about the second or third, I reckon. Read the article - it's hilarious.

"Unfortunately he is dead and has been buried" say officials. I would say if he's been buried then it is very fortunate he is dead. But maybe he isn't, because his wife "saw him yesterday" and his brother says "he feels fine". Only in the UAE could such confusion reign.

Oh, and check out the photos. I particularly like the third one of Chechen warlord (retired) enjoying some down time and casually posing at the pool table - it's not all 'work work work' you know.

*JBR - for non-Dubaians - is a popular residential community amongst expats, located in the swanky Dubai Marina and enjoying all the luxury trappings of a local beach, shops, bars and restaurants. Very nice in fact. And very respectable.

You know you've been abroad too long when...

2009-04-01T13:28:00.002+04:00

Your attempt at drawing a pound sign goes horribly wrong
You can't remember where - or when - you last saw your brolly...or how to switch on your windscreen wipers
You have to ask very specifically not just for milk, but COLD milk, in your tea
You no longer fill up on petrol, it's gas...and YOU don't do the filling up
Flip flops out-number boots in your wardrobe
You get really annoyed by people that don't put international dial codes on their email signatures

I'm sure there are loads more that I rant on about every day, but these are some that occurred to me during a 1 1/4 hour conference call.

Wish you were here...

2009-04-01T10:22:00.006+04:00

One of the best things about living overseas is the thought that occassionally the people back home might be thinking of you - preferably in a nice way - and maybe missing having you around. But one of the scariest is definitely the fear that people don't.

So it is guaranteed to make me all warm and fuzzy inside when I get a random text from friends back home. The most random usually come from my boys - Jaxy and Loz - and I have to say they did themselves proud earlier in the week.

Loz: They're pulling down the Wimpy in Twickenham

Right! We never went in Wimpy, but did spend long hours in the Costa opposite musing over the fact that a fast food chain served beer and debating whether we should try it out. We never did.

That very same night (suggesting they were up to a spot of cheeky Monday night drinking) Jaxy sent me a picture of my own flat. Surely, the absolute definition of random! Although it was reassuring after the 'Wimpy in demolition shocker' news to know that my property was still standing.

Having taken another look at the mug shot (featuring Loz and Tring A), it has just twigged where they are...

Seriously - I may have left town but that is no reason to lower your standards. Get out of the WWE you dirty boys!!

You can't keep a good blog down

2009-03-31T12:19:00.002+04:00

"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.

Something to muse

2009-03-24T09:31:00.004+04:00

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!

Free...or not so much?

2009-03-23T17:45:00.002+04:00

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

2009-03-23T09:14:00.002+04:00

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

2009-03-23T09:01:00.000+04:00

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"

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

2009-03-18T10:45:00.003+04:00

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.

Crisis is the new black

2009-03-11T15:53:00.004+04:00

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!

Le crunch Dubai

2009-03-09T09:07:00.003+04:00

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.

Anyway...back to shoes

2009-03-02T12:42:00.002+04:00

"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.

Silence is golden

2009-02-25T09:03:00.005+04:00

Boy, when the shutters go down in this town, they really shut tight. I'm hearing a lot of frustration from journalists that simply cannot get companies to talk since the whirlwind of economic turmoil hit the shores of Dubai. Imagine what it would be like if we were as badly affected as the rest of the world!

At times like this there can be reputational value - both current and stockpiling for the future - in sticking ones head above the parapet, if only to utter the words "business as usual", rather than lodging head firmly in sand and letting potentially damaging reports, based on assumptions and heresay, fill the business pages.

I've always been a bit of a quote collector - my A Level economics folder cover could be published in its own right - and here are a few lines I'm storing up for use at the appropriate time...

"You can't stop communicating. Even when you say nothing, that's a statement" (Watzlawick)

"In an information vacuum, corporate reputation is created by others" (my boss)

"You say it best when you say nothing at all" (Boyzone I believe, but not entirely on message!)

As you can see...I'm struggling for succinct words of wisdom!

Anti-social media

2009-02-24T09:04:00.005+04:00

I spent yesterday afternoon discussing with a client their first foray into social media. The crux of the discussion was that to be a leader and be perceived as a leader, the company had to embody innovation yet - as a business - what was actually appropriate? And should the company executives bring their own personalities and views online, or be a rather more cautious voice for the corporation?

I know which answer I would go with for the latter question, but then I never claim that my personal views are those of the company I work for, or my best professional advice! If you are such an industry personality that people will assume you are representing your organisation then it's a different ball game.

As I see it, social media is in danger of shooting itself in the foot here. It's like the idiom that the psychology of a crowd differs significantly from the psychology of individuals with it - at the extreme: mob mentality. So consider a blog - Dubai Media Observer for example - that conveys the (anonymous) views of one person, who sets himself up to be outwitted by the next (anonymous) person, out-bitched by the third (anonymous) person, criticised by the (anonymous) fourth...and so it goes on. A rational voice is a dull one indeed, so the blog follows a steady downward spiral and mob mentality takes over.

Given a free reign and anonymity to hide behind, there is no reason for commentators to take responsibility or be asked to justify themselves. Anything goes. Fair enough, the credibility of such blogs is quite rightly limited and they can be entertaining reading. But does everyone know not to take them seriously or can they do serious reputational damage? For a company or individual that wants to engage in the wonder and revolution that social media can be...it's a bit of a dampener on spirits.

So I say, if it wants to avoid regulation or have any sort of shelf life then 'social media' as a whole needs to grow up fast. If you have a good point, put your name to it otherwise keep it to yourself. In an environment where offline manners and respect also apply online, we will find ourselves rewarded with much more interesting content, contribution and interaction from genuine experts, interesting people and individuals with something of value to say.

A shopping fiesta

2009-02-07T22:16:00.002+04:00

Whoever dreamed up the Dubai Shopping Festival deserves a big medal and a pat on the back. Who would have thought that a city with more malls per square inch than any other conurbation in the world could actually encourage its residents and visitors to spend more money than they already do? Especially with the words 'credit crunch' on everyone's lips.

I'm not really a sale-kinda-gal. The look of a jumble sale puts me off, along with the dashed hopes of finding the perfect top/shoes/handbag before entering into a bunfight only to find it doesn't exist in my size or colour. Not for the feint hearted, and not exactly fun in my book.

But yesterday I went to check out the new Waitrose to see whether it had decent quality lettuce (a veritable treasure hunt in these parts, I tell you)...which involved going to the new Dubai Mall...which led to temptation to just take a quick peek in one or two shops...and we all know how weak I am in the face of temptation.

Anyway, the upshot is that DSF (for us local yokels) isn't a jumble sale at all. It's a tidy, available in all sizes and colours, genuine money-off kind of affair that leaves you with a satisfying number of carrier bags full of new things and a warm glow about how much you've saved. Just don't think too closely about how much you've spent!

What a tweet!

2009-02-04T18:05:00.003+04:00

For those of you that thought this might be a blog about Twitter, then sorry...but it is a very funny story.

Apparently a man travelling from Dubai was stopped at Melbourne airport the other day for smuggling pigeons in his tights.

Two eggs were found inside a multivitamin container carried by the passenger, who comes from Melbourne, and a further search revealed that he was wearing tights with a live bird stashed down each leg. The question is, would the birds have been discovered if the eggs hadn't given the game away?

Brings a whole new meaning to budgie smugglers!

The outer skin of your digital onion

2009-02-04T08:41:00.003+04:00

My new favourite phrase...and one which brings a whole new meaning to "knowing your onions".

I have shamelessly whipped it from a WPP article on the genius that was Obama's digital communications campaign, but am now vowing to use it at least once a week as I take up a renewed mission to bring the not-so-new media element into UAE PR.

Laughing in the face of yet another "I want press release", maybe now is a good time to point out how much more efficient, effective and...dare I say...exciting digital channels can be.

If dowdy politics can find new ways to communicate through Facebook, Digg, Twitter, YouTube, MySpace and a wealth of other mobile, online and interactive applications, then I am more than convinced of the potential for a country that has 150% mobile penetration and a gadget-obsessed population.

A step in the wrong direction for UAE press freedom?

2009-02-02T08:49:00.004+04:00

"The United Arab Emirates plans to crackdown on media freedoms amid a slew of bad headlines about the impact of the global financial crisis on the Persian Gulf state's economy and corporate scandals in Dubai." Zawya Dow Jones, Dubai

Interesting news indeed. The story goes on to report how a draft law is proposing to introduce fines for journalists and publications to constrain reports that could impact the country's reputation, economy or tourist industry. Could the embarrassing spate of inquisitions of high profile business leaders around issues of transparency and accountability towards the end of last year have proven slightly too much to handle?

Contrast this news with a paper I wrote just 5 months ago, and you will see what I mean. In the paper I cheerily remarked that a 2007 press freedom index by Reporters Without Borders showed the UAE jumping 12 places to a ranking of 65 out of 169. This positive move was largely driven by changes to legislation announced by Dubai to decriminalise the UAE media law and prevent journalists being imprisoned. The system of fines and penalties has always been in place, but one cannot help but wonder what the implications will be of the revamp and focus on business reporting.

The crux of the issue is that Dubai and the UAE is no longer a desert outpost that can keep itself to itself - and neither does it want to be. It is a business hub that craves the centre of attention, and has the world's press watching its every move. This new step to impose greater control over the ability of its own media to report honestly on the business environment (...for fear of being seen to join the world in the current economic slowdown??) appears so at odds with the direction that the global media industry is moving in, and risks putting its own reporters at a distinct and embarrassing disadvantage against worldwide sources that can and do report without such shackles.

The UAE media industry has grown from a handful of newspapers, to over a dozen dailies and hundreds of magazines. In the year that I have been here I have seen so many positive changes and new initiatives. There is further scope for growth as vertical industries gain strength and commentary diversifies from a single voice to cater to different political viewpoints and values.

The potential is enormous and for me one of the most exciting reasons to be in PR, right now, right here. When the industry has gained so much momentum, it will be interesting to see the impact of this latest move.

A bit distracted...in New Zealand, still

2009-01-30T11:41:00.006+04:00

Top 10 fave South Island moments from the final week of my Antipodean adventure:

Discovering - or rather being cornered into appreciating - the wonder of backbacker lodgings. The Black Sheep in Queenstown is highly recommended.

The old gold mining village of Arrowtown, home to a deli selling the greatest (and largest) ice creams on the planet. A legendary eyes-bigger-than-belly moment when one scoop would surely have sufficed

Almost getting swept down river whilst half-heartedly panning for gold. Without a pan. Jane found the most microscopic fleck of gold so we called it a successful day

Discovering the best thai restaurant in the southern hemisphere (IMHO!), @Thai in Queenstown

Home made hash browns in Wanaka

A tankard of Speight's Summit Ale, supped with a perfect view over Mount Cook in the afternoon sunshine

Sea kayaking on a glacial lake at the base of Mt Cook (or the mountain next door to it) - the pure mountain mineral water tasted amazing, and the sound of the glacier moving was pretty spooky actually

The Te Huringa (Turning Points) exhibition of New Zealand art, particularly around colonisation and the preservation/dilution of Maori heritage

Quad biking in Hamner Springs - the tiniest town with the largest fun-quota per square inch. And 7km from Rotherham!

Soaking the aches and pains from quad biking in the Hamner Springs spa pools. Still not sure why sulpher and mineral pools are good for you though, as they smell pretty bad

Three weeks on, the thought of returning to work is pretty remote. I have resolved to cut down on shoe and pedicure expenditure in order to fund a return visit at the earliest opportunity. Although that resolve will probably last as long as my tan (honestly, I have one - there are lines to prove it!) and the stash of wine I brought back with me.

A bit distracted...in New Zealand

2009-01-24T10:42:00.003+04:00

After the excitement of Sydney, it was time for a change of pace. From city living to the great outdoors...and there is plenty of that in New Zealand!

Once I got over the change in weather (there seems to be a new weather front passing every hour on the hour!) it was time to explore.

Ten amazing moments from a week in the North Island:

Seeing my best mate Jane after at least two years on different continents!
Swimming round the peninsular at Cathedral Cove on our weekend road trip around the Coromandel
Trying to stay upright and keep sand out of our bikini bottoms while digging pools on Hot Water Beach
Wine tasting tour on Waiheke Island, a 45-min ferry ride out of Auckland but a world away from city life
The lip-smackingly tasty Chardonnay from Mudbrick Vineyard!
Finding the Maori 'Talisman of Rango' (the god of the kumara...otherwise known as the sweet potato!) in One Tree Hill parkland in Auckland
Enjoying beer actually brewed on site in a pub in Newmarket, Auckland
Rotorua Museum - a brilliant and entertaining display of the town and spa's history
A relaxing mud wrap with a view to die for across Lake Rotorua at the Polynesian Spa
NZ Riverjet safari up the Waikato River - a beautiful day, a rather hot tour guide and stunning, stunning scenery...as well as a few jetboat stunts on the way back. Amazing.

A bit distracted in....Sydney

2009-01-20T06:05:00.002+04:00

It's impossible to start this blog posting without sounding terriblly smug! But here goes...

I've just spent an amazing week in Sydney. One of my favourite cities in the world. Here's a quick run down of my top 10 Aussie moments:

Wine tasting in Hunter Valley...especially the Shiraz Mourvede from Margan's vineyard
Jumping the waves at Bondi Beach
The fantastic Yinka Shonibare MBE exhibition at the MCA
Rokit Gallery in The Rocks for 1930's jewellery - a treasure trove!
Mr Scruffs at Hyde Park Barracks. Becs is a newly converted fan!
Veg and cheese pie at Harry's Cafe de Wheels
The sparkling Tessarella handmade jewellery shop in Paddington - another treasure trove!
A refreshing swim in MacCallum's pool on Cremorne Point - an outdoor, sea water-filled pool with a view across to the Sydney skyline
Discovering more of Sydney with a Bounce tour on the hottest day of the year
...last but not least, catching up with old (er...not SO old!) friends and having a truly fabulous time

Arrived in NZ on Friday so more adventures to follow.

You can take the girl out of tech...

2009-01-05T09:07:00.003+04:00

After many years as a thorough-bred tech PR chic, it's often a surprise to the system to be talking to clients and prospects from theme park operators ("it's a theme park with a mall, rather than a mall with a theme park...do you see?" Er yeeees) to property developers ("we do big iconic building" Uhu), and shipping companies to fashion shows.

That just covers conversations so far this week.

Proudly I still show my techy roots at every occasion, however. Such as this morning when I was blindly distracted from articles of prospective IPOs, plummeting global stock markets and Um Al Quaimm Sheikhs passing away by an article listing 7 reasons why Linux will succeed in 2009.

Now, I seem to recall being a young Account Executive in London confidently pitching 10 reasons why Linux will succeed in 2003. Does that mean there are three fewer reasons for this breed of technology to succeed six years later? Or has it already knocked it's competitors out of the water on three fronts in a six-year battle, with just seven remaining...thereby suggesting that open source technology will finally rule the computing waves in, um, 2023.

So much for innovation in PR and the newsroom. Come on folks - we can do better than that!

Has 2009 started yet?

2009-01-01T17:23:00.005+04:00

So I woke up on this the first day of 2009 sharing a bed that wasn't my own with another woman, sporting a three-tequila headache from just two glasses of wine and wondering when I became the person that brings homemade food to parties (voluntarily!).

A bizarre start to the New Year indeed. Especially the bit about barely having anything to drink.

The hangover was fortunately quick to pass so I headed for the shops as planned and promptly seemed to completely forget that today is New Years' Day. The reason I mention this is that it made me realise why time seems to pass so quickly in Dubai. And believe me - 2008 totally shot by!

As the city and it's drive-fast, party-hard residents dash from one event, holiday, launch or celebration to another there is noticeably very little build up to savour. Events take place and then are tidied up overnight like nothing ever happened. Everything is a mad dash to make it the most spectacular, most fabulous, most bling and biggest, highest, shiniest thing ever...yet the overall experience is like the fireworks so much loved in the UAE - over in a flash. There seems to be a cultural adversity to planning over a longer term, taking time to enjoy the journey rather than dashing head-long to the destination.

Now I'm not exactly blessed with a lot of patience, but I have to admit the pleasure of the traditional build up to a family Christmas, or the anticipation of planning for a holiday. And as much as I approach New Year celebrations with trepidation, it's still nice to fully acknowledge the end and start of another annum.

With New Year plans already muted on order of the Sheikh, and fog blanketing Dubai like a muffler (just in case anyone did break ranks and ring in 2009 with a party popper or two), I was actually quite glad of this morning's disproportionately large headache if only as a brief reminder that something had been celebrated the night before.

Happy New Year!

"New Year cancelled"...so says Dubai

2008-12-31T08:53:00.005+04:00

What a strange turn of events this morning in the land of sand. Not only did the thick fog make it so dark that I assumed my morning alarm had got it all wrong, but then I turn on the radio and - guess what - Dubai has cancelled New Years' Eve.

Queue much spluttering.

Now, I'm all for solidarity with our Palestinian neighbours and read in horror on a daily basis about the atrocities that both sides are inflicting on each other, but this conflict has been going on since the late 19th century and it is going to take more than cancelling the annual celebrations of a bunch of ex-pats (given the Islamic New Year shuffled through the door three days ago) to make a difference.

Is this an effective act of support or an excuse for party-poopering?

The full extent of this ruling is still being figured out by the masses and probably also by the host of venues that have big, expensive parties planned.

For myself, I always view NYE suspiciously out of the corner of my eye. Wherever possible I tend to opt for the least hassle, lowest trauma-potential and preferably cheapest option in a small nod to the credit card bill racked up over the extended party season. So this year I am pretty sure that plans to see New Year in from the comfort of a beanbag at a friend's house will not fall under the heavy hammer of the Dubai government.

Tom Cruise and David Beckham, who are rumoured to be in town for a party at the Atlantis, are welcome to join if they're stuck for somewhere to see in 2009!

Australia...the movie

2008-12-30T09:04:00.002+04:00

With just six working days until I head to Australia (the country), I was very excited to see Australia (the movie) last night. Especially given my doubt over whether Hugh Jackman is indeed the sexiest man alive...controversy enough to drive me to the box office.

Having read a few reviews, including that of trusted film buff friend, I was ready for the quirkiness of Bas Lehmann, the epic duration and to be right royally woo-ed by the aforementioned Jackman. But nothing prepared me for the exhausting journey that this film took me on. By turn I was hanging on to the edge of my seat, laughing out loud, crying into my tissues (thanks Deema!), wondering at the atrocities of war and holding my breath in anticipation...

Sometimes I think I see too many movies, because I can hear a title and know I've seen it but be wracking my brains for the storyline. This is a movie to relive, to ponder and to savour. And one to add to the DVD collection as soon as it's out.

Oh, and aside from a couple of scenes that literally made me and Deema swoon (out loud!)...I still say Brad Pitt rules the sexiest man charts!

Go see!

The great Sea Kelp experiment

2008-12-28T17:29:00.004+04:00

It never occured to me to go to my hairdresser for dietary advice, but my stylist yesterday said I should take sea kelp to make my somewhat fine and lifeless locks more shiney and full.

So herein begins the great sea kelp experiment.

Apparently it will make my fine and often uninspired locks bounce with life and energy, and appear fuller and thicker. That's my hope more than the reality of the situation, but no one ever said I was realistic. The bottle of tablets doesn't mention anything about hair. Hmm.

My hairdresser is from Asia - Singapore I think - and his grandma used to boil up sea kelp and feed it to the family. He said it would also help me with stress (I didn't mention stress, who said anything about being stressed?) and regulate my thyroid. I have no idea what that means, but all the better for it!

So I await my healthy, shiny bouncing curls with eager anticipation.

Dubai gets into the Christmas spirit

2008-12-24T09:25:00.002+04:00

It's 14 degrees outside, and foggy. In fact, it's positively Christmassy!

This is my first Christmas in Dubai, my first outside of the UK, and it's proving to be pretty bizarre so far. I can't help but think how I'd normally be at my parents' home right now, enjoying mum's cooking, porridge for breakfast, bracing winter walks, good old British TV and a glass of red wine by the fire.

It couldn't be more different here!

With so many people away from home, some newly arrived in the Middle East, people make more of an effort to include others around them. In some ways, although there isn't the family element, this is closer to the spirit of Christmas.

For me - although I may be in the minority here - the stress of present buying was reduced to a single weekend in November when my mum came to visit and was taking the family gifts back with her. Apart from a few gifts for people here, I've had more time to focus on spending time with people and making a real effort to seek out and enjoy the festivities. I even baked Christmas cookies for work!

There may be a wobbly lip tomorrow when I miss my family on Christmas Day, but I'm pretty confident that strapping on my skis will prove to be a more than adequate distraction!

Happy Christmas! xx

2008-12-23T08:57:00.003+04:00

A friend wrote an article in Media Week that looks back at lessons learned by the UAE in 2008. How he limited it to 9 I have no idea, as it's been a bumpy ride and a steep learning curve for the Middle East as it realises that it's no longer immune to the fluctuations of the global economy.

Over the 12 months that I've been here, I have been in alternate states of awe and frustration at the changing - dare I say maturing? - media environment. Self censorship and opening up of the media from governmental influence is a pet subject of mine, but not one for this post.

No, this is about an article that talked of the spate of arrests and interrogations of senior executives in Dubai's real estate and finance industries over allegations of corrupt business practices earlier this year. The article states 'The arrests prove beyond reasonable doubt that Dubai's PR industry just isn't up to the job when it comes to crisis management', and goes on to say that 'A mature, respected PR agency could've convinced its clients to talk to the media'.

Really? Are you sure?

The media industry is changing, and rapidly - it is becoming more investigative, less controlled, more critical and...as a result...more interesting! This is whipping the rug out from under all sorts of executives' feet, from comms directors to CEOs ,and making them very cautious. Gone are the days when 'no comment' is a good answer to make bad issues to go away, or issuing a really vague statement will do the job.

As PR consultants we spend a lot of time educating our clients on this new world order. But when we provide our best expert advice, based on experience and evidence, and fully laid out with consequences of alternative actions, to what extent can we actually make the client decision accept and approve our recommendation?

At the end of the day the professional recommendation is what we are retained to provide and - when our clients reject that in favour of their own solution - we are also retained to put their decision into action...as well as creating a back up plan for the fall out that inevitably follows.

Has it really been a year?

2008-12-17T11:53:00.002+04:00

I'm so ashamed! It's been a year already.
...a year since I landed in Dubai (just over actually)
...a year since I blogged (just over...again)
...a year since I was heading back from the land of sand to a wintery UK for a family Christmas

This year I'll be staying in Dubai. A concept I'm still mulling over, and have been for the last few months with a mixture of excited anticipation [Ski Dubai on Christmas morning...the beach in the afternoon] and nostalgic gloom. However the rain here seems to be doing its utmost to make me feel like I'm back in Yorkshire.

Inspired by the totally fabulous Gossip Girl - yes, one day I will grow out of teen dramas, xoxo - my early NY resolution is to pick up the blog where I left off, especially now I have navigated the Blogger homepage that would only come up in Arabic and reset my password to one I have a chance in a million of remembering.

As Disney used to say...stay tooned

Dubai....land of frustrations

2007-11-28T13:41:00.000+04:00

Homelessness now coupled with sleepless nights about losing the flat. The problem is the deposit - it's not much, but nothing seems to work here like it should do. HSBC Fraud Squad even went so far as to shut down my account because someone (me, you fruitloops!) attempted to withdraw two vaguely big transactions in a row! Good to see they're on the case....but not exactly convenient in the circumstances. Putting to one side the idea of a bank raid and other money-generating schemes, I'm getting a cheque through work, which is very helpful of them considering I don't start officially til next week. But if only there was some sense of urgency from the letting agent in getting this done...

Fingers, toes and everything remain crossed in the meantime that the flat is still mine when I have the money in hand.

Frustrations aside, it feels like I'm on holiday rather than trying to set up a new life here! James - by some alcohol-assisted miracle - hauled me to kareoke with promise of tequlia. That explains how I managed to lose yesterday! Today there seems to be nothing for it, but to lie by the pool, soak up the sunshine and wait for my shoes to arrive.

Life is so much simpler with three pairs of shoes

2007-11-26T15:33:00.000+04:00

(Gasp!) ...and 101 other things I never thought I'd say.

But it's true, trust me. I've lasted a whole four days without 'the other bag' and I conclude that all a girl really needs is a pair of kitten heels, flip flops and pumps to cover all occasions and eventualities*. When TOB decides to catch a flight out and join me in the sunshine, I might just ditch the rest of my shoe collection and live in new found simplicity. Oh, apart from my favourite wedge heels......and the pink pumps.....and the silver heels.....oh, and the purple mary janes.....and my flowery wellies.....

The contents of TOB are slowly coming to light. Nothing urgent so far I'm pleased to report, but it has started something of a catchphrase in the Bennett household for all things lost, missing or generally not where they should be.

So, day 4 in Dubai. The sun is still shining, the sky is still blue and I've got a tan. No of course I haven't, don't be silly.

I have, however, found an apartment and will tell you all about it (maybe even post some pics) when I have signed the contract tomorrow. I don't want to tempt fate. Suffice to say it is smack bang opposite a posh hotel...so ready access to cocktails!...and has the most breathtaking view over the city.

Yesterday was spent in a training session with my new colleagues. PR people generally aren't backward at being forwards in training - and yesterday was no exception! It's a great way to see your colleagues' true colours. They're going to be great fun to work with, except if we ever crash a light aircraft in the middle of the desert. Yes, I did think vodka was more important for survival than a compass!! I figured we'd only be there for a couple of days one way or another, so might as well have a good time.

On that note...wish me luck with the apartment, and chat soon. x

*I reserve the right to change this opinion at any time, without notice or any form of prior warning!

A bit distracted...in Dubai

2007-11-24T13:01:00.002+04:00

Hurrah indeed!

After months of packing, planning and teary goodbye's, I've landed in Dubai. The final moments on British soil were not without termoil. My trusty driver and I got lost in the backwaters of Hounslow (thanks Loz), finally taking the scenic route to Heathrow via the Feltham Correctional Facility. Nice final memories from the UK!

On arrival at the airport, it hadn't occurred to me that my entire wardrobe (minus a few winter jumpers) would be over the baggage limit. Shipping them a week behind was the only answer, providing a convenient distraction from the trauma of leaving my Twickenham life behind.

I had a cosy seat on the airplane (eventually) next to a man that smelt like a brewery and drank Stella all the way. So thank goodness for Dr Troy on Premonition and my ability to sleep the rest of the way to Dubai.

Since then, it's all been sunny and lovely. A very warm welcome from the Bennetts, and a few drinks with new colleagues on my first day in the new city. Oh and a mad dash to the Mall of the Emirates when I realised what was in that second bag...my entire shoe collection!

...so what's new with you?

Two lives

2006-10-29T22:27:00.000+04:00

I'm reading a book called Two Lives by Vikram Seth. It started off quite fascinating, then got a bit dull...but I have a strangely tenacious streak that prevents me from abandoning a book once started (unless it's REALLY rubbish).

So, can anyone tell me whether this book is actually worth finishing (and preferably some tempting hint about adventures and interesting bits to come...)?

Is it Christmas already?

2006-10-12T20:55:00.000+04:00

Stockholm...officially my new fave place.

Not only did I manage to fly into the right airport this time (I knew something was amiss last time when the airport was little more than a port-a-cabin and everywhere was a bit foggy), but so far I've seen more of Stockholm in one lunchtime than I've seen of the area round my own office in 2 months.

And the icing on the cake is that this place totally epitomises Christmas! There's no snow, no one is singing silly songs and I've yet to see a raindeer (a live one anyway - I'm going back tomorrow to check the noses of those in the marketplace)...but I feel festive just sitting here in the office. Now normally I'm the first one to grumble about Woolies putting out the tinsel before my birthday has passed, but I could live with Christmas all-year-round in a place as lovely as this.

I got distracted

2006-10-05T12:03:00.000+04:00

Almost a month without posting even the vaguest scribble. Is the blog addiction over already? Has nothing remotely interesting happened in my life?

Oh contraire, mes amies - it's just there's so much fun that there's no time to be tapping away on a computer.

Normal service to be resumed

I don't feel like dancing...

2006-09-17T14:36:00.000+04:00

...except I do, and I did - last night at the Scissor Sisters gig in Trafalgar Square.

I must be a very luck girl to see the band twice in 6 days! They were brilliant at Bestival but last night was absolutely totally and utterly amazing. If only for the costumes (at times a little toooo revealing on Jake!) and so much energy!

There are very few bands that have that big danceability factor but the Scissors have got it in buckets.

...I'm still dancing!

The Jaffa Cake thief

2006-09-15T00:53:00.000+04:00

Who's eating my Jaffa Cakes? Seriously - it doesn't matter how restrained I've been in not touching the new packet of biscuites (cakes? biscuits? do we care?) it's always open and on the empty side of full. I'm not eating them. Honest.

Frankly worrying.

Bestival 2006

2006-09-15T00:35:00.000+04:00

Some people travel to religious sites, some meditate, some employ life coaches... Me? I dress up as a pirate (saturday)/60's rock star (sunday) and get in touch the inner me to the soundtrack of Gogo Bordello.

Let me share what I learnt:
1) I can't name any welsh comediens
2) I never ever think of Spike Milligan
3) I'm a big fan of bear cake!
4) I am particularly prone to accurately assessing risk in a situation, and then doing it anyway
5) I can fry an egg after all

And finally, you know you've had a good weekend when you scratch your head and purple glitter falls out!

Yes, another truly fabulous festival weekend! We all embraced the opportunity to dress up in silly costumes and dance the days away with the usual gusto...and then some.

Walking in heels

2006-08-30T12:10:00.000+04:00

I've reached the grand old age of 31 without ever breaking a heel. It might be a record, but my good fortune ran out today on the way to work.
Now, people (particularly of the male variety) might not realise what an issue this is. I'm unlikely to get any work done for mourning the sad loss of my comfy yet sophisticated 2-and-a-bit inchers, my social life will be ruined for the day and I'll have to buy a pair of replacement shoes that I'll never grow attached to because they are a poor stand in for the lovely ones I've loved and lost.

On the up side, it's an excuse to shop

I'm so excited...

2006-08-17T22:51:00.000+04:00

...and I just can't hide it!!!

It's V Festival weekend...and I've got a hot pink tent (from Tesco)

Bring on the Strongbow!!!!

(You can tell I'm excited - I've broken out in exclamation marks!!!)

Fame at last

2006-08-15T00:47:00.000+04:00

Check me out!

Big Brother gets married

2006-08-15T00:42:00.000+04:00

T’was a great day – bit chilly – I even wore a hat for the occasion. Always a sign of a good bash. In true Four Weddings style, my brother was called several names by the registrar (although none that I’d used before, thankfully) including his wife-to-be’s and his middle name. By the time they were declared man and wife, I’m surprised the bride was still sure whom she was marrying.

Special mention has to go to the wedding cake. A three-tier chocolate extravaganza. Genius! Something tells me my new sis-in-law is going to fit into the family very well ;o)
Pics to follow...

Missing - one best friend

2006-08-09T16:21:00.000+04:00

My bestest friend in the whole wide world has moved to New Zealand. Very exciting - and what better excuse for a trip to the southern hemisphere - but I'm still in shock. And a more than a little bit gutted.

We had a big leaving party at a youth hostel* near Eyam (in the heart of the Derbyshire countryside, for those of you not familiar with that bit past the Watford Gap) at the weekend. It's a good job we were in the middle of nowhere too, judging by the vast alcohol consumption, the volume of the stereo...and the fact I got a whopping 3 hours sleep.

Such a massive party was a fitting 'bon voyage' to my favourite party girl. As far as I know she excelled herself by not doing the famous 10 min kip on the stroke of midnight.

Jane - I miss you already (even though you're not actually leaving the country until tomorrow night) and will be arriving at a sofa-bed near you at the earliest opportunity.

*Yes, I did say youth hostel. It was a shock to me too! Apparently no stately homes were available that weekend and the proprietor of the local B&B was spectacularly unaccommodating

Drink problem

2006-08-03T22:55:00.000+04:00

Tis true. I have recently acquired a worrying drink problem...as in, I just don't seem to want it. I'm in the pub...I'm assessing the various wines, beers, spirits, cocktails...choices, choices.

And what do I crave? Tomato juice. It's just plain wierd. I so didn't see that one coming. But tomato juice and fizzy water have become my tipples of choice.

That could be considered a good thing in some circles - and I know my mum will be delighted - but in PR it's a genuine concern. Maybe even a sackable offence.

Help!

New job: day 1

2006-07-31T23:27:00.000+04:00

Information overload!

Superman Returns

2006-07-31T23:14:00.000+04:00

Reviews have varied, but I went to see the new Superman film last night and have to say I really liked it! Highlights included Superman looking pretty stunning (in a preppy kinda way), some brilliantly cheesy lines and Kevin Spacey being a fantastic baddie.

Not to mention the satisfaction of the v annoying child behind being taken out of the cinema half way through because she was too scared.

Go see it.

Batty dreams

2006-07-27T15:57:00.000+04:00

I just read my friend's blog where she mentions a dream she had about Prince. Not sure what that means (apart from that she's slightly mental) but it reminded me of my dream the other night.

It was a very vivid dream and I remember quite a lot of it, which is rare for me. The main theme was Bats. Big, flapping, black bats that clung on to me. Surely that has to mean something profoud, I thought. So I looked it up...

"To see bats in your dream, symbolizes uncleanness, demons, and annoyances."

Interesting. I do need to clean my flat, and that is quite annoying.

"Alternatively, bats can represent a need to let go of old habits because your current way of life no longer suits your new growth and outlook."

Aha, so it could be about starting a new job, joining the gym, trying to eat more healthily and drink less (all under miscellaneous heading of 'get thin')

"It may also mean that you are entering blindly into a situation."

Oh

"The dream may also been a pun on feeling "batty" or feeling crazy."

That sounds about right!

Mobile-less life

2006-07-23T20:09:00.000+04:00

It's official, I can't live without a mobile phone. Apparently I am incapable of turning up where I say I will and at the right time...even with the best of intent (it turns out there are 3 Blue Post pubs in Soho).

Thanks to a lovely cab driver - M:Express is officially my favourite cab company in Camden - I got my phone back. And after 2 days and 4 tetchy calls to O2 customer services to remove the temporary bar I requested... normal service has finally been resumed.

Because I am so happy to have my mobile back, I won't be ranting about the woman who told me to "wipe the SIM card with a soft cloth"...does that remove a call bar? No. Or the guy that said to switch my phone off and wait for him to call me back(doh). No - it's fine - I'll just be checking out other deals on Monday.

Fun in the sun

2006-07-23T20:02:00.000+04:00

I love a sunny day in the park! Adie’s birthday was spent ‘school sports day’-style…a softball game, a birthday picnic, a fancy dress relay and an healthy smattering of stick-on moustaches. Another brilliant day to remember.

Have to add, I'm a bit concerned by Dan's attachment to the big, nylon hot pink knickers from the relay. And the softball game did get a bit violent at times...with me being totally illegally tackled by Loz but then also managing to connect my elbow with Jackie's face while trying to catch a bit of a girlie throw by Ollie!! All good clean (grown up?) fun!

'a bit distracted' is 'a bit hungover'

2006-07-21T15:24:00.000+04:00

Leaving drinks (part 4 of 5) last night. Sitting by Camden Lock, in the sunshine...watching the canoeists go by! It started as a lovely evening, ended up as a bit of a mess actually.

My phone - fed up with my drunken antics - has left me. Or did I leave it? Either way the trouble started this morning when my alarm wasn't there, I couldn't ring work to explain my tardiness (until I remembered I had a landline somewhere) and I couldn't text all and everyone for sympathy in my world of pain.

Despite the distressing end, I had loads of fun and enjoyed parting drinks with my work buddies. An exciting new chapter awaits at my new job, but it's so sad to be leaving.