Texan In Kuwait

Dear Blogger:

2007-04-22T02:52:00.001-05:00

I would say it's not you, that it's me, but I'd be lying.

It's you. You're finicky. You don't let me post sometimes, you always mess up the date on my posts, and I have to have that damn .blogspot.com BS behind my name.

So we're moving to:

www.texaninkuwait.com

It's not completely fixed and I have links and shit to add, but as of today, you and I are no longer speaking.

Signing off for the last time,

Texan In Kuwait

The Scary Man

2007-04-20T11:30:00.000-05:00

File this under "Things I Hate About Kuwait". It's a short list, but this is certainly on it.

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That my friends is the call to prayer. Today is Friday and in about an hour, the 'sermons' will begin and no less than 5 people will be shouting their message from Allah to the masses.

Little TIK's friend is so freaked out by the sound, that her mom and dad had to move her to a different bedroom so that she couldn't hear it.

The other night, we were eating on our balcony and it started. LTIK looked at me with huge crocodile tears and the saddest face ever and started to boo hoo. I asked her what was wrong and she said, "The man said I had to go to bed."

May I introduce...

2007-04-19T11:30:00.000-05:00

Edited to add:

So, apparently, I do not know my Disney Princesses.

TBG pointed out that Little Miss in Pink is actually Sleeping Beauty -- not Cinderella.

Belle

And Cinderella

Belle and Cinderella

"Take A Picture of a Silly Face, Mama!"

2007-04-18T17:29:00.000-05:00

Those were my orders...

Damn British

2007-04-18T02:52:00.000-05:00

Little TIK goes to a British-run Montessori school. Our nanny is Indian (read: former British colony). British-speak is creeping into her vocab.

** After I praised her for counting in Arabic, "Yeah, Mama. I'm clever." Clever? Smart. You're smart.

** "I'm going to put this in the dustbin." No, no, no, no, no. NO, NO, NO, NO. It's a trash can.

** "I gotta pee in the loo." Ah, HELL NO. It's a restroom, bathroom, toilet, lots of things. But certianly NOT A LOO.

WHAT THE????

2007-04-16T02:52:00.000-05:00

WARNING:

If you do not want to read about my ass stop right here and go no further....

Okay. You were warned, and you're still reading. What are you -- some kind of sicko? ;-)

On to my rant:

I made a horrific discovery yesterday after I got out of the shower. My bedroom window was open and the sun was shining through. The room was all nice and bright and warm. Naked, I turned around to check my ass. Yes, I'm a chick. I check out my ass in the mirror.

That's when I saw it. PEACH FUZZ. All nice and glistening in the sunlight. Now I'm not talking about hair in my ass crack. That is somewhat understandable, and I take care of said hair on a regular basis. I'm talking on my butt CHEEKS. HAIR. ON. MY. ASS.

I told my man that I was very disappointed in him for not telling me about this. I mean I'm a good girlfriend. I would tell him if he had a stray ear hair, or a nose hair dangling for all the world to see. He swears he's never noticed, and that he still has no clue what I'm talking about.

See, there's no good solution to this problem. I can't shave it, because then I'd have dark whiskers on my ass cheeks. ::shivers::

Is this what happens as you creep closer to 30?

What's next? Hair on my boobs??

With a STICK, no less!

2007-04-14T15:55:00.000-05:00

Little TIK is way into pretending these days. Most of the time she's some baby animal and I have to be the mama animal.

Sometimes, though, we have to switch roles and she's Mama and I'm Little TIK. The other night in the car was one such time. We were driving somewhere and she says, "I'm Mama and you're [LTIK]." I comply and we go back and forth for a bit. Then she says this:

"[LTIK] I have to tell you something. You cannot kiss boys. If you kiss boys, I will spank your bottom with a stick."

Trying not to laugh, I replied, "Where did you get that idea? Mama doesn't spank you with a stick. Mama doesn't spank you at all."

She says, "NO. You are [LTIK]. I'm Mama and I will spank you with a stick if you kiss boys."

Alrightee then.

Party Pics

2007-04-13T01:56:00.001-05:00

Lovin' her V-smile

Such a big girl

I love her smile.

Damn party hats interfere with helicopter riding.

Humor me for a minute as I say, "Could she BE any cuter?"

A kick-ass tea set that I'm sure I will be 'drinking' from today. =)

All of the sudden, she does NOT want to be a cat.

What is she trying to tell me here?

The two of us last year at her party....

And ths year....

I'd say it's been a good year. ;-)

Three!!!

2007-04-12T11:30:00.000-05:00

My Punkin --

I love you , sweet girl. You make my life so wonderful.

When you were born I couldn't imagine being any more in love with you than I was that day, but every day, every year that goes by, I find myself amazed by how much deeper and more meaningful my love for you is.

It is so incredible to watch your little mind grow. You're such a smart and funny little girl. You are so free with giving your love to me. It makes my day when I come home and you run at me, almost knocking me down, shouting, "MAMA!"

I'm supposed to be your teacher, but I have learned so much from you. You've taught me unconditional love, both how to give AND receive it. You've shown me how to apreciate little things like butterflies, and stars, and blades of grass. I've learned that it's okay to love someone so much it hurts, even if that makes me vulnerable.

I'm excited to see what this next year with bring for the two of us. Life's a crazy ride. We've been through a lot the past three years. Our future looks bright. Whatever it brings, knowing that we're doing it together makes it okay.

Happy birthday, big girl!

All my love forever,

Your Mama

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I'm a glutton for punishment

2007-04-11T02:52:00.000-05:00

I've decided that I really, somewhere deep down inside, must LOVE moving.

Since we've been here, we've lived in 3 different places. The first was a 2-bedroom. Then CSA moved us into a 3. Then I switched jobs and moved into another apartment, and now my landlord is selling my place so I'm moving again.

I either love it or am stuck in my own personal Pergatory that invovles packing my shit every few months and lugging it across town.

The new place is super, though, and will ease some of my mommy guilt about this concrete jungle. We'll have 4 pools, it's right on the beach, as in we can walk to it and not have to cross the street...there's tons of room for LTIK to ride the bike she's getting tomorrow for her b-day. And it's where the man lives. AND it's cheaper. See, I have a housing allowance and where I'm at now is over that allowance.

The new place is less, so it's a serious cash-in-pocket swing. And I'm gonna furnish it. These jokers want damn near $400 a month just for furnishings. And guess how much I pay for a 3-bedroom flat that's probably 1,000 sq ft? $2,100. Yep. The new place is only about $1,700, and my allowance is $1,800. But damn. Rent is 'spensive here.

So here's our next month:

4.12. -- Little TIK's birthday party (She's THREE tomorrow)
5.1 -- move
5.10 -- leave for Europe

Sometime in there, I gotta buy a house full of furniture, and try to get a week ahead at work.

Have I mentioned that I need a break?

Here's a video of my girl in the pool for the first time by herself. Floaties are a wonderful thing. She's doing so great in the water this year. I loves me some LTIK.

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Camel Races, Revisited

2007-04-09T11:30:00.000-05:00

** I was going to change this, but I'm tired. I wrote this on 3.17, so just read it as if you hadn't already seen the video below. ;-)

Yes, you read right. We watched camel races this weekend. Talk about a strange event.In the past, they used 3 and 4 year old boys as the jockeys. Well, those poor kids were starved to make them lighter and several were trampled during the races. Amnesty International got involved (thank Bob) and now they use these little robots on the camels. The robots are controlled by cars that drive along the outside of the track.

I didn't quite know what to expect, but let's just put this adventure on the list of things I don't have to see again.

The track was huge, so we only got to see them for just a bit (video to come later), and the rest of the time we just watched on the screens inside, and listened to some guy yell about what was happening in Arabic. (I assume he was actually a commentator, but it sounded angry...) My poor kid just wanted to touch and ride one, which was not allowed.

The inside of the Kuwait Camel Racing Club.

Random picture. You see these every where in Kuwait. Usually, he's flanked by two other dudes. I think they're the Prince and Crown Prince and a Sheik or something...

I took this so that you could see how silly people look when they ride camels. The is sitting all the way at the back of the camel, behind the hump. They just kinda bounce along in this strange way.

Here they are being led to the starting line. The ones with the blankets are the race camels.

I know this picture is dark, but dude is pouring tea for everyone. How nice, right? NO. That shit smelled so gawd-awful, I almost tossed my cookies.

Here's a fellow crossing the finish line. See the little blue robot up there? He has a whip.

This is what an afternoon of camel racing makes ya feel like. Not even enough energy to put your sunglasses on right side up.

~~~~~~~~~~

After that, the man and I went to The Irish Society of Kuwait's annual black tie St. Patrick's Day Ball. The Irish Ambassador to Riyadh was there. So was Mr. Something Else Important. I didn't really care. I got to buy a new fancy dress and go on the arm of a dashingly handsome man, so my night was complete before I even ate a bite. After dinner, they opened up the dance floor and it was a HOOT to watch some of those folks dancing to Irish music. We had a good time.

Unfortunately, we had been partaking of the hooch before we got there and didn't think to take a picture, even though we talked about it all day. Some of the peeps we went with did, though and if I actually get a copy, I'll post it.

Uh huh.

2007-04-07T22:35:00.001-05:00

If I wasn't the mom and didn't KNOW that this kid is mine, I'd be asking questions....

Honestly, could she look any less like me?

Camel Racing

2007-04-07T22:35:00.000-05:00

For now, just watch the video. I have more to say, but it will have to wait.

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One month...

2007-04-07T02:52:00.002-05:00

...and I'm leaving on a jet plane.

Mr. Man and I have a 8 days planned in Europe and man do I need the break. Kuwait is wearing on me. BIG. TIME.

One month, one month, one month....

I can do it.

Testing, 1, 2, 3...

2007-04-07T02:52:00.001-05:00

Okay, Blogger.... I have been trying to post for WEEKS. WEEKS. Well, since March 17.

And you won't let me. Some bullshit about an error.

So, if this doesn't work FUCK OFF. I'm moving my blog.

Mama Africa

2007-03-17T01:58:00.000-05:00

Little TIK's school had International Week this last week. Each class was assigned a country/continent and had to bring something and dress like people from that place.

I thought about sending the man with her. He's from Egypt and technically that IS Africa. But he works during the day, so I nixed that idea. Someone suggested that I give her a sign that says "I HAVE AIDS". That was also a no-go, and the ideas just got worse from there.

I eventually just went and got a big sheet of material, wrapped her little Chicana ass up in that, called it good, and sent her empty-handed to school.

Not quite sure we got "African" - kinda looks Indian to me, but whatever.

Does she not look grown up?? Holeeee Hell, y'all.

What you don't want to see in your inbox

2007-03-03T00:07:00.002-06:00

Embassy of the United States of America
Kuwait City, Kuwait
February 28, 2007
From: Consular Section
Subject: Warden Notice 2007 – 2

As of February 28, the Government of Kuwait has confirmed 39 cases of the H5N1 virus in wild and domesticated birds in Kuwait. Thus far, there are no reports of the virus in commercial poultry and no reports of transmission to humans. The Government of Kuwait is taking appropriate steps to isolate affected poultry and conduct screening around the country. The U.S. Embassy is in frequent contact with the Kuwait government and is ready to help the Kuwaiti government contain the spread of the virus and help ensure it does not spread to other animals or humans.

~~ That's just fucking peachy.

Edited to add: This is bird flu. Yep. BIRD FLU.

Friends...

2007-03-03T00:07:00.001-06:00

Little M and Little TIK. They love each other, sometimes. However, my kid took a bite out of her because she wanted to hold her hand yesterday.

Little M is very touchy-feely. Little TIK is NOT. That makes for much refereeing for me and Missy.

Good times, baby.

SURPRISE!!!!

2007-03-03T00:07:00.000-06:00

Some pics from my girl Melissa's surprise party this weekend.

When she walked in....

We got her!!! She had no idea. =)

Here's she's blowing out the fake candles, because I forgot to get them.

Missy and her cool hubby.

Now, if I could just get my TX bitches to meet my Kuwait bitches..... We would have so much fun!!

Love ya, girl!!

The Concrete Jungle

2007-03-02T22:48:00.000-06:00

So, I've been having just a bit of mommy guilt about raising my kid in this concrete jungle we call home these days. There's no backyard to play in, no good place to ride a bike, no grass (not really even in those places like PARKS that are SUPPOSED TO HAVE GRASS).

Tonight, she told me, "Mom, I want to go in the backyard."

"[Little TIK], we don't have a backyard."

Her response was, "Well, can you buy me one?"

This afternoon, the man and I laid down while munchkin was taking a nap. We'd been out all morning and the there was a nice breeze blowing in the open window.

After a bit a fly was buzzing against the screen, and for a moment I was taken 'home'. The buzzing sounded like a manual sprinkler, and I was lying in my bed in TX, window open, breeze blowing, the smell of fresh cut grass coming through. And my neighbor was watering the grass with an old time sprinkler.

I just let myself stay there for a while, and it was so very nice. I love Kuwait and I like our lives here, but some days I'd give all the sand at the beach to hear a sprinkler.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We had a really great weekend. I threw a surprise party for my girl M last night and today, we went and hung out at a park with her and her little one while our boys played football. The weather was nice and it was just one of those days where all the world felt right.

It's about fucking time.

Too damn busy....

2007-02-25T22:48:00.000-06:00

....Gah. So much going on. I'll blog more later, but for now, here's my monkey.

Don't pay attention to the fact that there is shit on the bed and that I only drew the blackout curtains, k?

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Well said...

2007-02-11T06:55:00.000-06:00

My big girl

2007-01-31T11:46:00.000-06:00

How is it possible to love someone as much as I love this kid?

It really doesn't get better....

2007-01-30T02:03:00.000-06:00

I've asked before if this mom stuff ever quits just ripping at your heartstrings, and the answer is always unanimously, "NO!"

I have cried at every milestone from eating solids, to wearing big girl panties, to her knowing all her numbers.

Today, I was talking to her teacher and found out that she is learning to read, and that she already sight reads several words. READING. She's two, for the love. Gawd. I'm seriously not ready for her to be such a big girl. What's next? Fucking high school?

I want to know when I will not turn to mush at every little thing.

See?

2007-01-26T12:54:00.000-06:00

My kid is a midget in that 4 year old class.

So Wrong...

2007-01-26T01:46:00.000-06:00

I took the munchkin to Kuwait Magic this weekend.

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This is wrong on so many levels. Who designs a ride like this?

THIS is even worse:

Do you see that there is no toilet paper in this bathroom? None. Just that nasty, disgusting hose that's probably been within 2 inches of who knows how many other people's asses, and I'm supposed to be willing to put that by mine.

My question is this: If you DO use that hose, how do you dry off?? By the time you've sprayed all your pertinent areas, you're wetter than you were from just pee!! Do they carry something with them to use to wipe? If not, how do they get dry, or do they just let it drip down in the abaya?

Gawd, it's gross.

Open Letters

2007-01-13T11:18:00.000-06:00

Dear Yasmin:

We have a deal. I take you faithfully every night. I stop whatever I'm doing to take you at 7:00 on the dot, and when my little pack is finished, you call Aunt Flow and tell her to come two days later. TWO. NOT SIX. Do not do that shit to me, mmmkay? If I have to buy a pregnancy test again, I am throwing you out and getting a hysterectomy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Kuwaiti Butt Munch Who Keeps Parking In My Spot:

Here's the thing. We have assigned parking in this here building. That means if you don't live in the apartment number written above the spot, you don't park there. I don't care if, as the guard says, "Ma'am, he's Arabic." Um, you could be baby god for all I care. Don't park in my spot.

If you do it again, I swear to Bob, I'm going to key your fucking car. Are we clear?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Fast Tel Co:

I realize that you are one of only about two Internet providers in this fine country, but really guys. I can respect your "Islamic and family values" and that those values prompt you to block certain content. Whatever. I'm in a Muslim country. I can deal. Howerver, the following need to be removed from your list of blocked sites:

1. www.dogpile.com (It's a damn search engine)
2. tattoo websites (Why must you block all of them? Hell, why any of them?)
3. BLOGGER (Don't even mess with me about not letting me blog. I don't know what was up your butt earlier, but if I can't blog, I will spontaneously combust and we wouldn't want that would we?)

There are more. But please. At least know what the hell you're blocking before you think that dogpile is some type of crazy sex website or whatever you in your great wisdom assume it is.

Pretend

2007-01-13T00:11:00.000-06:00

I was married for about 2.5 hours this weekend. Well, okay, not really, but Mr. Man and I went and listened to a timeshare presentation to which I had to bring my husband if I wanted to receive a free trip 3-night trip to Goa, India. So, I put my sugar mama ring (the one that slips from the middle to ring fingers of my left hand depending on who happens to be approaching =) ) on my ring finger and we went and listened. It cracked me up that our little sales guy brought in the big guns to try and get us to commit - it was just like buying a car.

"Here's the price if you sign up today. Today only this price, AND you can make payments, but only if you buy today. What is stopping you from buying today?"

We pulled the good ole, "We need to talk about this. You're not going to get us to make a decision to drop this kind of money without having time to discuss it as a couple" routine. The role play was fun.

(Surprisingly enough, I'm actually considering buying one. It was a great deal and maintenance is really cheap. We'll see...)

Anyway, we're getting a trip to Goa out of the deal. I'm stoked because when I was in Denver, I won 2 free plane tickets anywhere, so this will be a really nice, really inexpensive trip! If you're like I was when I first came here, you're wondering why anyone would choose to vacation in India. Well, apparently Goa is one of the nicest places in India and has become quite the tourist attraction for Europeans and some Americans. Everyone I know who's from or has been there says it's awesome. Plus, it's supposed to be one hell of a party spot. Guess we'll go find out. And on someone else's dime. All we'll have to pay for is drinking and eating. Can't beat that with a 2 x 4.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

On the subject of pretend, Little TIK has been asking lots of questions about 'real' and pretend stuff. It started because she told me she wanted to go see Dora. My response was, "We can't see Dora. She's pretend - just like monsters."

Holy hell, did that open a can of worms and force me to answer about 6,432 questions.

"Mom, is Shrek pretend?"

"Is Princess Fiona pretend?"

"I'm Swiper, a sneaky fox. Is Swiper pretend?"

"Are Tom and Jerry pretend?"

"Is Elmo pretend?"

"Am I pretend?" "No, honey, you're real." "Well, are you real?"

"Is our house pretend?"

"Mom, is Aunt Katie pretend?"

"Is Diego pretend? He's a boy and has a rescue pack." "Yes, baby, both he and his rescue pack are pretend."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What is not pretend is this rain we've had for two days. It's so nice. God, I miss the rain!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I took some videos over the weekend. Stay tuned for "Arab Bachelor Party"

Do you remember?

2007-01-11T03:57:00.000-06:00

First, thanks to everyone who delurked! Now I have some cool new blogs to visit. =)

Now, onto my rambling....

Do you remember the first big time crush you had? The first time you gave your heart to someone? The first time you couldn't sleep because you were thinking about that person and the next time you might see them. The first time you felt yourself catch your breath at the sight of someone? That feeling you got when they looked at you, or touched you before you'd had your heart broken and were cynical? Before you were afraid to let go..... When you thought at 16, he might be 'the one'...when you doodled his name and yours together on every piece of scrap paper you could find?

God, I do.

It's funny how life changes us. I am such a different person than I was then. I'm much harder inside; I'm more cautious with my heart, my emotions. I'm mother now, which changes everything.

I've thought about him so much over the years....wondering what coulda, shoulda woulda happened if things had been different in our lives (or more accurately, mine) at the time. And I *still*, some 12 years later, get butterflies when I think about him.

I just found out that he's happily married, and of course I'm happy for him.

I just wonder.....

Delurk! Delurk!

2007-01-09T01:46:00.000-06:00

Butterfly Girl (click on her link over there, will ya?) reminded me that it's National Delurking Week.

I know that I have lots of lurkers, because there are 80-100 people a day here, and I get *maybe* on a good day 7 or 8 comments.

So, if you're here and reading, come out from behind the curtain, and leave a comment and let me know. Please???

The 'Curse' Of The Smart Kid....

2007-01-07T11:46:00.000-06:00

Little TIK started school yesterday. I got an email from the Administrator saying that she thought my kiddo should be moved to the next class because she is too far ahead of her current class.

So, now my 2.5 year old is in class with 4 year olds. Holy hell, she looks like a shrimp. She's too smart for her own good and way too smart for my parenting ability I think.

For instance, for those of you who don't know...her sperm donor has not been in her life at all. AT. ALL. Has never even seen her, and that's by his choice.

Anyway, before she turned 2, she was asking questions about him. Watching Nemo, she said, "Nemo's daddy. Where's [Little TIK's] daddy?"

Before 2, people. Gah. I was prepared to answer questions at 8 or 10, or even 4 or 5, but a year??? C'mon, cut a girl some slack.

Well, lately she's not only been talking about him, she's romanticizing him. I have pretty much just told her that he's in the Army and we don't know when we're going to see him. That's the nicest way I can think of to tell her the truth.

Here are a few things she's said about him lately:

"I want to give my daddy a hug. He loves me." [UGH. Can you just rip a mommy's heart out and stomp on it?]

"My daddy is in the Army. He's drinking beer." [How does she know they drink beer in the Army?]

"My daddy is in the Army. He's going to come take me on a boat." [HUH?]

And then there's the constant chatter to her dolls and animals about her daddy.

It's really difficult to juggle her expectations and emotions, the truth, and my feelings about him. How do you know what info is too much for a kid to handle? I've just been saying things like, "Yep, he's working in the Army, but he's not going to take you on a boat. We don't know when or if we will see him."

GAWD. Someone help me.

Randomness...

2007-01-03T16:19:00.000-06:00

I've spent over two weeks trying to figure out why my apartment WILL. NOT. GET. WARM. Guess what the brilliant answer is? No central heat - and that's true for most places here. Now, granted it's not North Dakota or Antarctica cold here, but I think temps in the lower thirties are cold enough to warrant being able to flip a switch for a bit of heat. GOD. Guess I'll be buying space heaters.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I realized today that in about three months Little TIK will be THREE. Sonuvabitch.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My family sucks. With the exception of my sister, they all blow chunks, hence the reason I hate December and the holidays and am so glad they are over.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I had my first real live panic attack this week. If you've had one, you know the feeling - heart racing, terrified inside, crying hysterically - all for no real reason. Granted things haven't been all peachy and roses lately, but it's not THAT bad. I wouldn't wish that feeling on my worst enemy. Well maybe my absolute worst one, but not many of them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I want a job where my first order of business is not to clean up someone else's shit. I'm so tired of playing janitor and trying to figure why some dumbass couldn't do their job right. I want to just come to work, do my job - RIGHT - and go home. I don't want to work 70 hours a week. I want to work to live, not the other way around.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I got my hands on some good hooch. Guess who's getting blitzed this weekend?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm getting new ink soon - probably next weekend. So excited. I'm an addict. Is there a 12-step program for this?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For the first time in my life, when I stand my thighs don't touch. Even when I was thin before they did. Now they don't. Score for TIK.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This one will get lots of you, but ..... wait for it .... wait for it .....

I think I'm finally ready to settle down. I'm tired of being the friend with benefits. Pretty much since I started having sex, that's what I've been, with a few monogamous months here and there. TIK is done with that. From now on if you want the milk, you can buy the cow, or at the very least, show an interest in making the purchase. I'm not talking no sex til marriage. I mean, BOB doesn't take that good of care of me. But sex will now be for 'relationships'. Whatever that means. I'm not even sure what that really is, but I'm no longer a first date kind of girl.

So there.

Liars!!

2006-12-30T12:55:00.000-06:00

It's 116 degrees colder here today than it was on this day.

So, here's my bit of helpful advice for the day:

When you are preparing to move to Kuwait and someone tells you it doesn't get cold there, once you've picked yourself up off of the ground and contained your laughter, go pack your damn coat.

**Edited to add: Okay, so Erin pointed out that I forgot to convert the 3 degrees C it is today to F. I guess it's only 80 some degrees colder. Whatever. It's a hell of a temperature change in just a few months. And it's downright cold.

Christmas in the Desert

2006-12-25T19:39:00.000-06:00

Well, it's over. Our first Kuwait Christmas, and overall it wasn't too bad. I get the ribbon for Worst Mother of the Year (see video for proof), but we had a good time. Mr. Man came and helped me put together the Dora talking kitchen. It came just in the nick of time, and Little TIK loved it. I mean loved it.

This afternoon we headed over to the villa where some peeps from work live and had the good ole turkey and stuffing bit. It was okay. I was really doing okay with being away from everyone until we got ready to leave there. Then it hit me. My sister's kid and mine were talking on the phone to each other instead of playing with each other's toys. I had a good, cleansing cry and then I was better.

In case you're wondering, this is what it looked like out my window today. Not exactly like Christmas in the mountains, but it was deceptively nice looking. It was actually quite cold -like 15 C (you can convert it to F; I'm too tired). Note the mosque. BTW, I found another one today from a different porch in the apartment. That makes FIVE that I can see from someplace in my place.

I am spoiled and got a ticket to an entire afternoon of pampering at the spa at the Hilton. My shoulders are so thankful. This new job is S.T.R.E.S.S.F.U.L. Mind you it's in a totally fun way, but it's stressful all the same.

And here is why I should have my Mom Card taken away and burned.

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What do you get....

2006-12-23T19:39:00.000-06:00

....when you cross:

1. An accessory from Mom's sexy devil Halloween costume

2. A 2.5 year-old who has been awful since returning from a 12 day jet lag filled transatlantic trip

AND

3. A Christmas tree??

Scroll down....

A Christmas Devil!

Oh, you also have to add Mom's early present from Santa ;-) . This little gem:

The Sony DSC T50. It's nothing like what the real camera bitches in my life have (ahem....Kami, Katie...), but I like it. It's got a neato touch screen. So very cool.

I missed her...

2006-12-18T10:12:00.000-06:00

I loves me some bitches

2006-12-11T06:53:00.000-06:00

Last night I got to go out with the bitches!!! We had so much fun. I knew I missed them, but until I actually got to hang out with them again, I sorta forgot how much.

We went and at Mexican food, (that shit does NOT exist in Kuwait and this transplanted Texan was cravin it big time) and we went back to my partner for the next life's house and I introduced them to shisha. I had an absolute blast. There are pictures and a weather report over there on her blog. You should go check it out.

I also got to talk to Nate (who swears he's going to start showing me some love again) and RSG (who is to totally cool - I must meet her one day)

Ahhhh... a night with the bitches. There's nothing quite like it. I love you girls.

Now, I'm hungover as hell and have to take my ass to Denver for a whole week. Yes. A whole week with out my Little TIK. Must. Consume. Alcohol.

Ma Familia

2006-12-10T16:22:00.000-06:00

Katie got a new camera. Takes good pics, no?

I love this kid.

Katie and me and our babies

Gah, we look alike.

She talked about driving this Jeep for weeks before we got here.

Little TIK and her favorite 14 year old cousin, Taylor.

Isn't he the sweetest boy ever??

So Sleepy...

2006-12-10T06:56:00.000-06:00

Jet lag is a bitch. A big, ugly, smelly bitch. We got back to Dallas yesterday morning at about 11:00. Little TIK was a gem on the plane. I was totally stressing about it, but she was so very good. I think it helps that we left Kuwait at midnight on Friday and had a straight 14 hour flight to Dulles. She slept a bunch, played some, watched movies. I could not have asked for a better trip.

Yesterday she didn't go to sleep until 6:00 last night (3 in the morning our time) and then was up at 3:00 this morning. YAWN!!! I think she'll get adjusted okay if I keep her up til about noon, let her take a nap and then put her back down at about 8 or so. I hope so. She's going to school with her cousin tomorrow, and it'd be nice if she wasn't a grouch all damn day.

Today we're going to do some Christmas shopping and then I'm going out with the Bitches!!!! WOOT!!! I miss my bitches. I'm so excited.

We've already taken some pictures and I'll post them later....after I get a nap.

To the little shit at McDonald's

2006-12-05T10:32:00.000-06:00

Listen, I know you're Kuwaiti, and we all know how that makes your lazy ass better than everyone else in your tiny world - most of all the Filipino people who work themselves to death so that you can feed your fat face another cheeseburger and shake - but you cannot act like that.

See, the reason he was shutting that door is because it's an emergency exit and you're not supposed to use it. If you couldn't figure that out on your own, the fact the he pulled it shut should be good enough. But no, you felt the need to rip it open and SPIT ON HIS FACE.

How dare you? You are a worthless piece of shit and you're probably only eight. I pity the world you exist in when you're 18 or 28.

My only regret about the situation is that I was absolutely too flabbergasted to say anything to you or your stupid mother, who should have had her ass beaten right before yours was.

Home...

2006-12-03T21:12:00.000-06:00

I've been thinking about that word a lot lately. Truth be told, it's been a long time since I've felt like I had one. We've been nomads. I think I've moved 9 times in the past 4 years - not really a good average. All my life we moved around a lot. Until I was in the 7th grade I never went to the same school 2 years in a row, and the only reason I did then was because there was only one middle school in the town we lived in. My sister went to another two schools before she was so fortunate.

I will say though, that home had become Dallas. Even though we moved several times, I had an amazing group of friends (The Bitches) and my sister was there, so it felt comfortable. Moving to Kuwait was one of the most exciting and at the same time difficult things I've ever done in my life. I have been so incredibly homesick at times here, it's not funny. And I've never ugly cried so much in public as I did when I got on the plane from Dallas to Frankfurt. I couldn't even hand the lady my passport.

But I came here with a certain company on a one-year contract. That's an unsettling feeling. Knowing that in a year, you might not be here any more really bites. The places we've lived until now, while certainly nice enough, haven't felt homey at all. You know that feeling you get when you walk in the door at the end of the day that just says, "Ahhhh....I'm home"? Yeah, I didn't feel that. It felt like I was back at the hotel room.

I said so many times, "I just want to go home for a couple of weeks and then I'd feel better."

The funny thing is we're going home. This week, we're heading back to Dallas and then I'm going to Denver for some training. And it doesn't feel like I thought it would. NO FLAMING BITCHES...just hear me out. It's not that I'm not stoked to get to see everyone because I so am. We're going to do a mini early Christmas with Katie and her krew, and Little TIK is already about to pee her pants she's so excited. I guess it's just that now that I have a real job, not a contract and now that we have a place that really does feel homey to live, this has started to feel like home. We're here in Kuwait for the forseeable future. It's home. Not home in the sense of where our family and friends are, but it's home. I'm happy here. I'm comfortable in my house. I like my job. I'm not constantly thinking about what the hell I'm going to do when my year is up. We can put down roots....sort of. I'm not afraid to get attached to this place or some of the wonderful people I've met. I guess I just feel like I can kind of let my guard down and actually feel settled.

Don't get me wrong. I miss so many things about my other home. I miss my sister and her kiddos. I miss my bitches. I miss Target and Chipotle and being able to buy wine in stores. I miss trees and flowers and Texas thunderstorms. I miss being able to walk down the street and not be gawked at by men in disdashas. I miss NOT hearing that daggum call to prayer. I miss being able to dial 1-800 numbers. I miss really good Mexican food. I miss Old Navy and the Gap. I miss seeing Christmas lights on houses this time of year. I miss all those crazy after-Thanksgiving-best-deal-ever sale ads. I miss corn casserole at Thanksgiving dinner. I miss getting to pick up the phone and not having to worry about a 9 hour time difference to talk to anyone I care about. I miss lots. But this is slowly and surely becoming a new home.

And while we're gone, I'm going to miss it.

Yet another sign you're living in the Middle East...

2006-12-01T23:08:00.000-06:00

We have 3 (yes THREE) mosques within about a block of our house. All of them blare the call to prayer 5 times a day. But of course, even though they are calling at the same time, they just can't find it in their hearts to say the same damn things. It's great. It's like hearing three separate conversations really loudly.

I have pretty much learned to tune it out. The only time it really annoys me is when I happen to hear it at night, when I'd rather be sleeping. Apparently, though Little TIK has been listening...

Yesterday out of the blue, with no call to prayer going, she was walking around singing, "Allah, Allah, Allah."

In the words of Little TIK....

2006-12-01T07:53:00.001-06:00

"You cannot fart at the beach, Mom."

Okay. I'll keep that in mind, chica.

I don't get it...

2006-12-01T02:09:00.000-06:00

Having a baby totally fucks with your body. I gained about 55 pounds with Little TIK. I had lost some, but over the past year gained BACK a bunch of them. In fact, when I came here, I only weighed 16 pounds less than I did when I had her. UGH.

But, since I got here, I've lost 25 pounds which puts me at about 14 to go to be where I was before I got knocked up. Here's the crazy ass thing: I have gone down ONE jeans size, which is three from where I was.

How the hell is a 25 pounds loss one size?? Oh well.

Wow.

2006-11-28T04:27:00.000-06:00

May I say that I just had the most amazing weekend ever? I can? Thanks.

After that yummy Thanksgiving, Dubai was calling and I headed south. South to 70 degree weather, a sweet hotel, pools with a swim up bar, room with free wine and canapes every day, and just exactly the break I needed from this crazy thing called my life.

We stayed here and it was more gorgeous than even their own pictures can show.

Oh, how I did not want to come back to the real world on Sunday. There's nothing like waking up to a huge breakfast buffet, complete with Mimosas, heading to the pool to drink and sit in the sun all day and then clean up, eat a nice dinner and go out dancing and drinking til you can't stand up any more, then falling into the nicest bed I've ever put my drunk body into only to wake up to a beautiful view of the sea and do it all over again.

In a word it was perfect. Absolutely perfect. The setting, the company, the weather....everything was better than I could have imagined. Oh, and speaking of the company - if you stumble across this here blog, thank you for an incredible time. I can't think of anything I'd rather do with anyone else than what we just did. You rock.

Things that were NOT a part of our Turkey Day

2006-11-19T04:27:00.001-06:00

Yeah, so in Kuwait, it's a wee bit difficult to get all the fixin's for a good and proper Thanksgiving. We did not have:

** Corn casserole - This happens to be my signature dish and I could not find the Jiffy Cornbread mix I needed for it. Sad TIK face.

** Green Bean casserole - not a single can of cream of mushroom soup had that damn recipie on it. WTF? I know, I know... all*recipies.com, right? Well, at midnight, on Wednesday I did not have the energy to look it up and then go back to the store.

** Pecan pie. No pecans to be found ANY.WHERE. No shit.

Aside from that, we had a pretty good dinner. And we had tons of stuff we don't usually have like shrimp cocktail and tortilla pinwheels and homemade mac and cheese thanks to the most awesome mac and cheese maker ever. I actually made the turkey by brining it for a good 28 hours or so and the consensus was that it rocked. Score for me. I was so incredibly nervous since I'd never done it before.

We got together with several other families who were also stuck here in the desert and it was really nice. Surprisingly really nice. Almost felt like a Thanksgiving at 'home'.

Oh and the other thing that feels like TX in the winter is this daggum weather. I had no clue that it would get down into the fifties here. And I gave away all my winter clothes.

Time for some retail therapy.

I suck

2006-11-19T04:27:00.000-06:00

I haven't been blogging because that nice ole fire we had in the building wreaked havoc on my computer and I just got it back today. Thank Bob, Allah, or whoever is in charge of such things...

Big changes have been happening around here. Here's the short version:

** TIK has a new job!!!! In short CSA, Ltd, is corrupt from top to bottom. If you've found this here blog by searching for it, RUN AWAY. FAST. And don't look back. I met a guy (in the smoking area on base - see and they say smoking is bad for you. HA!) who runs the Kuwait branch of a company who also does government contracting. Because their work in Kuwait is relatively new, they need a contracts person on the ground here so that they don't have to wait on people back in the States (and 11 hours back in time) to do the work. That person is now me. I have to tell you this all seems like a dream. I am bringing home more money than I ever had in my life - by a serious long shot - and get to get back into contracting, with a small company and also do training which I love, love, love.

** Can you say sweet pad? Holy hell, y'all. We just moved into one of the nicest places I've seen in Kuwait (had to move out of CSA housing - again....thank whoever). It is awesome. We have the best view of the sea we've had yet. There's a water garden in the living room. It's huge compared to everywhere else we've lived and best of all - I don't have to pay for half of it because my daughter is here with me.

** My friend M and I are hosting Thanksgiving dinner for some friends. It's my first year to make a turkey, so cross everything that it doesn't suck.

** Right after turkey, I'm heading to Dubai for an adult weekend without the kiddo. Do you know how nice it is to have a nanny? I'm going to get drunk off my ass, get massaged til I can't walk, and do nothing I don't want to for three whole days. Oh, and I'll have some damn good sex too. =)

** Little bit of romance in the life. Hence the last comment above.

Sorry I've been a sucky blogger lately. Now that I have a computer at home, though, I'll be able to keep up with my own and your blogs.

I'll try to get some pics of the new digs up soon.

Happy Birthday, Sweet Boy!

2006-11-04T22:09:00.000-06:00

My favorite nephew turns 2 today. Do you know how sad I am that I'm not there?

Mr. Conan,

I'm sitting here remembering that day two years ago when you made your appearance. We got up early, went to the hospital and about 12 hours later, you arrived by c-section. I will never forget how BIG you were and how red your hair looked.

You're such a smart boy, and so special to me. I miss you. I wish we could be there to go to the animal farm and celebrate with you.

God, you're growing up on me.

Love and hugs,

The Aunt TIK and Little TIK

Rain and Birds

2006-11-01T07:13:00.001-06:00

I saw both today. Wow.

More Halloween...

2006-10-29T04:03:00.000-06:00

BUZZ, BUZZ, BUZZ!!!

2006-10-28T02:45:00.000-05:00

We celebrated Halloween a bit early over the weekend. There was a company wide party and OMG, it was a mad house. Little TIK was a bumble bee and if I do say so myself was damn freaking cute! After I took these pictures, I added some makeup to the get up, so use your imagination.

I bought this sexy devil costume I was going to wear and then thought better of wearing it to a kid's party, so my friend M and I went as a Kuwaiti couple. I got me an abaya and head scarf and her a dishdasha.

I have been wanting an abaya for a while just to do my own sort of social experiment, by going out dressed like that to see if I get treated any differently. That will come another day. Let me just say this, though: That thing is hot as HELL. I mean H.E.L.L.

Hold the phones!

2006-10-24T02:08:00.000-05:00

There's wet stuff in the forecast for Saturday.

Kuwaiti Pole Dancing

2006-10-22T05:29:00.001-05:00

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I have to give credit to a guy at work for this. Is that some funny shit or what?

Comfort....

2006-10-20T23:35:00.000-05:00

I am seriously homesick right now. I'm missing my bitches, my nephew's birthday is coming up and I can't be there....just lots of things. So, I made some comfort food this weekend. Yes, you read that right - I MADE it. As in cooked. I'll take my gold star now. Actually, and I know lots of you won't believe it, but I've been cooking quite a bit. And Beena says I make good food, so there. =P

Here I give you corned beef and cabbage, mashed potatoes, and corn. Yummy.

Little TIK has been bugging me for weeks now to make a "Cho-lock-ate" (for some reason, she cannot say chocolate) cake. She's been saying that for her "three birthday" she wants three cholockate cakes. We had so much fun. Just for the record, my hair is not actually IN the batter...it just looks like it.

It's funny how appreciative kids can be at little things. As we were finishing up eating last night, she said, "Mama, this is my happy birthday cholockate cake! Thank you so much!" I guess we get all crazy thinking our kids need big ole birthday parties and stuff (guilty!), and all my girl wants is a cake. I did remind her that she's not (gasp!) three yet, and promised her one on her real birthday.

Here's the fun she decided to have on Thurdsay night. I was on the phone trying to take care of some bidness and Beena was in her room. Little TIK went into the kitchen and proceeded to use the ENTIRE bottle of Fairy dish soap (are you laughing yet, because I did for months over that one) to create a soapy mess in my kitchen.

I'm having so much fun with that little thing. Well, cleaning up this mess aside....

I leave you with the sunset out of my kitchen window from last night. Gorgeous, eh?

Fixated...

2006-10-19T01:52:00.000-05:00

This is how my 2.5 year-old daughter and 28 year-old nanny look while watching Aladdin in Arabic. Go figure. I think Beena enjoys cartoons as much as Little TIK. When Spacetoon (our version of Cartoon Network) is on, Beena laughs at all the right spots. Cracks my shit right up.

Of course once a certain someone realizes there is a camera near, she must cheese it up. She keeps telling me she needs a haircut. And yes, she probably does, but I've seen and heard horror stories about the chop jobs the salons here do on little girls' hair, so I'm trying to stall her.

Success!!!

So guess who has been going to sleep ON HER OWN, IN HER OWN BED and sleeping there ALL NIGHT???

Uh huh. That makes a certain Transplanted Texan very happy. It took about three nights of fussing and my having to be a hard ass...and by that I just mean that I shut the door, stood outside of the well lighted room and talked to her til she went to sleep.

I'm so proud of her. She's becoming such a sweet girl. Last night she told me that I'm her best friend. God, I love her.

I'm in a funk

2006-10-12T07:21:00.000-05:00

This has been an awful week. I'm mad. I'm sad, and I'm confused. My friend buried her three month old daughter a couple of days ago. She was found not breathing in her crib and about 24 hours later, she was gone.

Yesterday I attended a memorial service for a co-worker who was in an awful accident that left him with an amputated leg and in a coma for two weeks before he finally passed on.

Why do these things happen? People will say it's not god who does these things. That he doesn't cause them to happen, but simply allows them because we live in a fallen world. They say it's not ours to know why, but just to accept them and learn from them and see the 'good' that comes from them. I'm calling bullshit. Why can't we know why? Why does the fact that there could be a lesson learned make a tragedy okay?

Does the fact that good and bad things happen have anything to do with god? There was a fire in our building exactly two floors below our apartment on Tuesady. No one was hurt. Is that god protecting my girl and nanny while I'm at work or is it just how things go? If the building had burned down would it have been god who let it happen so that I could learn something? I think not.

If god is really there and CAN intervene when people pray, why doesn't he? What is his point in picking and choosing who he will listen to and bless? My little sister was born with serious birth defects and was given a 10 percent chance to survive birth. She did, made it through 9 different surgeries, was on oxygen til she was two and ate with a feeding tube until she was six. Did god let her live, or did was she just a fighter, or have an awesome medical team and a kick ass heart lung machine that let her live? Did the fact that people were praying for her save her? And if so, why her and not baby Emmalee? Or Tony? Or the thousands of other people who die and suffer every day?

I remember as a child praying, BEGGING, god to help me and save me from a dysfunctional situation that lasted years. He didn't. Why didn't he listen to the prayer of an innocent child? Why did he let that shit happen? People have told me that good can come from it; I can help others who've been through the same thing. But you know what? Fuck that. If god were good then there would BE no one else to help because no one else would have had to go through it. Feel me?

I don't get it. I don't think I ever will because every day that goes by makes me more certain that he is not there or that if he is doesn't give a shit about what happen on this ball of dirt we call earth.

Ink, Ink, Baby!

2006-10-07T00:33:00.001-05:00

I'm addicted. Big time. Must not go overboard.

It's all about peace and balance. Oh and a subtle tribute to my Okie State Cowboys with the orange and black...

And yes it hurt. Like a sonuvabitch sometimes, especially when he got close to my spine bone, but most of the time it was easy cheesy.

I have a cat.

2006-10-07T00:33:00.000-05:00

A two legged one. Little TIK has been meowing to express herself lately and I'm about to go nuts.

If she's happy, it's a hyper, "Meow! Meow!" If she's pissed off, it's a low growling, "Meeeeooowww" with a scowl. Sad? "Mew, mew, mew"

I can't tell you how many times lately I've said, "Stop meowing [Little TIK]!"

Now the past two days, she's not only a cat, but informed me of this, "There's a little rabbit in my ear telling me secrets."

I hope it's a phase.

I'm gonna do it!!

2006-10-03T04:34:00.000-05:00

I'm getting branded this weekend. There's a guy here who does awesome tattoo work and he's going to do mine over the three-day weekend.

Woot!!

Egypt Bound!!

2006-10-03T01:30:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited. We're going to the Red Sea in a while. I work with a couple of guys from Cairo who have given us the scoop, so we know just where to go and stay.

We're going to plan it so that we have a layover in Cairo long enough to go to the pyramids and then head to the Sea.

I'm stoked. I am just not going to gripe about having to take my kid out of the country every 90 days any more. =)

More mail!!

2006-10-02T19:54:00.000-05:00

More mail today! This time from Aunt Katie. Check this out:

Candy, jewelry, cups and stickers for Little TIK; tampons and two shirts for TIK. Think I've bitched enough about not being able to find good tampons here? Seems like every box I open has them in it . I LOVE IT!! See the butterfly? That's from my favorite nephew who I miss like a sumbitch.

And look what else! Flip flops from Taylor's 14th birthday. I missed it. That sucks, but I got some shoes!

I don't miss much about the States, except all the wonderful people we left behind. You, Katie are one of the and I love you. Little TIK and I miss you much. Thank you, Sister. You are awesome.

BTW, she just landed a sweet job, so go tell her congrats!!

A few of my favorite things...

2006-10-01T21:42:00.000-05:00

I got a package from Ms. Dallas K with some of the best stuff in the world:

That would be Parmalat (read: U.S.!!) milk, McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak seasoning, egg nog mix, TAMPONS with plastic applicators, TEXAS salsa, and to die for tortilla chips. She also included a little Halloween bucket with goodies for Little TIK, who was very excited to get her flashing red dot jack-o-lantern necklace.

She made a whole office of new friends she hasn't met with the salsa and chips. Kinky Friedman salsa. We ordered about 20 jars and an entire case of Xochitl chips. For real. Seriously, Kami, thanks! And my girls here love you too! I miss you, bitch.

You know you're living abroad...

2006-09-30T01:29:00.000-05:00

...when you tell your two-year old to get ready to go and she asks if she needs her passport.

It's soooo nice here!!

2006-09-28T01:06:00.001-05:00

This is me, no longer complaining about the weather. It has been so freaking nice lately. Highs have been in the low hundreds, and lows in the lower seventies. I know that probably sounds hot to some of you, but remember, Texans, there's no humidity, so it feels awesome.

It's actually cool in the mornings. Cool. In Kuwait. Whodda thunk? I actually hear that it gets downright cold here in the winter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This morning I decided to take Little TIK down to the pool. Got in and then I saw this:

Could have lived quite a while without it having spelled out that other people's body oils are accumulating where I plant my ass on the step. Ick. People are gross.

It followed me:

2006-09-28T01:06:00.000-05:00

The salmon colored sectional is here. In the lobby. I can't get away from them.

This is a little area TIK needs to make good use of. Must start using the treadmill at least. I'm turning flabby over here. See?

This is what it looks like out my living room window:

And this is what I see as I sit here and type for you. Of course the pics do not do it justice. Especially today, when the sun is shining so brightly and the water is an almost truquoise blue color. It's the best view I've ever had out a window.

Guess I should go shower. Or wait, didn't I say I was going to make good use of the treadmill downstairs? Yeah, I should do that.

Awww...

2006-09-25T02:56:00.000-05:00

Aren't they so cute? That's Little TIK's class at school. She loves it - cries on the days she has to stay home.

Where did I go wrong?

2006-09-19T11:34:00.004-05:00

Is it bad that when I tell my daughter that I'm going to 'do my feet' that she runs and puts hers in the bidet? The other day, her friend M was over and her mom and I heard them making noise and they had plugged it, run it full of water and were splashing around in it. Thank God for Beena. It gets cleaned every day and is never used.

And yes, she's half nekkid. Shortly after, she was in her birthday suit. What's a mom to do?

So, I took some pics of our new place. Granted, I probably should have waited until I picked dinner up off of the coffee table, but I don't care. This is how it looked for about two seconds until Beena ran in and whisked the mess away. She would be so embarrassed to know that anyone saw our house like this.

Note the lack of salmon colored sectional. And the lack of rugs. They are being cleaned - to be returned shortly.

Tomorrow I will take a picture of the view out of that window. It's even better than the last one.

This is Little TIK's room. Needs some work. All I found that I liked was the bed and she picked out that bedding. Would not have been my first choice, but I don't have to sleep in there. I need to get her a dresser and some throw rugs. And a toy organizer thingy.

She's slept in there the past two nights. It hasn't been a piece of cake to get her down, but she's stayed most of the night. I actually like it when she crawls in bed with me early in the morning right before I go to work. She's so lovey and always tells me she loves me. There's NOTHING like it

Part of my room. The room's not huge, but it's MINE. And I don't have to share space, bed or that wardrobe thing with Little TIK. And it's an actual master bedroom, so my bathroom is off of it. Funny how I've missed that. No more darting towel-clad across the hall.

I'll take some more pics tomorrow. Now I'm tired. Think I'll go lay myself down in that soft bed. Alone.

I have the best nanny!!

2006-09-19T11:34:00.003-05:00

Today is Beena's birthday. I didn't do much, but bought her a gold ring at a souk and got her some smell-good stuff for the bath. Then we went to dinner - at Hardee's b/c it was all that was open at 6:00. See below.

Anyway, the woman was almost in tears over what I gave her. It was nothing. Really. Cost me less than $100 and it's the least I can do for the woman who takes care of my girl every day, does my laundry, cleans my house, and picks up after me all the time. But you should have seen her fight me on buying her 'dinner' - at Hardee's.

Little TIK loves this woman. I love that I don't have to cook.

She is so very humble and appreciative and I've found that most Indians here are. India is a poor country so what seems like not much money to us is a lot to them. Just think about the fact that Beena is here, miles away from her 5 year old son to make a whopping $350 a month because it's enough money to make a difference to their future. Talk about humbling.

The other day, I saw a candle at the Sultan Center that said Someone Special and had a little sappy ass poem on it. I picked it up for her. Cost me less than 7 bucks. When we got home I gave it to her and told her it was for her bedroom. You should have seen her face light up. "I have been wanting one candle." And she wouldn't dare ask me for it.

A few minutes later, we had this conversation:

Beena: "Ma'am? This candle says Someone Special. Is it for me?"

TIK: "Yes."

Beena: "I'm special?"

TIK: "Are you serious? Yes, you're special. Rylee and I love you and are so blessed to have you in our lives."

Beena [through tears]: "Thank you, ma'am. You should not spend so much money on me."

It was less than 2 freaking KD. Gawd.

I have never seen anyone be so excited over a daggum candle. Her life makes me appreciate mine. It makes me stop and think about the things I bitch about. I'm blessed. So very blessed.

Happy Birthday, Beena!!!

Ramadan

2006-09-19T11:34:00.002-05:00

I've (obviously) never experienced this particular Muslim holiday in person. Essentially, it is a holy month of prayer for Muslims. It started today, because the Moon Sighting Committee said so (it's based on the new moon, I think).

The strange thing about it is that during the day, from sun up til sun down, they fast. Not even a sip of water. Nothing. Then in the evening, they eat. The purpose is renewal and to be in prayer for the new year. This is also when Allah decides how the world will operate over the next year.

They do this for a whole month, at the end of which Eid is celebrated, with much feasting and a holiday sort of like our Halloween where the kiddies all get dressed up and go door to door for treats. Schools and businesses open later and all of the restaurants are closed until sundown. That means that when we wanted to go to dinner tonight at 5:30, we were SOL.

The radio stations don't follow their normal schedules - no morning show DJ today. And even we as ex-pats can be arrested for eating, drinking, smoking, or doing any other thing that brings pleasure (no PDA, I assume) during the daylight hours. This includes drinking bottled water in your car or out on your balcony where you can be seen. Some of the hotels that cater to Westerners do have private rooms for dining during the day.

Even the kids participate in strict households. I work with an Egyptian who grew up in Cairo (read: he's Muslim) and he was talking today about how he can remember as an eight-year-old still having to do P.E. class and coming in hungry and dying of thirst and not able to drink. I'm told that parents start teaching their kids to fast at about 7.

There's also an extra prayer at sundown. Tonight, I swear it lasted a good 15 minutes.

I have to say that living in a Muslim country has really opened my eyes. I in NO WAY ever thought that every person who subscribes to that faith hates the U.S. or is a terrorist, though I work with some really biggoted people who do and should get the fuck out of the Middle East because of it. But living here has just reaffirmed that the majority of people are 'good', and are just as offended by the events of late that extremeists have carried out on innocent people as the rest of us are.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think we can learn from everyone who crosses our path. Whether you're a Christian, agnostic, or athiest, I think you can probably appreciate the dedication these people have to their faith. There is no way in HELL that Christians world wide would do something like this for a whole month. No way.

The other thing I think I'm trying to say is that we as the U.S. (God, I don't even like to say 'we' when talking about my own country because I'm so ashamed of some of the things that our current administration has done. How sad is that?) should get the hell out of the Middle East and quit trying to play big brother to the whole damn world.

As Americans, I think we're very arrogant. We think everyone should speak English. We think we can save the world and fight everyone's battles for them. How many times has Australia been the victim of terroist attacks?? Oh, that's right - NONE. Maybe because they mind their own fucking business.

Americans here go out in tank tops, short shorts and other things that are just obviously and overtly offensive to this culture. If you don't like it go home. God knows no one will say anything to you dressed like a hussy there. But if you're here, have some respect. You're making a spectacle of yourself and fucking it up for the rest of us who are't like that. I like a good tank top in the summer as well as the next chick, but shit. This is NOT your country. You're a guest for gods sake.

Oh, and if you drink in your car this month, I hope they catch you and throw your ass in jail. Don't call me for bail money.

New digs!!

2006-09-19T11:34:00.001-05:00

We got moved into a new, three bedroom apartment on Monday! Whoo hooo!! No more Little TIK in Big TIK's bed.

Actually, I have to buy some furniture for her room. Funny how a furnished apartment can have a completely empty room. Ah well...it gives me a reason to go to IKEA.

I'll take some pictures. It's so much nicer than our other place. The building is much nicer, in a better location and the apartment itself is bigger.

I'm happy!

Say Shit, Mama!

2006-09-19T11:34:00.000-05:00

The other night we had to run out and get some bread for Little TIK's lunch. On the way there, some dumbass driver pulled out in front of me. I said, "Oh, shit!" - pretty mild for TIK. From the backseat, I hear LTIK say, "Shit, shit, shit." Lovely.

We made our way to the Sultan Center and got our goods, which was a feat in and of itself with the start of school and Ramadan just around the corner. It looked like every Wal-Mart in the States on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving - wall to wall people and huge long lines at the checkout. I went for bread and 45 minutes later, I was out the door.

Standing in line there was a really neat Kuwaiti family behind us and I was chatting with them about Ramadan and what exactly it all means. They were super nice. Just before it was our turn to be checked out, Little TIK says - no SHOUTS - "SAY SHIT, MAMA!"

I'm such a good mom.

I was wrong

2006-09-16T00:19:00.000-05:00

So, I thought that Kuwait was beautiful until I went to Dubai. Oh. Mah. Gah. The first thing you notice is the grass. Real, green grass. I didn't realize that I missed it until I saw it. The only time I see grass is this little tiny spot in front of the HQ building on base. Apparently the Army's top brass deserves to see that little bit of niceness.

Anyway, I knew about the construction in Dubai. I knew about The Palm Island Projects . I knew that The Burj Al Arab is the only 7 star hotel in the world. I knew they were building the tallest building in the world. (I want to live there. Seriously.) I knew about Ski Dubai. But holy cow. Until you see that with your own eyes, you just have no idea.

There is a sign in front of the construction of the Burj Dubai, which says, "The most prestigious kilometer of land on the planet." It gives you goose bumps. It will be some 800 m (roughly 240 stories if I'm doing the math right) high. Here's what it looks like now:

Some pics at Ski Dubai. Do you know how cool it is to stand in front of a sledding and ski area in a sleeveless shirt? That place is bad ass!

This is the Burj Al-Arab hotel. Next time, I'm staying there. I don't care what it costs. Their hotel provided transportation includes a chauffeured Rolls-Royce - or a helicopter. Go look at the website. Gah.

The architecture in Dubai is awesome. I'm not a freak about cool looking buildings, but I can appreciate the uniqueness that is Dubai. We stayed in Jumeirah, a nice beach area right on the Arabian Gulf. They are building a huge housing project that consists of 40 buildings full of swanky apartments that look out onto the water. Since I'll never be able to live at the Burj, I think I could settle for Jameirah. =)

We got to look out at the construction from our window at the hotel. (Great view, eh?) Actually, we could see a lot of the ocean too, but it was funny to see 6:00 roll around because all of the workers flooded out like ants in little blue suits to stand in lines to get on buses. I cannot tell you how fortunate we are. For real people. That's their life. Ugh. I tried to get pictures, but the humidity was so high that it fogged up the lens on my camera and the pics are fuzzy.

Anyway, we had a great time and hit a couple of super cool clubs. I want a trip to Dubai with the bitches.

Next spot for the transplanted Texans to live? Dubai, baby!!!

Peace Out!!

2006-09-12T03:06:00.000-05:00

We're hitting the air for a long weekend and much needed mini vacation. See ya on the other side!

Magic, Kuwait style

2006-09-09T00:45:00.001-05:00

Wednesday night, we took Little TIK to Kuwait Magic. Essentially, this is a kick ass cool mall that has a mini carnival and arcade inside for kids. It's cheap, and the rides are all the perfect size for LTIK. She had a blast.

Note that she and the little Kuwaiti girl next to her were dressed the same, had the same hair do and looked enough alike to be sisters. We were the ONLY expat-types in the whole daggum place.

Why is this blurry like that? No idea.

Anyway...it was a good time. I think we'll definitely be back.

Just for the record...the backpack situation was remedied this weekend. No more plastic for MY kid.

More good news from the weekend - I got a box from this chick on Wednesday with some Parmalat milk in it. Holy mother. Have you any idea how awesome it is to taste good ole U.S. of A. milk, even if it has been pasturized to hell and comes in a cardboard box? I'm sure you don't. But let me just say, it's freaking awesome. You rock, Erin. Thank you sooo much. I just might have to buy stock in that company. Even Little TIK likes it. There are pictures of cookies on it and she now tells me she wants "cookie milk", not that other crap you can buy here. Does she have good taste or what?

And, the countdown is on to Dubai. Woot!!

First day of school! First day of school!

2006-09-06T03:02:00.000-05:00

*** That was said in my best Nemo voice. ***

Today, Little TIK started at her new school, a (mostly) Montessori school in our neighborhood. It is so nice. The lady who runs it is British and all of the teacher are either UK or Australian Montessori certified. While they do a lot of Montessori stuff, they also add color and dress up and sand. As the director said, "These kids live in a desert. They need color somewhere."

I love Kuwait. I really do. My daughter lives with an Indian nanny, goes to a school run by British and Australian women and is in a class with Arabic, American, Filipino, and Australian kids. How freaking cool is that? Diversity is a wonderful thing.

School starts at 8:00 and goes until 1:00, and she is going three days a week. I hired a driver to take her to and from since my ass is supposed to be planted here at work at 6:00 am. I feel so British having a nanny and a driver and shit.

Beena went with us and when we got there, the two of them were playing in her room while I went to finish up the paperwork and pay for the term. Little TIK looked at Beena and said, "Mama is gone, but we are going to make some new friends." Apparently she thought Beena would stay with her. Poor girl. She fussed a bit when we left, but was fine a few minutes later.

Wanna know the kinda freaky thing? (And if you didn't read my old blog, you won't know why it is strange...) The director's name is Allison.

The kid was so excited to start school and insisted on carrying this plastic Crayola backpack. I know, I know, I'll get the poor kid a real backpack. Promise.

You're jealous of the backpack, aren't you?

She did not want to take this picture with me. The little toot. I had to bribe her. Big time.

And I hate Blogger again. For some reason, mid-post it decided that I can't post any more pictures.

Blogger, you HAB.

On to lighter things...

2006-09-05T00:27:00.000-05:00

It's funny to drive around here in Kuwait. You'll see the names of American things on business establishments that are in no way related to what they are in the States. For instance:

I realize that this isn't the best picture (it's hard to get them to come out when you're driving...), but it says "Midas Touch Interior Design". I bet it's safe to assume that you can't get your brakes done there.

There are also stores everywhere that are called Kit Kat. Funny stuff.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Little TIK gets ahold of the camera, this is what you end up with:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I heard on the radio coming into work this morning that between January and August, there have been 273 auto-related fatalities in Kuwait. Holy cow, Batman! The DJ compared that to another city with 7 million people that had only 64 during that same time period. Kuwait doesn't have quite 2 million.

They have also, for the first time in history, put three females in jail for a week for running a red light and speeding.

This blog has been hijacked.

2006-09-04T10:23:00.000-05:00

Hey, TIK readers. Mrs. DallasK here. I have some stuff I need to get off of my chest, and I figured that over here would be as good a place as any.

So, I have a sister who is six or so years younger than I am. She has three kids, by three baby daddies. She did drugs and drank alcohol with each pregnancy. "It didn't fuck up the first one!" She dumped her first kid off with my mom all the time, so that my sister could go party. She has finally been through rehab, and has two of her kids back. Let's hope it sticks.

So, I'd say that my sister has made some shitty choices. Er, DUMB ones. Guess what. Through all that shit, neither one of our parents ever name-called, or tried to make her feel like total shit, and she WAS being stupid.

I am sick and tired of hearing that TIK is a bad decision maker. Does that mean that she shouldn't have had R? Because almost every decision she has made SINCE R is FOR R. TIK hasn't done half of the shit my sister has, and my sister still has the love of her parents.

Also, my middle niece is half Mexican. Does my mother treat her any differently because of her beautiful skin color? HELL NO! That's is her GRANDCHILD. HER GRANDCHILD. I don't understand a woman (not naming names here) who can pretend to be a great "Nana" to two other children, and say shit about the other's fucking skin color, and ignore that child's mother completely, especially when there's some serious making up needing doing on her part towards said child's mother. I'd say that calling TIK the "bad choice maker" is pretty messed up, after what certain others have done.

TIK is a GREAT mother, and is doing all that she can to better the lives of her and her daughter. So, if those are shitty choices, so be it. She moved far away. I'd move away, too, if I had to deal with that shit. She is making money. She is HAPPY. R is HAPPY.

And I second TIK's WOSM. What an asshole.

A very pissed off Mrs. DallasK, signing off

Waste of Space Monday

2006-09-04T03:25:00.001-05:00

Brought to us by Tammy.

In my book, a parent who would call his daughter this (and I quote):

"LITTLE LYING THIEVIG SLUTTY BITCH!!!!"

....is a waste of space emotionally, mentally, and every other way.

You know who you are and you are an absolute Waste of Space.

Short Stuff

2006-09-03T09:50:00.000-05:00

My kid is a shrimp. I had to take Ms. A to the clinic because she sprained something in her leg and while we were there, I scheduled an impromptu appointment with an absolutely awesome pediatrician who did a well check and informed me that I in fact do not need to poke any strange vaccines into my kid (Score for TIK!). She is in the 30th percentile for height and 25th for weight.

At 2 years, almost 5 months (daggummit, where the HELL does the time go??), these are her stats:

Weight: 26.5 lbs
Height: 34 (almost!) inches

Dayum. She has a cousin who outweighs her and is 7 months younger, a certain other 2-year old we know was two inches taller on his 2 year birthday, and she's always been the tiniest kid in her school classes.

I hope she catches up. Apparently, she is not the early bloomer, Amazon woman her mother was. I guess that's not all bad, though. Maybe she can put off wearing a bra until the 3rd grade.

PSA for the day

2006-09-03T02:35:00.000-05:00

Blogger is sucky. This time I'm referring to the fact that if you have a Beta account, you cannot comment on a non-Beta account.

So, listen. If you haven't converted, do so. I want to harass you.

What happens if you don't stay in your carseat?

2006-09-02T23:48:00.000-05:00

"The police will stop you and take your tail."

~~ Little TIK 9.2.06

Odd Thomas

2006-09-02T03:52:00.000-05:00

I realize that I'm a bit late getting on the Dean Koontz train, but if you haven't already, get it and read it.

I couldn't put it down yesterday.

Does shisha count?

2006-08-31T02:08:00.000-05:00

Well, I may have fallen off of the bandwagon, if you count shisha. Ya see, I bought a pipe quite a while ago and Mr. R. and I have had fun smoking just at his house watching movies or whatever. Well, about a week ago, before I decided I was done w/ cigs, I thought I would fire up the pipe and smoke some of the strawberry shisha I bought with it. I took it into the kitchen, filled it with water and ice (makes is soooo smooth), had the coals glowing on the foil, and as I went to walk out the water cavity dropped and broke into a million pieces. It was so sad. =(

Now you know how when you just can't have something, you want it even more??? Yeah, that's been me with the shisha.

Two nights ago, we went to the Hard Rock Cafe and were sitting at the (non-alcoholic) bar by the dance floor (on which you may NOT dance b/c it is 'forbidden' in Kuwait), and we met some really cool locals - who actually were originally from all over but had been in Kuwait for years. Throughout the course of the conversation, we started talking about shisha and one of them told us about a shisha bar in one of the happening parts of Kuwait, and offered to take us there.

That place was so freaking cool. Awesome atmosphere, good music, comfy chairs and SHEEEEESSSHHHAAA!! There's nothing like hanging with the locals for a good time.

And I learned some Arabic (cuss) words. Next time I get a phone number slid to me on a table, or followed in the mall, or stared down in the market, I will put my new vocabulary to use.

Nausea be gone

2006-08-28T02:53:00.000-05:00

Last night at the clinic I also got a shot of Primperan for nausea. I almost forgot what it was like to not want to ralph all the time.

God, it feels good.

No cigs yesterday or today.

4 days and counting..

2006-08-26T22:15:00.000-05:00

...with no cigarettes.

This is big news because it's harder to not smoke here than it was at home because you can smoke ANYWHERE. If you're not allowed to, people do anyway - in the malls, grocery stores, restaurants, the apartment lobby, literally everywhere. Oh, and smokes are cheap here - like less than $1.75 a pack.

Dr. Hottie was on my ass to stop smoking. Freaking doctor. Why didn't I LIE???

You will have to put up with my posting days without cigs (DWOC), because if I have to tell the world, I will be more likely to stick with it. I will, however, smoke when Dubai happens because I am physically unable to drink and not smoke. Seriously.

[Insert Twilight Zone Music Here]

2006-08-26T22:04:00.000-05:00

I have said before that I love Kuwait and I really do. I am having a blast here, have met some great people, and am getting myself back on my feet financially. What more could a girl want, right?

Weeeelllll.....see here's the thing:

None of the people I care about most (that's you bitches) actually know about my life. My sister doesn't know what my apartment looks like. My friends don't know what the malls are like, or how really beautiful the beaches are here. They haven't seen anything with their own eyes.

I don't know why, but it all just feels very surreal. I mean I could be in Alaska photoshopping pics to post here for all you know (sitemeter aside, of course). My reality and world are not yours and it's just hitting me strangely right now. I want to share it all with you guys. I want you to be here. And ... ahem ... yes, that would involve getting on the plane. You know who you are... ;-)

I guess I just miss my girls right now. Or maybe I've just got too much medicine and not enough sleep in me and it's making me loopy. Or maybe, just maybe, I need a really strong drink.

I didn't have to stab him with his own needle.

2006-08-26T21:59:00.000-05:00

The little gay Filipino nurse (LGFN) actually thumped and stuck in the right order last night. Good for you, dude.

I have to say though, that whatever the hell this stuff is they're giving me makes me royally sick to my stomach. OMG, it's awful. There was very little sleep to be had last night. I got into bed at around 10:00, and after tossing and turning for a couple of hours, went to the couch, where I watched the CBS Evening News live at 1:00 in the morning. That's always interesting. Finally at about 3:00 I decided to go ahead and come in to workout, during which time I got to watch the Tampa Bay vs. Jacksonville game. Very strange to watch live football at 3:00 am....

Dammit, I just want to throw up already. I'm sure I would feel better.

Note to self:

2006-08-26T21:55:00.000-05:00

Next time you decide to drag your ass out of bed at 3:00 am so you can go work out, please remember to bring shower shoes so that you don't have to stand on the floor of the shower that smells like ass and feet.

Actually, better yet, just don't drag your ass out of bed at 3:00 am under any circumstances. It's only 5:30 and you're already dragging. Dumbass.

Camels, Cops, and the Clinic

2006-08-25T23:56:00.000-05:00

Camels...

My sweet girl has been talking about seeing camels since before we even got on a plane to come to Kuwait. Thursday, we got up early and drove north on the hunt. We found a herd a few miles from the border and stopped to take pictures and feed them.

I was told to take water for the shepherd and cookies for the camels, so we did just that. The shepherd didn't speak any English at all, but he got what I was asking and that big ole bottle of Aquafina did nothing but help my case.

They actually DID like the graham crackers we brought and they would eat them right from my hand. Because I had to hold a certain short person up so she could feed them, I don't have pics of her doing that, but da-yum, it was cute!

Cops...

I've talked some about how the cops here pretty much don't do a damn thing...they rarely stop you and you can fly right around them on the highways without much worry. They leave those things to cameras that are marked and about which you receive plenty of warning.

So imagine my surprise when I get an email from our department head telling me that I got a 20 KD ticket. I make a few phone calls and discover that I received a ticket on 7.18.06 (a Tuesday) at 7:31 am for hindering the flow of traffic.

If any of you have ever ridden in a car with TIK, you know that I am the last person who would be hindering traffic flow. I have a lead foot and speed all the time.

The other thing about this little incident is that I have proof that I was at work, logged onto our network at 7:31 am on 7.18.06. AND the area that it said I was in is a shopping area that isn't even on the way to work. I'm supposed to be at work by 6:00, so the very last thing I'm going to be doing if I'm an hour and a half late for work is hindering the flow of traffic in the souk area.

Apparently, this ticket was written by an undercover cop, and there is no procedure in place for contesting a traffic ticket in Kuwait. Draw your own conclusions about how much power that gives those people. I'll bite my tongue now.

The Clinic...

I have had the bladder infection from HELL pretty much since I've gotten here. When I first got it, I hadn't gotten paid yet, so I put off going to the Dr. for about 4 or 5 days. Mistake no. 1, because this bad boy WILL. NOT. GO. AWAY.

I have taken two refills of an antibiotic prescription and have eaten the Egyptian version of AZO (Urisept) like it was candy for literally about 4 weeks now. I've been in pain to the point of puking and I've peed blood. (How's that for TMI? Bwahahaha!!!) To quote Tom Hanks' character in The Green Mile, "It feels like you're pissing razor blades." 'Nough said.

So, Wednesday, I was at my wits end and actually missed some work because I could not move. I crawled into the office for about an hour or so, just long enough to get the name of a good doctor at the good ole International Clinic - the closest thing to an American hospital you can find here in Kuwait.

I will say, for the most part this place is very nice, very clean and the doctors are actually real doctors - most of whom received their medical education in Europe or the States. It's a good place.

My appointment was yesterday and by the time I got there at 4:30, I had taken almost a whole box of Urisept just so that I could sit up straight. The Dr. (who is a smoking hot Kuwaiti) ordered blood and urine tests and when the results came back, informed me that it was a damn good thing I actually came in because much longer and there may not be a TIK. He immediately ordered me to be put on IV antibiotics and I was rushed downstairs to the hospital bed part of the place.

Now, I'm no nurse, and have never stuck an IV, but shit, man. I think I could have gotten that thing in my vein myself easier than this poor gay, Filipino nurse (nothing against gays or Filipinos, y'all) there did. Let me back up...this is the person who wanted me to give a urine sample AFTER the IV was in my hand. Um...no...I'm not going to go hold a cup under my cha-cha, with an IV in me. No siree!! That was my first clue that perhaps this guy was a few cards short of a full deck.

Well, after I had peed and he was trying to stick me, he decided that it had to go in my hand and not my arm, since my veins were not big enough up there. Huh? They are the same veins, but whatever... He put the band on below my elbow, started thumping around on my hand to plump up the vein and then wiped it with an alcohol pad. And then started thumping again, and immediately went to stick the needle in me. Yeah. You don't get to stick me right after you touch my skin. WIPE THAT SHIT OFF. I had to remind him that he needed to do that.

By that point, I had pretty much had it with this guy, but what do you do, right? He sticks me with the needle and I swear, it took him a good 45 seconds to actually get it in the vein. He was scraping bone, and all kinds of stuff. Talk about painful. I was tempted to tell him I was fine and I'd deal with the UTI.

Finally he stuck it and they had to give me saline while they waited for the results of a skin test for penicillin allergy. When it was actually time to put the antibiotic in me, I had had it. But little dude walked over, and pulled the cap off of the wrong part of the shunt in my hand, and when he put the syringe of medicine on it, blood backfilled into the syringe.

Is it just me or is that wrong to anyone else? I bit my tongue, but I was never so glad to get the hell away from someone in my life.

The bad news is that the infection is severe enough that I have to go back for more of the same today and tomorrow, at which time Dr. Hottie will write me a script based on the urine culture and hopefully after that this bad boy will be gone. Oh, the bad new is also that you are only supposed to take Urisept for three days - not four weeks. Thanks, Mr. Pharmacist for not sharing that little tid bit of pertinent medical advice. Asshole.

The good news is that I was spoiled rotten after that ordeal by Mr. R., who took me to the best Italian restaurant, Ricardo, in the Sheraton downtown. Before dinner, we went to the English Tea Room there. OMG. Talk about great food, awesome environment, and super nice way to end a crappy few hours.

Seriously peeps, if you ever get to this part of the world, go there and eat. You won't be disappointed. I promise.

Signing off,

A very tired Texan in Kuwait

Movies and Music in Kuwait

2006-08-21T00:12:00.000-05:00

It's interesting to me how what is 'bad' varies from culture to culture. For instance, in the States, you don't hear "shit" or "fuck" on the radio or on network TV. You will however see sex scenes on TV and in movies.

Here in Kuwait, the opposite is true. We went and saw "The Breakup" on Thursday night. Mr. R had already seen it, so he was able to tell me what was left out, and apparently the scenes they cut were anything that even hinted of sex. This was in the theater....where we paid to see it - and it's only rated PG-13. But you can turn on MBC4, a network television station, and hear Al Pacino tell someone to "Shut the fuck up."

Listening to the radio is also interesting. You'll also hear f-bombs dropped sometimes, but T-Pain has to be "In love with a DANCER" - not a stripper. Oh, and you know how Rhiana gets blanked out when she says she "might as well a gun and put it to his head, get it over with" in the song "Unfaithful"? Well, she can put it to his head all she wants here.

Violence? Language? Fine. Sex? Hell no.

It's the little things...

2006-08-19T00:30:00.000-05:00

This has been one hell of a year. I was just sitting here thinking how different my life is than it was a year ago. Cop's Wife had a birthday a couple of days ago and it made me think about her b-day last year. I was working at a totally sucky job and she and Ms. Dalls K and another girl and I met at a restaurant in Garland, TX - a whole 45 min from where they live so that we could eat lunch together for her day. (BTW, I totally suck for not calling her this year. I get an F.)

Anyway...I've always said that life turns on the little moments. Our destiny is decided in seconds or split seconds because of decisions we make. I had no clue that I'd be living in Kuwait one year later (quite possibly the best decision I've ever made for my future). No. Clue. So much has happened over this year. I've lost some people I care about and I've gained some others I can't imagine my life without. I've made good decisions and some incredibly stupid ones, but they are what they are.

I'm a firm believer in living life with no regrets. Things happen, we make decisions, and we have to take what we can from them and go on.

As long as the world is turning and spinning, we're gonna be dizzy and we're gonna make mistakes. - Mel Brooks

My life keeps getting better. It's better in 2006 than it was in 2005. It's not always easy, but it's good. And it's funny, because the little things (little split second moments) make it really freaking great.

Dubai here we come!

2006-08-15T07:55:00.000-05:00

We're going to be here soon. I canNOT wait.

Do you know how long it's been since TIK has had a glass of wine? Far too long, my friends.

Free water park, beach access, all you can stand to drink and eat, nice hotel room, three day weekend, nanny to watch the girl at night so Mama can have some big girl fun.

Ahhhh....I can almost taste that merlot.

It's 119 degrees here today.

2006-08-14T06:58:00.000-05:00

Holy mother of crap, it's hot.

I'm calling bullshit.

2006-08-14T01:01:00.000-05:00

You know how people say it's better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all?

I couldn't disagree more.

C'mon Blogger!!!

2006-08-13T14:12:00.000-05:00

Why won't you let me upload pictures????

We went to the Kuwait Towers tonight and we got some great pictures, but alas, Blogger is being a HAB, so you can't see them.

I still can't upload them, but I put some in Flickr, so they're over there on the right. See 'em?

I was warned

2006-08-12T01:04:00.000-05:00

When I was sort of freaking out because my daughter would be 48 months soon, Mrs. Dallas K told me to just wait until I patted a bottom that wasn't wearing diapers and see how that felt.

Oh. My. God. I swear the silliest things turn my mommy heart to mush. The girlie has been going diaperless for about two weeks now, with very few accidents. So, this weekend, I told her that if we went out without a diaper and she didn't have an accident, that she could get some big girl panties.

Dammit all if she didn't make me go get some. Where the hell is my baby?

I was a mess when she put those things on for the first time. Does this parenting thing ever get easier? When will I not get weepy at every. single. milestone? Someone tell me it gets better. PLEASE.

I don't miss...

2006-08-12T00:57:00.000-05:00

1. Paying taxes. Have you any idea how nice it is to look at your paystub and see that your net= gross? It's very very nice.

2. Paying rent.

3. Car payment, insurance premiums, and buying gas.

4. Having to pick the Punkin up from preschool by a certain time every night. It's nice to be able to work late without it being an ordeal if I have to. I also don't miss paying $800 a month for that.

5. My old boss - BITCH.

6. Cops who will actually stop you for speeding.

7. Living in a landlocked state.

8. Living paycheck to paycheck.

9. Having to cook, clean, and do laundry!

10. That dog I thought it was such a good idea to get my daughter.

I was a bit homesick this weekend, so I thought this would help out. =)

I miss...

2006-08-12T00:47:00.000-05:00

1. Thunderstorms. Oh, how I wish I could lie in bed and hear the thunder that shakes a house and listen to the rain falling in torrents against the side of the house.

2. A lot of people.

3. Being able to call up those people and meet at Starbucks, the mall or anywhere just to hang out and have girl time.

4. Super Target

5. Scotch tape. Who knew that you cannot find a roll of plain old Scotch tape here? I needed to wrap a birthday present yesterday and could not find any. In fact hardly anyone even knew what I was asking for.

6. Kidd Kraddick in the Morning.

7. Chipotle

8. Cold tap water. It does not exist here.

9. My bed I sold before I left.

10. Saturday Night Live on E! at 10:00 every night.

No whining, Texans.

2006-08-09T05:48:00.000-05:00

It's another beautiful day in the desert:

Temp: 109

Humidity: 34%

Feels like: 128

Wind: 16 mph

And we haven't even reached our high of 118-degree straight up temp yet.

I need a drink, dammit!

2006-08-09T00:33:00.000-05:00

I have been working on a huge project at work since the day I started. It's something that my 'boss' has been working on for a year and couldn't get done and something that they had a team of consultants in here to try and fix and they didn't get to the bottom of it. Now it's become a high profile issue and huge priority for the top management and I'm being micromanaged like crazy. I have to send a report to them every day on what I did that day...all b/c the people who came before me didn't do their job.

Fortunately, I'm making great progress and was just about done with a large part of it when at 4:45 yesterday afternoon I get an error message from our accounting system that the database is corrupt and it must be restored.

RESTORED = DATA LOST

That's right folks. Every-fucking-thing.

Nothing like having to redo an entire 6 weeks worth of work from memory.

I have no words for my frustration at this moment. I'm so glad that I have seen my kid for a grand total of maybe waking 3 hours this week and that I've been here til 2:00 am pretty much every night trying to get this finished by the end of the week, so that Mr. Big, Big Boss would be happy, only to have it crash at the end of the next to last day of the week.

Why did I move to a dry country, again?

And one more thing. Why doesn't Mr. Computer Guy know to backup ALL OF THE DATABASES and not just a couple? Is that so hard to figure out?