Dubai

One thing that only a couple of people know about and that’s only because I have been too busy with work at the moment to hold a conversation with anyone other than via email is that I applied last week for a job on the spur of the moment in Dubai (of United Arab Emirates fame).

The job advert got emailed to me by a work professional association I belong to in a general mail out and I thought “why not”? Talked to Niki and considered it from a family perspective very loosely and I guess on the basis of being intrigued as to how big a “Big US$ tax free salary” was, I shot off my CV without much thought.

The only reason I bring it up today is that I got the “Dear Clayton” letter saying that they thanked me for my application, but I was unsuccessful.

Which is fair enough, it was no skin off my nose but it did bring a bit of a strange dynamic to my life this week.  Once the CV was sent, we (Niki & I) were both in the dark as to how friendly or unfriendly the UAE is and as a mother to two young girls, Niki was a bit worried – and rightly so.

I shot off the CV quickly because the deadline between me receiving the advert and the deadline was only 48hrs but once done we started to openly and for me, internally, ask a lot of “What if” questions.

Starting from “What if I got the job?” down, a lot of thought went into it on both our parts and whilst we never openly sat down and said “we’ll do this, this and that” it was never too far from my mind.  I guess if they wanted to interview me, it would become a lot more serious a discussion, but because it was one little emailed word document sent to the other side of the world it had a bit of a surreal feel to it.

Also because work was really busy, I hadn’t had a lot of time to chat to people other than a “guess what I did email” to my mates which resulted in a few jokes (e.g: “think of the money you’d save on clothes for Niki and the girls – how many burhkers (sp?) does one woman need?” ) and also I shot off an email to a mate of mine who is a Palestinian living in Australia who has a Jordanian wife and has property believe it or not in Baghdad.  His reply (in jest) was along the lines that I had better be prepared to stave off large amounts of Arab sheikhs wanting to give me good quality camels for Niki.

So it was all jokes and laughs and now that’s all it is because I got the reject email last night… and to be honest it’s a bit of a relief.

Listening:  The last of the massive Cure CD… has lasted me a good week and a half.  Which this morning does include the track “Killing An Arab” – how coincidental!

Can You Imagine Our Johnny Doing This?

Given today's Indonesian press depicting Johnny Howard & Alexander Downer as "rooting dingoes", this is an appropriate time to pass this link on how Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's Greets Italian Parking Cops.



Thanks to avid Lime Kettle reader Glenn for the link!

Aussies Win, My Eyes Are Losing

A “Lime Kettles Lite” posting today as I sat up until 2:30am watching the cricket last night and then got a case of the wandering mind that prevented me from going to sleep until about quarter to four this morning.

Spent this morning’s train trip snoring away and am now at the desk already thinking about going home – and its not even 10am yet!

I did though briefly get the paint sets out again last night and am going to paint my female Pro Elf team that I won at CanCon.  As a bit of a practice run though, I am painting my single miniature “Goblin on a Pogo Stick” to blow away the cobwebs… will post a piccie when done.

*/me yawns*

St George Versus the Ordinary Fear Of God

Went to the football on Sunday and took the girls to see Saints vs Souths. There was a fairly good turnout, but it was a strange day as it was Russell Crowe's first game after the takeover.

Whilst walking in to the ground and around to our seats, Saints scored a try in reserve grade and the ground announcer said "and its St George 12, South Sydney 8 on the ordinary fear of god scoreboard". WTF? I didnt quite catch what he said, but I had never heard the words "Ordinary Fear of God" uttered over a ground PA.

Then the conversion was successful for the try and the announcer said again "And its now St George 14, South Sydney 8 on the ordinary fear of god scoreboard". Again dismay at what was being said. Had Souths been taken over by Hillsong? Was Russell Crowe a Scientoligist ala Tom Cruise and was using this as an avenue to promote his religious beliefs? No, that wasnt quite right. It wasnt Russell's religious beliefs he was promoting, but rather his new band "Russell Crowe and The Ordinary Fear of God". Well done Russ, you spent your share of $3M to buy the Rabbitohs and you have a captive audience to sell advertising of your latest music projects.

And Russell made sure he did too, with the half time adverts heavily ladened with Russell ads for 1) his new album (My Hand, My Heart) and 2) his tour dates coming up in April. (I am sure he is coming to Newtown RSL soon!).

Now I am all for Russell and his mate Holmes a Court buying the Rabbitohs, but seriously, get some "real sponsors"! 

All stations to Penrith...

Note the train station in the background... One of my local stations... 

Comm Games Over - Thank Christ

The link below pretty much agrees with me on my views of the Comm Games. Thank Christ its over!



Phrases I never wish to hear again (in no particular order) | The Spin Starts Here: "I think its good that all those athlete get their 5 minutes of fame from beating the poms and a dozen africans at some dodgy sport that only means shit every two years. The alternative is their five minutes of fame would be robbing the local 24hr servo or gang raping some doe eyed 18yo bogan girl.

As for Jana pittman, she deserves to be eaten by beazley and vanstone."

Testing the patience of a saint: the Dragons will do it again

As a Saints fan, this sums it all up for me... but I have my fingers crossed :-)

Testing the patience of a saint: the Dragons will do it again - League - Sport: "Just in case you forgot, St George and St George Illawarra have
shaped as contenders every year since our last title in 1979. And
every year we have to endure people who should know better saying:
'This year could be the year for your guys.'"