Thursday, December 30, 2010

Kuwait Charity Run - 21K Marathon

To those who attended the 10-K marathon, there was a booth on the side for the 21-K run. It was supposed to be in January, however, it has been postponed to March now.

FYI Facebook group is called "Kuwait 1st Half Marathon Charity Run 2011."


Kuwait Charity Run New Years Message

Runners, Runners

Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year

Your feet and goodwill the only required gear

At your pace, run this race, join in the fun

March 19th, 2011 Kuwait Charity Run

From Kids-Run, to 10-large, to the very first 21K

All proceeds to Bayt Abdullah on this eventful day!


So readjust your resolutions towards giving and fitness

And run, keep on running, and surely you will witness

That being outdoors and pushing is a satisfactory way

To give back, to challenge yourself, and a way to say...

"Yes, I ran 21 straight kilometers one day!!"



"Cherish your run, Kuwait Charity Run"


Kuwait Charity Run

Winners Vs. Losers

I was at Al-Mulla Exchange the other day with a friend, more like a brother really, but I digress,,

Anyhoo, they had this poster on the wall, and I found it amazing.

Enjoy.

you CAN see me in my bright yellow shirt, it was saturday, wth :P

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Old but News: WikiLeaks: Jeddah party scene throbs with drugs, sex

The Saudi Entry Card from my last visit; In red, it states
"Death penalty for those who traffic Drugs"
The fine print reads that the law favors the wealthy
So even the strictest country in terms of enforcing Islamic law, bends to the whims of the Rich & Dangerous. Even the beauty of Islam cannot dispel the notion that the Law does not punish the wealthy and well-off.

The problem with enforcing such strict rulings is, a majority of the people will inwardly dissent to it, just watch Saudi Comedian Fahad on youtube.

Or, take my latest crossing with a Saudi, in a disco @ Sharm Al-Shaikh; Pineapple hair, reeked of booze, proudly claiming to be Saudi (from Riyadh no less).

Please note: this is not an attack on Saudi Arabia, I have been there, and found the populace pleasant. However, a friend of mine told me about the rampant party scene in Jeddah if you "knew the right people", I didn't believe him, then I read the Wikileaks release.

From zawya:

Saudi Arabia might be an ultra-strict Islamic society, but princes' mansions in Jeddah hide a buzzing party scene replete with alcohol, drugs and sex, according to a leaked US diplomatic memo.



"Behind the facade of Wahabi conservatism in the streets, the underground nightlife for Jeddah's elite youth is thriving and throbbing," said the November 2009 cable, released by the WikiLeaks website.


"The full range of worldly temptations and vices are available -- alcohol, drugs, sex -- but strictly behind closed doors," it said.


"This freedom to indulge carnal pursuits is possible merely because the religious police keep their distance when parties include the presence or patronage of a Saudi royal and his circle of loyal attendants."


The cable, from the US consulate in the Red Sea city, described a Halloween party attended by 150 people mostly in their 20s and 30s, including consulate personnel.


"The scene resembled a nightclub anywhere outside the kingdom: plentiful alcohol, young couples dancing, a DJ at the turntables, and everyone in costume."


Big Jeddah parties -- also often attended by prostitutes -- are a recent phenomenon, according to the consulate.


One Saudi told the consulate that wealthy locals try to throw parties at princes' homes or with princes in attendance so that the religious police can be kept away.


It also said that the high price of smuggled alcohol -- a bottle of Smirnoff vodka can cost 1,500 riyals, or 400 dollars -- sometimes forces party hosts to refill original bottles with the harsh, locally bootlegged spirit sadiqi. (Local Moonshine, in Saudi? So much for Religious Police)


Producing and selling alcohol inside the kingdom can earn a person an extremely stiff jail sentence, and drug trafficking is punishable by death under the kingdom's strict interpretation of Islamic sharia law.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Kia killed my iPod

Do you believe in the "evil eye", that someone can jinx u out of the blue?

Well, on my cars maiden voyage to get fuel, the attendant goes, new car? nice, is that an ipod, how much was it? so i told him. that very same afternoon, on my way home from work, i plug my ipod into the car, as I have done countless times before, but this time,  I get an "error reading ipod" message, followed by it crashing and refusing to turn on. No matter how long I hold all the buttons down for.

It just "died".


i was frustrated! i had a lot of errands to run and needed music for sustenance, i went to the bank and cancelled my account there (Finally! Gulf Bank, good riddance!), then headed over to Marina to pick up a pair of glasses.
When I got home I plugged it into my computer. Nothing. No response. The PC *pings* that a USB device was attached, but it doesnt show up. Then it does, but its called drive I, I opened up iTunes and it says iPod Corrupt, attempt restore.

14GB of music down the drain, I thought. So I attempted to restore it, left it overnight, only to wake up to a message that read "restore failed".
I was upset coz that meant i couldnt do any of my weekendly activities, cycling, jogging etc.
 
I went onto facebook (the source of all communication) and got intouch with the X-cite folks, they said I could bring it in for repairs.
 
I took it over to their showroom (located in Al-Rai, behind the Nissan showroom) to have it fixed, figured the power must have shorted due to the car or something. to my dismay, when i handed it to the guy, he asked if i got it from their store, I said no (I got it online from Amazon) he goes sorry, we cant fix it.
 
*Insert slap in the face here*
 
Luckily, his buddy next to him grabs it, asks me whats wrong, attempts to turn it on and, IT DID! he had miracle hands!
 
Apparently, Apple Tec is self repairing.
 
So, as a warning to any who plug their iPods into their cars via the iPod cable, if this ever happens, please do not panick. Simply leave it aside for a few days till the battery drains.
 
And always use Flash USBs to plug into cars, never anything with a battery. Case-in-Point.
 
The reason I write this post is coz I tried googling my conundrum and found no similar answers, so this shall be the first.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Hold my Hand - MJ & Akon

From the post-mortem album Michael, comes this fabulous hit.

MJ, gone but certainly never to be forgotten.

I heard this on VoA two weeks ago, since then I must have heard it over 80 times. Truly Amazing.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Another Gulf Bank rant; How I hate E-Gulfbank

So I'm trying to transfer money out of my account with the Gulf Bank to my account with NBK.

Last I checked, local transfers were Free of Charge. I've been transfering from NBK to GBK scotch free for the past 16 months or so.

Not so with these greedy scum.

First off, a while ago NBK upped its security measures and changed all account numbers from 14 or so digits to just 10. Do not ask me why, I do not know, it just happened.

Unfortunately for me, this ploy did not update itself with Gulf Bank, so I had to follow the same boring routine procedure of adding a new beneficiary to my Gulf account.

To those of you who have tried adding beneficiaries in NBK, you will attest that there is nothing simpler. It is as easy as breathing, you log on (hence the term ONLINE banking), add the details of the person you wish to transfer money to (e.g. I have my other account and my moms NBK account as beneficiaries in my NBK account), click a few clicks and presto, it is done.

Could it possibly be the same with Gulf bank, a real ONLINE service?

Hardly.

You log onto your account, opt to add new beneficiary, enter the same details that NBK requires and just when you think you are done and click confirm, Gulf bank throws a curve-ball, you have to call their customer service to ACTIVATE the beneficiary you JUST added.

A needless hurdle to jump over? A monotonous, bureaucratic addition of useless red tape to give the bored customer service some sense of accomplishment? You be the judge.

And then, to add further insult to injury, the questions they ask!
1) Your civil ID no.
2) Your last transaction.
3) The bank you wish to add as a beneficiary (already stated)
4) The name of your beneficiary (already stated)
5) The account number of the beneficiary you wish to add (you already entered this on the form online mind you)
6) Your phone number (also already entered)

And what bugs me the most is, I tried to explain to the witless wonder that, I was merely changing a detail, because NBK changed all account numbers. His response, "please, answer the question".

Much like a quadruped who is taught and does not understand.

Not only do they waste my time with needless procedures, they even charge me for it.

Gulf Bank, suckiest bank in the Middle East.

Rough Guide to Hotel Prices in Kuwait

The details are as follows, sorry I do not know how to paste tables into this, and these are recent prices:

Hotel/ Price for Single/ Price for Double/ Hotel Rating


Sheraton Kuwait 85 K. D. 101 K. D. *****

Moevenpick 60 K. D. 70 K. D. *****

JW Marriott Kuwait 45.5 K. D. 56.5 K. D. *****

Marina Hotel 85 K. D. 101 K. D. *****

Moevenpick Resorts, Al-Bidaa 65 K. D. 81 K. D. *****

Le Meridien 45 K. D. 55 K. D. *****

The PALMS 55 K. D. 70 K. D. *****

Al-Manshar Rotana 67 K. D. 72 K. D. *****

Radisson 97.750 K. D. 117 K. D. *****

Four Points 67 K. D. 83 K. D. ****

Ritz Corniche 50 K. D. 60 K. D. ****

HAWTHORN 25 K. D. 30 K. D. ****

Ritz Salmiya 35 K. D. 50 K. D. ****

Courtyard Marriott Kuwait 36.5 K. D. 47.5 K. D. ****

SAFIR 45 K. D. 55 K. D. ****

Costa Del Sol 45 K. D. 50 K. D. ****

Imperial 25 K. D. 30 K. D. ****

IBIS Salmiya 30.5 K. D. 34 K. D. ****

Monday, December 13, 2010

The power of words: Death Be Not Proud

As many who know me are aware, I have a rather peculiar memory. I remember quite a bit more than your average person.
During this period, and I thank all who reached out with support during it, I really do appreciate it, I was reminded of a poem we studied in highschool, as well as a movie I caught glimspes of regarding a cancer patient who was cataloging her battle with the disease.

The poem is Death be not Proud, by John Donne. The lady in the movie (blonde she was) stressed a statement I shall never forget; the last line of the poem is a direct challenge to death. I remember how she stressed that, by using a comma, the writer was in fact challenging death. That simple fact makes this poem truly spectacular, a literary wonder.

Another interpretation found here, states the following:

human beings do not die but live eternally after “one short sleep.” Although some people depict death as mighty and powerful, it is really a lowly slave that depends on luck, accidents, decrees, murder, disease, and war to put men to sleep. But a simple poppy (whose seeds provide a juice to make a narcotic) and various charms (incantations, amulets, spells, etc.) can also induce sleep—and do it better than death can. After a human being’s soul leaves the body and enters eternity, it lives on; only death dies. 


Death, be not proud, though some have called thee

Mighty and dreadful, for thou are not so;

For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow

Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.

From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,

Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,

And soonest our best men with thee do go,

Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery.

Thou'art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,

And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,

And poppy'or charms can make us sleep as well

And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?

One short sleep past, we wake eternally,

And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Death at our Doorsteps, the loss of a loved one

Yesterday, with great regret, we received news that a member of our family passed away upon the conclusion of open-heart surgery.

This will be rather long, but there is a point to it, so please, if you read this, bear with me.

There are a dozen ideas of what I want to say, the deceased, the doctors, what happened later, my near-accident, near-death experience. Let the ideas come as they will.

First and foremost, the deceased. Genealogically, he is part of my extended family. My mothers sisters husbands sisters husband. To say that I knew him personally, I won't lie, I did not. I knew his wife, his children, and met him sporadically over the past couple of years.

His integrity and character though, I was familiar with. He was a kind soul, helping the needy, a steadfast pillar in his community.

We had been praying all week for his surgery to be a success. There were complications, he endured, and then yesterday evening, we got the news that he passed way.

Part II, the doctors. To say that I loathe the idea of medicine would be biased beyond measure. They have the hardest job in the cosmos, the very idea of life is in their hands. Many a show have attempted to portray the goings on behind the scenes, how doctors deal with patients death. I would never wish to be a doctor, for that is an enormous responsibility to bear on my frail shoulders.

It would seem as though one could live out their existence, without consulting a doctor, until a need arises. Preventive testing almost always leads to uncertain odds.

This is the second relative who underwent major surgery, and upon payment to the doctor in charge, and upon death of the patient, the doctor proclaims, "you didnt tell me his blood-sugar was so high", or in the case of my grandmother, who passed away on 08-08-08, which we discovered was her birthday, the doctor idiotically states, "you didnt tell me how old she was".

In both cases, the doctors gave good odds, statistics, numbers. Human lives reduced to averages and numbers.

I sincerely hope, that the exorbiant amounts these doctors charged, and many doctors like them, serve as payment on their own calamities and catastrophes. It is tragic, that we charge money to save a persons life, alas, that is the way of the world, nothing can be done for free.

Which brings me to topic number III, my near-crash experience.

Despite the news, and its effect on me, lack of sleep being the main one, I had promised a friend to pick them up from the airport. Their flight was due to arrive late, 2:30am.

We received the news at 7, prior to it, I was hoping to rest for a while in order to remain awake until my friend arrived, instead of my budgeted 5 hours of sleep, I only got in 1.

On the drive to the airport, one that I had done a dozen times over, I was stuck behind a small Dihatsu. With the qoran playing in my ears, I do not know what provoked me to overtake the fellow, we were in the middle lane on the road heading toward the airport, with Khaitan on my right.

I stepped down on the accelerator to overtake him, oblivious to the fact that there was a car speeding up on my left, I swerved back into my own lane to avoid a collision, however, sudden turn of left and right made the car spin wildly out of control.

I will not describe the thought process, nor will I desribe the terror that gripped me, at how fragile life is.

All I know, is some sort of primal driving instinct took over, that prevented the car from capsizing as a result of its excessive and forceful swirling. Luckily, Luckily, thank god almighty, there were no people around me, or other cars in my vicinity, and the last thing I reached to was that Khaitan was now on my left, I was looking in the opposite direction of the road.

First thing that happend was I panicked when the car would not start. After a few seconds of rational thought, I remembered basic driving 101 that a car cannot be started on Drive. As a result of the fiasco, the car switched off. So the first thing to do after such situation is to put the car in park or neutral, turn the key, and go.

The smell of burnt rubber stung my nostrils all the way to the airport.

The Toyota Corolla 2010 has a serious, serious defect in this regard, I would not advise this car to anyone, as this problem has happened twice before, at high speeds, the car has zero stability, despite being a sedan.

The Qoran, my continuous prayers, served as a ward that protected me from further injury.

Please note this is not the first time I sped, nor the first time I tried overtake someone, nor the first time I drive.

Next comes the thoughts of my own mortality, or rather, that of my parents.

The first thing I think of in such situations is what I can do to protect my parents.

Their discussion was grim, they believe that exploratory procedures will always lead to a grim situation. So they decided on a do not operate policy.

Suffice to say, science has come forward in leaps and bounds since their time. I find myself drinking green tea, eating oatmeal, avoiding bread, rice, pasta (in excessive quantities), completely removing sugar from my diet (in terms of hot drinks), as well as salt, and completely reducing my intake of carbonated beverages.

I decided to have a sit down with my parents and force them, or convince them, I am not sure which, to switch to a similar lifestyle. The greatest thorn in my side now is how to convince my father to give up the hookah.

Mortality is a funny concept, we never think about our life and the direction it is heading unless we are faced with similar adversities.

I will not go with the cliche ending note of live life to its fullest, all I will say is be kind to those around you, show love and compassion, for you never know when its your turn to go.

We are born of this earth, and to this earth we shall return
So how can earning a living, be mankinds top concern?

Thursday, December 09, 2010

Tranny-Party crashed by Cops in Kuwait

Party raided:

Police have arrested seven transvestites during a raid on a camp in Mina Abdullah, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily. The daily quoting security sources police acting on a tip-off rushed to the camp and arrested a number of people including the transvestites and referred them to the authorities. Police are looking for some men who reportedly escaped on foot leaving behind their vehicles.



can't we all just get along?

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

A Social Experiment: The Blondification of a Mid-Eastern

Yes, I am now using my "official" title of Lord of Sealand in all posts, hark hark :)
I am big on social experiments; I did my stint of 4 years in uni with shoulder length hair, despite it being a cultural taboo of sorts (a morally grey area atleast), suffice to say I heard every possible insult you can imagine on the streets, but that didnt deter me one bit.
The thing is, professors at university would look at me and think I'm some slacker, only to be swayed by my intellect, it just so happens I have an incident to that regard, but I would be drifting off-topic if I were to dwell on it, so back to the matter at hand.
As part of a list I drafted for myself, of 30 things to do before I turn 30 (6 years to go), I decided to bleach my hair blonde.
Decided, Done!
The reactions of everyone who saw me were, priceless, to say the least!
At one point, my friend and I decided to go horse-back riding (this was during my vacation), So we drove to the place and, as I was busy admiring the bustling streets, my friend was trying to procure the steeds, I heard the man tell him, "and if you and your lady friend wish, we can accomodate...".
Lady friend? Where?! Was the guy speaking to someone else next to us? I discovered he was talking about me. And in the end, I got a blonde steed too!
Although, it was cool to always be spoken to in English, as people label you as a foreigner, simply because you have blonde hair.

Now, another funny story before the pictures:
I met up with a friend from university. Initially, this lady was a critic of mine, she gave me a mean nickname during uni due to my long-hair, surprisingly, and unbeknownst to me as to how, we became good friends. During our sit down, she was there with her brother you see and another friend of ours, I explained as to how my hair used to be blonde earlier in the day, her brother asked, were you at Starbucks in "so-&-so" yesterday, at around "so-&-so" time? I said yes, and he told me he was there, interviewing peeps, and I was a hot topic of conversation and ridicule..

Imagine that, 2 generations from the same family, mock me for the same reason!!

I found it quite amusing really :P
Now, a few, select pictures of the Blondification process, followed by the road back to Brune, as my holidays were cut short due to work. As long as I am on my time, I can be as crazy as I want, but when its time to be professional, I can do a quick 180.
Enjoy :)

Part 1: The Blondification of Lord Aymz

New Master Salon; Off the main road into Jabriya, I highly recommend them!

This is how I looked walking in

halfway thru the blondification process

its more orange than blonde, right?

Robocop! You gotta hydrate the follicles
In total, I spent 23KD that night. It was much higher than I anticipated, but, I trust my stylist, and I like his handiwork, alot! I'm mvery peculiar about who trims my hair, and he gets the Aymz Award for always getting it right! Not to mention, free coffee, and on that night, cigarettes (I thought it would be weird for a guy dying his hair to refuse cigarettes, so I accepted one, and it lead to another 3 or 4!).

Part 2: Blonde and Back Again, The return to Brune

Ok, I wanted to do this myself at home, but I read alot of freak stories of people dying blonde hair brune and ending up with green, something about the base of brown being a dye of blue and yellow, and then the blue reacts with the blonde and you end up with Green. So I thought, اترك الخبز لخبازه (an arabic saying which means leave the bread to its baker).

I enjoyed the look halfway through, "Will the real Slim Shady Please Stand up".

And it cost me the equivalent of 3.75KD (the bruning, and shortening), which is roughly what I pay for a hair cut here in Kuwait!

The last picture of my golden locks :(

Eminem, eat your heart out ;)

enter the brune dye

Heres lookin' at you kid.
So, a few questions:
1) which look was better, brune or blonde?
2) which look was better, long or short?

:D

Next Holiday, I'm getting Corn Rows!

Public Service Announcement: Mislabeled Medicine - A real danger

How many times were you put in a situation where you refute something as never to happen to you, only to have it bite you in the proverbial back-side, at times almost right after?

Doesn't make sense right? Lets look at two real life examples:

I got it into my head at one point in time that fat-burners can help me shed some excess pounds around my mid section. So whilst on vacation, my younger sibling told me his friend had left some Lipo6 Black with him, so I asked him for it. He was keeping it in a Panadol bottle for some reason.


this cartoon doesnt depict anyone,
just adding a touch of humor
to an otherwise serious topic...

A short couple of days later, my dad had a tooth problem, and as many of you who are familiar with toothache, it is the worst type of pain. So he was looking for Panadol. Next thing we know, my dad is complaining of not being able to sleep, stomach cramps, headaches etc.



Simple question asked at the time, what did you take. He replies, Panadol, and shows us the Panadol bottle containing the fat-burners.

We had a laugh about it at the time, how can one confuse Panadol (white tablets) with Lipo6 (black capsules), but in his defence, how was he to know the bottle contained anything but, how often do we do things based on blind faith?

Now that I ponder this however, it could have been really dangerous. Fat burners have a whole lot of side effects, some include, but are not limited to:

Heart
Fat burners are stimulants and they can cause an increased heart rate. Overdoses are possible and can be fatal.

Allergies
Fat burners often times have a lot of ingredients in them. People can take these not knowing if they are allergic to something and end up having a bad reaction.

Sleep
If fat burners are taken late in the day, this can affect sleep patterns. Insomnia and restlessness can occur.

Mood
Fat burners can also take there toll on the nervous system. Irritability and edginess can develop.

Stomach
The user can experience stomach problems such as cramps, constipation and diarrhea.

So, lesson number one, if you do do this, please keep said bottle away from anyone who may be liable to use it for its intended purpose, oblivious to what is inside.

Lesson number 2, one night I am out with my friend and he is lecturing me on how to be a perfect gentlemen (not that I need lessons mind you, but, as Baz Luhrman said, Be patient with those who supply it[advice]), he touched on the subject of the man always paying, and to always keep a reserve of cash in your wallet (who uses cash in Kuwait nowadays, its plastic, plastic, plastic).

So, as he is telling me is, I am quick to reassure him that can never happen to me, because I never go anywhere without my cards (plus I always pay, ladies take note).

Lo and behold, we are at the Salmiya Co-op, at the cashiers, and I find out that my card is (dramatic pause)

NOT THERE! On the very, exact, same day my friend was lecturing me about the importance of keeping cash. And guess what, I didnt have enough cash on me either.



So, I had to drive all the way back home, get my card, and go back there to pay.

Suffice to say, lesson learnt, and now I always keep atleast 20KD in my wallet for emergency purposes.

And guess what? Today, I forgot my wallet @ home...

The hits just keep on comin'.

Communicating with an Idiot

To the idiot who wrote this earlier today on one of my posts (the one about IFOCE):

This is stupid. You're Naïve. The children have parents, the parents have a tribe/town/government leader. The photographer didn't sell the camera to buy food for the child. You want a food drive? Fine. War on the gangs who steal the food and rape the women. Once they're dead, once *you* kill them then the rest of us will send food. Until then, grow the fuck up or put your money where your mouth is sell your shit and go there start a farm. If you fail, try again.

You are an imbecile, I am surprised you even know how to breathe.

You can cloak your idiocy behind anonymity, but when you spend some time reflecting upon your miserable existence, remember what was said here.

Peace out.

Sunday, December 05, 2010

Impuslive buys- The Lordship Deed of Sealand

Ok, first things first, lets stick to the events in chronological order, to make it easier to tell.

The first thing I saw on my desk on my first day back at work, was this sweet package:


What is this you ask? Simple.

Many have wondered why I took up the moniker of Lord Aymz, well, now I can tell them its because I really am a Lord, of Sealand that is.

What, or where, is Sealand? This is it:


A bit of history:

The Principality of Sealand is an unrecognized micronation, located on HM Fort Roughs, a former World War II Maunsell Sea Fort in the North Sea 10 km (six miles) off the coast of Suffolk, England (51°53'40"N, 1°28'57"E).


Since 1967, the facility has been occupied by the former British Major Paddy Roy Bates; his associates and family claim that it is an independent sovereign state. External commentators generally classify Sealand as a micronation rather than an unrecognised state.[3] While it has been described as the world's smallest nation,[4] Sealand is not currently officially recognised as a sovereign state by any sovereign state. Although Roy Bates claims it is de facto recognised by Germany as they have sent a diplomat to the micronation, and by the United Kingdom after an English court ruled it did not have jurisdiction over Sealand, neither action constitutes de jure recognition as far as the respective countries are concerned.

A friend of mine came up to me and told me about this moronic idea, now I know this document is not worth the paper it is printed on, and definately not worth the money I spent on it (for those inquisitive minds, you can check out the prices here), but, it makes for a good piece of conversation, a nice way to chat up a lady, "did you know I am royalty in Sealand?"

So, henceforth, I shall be known as Lord. Other titles up for grabs are Lady, Baron & Baroness.

Get 'em while they're hot!

This took place on the week of my leave for holiday, so, the rest of the stories to follow will be more interesting.

A little teaser for the stories to come:

I dyed my hair BLONDE, light blonde, for my holiday!

Update: Despite the CLEAR sticker on the package reading FRAGILE GLASS, the utterly incompetent Postal Service here still managed to SMASH the glass of my photoframe... Woe is me...

Back in Town - Bloggers Annonymous

Hi, my name is Aymz and it has been 3 weeks since my last Blog...

AND NOW LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL!

Back from vacation, with tons of stories and pictures to tell and share, so stay tuned, and hold on to your sides, some are hilarious, some are serious, but you are guaranteed to smile, or laugh hysterically, cry or weep openly.

Stay tuned ;)

Thursday, November 11, 2010

How to spend your saturday evening: Bachata Dance Class

Straight off the bat, what is Bachata dancing?

Basically, Bachata is a style of dance tha t originated in the Dominican Republic. It is danced widely all over the world.


The basics to the dance are three-step with a Cuban hip motion , ended by a tap on the 4th beat just like in other Latin dances (salsa etc.). The knees should be slightly bend so the performer can sway the hips easier. The movement of the hips is very important because it's a part of the soul of the dance. Generally controlled full body movement is crucially important in the dance, but most of it comes from the hips. In partnering, the lead can decide whether to perform in open or closed position , depending on the lead’s comfort position. Dance moves, or step variety, during performance strongly depends on the music (such as the rhythms played by the different instruments), setting, mood, and interpretation. Unlike Salsa (the most traditional Latin Dance), Bachata does not require many complex turns; although they are very well used when the musicality is understood and interpreted correctly. The leading is done just like in most other dances, with a “pushing and pulling” hand communication. If this is done correctly, the follower should clearly understand the intended direction. Although there is a lot of body movement in Bachata dancing, the hand communication is better understood when most of the movement is performed by the lower body (from waist down); i.e. hips and footwork.

Sounds complex right? Not with this instructor in Kuwait.

A three and a half year pro, the lovely, talented Deniz Çerinan(pronounced Sherry-non) has taken her talent to Kuwait and started a Bachata Dance Class.

They meet every saturday for one hour, from 7 to 8pm, at the British Institute of Vocational Training (BIVT) [if you are coming from Blajat St (extension of Gulf Road), take the right near Pizza Hut, Restaurants St, and take the second right on that street (it is as if you are heading to the roundabout with NBK and Geant) you should see their sign, right next to Farah Restaurant]


Salmiya, Block 3, Street 5, Building 3.

You can send your emails to kuwaitbachataclub@gmail.com for more information etc.

It is a great dance to learn, a little demonstration of what Bachata dancing is like:



See you there :)

Plugging a new sound: Terminus - Shades of Conflict


Please, do visit their page, and listen to the awesomeness that is, or was, a local band in Kuwait (some are scattered around the globe now).

It is worth it.

To those who attended school in the 2000~2004 era, NESians, remember them from Battle of Bands, or Rock music, I forget what the day was called, but they are all that and a bag of chips.

Enjoy, I have the playlist set on repeat until I figure out a way to get these tunes on my ipod ;)

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Definition of an @$$hole - In pictures

What really never fails to glaze my donuts is the inconsideration that the majority of the driving populace show for their fellow drivers.

Case in point; I'm on my way to Dar Al Shifa hospital for some routine tests, am scouring the parking lot looking for a space and I see this:



this is a local @$$hole @ work
On the other hand, the trip to the hospital was amusing! Insurance, you gotta love it! I cannot believe a consultation with a Dr. here is 25KD?! Blood work, X-rays, holy-moly... But with a nifty insurance card, all is free :) (for me + spouse,, just sayin' :P )

At the first stop, the Orthopedic unit, I submit my details and am asked to wait in the lobby, I go over to take a seat, and just as I am lowering my derriere to the chair, I landed really hard on something, well, hard! I was like, damn, what just happened?!

Apparently, I miscalculated, and instead of sitting on the plush, full, comfortable chairs they have, I landed on the little table they have attached to it~!

Still, the above anecdote is no excuse for idiot drivers like the ones above, the world does not revolve around you, we all also have errands to run, and drive cars, that need parking spaces, which are impossible to find if assholes like you keep parking the way they do.

Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Kuwaits Next Health Event - November 27th Beat Diabetes Walkathon

Strangely enough, I found out about this on the day of the 10K marathon!

I decided to go for a walk afterward, treat myself to a nice cup of joe, to compensate for the one I missed after waking up @ 7:30 that morning for a race that starts @ 8:30!

Anyhoo, some background info on the walk:

Landmark Group (remember, Centrepoint's previous name?), the region’s leading retail and hospitality conglomerate, announces the launch of ‘Beat Diabetes’ walkathon. The walkathon, which is supported by Ministry of Health and Dasman Diabetes Institute, is a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative aimed to further spread awareness about the condition and its causes among the wider community. The walkathon will take place on Saturday, 27th November 2010; it will begin from The Yacht Club and end at Green Island. Registration is free; forms are available at Landmark Group outlets (Centrepoint, Max, Home Centre and New Look stores).



The ‘Beat Diabetes’ campaign this year will host walkathons and free blood glucose screening.

In Kuwait the screening will take place on 24th and 25th November across the 11 outlets of Landmark group.


Unfortunately for me, I shall not be here for the event :(

It shall be from the Yacht Club to Green Island, starting @ 9am

BUT! January, I am definately all in for the half-marathon, 21K, bring it on!

Monday, November 08, 2010

Music that Burns Calories



one of the greatest power songs on my ipod whilst jogging..

Heres lookin' at you kid,,,

Camels, Cows & Dookie! The Sulaibiya Desert Biking Experience - Pictures

When I got the email saying that friday morning we would be cycling near the arid wasteland that is Sulaibiya, I was a bit hesitant to answer the call. But, my sense of adventure got the best of me, and I decided, so what if it is near the prison, what are the chances an escaped con will want my POS bicycle?

Woke up early friday morning to head out and meet the lead man for directions, I have to say this, there are two classes of expats in Kuwait. Western & Eastern. The Western mentality is more, geared to following the rules, in the sense that here we were, at 6:20 in the morning, driving down the Fourth Ring Road, no cameras in sight, even the camera near the nurseries was removed, and we were on a steady 80. Had I known the way, I would have been going at atleast, 100, 110 tops. Not too fast, but also, not the speed limit mentioned on the signs.

We got on to the 6th and the average speed went up to 110 or so, very law-like. God bless him tho for allowing me to follow, I would have been lost lost lost!

The ride was spectacular. Around 23 peeps showed up for this one, as opposed to the 6 from my abismal first try!

Got to see camels, and smell dookie (manure) all the way! The former was much more preferable than the latter! Even got to see some VIP camels with a police escort! We then crossed the street to the other side and journeyed to the farmlands, stopped by KDC for some Ice-cream and Mint Laban, then headed to a private garden.

I leave you now with photos from that wonderful day:







CAMEL CIGARETTES!!










Oregatu Gozaimas!





Tarzan is handsome, Tarzan is Strong,
He is really cute & his hair is Long !



Look out, here comes the Spiderman!!

Translation: The Quick Brown Fox Jumps over the Lazy Dog X 50!



An Original Quote on Progress

"The most effective way to measure progress is to
know your limits; and then exceed them."
Lord Aymz

Why did I come up with that?

It all had to do with my past weekend, the busiest of my entire life!

Friday morning, had a desert biking ride with the DBCK, extremely enjoyable! It will get its own post real soon.

Saturday morning, RunQ8 marathon. 10K, managed to finish it in under 50 minutes, I had promised myself I would only have oatmeal for dinner that night, but one thing lead to another, and I met a highschool friend over in Kuwait City and we went and had some Palak Paneer & Dal Fry + some spicy chicken, I think the most destructive of all this was the oil-soaked bread!

Still, I managed to do it in good time, and offer some entertainment to the peeps in the form me jumping over the distance markers, just for shits & giggles.

It was great seeing all the Fijians from the Saracens Rugby team out in full force, as they work for Agility, and were a mighty helpful hand that day. I managed to score a bronze medal (they were giving them out to everyone :P ).

Sunday, Rugby training, although I cannot feel anything beneath my thighs, and walking is a pain, I still laced up the boots and went out for training. Got an ovation from the guys for a well-placed tackle, despite doing some damage to my right pinky. And a bruise on my left arm that I have no idea how it got there!

Later on, the gym, for some chest workouts, and a relaxing dip in the freezing cold pool, followed by 10 or so mins in the sauna to unwind.

Monday, more rugby!

So you see, always set your limits, and exceed them, only in that will you truly be able to excel.

Thursday, November 04, 2010

The Ultimate Skiving Excuse

In the wrong hands, this little piece of advice is deadly, but when used moderately, it provides a great cover story!

I've noticed when changing jobs that it is not a good omen to tell your current employer that you are going for an interview during official office hours. If you feel honor-bound to do so, you are a moron, no offence.

But what is the perfect excuse to skive off work, to go for that interview that runs later than expected?

For guys, and the adventurous girls, I have found the perfect one.

What you will need to pull this off is a drivers licence, coz you need to be driving!

Here is how it goes; you go for your interview with the new company, everything is stellar, they love you, so you spend a few more minutes chatting around and generally absorbing the atmosphere of your soon-to-be new workplace. Uh-oh, its now 15 mins to 2, and you took a break at 12 for an hour for lunch. What to do?

Never fear, drive methodically back to your current employer, on the way out of your car, simply rub your hands over the tire to get the effect similar to the picture above, walk into your office, head held high, and explain to them you had a flat tyre.

I've used this excuse twice, and it has always helped me make the jump to what is better.

Ofcourse, it must be used in moderation, you cannot go having a flat tyre every month, that would draw suspicion!