GKS&S Challenge: You Can Do Better!
See, it’s my challenge, I make up the rules, and wow. I am so glad I did. The first challenge came because I truly could not find a decent sunset photo, and you showed me they exist, and you showed me they could be totally WOW.
The second challenge, Sand and Surf, is because I love Sand and Surf, and I am so glad I cannot compete (it’s my contest, remember? Like it would be dirty pool for me to compete, and how would you know if I won fair and square, or if I used wasta with myself?
So just to encourage you, I am going to show some of my favorite sand and surf photos, but now that I have seen yours, I know that these are not particularly good, I just like them. YOU can do better. It’s OK with me. 🙂
Here is sand and surf and everything I love on Mnemba Island, a CCAfrica camp, off the coast of Zanzibar:
Here is a scene I found here in Kuwait:
Here is another shot from Kuwait . . . well there is surf . . .
Here is a shot from another favorite place I visit, Oman, near Sur:
Here is a shot taken in Seattle:
And here is a shot from the Oregon beaches with a little bit of everything – sand, surf, sunset and even a dancing dog:
Have a great weekend, Kuwait.
You still have time to get your photos in. The contest will close this coming Saturday, and the poll will go up, insh’allah, the same day. (Are you thinking of ideas for the next one? I am! 🙂 )
Sharing Faith
Several years ago, a woman put a book in my hands and said “I got this for you because I think you will love it.” It was kind of a shock; I didn’t know this woman all that well, but she knew me better. I loved the book, and I ordered a workbook to go with it, and I loved doing it. It was a forty day study called The Purpose Driven Life.
If you think I am trying to convert you, I’m not. Just as this woman wasn’t trying to convert me. The Purpose Driven Life is all about trying to make your walk in faith more meaningful. It starts with the premise that each one of us is uniquely created, and has a unique function to fill. The book has changed how I live my life. Intrigued? Go read the book!
I also subscribe to their daily e-mail, and today it was all about gaining wisdom from reading THE BOOK, learning from our own experiences and those of others:
Write down the major life lessons you’ve learned so you can share them with others. We should be grateful Solomon did this, because it gave us the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, which are filled with practical lessons on living. Imagine how much needless frustration could be avoided if we learned from each other’s life lessons.
Mature people develop the habit of extracting lessons from everyday experiences. I urge you to make a list of your life lessons. You haven’t really thought about them thoroughly unless you’ve written them down. Below are a few questions to jog your memory and get your started:
So what?
What has God taught me from failure?
What has God taught me from a lack of money?
What has God taught me from pain or sorrow or depression?
What has God taught me through waiting?
What has God taught me through illness?
What has God taught me from disappointment?
What have I learned from my family, my church, my relationships, my small group, and my critics?
It felt like a jolt of electricity going through me when I read those questions. Sometimes, I think I am not very bright; sometimes I don’t even learn from my own experiences and mistakes! As I read these questions, I started thinking how the financial crisis has energized us and changed our plans. We thought we would have a hunk of money to work with when we retire, and suddenly that hunk has shrunk! Meanwhile, we are instigating all kinds of new strategies to make our money go farther. You would think it would be depressing, but the truth is . . . we are having fun! I’d forgotten the thrill of the hunt; getting items for good prices, finding substitutes . . . and the questions above reminded me that at one time we knew a lot about stretching money.
AdventureMan is a great cook, and truly, if we ate fewer meals out, we probably wouldn’t have to worry about our waistlines. I used to bake all our bread, when we lived in Tunis, and only had access to wonderful baguettes. I even baked English muffins, my favorite.
Every one of the questions he asked today reminded me of a lesson I had learned . . . and then kind of let go. I didn’t exactly forget, but now all these life-lessons are fresh again!
You don’t have to be Christian, or Moslem, or a even a believer to think about these questions. Take a look at the questions and see what YOU have learned from life’s circumstances.
Where do YOU find wisdom?
Erratic Vacation
Please forgive me, dear blog-friends, but we are traveling and I am not always able to connect. I know, I know, you are wondering, as I did “is that even possible? Are there places where you cannot connect in the whole world anymore?” and the answer is yes. There are times and places and circumstances where you cannot connect – or where you are just too absorbed in life itself. We are moving from spot to spot and I won’t know about connections until I get to each location.
I know many of you will also be travelling soon, or enjoying the new “Staycation,” where you stay at home for your holiday. The weather in Kuwait could not be more perfect for exactly that kind of vacation! Lucky, lucky you! Visiting friends and family, celebrating Eid with all those delicious foods! Maybe a little shopping, with gold down to around $743/oz.
We will also be celebrating with family and friends along the way, and I will keep you informed as best I can. Meanwhile, I will check in on you, too, when I can, to find out how you are doing.
Man Jumps to Save His Honor
From today’s Arab Times. Rape is despicable, whether committed on man, woman, or child, daughter, sister, son, brother, neighbor, domestic or wife. Despicable. It’s a crime of power, of humiliation, of ownership and it is robbery as well as assault.
Man dies saving ‘honour’
KUWAIT CITY : The Court of Appeals Monday set Nov 19, 2008 to issue a verdict in a case of four Kuwaitis and two Bedoun, who have been convicted of causing the death of a Kuwaiti man after they kidnapped him and tried to rape him.
Case papers indicate on April 20, 2007, five of the six men agreed to kidnap and rape the victim. One of the accused talked to the victim from the Internet chat room and pretended to belong to the third gender.
The man invited the victim to his place to have sex. He went, along with another accused and took the victim in the car of the latter to a flat which was rented by yet another accused for the purpose of prostitution.
When they arrived at the place, one of the accused locked the door of the apartment and others who had been hiding in the apartment showed up. When they tried to rape the victim, he jumped out from the ninth floor window and fell to his death.
On June 18, 2008, the Criminal Court sentenced the first, second, third and fifth suspects to 15 years in jail. The court sentenced the fourth suspect to seven years in jail. The court sentenced the sixth suspect to three years in jail and ordered the deportation of the fifth and sixth suspects after serving the sentence.
The session was presided over by Judge Faisal Khuraibet.
By Moamen Al-Masri
Special to the Arab Times
Sunrise Sunday, November 16, 2008
Good Morning, Kuwait!
It’s another glorious day in Kuwait, only 57 °F / 14 °C at 0630 in the morning. Ansam, the photo was taken at 0613. It took the sun a while to rise above that thick yellow-brown haze on the horizon. The sky is clear, the tide is waaaaayyyy out, beach combers are out looking for shellfish for tonight’s dinner.
I didn’t sleep well last night. We are planning a big Eid trip, plans have changed several times. At one time they were built around a conference, but, as many companies are doing, the conference was killed as a cost-cutting measure, leaving us to decide whether to travel at our own expense. As I was changing the hotel reservation, it occurred to me that we have been piling up points on a loyalty program, and we’ve never use any of those points.
So just for grins, I checked to see if our points would cover any of the days of our hotel stay. It covered the entire stay – with points left over! Whoda thunk?
I was so excited, our entire hotel stay is covered. Or maybe I drank too much coffee yesterday, I don’t know, but I had a hard time sleeping last night.
The high today is forecast to be 75°F / 24°C.
Have a great day, Kuwait.
The Great Kuwait Sand and Surf Challenge: Onlooker
Onlooker says this is Goa – and while there is sand and surf, he also throws in a sunset for free – is it not gorgeous?
There is so much going on, it is easy to forget that The Great Kuwait Sand and Surf Challenge continues! You have but one week! The challenge closes next Saturday, when all contestants will go up for a ballot on who wins the Sand and Surf challenge.
It is perfect Sand and Surf weather. There is even surf! Go forth and photograph!
Meanwhile – HHOOOOAAAHHHhhhhhhh! Onlooker!
Kuwait Stock Exchange Closing Poll
This is from today’s Al Watan. I think investors all over the world have confused saving with investing. When you know your family is going to need the money, for something like a vacation, a new washing machine, a car – you save. When you have the luxury of a little extra that you can afford to lose, you invest. Smart investors will investigate the investment carefully. If the market goes down, but the company whose shares you bought is still solvent and strong, you hang on – after all, it you didn’t invest anything you can’t afford to lose, right?
Lawmakers alarmed by bourse closure
Attorney lauds court order, says action was necessary
Ghenwah Jabouri
and agencies
KUWAIT: A number of MPs have criticized a Court of First Instance order to halt trading on the Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE), saying that the court”s move is “the most dangerous decision” ever taken in relation to Kuwait”s economy and bourse.
They explained that closing the bourse has cemented a lack of confidence and will drive the index down further once trading resumes, while rhetorically asking who would bear the consequences of such an eventuality.
They also stressed the need to benefit from the experiences of other countries to strengthen the Kuwaiti stock market.
The MPs also called on the government to take measures to limit damages resulting from the closure of the KSE.
In an exclusive statement to Al Watan Daily, attorney Labid AlÙ€Abdal said the global financial crisis is finding its effects on many strong markets around the globe and that the situation requires Kuwait and other GCC countries to draw up a serious plan to protect its markets.
“Kuwait should choose safe investments and strengthen its reserves of gold at the Central Bank of Kuwait,” he added.
He stressed that most of Kuwait”s active financial and commercial companies are directly and indirectly linked to the international economy and that they will need well supported banking systems to maintain safe credit transactions and protected debt recovery.
“Given the mentioned circumstances, closing the local stock market in Kuwait is a necessity to prevent further losses by registered companies and to protect the citizens from losing any more assets,” he explained.
Kuwait must select very protective measures, especially after the fall of the oil price and the lack of trust in the international financial system,” AlÙ€Abdal concluded.
Last updated on Friday 14/11/2008
What do you think? Do you think closing the Kuwait exchange prevented further losses, or do you think closing the exchange fed the fear that is feeding the rapid decline? Or do you have another opinion totally?
First Female Police Class Graduates
Congratulations to the first class of female police academy graduates! I remember when women were first integrated into the US Military, my husband was assigned one of the first female lieutenants in Europe. I remember him saying, a year or two later that many of his best soldiers were women. I expect that that it will take some getting used to in Kuwait – just as it does in any country – and that the country will be the better for it in the long run.
These brave women have had the courage to break a barrier. God bless their work!
Al Watan staff
KUWAIT: The Support Authority at the Ministry of Interior held an open day on Wednesday for the parents of the first group of female cadets who joined the police academy this year. The event was held under the patronage of Undersecretary for Training and Education Brigadier Sheikh Ahmad AlÙ€Nawaf AlÙ€Sabah.
Brigadier Yusuf AlÙ€Mudhika welcomed the parents and sponsors of the event and said that Kuwait is grateful to the Kingdom of Bahrain for “making this dream a reality.” Bahrain has provided Kuwait with muchÙ€needed expertise in this field as it has already established a police academy for female cadets.
AlÙ€Mudhika explained that the new training for women has been designed to conform with Islamic teachings, customs and traditions and that the female cadets have proved to be as efficient and punctual as their male counterparts. He also referred to the curriculum and their daily timetable and said that their uniform has also been carefully selected to suit the cadets and that military accessories are being used to give a professional and disciplinary appearance.
He also mentioned the CCTV cameras within the academy and said that the parents had toured the cadets” dorms and shown satisfaction with their daughters” daily activities and their living quarters.
Last updated on Friday 14/11/2008
State Blocks Diwaniyas on State Land
I can understand the state not wanting to allow the people to build on public land, land reserved to preserve right of way, land reserved for parks, land to protect the ability to see around a corner. We watched all the illegal diwaniyas come down in our area, carted away on trucks, to be replaced with outdoor diwaniyas, which are lovely – but what to do when the temperatures start going up again?
Many of our friends have diwaniyyas – one – or more (!) built into their homes. An outdoor diwaniya is a luxury if you have the space for it. It looks to me like more homes are being built with a permanent diwayiya designed to match the house.
My real question is – How does this differ from the chalets? Are the chalets not also built on state property? Is there a bureau from which you get a permit? Is there any contractual understanding, like the land is deeded to you for 99 years before you put up an expensive chalet? Or do you build, knowing the government can reclaim that land at any time?
State succeeds in blocking diwaniyas bill
Al Watan staff
KUWAIT: The Parliament rejected a controversial draft law on Wednesday that called for regulating the construction of private diwaniyas on State property.
After a discussion, the proposal was overruled by a vote of 34 against and 26 in favor.
A number of MPs had presented the proposal, which was aimed at allowing the construction of private diwaniyas on State property adjacent to owners” homes provided that a license is obtained from the Ministry of Finance in exchange of an annual fee of no more than 0.250 Kuwaiti dinars per square meter.
Moreover, the Parliament also rejected a proposal to form a committee to investigate violations committed by the team tasked with removing all structures that have been illegally built on State property.
This proposal was voted down by 35 of the 61 legislators who were present at the session.
Earlier, the Parliament”s Finance and Economic Affairs Committee had rejected the draft law regulating the construction of private diwaniyas on State land, saying that it will have a negative impact regardless of the traditions related to these forms of gathering places.
It said the construction of these structures on State property will increase security, administrative and financial burdens on the State.
This issue was first discussed during Tuesday”s Parliament session, but a lack of order in the Abdullah AlÙ€Salem Hall led to an adjournment of the session.
The Kuwaiti government had opposed the bill since the beginning, saying it bears many implementation difficulties and encourages encroachments on State property in a disorganized fashion.
Last updated on Thursday 13/11/2008
Post Sunrise November 13, 2008
It’s a little chilly this morning and the Qatteri Cat is cuddled up next to me, right on my left typing arm, so I am pecking away as best I can. It’s another beautiful day – and, as forecasted, there are small, light, fluffy clouds gathering – and a 20% chance of rain tomorrow. Here is what this morning looks like in Kuwait:
Have a great day, Kuwait!
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