One Step Down
It was a real eye opener, being back in the USA. AdventureMan had an interesting observation, something he learned a long time ago in a sociology class. It has to do with dining in restaurants. When a guy eats his lunch out every day, he goes to one kind of place, and then when he takes his family out for a meal on Sunday, he goes one step up, takes them to a better restaurant than he would go to every day.
As we travelled in different parts of the United States, what we saw was just the opposite – one step down. People we know still have jobs, still make their house payments, still have the same income. The PERCEPTIONS however, are very different. People are nervous, maybe even a little worried about their jobs. They are not FEELING as prosperous as they felt last year, or the year before. They are spending less. They are going to eat out, but will eat out at that one-step-down restaurant, and not the higher priced restaurant.
As we Christmas shopped, we saw HUGE differences. The Macy’s and the Dillard’s and the big delightfully fancy stores are like ghost towns, and for good reason. They have drastically cut back on their inventory. Where you had to fight your way through the crowded racks a couple years ago, there is a lot of space this year. I didn’t see anything very exciting in terms of fashions or shoes. The Targets and the Fred Meyers (a Pacific Northwest chain) were packed with shoppers, prices were cut, and products were flying off the shelves.
A newspaper article said that what people are buying are . . . appliances. Things people really use – toasters, mixers, etc. The big difference is, they are insisting on appliances in COLOR – carmine reds, blueberrys, greens – chartreuse seems to be big this year, for Christmas, for clothing, and for decorations. Even for Christmas cookies. Chartreuse and pink are this year’s Christmasy red and green. Total hoot. But when people start drawing back from spending, they buy practical things – in fanciful colors. I remember reading once that when times get tough, lipstick sales soar. Women will spend on something small to make themselves feel good, and lipstick does the trick.
The trip was a real eye opener. AdventureMan has sticker shock. I just laugh. I think Kuwait is expensive! AdventureMan doesn’t buy groceries. I remember one time we were together at the Co-op and he couldn’t believe what we were spending on milk – but what are you going to do? Not buy milk? I have always used powdered milk for baking, but with the Chinese thing, I even worry about powdered milk.
Are you going through sticker shock? Are your spending habits changing? Do you eat in restaurants, or are you eating more at home?
Anonymouse
While visiting another blog, I learned a new trick. I know most you you already know how to do these things, but some of us who were not born into these new technologies take a little longer to learn all the tricks you take for granted.
From my blogging friend in Damascus, Souvenirs and Scars, I learned about Anonymouse where you can go to access websites that may be blocked in the country where you live. Pretty cool, huh? I am betting that there are others I don’t know about – how on earth do any of these countries think they can block the free flow of information? That bell can’t be un-rung!
Q8Geek Sparkles
The Q8Geek sent me a photo to make me miss Kuwait – and oh WOW – I am a total sucker for SPARKLES and look at his SPARKLES!
AdventureMan and I are so COLD! Kuwait looks so nice and warm!
Re-Entry
When I first arrive back in the United States, I always have to transition slowly. I have no sales-resistance. I usually have a list for Target, supplies I will need immediately while I am traveling; not glamorous things, but things like shampoo and underwear and scotch tape and wrappings, that sort of thing, useful things. We always come out with way more than our list. No resistance.
I won’t even let myself go into the Apple Market until I have been back for a while. When I get to their spices aisle, my heart just starts going pitty-pat:
One entire aisle, entirely devoted to seasonings – and so many things we never see in Kuwait – poppy seeds! File’! A variety of Chili mixes, seasoned shrimp boils . . . It’s all I can do not to buy one of everything.
And the irony? What do I bring back for my friends in the US from Kuwait? Kuwaiti spices – that biriyani mix, pine nuts, saffron, and those little red dried pomegranate seeds. They are always a huge hit – it’s always about what you can’t get your hands on, isn’t it?
“Seriously Bad Men”
AdventureMan and I are on a beach, and enjoyed one of the most magnificent sunsets we have ever seen, absolutely painterly, and I took lots of shots to share with you only to discover I don’t have my card reader/uploader little stick, so I have to wait until I can share them with you.
AdventureMan is having so much fun he has worn himself out, and today he came down with a bad cold. He spent some time napping while I spent some time out on the balcony, enjoying the sun and the crashing waves. When it came time for dinner, we decided some nice hot soup and hot tea would help him feel a lot better. Went down to the car, and our car is blocked by a huge white SUV, left running, doors locked, no driver.
For a minute we thought we were back in Kuwait.
There were three guys standing outside the office to the hotel, smoking and chatting (think Hank Hill) and we asked them if the car was their’s, and they said “No, it is the POLICE. There are some seriously bad men they are after, with guns!”
After about fifteen minutes, a couple beefy cops came by and one moved the car and parked it legally. We went and had a very delicious dinner at a Japanese restaurant where, when we told the owner we live in Kuwait, he said “Salaam A’aleikum” which astounded me, but he said he was Canadian-Japanese, and grew up with Arab immigrant kids. I love America.
On our way home, we stopped at a Publix, a very wonderful food market, where we picked up some green tea and coffee and bananas, just a little something to have in the room, and we also picked up some Thanksgiving bundles – how cool is this? Publix puts together grocery bags of Thanksgiving foods for the poor and needy, and has them on a stand by the check-out stands. You pick them up, pay for them, drop them in a bin and some needy family gets food for the holidays. They make it so easy to donate. We have so much for which we are thankful. I love this place.
When we got back to the motel, the cops were still surrounding the room (not in our building) where the seriously bad guys were holed up, and now, a couple hours later, there are two great big slow moving helicopters patrolling the beach area with huge spotlights, evidently trying to spot them on the move or something.
One of the bad buys is “SWAT trained” we were told.
The locks on our doors are not very serious locks. I am just hoping they catch them and go home so I can listen to the crashing of the waves in peace.
December Great Kuwait Holiday Challenge
Yes, I know, we are not even totally finished with the Great Kuwait Sand and Surf Challenge, but the holidays are coming – this year for many of us at the same time, with the big Eid and Christmas both falling in December.
If you are celebrating, be sure to have your cameras with you. This next challenge is more inclusive – The Great Kuwait Holiday Challenge is coming up next!
How To Turn Kuwaiti Youth Into Law Breakers:
Lord, have mercy! Who doesn’t know that the quickest way to get young people to want to read a book or watch a movie is to BAN it?? It’s just human nature! So you take smart, tech-savvy young people and FORBID them to watch YouTube, or hey! even better – block it – and watch how fast they find a way around every attempt to block it.
There are a lot of sayings that come to mind – like “That train done left the station” or “Like getting ketchup back in the bottle” – you might as well ban water from running downhill.
Lawyer to file case against ministry over failure to ban YouTube
Al Watan staff
and agencies
KUWAIT: A leading Kuwaiti lawyer Mubarak AlـTasha has said that he intends to file a case against the Ministry of Information for not blocking the Web site YouTube or at least blocking infamous clips that are considered as insulting to Islam and the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH).
The lawyer said that since the ministry failed to carry out its promises, a law suit will be filed against it in order to ensure that this is legally binding, and added that the Kuwaiti Constitution protects freedom of expression, press and publication however such freedoms should not in any way insult Islam.
He added that the State needs to uphold the Constitution and respect it since law 70/2002 issued by the Information Ministry states that internet providers should not promote or encourage pornographic, indecent and antiـIslamic material.
A few months ago local newspapers reported that the ministry ordered local Internet service providers to block the Web site over clips that could offend Muslims.
“Since the Web site displays the Quran in the form of songs sung with the oud … and displays disrespectful pictures of the Prophet Mohammed … please proceed with immediate effect in blocking the Web site http://www.youtube.com,” read a copy of a memo obtained by Reuters.
However, following the circulation of this memo, the ministry went back on its decision and the site was subsequently not banned.
Last updated on Monday 24/11/2008
The Great Kuwait Sand and Surf Contest: Your Turn to Vote!
The deadline is here! The Great Kuwait Sand and Surf Contest is closed, and here are the entrants:
Check out their Sand and Surf photos, and then – you choose which photographer wins this round of the Great Kuwait Challenges.
No Home Activities for Welfare Societies
A sudden and unbelievable decision bans welfare activities in private homes. This could have far reaching effects – are not most welfare activities taking place in Kuwait privately organized and funded? I have been to so many private fund raisers for charities I support – bazaars, game nights, line dancing classes – almost all in private homes. I suspect this is legislation that means well, but discourages people from reaching out to meet needs not met by the city or state.
Welfare societies banned from organizing activities in private homes
Al Watan staff
KUWAIT: Welfare and charitable societies are facing a new challenge after the Municipality has decided to suspend any such activities from taking place in private homes.
The Municipality has sent 62 official letters to the Ministry of Water and Electricity demanding that power be cut off to certain buildings in Jabriya and Salmiya after these private residencies were found to have been involved in activities of welfare societies. Undersecretary at the Ministry of Water and Electricity Yusuf AlـHajiri confirmed in a statement to Al Watan that the ministry will disconnect the electricity from properties involved in violations of housing regulations.
Representatives from a number of welfare societies and charitable organizations expressed their bewilderment at this decision and said that all their activities are licensed and were often inaugurated under government sponsorship. They added that many people will suffer from what they described as a “hasty decision.”
The decision to ban activities in private homes came directly from the Municipality General Manager Ahmad AlـSubaih who on Tuesday gave formal instructions to suspend all such activities on grounds that they violate private home regulations.
Local Municipal Councils are now able to issue violations and communicate directly with the Ministry of Water and Electricity to disconnect the power of any property which is found to be violating the terms and condition of housing tenancy.
Welfare societies and charitable organizations have already sent an official letter to the Cabinet requesting that they be allowed to expand their charitable activities and receive donations in cash to facilitate their work.
Last updated on Friday 21/11/2008
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! 🙂 )
Recent Comments
intlxpatr on Shampoo Ginger tigerbutterya0c5ff1d… on Shampoo Ginger intlxpatr on British Soldier Kidnapped, Esc… John on British Soldier Kidnapped, Esc… intlxpatr on British Soldier Kidnapped, Esc… Wikipedia Donate Button
Amazina
Early Voting in Florida
