Winter Desert Style ... Feb 11, 2012

When I came to Dubai for my interview in Dec 2009, I didn't really notice it was winter. Perhaps just too excited about the prospects then of change.

Winter 2010-2011 was a pretty interesting experience. It was cold from Dec to Apr and then summer kicked us in the face with a scorcher.

I went on a trek to Hatta - my first attempt at climbing anything vertical, but braved myself for the slips slides and plain bumps as we tried some slopes around the Hatta Dam.

I also had a day out in Fujeirah with Tony, Michelle and their son Lucas and maid Nani on a day trip picnic on the beach and shopping at the Friday market on the way home.

There was the BBQ at Creek Park with Sunu, Lal, Shanti, Sudhir, Anil and Savita with their kids. A whole day of lazing in the winter cool, with food on the bbq.

Last was the 8 hour marathon with Suzanne, Raja and Marcus in Ibn Battuta Mall. We walked so much it was more than a marathon clearly confusing everyone with a Filipino looking Msian chinaman and 3 Msian Indians speaking Malay and cackling like mad.

All too soon winter was over. The summers make you less likely to plan outdoor gatherings.

Winter 2011-2012 so far has had the girls here with me. So we had more things to do.

We went to Al Ain Zoo, up the Burj Khalifa, to Outlet Mall, on a trek up some pretty misleading looking slopes in Fujeirah, a picnic in Mamzar Park, a whole day out in Umm Al Quwain for a picnic on the beach and a late evening BBQ before heading back.

There are still plans for another trek, another picnic, an overnight camping trip to make the best of the cool weather before the mercury starts to rise.

Its been a fairly active winter. Let's see how we wrap it up. But with the girls here, it has been great better than the last one. And we are together. That's all that matters.

What you been up to lately? Till next time, happy trails

Communication Is An Art .... Jan 31, 2012

Anyone who has ever met me usually remembers me as the noisy one. Always talking, sometimes strong opinions. Other times non-committal. But always clearly audible.

That may not have always been a positive thing. But honestly it was my way of covering up my own nervousness.

I can still talk both sense and nonsense with earnestness with most anybody. Even strangers find it easy to have a chat while waiting in queues or on flights.

But I find two terrifying circumstances when I should speak that I completely lose my art of communicating.

1. When in the work environment. And especially when I've had a few obvious indications my opinion means nothing. So even if I know it's worth sharing, I hold my silence. Does me favours obviously in my advancement. I get frustrated. I have all these powerful sentences stewing in my mind but never verbalised.

2. When its my immediate family. My sister calls it the ani syndrome. When something upsets me I choose to crawl into a well of silence or immediately change topics and avoid addressing the matter. Once again detrimental to my own sanity.

If I can wax lyrical and be so eloquent in other circles, why am I challenged with these particular scenarios.

Come to the conclusion that I am afraid of saying my mind (in being typically cautious ani) and burning bridges all around. Family is important and well pay cheques keep bills at bay and food in the belly.

Casual interactions, forums, workshops are all meant to explore and define oneself. Work and family on the other hand perceptions are precariously pivotal. And yet I realise these are the two areas one should be truest to oneself. Otherwise the perceptions become skewed.

Whilst one would assume by now I'd be a communications specialist given my verbosity in general, I'm, to be honest, still learning the minefield.

Now there's creating communications effective, honest, open and evolving with my BratAngels. We've all been through some tough times. It's now to forge those ties that bind mother and children. That is the legacy they won't forget that they always could talk to me. We're teething now. Tweaking and working towards communicating without prejudice. Wish us well in our journey in the beautiful art of communication.

Happy trails till we meet again