I am looking out at the world from my bedroom window, and it looks like a nice day. Yes, I have succumbed to the condition that I have named as "Sand Lung." It is some kind of upper respiratory infection that I think is triggered by excess sand in the air and fools like me inhaling it. Cold Medicine doesn't slow it down, and it seems to take longer than the common cold to shake it. I was worn down from burning the candles at both ends during the Gulf Trade Show. The four day show ended Wednesday, and I was absolutely worn out. It seemed to go fine, no major incidents, plenty of smiling faces from Senior Management. The calendar keeps churning along.
Nick returns from his trip to the states tonight, I have missed the old lug. He has been named "Pappy" by our customer service supervisor, and keeps a smile on most of the Westerners faces with his self deprecating humor. From his emails, I know he was very sick during his vacation, hopefully he feels better now that it's time to return to work (I am sick on the weekend also...sigh-poor planning). Our little "Soprano's" group hasn't gotten together since Nick left, I am looking forward to getting back on schedule next week, with 80 episodes to go, we have to get back at it.
Speaking of entertainment, it is nice that Survivor has started back. Something about that show is so Americana, and I really look forward to seeing it every week. It is on here at midnight Fridays, and I find myself playing along rooting away every week....American Idol is also on here, Nick loves Idol, I enjoy it, it helps make the calendar turn...
February is winding down, it's going to be a close call if we have a record month. Every time the numbers seem to get close to not being on schedule (plan for February is 11.3 million, record month is 11.287 million - Not sure how smart I am planning for a record month- ok I am not sure how smart I am over a lot of things) I have a fear that we have hit a growth wall, with some of the sales "obstacles" that Bob (and now Steve) and I have not successfully removed. The pressure is on to keep the pedal on growth, I fear the sales engine needs a tune-up before we break down...nice metaphors to confuse my Arab followers...
Fred arrives in Dubai a month from today. During the week we often speak about things I can't blog about (a pastime of Nick and I also) because of some of the locals that read the blog (friends and censors-there are several examples here of bloggers that got deported) and you have a need to be delicate for obvious reasons (for instance Rodz read the blog regularly, also upset about the length of the blog - always either too short or too long she just never seemed happy...hmmm) Maybe this is one of those instances that we should impose self-censorship. lol....So on Monday Fred and I talked about several things that I should catch you up on...sadly I am mentally spent, and can not remember any of them right now....my age and mental state might have been one (I can't remember if I mentioned this in an earlier week-a sure sign of my age), but my whole adult working life I have always been that "young manager" who managed people much older than myself, and I could always relate to the young sales reps around me, sharing with them the importance of being patient with their career. Suddenly (with the departures of Richard and Bob) I find myself the elder statesman. In our Food Service Company Org chart I am a relic. As you may know, I turn 50 this fall. My new manager Steve has just turned 46, Nick is around 46, and Nasser is 42 (looks 60-doesn't read the blog, so I don't have to censor myself-lol). Juan is in his mid 30's, Reem is 33. The entire rest of the team is in their 20's....all of a sudden I am the old guy. It is even more apparent looking at our retail counterparts at work. They won't even interview you if you are over 26 (there are no age discrimination laws here), so not only am I part of a dwindling American population, I am also an old guy...retirement from the Middle East will obviously come before retirement in my working life. Now one of the nice thing about "maturing" is that you sometimes seem to have the wise view of life, whether the young folks you surround yourself with listen, whole nother story...
Oh well, time to raid the drug cabinet, hope you have a nice weekend, while I recuperate here in the UAE. Hopefully you have found this weeks ramblings way too short, and not too long....
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