How Can the World End on a Friday?

Happy Birthday to my parents, Dad's birthday was Wednesday and Mom's was yesterday. I called mom yesterday and I thought about the irony of this Mayan prophesy stuff where the world is going to end today (I hope I get finished writing this blog first, I would hate for my Friday ritual to be left unfinished). For the last few years my mom would have to realize that the world may end the day after her 82nd birthday (Goodness I hope I got her age right). Now since this blog is all about me, I really hate the thought of working over here for 2 and a half years, getting totally out of debt for the first time since my childhood, and not getting to enjoy the triumphant return to the States with a few dollars in my bank account and a financially less stressful last few years of life. So, I don't know how you feel about the world possibly ending today, but if it does end I personally will be mad as hell.

Whenever I get a little sentimental about great friends that I miss, or openly admit that I want to come home, I invariably get some messages from concerned friends that I put in a sour mood. Let me apologize up front, because this blog entry will be about our blessings as Americans, don't feel guilty (I do all the time) feel blessed.

Christmas in the Middle East is a different thing to say the least. You can see signs of Christmas at the malls (Above is a Christmas Tree made of giant Ferrache Chocolate Balls in the middle of Dubai Mall), but generally it just doesn't feel like Christmas. Maybe this is how the little New York retirees feel their first Christmas in Florida. Without the cold snap, the hint of snow to remind your human clock that winter is here. Don't get me wrong, high 70's, light breeze winter resort weather in Dubai is so appreciated by me, but it's about the relief from the oppressive Summer heat here, more than the today being officially the first day of winter, and the shortest day (as far as daylight hours).

I don't think I fully appreciated the efforts the management and employees at Transmed made to make us Americans feel welcome here on their Continent during the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays. Hani always greeted Bob, Richard, Juan, Hayley, Kelly and Me (even Nick and Lal for their one Christmas here) with a warm smile and a genuine greeting. He said to me more than once that he had a responsibility to make me comfortable in their land. I didn't fully appreciate the big Thanksgiving Dinner and Christmas dinner that we all shared together at Transmed as much as I probably should have. I now feel the difference at my company where there is little notice of non Hindu calendar events. If I ever see Hani again, I will make an effort to shake his hand and thank him for the effort that his team made.

Speaking of Christian Indian friends, Joseph Mathew has worked out his notice and joins the Barakat team next week. He will handle the "trade and export" business. I have always felt a closeness to Joseph and I use to tease Vinny, Muzzy and others that Joseph was my favorite Indian. I even put his Visa picture on my cubicle wall, and on my last vacation from Transmed, Vinny thought he'd stick my photo next to Joseph's and sent it to my Blackberry while I was home.

Not to be outdone by my friend "Vinny the Pooh", I saved the picture as my background photo on my Blackberry. I pledged to my colleagues that I would not change this until Joseph and I were united again. Sigh, the joke has been on me, for 6 long months I have had friends look at my phone (try and get a gal to be interested in you when you have a middle aged Indian man on your phone saver...lol) and some ask, and some just look at me strangely. Thankfully, next week Joseph joins our Barakat team, and I can change my phone picture.

This feels like it's going to be a really lonely Christmas, as you celebrate your holiday with your family and friends, savor the special moments that you share, love all of those people and let them know how much they mean to you...Take it from me, sometimes you don't appreciate your blessings until they are a warm memory.

Merry Christmas to all of you, and thank you for keeping me company on this journey....God Bless.