24 Hours of Dubai, maybe should be renamed 24 hours of no sleep for Motor City...

       Brrrr, this week one morning it was 52 degrees, Rodz and I nearly froze...All kidding aside, I have been watching Fox news and the weather alerts, looks like the snow has hit Middle America. The winter here has been unusually wet. We have had measurable rain already 3 times since Nov. 29 when we returned to Dubai. I don't believe it rained more than 7 or 8 times during my entire first 3 year stay in Dubai.
         Rodz and I have continued our support of restaurant chains here in the UAE.

Denny's Dubai Jan 2016

       This past week we tried Pee Wei Changs. It's a miniature - higher priced, slimmer menu of the daddy - PF Changs.  We love PF Changs, Pee Wei probably won't see us again anytime soon. We tried Denny's and IHOP, but both are challenged to be as tasty as the American versions without pork. The restaurant that we keep going back to is the Olive Garden, bottomless soup, salad, and breadsticks with refillable soda's - it's a hit for us. We have been eating there at least twice a week.
         Motor City, Rodz and my new home city, hosted the 24 Hours of Dubai last week. It's a 24 hour endurance race that is located at the race track that's less than a quarter mile from our apartment home. I got zero sleep - Mark my words, next year, I will be spending the 24 hours of Dubai, somewhere other than Motor City...

         I neglected to share the story of Rodz at the New Years Eve party at Dubai's Burj Khalifa. She decided that she wanted to join her sisters for the fireworks and party, while I decided to work late and catch up with work. I said goodnight to her at about 9:45pm, and settled in for a peaceful night of sleep, while Rodz was waiting for the mega firework's show at the mall's waterfront next to the Address hotel. Well, at 10:30pm, my phone wakes me from my much needed sleep, it's my bride chattering hysterically about terrorist attacking the Address and killing Americans. She is worried that she is next, I assured her that she's not an American and safe and sound. We didn't have a TV yet, so I got on my phone's internet and after seeing the video of the 62 story Address going up in flames, called her back in a panic. Happily, she was back in Satwa safe and sound far away from the mysterious fire that has still not been explained, nor has terrorism been ruled out....By the way, in the fog of war, no American's died in the fire, just one poor guy that had a heart attack.

            Work is going great, I was promoted to General Manager in early January and my mission is to make sure that the company has bottomed out and heads upward in sales and profitability. I will say that I have already begun to try and make it a better place to work for our poor and dependent employees. Most of the factory employees pay package includes food and housing. So, One of my first actions was a surprise inspection of our company accommodations to get a first hand look at the rooms and facilities. After my visit, the housing authority has agreed to repaint the interior rooms and hallways, and add more frequent cleaning of the bathrooms. We are now exploring the possibility of installing internet in their rooms to give them a way to contact their loved ones that are back in their home countries of India, Nepal, and the Philippines. Hopefully, I will accomplish both the turning around the company and at the same time help make my employees' lives better. It's a nice challenge that I am determined to win.

          This past week I had lunch with Muzzy. I have seen Juan and Georges while having lunch. Kumail and I met for lunch at Cheesecake Factory. It seems like a lot of my old friends haven't missed a beat. I still spend lots of time with Vinny Varma. He is a friend for life, joining the nice group of friends that are a permanent part of my life. I do have a visit to my home country planned for the first of April. I need to see my twin Fred, the gang in Atlanta, my St. Louis pals and my parents, while I squeeze in my baseball fantasy draft in Atlanta on April 9th. Unfortunately, it does not appear that Rodz's travel visa back to America will be approved in time for her to join me, as the US Government has now asked for resubmission of some forms. The good news is that Rodz's spouse Visa here in the UAE is finally done. Our certified stamped affidavit that the US Consulate helped prepare for me, satisfied the local authorities.Now, she can work and even try and get her drivers license. Happy days are hopefully ahead.

         Time to go, Rodz and I are taking my HR Manager (Ritesh) and his wife to dinner at the Olive Garden. Bottomless soup and salad are calling my name...stay warm and safe, and I will try and stay cool and safe here. See you back here soon....

 

          

Almost banged my first camel...lol

       Before I get too deep into this edition, please feel free to use the search tool in the upper left hand corner for "camel" and it will bring back the Jan. 14, 2013 posting that I shared my story with Kumail and Camel banging. Probably my favorite posting. Yesterday, while leaving my office for lunch, I noticed trucks stopped and blocking the two right lanes on the 3 lane freeway that leads you out of my office park. I did what most ignorant Westerners would do, I swung out into the left lane to bypass the stopped traffic. Just as I came even with the trucks I slammed on my brakes as several camels were crossing the highway at their own leisurely pace. I wish I would have snapped a picture as these magnificent animals were less than 10 feet in front of my car. Luckily, I did not bang my first camel, and I stayed out of the slammer. It did get me to thinking, what do you call a group of camels? Are they a herd? Or maybe a harem...lol. So I almost plowed into a harem of camels...I can hear my explanation to Rodz now.
        Speaking of Rodz, her quest to get a visa is coming to some sort of climax today. It seems that our American "original certified" marriage certificate from Missouri is not "stamped". It does have the county seal, and is notarized, but that's not good enough for the local authorities. After our human resources "PRO" tried to get it accepted, I had to go to Emeriti immigration to meet with the officer in charge. He originally said not acceptable, but then changed his mind when I shared with him what a raised seal is and how that is more valid than a simple stamp. So, he agreed that it was fine as long as we got the Dubai authorities to "stamp" it. Unfortunately, they refused. They said I would have to go to the American Embassy or consulate and get them to stamp the certificate. So, I made an appointment on Thursday, and proceeded to the Bur Dubai (old downtown) area where the American consulate is located (the Embassy is in the Capital of Abu Dhabi). After a lengthy wait (appointment? ha ha ha), I met with a staff member who said they weren't allowed to stamp the document, that I would have to have it couriered back to the states and John Kerry would "stamp" it - no wonder we are losing the war on terror, our state Department is busy stamping marriage certificates and college degrees to keep the Arab world happy. I was presented with a possible alternative, if I would pay $50, they would stamp an affidavit that I could write saying that I got married and the attached document is true. So I wrote it, they stamped and sealed it in four different places and my companies PRO is working on getting it approved...fingers crossed, if it doesn't work, Rodz will have to leave the UAE for at least 21 days, flying back to the Philippines at my expense. I guess you will have a good update next time I sit down and write an update.

Rodz at Joe's Crab Shack, Dubai Mall Jan. 2016
 

           Rodz and I have continued our quest of trying to keep the new American concepts in business. Rodz had a big bucket of Queen crab legs, and didn't do too much damage to her bib...lol. We have found ourselves at Olive Garden frequently, where I enjoy the bottomless soup and salad bar for a Dubai sized price of $13.33. Rodz typically eats a meal and has salad, so I guess only one of us is dieting.
           Time to run, I promise to check in again soon...