( I have a gray hair. It's long, and there's freaking out about it for three paragraphs. tl:dr )

"If you're a Muslim, why not be religious?" | The New York Times

A fascinating discussion of a complex issue, for which the participants suggested an overly simplistic solution.

The UAE is not a traditional Muslim country, even though officially 96 percent of its population practices Islam. Women drive, go shopping alone, many do not wear veils ( Read more... )

Slate's review of Noise is the first I've heard of the new Tim Robbins flick about a Manhattanite who becomes obsessed with ridding the city of car alarms and faulty doorbells through vigilanteism with a baseball bat. I can sympathize on an abstract level - being able to sleep through the boys playing Rock Band four feet from the foot of my bed ( Read more... )

With a bonafide coffee addict and a Starbucks dilletante comprising our household, you'd think we would have sprung for an espresso machine a lot sooner than now (and especially not just as it's getting brain-bakingly hot outside).

But tonight, after much research of the four or so models we had to choose from here, Brandon came home with a Krups ( Read more... )

Coveting Thy Neighbor's Condo | The New York Times

I found this article fascinating. Maybe it's because of having spent the past three months in turns ogling the gorgeous, airy apartments that the first wave of employees to Abu Dhabi got, and staring longingly at their candle holders, wishing for any space of my own to have such a definitive home- ( Read more... )

We're moving out of the hotel tomorrow, after three months and almost three weeks FINALLY going to live a life that isn't confined to suitcases ( Read more... )

I'm about to go sleep the sleep of one who stayed up for the day's first call to prayer, but there was no way we were leaving the makeshift printing hangar without getting a copy of the very first edition of The National.


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(Don't) correct me if I'm wrong | SpectatrixI found an introvert's blog through a link from a link of a link, like you do when idly perusing the Intertubes, and this entry resonated with me particularly. I've always known I am an introvert, but had no idea that my panic mode at being criticized, coached or corrected had anything to do with it. When ( Read more... )

Another colleague will be joining us next week, and boss Rob asked around the desk what advice us oldtimers have to offer, things we wish we'd taken care of or brought with us, etc. I made a short list. Please note that Abu Dhabi is a much more liberal and commercially open enclave (think Epcot's World Showcase) than most of the Middle East (or ( Read more... )

UGH. Abu Dhabi reached 100 degrees on April 1, but today felt like a reprise with bonus humidity. Let me tell you how much fun it was to walk from my arctic hotel room, where I keep moisturizer in three strategic places, into the AQUARIUM of the outdoors. Now, I came here from Florida so neither concept is new, but I swear it was like being ( Read more... )