photo: at the fairground

This winter we've made a concerted effort to get out of our comfort zones and explore Dubai and its surrounding areas, before it gets too hot. Now going to a new shopping area doesn't really seem like a worthy exploration, but in Dubai the shops and restaurant areas are created quite wonderfully and have lots of other interesting things to do as well. I'm not into shopping much or window shopping either, but it was nice to explore The Walk in Jumeirah Beach Residences, mostly for its architecture and great angles.

what to blog about?

I can't seem to stop writing about the oddest things, such as the best diet supplements or where to buy dog food or how to create rubber stamps and so on. They're not exactly what I had in mind for this blog, but sometimes its required and so here I am writing about such things. Well, if nothing else it is variety for the blog at least. Let's hope my topic list of blogging improves!

the focus....

The focus of this blog has become quite wide lately. It was meant to be about technology, communication, the web and so on, but somehow it has spread to travel, reading, my life and so on. None of the actual topics are my field, but they are an interest, since I like to be well informed and like to write about them, but maybe it was just all too different from what I usually do to keep it up. The problem of being the "second blog" also arises here, as my first priority is always the other one, and so the quality has deteriorated. I've got to rethink it all and see what I want this blog to me. I'm leaning towards writing more about consumerism, but will take some time to dwell on it.

looking for sales jobs?

Since I write quite a bit on retail on another blog, I get a lot of inquiries about finding sales jobs. While I don't run any kind of business myself on this front, I am really getting inundated with inquiries for jobs, franchising offers and supplier queries. A lot of people are not getting the point of blogging or differentiating it from news sites or company websites. Clarifying the matter hasn't made any difference at all and the queries still continue. Oh well!

stamping

Since I just wrote a post about stamping and ordering stamps online, I thought I would post a shot of the one that I got made several years back. It's made from a sketch that I doodle all the time, just reduced on the photocopy machine to the size that I wanted the stamp in. In retrospect, I realize that I reduced it too much, as the lines all blur together.

stamping online

I love putting aside a bit of time each weekend for being creative. A couple of weekends back I did a bit of stamping, which ended up quite fun. I've always loved stamps, as it is so easy to make so many different things from them. I had carved out a little simple stamp from an eraser a few months back, but had never got around to using it, so it was nice to test it out as well. If you're keen on stamping, it is a good idea to get a custom rubber stamp made to your specification. They are relatively simple to order online and the quality is quite good. I got one made of a paisley pattern that I keep doodling and it came out nice, but next time I know how to make it even better.

photo memory space

As a freelance writer, I really rely on my laptop, for work, for communicating, for surfing and for keeping in touch. So, when things go wrong as they did at the end of last year, I was in quite a fix. I had to make sure I didn't lose any of my work and that my tech problems did not affect my client at all. I did end up losing some of my photos but getting a compact flash memory card really did help a lot and I'm really glad my tech savvy friend told me about them. Live and learn, I guess!

In Central Perk

We all love Friends don't we? I do to, and have been watching it right from when it started. Thursday nights were sacred, to be spent with friends in front of the TV, watching Friends and then ER. When I read about the real Central Perk cafes in Dubai, I knew I had to visit....for nostalgia's sake. Well, we finally did and it was nice. Here's a photo from our visit of the Central Perk in Uptown Mirdiff in Dubai.

It's all in the eyes!

So, this is something that every girl could probably use, at some time or the other. Having a good eye cream can be quite a lifesaver when you're not sleeping well or are unwell, but need to look professional and with-it. I'm not much of an experimenter when it comes to make-up, lotion and potions, I just like to find a good one, usually one that is recommended, buy it, use it and forget all about the fine details! Including the fine lines under the eyes :-)

Award yourself

OK, admit it, aren't there some days when you want to give yourself an award or one of those grand trophies, a day when you really need to feel on top of the world? Well, if you really want to you actually can, you can even get yourself a set of softball trophies if you'd like for the company sponsored game or just for yourself. The only cup that I've ever won was for a marathon when I was in school and I'm incredibly proud of it. It makes an ordinary race seem like a great achievement and that's quite something.

Some quotes on technology

Technology: No Place for Wimps!
-Scott Adams, "Dilbert"

As industrial technology advances and enlarges, and in the process assumes greater social, economic, and political force, it carries people away from where they belong by history, culture, deeds, association and affection.
-Wendell Berry

Engrave this Quote We've been slaves to our tools since the first caveman made the first knife to help him get his supper. After that there was no going back, and we built till our machines were ten million times more powerful than ourselves.
We gave ourselves cars when we might have learned to run; we made airplanes when we might have grown wings; and then the inevitable. We made a machine our God.
-John Brunner, Judas [1967]