Edvard Munch's birthday

For those of you who didn't know (just as I didn't know)
today is Edvard Munch's 143rd birthday.

A great misfit of his times. I think he saw human being same as lost in the world as I do.
The difference may be I still believe we can overcome.

And His painitng I have used to create the Dubaimisfits visual - The Scream - is 113 years old.


If you want to learn more, check this out at Wiki.

Airport Tunnel Terror

As I surf away, typing "Dubai" with different suffixes in different places, just came across this on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsxrbK6Rz70

All those bloody sickos sleeping behind their wheels should be shut down forever... terrible.

Oh, and just a little update - just signed up for a driving license at the EDI.

Watch out here I come...

Dubabylon Episode X

Now picture this:
First thing I did wrong: on my way out I told my secretary that I'm out.She said the Bank will certainly courier the welcome pack over, as we work for the big Emirates company.So I thought

"OK, better get some job done since she says I can". So I got to work.Then I called the Bank. Bullshit. They wouldn't. The absolutely require to see my face to make sure nobody else gets their precious ATM card to a bank account that is empty and inactive.By the time I'd called them, another meeting came up so I couldn't leave the office.

Aha, thought to myself - this time I will be smarter - I'll call the cab well in advance (over an hour) so it will be waiting for me right outside the door when I've rushed out of the meeting.Guess what - during the meeting I get three phonecalls from somebody who goes something like this "Aaaaa ser where yu ar? Aaaa mat da tedminal tu""I'm at the Dnata Center", i reply, "the Airline Center, Deira, by the clocktower", "Aaaaa [inaudible] de glocqtower weh", "Excuse me, I called so that you would come at 12.30 to the Airline Center, by the clocktower", "Aaaa de glocqtower too much trapick [ inaudible] passendgier [inaudible etc.]"I lost it then. Fucker calls me three times during the meeting, instead of just calling the company and getting them to order another taxi. What's wrong?

OK - I'm getting downstairs, having thretened the driver I will call his company if he's not downstairs at the time I had requested. Obviosly, he wasn't.Out of luck (luck?!) I caught a taxi that just came around and dropped someone off.Unfortunately, this driver was just as lost as the other one, poor bastard couldn't find his way out of a paper bag. Shaking his head like a horse bitten by a mosquito and excusing himself "No ser I dunno" to any question I'd asked.

OK, I think to myself again - still I have a solution: call 181 and get the customer service at the Emirates Bank to explain me the way to the branch.Now that's efficient - before I hung up the SMS comes with the number. Dial.

"Emirates Bank how may I help you?"Off course she can help me. For the whole day I've been listening to idiots giving me all the wrong advices and directions. So help me, tell me the way to the Regency Galleria Emirates Bank Branch, and I pass her to the driver. Everything seems right. Eventually.It's time to call the taxi company and vent my hatred towards the previous driver.Traffic. Can anyone explain to me what are all these fuckers doing all day long driving around and blocking every possible street? What's wrong?

But OK - the clock is ticking, we're nearly there, there's half a chance that I will actually make it.I especially turned my watch about 5 minutes in advance in order to stop being late.Obviously, the bastards at the branch did exactly the same.As I arrived, three minutes of 1, I've found the security officer put the chain on the door.

OK, I think to myself - no way, man, you're letting me in. Fortunately enough my formal looks, European accent and visible frustration got me inside the bank."Somebody help me, I'm here to collect my welcome pack.""From hwere you have to collect it?""The Regency galleria branch""But it's not even here, ser, it's waaaay away, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel"
Now is this some kinda grim fucking joke?

Just as a bit of a background, one day, as I passed the Hyatt Regency and saw "Galleria" written on the top, I'd asked the driver if there was an Emirates Bank branch there. He said……. "No".

On my way out, I called the Bank again.
No, not anymore to complain.
Because, the fuck, what would I hear?
"Oh yes, we're sorry, we're sorry ser"
Then, what would ever the result be?
I never know, wouldn't be there to see
Only to vent my utter frustration
Just cause I'm getting really impatient
because, what's ever the point of the struggle?
just had enough
fucking had enough...

Now watch... every event shall be described

This Friday

OK so this is the first attempt to doing something constructive after we recover from tomorrow's Irish Village incident (meeting my long-gone Polish friend) and before we all get slushed on a Friday night.
Jumeira Beach Park. 14.00 hrs. Let's do it.
I will be there, throwing a frisbee and banging a drum.
If you'd like to join for a peaceful sporty afternoon, you're welcome.
Dubaimisfit.

Machinery People

Re: Famous before I know it

I've managed to get a copy of the Society before it was gone.
I remember just getting crazy on the dancefloor, as the free H's started to circulate faster in my blood, and the next thing I saw was the guy taking my photo.
But have to admit that was pretty crazy - and got even more so when I started MCing from the middle of the dancefloor and animating the crowd to start shouting "he's the one" when Ali Ajami ended his set.
Hope it went well at Groove Armada. I wouldn't care. I still miss some good Drum & Bass.
Another thing missing in Dubai.

Phones in Dubai

Just browsed through my telephone.
Funny like we rarely ever look through some of the options. Like I never use SMS templates provided by N70.
Today while cleaning my box I just flicked through them, and the first template goes: "I am late. I will be there at".
So true...

Starting to make sense

The events of this weekend have left me sore, hungover and heavily exhausted.
Thursday night that ended up being Friday sunrise, some sleep and three hours of frisbee in Umm Suqueim park followed by a bunch of drinks at the Gardens, followed by some more at Apres, followed by some more in Peppermint.
I thought Timo Maas would show at least enough arogance to play some of his tunes - the only thing I recognised was the "Pictures" remix. Okay, the Depeche Mode was OK too, and as far as my taste goes the Chemical Brothers "Hey girl, hey boy" was the night's tune.
But why am I saying this? To say that's not really the point.
I know I'm being chaotic, but the idea I've been having is still evolving.

I mean, it started as a way to vent my frustrations with this city. Then I decided not to let it bring me down and make a move, be it on my own, not caring if I was to remain alone for the rest of time being here.
Beach turned out to be a good place to start. In no time I met some of the nicest people. And just think it was enough to take a frisbee.

So now I can't complain anymore as I wasn't bored for a single second this weekend.

But now I keep having the thought here must be more you cen get from life here than getting tanned on the beach and caned at the club.
I wanted to bring something more.
So I wanted to start a kind of activity of my own that people who feel similar could participate in.

Just imagine meeting on the beach with a bunch of instruments and throwing a party of your own.

Or meeting up one day to take the Big bus tour around town.

Or a night ride an a bus (have you ever done that? for AED 3 you get a tour from Marina to Bur Dubai).

Or... you name it. It's up to us.

Life's up to us. Watch this space.

Famous before I know it

Well, guess life ain't all that bad after all. I just learned I got my photo in the Society Dubai mag.
Just look at the Thirst review, and I'm the smiling guy with the pose.
Kind of flattering must admit, even if it wasn't exactly what I was there for.
Yet I think (and try hard to believe what I'm saying to myself), the key thing is to just do what you do (and I was there definitely for the sole purpose of dancing my ass off) and not think about results...
Yes, it does strike me how simple truths just repeat themselves in life.
But over the last year I must admit I learned that the key is not to reat these simplest naive truths as proverbs, but actually experiencing them in one's own life.
Easy to say, yet so hard to do...

The choice

It's just my luck - I always get myself into challenging situations which make me ask myself stupid questions, like "What am I doing here? Was it a good idea to come here at all? What is wrong with this place?".
But then the idea came to my mind... instead of running, why not try and change some things?
If the way this place works doesn't work with me, damn, am I alone?
No - I'm sure there are more people like myself.
Instead of sitting here complaining I decided to do something about it.
You know - friends don't come knocking on your door. Gotta find a way to knock on theirs.

So, the next step for me is to get an option to improve this image, get some t's and get seen.

The idea

One evening, while sitting in my room, lonely as most of the time, I couldn't help but remember Edvard Munch's painting which I think reflects many people's feeling about Dubai.
Especially if you're young, expatriate and came to this city all alone.
Especially if you're honest to yourself and raised somewhere where people actually go beyond small talks and casual interactions... this is the way I felt, for sure...