how did you spend your weekend?

Things that happened this weekend:

1. I attended a meeting Thursday night and had fun with the UPAA UAE BOD members. We discussed the BIG VISIT for the Nth time and after so many exhanges of insights it started to be a bit of a laugh.

2. On Friday a few UPAA UAE members met in Karama at 7 AM to go the the Abu Dhabi Family Fun Day. We arrived there and failed to register, so we ended up having lunch in Marina Mall. Fast food. All the way to Abu Dhabi for some Popeye's chicken. But it was fun. Abu Dhabi is quieter and less polluted (lotsa trees). The sandstorm didn't stop us from going to the house of the Dy-Liaccos for coffee and karaoke.

3. After Abu Dhabi, Enna and Tito Dan gave me a ride to Sharjah. Big help, I swear. Guillaume waited for me at the Millenium Hotel and we went to his flat. Whisky. Malibu vodka. Cigarettes. TV with 3 or 4 channels, all Arabic. Laughing. Talking. I swear Guillaume must have been a little drunk when he asked me to dance ballet. I didn't, don't worry.

4. My favorite part about staying with Guillaume is the mornings. We wake up, buy breakfast downstairs and hang around their flat for a few hours doing absolutely nothing. Listening to music. Getting ready to leave. Lounging around like retired businessmen and talking about Dubai.

5. I had them drop me off at the Crowne Plaza. I needed to workout. I really did. I attended the tae bo class and walked home feeling better than ever.

6. I met Sherry and Xernes in Mercato and we watched Trust the Man. It was a feel good movie. I didn't say it was good, but it made us laugh a little. We walked all the way to the Palm Strip to have dinner at Japengo. I had three huge beef sausages and mashed potato. Eve followed and we had coffee at Starbucks, just next to Japengo. We talked about Xernes and his woes, Sherry and her woes, Eve and her woes. Different kinds of dilemmas. I'm glad I succeeded in forcing Eve out of her house.

Now I am home and as I write my sheesh kebab is in the oven. I will eat it for lucnh tomorrow. I'll wrap it up and put it in my lunch box, the funkiest lunch box in town. I will call Guillaume to say good night, read a book by James Frey --- it's proving to be very interesting --- and doze off. Peacefully I hope, without interruption.

Yes, I think that's a nice way to end the weekend.