Boston tragedy

I've been following the events for four hours and it is really, really time for me to go to bed.

A right-wing crazy friend of mine on FB posted this

Ah, and once again where the Muslim Community is given an opportunity to decry this cowardly act which took the lives of innocents and 8 year old girls, instead at best, crickets, and at worst, the shouts of praise from the bombers' fellow muslims.
But yeah, most Muslims are peaceful and hate this sort of thing right?  Right?

This is a guy who graduated from my HS with zero friends.  I was relentless from Jr. High on making fun of him because he's as despicable a human being as I have ever met.  I accepted his friend request on FB as a "Seriously?"  and I've enjoyed just seeing how crazy he could be.

I, of course, had to respond:

Speaking as a Christian raised not very far from you (and now living in the Muslim world) I have to say you are such an amazing piece of shit.

*******
This tragic event happened late at night in the middle east.  There is NO official reaction from anyone with any authority here.  I very much hope the person who did this was not Arab or Muslim.  I think the right-wing crazies (like the guy I quoted above) are just scared this is one of their own.

I'm rich! I'm rich!

Not really... but after not being able to log in to my bank back home for months I was finally able and surprise, surprise! I actually have more money there than I expected.  Like $2000 more.  It means I don't have to send money home this month like I thought.  Or next month.

I should be kicking myself for not doing much of anything during the two week spring break.  After all, I had more money than I thought.  I soo wish DC had worked out.  I wanted to see Gina and her family and take in the museums and monuments.

Instead of kicking myself I am content.  This opens more options.  I will probably still do summer school but if I decide not to I won't spend the summer broke like I did in the summer of 2010.  That summer I spent 3 months back in Iowa trying to live on a tight budget.  It was just not fun.  I'd rather work summer school, come home and have a great time for 3 weeks than to be pinching pennies and be home for 3 months.

With this new found cash in my bank I could possibly have a summer at home and not feel desperately broke.  I'll probably still do summer school because I just don't like that much time off... but it's nice to have options.

******
Bigger news:  I am officially free of all credit card debt.  I was broke in 2005 and I closed all credit card accounts that had not already been closed for me. (read: I couldn't keep up with payments) The one account I was never delinquent was Bank of America where I've been paying $60/month since.  I had no idea what my balance was but I assumed I would be paying $60/month until 2060.

Starting last fall Dad saw checks in the mail from B of A.  $240 one time... a few months later $180...

It turns out my account has been paid off and now every couple of months they are sending my money back to me.  Yippee!

This is the second time in my life I have paid off $6-10,000 in credit card debt and vowed to never have that debt again.  Let's hope the vow sticks this time.

North Korean restaurant

A long time ago I heard that there was a North Korean restaurant in Dubai.  As one who likes trying new things this was very tempting.

Finding it took some walking but the weather was spectacular - low 80's - in Dubai.  (Usually it is in the mid-90's by now.)  I wish I could show pictures of the place but they had signs about not taking pictures.  I did, however, take a few pictures of the food I ate.

The decor was relatively simple and very clean.  Some paintings on the walls and references to Korea.  Interestingly there was no picture of the dear leader.  There were no customers when we arrived at 2 but they quickly made us feel welcome.

The waitresses:  Four identical looking women wearing identical lime green perfectly pressed polyester uniforms.  It was like I stepped back to the 1950's and met airline stewardesses.  The cliche of they all look alike came to life as the third one asked where we were from and a friend said, "Didn't you just ask us that?" They did have one descriptive feature:  Different colored platform neon shoes.

We took a pass on the steamed intestines with rice and squid.

We ordered kimchi, what they called bbq beef (marinated flank steak is my guess), a basic salad, needle mushroom salad and a beef with rice dish.  I knew I wouldn't like the kimchi - way too spicy - but my Arab friends liked it.  I loved the rest.

What you are seeing:  The marinated steak was cooked at our table.  The waitress/chef cut them into small pieces.  She suggested making a wrap using the needle mushroom salad.  It was great!

While I was eating the beef dish I found a long black hair.  The manager saw it and immediately came over and apologized.  Then each of the waitresses apologized.  I know that really grosses a lot of people out but it didn't really bother me.  

As an apology they brought us a desert:

A simple vanilla ice cream with fresh strawberries minced on top.

Dubai Marina

After the North Korean restaurant we went for a walk at the Dubai Marina.  The weather was fantastic and the Marina is always a nice look into the world of how the rich live.

 Youssef is my Moroccan friend with whom I hope to visit Morocco someday.

 Abdul Hakim with Youssef.  

After the great lunch my friends pretty much switched to speaking in Arabic and I felt like a third wheel.  I probably should have spoken up - as I have before... but since it's a point I've made before I decided to stew about it and let it pretty much ruin my day.

I need to find more constructive ways to communicate.

A wet spring in Iowa?

Tonight we are having our first thunderstorm in a year in Al Ain.  I'm happy and feeling homesick because a thunderstorm here is pretty much nothing compared to a real thunderstorm.

After last year's drought across the midwest this is good news:

According to this model it is likely have above normal rain  back home for April - June.  I so hope they have this right.  Iowa in a drought is depressing.  I was happy I was living in the desert last summer.  

World's reserve currency

Before my failed trip to the US I went to exchange dirhams for dollars.  Here is some of the money I received:

So geek, what is special about this?  First, notice that the serial numbers are in order.  I took out $2000 and it was all in order.  That means it was the first time this money has ever been used.  Money printed in the US, distributed by our Fed is used for the first time at a money exchange place in Al Ain, UAE.  How many millions of $100 bills are printed each year and distributed to the central banks around the world?  I don't have an answer but it amazes me that every time I exchange money here I get crisp, never used-before money.

Also, check out the date.  This money was printed in 2006.  It's not only crisp and never used before but it is also 7 years old!  Ben, where have they kept you all these years?

*****
My geekyness started young.  I loved the feel and smell of a brand new crisp bills from the bank.  I still do but I don't spend much time sniffing my money.  Mohamed was with me while I was packing and commented, "Your money smell funny."  He's got a point:  Of the dozen or so other currencies I have touched I don't think any of them have a distinctive smell like the greenback.

Time to unpack?

It's been three days since the trip to DC was canceled.  I cannot bring myself to unpack.

The gifts of camels, the Dubai bag, etc., can be sent later.  The chocolate dates will probably find another home.  The German chocolate next to it was Miriam's idea.  She advised me to take lots of chocolate to her grandkids.  It's no wonder they love her!

Bust.

In five years I have come back to the US seven times.  Twice I have used the American Airlines website to book the ticket.  No problems.

Last week I saw an incredibly cheap fare for DC - a new Etihad direct flight.  Less than $600 to fly to DC???  Too good to be true.  The ticket price on Etihad was 4700 dirhams ($1280) but the price on American's website was only 2100 dirhams ($560).   For reasons I don't know, American often sells Etihad tickets cheaper than Etihad sells them... but never less than half price.

When I first tried to book it I screwed up my security code on the back.  (The numbers had worn off so I read them wrong.)  The card was rejected.  I called the bank and they said it would take a few hours to clear up and try again.

Later I tried and everything seemed fine.  The card was processed, I received a confirmation and even a seat assignment.

What I didn't get worried me:  I always get a text for purchases over $100.  No text came.  

If I didn't have the text feature I would have shown up at the airport complete unaware there was any problem.  

Last night Etihad told me, "We see your reservation with American but they have not issued the ticket.  We can't issue you the ticket."  I called American and was told there was odd problem but it could be cleared up.  "No problem" I was assured.

I finished packing.

Late last night I still didn't get the text saying the charge was on the card so I called American again.  After trying and trying I was told they couldn't process it but I should just show up at the airport and pay for the ticket there.  I was told again, "No problem."

Mohamed drove me the 90 minute drive to the airport.  We got in line at the ticket counter only to be told Etihad has no ability to process an American Airline ticket. (Not surprising.)  As we were taking my suitcases back to the car I reached American by phone.  The woman was so supportive I told Mohamed, "Let's start walking back - she thinks she can make this work."

Nope.  

Mohamed and I ate breakfast and headed back to Al Ain.  Basically, today was a 3 hour trip to an airport McDonalds.

DC or bust!

For reasons I cannot explain, American Airlines is not able to process my credit card.  They say it will not be a problem and I will be able to pay when I check in.  I booked with American because the fare was less than half the price of booking directly with Etihad.  I will be flying only on Etihad - it's a direct flight from Abu Dhabi to Washington.

You can track the flight here:

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/ETD131/history/20130401/0704Z/OMAA/KIAD

I hope I am on it!