The Marriage Problem

To start with, I debated with posting this topic for quite a while. This blog is supposed to be a reflection of my life and my writing journey, but more and more I'm posting about topics that are important to me-topics that aren't always writing.

Hence today's entry.

Still the debate about today's entry was more about if I wanted to get into something this personal and really share my opinion on a new law in Kuwait. It's a bit of a controversial topic, and I like my blog to reflect more happy, shiny things.

But it's hard to reflect on happy, shiny things when you have something weighing down on your shoulders. And all writers know that sometimes we just have to get it out.

So here it goes.

The Kuwait government could refuse to recognize my marriage.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Tomorrow it begins!

My favourite time of the year is finally here.  It's time for soccer!

I've been coaching soccer in Kuwait for the past five years. It takes over my life, but only because I love it so much.  I love teaching my kids all the things that all of my soccer coaches have taught me over the 15 years that I played (unfortunately, I haven't been able to join soccer in Kuwait and had to retire when I moved here six years ago).

It's an amazing feeling.  And I think I'm pretty good at it.  I've been lucky with the girls I've coached since I've been here.  They've all been amazing (even the ones I have to kick out of practice every once in a while).  I haven't been able to forget a single one.

I've had other coaches ask me why my girls work so hard for me.  Honestly, I have no idea.  I really don't.  I have high expectations and push them hard.  I make them run, I make them do push ups, I make them pass the ball until their feet fall off.  But they come back.

And I love them for it.

This is my favourite time of the year.  It's also the most stressful. It's not easy being a coach and feeling the pressure.  Each year it feels like there's a little bit more--part of it I put on myself, the rest comes from others.

But my girls are amazing. They are worth the stress and the early mornings and late nights and the weekends I give up.  So my writing might suffer for the next few weeks, my grading might not get done as fast.  But I don't care.  It's worth making sacrifices for my girls.

So that's my ramble about how excited I am for tryouts tomorrow (who knows who I'll get!)  Are any of you coaches?

Some Like It Hot

Source

...but I don't think anyone likes it this hot.


In honour of the last day of school, summer vacation, and the dust storm making it less hot than usual (it's a mild 34C out today!), I thought I'd ignore writing for today's blog and give you some helpful hints on how to know it's too hot in the Middle East.



So here are some helpful clues that let you know it's too hot in the Middle East (aka it really would be a better idea to stay inside today):

• The sun is out.
• Your seat belt tries to burn you. (watch out for that metal part!)
• There's a traffic jam because so many cars have to pull over to let their cars cool down.
• The man in the dishdasha looks at you, shakes his head, and says "it's too hot!"
• You step out of the car and your flip flops become slip slops.
• Your outdoor swimming pool is more like a hot tub.
• You cancel going out for dinner because walking to the car will make you too sweaty.

These are just some of the things that have kept me inside over the last two weeks.  Normal temperatures are at about 50C these days.  But the good news is, I'm heading back to Canada on Sunday!  I can't wait to be able to spend some time outside. 

So tell me, what clues let you know it's hot where you live?