I’ve been spreading the love, showing off all the things I treasure here.  Since the wind alarm, that seems to be only near my complex, woke me up most of the night, I’m in the mood to share some of the things I could do without.

1. That siren!  Although today its warning was real.  My drive in was scary.  It was all awesome and oh-wow-it’s-gonna rain at first, but then I hit a sandstorm streaking across Truck Road, which —- get this —- is where trucks drive (imagine that!).   Apparently, at one point we drive over a drainage ditch because a wave of sand hit it, crashed up over the wall, and curled over my car.  Had it been water my car would’ve flooded.  The most excitement I’ve had on my drive in, ever (well except for the first time I saw a camel caravan use the cross walk).  But back to that siren —- it goes off every few minutes on windy days.  Leche?!
2. It’s not a good idea to park in the right lane, so you can run into wherever, nor is it a good idea to take a right hand turn from the left lane — especially when there are cars in both lanes you need to cut across. On the bright side, I no longer flinch when this happens.
3. Please don’t honk at me as soon as the light turns green.   My foot was on the gas, but you just scared it back onto the brake —- and now I think I’ll wait awhile.
4. I live near Dewan not Tawam roundabout.  If I got paid a dirham for every time a delivery person called me from near Tawam —- where Miss?  A. I realise my delivery dilemma is a sign of just how spoiled I am (because I can have just about anything brought to me), and B. I miss having an address.  Although C. I’m amazed at how well we manage without it.
5. Starbucks oh Starbucks why don’t you deliver?!!!  It’s such a pain getting in my car and driving to even the one with a drive through (which is just a few minutes from my place).  Yeah, I’ve officially gotten too lazy to brew my own.
6. The definition of consistency has somehow gotten lost in translation.  To my future employers: know that when I say I’m flexible and adaptable, I’m a flipping chameleon who can do yoga tricks with my appendages tied.
7. My appendages, however, are in great shape because I use them a lot when I attempt communication.
8. Arabic or Indian pickles —- just don’t like them.  I’ve tried.
9. The heat, which isn’t a problem now, but will be in too short of a time, and the heat brain that goes with it.   We get a little zombified.
10. Attempting to teach when it’s raining outside.  The girls are all excited, and quite frankly so am I.  All we want to do is enjoy this extremely rare phenomenon.

That said, I will probably miss all of the above as well —- except for the wind alarm (God help me if I ever move to tornado country because I’ll just end up ignoring the siren).  Good news is I’m not leaving anytime soon, so I can whinge about it some more.  Even better news:  Tomorrow after school, I’m off to Bahrain for the weekend.  whoop!  whoop!