Have you ever been blocked in a carpark....?

My friend and I had just spent a good couple hours in Seef...a little shopping...a trip to the cinema...and we came out into the carpark only to discover our car was blocked in by some idiot who wasnt thinking much beyond his need for whatever took him into Seef in the first place.

Initially we were pretty ticked off cause we were done and wanted to go and inconsiderate people sure have a way of popping up just when you least want to deal with them(always the case)...so we let ourselves fume for a good 5 minutes...I imagine his ears were ringing from the color blue in the air around us....but then, as I was leaning against the car...thinking evil thoughts about Mr My Time is More Important then Mere Mortals...I realized the sun was shining...insects were buzzing...the weather was pretty good...so it all added up to a fairly peaceful 25 minutes that we might have missed if we had just got in the car and went on our way.

By the time he arrived...not looking the least bit apologetic I might add...we had calmed down and were just passing the time enjoying ourselves and chatting about life etc...so he didnt get his ass kicked like he deserved...which is maybe why he wasnt in a hurry to apologize...and we had slowed down and let ourselves "see" the day for what it was...a pretty fine one for sure.

So thank you Mr Im Not Sorry For My Inconsideration...your action resulted in us being stuck for 25 minutes...25 minutes that we actually enjoyed...but before you get to self satified...dont be surprised when you receive a parking ticket in the mail...yeah..we called them! Maybe you got that ass kicking after all...lol.

Bahrain Needs Missle Defense?

Bahrain-US hold talks on air defence system was a top story in the GDN today...it left me scratching my head...for several reasons.

"Our defence co-operation with the US goes back over 60 years. It has consistently proved its value in maintaining peace and security in the Gulf and we believe that the region will continue to need such co-operation now and in the future," His Majesty said.... would this be the peace and security currently maintained in Bahrain...in which rioters are weekly headline makers and pedophiles and rapists are on the rise...not to mention bodily assaults on just about everyone these days...whose peace and security is he talking about? Bahrain is still considered part of the gulf right?

"Today, we discussed our readiness to confront any possible threat to the stability and security of the Arabian Gulf and, in this respect, we will increase our joint exercises to adapt to the new defence systems? does the Arabian Gulf include Iraq...does this little war going on in Iraq not fall under the "possible threat to the stability and security of the Arabian Gulf"? it must since Arabs in Bahrain are demonstrating all the time about it and the headlines are always going on about it as doing just that.

"Our talks on defence co-operation is consistent with Bahrain's status as a major non-Nato ally of the US. ...which means what exactly...a "major non-Nato ally of the US translates into...we are your servants...ask of us anything oh mighty American Masters.

"We appreciate the support of President George W Bush in all fields, including his support during the current visit to Washington." ....puhleeeeze!!

The first paragraph of the article will be the last mentioned.....

MANAMA: Bahrain is hoping to set up an air defence system in co-operation with the US and acquire the Patriot system to counter missile threats. This was revealed by His Majesty King Hamad after a visit to the Pentagon last night, where he held talks with Defence Secretary Robert Gates and senior officials.....just how many missle threats has Bahrain received recently that the cost of such an extravagance would be warranted? Not to mention...Bahrain is in the middle of an economic crisis for its citizens...if you have the money to spend on war toys for a country that is not in a war and most likely will not be anytime soon...why cant you find the money to help your citizens survive this crisis?....oh yeah I forgot...BD50 is on the way...my bad.

Why is it so many Arab countries are so quick to snap up all these war gadgets...when most of them have a lot of problems at home that will not be solved nor helped by spending small fortunes on needless killing machines?

I have a suggestion for those with deep pockets and not so deep thinking skills...if you got some spare change left over after buying your war toys...how about buy a clue?

How accurate is the government in determining the needy?

Lately there has been the news that the govt will be giving needy families BD50 a month to help with the rising cost of living. I seen the list of names recently in the arabic press...and here is my question. Just how does the government determine who is needy and deserves that BD50?

I ask this question for purely personal reasons actually....and the reason I ask is because while going down the list of names I came across my ex husbands name. Now, from what I understand this money is meant for families that are in need. Considering my ex no longer has his family with him...and is only giving his 5 children the court ordered BD150 a month and claims he cant afford more than that...which I also know is not true...I wonder exactly what he had to do to apply for the BD50 under the label of family man? Obviously he misrepresented himself and his position in his childrens lives...in which case he broke the law...right? I also know that he has his name down for a government house...also meant for families and he didnt bother to inform them that he is in fact divorced now and does not have his family with him...and yet he still is on the list. I know this cause I got some paperwork in the mail the other day...some of his mail still comes to my house.

So lets break this down a little shall we....and so who is the needy one here.

His salary is roughly BD470 the last time I checked...it might have gone up...but we will consider it the same. He gives me BD150 each month for the children. So now he's got BD 320. He lives with his new wife in her house...so he does not pay for rent or anything...all though he might contribute towards it. He uses a company car so does not pay a car loan. Its just him and the wife so I dont imagine his food bill is all that high either. This of course is not counting whatever monies she makes as well.

Now lets see my situation. I make BD300 plus his BD150...so I have BD450 to work with each month. I pay the rent BD100....pay the electric BD30 or so...the phone BD25....the car loan BD110(I might mention that I had a car before the divorce...he took it with him which forced me to get another one)...and a monthly food bill for 6 people...3 of which are boys that seem to have a bottomless pit when it comes to eating. So all of that is roughly BD400...give or take...this is not taking into account the day to day things...like gas for the car...medical for the family...clothes etc that the children might need....so basically my money is gone within a few days of receiving it. All of this without splurging...shopping for fun...and doing without some much needed things. Yet...he is the one getting the bd50 extra to tackle the high cost of living.

Something doesnt add up. What did he show them to prove he needs the money cause I can show them those same things and more? Does the government investigate these "needy" families or just sign them up cause they say they are needy? And when my ex gets his government house...are my children entitled to it considering their names are listed on his application form...all though he seems to have forgotten they exist since then?

I realize everything in Bahrain is done by wasta and that by and large non Bahrainis cant really partake of that particular bartering tool...but my children are considered Bahrainis...so do they fall under the umbrella of help....everyone I have brought this subject up with has basically two differing opinions.

1. You cant do anything about it cause you arent a Bahraini...and your children arent old enough to speak for you....so what can you do but complain?

2. You need to complain to the right authorities and get your rights from him.

Ok, the first sucks cause whether or not Im Bahraini or not shouldnt matter when it comes to getting my children what they are entitled too...whether they are old enough to go get it themselves or not.

And number two sucks cause Ive been to the courts...did the whole legal crap dance...and both judges didnt want to know...they couldnt be bothered with my petition for my childrens rights...so then what? Who are the right authorities to complain to?

I prefer choice number 3...hire a bunch of cowboys to go and kick the ever living shit out of him...and then let him enjoy his BD50...while I enjoy the memory of that vey enjoyable moment.

The laws in Bahrain are archaic when it comes to women and children...these government handouts are shit when they dont reach the ones who deserve it the most....and this whole wasta thing bites the big one...unless your someone that has some...does anyone on here know someone that knows someone that can help me....when my underage Bahraini children are old enough...Im sure they will thank you for it.

Pedophiles are our friends!

Yet once again a headline in the GDN proclaims that one more pedophile is free to re-offend. I cant for the life of me understand the mentality of these judges that are letting these monsters go free! What are they thinking...that he's a good guy in general and most likely wasnt thinking straight when he attacked and molested or raped a small child? Or how about the father that forgave his sons attacker and so the sentence was reduced...how is it the father has authority to do this...the guy didnt crash his car or steal from him so that the father can be lenient and drop the charges etc...this man molested his son...HIS SON for Gods sake...and he forgives him and let him go free? WTF! This means one of two things in my book...either the father doesnt give a rats ass about his son...or the father himself has sympathy and maybe some sort of perverse understanding and affinity for the pedophile...and so forgave him and set him free...which boggles the mind...because it also says that the judge who agreed to the whole thing also has some kind of sympathy and affinity for the monster that molests little children...how else would he agree to such an unbelievable agreement?

Monsters are roaming the streets of Bahrain and when they get caught, convicted and put in jail...they are not treated like monsters but like common criminals that dont deserve the harshest punishment there is.

Bahraini's, you are out there every weekend protesting some thing or another...housing, jobs, Israel, America...cartoons, and hijab and whatever other fucked up nonsense you feel is worth your Friday afternoon to protest and yet the continued predation of your children does not stir you enough to devote even one single protest towards the so called Sharia Court system in your county that is allowing these monsters to walk free? Cartoons can drive you to anger and protest but raping of your children does not? Do they mean so little to you...are you assuming they will grow up and forget all about it...or are you just worried about the scandal that will result from your family name being linked with pedophilia or rape...if this is the case...then dont protest...dont concern yourself...your children will thank you when they grow up and raise their own children the same way....the "We love you son/daughter...but if you get set upon by a monster...dont come crying to us...we cant be bothered" way...I want to weep...

Memo: All employees that miss work must bring a medical certificate to

By nature Im at my best in the early morning...I like to get out of bed and take the day head on...rarely do I just lay in bed for nothing...there has to be a reason to keep me there...like two broken legs...or even worse....the horrid stomach flu.

This past week I was stuck in bed for two days because I had the infrequent visit from said stomach flu...it laid me low and had me promising only wholesome foods and swearing off takeaways for the rest of my life...if only the nausea would stop...ugh.

I dont think too much about it when Im sick. I generally get through it without too much complaint...I know that basically two things will happen...either I will get better and be done with it...or I will get worse and take it from there. Generally I get better....life goes on. Im not one to imagine the worst with every little bump or upset stomach when self diagnosing myself. I will rarely go to the doctor unless blood is seen or bones are protruding...I hate doctors...I hate hosp. Unfortunately, because I am an employee now...I am forced to go to the doctor for any illness that makes me feel I just cant get into work that day so that my employer can have medical verification that, yes, I was sick enough that filing and typing were quite beyond me for the day....or two. Even with medical permission from the doc I still feel as if Im playing hookey from work...by afternoon when I was sitting up and watching Wheel of Fortune on tv I was thinking to myself...well hell, I should have gone in...Im good. I wasted a sick day for this?...only to find myself saluting Mr Commode once again and wishing I would pass out just to get some sleep.

But generally I get through it and as I said...life goes on...I return to work and play catch up. There is really only one thing that can upset my morning routine at work...only that one thing that can take the bounce from my step...the smile from my face....the phone call that shatters my feel good bubble and gets my usually calm heart beat galloping away out of control...."hello, is this ........ mother? Please come to the school as your child is sick". Or worse than those words are these...."hello Mom, I took ...... to the doc cause he was complaining from stomach pain and they are now taking him to Sulmania thinking it might be his appendix!"......"Mom?.....Mom? did you hear me Mom?" ....yes of course I heard but upon hearing the words "appendix" I am instantly transported to my sons bedside that morning when he lay there complaining of stomach pains...and I assured him that he probably caught my stomach flu...not to worry cause it would pass and his sister was with him if he needed anything and anyhow, I couldnt stay home cause I had just missed two days of work.....and I left my son and went to work thinking he would be fine by the time I got home. It only took 2 hours for that particular lie to be exposed...she calls me and tells me he is all ready on his way in the ambulance...and all I can imagine is how terrified he must be to be in the ambulance alone...he is only 9....oh sorry, he is 10 now as his birthday was just 2 days ago...and any 10 year old would be crying for his mother...wanting her to be there to hold his hand...take away some of the fear with whispers that everything would be fine...oh wait...I all ready told him that this morning as I made my way uot the door...damn!

The feeling of helplessness that over comes a parent when a child is in danger or pain is without end...we flog ourselves with "if onlys" and "why didnt I"...and the mental anguish alone is enough to bring down even the strongest and most capable of men...and women. But I have found with having recently become a single parent to my children...that the feelings of guilt are doubled...as two parents we can sometimes pick up on what our spouse may have missed...but as a single parent...its all on you baby. Any mistakes made with your childrens health and safety cant be safely settled on someone else's shoulders...its your burden...and yours alone.

My mind raced with every possible scenario that could result from my son being taken to Sulmania and subjected to the fallible nature of medicine...doctors are good for sure...but they often miss things...what if they missed something terrible with my son....and Im not there to point out their possible potentially devastating mistake...as a Mom I should point out that Im smarter than doctors when it comes to reading my kids and diagnosing them ....oh damn...that was up until this week when I left my child in pain and turned my back on him and went to my very important job of filing and typing. Im secretly convinced the company would fold and file for bankruptcy if I didnt come in and do my job everyday. I must be if I thought it was more important than being there for him when he needed me....sigh.

I rushed to the hosp and found him lying in a bed in obvious pain...his face contorted...his body pulled up in a protective ball...his forehead sweaty and his fingers clenched. I quickly did my Mommy scan and could see that so far it didnt look as if anything had been done for him. I asked my daughter if the doc had seen him. She said that they did a quick look and then left....left? Left my son lying there suffering....I was enraged....whats wrong with this hospital...arent they supposed to help people who come in for heavens sake...not leave them lying in pain without aid

I stormed around looking for a doc...finally one showed up and she immediately calmed me down with soothing words and a brief rundown of what they planned to do for him. I was assured that, while they must check for his appendix...in all likely hood it wasnt that....but just stomach flu...as I had originally thought that morning. It hardly had the calming affect I was hoping for...since in my mind I could still see him be hauled into the ambulance alone and hearing the siren going all the while wondering where his only parent was at this most scariest of moments? Guilt is heavy burden to bear...if your a parent you know what I mean.

After several hours and several tests with x-rays...we were allowed to go home. Exhausted and irritable but thankful that all was fixable and with a few days rest would sort itself out....but my mind was still buzzing with those damn "what ifs" and "why didnt I's"...you cant escape them...they go back and forth in your mind worse than a song you cant get rid of.

Being a single parent takes on new meaning when its thrust on you after 20 years of basically not carrying much of the burden at all. My ex was a control freak and so most(all) the decisions concerning them was taken out of my hands and dealt with by him. He rarely discussed anything with me...didnt much listen when I had an opinion about them...and was generally always "right" when it came to deciding what was best for them....so when suddenly I found myself their only parent one day without too much warning and no training or practice despite having been a mother now for nearly 20 years...I felt the burden of responsibility fall full force onto my shaky and ill equipped shoulders. I was terrified of every "what if" that could possibly happen....thankfully not many of them have happened...and Ive got some good kids that generally keep themselves safe and use their brains on the whole before engaging in some activity...usually but not always. So the frequency in which I have to flog myself with guilt does not occur too often...thank God.

Anyhow...days later....crisis is past. We are all doing well and life goes on. Until the next crisis in which I promise to listen to my son....or daughter and give them my time and my presence when they need it most...and Im sorry Mr Nass if your company folds and declares bankruptcy because I stay home that day.....but you have 32 other companies to console yourself with...while I only have my kids to keep me content......and they have only me.