Some local knowledge..

To try at the pub (next time I make it to the pub, that is).

I got a bit confused with something the other day that eventually got explained to me by a long-term visitor to the Middle East.

Names in the Middle East (specifically Arabic names) are a very variable thing. Normally, you have the given name, followed by the father's name, his father's name, then sub-tribe name (if any), then major tribal name. What was confusing me was the use of the "Abu" name. Abu means, roughly, "father of". So if you're a father of a kid named John, you'd be "Abu John", which is a valid way of identifying yourself in Arabic culture. What I didn't understand was that it can also be used if you don't have kids. For instance, if you have a large moustache, you could be called "Abu (whatever the arabic word for moustache is)", which would translate literally as "father of moustaches", or, less literally, "big moustache". My depraved brain started clicking with this info. Imagine going into a pub and introducing yourself as "Abu Willie", or referring to that guy you don't like as "Abu Prat". There's a female version of this too, Umm or Oma (depending on who's translating). So Jordan could be "Umm Falsies", or that flat chested girl in the office could be "Umm No Tits".

Doldrums

I seem to have hit a no-motivation iceberg, and my enthusiasm is sinking faster than the Titanic (ok, so the Titanic didn't sink really quick, but you get the gist). Now that I've gotten everything up and running to routine, I just can't motivate myself for some reason. I feel I should be doing something, like working to increase my Javascript skills, Perl or something, but I can't summon up enough motivation to enact it. Instead I find busy work to do, like organizing the information for the databasers, or making little tweaks to what I'm doing, just to adjust, not to improve.

On an aside, acheived a minor victory yesterday. My little group's boss wanted me to go back up to where they are to fly out to our meeting point where all of us Europe division guys would catch our charter back to the UK. I told him that was stupid, as I can catch a flight from here to the meeting point as easy, if not easier, than they can get a flight from there, plus it gives me an extra couple of days to finish up my handover with the guy who is going to replace me. He conceded the point.

Tea Jerk

A few more tweaks...

Just added Paul Graham's website to the sidebar, as well as Rantz Hoseley's Death March website.

Tea Jerk

Am I going to Purgatory???

There is light at the end of the tunnel. I was made privvy to an e-mail a couple of days ago, which says that the head office has acknowledged, in principle, that continuing to have the European division work past the time originally agreed on this project would put us too far behind schedule, is not cost effective, etc, etc. Now we have to wait for official word that we are terminating our support when we were supposed to, and I can leave this area and get back to my beloved green and pleasant land! Best news I have had for months.

On another note, my performance review, which drives any promotion chances I may get, is coming up. I've had the guy I'm working for here write up a letter to send to my supervisor back in England. He said some very flattering things about me, even said that if I was no longer wanted in Europe, they would take me in. This from some very highly talented contractors. Its good to get reassurance that you are doing good and worthwhile work, especially from guys as good as I'm working for at the moment.

Tea Jerk

Just a couple of tweaks..

Its the New Year, and time to get around to all those things I normally put off doing. So I figured I'd correct the link to Lionel and Shell's blog Across the Atlantic. They only switched over to the new URL around 4 months ago. Don't worry, I normally (notice I said normally) correct bugs in my code quicker than that :). I also have plans for tweaking the colour scheme and a few other things on the blog, when I have time to sit down and really think about it.

Enjoy.

Tea Jerk