Before I disappear again

We're going away on a short vacation. Finally traveling for something other than work or medical treatment for the first time in almost two years. Work has been extremely hectic of late and in addition to my regular responsibilities I am also working on a big project which suddenly, quite unexpectedly, gained momentum when regulatory approvals came in ahead of schedule. The only reason the bosses are letting me go on leave is because they know the project is probably going to take away all my time for the rest of the year. If I don't go now there will probably be no vacation till next year.

Nothing posted on this blog in close to three months. I'm spending less time online. I catch up with stuff by browsing on my phone during short breaks throughout the day, thanks to Google Reader. But when I come home I just don't feel like doing much. I used to write notes on things I want to blog about but then I stopped even trying to keep track. I've surrended to the fact that this will be more of an occasional blog rather than one with regular posts.

Since the last time I posted on this blog, I've:

• been elected to the board of a publicly listed company- my first non-NGO board membership. Finally getting paid for my opinions, though technically with 100% personally liability for my choices.
  
• also been reelected on the ESO board, but with scaled down responsibilities.
  
• been on my annual business trip to Salalah (nothing's changed in the city but business is booming.

And, I've just come back from Riyadh. It was my first time in KSA. I was only there for two days and didn't see much of it other than our office there and the hotel. If you're ever in Riyadh, DO NOT stay at the Marriott. Would have loved to have visited the sky walk at the top of the Kingdom Tower or the globe on the Al Faisaliah Tower. Instead the only memories I have of Riyadh is of a migraine that lasted the whole time I was there, and the dry, dusty weather that dried up my eyes.

The two day weekend for banks has come through like I told you it will and now it's time for the government to switch their weekend to Friday/Saturday which might happen in September.

The house is slowly getting furnished. A sofa here, a coffee table there. It's gonna take a while more, but we're getting there. We now have a fully furnished study where Um Faisal can finish up the work she brings home while I browse on the work station next to her, or vice versa.

Last but not least, we kept the biggest news for last: we're expecting! Um Faisal is now 20 weeks pregnant and finally showing.

See ya in a couple weeks.