Got an early start for my flight to Dubai. I was a little bit upset…they made me check my luggage because I have needles for my insulin. I guess they could be used as a weapon. I jest because I’m getting paid for coming to a film festival in beautiful dubai. This place is amazing. They call it the Paris of the Middle East. The grounds everywhere in the city are so well manicured. My parents referred to it as looking like Disneyland and they were right. It’s a combination of amazing wealth and very inexpensive labor. But its managed properly I think. For example, they have the same wealth and cheap labor in Saudi Arabia and the two don’t even compare to each other. Dubai is awesome. This would be a very nice place to live. Its about 80% expat. Although the recession has taken a huge chunk out of this economy, it will bounce back. So Im saying that I’m enjoying my trip over here, but Im actually getting quite a bit of work done. I picked up our HD camera which I dropped for service two weeks ago and its working now. Checked into the hotel and registered for the conference. I didn’t pay ahead of time and I worried that it would be expensive. But Khalifa’s name goes soooo far here. He’s like a legend. So I worked myself under the press category to save some money. There was a break in the action til the evening. I went to work out and then went to the pool. Wow…talk about luxury. I did notice in the hot sun, a lady wearing a full abaya and veil. How miserable must that have been? I got to chatting with a new friend who was Jordanian named Salah. Arabs are so amazingly friendly…as long as you make the first move. That is the key. He is a private pilot for a very rich man. He’s a fascinating guy. His father was one of the three that formed the P.L.O. with Yasser Arafat. I think Im going to wind up doing a biography on his dad…We’re going to get together when he comes to Bahrain.
Then it was time for the film festival. There were so many members of the press there. It was just like a Hollywood Premiere with the press being held back by the ropes. I didn’t have the proper passes but I snuck my way in with Khalifa. I told everyone I was his personal photographer…which I was. There probably must have been 50 members of the press at least that I could see. The flashbulbs popping and microphones in everyone’s face. Khalifa was totally in his element. I felt a little like his publicist as well ushering him from one reporter to the next. I was quite proud of my boss. So we had the reception next. I saw President David Palmer (from “24”) what was his actual name again? I called Guy my trusty trivia guru and he had no idea either. So I walked up to him introduced myself and took some pictures with him. I explained how I was here to change the perception that America has with the Arabs. He thought that was a good idea, so did his business partner/financier—we’re going to chat after the film festival to try to get something going. I’ll post some of the pics next week on this blog. So we went to the screening and some of the sample films they screened were really bad. I could tell a lot of effort went into them and the end result just wasn’t there. Some of them were OK. Now this totally encouraged me. I know I have what it takes technically and creatively to surpass what they are producing now. Its just a matter of time. They also honored Khalifa with a two minute tribute film to his work. I’ll post it on my website later this week if you want to see it. The man, Hamad, that made it put some effort into it. Its pretty good. I was proud to be sitting next to Khalifa and I think he was glad to have me there too. We have a very special relationship as he thinks of me like one of his sons, which is quite an honor. The reception afterwards was amazing. It was outdoor and had a live band, ice sculptures, the works. There is a lot of money represented here at the festival. I didn’t recognize a lot of faces, but Khalifa told me that there were many many Arabic stars here.
In addition to the equipment and networking. We did get the signed contract for the Art Gallery. They are so excited to start selling and displaying our work. Their main office is out of Dubai. This is going to provide a lot of long term revenue for KSDi and hopefully be the kick-start to help us self-finance our entertainment division. I set a goal of 24 months to start on our first feature film. We’re 6 months in and I think still right on schedule.
If you are a regular reader to the blog, you might see people post comments now and then. I have about 100 readers from around the globe and the site has been hit about 7,000 since I started this.. How this grew…im not really sure but im thankful. This is a great forum for me to share my faith. I don’t feel like Im preaching in this blog…just being me. St. Francis of Assissi (I live my life by this) said, preach the gospel always…when necessary use words. I try to do that in life and through this blog. I love to see the comments you readers post as most of the time they are very encouraging. But this past week there have been several negative “Anonymous” comments posted. I don’t mind these at all. I could delete them or prevent people from posting but I don’t. I have a hunch that either new hubby or X are reading the blog still after the big blow up of last month where they said they were going to block it. When these negative comments appear, I simply ask that you consider the source. I’ve tried to be very objective, and honest about my weaknesses, frustrations, and fears on this forum. If you want more confessional details email me, I share about everything as its part of my testimony. For example for my small group on Monday I told them my sin and weaknesses so I’d be real to them. Im not setting out to make anyone look bad so I might look better. What’s the point in that? Im comfortable with who I am and the path that God is taking me down. I mention all this to be pre-emptive. In the past new hubby has threatened to post comments about me that were incredibly horrific and amazingly untrue. So it’s a case of cyber-blackmail as he claims that his accusations are true and he has proof. Its just a bunch of crap. I think as my life takes off as God is blessing me according to Deuteronomy 28, and their life seemingly isn’t going as well…that makes the onus of me being made the “bad” guy even more important. Its sad. I haven’t talked to my kids in a month…the youngest I haven’t spoken to in 3 months. I miss them so much. If I could fly them out to be with me…I would in a heartbeat, but Im not allowed to do that. Remember X told Max…Im not blocking you from going to Bahrain…but if you leave, Im locking the door behind you so you can’t get back. So essentially that is emotionally and psychologically blocking him from visiting and it’s the quintessential example of parental alienation. It sucks it sucks it sucks. So your prayers are still coveted in this matter. By the way..Im always open to suggestions or constructive criticisms (as long as it doesn’t come from a particular house in Texas where I can do no right.) from anyone. So please feel free to post or email me. Guy texted me back…He was Dennis Haysbert.
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