Improv and other miscellany

It was a very nice day for me today.  I went into the office a little bit later.  I tend to do that the night after I teach an acting class.  I decided to go to breakfast at my favorite breakfast place.  Im a regular, so as soon as they see me they start making my favorite breakfast.  I haven’t had anything else there.  I’m such a creature of habit.  I do my daily Bible reading either in the morning at breakfast or during lunch.  After my reading I got out my to do list.  I have about 30 things swimming around in my brain that I had to get to in the next couple of days.  Normally that would provide a bit of apprehension.  But for some reason, when I put the pen to paper, I can forget it about it.  It’s a great stress reliever.  I check back throughout the week to check up on it to see if im on schedule and to add various points to the list. 

I did have a bit of discouraging news last night.  Julie, our Filipina photoshop artist, part time accountant, part time videographer, part time receptionist, full time sweet lady lost her mother last night.  So we had to arrange for her emergency flight back to the Philippines for a month.  With our other Filipina also gone, that leaves a hole.  Plus our IT guy, and regular blog reader, Reji is leaving for his month in May.  Its so challenging to keep the business running when there is usually one sometimes more of your permanent staff on a month’s holiday.  You can’t hire replacement workers as they are going to come back.  They also don’t have any temp agencies.  So you just have to juggle.  Thus far its been working for us. 

The staff had really been working hard.  So for our staff meeting I went and bought everyone KFC.  The Filipinos and Indians just love KFC.  It was a small token of my appreciation.  We had a nice time visiting.  It was a nice bonding experience.  Generally everyone likes each other in the office.  There is a real sense of pride and community to what we do.  We have some very talented people and I let them know that often.  They have all bought into my vision that we are the best production company in Bahrain (not much competition…admittedly) and soon we are going to be the best in the Middle East.  We are growing slowly but surely.  Its wonderful that we keep adding staff in the midst of the recession.  I just have to make sure we continue to grow. 

I had another meeting with a real sharp lounge/club owner.  He has one of the biggest clubs in Bahrain, but he’s trying to diversify and stress the lounge aspect.  So he approached me about doing an actor’s night.  So we are going to model it on the Friday Night Live—Improv show I did in No. Ca.  I have picked out 7 of my all star improv performers both from my class and other sources.  I still have to pick out three others, but that shouldn’t be too difficult.  We are titling it simply…”The Funniest Person in Bahrain.”  It will certainly be different as Bahrain had not experienced anything like this before.  This will make a little money, be a promotional opportunity for KSDi, but most importantly for my actors and audience, be a whole lot of fun.  The club owner was very enthusiastic about its potential.  My actors are also very excited to be involved.  It’s a win-win situation. 

I was a little down tonight.  Most of the ex-pats here are very very angry with the government.  The parliament passed a law where 3-star hotels or lower could no longer serve alcohol.   That shuts down a lot of the bars in Bahrain.  While it doesn’t really affect me alcohol-wise because I don’t drink, but for some of the other ex-pats especially the ones from the U.K. this is a national crisis.  The closures did include my favorite pub JJ’s.  What does this mean?  No longer will I have access to the best Fish and Chips in the Middle East, and perhaps even more tragically no more Quiz nights.  My compatriots (wow…did I just use that word?) and I were very upset.  It was the highlight of my week really.  Oh well..i guess I’ll have to find other ways to entertain myself.  That won’t be hard.  Actually having three hours free now…sounds nice.  I rarely have any down time…so when I get it…it is most welcome.  That is such a contrast to how I was when I first arrived.  I think that is both an answer to prayer and a sign that I’m where I’m exactly supposed to be…according to God’s plan.   Being where God wants you to be, is the only place you’ll find real peace.  I have peace and I have it abundantly.