ramadan prep

It was a very strange day for me. I was grumpy most of the day. I don’t get grumpy or annoyed that often, so it was a rather unique experience for me. Now the good thing is that I didn’t lash out at anybody. I like to think of myself as being self-aware so I made sure I didn’t channel any of my frustration unnecessarily. Now what is weird is that nothing really happened to make me feel grumpy. I think I have a cold that might be coming on, so I don’t feel the best. That might have something to do with it, but normally I don’t allow my physical infirmities to affect me emotionally. So Im just not used to feeling like a grouch. I am however proud that I didn’t act like a grouch. I think that is a very important distinction.

I have had a very busy and very productive week. Maybe the weekend coming right around the corner is a good thing. I need to rest. I had a couple of big meetings today. There is one client that needs a huge product done in 8 weeks. That is going to be a challenge. We are putting a bid out on it. If we get it, we’d have to produce during Ramadan. If that is the case Ramadan for us will be the busiest time that we’ve had since I’ve been at KSDi and I was anticipating the opposite of that. It could be an amazing turn of events for us professionally. When it rains it pours…so potentially it is pouring. Im focusing my GM duties as being a writer-producer again. I love that aspect of my job. Any chance I can be to be creative is fun for me. The history of Bahrain’s Sea Ports is a very prestigious job, so I wanted to undertake it myself. Im also cutting together the pilot episode for the Funniest Person In Bahrain, I have to do a lot of editing for content. This is a conservative nation, and comedy clubs and ribald content kind of go hand in hand. That won’t fly if I’m pitching it to Bahrain TV. So I have to make everything PG. It is certainly doable but it is very meticulous. I have been approached by a few other outlets of wanting me to take the show to other venues to maximize it. I have to consider all these offers carefully. But its good to be wanted and in a position of control.

For those of you unfamiliar with Ramadan, let me tell you about it. It’s a very big deal. All Muslims whether practicing or not usually participate in this event. Basically you fast food, water, and cigarettes from dawn til dusk. Then you can eat at sundown. So at sundown are these elaborate feasts. They eat and eat and eat all night. Then during the day they fast again. Now it doesn’t sound too healthy to me, but that is what they do. So work usually comes to a stand still. Some Muslims only work ½ days because their energy level at work is so low. Probably its low because they didn’t sleep the night before because they were eating. It’s a festive atmosphere in the evenings and a solemn atmosphere during the daytime. For non-muslims like myself, I am not supposed to eat or drink in front of a Muslim because that is considered offensive. So if I want to eat I have to sneak the food in. There is usually a raid on the grocery stores this week as everyone prepares not to have any restaurants or grocery stores open during the days of Ramadan. It’s a little bit like the rush to Wal-Mart before a hurricane hits. Everyone there is there to stock up. Whether or not you are a Muslim, you have to respect their devotion to their beliefs. We just don’t have anything that really compares to it in the U.S. on such a broad scale. I imagine it would be similar to giving things up for Lent, but really what percentage of the population does that? It has to be miniscule, where the vast majority almost 100% take part in the fasts here. Christians can learn a thing or two from the devotion of Muslims, whether you believe in their precepts or not.

So I was preparing for lack of work during Ramadan, but it looks like just the exact opposite is happening. I like that prospect a whole lot better. Its going to be a very eventful time I think.