Change is in the air!

Guess what? Can’t? Well how could you not? Have I not hinted enough? You may, or may not, know that I have been in my current job for over 8 years.  Let that sink in a bit.....I handed in my notice this month. Want to know why?  I am going to start working at the Emirates Airlines Festival of Literature- EAFOL. A mental image now folks. Flick flacks, cartwheels, and a whole loud lung full of “Yee Ha’s”. You may remember me waxing lyrical HERE and HERE about the festival.

The Winning team that I am joining.

I am in there at the back there somewhere

For several years now I have taken leave to attend the EAFOL, first as a visitor and then as a volunteer. The EAFOL has been a little bit of heaven in my year. I am the “luckiest of fish”.  In my part of the world the term "Lucky Fish" refers to a person who is blessed with good fortune. It evokes a feeling of happiness and excitement. I am not going to delve into the origins of the phrase as frankly I dont know what they are. I am going to use it with the child like joy that I feel when I think about my good fortune.

I have several little bits of heaven in my year. I get the EAFOL, I do my library duty at The Old Library, once a week on a Saturday afternoon, and from time to time I get to be on the radio  show,  “ Talking of Books”. You could say I am a bit of a bibliophile.  You can only imagine what it feels like to be in a position to be able to say I am going to work for the Emirates Airlines Literature Festival. It is like being given my own personal rainbow to follow me around all year. Having the opportunity to work with a team of people that I have come to know and admire over the years has gone a long way to making the move from the secure and comfortable  position I have had at Meydan  to something new easy. Well the nature of the work is not new I guess and I do know many of the team already.... so it is more like getting into something comfortable that I know I will love.

At the Talking of Books lunch.

The EAFOL offices are in the historically atmospheric neighborhood of Al Shindagha. The creek is within catching a sniff of salty breeze distance. In other words the creek is on our doorstep.  

I can make the trip  to work ,all the way, via the metro. So convenient don't you think? I can read, learn words, listen to podcasts or music for an hour or so on my way to work. Honestly it just could not be better. 

Shindagha Tower

An idea of the look of he neighbourhood.

 

That is not to say that my life is going to be plain sailing, sunshine, fair winds and roses. No, no! I have a great deal to do when I arrive in the office on the 1^st of July. I have work to catch up and an audit  looming within weeks of my starting. And then there are my other commitments. The ones I had already made before I knew I was going to take up a dream of a job. 

They also involve dreams. I am up to my eyebrows what with one thing and another. The "Queens of Drama Festival" is starting to hot up. Keep dates free in the middle of September. This was an idea I had mulling about which I mentioned in passing to a friend  and which gathered momentum and is now coming to fruition thanks to the support of the founders of the soon to open dramatic art space‘The Junction”.  Thank you, Guatam, Arjun and Rashmi. The QOD festival will be the inaugural event at The Junction so no pressure there right? 

And then there is “Lady Bracknell”.  I wanted this role so badly I came out of “acting retirement” so that I could  have a go. The “Importance of of Being Ernest” , being staged by Dubai Drama Group and directed by Olivia Middleton , goes on later in October. 

How lucky am I to have all these dreams all happening. It is a bit of a mess that they are all taking place back to back, but what can I do? This is how  life has panned out and I simply cannot miss out on any of it.

me as lady B?

Oh, that is not the end of it. I have been warned that from September to the end of the Literature Festival, which runs between the 8^th and the 12^th of March 2016 ( mark your diaries everyone), it is all hands on deck and hectic at the foundation. No leave can be taken, we all have to roll up our sleeves and work our posteriors off. Well I am all for that. My posterior is getting a bit too large for comfort.

Oh, did I mention that I turn 50 in September? To mark the occasion my Mum is coming for a visit. As is my much loved absent son Cameron, not to be confused with my much loved resident son Philip. I will be busy, busy, busy but you know what?  I am seriously, so not complaining!!!

I am giddy with joy, I feel like Snoopy.