I don't know if I've posted this before or not, but these boys just made my day!

Happy Halloween everyone!

Instead of sleeping in late this Friday, I decided to get up early and head on down to the Bur Juman Pink Walkathon, an event to raise awareness about breast cancer. I went for it last year with friends and it was a really great turnout, and this year was no exception. There were college kids holding up their campus banners and signs. There were cheerleaders with pink pom poms dancing with the crowd. There were aunties in sneakers wearing pink t-shirts on top of their saris. There were 'power joggers' and 'competitive walkers' kitted in their Nike outfits with iPods strapped to their arms. There were bikers, rollerbladers, drummers, pets, and people of every age imaginable. It was an amazing turnout once again, and afterwards we all got to troop into the mall for a spot of shopping. There was a counter selling these adorable cupcakes as well:



So naturally I bought five of them.

I saw this in a store at Dubai Mall over the weekend - can anyone tell me the purpose of outfit #3? A Kylie knock-off perhaps?

For as long as I can remember, I hated the fact that I was single. Everywhere I looked, I would be reminded about relationships, couples, and all the warm fuzzy feelings that come with having someone in your life. When I came out of the closet, almost instantly my views were fixated on finding that perfect man who would love me and 'complete my world'. As I grew older, I began to feel more insecure about myself, and I adopted the delusion that all of my worries would go away once my "prince charming" arrived to sweep me off my feet.

My quest for the perfect man began early, with an almost inexhaustible list of qualities that he had to posses. A great job, perfect body, good education, financial security, sleek hair - the list went on and on. For every single guy that I went on a date with, I would mentally pull out my checklist and start crossing off what I liked and didn't like about him, completely ignoring the fact that sitting in front of me was a guy who was trying his best to get to know me better. I would scan through countless online profiles, skimming through the interests section to pick out common ground, and scrutinizing every last word in their 'About Me' section, almost as if I was interviewing guys for some sort of executive position at a firm. I would jump from one guy to the next, and wonder why I was having such a hard time finding a guy that I liked. Looking back now, I don't even think I knew then what kind of guy I was looking for. Sure, I had this mental image of what my partner should look like and what kind of qualities he needed to have, but let's face it - what are the chances of any of us finding the exact same match in this world?

My eternal pining for a partner would often really get me down - I too easily fell victim to the 'Bridget Jones' scenario, where I would watch soppy romantic films or read awful novels about these women who never had any luck in love until one day some hero who was their complete opposite came and swept them off their feet. Since I was so busy drowning in self-pity, I was unable to see or appreciate life as a single person. My mind was only fixated on finding a man and starting our little life together. Days went by where I would just sit by myself and dream about sharing an apartment with this wonderful man, cooking for him, going out to social events, spending nights at home - it was like a gay version of a Charles Dickens novel.

It was only a year or so ago when I finally decided that I had had enough. I was tired of beating myself up for 'not being good enough' to find a guy, or wondering when someone would take notice of me and fall completely in love with me. The honest truth is that I have a great life now - I have a fantastic circle of friends, good health, a well paying job, and the freedom to come and go as I please. The important thing I've realized is that anyone who is single needs to cherish the time that they have to themselves, because I'm not kidding here folks, once you're in a relationship you'll wonder where those wonderful single years went. If you're single and hung up about it, don't be - chances are you have a fantastic life but you just haven't seen it yet. I know that one day I'll meet someone and take things from there, but at the moment I'm truly happy with the way things in my life are going. Do I still wish that there was a man in my life? On occasion, I do - but I don't let it control my life anymore. Be proud to be single, and spend your time taking care of yourself, because at the end of the day you are so totally worth it.

Today is National Coming Out Day - a day for gay, bisexual, lesbian, transgender, and even straight people to come together to talk about the issues affecting LGBT people every day. It's much more than just a day to come flying out of the closet in your chaps - its a day where you embrace who you are and be proud of everything that you've had to overcome.

But above everything, be Proud.

Craving for a bit of gayness and laughter to start your day with? I came across this video on YT which certainly is worth sharing!


You can become a fan of Oscar on Facebook here

The world of customer service is truly an exciting experience, simply because it's just so diverse. At some places you get the red-carpet treatment, and people will go out of their way to make sure that you're happy and they've solved whatever problem you had. But some other places are run no better than a soup kitchen.

Take today's scenario as an example. I've only realized recently that the SIM card that I've been using for the past 9 years is actually registered in my mum's name. And since I want to get a data package added to it, I figured that the best thing to do would be to first get the SIM in my name. A quick call to the ever helpful support line and the person who answered my call calmly said that all I had to do was to get one of their forms signed by my mum, enter my details on it, and take a valid ID to their nearest branch to get it changed over to my name. So I did just that - got the forms signed, got her passport copy, got my original passport and ID cards, and headed down to the branch near my house. Sadly the clerk there said that my mum had to come and do the name change on my behalf, so the next day while I was at work she headed down where the clerk proceeded to tell her that it wasn't necessary for her to come down, but I had to come instead as I was the new customer. He scribbled his signature of approval on the form, handed it back to my mum, and she handed it back to me in the evening. So mustering all my willpower, I headed back down to the branch and after a few minutes of waiting in line, I sat down at a counter to let the real fun begin.

Me: Hi - I need to submit a form for change of ownership for a SIM card (handing over form and documentation)
Clerk: In whose name?
Me: Oh it's in my mum's name at the moment, but I want to change it to my name.
Clerk: Where is she?
Me: My mum?
Clerk: Where is she?
Me: Er - she's left for India for a month this morning
Clerk: She's not here?
Me: No, she's in India for a month
Clerk: But we need her to be here
Me: Well she came here already and whoever she spoke to said that I had to come down instead with my original documents - see the signature? (I point at the scrawl at the back of the form)
Clerk: But this sign is for you
Me: Sorry?
Clerk: This sign is mean that you have come
Me: I don't understand...
Clerk: This sign means that you you have come here, but we need her to come here
Me: But she's in India now and I need to get this changed under my name
Clerk: But I cannot, I need her to be here
Me: (slightly losing my mind) But she has ALREADY been here and the clerk said I have to be here
Clerk: Okay which number you want?
Me: This number (pointing at the form)
Clerk: You want SIM card?
Me: No, I just want the account in my name
Clerk: (starts typing away at the computer) Give me any phone number in your name
Me: I don't have a phone number in my name
Clerk: You don't have any number in your name?
Me: No
Clerk: Why?
Me: (blank look)
Clerk: (continues to type my information in) Okay, fifty dirhams
Me: (hands over money)
Clerk: Okay, now its done in your name
Me: Great - thanks. I also need to add a data package to it please?
Clerk: Now not possible
Me: Why?
Clerk: System must update, maybe take 24 hours, you come again and add data package, okay?

R.I.P Patrick Swayze - you will be greatly missed.

You will burn in hell.

This is one of the most common phrases repeated to gay men and women around the world. Most of the time, comes from 'religious' people who seem to think that they are God's personal prophets. And sadly enough, a lot of these people are Christians.

I remember a time when I was so conflicted about my sexuality and my faith. All around me, the signs pointed that God hated me and had given up on me. I used to have a textbook in high school for religious studies, and one chapter had the big bold title of HOMOSEXUALITY. The textbook may as well had come out of the dark ages, because the chapter pulled the old gay cliche of quoting several verses from the Bible that apparently condemn homosexuality, and that if we knew any gay people, we should pray for their souls and pray that God would be merciful to them in death. My feelings were so intense and confusing that I would sit there in my seat and wish that the ground would swallow me up. When did the God that I prayed to every day become such a hateful one? Why in all his wisdom and goodness would he put me on this earth only to condemn me?

I wish that I could go back and tell myself not to be so worried, to not hate myself for being different, and most importantly to tell myself that everything works out just great in the end. I now live a great life out and proud to most of the people in my life, and as for my faith it's still very much there, only it's not based on what's written in a textbook.

"We have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better." Colossians 1:9-10

Only in Dubai would you see this!

I'm beginning to love logging in to OUT to check my messages - here's another keeper I received a few days back:

Dear Gay Friend ,
This is an investment proposal concerning interested partners.Gay partners is
needed for gay resort investment in your country.We have been humiliated around
the world.It is time for us to rally together and assist any gay investment
proposal in your country.You suggestion will be welcom.

My name is Dr Abdul-al Mohammed from Iraq 65 years old. .I need a gay partner that can be trusted
for investment in your country.I was detained in Saudi Arabia for 34days because
of my gay adventures.I want to build a five star hotel in your country which
will be have all the facility for gays.I have fought for gay rights around the
world.I have paid a big price for the war against the matter.

We need to put ourself together and make good investment in your country.i will finance the investment while you will take care and monitor the project.I want
to invest in real estate,production,Agriculture, property investment in your
country .I need a gay partner for the investment.lets meet your country Reply me
in my email address for further details.
From Dr Abdul-al Mohammed
E-mail address--- pss_09contract@yahoo.com

I LOVE spam!

A co-worker of mine recently sent me this link which made me (and the girls in the office) absolutely die of laughter.

Click here to reveal the humor that is...Dubai's Top 50 Bachelors!


Lord help us all...

some books you fall in love with
and remember every page word
letter printed softly on your heart
sharing moments
pleasing moments
as tender fingers smudge the pages,
but then you forget and go on living
left behind to gather dust
it sits in lonely echoes
with only dog-eared pages
to remember you by.
and then you find it once again
still the same but just not quite
what you remember.

I logged on to OUT the other day and discovered this message in my inbox:

Hello Dear,
My name is Antonia, a female. I am a nice loving and good looking young lady. I came across your profile page and I picked interest in you. Can we be friends? Contact me back direct with this my private email address so that i can send you my photos as i also introduce myself properly to you, at least for us to know each other more better.

I will be expecting your quick response, until then
Do take care of yourself and have a nice day
Yours Tonia

I think I'm in love...