Iftar Buffet at the Dubai Polo Club

I just have to write about this... The iftar dinner at the Dubai Polo Club

Me, Rt, Stace, Romain and Jude went over to the Dubai Polo Club, near Arabian Ranches for an Iftar dinner.

A menu was : pasta with cheese, fish in tomato sauce, beef kababs, saffron rice, green salad, dates, slices of watermelon and couscous salad with lemon

We obviously went ahead and ordered ala carte : A mixed platter of seafood (between Stace and Romain) and a pepper gravy with potato wedges (for myself and rt to have with the rice)

The pepper gravy was nice and 'peppery' while the potato wedges were nice and crisp made of jacket potatoes. Stace and Romain were quite happy with their seafood platter...

The menu was very spanish and I would have ideally suggested a continental menu to suit the palate of the cosmopolitan community in UAE...

On the Downside:
- We knew our way straight into Polo Club and then lost our way. There should be more signage - The food was 'ok'... not what we expected of an iftar buffet!

On the Upside:
- The place is absolutely beautiful
- Saw some horses...in a distance though
- The place is reasonably inexpensive....given the location and kind of clientele they have...

To sum it I would definitely recommend the Dubai Polo Club for a visit to see the grandeur and facilities they have to offer and enjoy a nice light evening away from the bustling city…

Job Satisfaction....It Exists!!

I've been here all my life....but...I still don’t understand what’s gone wrong this Ramadan?!!

The work load has just been crazy! I am clueless on what is driving the work load or what has gone wrong (if anything...)

This week has been a total Killer.

I had a report for a project that had to go out around the 2nd week of October as per schedule. Unfortunately for me this guy who was supposed to be doing the analysis took 3 weeks working on it?!! I mean 3 weeks for 5 transcripts?!! Uggghhh!!!

I had been following up, complaining, motivating and been on the verge of pulling my hair out till I FINALLY got the analysis on the 5th.

The client tells me she wants the report by the 8th...!!! Like HELLO....how can YOU decide to pre-pone the date when it was coz of u that the fieldwork got delayed....Grrrrr

Anyways I ask her to push the deadline to Wed which is the original date...and she does me a FAVOR by giving me till the 9th! Like one freaking day makes a difference.

Anyways I slog slog slog and oh yeah ensure that the other guy who delayed me is slogging alrite....!

Finally come Monday noon.............Ting! The report is ready...hot and toasted. Send it to her and invoice her immediately.

Next day receive bad news.....a) need to send a 16 groups, 23 depth interviews report by the 11th...(the date is the 10th) b) the client i sent the report to wants me to take her through the WHOLE thing coz she doesn’t understand ANYTHING!! c) Have to do a field setup for a project during Ramadan which we just cannot do!!

Well...crib, cry, smile, go crazy....and come 11th morning (today) I’m feeling a lot more relaxed....

Have a) got the draft report out b) taken the client through the report and she loved it c) arranged with field to guarantee the fieldwork will be done as per schedule

But, I’ve also got a heavy head, dark circles, tired muscles and no motivation to drive home back from work....

This makes me think....IS THIS REALLY WHAT CONSTITUTES JOB SATISFACTION??!

I can see myself 3 years down the lane...at a higher position, with sunken eyes, darker circles under my eyes, working at my desk till 11 at night!

But then I get a call from my team leader....he's on vacation and has just gone through the reports I have sent to the client and guess what....!!??! HE ABSOLUTELY LOVED THEM!!

I could never imagine the power of motivation could be so undermined....I am on top of the world and feel so much more at ease.... although im still sleepy and cant drive home. But just knowing that my work has not gone unnoticed and my efforts are appreciated has lifted my spirits....

In hinder sight I realize that I love my work! I am not going to call it a job because that constitutes so many things besides your work....but in all honesty the feeling of empowerment that I get from my job is indescribable.

I was talking to Arthi the other day, trying to figure out what is driving us to slog our ass off at work and all both of us could conclude was the sense of satisfaction we get while working makes everything seem worthwhile....

I guess Job Satisfaction does exist...