Do soap and mullas mix?

I’ve never really thought about soap and mullas before. 

But, while looking at the dozens of options for soap (I think there are more varieties at LuLu then there are in most U.S. stores . . . seriously), I found a simple package of Indian soap called Mullapoo. I love it!

So would this make a good export to the U.S.? This site might have more info: http://panjiva.com/trends/mullapoo%20soap

Sad Friday and Sushi

Overhead: ‎

Narrator: “A woman in our office berated staff about not celebrating the holidays and ‎that included Sad Friday. We couldn’t figure out what she was talking about and told her that the last ‎time we checked there wasn’t a holiday called Sad Friday. So we asked her, if she had the name right.‎

The woman responded and repeated, ‘There is a Sad Friday and we’re not celebrating it.’”‎

The narrator continued: “Do you mean ‘Good Friday’ which is two days before Easter and ‎usually happens either in March or April?”‎

Woman: “No it is Sad Friday and it happens before Christmas.”‎

Narrator: “Sorry but there is no such thing as a Sad Friday before Christmas. We’re all usually ‎pretty happy about the Friday before Christmas because it means soon we’re giving and getting gifts.”‎

Woman: “Yes there is a Sad Friday. I saw many stories about it on the internet.”‎

Narrator: “You couldn’t have possibly seen a real story about a Sad Friday on the internet.”‎

Woman: “You mean that the Internet can be wrong?”‎

Narrator repeated the statement to a round of laughter.‎

But wait! I think that the woman in question must have meant Black Friday, the start of the holiday ‎shopping season. So I guess both were right – just a mistaken translation!‎

Maybe . . . Maybe not. I'll stick to having sushi!

Beautiful and scrumptious sushi dinner! Worth the wait!

The B&B Spin and Why Words Matter

I arrive with Tweet at a wonderful south Asian bed and breakfast that we’ve found online. This trip is our R&R from our home away from home, and it’s a belated birthday gift. We’re the only guests at the small resort on this rainy afternoon.

The hotel manager comes out and as we begin our tour, and immediately tells us about a wedding party, “You know, a local wedding party considered moving in here for the weekend . . . “ The B&B manager pauses (and my face falls), “But I explained to the local family how we had already booked a nice couple in the nicest room at our B&B and that you had requested peace and quiet.”

I process this information internally. “Wow we’re so lucky that he read between the lines of my email inquiry to find a peaceful place,” I think.

Tweet, as always, patiently listens to the manager explain what he did to prevent the other party from booking, and then offers, “Well thank you but you know there is no need to prevent other guests. We like to meet new people. If you want to invite them back, please feel free. Don’t hold them back on our account.”

I think to myself, “Tweet, no! I do want peace and quiet and I don’t want to share this great view.”

The next day a local couple shows up. They look quickly at a room and then leave. We have the B&B to ourselves for the entire five days.

On the day we checkout, we have some overlap with a newly-arrived couple, who look not too unlike ourselves – young professionals who haven’t been outside to much. Out comes the manager speaking in a tone of voice I’d heard before, “You know, a local wedding party considered moving in here today . . . But I explained to them how . . .”

I look at Tweet. He smiles, “You knew, didn’t you?”

“No I didn’t know that I just got a line.”

Tweet says, “Well you felt good. That’s all that matters. And it’s not what’s being said but why it’s being said that matters.”

Dubai Aquarium

Happy New Year everyone!

Well, we've been traveling for the various holidays. One of our recent visits was to Dubai. And we went to the Dubai Aquarium.

That trip was a challenge for Tweet because he doesn't like shopping, and he's not a big fan of zoos (I'm not fond of zoos as well but as far as shopping that's an entirely different story.) We also love to scuba dive and be with aquatic life in its natural setting.

But I do like to visit aquariums - I think this interest must have something to do with growing up with and spending a lot of time at beaches (salt and fresh water).  So we went to the Aquarium and I got this funky photo . . . Thanks Tweet!

Should we enter the tunnel?