13 August 2007 ? Monday
Hmmm, an entry sent off seems long overdue: Hana is back from leave, so it feels so much better at work. She said all okay in Lebanon ? her family home is very close to the Israeli border in the south. She is one terrific co-worker with lots of talent and a first-rate attitude ? AUK is lucky to have her.
Bill enjoyed the Tareq Rajab museum. For a private collection, it is amazing, and it is just one of the two museums he has opened (the other on Arabic calligraphy). Bill has seen very little in Kuwait, so I also took him out Saturday morning. The Dickson House was closed, but we got to see the place where replica shows are made, then he showed me an ?antique? place not far from the Radisson Hotel. The stuff there not really antique, but interesting ? almost all made in India, elaborate and funky ? you have to have just the right house/space to make this stuff work for you.
New faculty should be here next week, so it will be fun to meet some new people and perhaps provide some settling-in assistance. I?m meeting the president of the British Ladies Society this morning to get 45 Kuwait Guides that they produce ? these to be given by HR to new employees. The BLS Guides are great for practical things, including maps that actually get you to places.
News: Many of you know this already, but yours truly will be ending his AUK/Kuwait tour of duty very early in January 2008. There have been many high points in being here, and unfortunately many low points. The for-profit environment can and does clash with academics, and rather than whine about things, I?ll move on to new adventures. I?m appreciative for the experience, and yes, I?d like to work overseas again someday. The next 4+ months should be interesting, and I?ll help my library colleagues as best I can.