Lost your money-marbles?
You have if you've spent, or even considered spending, thousands of dirhams on something tonight that's worth a fraction of the price- because it's the last day of the year. Don't feel too bad if you have. You are not alone.
But yes, feel bad. Because what were you thinking?
There is the "because I'm worth it" justification that includes having lifelong memories.
Let us hope they are good ones.
You stand more chance of achieving this if you reflect on things you do, as opposed to going into something - like a party tonight - full of expectant jubilation. And whatever you do, don't ask yourself if you're happy while out celebrating. It is a recipe for disappointment.
If you do not believe me?
This title is self explanatory:
"The pursuit and assessment of happiness can be self-defeating."
That is the title to a study. Does not exactly roll off the tongue, but says what it does on the tin.
The study was carried out in 1999. And still holds, I'm sure. Triply so if you're spending the estimated Dh2,000 and more a recent survey put as the average spend, per head of those surveyed, on tonight's entertainment in Dubai. The city came out ahead of London and New York as the most expensive place to spend the New Year evening. Is it worth it? Both spending- and happiness-wise?
Assume you earn Dh100 an hour for seven hours a day minus breaks, five days a week, into 52 weeks a year, assuming you are not self-employed and therefore still earn when you are on holiday.
That works out to Dh182,000 a year, or just over Dh15, 000 a month. If this is what they earn, then those surveyed in Dubai are spending, on average, 20 hours of work-life on food and entertainment tonight.
Truth is that they are spending much, much more - takeaway pay is whatever you're paid, minus the cost of getting to and from work. Including transport, clothes, food - the list is long.
If the money is gone, it is gone. Do one thing though: calculate how many hours of your earning life you just obliterated.
In the morning of the first day of the year, write down whether it was worth it. This is when you can ask yourself if you feel happy about how New Year's Eve goes.
The 1999 study found what many of us know - that having high expectations for happiness may encourage us to make unfavourable comparisons between what we experience and an imagined, ideal state of happiness, which can lead to frustration.
Of course it might not apply to you - you lucky, happy person.
Another thing that many do at this time of year is buy things for friends and loved ones. Stop.
The frenzy is disconcerting. I see people of all persuasions inventing reasons to buy things. Anything. Just something.
Great if it is a coveted something, or if it is needed. The truth is, it is not.
So this year I am gifting on behalf of others - whether they like it or not. My chosen people get a framed photo and a poem I wrote about the gift. The photo is of a toilet somewhere out there in the world - that their smallest room has been twinned with. You can read the poem on my blog. Yes, my gift is twinning people's toilets.
I mean, let's get real.
What do you buy someone who has everything. No. Wrong way around: what do you gift someone who lacks nothing.
You give them something to think about - and gift others through them. That's my recipe. Twinning toilets is my current thing.
Back to tonight's celebrations. Researchers say their findings about New Year's Eve aren't a call for abandoning parties and reflection, just for managing expectations and focusing on savouring your experiences while you're having them.
I'll add: and not blowing your entertainment budget.
Don't skimp. Do ring in the new year in style. Just make sure it's worthwhile - not futile.
Nima Abu Wardeh describes herself using three words: Person. Parent. Pupil. Each day she works out which one gets priority, sharing her journey on finding-nima.com
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Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
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Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz S 450
Price, base / as tested Dh525,000 / Dh559,000
Engine: 3.0L V6 biturbo
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 369hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm at 1,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.0L / 100km
CABINET%20OF%20CURIOSITIES%20EPISODE%201%3A%20LOT%2036
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGuillermo%20del%20Toro%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tim%20Blake%20Nelson%2C%20Sebastian%20Roche%2C%20Elpidia%20Carrillo%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
You Were Never Really Here
Director: Lynne Ramsay
Starring: Joaquim Phoenix, Ekaterina Samsonov
Four stars
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KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN MARITIME DISPUTE
2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.
2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus
2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.
2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Abu Dhabi GP starting grid
1 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2 Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
3 Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
4 Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
5 Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull)
6 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
7 Romain Grosjean (Haas)
8 Charles Leclerc (Sauber)
9 Esteban Ocon (Force India)
10 Nico Hulkenberg (Renault)
11 Carlos Sainz (Renault)
12 Marcus Ericsson (Sauber)
13 Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
14 Sergio Perez (Force India)
15 Fernando Alonso (McLaren)
16 Brendon Hartley (Toro Rosso)
17 Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso)
18 Stoffe Vandoorne (McLaren)
19 Sergey Sirotkin (Williams)
20 Lance Stroll (Williams)
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
Five healthy carbs and how to eat them
Brown rice: consume an amount that fits in the palm of your hand
Non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli: consume raw or at low temperatures, and don’t reheat
Oatmeal: look out for pure whole oat grains or kernels, which are locally grown and packaged; avoid those that have travelled from afar
Fruit: a medium bowl a day and no more, and never fruit juices
Lentils and lentil pasta: soak these well and cook them at a low temperature; refrain from eating highly processed pasta variants
Courtesy Roma Megchiani, functional nutritionist at Dubai’s 77 Veggie Boutique
Indika
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