I love intersections, when things coming from different directions cross each other, and the interesting things that happen to both of them when they meet each other. You know, like those couples where you can't figure out why they're together and you spend a lot of time wondering what their first date was like, or … Continue reading Where Dude Meets Dude
Category: People
Endlessly interesting humanity
Note to Self: Top Ten Repat Reminders
A woman I knew a few years ago returned from a year of living abroad. Awesome. Great experience. Good for you. But I'm not doing myself any favors if I paper over the fact that she had instantly become INSUFFERABLE. She could say nothing without prefacing it with "Well, in China..." Nothing, I promise. To … Continue reading Note to Self: Top Ten Repat Reminders
Letter from Inside Saudi Arabia: Why I Live Here
I've been away for the last couple of months, helping my daughter in the U.S. welcome a new baby.I know, right? Pretty cute. Or at least the adults all think so. But Weird Overseas Granny moved in two days after Weird Small Baby moved in, and two days after that, Big Brother did this with … Continue reading Letter from Inside Saudi Arabia: Why I Live Here
Too Tender to Tease: The Case for Holding Religious Insults Back
In my last post I talked about why we should let religious insult go, rather than fight back. This week I want to flip the pancake over, and I'm going to invite my trio of grandbabies to help me: Two more are on the way. Five little cousins, all within two and a half years. … Continue reading Too Tender to Tease: The Case for Holding Religious Insults Back
Too Big to Hurt: The Case for Letting Religious Insults Go
I have heard the word "sarcastic" used to describe my sense of humor. Au contraire, I say. Sarcastic is saying the opposite of what you mean, as in "Now that was smart," meaning, "That was so stupid that saying it was stupid is stupid itself." I, on the other hand, am irreverent. Irreverent is thinking … Continue reading Too Big to Hurt: The Case for Letting Religious Insults Go
Inside Out and Backwards
To understate the obvious (double whammy!) Arab and Western cultures have some...difficulties understanding each other. But don't worry--I can totally fix this. Yes, it's true that I'm completely untrained in anthropology or sociology, and have done zero structured research. Minor details. The important thing is that I'm fairly well acquainted with Hollywood and Riyadh, two cities of about … Continue reading Inside Out and Backwards
That Coffee Morning Jolt
Until I embarked on expat-wife-life, the term "coffee morning" would have conjured an image like this: Or maybe this: You know, the ladies-who-lunch crowd who have gotten the kids to school, gone to the gym, had their blow-outs, and still have some time to kill before lunch. It's morning, there's coffee, and by making enough of … Continue reading That Coffee Morning Jolt
What the Cave Man Knew
I have always loved history in the laziest way possible. I love the stories, and the complicated way stories cross and influence each other, and I love puzzling over why people did what they did and how the consequences still play out today. The older and more mysterious, the better. Plus I'm a sucker for … Continue reading What the Cave Man Knew
Of Head Cases and Head Scarves
So there's this: It's a headscarf, commonly called the hijab here in Saudi Arabia. There are a lot of different ways to wear it, and wearing it well requires more effort than I've ever invested. I know, right? Pretty stunning. (Headband not required--this is just one of bazillion YouTube tutorials.) And as Europe and the … Continue reading Of Head Cases and Head Scarves
That Old Black Magic II: An End to Sorcery
I'm not in the habit of writing about the same topic twice (special exception for the Princess Souk—Volume III in the near future, I'm sure), but then this happened: Actually, the headline didn't inspire me by itself. I've seen plenty like it and already posted on the topic. Though I confess that the closing line … Continue reading That Old Black Magic II: An End to Sorcery
Margo Catts 