2014, How art thou? - by Vidya Ramaswamy

Oh 2014! It's been a bit of a roller-coaster ride, hasn't it? Let's walk down memory lane for a bit. You started the year by giving me heartbreak. And to be really honest with you, that wasn't very nice of you. If I was Santa Claus, you'd go on my naughty list. I surely hope you were nicer to others. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise to you that the heartbreak messed up a good part of the year.

But then, I find out about Ebola and the missing Malaysia Airlines flight, and the unrest in Ukraine and Iraq and Gaza and Syria, and suddenly, my crap didn't feel so bad in comparison. Just when I was getting caught up in petty matters, you showed me some perspective.

Note to self: It is NEVER as bad as it seems.

To be fair to you, 2014, you haven't been all that bad. You let me travel to rejuvenate myself, and I was so excited when you offered me the opportunity to come back to my first home, Oman.

You gave the world a frenzied and eventful World Cup in Brazil, though I was mad at you for kicking out every team that I supported. Fine, maybe Spain didn't deserve to go through, and you should have most definitely shown a little delicacy in how you kicked out the home country. But why couldn't you have finally given Messi a break and put an end to his World Cup woes?

Is that why you tried to make amends and let us land a spacecraft on a comet? Actually, I need another moment to digest that. I mean, I've got to give you props, 2014. How seriously cool is that?!? You make me feel lucky to be alive at a time like this. I don't think a lot of us truly value the lives that we have. Just last week, you confirmed that Robin Williams committed suicide. Funny man, Robin Williams. Depressed. That was a real shocker.

Note to self: NO amount of fame or money can bring you happiness or sanity.

It's almost the end of the year, and I'm sure everyone has a story to share. You dealt Oman a severe blow with news of the ill health of their beloved leader, but somehow you also gave the people an immense amount of courage. I haven't seen this kind of love towards the ruler of any other country, and once again, I am glad to have witnessed something inspiring.

Well, 2014, while I didn't like you all that much in the beginning, I've warmed up to you. You brought an amazing friend into my life who helped me get out of the dumps, and recently, you've given me a new crush to distract myself with. Perhaps this is why you drew me back to Oman? Good move, 2014! So, how about this? We'll call it even. You redeemed yourself.

And now, the time has come for you to leave. Farewell, 2014. You may be gone, but you've made your mark. You won't be forgotten...

Note to self: I just conversed with a year. I NEED to get out more.

Oman National Day

Oman has a grandiose history. However, what is most relevant for the world to sit up and notice about, is what Oman has achieved since the 1970s.

In 1970, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos  Bin Said acceded to the throne, the growth in industry and infrastructure since then has been radical. In the 1960s, the same households that lived without electricity, roads and used water out of Falaj streams, had them all inclusive of free education and medical help by the end of the 1970s. By the early 1990s, the worst nightmare for an Omani is the AC not working, a necessity that did not exist just a few decades earlier.

How many of you have a picture in the Corniche back then and now?

Oratory and harangues by political leaders have either been cliché and archived to the ash heap of history and viral twitter humor or have been phenomenal and erudite, setting vision about the path of progress and inspiring listeners with an unrelenting hold encouraging them to action . Like PM Narendra Modi, President Barrack Obama to King George VI, HM Sultan Qaboos maintains this oratory ritual of delivering speeches every National Day ever since the first historical speech on July 23rd 1970  (which is often referenced by Omanis about the "new Oman").

With over 4 decades of Renaissance, Oman has put in place a world-class infrastructure in terms of roads, flyovers, hospitals, schools, universities, ports, airports, industrial estates, transport and communication and continues its march towards all-round development.

Oman is still in its early stages of setting up railway system.  Muscat International and Salalah International Airport including three regional airports are under development and several projects specifically leisure resorts, golf courses and hotels are planned / underway to boost the tourism sector.  Concentration on human resource development continues to be the base of sustainable development policies adopted by the Sultanate. Huge attention is being paid towards the welfare and development of citizens considering the basic role to be played by them as a resource in the continuing development of the Sultanate.

As we all enjoy the long weekend, city light up in decorations and fireworks this 44th National Day,  we wish His Majesty and everyone in Oman with peace, health, prosperity and success.

Read more at www.omanforamericans.wordpress.com

Muscatwhere.com - the Brain of Muscat.

www.Muscatwhere.com

So Muscat-Where Can I Find (MWCIF) has become a MASSIVE database of credible useful community information which helps newbies and long time residents of Muscat find what they need. The process is simple, you ask and members of the community answer with their recommendations, suggestions and insight. In the 4.5 years the group has existed, the group has amassed a database of over 28,000 posts and over 165,000 comments. It surely is the brain of Muscat.

Simple Process
The process is simple. All the information shared is automatically updated via the Facebook group to muscatwhere.com so you can search to see if you your question has been asked and if it has been answered. So if you are looking for chia seeds, a handy man, a particular product/service or even information then this tool will download old posts and comments related to what you are looking for.

Keyword Search
Using the tool is simple. You type in your keyword, your date limits and click 'Search' and the tool will download all posts/comments relevant to that keyword. All you have to do is look through them and see if any of them are relevant. You can then head over to the particular post in the group by clicking 'go to post' and commenting again or just writing down the information you need.

Check out your own Posts and comments
You can also see your own posts and comments so you can see what you have written in the past. I thought that would be nice to see our own posts and remember what we have asked for.

So now there is no need to worry about 'I can't find a post' or 'does anyone remember a post about..' - just head over to www.muscatwhere.com - type in your keyword and be on with the rest of your day.


Nicholla :) 

(MWCIF Creator)