EXCESS

when we lived in Oman there wasn't a whole lot to do...days would pass and I would realize that nothing memorable happened and that I didn't have much to look forward to the next day.

I'm in the other extreme in Doha. Too much is happening and I can't keep up. This weekend alone there is a theatre Pirate Ball...a women's tennis match with the world's best players...the Doha Tribeca Film Festival...Halloween...Kid's Carnival's...the Whatever it Takes Experience Fund Raiser...the Think Pink walk...and the list keeps GOING AND GOING!

I'm stressed...I can't do it all...I don't know how to prioritize. So many of them overlap...and then there is the matter about it not all being family friendly and therefore ruining our weekend...it is EXCESSIVE! I just want a happy medium. Can't they spread all of these things out throughout the year? The answer is NO! Why? Because there are tons of celebrities coming for these things and so they are trying to pile them all up on top of each other so that when the celebrities are here they will have lots to do. And it irritates me to no end! Why is my personal schedule revolving around celebrities. I will NEVER be one of those "can I have your picture/autograph?" people. But I have a life as well...and I can't be at all places at once. Of course, it would help if I were a celebrity because I wouldn't have to fight for tickets or positions or have to be bussed over to the events...I could come in a Limo...be pampered...excused when I don't want to stay and not be held back by security. I'm a mom...I have one weekend this entire year when all of these things happen...and I can't experience it all because the "celebrities" are getting in my way.

On a side note...I do sling around the word "celebrity" with a negative connotation. You are reading that correctly. In my world there are artists/professionals and then there are celebrities. Some of the people who will be coming truly are artists, and I would love to sit down and have a conversation with them and get to know them as a person and find out what inspires them. This will never happen, and my standing around asking for a stupid signature or photo isn't going to magically count towards being humanistic - only stalkeristic. You know what I'm saying? Celebrities, on the other hand, have no real skill set in the arts other than being famous and in a couple of movies. To me there is a difference and I think it makes me a very grounded person. Anyway - there will be excessive partying in Doha this weekend due to the celebs and various events.

The other day at my kids school they had a "health fair" where all of the food groups were represented. The kids went through the long lines and picked something from each table. Some of those kids just piled their plates sky high and ended up throwing most of it away. I brushed it off thinking that their eyes were bigger than their bellies, afterall, there were SO many different things to choose from at each table. Today, we threw a small halloween party in the classroom. Some of the kids picked up 2 sandwiches. Some didn't get any, but preferred to get mostly cupcakes. As I watched, many of the children simply threw their whole sandwich in the trash. Didn't even touch it. Not a single bit out of it. I was mostly annoyed by the boy who took 2 sandwiches and tossed both of them. All of the offenders were little arab children. I know that sounds racist...but it is an honest observation. The same kids did the same thing on the "health fair" day. I looked in the trash can and there were several untouched sandwiches. It was a complete reflection on the excess that some of these children experience. There is no guilt associated with taking more than you can eat and tossing it aside. I imagine them going to buffets and piling the plates up, only to decide once being seated that "eh...maybe I don't want this anymore." and not eating anything off the plate. My daughter sat beside me and dutifully ate her entire sandwich and all of her fruit. I was so proud of her. She bounded off to recess before I could let her know. There were other children of other nationalities as well who ate what they took. But there were a far greater number who were wasteful. So much excess here...and the entitlement the people feel about having excess. Truly sad.

My waistline has some excess flab. I need to get rid of that.

I have excessive amounts of frizz in my hair and an excessive amount of items on my calendar regarding school events.

Last night we played chinese checkers as a family...it was an excessive amount of fun.

I have excess love all around me from my family.

I have an excessive life.

Excess.