Y Magazine #287 September 19 2013

Trapped Behind The Mask THE REALITY OF DEALING WITH DEPRESSION

WHAT’S ON / THE JOY OF SHOPPING / COMEDY CLASSICS / FEEL GOOD FOODS / BARNEY IN THE SPOTLIGHT JORDAN’S JOKER: Interview With Nabil Sawalha COOL CHOIR: Singing For Pleasure A + ATTITUDE: The Power of Positivity At Work

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SEP 19 - 25 • ISSUE 287 • WEEKLY

Jump Into

JOY Y’s Guide To Happiness

PLUS!

Fashion

HAUTE HAPPY

01

NOVEMBER 24 / ISSUE 258

Win

32

TOM TICKETS

Y-Fi

03

GLEE GADGETS

44

WHAT MAKES TEAM Y HAPPY

EDITOR’S

NOTE

Penny: My faith Kate: Love Joe: Family Jerzy: Travel Matt: Poochy (my cat)

TREND BAROMETER

GOING UP

TOM JONES He may be vintage but the Welsh wonder is still in vogue and coming to Oman this weekend - the editor’s already threatening to throw her Prada pants at him. Not got a ticket yet? Get a pair quick by entering our online competition. Simply tweet #IREADYMAG before noon on September 19.

GOING DOWN

LETTUCE Health bunnies watching their weight are now moving on to seaweed because it’s high in both potassium and vitamin C.

Welcome to the new look Y Magazine your indispensable guide to everything modern Oman has to offer.

Fast forward

T

here is no way of saying this without sounding smug and incredibly annoying but I’ve never experienced real unhappiness. Why? Well, partly because I’ve been fortunate enough to live a fairly charmed life and partly because I’m a look-on-thebright-side kind of girl. I tend to view life’s challenges as blessings in disguise because of the lessons attached to them. Okay, so there’s been the occasional bad day when I’m tired, stressed or have PMT. But on the whole, I love to share my optimism with others and it’s usually well received. Sometimes though, people find my positivity annoying. And that’s fine because happiness is a choice. As Abraham Lincoln once said: “Most folks are as happy as they make their minds to be.”

Of course, the right to choose has been taken away from some people. Those with depression don’t usually wake up one morning and decide that they want to be plunged into the depths of despair. Circumstances or simply an imbalance in the brain dictates it. Oman may be ranked one of the world’s happiest places to live but in this issue, we look at the downside as well as all the reasons to be cheerful.

THIS WEEK…

Penny Fray MANAGING EDITOR

Team Y went up Jebel Akhdar and the editor was nearly stung by a very angry scorpion on her doorstep.

Ways to get your Y fix Online: Visit y-oman.com for even more inspiration.

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editor@y-oman.com

EDITOR IN CHIEF Sayyida Iman bint Hamad bin Hamood Al Busaidi CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Eihab Abutaha MANAGING EDITOR Penny Fray SECTIONS EDITOR Kate Ginn

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SEP 19 - 25 / ISSUE 286

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contents SEPTEMBER 19 2013

Your Oman

06 The Big Interview Barney 08 Your Oman

Jane Jaffer 1 0 News

Oman’s Cycling King

10

Features

18 A State Of Mind

Beating the Blues

22 Don’t Worry,

Be Happy

Mind Guide

25 Jordan’s Joker

Nabil Sawalha

This Week

14 This Week

Legend of Montevideo 16 Movie Listings Prisoners

22 Business & Career 26 Nice Attitude

Can I Borrow It?

Food & Drink

28

Trend

Happy Home 30 Food Review

Kargeen Caffe

30

Cars & Outdoors

14 Health & Beauty

32 Fashion

Colour Me Happy 34 Shopping

Joy Of Shopping

37 Destination

Muqshin Oasis

40 Indoors

Cool Choir

42 Postcards From Copenhagen 44 Y-Fi

Gleeful Gadgets 46 Car of the Week

SsangYong Rexton GX

45

34 NEXT WEEK’S ISSUE...

Nouveau Punk Five Star Service Beauty Buzz HOW TO BECOME A TED TALKER

YOUR

News

Gallery

INTERVIEW

OMAN

THE PURPLE ONE BARNEY, the world’s only dinosaur superstar, is coming to Oman next month to spread some happiness

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BARNE FAVOU Y’S RITE THINGS

● Singin ● Danc g ing ● Eatin gp and jelly eanut butter ● Using sandwiches ima ● Lots gination of hugs

credit: Cincinnati Enquirer

Barney, what kind of dinosaur are you exactly?

Well, I’m a Tyrannosaurus Rex, although you don’t see many of the purple ones running around these days.

Aren’t those the fierce and scary ones?

Yes, I am like the ones in Jurassic Park except I think they were just very good actors. We’re not very fierce at all. I do think they should have had more singing and dancing in that movie.

How old are you?

My scientist friends tell me that I’m more than 200 million years old. I like to think I’m not a day over 700,000 years old. I think dancing and singing in the show helps keep me in shape.

Do you have any favorite foods?

Oh, yes, I absolutely have favourite foods – dinosaurs like to eat a lot! I especially like fruits and veggies – rutabaga is one of my favourites. Let’s do the rutabaga rumble! I also especially like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I like mine with a nice tall glass of icy cold milk, too. Just talking about it makes me really hungry right now.

How many brothers and sisters do you have?

I don’t have any brothers and sisters. Baby Bop and BJ are the closest thing I have to a family, but they are brother and sister to each other.

My other friend is Riff.

Barney is a big hero to lots of little kids. Why do you think that is?

I think for one thing I like a lot of the same things they do, like learning about my ABCs, colours and shapes. When you use your imagination, you can be anywhere and do anything. If somebody is talking to you about using your imagination and following your dreams, that’s a good person to look up to.

Do you, Barney, have any heroes?

I have lots of heroes! They live all over the world. Anybody who gives someone encouragement is a hero.

What’s it like to tour on the road?

Well, you start very early and end very late. I have to eat right, lay off the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches a bit. I usually just go right to bed after a show. The greatest part is getting to visit my old friends in the cities where I’ve been before and getting to meet so many new ones.

The hardest part is finding accommodation big enough to suit me. A lot of hotels have narrow doorways that I can’t fit through. It’s especially hard when I try to sit down in the airplane’s coach section with my tail.

Is Barney a boy or a girl?

I’m a boy!

Where did you learn to sing?

I haven’t taken any formal lessons I just started doing it. That’s one of the ways you get good at discovering talent.

On your show, you just appear when the kids want to play with you.

How do you know when they want you to appear?

That’s imagination! Imagination is what makes me come into their world. I like to tell everyone that when I leave a town, I can always come back in their imagination.

Why do you like to give hugs so much?

That’s easy! I love my friends! I like hugs, too. If I were there with you, I would probably give you a really big hug now. (Uh, thanks, Barney.)

Why do you sing everything?

Singing is a good way to remember a lot of things. Besides that, it’s a lot of fun, too. I like to sing the ‘I Love You’ song, and songs about brushing your teeth and picking up your toys. We even have a song about having good manners. I think songs make it fun to remember the things we’re supposed to do.

The Voice of Oman Jane Jaffer on the pursuit of happiness

correspondence We welcome the ban on rowdy bars Dear Editor,

H

appiness can be elusive.

Apparently, men are happier with a partner when they have good friends.

We are happy when we have meaning in our lives, a sense of purpose, high self-esteem and opportunities to use our skills and talents. Age plays its part too. In our mid-forties we suffer a dip in happiness levels. Hardly surprising, when many are juggling responsibilities at work, stroppy teenagers and ailing parents.

But these are only external factors. We cannot be driven crazy without our full cooperation. In every situation, no matter how bad, we have the power to choose how we respond.

Life is about choice and taking responsibility for our thoughts and actions. Sometimes it is easier to blame others for our unhappiness and stay in victim mode. When we realise our power, choose to live in gratitude, and eliminate negative thoughts, we find real happiness.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most.” (Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love, quoted by Nelson Mandela in his 1994 inaugural speech as President of South Africa)

Next week: KARIMA FARID

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With reference to your article ‘Banned – will new rules ruin Oman’s nightlife?’ I have lived in Muttrah near Oman House for the past ten years and have two bars within 100 metres.

The bands used to be so loud that residents couldn’t sleep at night with the occasional brawls of drunkards.

Can you imagine having a house just next to a bar?

I am very grateful and thankful to the authorities for making such a wise decision.

I hope this will carry on for several years.

There should be no bars in residential areas.

Several times I had requested the bands or bar staff to lower the volume as the music

Greening the highway

was too loud, but they did not pay any heed. I had prayed to the Lord to do something, and as some say, “God listens to your prayers.”

Now I can sleep peacefully with my family and we, the residents of Muttrah, are thankful to the authorities in the Ministry of Tourism.

I hope next time you write a more balanced report and not one-sided.

Best regards, Mohammed Ali, Muttrah Editor’s reply: Thank you for sharing your experiences and views on the problems of noise and anti-social behaviour caused by late-night bars.

We aim to be balanced in all our features and believe we were on this occasion. Still, we welcome reader comments on this and other Y stories.

PRIDE IN YOUR CHILD

Dear Editor,

Dear Editor,

It is good to see the new construction and facelift of Sultan Qaboos Street, especially the area surrounding the new airport from Azaiba to Seeb.

But it is really sad to see that landscaping plans were not taking into consideration. We see a lot of concrete, but greenery is absent, unlike the road before and after Seeb Airport.

The central divider has beautiful lampposts, but around them are paving stones, and the same was done to the large side pavements and islands.

I hope that the contractor will modify these plans to add plants in the middle divider along the whole street, and the same for the large pavements and island dividers.

Not only will this make it a very pleasant and relaxing drive along the street, but plants will bring beauty, improve the air and make for a more pleasant environment as well.

In today’s world, parenting is a challenging task for everyone. The basic reason for this, I believe, is that few people are at home due to the demands of work and commuting.

The opportunity for interaction between parents and children is therefore limited. As a result, the freedom of children is also curtailed. Parents or nannies dictate a child’s behaviour according to their wishes and needs, which affects the physiological development of a child.

Children, irrespective of their age, need to be appreciated for their efforts, whether at home or school. They desperately need praise and recognition and I strongly believe this acknowledgement would help improve their enthusiasm and happiness. PRIDE – Praise, Reflect, Imitate, Describe and Enthusiasm – will work wonders if these tools for encouraging children are used in the right context.

After all, timely recognition is the best reward and biggest motivator for children.

Regards, Hani Antar, Ghubra

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YOUR FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT TO US

happiness debate WE ASKED:

Oman is the 23rd happiest country in the world according to a UN poll.

What makes you happy?

Sadia Muneeb

Firstly, the mesmerising beauty of Oman fills my mind and heart with pleasure. It’s just a feast for the eyes. I can sit for hours and hours on the beautiful beaches staring at the unending blanket of water.

Then I would say that a certain type of calmness or peacefulness prevails which keeps us happy and contended. Being tax free also makes us happy. There are so many reasons to enjoy in Oman.

Thumbs up Oman and keep rocking.

Sudheesh Pal

Credit must go the lovely and friendly Omani people.

Digan Pandya

Quality time with family – something you hardly get anywhere in the world except our beloved Oman.

Manoj Sharma

Everything about Oman – the people, the administration, the nature, the culture and the environment.

LETTERS

E-MAILS

FA C E B O O K

TWITTER

muscat’s gas cylinder lottery Dear Editor, As if the existing issues of getting a gas cylinder were not enough, there is one more new issue to contend with.

The gas cylinder delivery guys in my experience are making a big fuss about so called ‘expired’ gas cylinders.

Until a couple of months back these very same gas delivery guys had supplied such cylinders and at that time they were obviously ‘OK’, while selling them and now they are refusing to exchange these very same cylinders.

How strange.

Gas companies have been issuing clarifications that they would be exchanging the cylinders. But now some of the delivery guys insist on charging customers for supplying a fresh ‘valid’ cylinder.

Please could gas companies open 24x7 supply depots within easy reach of residential areas, so that desperate customers can exchange their ‘expired’ cylinders and get fresh refills.

Motaleb

They can also save on the commissions paid to the delivery guys to offset increased costs in providing this facility.

Consumers in the capital are faced with regular problems regarding deliveries of cylinder refills.

The primary issue is that they do not come after receiving your call.

The second issue is that the charges seem to vary greatly.

Another issue is that some of these guys do not wish to climb up the stairs and only deliver to ground-level residences or those buildings where an elevator is available.

They occasionally advise customers that they should carry the cylinder themselves to their flats. Others will ask the customers to ‘share’ the load by co-carrying the cylinder up the stairs with them.

I look back with intense nostalgia at the good old days when getting a gas cylinder delivered was not such a daunting chore.

Thank you.

Jayesh Lodaria Ruwi

GLOBAL STANDARDS.

Arsenal winning.

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY.

Renate Buijsman-Derks

DEPARTMENT OF UROLOGY AT KIMS

I was already happy as the Netherlands were high on the happiness list.

Ronak Bhatt

The saying ... ‘smile and the world smiles with you’ is very apt for Oman and its people – always smiling, contented and welcoming.

Dr. Arun Panackal M.B.B.S, M.D, FCS Urologist

Syed Bokhari

Vedette de Niese

It’s the people in this country that put us in this position but to me Oman should be in the Top 10. Keep smiling people.

Susan Reed

Visiting Oman makes me happy

Jomari Somontina Sagal

Salary day makes everyone happy.

Services Offered Endoscopic removal of stones, ureteric stones and bladder stones Laparoscopic surgery for kidney tumors and stones Transurethral (endoscopic) surgery for prostate (TURP) and bladder diseases (TURBT) Reconstructive urology (Open and Laparoscopic surgery) Female Urology (including stress incontinence) Treatments for male infertility and impotence Paediatric Urology (open and endoscopic surgery)

MoH No.271/2013

Definitely it’s a great moment for Oman, because the country is achieving great goals under the dynamic rule of His Majesty. So why not rejoice?

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helpdesk@kimsoman.com

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PHARMACY EMERGENCY & AMBULANCE 2476 0123

www.kimsoman.com

SEP 19 - 25 / ISSUE 287

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Gallery

Interview

NEWS

He cycles 22,000kms a year around Oman and is now taking on the World’s best

If you happen to see a streak of light blue hurtling past one morning, chances are you have just bumped into Youcef Cummings on his bicycle. You’d have to be up early to catch him though, around 4am to be exact.

While the rest of us are mostly tucked in our beds at that time, he is heading off into the dawn light for a small cycle ride, only around 100kms or so, nothing too taxing at this time of day.

It’s nothing for a man who clocks up 22,000kms on the roads and mountain paths of the Sultanate every year on two wheels.

It might sound too arduous for most mere mortals but then Youcef Cummings is no ordinary man.

An Australian who has been living in Oman for 20 years, he has trained the Oman national cycling team for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and on the 22nd of this month will be going for glory at the Amateur World Cycling Tour Final in Trento, Italy, where he will be wearing the yellow and green jersey for his home country.

“I’ve been cycling seriously since I was 16 and have been lucky enough to do some extraordinary things and ride in some amazing places in Oman and around the world,” said Cummings.

At the age of 46, he is still going strong in the saddle, pushing both boundaries and himself.

Growing up in Queensland, he 010

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was into motorbikes first before discovering pedal power and never looked back, winning state medals and becoming part of the Australian team.

It was during training sessions in Oman, staying for three months at a time to make use of the Sultanate’s rugged and mountainous landscape, which is ideal for punishing workouts, that he was asked to coach the Oman National cycling team.

Oman sent one road cyclist from the 12-strong team to the Atlanta Summer Olympics.

“I walked into the stadium with the Oman flag. Doing the Olympic walk in front of 60,000 people was incredible,” said Cummings.

When budget constraints led to the team folding, he was all set to go back to Australia before meeting his future Omani wife and settling down to marriage and fatherhood.

The cycling stopped in favour of motorcycles and go-karts, finishing 17th in the World Championships in Dubai.

“Wheels and me seem to get along well,” said Cummings, with something of an understatement.

“I always kept my original racing bike, though, and rode around Muscat, and followed the Tour de France. I was never good enough to turn professional. I knew that from early on, so I was happy to stay an amateur.”

Getting back on his bike, he

crossed Africa over 12 days, riding from Libya to France. In February, he went to Perth and qualified for the Amateur Championship where he will be one of 218 Australian riders. In the 45-49 age group, he will be up against 69 other cyclists.

An 117km road race over one day, the route includes three climbs, the highest to 1.6km up a mountain. He expects to finish in around four hours.

“There is a massive hill near the finish and my ambition is to be in a group close enough to see the leaders finish.

“I think I can do it. I’ve been working hard for the last 12 months.

“It is going to be tough. The pain in your legs, the aching muscles, reach a point where you can’t feel it any more. If I thought about it, I would stop. You have to focus.”

He has taken annual leave from his day job working in the oil industry to take part in the event.

Until three weeks ago, he was up for early morning bike rides

and pedalling up to 300km on the weekends. A cycle from Muscat to Fanja and back, for instance, is around 160km. There are six bikes at home. The one going with him to Italy is made of carbon fibre, weighing just 6.5kgs, and would set you back $16,000 to buy.

A strict diet with zero carbohydrates is followed to maintain his streamlined 70 kilos body weight. Every extra gram could make a difference on the bike.

“I eat like a rabbit,” he says. It seems to be working. Recently, he took on and beat far younger riders in a race in Dubai.

This single-minded determination will be needed.

After the amateur championship, there is the Tour of Sharjah in the UAE, a five-day race up to 900kms, followed by a race in the Philippines and the Tour of Dubai in December.

“I have no intention of slowing down or stopping,” said Cummings.

“I will keep on riding.”

Words: Kate Ginn

THE TWO WHEELED WONDER

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Gallery

Interview

NEWS

TAKING GREEN STEPS Walk raises smiles and awareness of environment Putting their best feet forward, the aim was to have some fun but the message was a serious one: go green and help save the planet for now and future generations.

Dozens of environmentalists and would-be eco warriors, both young and old, responded to the call to action by taking part in a Green Walk in the appropriately verdant setting of Qurum National Park at the weekend. Organised by AISEC Oman, a youth group, the Go Green 2 initiative aims to build a sense of community responsibility and harmony by asking people to go green, act green and think green.

International interns from AISEC did their bit for the cause by taking part in the walk, above and beyond their duty.

Two environmental issues were on the day’s agenda: water conservation and paper recycling. Tips on how to

GIDDY UP

About to break into a full gallop, the beautiful grey horse is quite a sight to behold as it passes a forest. This is ‘Punjab’, one of five from the Oman Royal Cavalry stables, which took part in a major riding competition held in the Czech Republic recently.

With rider Abdullah bin Said al Siyabi, Punjab triumphed in the Europe Open Endurance Championship in the city of Most, 77km northwest of Prague, to become

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make a difference were handed out to walkers and spectators, along with green balloons.

Throughout September, Go Green 2 will also be going into schools to get the younger ones interested in the environment and preserving Oman’s natural wonders.

A Green Day is also being held in Muscat Grand Mall on Saturday (21) with fun activities for kids and adults.

Horse rides to Royal DITCH PLASTIC Cavalry success Health impact of shopping bags

the pride of the Oman Royal Cavalry.

More than 91 horses from 23 countries took part in the gruelling 160km race.

The Royal Cavalry sent a team of five riders, who qualified for the finals of the championship after a series of international races. Six riders and their horses from the Cavalry will all be going to the World Endurance Championship 2014, which will be held in France.

Discarded plastic bags could be bad for health, and are linked to cancers and neurological disorders, an expert has warned.

When plastic bags break down in water, a chemical is released, which has been connected to an array of health problems, a workshop held by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs exploring the effect of plastic bags was told.

“When this chemical, Bisphenol A, enters the food chain through consumption of seafood, it has been linked to a wide range of health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, breast cancer and thyroid problems,” said Aseela al Maskari, of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the Ministry of Health.

It can also be transmitted to babies through breast milk. Plastic grocery bags also have the potential to leak chemicals and toxins into soil and water sources, which can be passed onto humans, resulting in health dangers such as neurological problems and cancers, she added.

A taskforce has been set up to look at the issue of plastic bag use in Oman. Y revealed earlier this month that a ban or taxation of non-biodegradable bags would be introduced by the end of the year.

Y’S HAPPINESS Gallery

Interview

News

HAPPY OMAN! Y finds the biggest smiles to mark our jolly issue

SEP 19 - 25 / ISSUE 287

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THE WHAT’S ON GUIDE

Sifah So Good

Sept 23-25

Sept 27 If dancing in your swimwear to the light of the moon in the beautiful setting of the Sifawy Boutique Hotel tickles your fancy, you better head down for the all-day Splash Bash party on Sep 27. It starts at 2pm and you can party till midnight for RO50 or book a room and stay for breakfast for RO75 per head.

Tickets include BBQ buffet, open bar, and free berthing for those arriving in style by yacht. Call 95672118 or email splashbash@sifawyhotel.com

Health Hotspot Opening doors for health products, services and opportunities for new health sector developments in the Sultanate – yes, we are talking the Med Health and Wellness Exhibition at Hall 1 of the International Exhibition Centre.

Legend of Montevideo

THIS

WEEK

What to do.

What to see.

What to hear.

SEPTEMBER

Legendary Argentine ballet dancer Julio Bocca is one of the most important ballet dancers of the late 20th century. Under his inspired artistic direction, the National Ballet Company of Uruguay has entered a new golden age of creativity, combining classical and modern ballet with elements of sensuous tango. Catch them for two distinctive programmes of exquisite dance at the Royal Opera House. For tickets go to www.rohmuscat.org.om

Sept 19-21

Over the dunes The next Guide Oman desert crossing is scheduled for September 19-21 and bookings are now open. Contact Rebecca Mayston on 98038820 or rmayston@theguideoman.com.

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Sept 26-27

Gallery

Movies October

X Rated

02

TEDx Muscat has revealed its final speaker list to Y magazine – and it’s an eclectic and super-smart bunch.

International speakers include German University of Technology associate professor and zero-energy building pioneer, Dr Nikolaus Knebel; social entrepreneur and inspirational speaker Sabirul Islam; and American 3-D sidewalk artist Kurt Wenner (see left). Did we mention Dr Pawan Agarwal, who has tirelessly campaigned to improve the lot of Mumbai’s hardworking dabbawallas, who deliver homemade food to the city’s workers? There’s also mobile entertainment executive Ralph Simon, Neil Harbisson, a worldleading cybernetics innovator and artist Moon Ribas, who together with Harbisson created the Cyborg Foundation. They will all be found sharing and sparking ideas alongside high-profile Omani speakers at the Bait Al Zubair Museum on October 2.

Peace talks

You might not know there is a UN International Day of Non-Violence but The Rajyoga Centre for Self Development is celebrating it with a special event at the Ministry of Education Auditorium, Watayya, Qurum Heights at 7pm on Wednesday. The keynote speaker, Sister Jayanti, European Representative to the UN in Geneva for the Brahma Kumaris World Spirituality University, has been working for nonviolence for most of her life. For further details, contact 98204373, 99249576 or 99336738

OCT

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THIS WEEK

MOVIES MOVIES THIS WEEK’S MOVIES

For more information and times, go to: City Cinema: citycinemaoman.net Al Bahja Cinema: albahjacinema.net Star Cinema: Tel +968 24791641

The Family

Prisoners

PREVIEW

A Thanksgiving dinner turns into a nightmare for a couple and their neighbours when two young girls, one from each family, go for a walk and don’t come back.

The happy occasion gradually twists into unbearable tensions as the Dovers (Hugh Jackman and Maria Bello) and the Birches (Terrence Howard and Viola Davis) search fruitlessly for the girls, fearing the worst.

Two of the older children spot a camper van parked down the street, and when Jake Gyllenhaal’s detective Loki is called in, he quickly finds the van’s owner, a misfit and loner played

by Paul Dano.

The interrogation begins but Gyllenhaal has doubts about the suspect’s connection to the crime, instead looking at a wider plot involving multiple perpetrators.

This is the last thing the parents want to hear. Losing hope as the police inquiry drags on, a desperate

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Jackman takes matters into his own hands, kidnapping Dano and torturing him in the hope of finding out the whereabouts of his daughter.

Rather than a conventional family in peril thriller, this is a wrenching psychological study in which the stakes are the lives of two children.

The dilemma of how far to go to find them is followed to its difficult conclusion, without giving audiences an easy get out.

Is torture ever justified and can it even get the result you want? This is the question hanging over the parents, as they pursue their vigilante efforts.

Jackman sheds his superhero skin and becomes a mortal man who goes to extremes to get his child back, but the viewer has to share the terrible burden of not knowing whether he he will ultimately be reunited with his daughter.

A genuinely engulfing drama.

Review by Joe Gill

Battle of the Year With B-Boying making a comeback the world over, it was only a matter of time before the old–school street dance was given a generation X-Factor makeover. The US has not won the B-Boy crown for 15 years until Josh Holloway reluctantly takes on the job of turning a gang of troubled youths into a world-beating dance crew.

Luc Besson, French director of Nikita and the Fifth Element, assembles an impressive cast led by Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer, to try his hand at a mafia comedy. The Manzonis standing in their close-knit community is at zero since dad Fred Manzoni turned state witness against his fellow mobsters.

With murders threats hanging over them, a witness protection officer played by Tommy Lee Jones oversees their move to Normandy. Will they settle into the quiet French town? The answer is a big no, as Pfeiffer proceeds to set fire to the local supermarket while De Niro hospitalizes the plumber.

Meanwhile daughter Belle (Dianna Agron) deals with an unwanted suitor at her new school by crowning him with a tennis racket, and son (John D’Leo) goes on a teen crime spree. It’s a kind of suburban mafia version of the Adams Family. And that’s before the mafia hit squad arrives – which is when the family’s combined talent for extreme violence really comes together.

Despite respectable efforts from its actors, the film seems to be unable to decide whether it’s a broad - and very violent – comedy, or a serious gangster film.

It bumbles along for 90 minutes until, in the final section, Besson sensibly decides to switch to what he’s best at for a final actionpacked showdown.

On the Trail of the Marsupilami A Gallic family comedy with Arabic subtitles, based on a famous series of comic books, it stars goofy French comedian Alain Chabat. He plays a reporter in search of the mythical Marsupilami, heading off into the South American jungle, accompanied by local wide boy Jamel Debbouze. Together they get into all kinds of slapstick scrapes with indigenous tribes and a dictator who is Celine Dion’s number one fan.

The Colony In a post-apocalyptic ice age, famine and lethal viruses are among the threats faced by a group of survivors led by Laurence Fishburne (Matrix) and Bill Paxton (Aliens). When they receive a distress call from Colony 5, they send in a search party. Now, if this sounds extremely familiar, it’s because it’s the same plot as every sci-fi thriller since Alien. At least you are in the hands of two capable veterans to take you through the gruesome encounters with the ‘Ferals’, humans who have resorted to cannibalism.

Bollywatch Grand Masti

This sequel to the raunchy 2004 hit Mashti. Randy lads Vivek Oberoi, Aftab Shivdasani and Riteish Deshmukh have not matured in the intervening years and want to go back to college, not to study mind, but to chase skirt.

In fact, Grand Masti is not in any way coy about following the goggle-eyed boys’ eyes as they feast on anything in a tight number. Subtle this is not.

Bollywood’s answer to American Pie, with some saucy dance numbers.

News

FEEL-GOOD MOVIES

Great art can change the way you feel. That’s the test for a feel-good movie. As a proud part-time curmudgeon with a taste for gritty dramas and complex thrillers, I prefer the emotional payoff in a film to be earned, rather than just given away.

Still, even a cold-hearted rationalist can be caught off guard and find themselves crying unexpected tears of joy over something that they would not normally be caught watching.

It happens, and these are some of the films that are most likely to do it to you, whether you want them to or not.

Interview

MOVIES

Feeling down? You won’t be if you watch these, says Joe Gill

better as a waitress and mother who yearns to do something for herself for a change, while Greg Kinnear gives a great turn as a gay artist who has to rely on his irascible neighbour for help after a break-in. Sentimental, for sure, but authentically heartfelt.

Jerry Maguire (1996)

Groundhog Day (1993)

A sports agent on top of his game suddenly has an epiphany about his superficially successful but soulless existence. The next day he writes a morality statement and distributes it to the entire company, leading to an unforgettable fall from grace when he tries to take the whole team with him. Rene Zellwegger gives a wonderful performance as the accountant with a secret crush on Cruise.

Director Cameron Crowe manages to pack so much wit, feeling and insight into his script and characters, that the film stays with you long afterwards and rewards multiple viewings.

Love Actually (2003)

A love letter to film and the magic of childhood, the film begins with a famous director returning to his childhood village in Sicily for the funeral of a projectionist, who sparked his lifelong love of film. We return to his boyhood when he was assistant projectionist at the town’s only cinema, the one place of escapism from the hardships of village life. It’s a joyful meander through the memories of the screenwriter Giuseppe Tornatore, on whose childhood it is based. A magical, nostalgic masterpiece.

We’ve all had them. Days that seem to repeat themselves over and over.

In this extremely funny and touching romantic comedy, Bill Murray plays an ultra-cynical TV weatherman sent on a hated assignment covering the annual titular event in Punxsutawney, and finds himself literally trapped in a time loop. After losing himself in booze and then attempting multiple – hilarious – suicide attempts, he re-examines his life and finds love with Andie MacDowell.

It’s unashamedly romantic, but if you set aside all cynicism you will be swept up in Richard Curtis’s uplifting romantic comedy. I remember happening across the movie while feeling a little sorry for myself and by the end I found myself smiling so much it almost hurt. The film follows eight couples and their struggles to find or re-find love in the run-up to Christmas. It’s like a massive injection of dopamine that refuses to let up until it overwhelms you.

Amelie (2001)

French Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet said he wanted to make a film with no hatred or violence. That explains the uplifting bliss you feel as you watch the beautiful, intense colours and the exceptionally French score

by Yann Tiersen as elfin Audrey Tatou, with her famous fringed bob, cycles through Paris helping one person after another in her quirky joyful way. As an adult you are transported back to the safety and innocence of childhood where the world is a hopeful place that you are happy to be in. Poignant, romantic, lyrical and funny – this really does make you feel very good indeed.

Up (2009)

The opening few minutes of this animation pack a huge emotional punch, as we watch the life of the elderly Carl in fast forward, as he meets a girl, grows up, marries, then becomes a widower. It contains more genuine feeling than ten average films can hope to evoke. In the face of encroaching developers, Carl’s house is lifted off the ground by hundreds of helium balloons, taking an awkward boy – a younger version of the old man - along for the ride. A surprisingly grown-up adventure with enough thrills for the youngsters.

As Good As It Gets (1997)

A great example of how to make something original, fresh and eccentric out of nothing but a few good characters. The role of an obsessivecompulsive is an easy one to ham up, but Jack Nicholson gives it style, humour and his usual unmatchable flair. Helen Hunt has never been

Cinema Paradiso (1988)

A Matter of Life and Death (1946)

David Niven plays a wartime pilot who is critically injured in a crash, only to find himself placed before a celestial court where he must argue for his life.

From the team of Powell and Pressburger, some of the great minds from history are brought out to argue Niven’s case, as his counsel insists that his love for an American radio operator (Kim Hunter) gives him a right to return to life.

Shot in early colour and black and white (for the heaven scenes), the brilliantly imaginative screenplay has rarely been equalled. At the heart of it is a moving story in which only arbitrary death lies between a man and a woman’s love for each another.

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

A rags to riches tale that manages to avoid sentimentality while still making you cry. Will Smith plays real-life father and failing businessman Chris Gardner who, in a last, desperate bid to avoid disaster, takes an unpaid internship at a stock broker. At work he is the charming besuited broker, having to deal with ultra-rich clients who have no idea he cannot even pay his cab fare. Some have questioned its very American message that the relentless pursuit of riches is the answer to life’s woes. On the other hand, it is an inspirational story of a man’s determination to overcome extreme adversity to provide for his son.

Dirty Dancing (1987)

We may have included it in a previous list, but it deserves to be here, as few films have ever captured the awkwardness, exuberance and sheer intensity of young love. There is an exquisite nostalgia to the early 60s summer camp setting, where Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman is holidaying with her family and falls for dance instructor Johnny Castle, played by Patrick Swayze, sporting a shocking mullet.

The soundtrack is terrific and the grand finale dance off set the pulse of a generation of teenage girls racing..

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017

a state of mind

Y

Being happy is not always in our control.

Depression can affect anyone and the effects can be devastating.

Kate Ginn reports

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ou can’t see it. From appearances, you would have no idea that a person has it. Look around and the person next to you right now might be struggling with it Yet one in three adults are estimated to suffer from it at some point during their lives.

The shocking figure that an Indian expat took their own life in Oman every six days in the first quarter of last year only shows how deadly serious depression can be.

Little wonder then that it has been dubbed ‘the silent killer’ and a global crisis by the World Health Organisation (WHO), affecting an estimated 350 million people in the world. Depression does not discriminate – there are no barriers to age, class, wealth or gender – but it is discriminated against.

Speak to anyone who has been affected by mental illness and the chances are that you will hear a story of hidden distress, ignorance or lack of understanding.

Breaking down taboos surrounding the disease remains a big challenges for Gulf countries, where stigmatisation inhibits openness and acknowledgement.

Oman is not alone in this but a shift in societal attitudes is needed to address a problem, which cannot be conveniently brushed under the carpet without consequences.

In 2011, for instance, the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital announced that they had diagnosed 2,200 women with depression the previous year, an increase of more than 20 per cent. Failing or broken marriages were the common cause.

Low levels of Serotonin, a hormone, in the brain have also been pinpointed as influencing mood.

“Depression can be the result of circumstances, such as losing a job, relationship breakdowns and losing a loved one,” says Roma Fernandes, clinical psychologist at the Whispers of Serenity Clinic, a wellbeing centre in Muscat.

“When it is more than just a case of the blues or feeling sad, and your coping skills are affected, than there is a need for medication or therapy, or both.”

Depression’s disturbing increase is becoming a subject of great concern. According to researchers, its impact is bigger than cancer. The burden of mental illness and addictions is more than 1.5 times that of all cancers, reports have suggested.

At the beginning of this year, Al Masarrah Hospital was opened outside Muscat to provide treatment for psychiatric disorders and addiction cases. It replaced Ibn Sina Hospital, which was the only one in Oman catering to those with psychiatric disorders. While the old hospital had only 75 beds, woefully inadequate to meet needs, Al Masarrah has 245 places in 10 wards. Out patient treatment, however, is still thin on the ground.

Statistics are thin on the ground too. The Ministry of Health did not respond to several requests for information from Y but a rare study in 1990 by Sultan Qaboos University found that one in five patients admitted to emergency wards for ingesting pills in suicide attempts were married women.

According to the Ministry’s Annual Health Report 2011, there were a total of 1,612 cases of mood disorder during the year and 3,687 of stressrelated mental disorders. A further 338 children and adolescents suffered some form of emotional or behavioural mental disturbance. These are, of course, only the cases that are reported.

Last year, rising numbers of Indian expat workers taking their own lives in Oman prompted a campaign to reach out to people in distress. The ‘You are not alone: Life is Beautiful and Meant for

Living’ was initiated by a local Indian organisation in response to official figures showing that up to midApril 2012, an Indian living in Oman had committed suicide every six days.

Expatriates of all nationalities are more vulnerable to depression, particularly those who leave families behind, says Fernandes.

“Moving to a new country and life needs a period of adjustment.

“It can be very difficult so we need to be connected to friends and family or find a similar social circle.

We all need people who can be there for us to talk through worries – it’s very important to have that.

“Some people might find this grounding in their spirituality, whatever helps.”

Depression is by no means a new phenomenon but its increase is perhaps symptomatic of changing times.

“Our expectations are higher than the last generation and those of the new generation are higher again. They want everything or nothing, they are not content with average,” says Fernandes.

“Everyone’s idea of happiness is different – it could be having money or a good job or a family.

“If you don’t have these things, it can cause anxiety or stress.”

Most of Fernandes’ clients are Omani.

“It is not as taboo as people think,” she says. “Even in Oman, life is changing. People want to be happier and do want help. They realise that it is better to talk about it.

“People are educated, there is more of an awareness that depression is not something to suffer alone.”

Could you be depressed?

We all feel ‘down’ or blue at times but if your low mood continues every day for more than two weeks, seek help from your GP or a doctor.

Psychological symptoms include: Continuous low mood or sadness Feeling hopeless Low self esteem Tearful Irritable Lacking motivation Difficulty making decision Feeling anxious Having suicidal or self-harm thoughts

Physical symptoms include: Lack of energy Lethargy Change in appetite or weight Constipation Unexplained aches and pains Disturbed sleep

Social symptoms include:

Avoiding contact with friends Difficulties in home and family life Not doing well at work

Depression is classed as:

Mild – has some impact on daily life Moderate – has a significant impact on daily life Severe – makes it almost impossible to get through daily life

* Source www.nhs.uk

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CLOWN

TEARS OF A 020

Chris Fisher, 39, the programme director and breakfast presenter at Merge 104.8, turned to a traditional route of medication and therapy to help with his depression

W

hat I’m about to say might surprise a lot of people and listeners who know me as Chris, the fun guy on the radio. I come across as the life and soul of the party but what they don’t know is that I’ve suffered from depression for most of my life.

Despite being a people person, I’ve always suffered from confidence issues.

In my teens, I got down quite easily and would sometimes go quiet for days. As I got into my early 20s, I got more and more depressed and turned to food for comfort.

The more I would eat, the more I would get upset about my weight. It was a vicious cycle. At work, I would put on a happy face but I was very unhappy inside. From the age of 30 onwards, when I was living in Dubai, it escalated.

I’ve always been sensitive but I was becoming more emotional and easily upset. I was single and watching all my friends settling down and starting families and I felt I was missing out. I still do. It was a friend who told me that I needed to get help for my mood swings.

I saw a psychologist and she diagnosed me as clinically depressed in 2005. I was referred to a GP for medication and started taking 50mg of

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antidepressants a day.

I was living a double life. I felt like I was a character in the world of radio, like an alter ego with super powers. I would never take my personal problems into the studio. Even if I was feeling low, I would switch on to ‘superhero Chris.’

In the last four years, I have spoken to my sister about it but to this day, I haven’t told my dad or brother.

In 2006, the depression got worse. I didn’t feel like getting out of bed, I didn’t want to do anything on the weekends. I didn’t want to see anyone or respond to emails or text messages. During my worst moments, I was actually finishing it all off in my head.

During the financial crisis of 2008, I lost my job and had to leave Dubai a year later with nothing.

Life became difficult. I went into a cocoon and wallowed in my own self-pity. I went from living the dream in Dubai to not having a job and being on income support in the UK. It was the first time in 20 years that I hadn’t worked. I became even more depressed. My weight ballooned to 189 kilos. I was diagnosed with diabetes and sleep apnea. I was planning in my head how to end it all. What always stopped me was the thought of the people that I would be leaving behind. I was on a downward spiral of self-destruction.

Moving to Oman saved me. In the beginning, I was too busy to be depressed. I still didn’t feel confident around women but I started to feel like I was going somewhere again. In September 2011, though, I realised that I needed professional help and was prescribed antidepressants, 20mg a day, which I still take. I also have counseling sessions as often as I can. Having a psychologist made a big difference to me, she helped a lot.

Last year, I was still very depressed. Some work colleagues perceived me as aggressive and very confrontational, but it was just me being defensive. I felt I was being misread and misunderstood. To be honest, I didn’t know if my depression was under control or not. I didn’t know where it would go.

Even though there were fun times at work and with friends, there was always a deep sadness inside.

My lack of self-confidence and eating habits were due to my weight so in June last year, I had gastric bypass surgery. As the weight literally fell off, I could feel my confidence growing. The person who was hiding inside me was starting to come through.

Having surgery was the big thing that changed my life, saved my life, in so many ways, both physically and mentally.

I’m not saying that my depression has gone. I do feel as though at times I’m still hiding behind a persona. I’m still on medication and still have low days but I’m getting better.

One of the things that really helped me to make my life better and dispel any thoughts of self-harm was openly discussing my problems and asking for professional help. I would recommend people seek medical help and tell friends that they can trust if they feel down or depressed. Therapy and medication might not work for everybody but it worked for me and will continue to work for me.

I just want to be happy, and meeting the right person would be a big part of that. I would give up everything in my life to settle down and start a family. That’s what I crave.

Despite being a people person, I’ve always suffered from confidence issues

TWO SIDES OF

THE MASK

W

Leyla al Zahawi*, 39, from a Jordanian family, is married with a young daughter and works in theatre. She used creativity to manage her illness

The first time I saw people looking at me wanting a job rather than looking and wondering what was wrong with me, I knew I was on the right road.

I specialised in serious work and tragedy, feeling a complete affinity with it. I was completely at home with dark subjects.

However, sometimes I worked too hard and manically, and the same cycle set off again. Between productions I became very depressed and began to start suffering from aural hallucinations and chronic fatigue.

I had to learn balance. From my late 20s, I saw a very good therapist and at 33, I saw a hypnotherapist, which was life changing.

I have never had a panic attack or bout of depression since. By going right to the heart of certain childhood experiences, I was able to deal with them and purge them so they no longer ruled my subconscious life.

Just as my career was really taking off, I got the urge to be a mother and I was blessed with my beautiful baby girl when I was 35. From the moment I fell pregnant, I found my place in the world. Having a child has given me purpose and I want to remain strong and sane for my daughter.

Despite my family history of mental illness, I’m not worried for her. I will always ensure she can excel in what interests her and I will make sure I am strong enough for her to turn to me if she needs help.

I keep up my creative work, my exercise, health and intellect.

I don’t believe in the word depression. People are angry, sad, lonely, frightened. I believe that medication is handed out too easily. Depression is a healthy sign that things need addressing. We shouldn’t squash that sign but listen to it. It takes patience, assistance and belief to do this.

Hadeel*, 29, is Omani and divorced.

She has struggled with depression for a number of years and believes selfhelp can work

how you are feeling unless they have experienced it too.

During that period, I understand why people kill themselves.

You are under pressure with bad feelings and you can’t talk about it, so it all builds up.

I got better but I wasn’t the same person as before, she was gone.

When my marriage ended, I became very down again. This time, I didn’t take any help. I didn’t have a car, job, money or friends. I felt that my life was over. One day I ran away from the family house and didn’t go back. I stayed with another relative.

I helped myself get better. I read as much as I could about psychology and wrote all my feelings down. I understood that I would have to change my life Attitudes need to change in Oman, definitely. People don’t understand. If you say that you are sick or depressed, they think you are mad or crazy. If a family’s daughter is sick, they think she has done a bad thing or something bad has happened to her.

They do not realise that small things, like talking to someone, can help.

In Christianity if you feel bad you can go to a church or retreat to be closer to God. There is a similar thing in Islam. There is a place in Al Ghubra that you can go, a villa, for Muslims only. You pay just a token amount, RO5 or RO10. The sheikh will listen to you, give advice and read to you from the Quran. I went before I was divorced. It helped me to feel closer to God and you realise that your problem is nothing.

I’m much better now, not 100 per cent, but I’m working and not on any medication.

If I feel any pressure, I know how to deal with it.

It’s not easy being lonely, especially in a Gulf country, where women do not have the same freedom as western countries.

But I will not get down ever again. I will not let myself. * Names changed to protect identity

STRONG

STAYING

hen I was 21, the counsellor at my local doctor said that she wasn’t qualified to deal with my troubles any further and that I needed to see a psychiatrist.

So there I was sitting with a man in a white coat who told me I was Bipolar (otherwise known as manic depressive) and needed to take lithium, a mood stabilising drug.

I knew this was wrong and didn’t take the prescription. Six years later, when I won an award as a theatre director and was touring internationally with my own work and company, I knew this was the best decision I ever made. My ‘illness’ was also my gift and it took time and effort to understand how to use it.

Every woman in our family has suffered from mental illness. My aunt killed herself and my mother suffers from schizophrenia.

I would say it all began at seven years old when I suddenly became painfully shy and anxious. By 14, I was planning my exit and by 17, I was in a bad state, swinging between the belief that I could, and would, change the world, to not being able to bear the next five minutes of living.

This was all a response to a difficult childhood, a healthy response to unhealthy situations. Throughout my teens it was my love of, and gift for, music that kept me together. I won every piano competition I ever entered and used to practice up to seven hours a day.

However, strangely at 18, I suddenly gave it up after a severe bout of depression.

Once I discovered the theatre I finally had a place for this huge amount of creative energy. If I hadn’t found this way to channel my energy at that stage, I think I would be in a very bad place.

I was directing plays, acting, producing, writing, booking tours, fundraising, everything. My capacity for hard work amazed everyone and my success as an artist gave me the self-respect that I had never had.

In my view, I was not bipolar; I was extreme, with an extreme amount of energy and an aptitude towards extreme emotions and situations. In the right environment this was a blessing.

I

first started feeling unwell when I had problems with my marriage. I became very unhappy, sad and crying for no reason. I was completely out of balance. Sometimes, I would over eat and at other times I wouldn’t eat at all. I didn’t want to speak to anyone. My family was worried but I couldn’t talk to them. I used to write down how I was feeling or go for a walk on the beach. I went to the doctor and he told me that I was thinking too much. He gave me some medicine and it made me feel better.

I told my family “You blame me but I’m sick.” I was upset that they didn’t support me. When you open your heart, you want someone to understand. But nobody can really get

I used to write down how I was feeling or go for a walk on the beach

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021

DON’T WORRY,

Our shelves are groaning with books on how to find joy but are we chasing the impossible dream? Penny Fray finds out

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A

re we in the middle of a sadness epidemic?

The constant challenges of earning a living, maintaining a relationship and generally having it all are becoming battlegrounds for existential angst, according to several recent reports. The cure?

Learning to be happy.

According to experts, it doesn’t require pills or expensive therapy, just a new way of thinking. Thankfully, the plasticity of our brains means we can train ourselves to be more contented.

“People are keen to learn about happiness and excited to hear that it’s an achievable goal and not some vague state that’s largely out of their control,” explains psychologist Dr Timothy Sharp.

“Happiness can become a habit like meditation or a daily walk. Just by setting aside as little as ten minutes a day for happiness tasks, you’ll notice the difference.”

Author William Woollard, whom I met during one of his lectures on the science of happiness, agrees, claiming that finding joy is a matter of choice.

“We can’t change the nature of our life but we can change our attitude to that life.”

Take that first step on the journey of joy by cutting out the comparisons, clarifying your values and living in the now.

“When we worry, we obsess about the future,” adds Sharp. “When we experience regret, we fixate too much on the past. Letting our minds wander in either direction to the point of pain, prevents us from getting the most of our present.”

Happiness is not just about feeling great but living your authentic self and flourishing.

Instead of embracing transient pleasures and ticking off life goals like a shopping list, we should analyse our lives in terms of five key components, then figure out what we can do to enhance them. According to pioneering psychologist Martin Seligman these pillars are positive emotions, engaging in life, good relationships, having meaning and purpose as well as achieving goals.

“It’s important that we don’t prioritise any of the five over the rest,” says Seligman.

Other simple happiness habits include making a list of things to be grateful for, practicing random acts of kindness and challenging negative thoughts when they arise - but most of all, listening to the needs of our authentic selves.

Success, money, love and even your health should be the products of a happy life not the cause.

10 WAYS TO JOY ● Practice daily gratitude exercises like listing ways you are lucky. ● Be more active and eat healthily.

Go on, release those feel-good endorphins! ● Spend time with positive people who give you a buzz. ● Be a do-gooder. Forgive and be more giving. Jealousy and selfishness hurts no one except yourself. ● Repel antagonistic views. ● Simplify your life. Do you really need several designer handbags and daily trips to the salon to justify your existence? ● Stop the sky from falling by being rational. Ask yourself – ‘what’s the worse that could happen?’ ● Direct your own life story. It could be a blockbuster with the right elements. ● Be curious about the world. Embrace nature, learn about new cultures and never stop learning. ● Visualise a happier you. Close your eyes and let your imagination spark a better mindset.

SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE

Last week, we reported in Y how Oman was ranked the 23rd happiest country in the world and the second most joyful in the GCC. Influences like life expectancy, freedom and having someone to count on were all taken into consideration. So, inspired by the findings of the United Nation’s World Happiness Report, we asked a panel of Omanis what made them happy.

Seeing my hard work warmly accepted and appreciated makes me very happy and satisfied. Adnan al Alawi

Because His Majesty provides the best life for Omani people, I feel happy. Saleh al Mamari Security and safety make me happy here in Oman.

I’m not afraid to stay home alone when my husband is not here. Here, many men are working in the desert while the wife and kids stay in their villas and that’s alright. Another thing that makes me happy is the fact that His Majesty provides some privileges and facilities for Omani people like free education, medication and so much more. Sayyida Ziyana Al Said SEP 19 - 25 / ISSUE 287

023

The Science of Happiness

T

he right to ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness’ was a revolutionary concept when it was enshrined in the US constitution of 1776.

But it is only in recent years that economists and social scientists have tried to systematically define what constitutes happiness – or wellbeing – for individuals and society.

The difficulty, as pointed out in the 2013 United Nations World Happiness report, is that happiness is both an emotion and an evaluation. And the answer to ‘Were you happy yesterday?’ is likely to be very different from the response to ‘Are you happy with your life as a whole?’

The report, authored by world-renowned economists Richard Layard and Jeffrey Sachs, combines measures of both kinds of responses to polls and uses complex regressions to reach its conclusion.

But this is not just about a global pecking order of wellbeing – it is also a guide to debate and policy action.

For about two centuries, the ancient wisdom that happiness derives from an individual’s moral character rather than material wealth has been eclipsed in the pursuit of economic growth.

The finding that about 10 percent of the world’s

Could well-being eclipse GDP as a measure of a country’s success?

Words: Joe Gill population suffer from clinical depression or crippling anxiety orders tells us that hundreds of millions of people need help and treatment if they are ever going to share in overall well-being.

However, the wheel may now be turning again, as more and more policymakers come to realise that beyond a certain level of income, more stuff does not equal more happiness.

We could be on the cusp of a new era in which ‘the pursuit of happiness’ helps us achieve a more sustainable, human-centred development.

Find out by answering the following questions: In the pursuit of happiness, do you: a. Find it inside yourself b. Try new experiences c. Spend more time with friends and family Which animal do you most relate to? a. Cat b. Horse c. Sheep Which of the following statements best captures what happiness means to you? a. Taking a step back from life’s hustle and bustle is important b. Being creative. Sharing your thoughts and ideas with others is a real buzz c. There is no greater joy than sharing your time and possessions with another

If you answered mostly As:

YOU’RE A LONER

Your happiness derives from watching the world around you without feeling totally immersed in it.

Simple pursuits like watching the sun set on the desert, spending time alone meditating or listening to a serene piece of music all offer you joy. This type of happiness can help you develop reserves of inner peace and tolerance to tackle everyday problems.

Just remember, no man or woman is an island.

If you answered mostly Bs:

YOU’RE A CREATIVE

You feel happiest when you are completely engaged and absorbed in an activity that you enjoy like drawing, cooking or writing. Psychologists describe this state as ‘flow’ but you find the joy of mastering something creative can be immensely uplifting in that it enables you not only to transcend yourself but also receive the praise of others.

If you answered mostly Cs:

YOU’RE A PEOPLE PERSON

You love being with others and feeling like you belong to something – that’s why you feel at your happiest surrounded by your family and getting involved in group activities. You are usually the first to suggest a dinner party or volunteer for a community initiative.

Joy is a gift, and as far as you’re concerned, sharing it can only increase it.

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JORDAN’S

JOKER

Nabil Sawalha went from sending up the rulers of the Arab world to teaching people how to laugh in the face of life’s troubles. Joe Gill speaks to him

You are famous across the Middle East for your comedy, acting and radio shows.

What are you up to at the moment?

My main activity now is lecturing in universities, schools and social and business institutions about the culture of the smile, tolerance and laughter yoga, inspired by Prophet Muhammad’s Al Hadith – “your smile in the face of your brother is a good deed.” Also I continue to write and perform my social/political comedy plays and stand-up routines. During Ramadan, I performed my play Mensaf Trail from the Parliament to the ICU. I also do a lot of shows for charity.

How did you become interested in laughter yoga?

As an artist I am always looking for new ideas, change, new perspectives on life and other forms of knowledge. Since laughter is a way of life for me, and I deal with life and its problems through a smile and a laugh, I decided to seek out this new form of yoga. I heard about laughter yoga in India in 2006 and as we say in Arabic, “look for knowledge even if it is in India or China.” So I went to India and trained as a laughter yoga teacher with the movement’s founder, Dr Madan Kataria.

You once said: “I believe everything’s a mess and our job is to create a form of harmony, a mixture of beauty and love.

The more man gives love, the more he grows, the more love he has to give.”

How do you achieve that in your own life? Inflated egos, fear, envy, jealousy, smallmindedness are the enemies of an enlightened existence and love of life. I allow none of these to disturb my outlook on life and society in general.

This allows you to grow as a person, to love others despite their faults and to see the good in people.

What is your philosophy of life?

I don’t think I have something called a philosophy of life. I have a way of life: I smile in the face of troubles; I don’t allow negativity to enter my life; and mainly I like to encourage and help open doors to talented people and listen to and engage with young people. We have a lot to learn from each other!

What role do you think the creative arts – music, acting, writing – can play in improving psychological wellbeing?

The Renaissance in Europe came through the

NABIL’s CV * Studied drama in London before going on to work in radio, theatre and television as an actor, writer and director. * In 1976, established and directed the Haya Cultural Centre and Museum for Children in Jordan, and helped establish similar centres in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi. * Co-founded The Nabil and Hisham Theatre of Political Satire in 1990, writing, acting and directing numerous plays and TV comedies. * In 1997, took a professional writing course at Oxford University and wrote and performed two plays while there, ‘Divided Hearts’ and ‘Hello Arabs of London’. * Returned to Jordan to continue writing and performing political comedy plays, and participated in various TV series as a comedian, writer and judge on MBC. * His latest screen role was in the Canadian film, Incendies. encouragement of the arts. Artists had patronage from kings, princes and leaders in society. This created a more refined human mind that affected their literature, science and democratic dialogue.

In other words, the arts play a very important role that is fundamental to human psychological well-being.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to become an actor or comedian in the Arab world?

The main lesson I take from life is not to give advice, but to open dialogue with others, especially the youth. As to becoming an actor or comedian in the Arab world, I don’t think it is any different from being an actor or comedian in any other country on the planet. We might have a few more taboos and social inhibitions, but if you manage to deal with these issues intelligently, you will be a successful and well-respected member of society; but like any other profession, you need commitment, diligence and honesty and, above all, you need to love what you do and do what you love.

You have played a role in trying to overcome regional tensions by working with artists across the religious and political divide. What role can leading

artists like you play in promoting peace?

I do not believe that any artistic effort can change the mindset of some extremists in our world who use religion to create war and misery.

This does not mean that we do not work and hope for peace amongst all people. Like my quote in Time magazine (1995) which said: “In the name of love we kill each other, in the name of religion we kill each other and in the name of peace we kill each other. So, I decided to laugh in the face of it all.”

You’ve sailed pretty close to the wind with some of your comedy shows. Could you tell us about the reactions of some of the political leaders who you have imitated? The main political leader that used to attend my plays was the late King Hussein of Jordan. He was very encouraging even to see himself on stage; he asked us to continue with absolute freedom and this led to the cancellation of censorship of theatre plays in Jordan. What I write I put on stage. As to other leaders, we were only invited to perform in Qatar in front of the previous Emir of Qatar. Other leaders sent letters to the Hashemite Royal Court objecting to them being imitated on stage and the reply they received was that if they are imitating King Hussein, how could we stop them imitating others? I was invited to perform in Libya and Iraq at the time of Muammar Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein, but I refused. Otherwise we never had any kind of trouble.

The region has been shaken by unrest – many of the leaders you used to imitate have gone. How has this changed your work?

The demise of many of the leaders of the Arab world no doubt affected the political map of my plays and I tend to write more social critiques, but since our present political situation is very much connected to these leaders who have since passed, I tend to bring them back into my plays to explain the present political mess.

With the ongoing crisis in Syria on Jordan’s border, do you feel hopeful or not about the chances of peace and stability in the region?

We cannot live without hope and I am hopeful that we will see some form of peace and stability, but possibly in the time of my grandchildren, and more sure for their grandchildren.

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BUSINESS & CAREER

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GREAT BEHAVIOUR – CAN I BORROW IT?

1. They take a real and genuine interest in your views and achievements.

2. They radiate warmth with real smiles, sparkling eyes and great body language.

3. They make you feel at ease because they’re not giving out envious or anxious energy.

A bad attitude is like a flat tyre – you can’t go anywhere unless you change it.

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POSITIVE People Changing your mindset and seeing the best in every situation will help you feel better and be more successful, says Penny Fray

I

magine having sunshine on tap. When the Muscat traffic gets manic, you just shrug because the morning commute is always chaotic. And you’re happy to let it slide when a colleague shouts at you – because it’s not about you, it’s about them.

So, what’s the secret of getting a great attitude?

Well, it helps to have a naturally upbeat personality, according to Dr Art Markman, author of Smart Thinking.

But surrounding yourself with enthusiastic colleagues can also play a pivotal role in boosting productivity and positivity.

“A good attitude is infectious,” he says. “When you’re around people who see the world in a sunny way, chances are you’ll look at it that way too.”

Surrounded by ‘grumpsters’? Don’t worry – you can still develop an A+ approach to work.

If you have a negative person in your team, it’s important to work out their issues sooner rather than later, lest their pessimism starts spreading like a rotten apple in a sack, says Robert Maclean, principal of Muscat’s National Hospitality Institute. “Negative people can be converted,” he adds. “It’s just about giving good guidelines.” While we’d all like working life to be comfortable and hassle free, the truth is, it’s not like that. A healthy attitude is about finding solutions to frustrations and being proactive in overcoming adversity. Here’s how: C Accept the imperfect. By all means want, hope and wish for the best but accept that it might not happen. That way, if things go wrong, you’ll be a little disappointed but hopefully remain focused on finding a solution.

C Be confident in yourself. As Eleanor Roosevelt once wisely commented – “no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

C Be kind to yourself. Celebrate the successes in the same way you would a friend’s.

If you don’t acknowledge it or motivate yourself, who will?

C Adopt positive language. People with a healthy attitude talk in a powerful, constructive and solution-orientated way. Looking for pluses and counteracting drawbacks with reminders of their resilience, they say things like: “I made a mistake but I’ll learn from it and improve” or “It’s a challenge but I’ll cope.”

C Finally, develop a sense of humour.

Don’t take life too seriously.

WHAT THE EXPERT SAYS POSITIVITY COMES WITH DIRECTION “Negativity comes from uncertainty and a lack of confidence. You need to be clear about what your business is and what your role is within it.” - Robert Maclean, principal of Muscat’s National Hospitality Institute

BUSINESS BUY There’s nothing n pe quite like a posh rge to make signing lapainful ss cheques a little le t classier ge t n’ do ey th d an – new than Montblanc’s e love W n. io heritage collect and the craftsmanship this of n classic desig black resin pen.

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Name: Vikrant Mal

ik Position: Man a gi n g director of Super Q Hearing Aid and S pe ec h Therapy Center uality for Character: Vib My motto is to serv rant, workaholic, optimist. e humanity and pe special needs. ople with Would Like T disability field. o Meet: People working in the Contact me o vikrantmalik2000n: 94339191 or @gmail.com

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food and drink

SUNNY SIDE UP

The colour orange radiates warmth and happiness, combining the physical energy and stimulation of red with the cheerfulness of yellow. Plus, it’s one of the hottest accent colours around this season.

Add it to your home with some designer accessories like these light globes.

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HAPPY HOME

Improve your mood with a splash of colour and mix of positive messages, says Penny Fray

Y

our first attempt at interior decorating involved a hand painting, a Mr Men poster and an up-cycled stool in pillar-box red – a valiant effort considering you were just six-years-old at the time.

You’ve come a long way kid — and so has your space. But that doesn’t mean you should lose your joy of colour.

While monochrome minimalism may be all the vogue in designer circles right now, there’s nothing quite like a vivid, primary shade to make you feel more positive.

In fact, pop art brights are never more appealing than when a day feels gloomy and grey. Yellow is particularly uplifting and has been hailed by psychologists as the happiest of hues. Sunny, warm and inspiring, this colour is difficult to dislike, plus it works well in a wide variety of settings and neutrals. Like orange, it enhances Oman’s sunshine and gives a sense of light and space to the smallest of rooms.

Alternatively, just add an upbeat mantra to your walls or coffee mug. The mind is receptive to repetition and repeating a positive affirmation every day will eventually turn it into a reality.

The motion of swimming fish in a tank has been proven to relax people. Over time, this soothing view can help lower your stress levels and give you something else to focus on besides your daily worries.

Who says you have to be of school age to use this funky Little Miss Sunshine lunchbox? From RO5 Tesco.com

This sunshine yellow Jonah armchair from made.com is guaranteed to uplift the spirits. RO243 Start the day the happy way with this cool message mug from The Great Gift Company. RO5

These gorgeous hand-painted ceramic bowls will add instant colour to your kitchen or dining table. These are from The Oak Room but you can get similar pieces from Muttrah souq for as little as RO2

This fantastic curved sign complete with positive message will look fantastic in any kitchen or utility area.

Available from the online store Very Nice Things for RO5.5

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food and drink

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THE FOODIE

A SPOONFUL OF HAPPINESS

FILES

Food fuels more than your body, it feeds your mood too. But before you reach for that giant bar of chocolate, Penny Fray finds out what you should be eating to fight fatigue and fat with the added bonus of finding happiness

L

ast night it was a drive though. Tonight? Hmmm. Something sweet and straight from the confectionary section of the supermarket – because let’s face it – when you’re feeling lower than a snake’s stomach, you don’t reach for a pile of lettuce leaves do you? No, you grab a bar chocolate – or at least I do. Why? Well, it causes the brain to release chemicals that make me (and half the population of Oman) feel fantastic.

Now, scientists who once thought the link between food and feeling was as far-fetched as alien abductions, have changed their minds.

New research shows there is a strong link between higher levels of nutrient intake and better mental health, thereby adding to the growing body of evidence demonstrating the critical role of diet in depression.

“People who suffer from mood disorders function better when they are eating better,” says expert Bonnie Kaplan.

“It really is true that you are what you eat.”

So, if you’re feeling blue, the men in white coats suggest you eat more fish. Mounting evidence suggests that omega-3 fatty acids (found in salmon, sardines, and tuna) may help ease depressive symptoms. A recent study of bipolar disorder was stopped after only four months because omega-3s were so effective at smoothing out moods. Another study showed that eating fish twice a week was associated with a lower risk of depression and suicide. And with so many amazing fish markets open in Oman, the task of sourcing the freshest variety possible is simple.

Taking a breakfast of sugar-free muesli also helps healthy brain chemistry, keeping blood sugar levels even and banishing hunger-related mood swings. Alternatively, become a melon ‘muncher’. Not only are they tasty and refreshing, but these fruit contain enough antioxidants, vitamins and minerals to help prevent many common health complaints such as cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and poor digestive problems.

Or what about lemons? A squirt of this citric juice on carb-based dishes like pasta can reduce blood sugar fluctuations.

Finally, if you need something a little stronger, try St John’s Wort. The supplement has been medically proven to treat mild anxiety and depression.

But check with your doctor before taking it because it can negatively interact with other medicines to cause unwanted side effects.

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Reviews

Shaji Abraham, General Manager of the Woodlands Restaurant in Ruwi Who is your cooking icon and why?

My mother. She was the one who instilled that feeling that food shouldn’t just be eaten, it is to be enjoyed and that there’s no better blessing than serving a great meal to someone.

Describe your most memorable food moment?

The first time I cooked an entire meal for my children.

Name an ingredient you could not live without and why?

For me, curry leaves are the most indispensable of ingredients. They add great flavour and aroma to a dish without really overpowering it.

If you could have any dish, cooked by any chef and eaten in any location in the world, what would they be?

Beyond all the intricacies and complexities of day-to-day cooking at Woodlands, I still find myself craving good homemade food. More than the food, I think it’s the setting of my home that makes me love it all the more. I am particularly fond of the naadan – a traditional chicken curry preparation made from home ingredients.

What’s your signature dish and why is it so special?

My signature dish is the Chicken Chettinad, named after a town in southern India. It is one of the spiciest chicken dishes you will ever come across. I especially like it because of the fact that it tastes amazing with dosa, paratha, chapathi or even plain rice.

A good meal is more than just about food.

Which music do you like listening to during a dinner party?

You might have gathered from this entire conversation that I am basically a traditional guy at heart. Therefore, it shouldn’t come as a surprise when I mention that I prefer Hindustani classical music. It is something I personally prefer due to the fact that it doesn’t overpower the ambience and is pretty light on the ear. Basically, it lets you focus on the taste rather than the trumpets.

Trend

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Kargeen caffe Address: Madinat As Sultan Qaboos, Muscat Phone: 24699055 Opening times: 7.30ammidnight except Fridays 5.30pm-1am Dinner for two: RO25

Secret

Garden

VERDICT

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:

10

Fab a attentitmosphere, ve serv ice great fo od ,

With a thousand and one pleasures to seduce your eyes, nose and taste buds, Kargeen is a truly romantic ode to Arabia and all its sensual delights, finds Tanushka Marah

W

hen you are living in the desert and suddenly discover a place of flowing water, lush greenery, magical lanterns and every variety of refreshment, it’s something of a revelation.

Kargeen Caffe is not merely a restaurant. It’s a place to spend time with friends, passing the cooler evenings of autumn and forgetting about both time and place.

You can lounge on Bedouin embroidered cushions, puff on a shisha and peruse through the lengthy menu at leisure.

We sat outside under the lush canopy with the fan cooling us.

The temperature was perfect. The clientele was cosmopolitan and trendy. There were other families there but also lots of young, beautiful people and not a frizzy head in sight.

This certainly is the place to bring your Lebanese squeeze.

With a labyrinth of fountains, patio gardens and paved pathways, my daughter had a wander and found another little one to play with as we looked through the menu.

We were a little overwhelmed by the international choice, ranging from French hotdogs to traditional Omani dishes, via sandwiches, burgers, pizza and all the usual suspects.

We put down the menu and asked the elegantly dressed waiter for recommendations. He was very helpful and we quickly settled on the classic Omani dishes that Kargeen is best known for, starting with the mixed mezze.

I quickly discovered that this is not the place for the wheat-free, gluten-free or carb phobic. The bread – oh my, the bread. Baked in a traditional clay tandoor oven, this is a place I will dream of next time I have the stupid idea to announce to the world that I am giving up the sliced stuff.

There is more of it than you can imagine, and so many different types.

Laid out on attractive open baskets, it was crispy, soft, tearable, chewy, melt in the mouth – bread heaven.

The mezze was lovely too, elegant and measured, served in brightly coloured clay bowls. There was a deliciously intense red harrissa, a pretty average humous, decent enough muttabal and an intensely green parsleyheavy tabouleh.

“Try not to gorge on the bread,” I told my daughter. But I had. For her I

ordered the za’atar and cheese bread. My parents are Jordanian so I made sure she was eating za’atar before she could say ‘I don’t like it’. However this version was a bit doughy, even though the plaited bread it came in looked pretty.

After trying it and realising it was a little too interesting for a three-year-old’s palate, I gave in and ordered something else. They wouldn’t do mini portions of adult dishes and I didn’t see a child’s menu. We ordered her the pasta carbonara, which, when it came, was very tasty and extremely creamy.

For the main course my husband had ordered a fish dish, but the kitchen was clean out. It was pretty late but still obviously a disappointment.

Luckily, the lamb Shuwa he chose instead was a fine substitute.

Joe loves lamb, and his shuwa was indeed tender, delicately spiced and fell off the bone. Cooked in the earth for 24 hours – well, it would be rude not to – it arrived with rice, pickles and DIY ghee. With such generous portions, and my husband being weight conscious, he didn’t touch any of the accompanying carbs.

I had the vegetarian Yemeni Aqda. It arrived with another basket of, yes you guessed, Yemeni bread. But I actually didn’t touch any this time.

It’s hard to be excited by vegetables but these thick cut, soft, potatoes, carrots and aubergines in a thick gravy-like sauce were comfort itself, delicious and really needed. It came with thick-set yoghurt.

Sadly, there was no room for dessert, but we enjoyed our drinks of lime and mint, and pure coconut juice – which is served in a huge coconut husk.

I feel sad when I leave a place without even trying the sweet, so the next day, we crept back in the daytime to sample the dessert menu. It was like theatre without the lights.

In the day, no doubt because of the heat, the gorgeous outside area was not in use. For some reason, my daughter and I were not allowed to sit in the main café, and were shown to the elegant but empty, freezing family room where everything took a very long time to arrive. I enjoyed some Moroccan tea and we shared an Um Ali, the traditional Arabic dessert, a milk-based bread pudding.

It was one of the nicest I’ve tried, with a crispy golden top, toasted mixed nuts and whole cashews inside.

Now I really want to try the date and pistachio cakes but I’ll have to wait until we go again and try not to eat so much bread next time.

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HEALTH& BEAUTY

Health

Beauty

SPECS APPEAL

Do a Dame Edna and sport a pair of seriously flamboyant spectacles.

When in doubt, go for scale Ă la Iris Apfel. The ageing fashion icon is known for her oversized owl frames.

Model wears outfit and accessories from the e-tailer Oh My Love

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fashion

FUN FASHION

Designer kidults will love this bright Lego bag from Chanel from RO3000

Cheer up the daily grind with all things, kitsch, kooky and colourful, says Penny Fray

O

kay, while the idea of wearing a pair of animal ears may scream hen party, it’s a trend that’s not going away. It started a couple of years ago when Louis Vuitton sent models down the catwalk in black taffeta versions. Then a string of stars, including Lady Gaga and the Olsen twins, were snapped wearing Maison Michel’s lace headgear. Now, cool Brit model Cara Delevigne has just posed on the cover of Love magazine with Minnie Mouse ears.

This may seem like a crazy celebrity fad, but it’s not such a bad one. A pair of rabbit ears on your head is the one accessory guaranteed to draw a smile.

I bought a pair the other day from Daiso and felt instantly more cheerful dancing around the apartment in them. I snuck them into work only to have my news editor beg me not to wear them. “You look more Playboy than kitsch,” she said. And that’s the problem, you have to be of a certain age and physique to get away with them.

Fortunately, there are other ways to add a little fun factor into your daily fashion and that includes amusing prints, slogan t-shirts and cute kitty slippers.

If, however, you want to embrace designer eccentricity, follow the example of British toffs such as Daphne Guinness. With her Cruella de Ville hair and sculptural shoes, the heiress is living proof that fashion doesn’t have to be serious. In fact, it should be directional and flamboyant.

Don’t want to look too frivolous? Don’t worry, a splash of colour will make even the most boring shift dress look more dynamic.

Citrus hues such as orange and yellow are guaranteed to lift your spirits and look amazing in the Omani sunshine.

Add a pop of colour to your eyes with this Nars shadow compact.

From RO15. M.A.C does similar neon shades Charlotte Olympia’s handcrafted ‘Kitty’ slippers will ground everyday looks with the label’s signature whimsical style. RO236 from Net-A-Porter

GO GAGA: Penny’s tips on becoming a fashion eccentric

Easy, ’60s-inspired dresses are perfect for now, and we adore Paul & Joe’s vivid tunic style.RO200 Smile with this happiness pendant from Accessorize – RO3.5

How cute is this scrunchy with bunny ears from H&M? RO2

A more grown up way to do fun fashion is to wear an unusual print.

We ‘heart’ this bird one from Zara. RO30

1 Don’t worry about trends. Fashion comes and goes. Besides, what makes someone else’s sense of style or colour more valid than yours? Dare to be different. 2 Embrace your inner child. Wear bright colours, sparkles and clashing prints – all at the same time. 3 Be playful. You don’t have to dress like a children’s TV presenter to be fun. A cheeky print on your scarf or a bunny cover for your smartphone can add a bit of mischief to the most corporate of outfits.

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HEALTH& BEAUTY

Health

Fashion

BEAUTY

FLORAL FIXATION An imaginatively displayed bouquet is the ultimate happy home accessory, says Penny Fray Summer’s fading. Like, fast. Which means the start of the entertaining season.

Problem is, that you’re not quite ready to re-decorate your home for guests – no matter how delightful they are.

Alternatively, fill tiny sweet tins and vintage teacups with delicate flowers.

How to freshen up a raggedy room with minimum effort? Flowers, naturally. Or maybe not so naturally. Faux flowers have come a long way since the plastic monstrosities of the 70s. Moreover, they’re great for decorating because they won’t wilt in the desert heat. Silk bouquets are best because they look realistic and can easily accent a fresh arrangement.

"Vintage is really big at the moment," says Emma Brown, manager of The Flower Shop Muscat.

"They're out of season now but peonies were incredibly popular during the summer months as were hydrangeas."

Base your selection on colours, shapes and textures that compliment each other. All shades of pink are hot right now, but copy the catwalk look with pale blush and winter white hues.

Experiment with a balance of tall and short, full foliage and simple stems – or simply bunch one type of flower in a dramatic bouquet.

If you’re going fresh, roses or peonies always look sophisticated, especially when displayed in a retro jug.

Real flowers not only look pretty but their fragrance are also mood manipulators. In other words, they can help you feel better. Researchers believe this effect may have something to do with the coevolution of plants with people, though this is just speculation; but the happy vibe cultivated by floral scents may increase our desire to propagate them in larger numbers. Start exploring the world of scented geraniums and you'll be amazed at the range of aromas they offer. Choose from rose, lemon, lime, nutmeg, ginger or chocolate scents, just to name a few. Alternatively, try Arabian Jasmine. It smells divine and flowers all year long if it gets enough light.

Not keen on blooms? Consider fruit.

"As we move into autumn, we've been creating the most amazing displays using blackberries and mini apples," says Brown.

Leaves in unusual containers also look pretty cool – from giant monstera leaves to slender flax, foliage lasts longer and looks more modern than flowers.

Not feeling very creative?

Don’t worry, The Flower Shop at the SABCO Commercial Centre do amazing arrangements.

THE JOY OF SHOPPING Penny Fray says there’s no high like shopper’s high

Money may not buy you happiness but it does bring you a more pleasant shopping experience.

In fact, if you ask me, there’s no therapy quite like retail remedy when you’re feeling down in the dumps.

Who needs bubbles when there’s bling, the heady aroma of perfume and lots and lots of pretty, pastel boxes to put your purchases in?

But it’s not just about the fripperies.

It’s about the thrill of the chase. And as any consumer hag worth her weight in shopping bags will know, the euphoria of searching and finding that perfect little black dress is like no other. Add a discount into the mix – and oh, how the joy ‘runneth’ over (no need to go into details).

Anyway, I thought only Sophie Kinsella (author of the Shopaholics series) and I understood this phenomenon. But it seems that scientists do too.

Research shows that the pursuit of a new purchase taps into a pleasurable little brain chemical called dopamine. It’s primitive.

So, seeing that we have no mammoths to chase and club over the head anymore, we settle for Prada instead.

To survive, the instinct for exploration must be rewarded, so every time we go in pursuit of something new and exciting, this natural narcotic flows into the brain's ancient pleasure centres.

So how do you control this shopper’s high and avoid overspending? Simple. If you see something you like, walk (drag if need be) away from the item, sleep on it, and return the next day if you still really want it. Once you get home, the chemicals in the brain should have balanced out, which means that logic takes over.

Next time: be a bag lady Sponsored by

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My Hood

Cars

Wi-Fi

Indoors

CARS AND inDOORS NATURAL WONDERS

It’s a battle between plant life and sand in the Muqshin Oasis, and this trunk thrusting into the sky seems to be winning

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CARS AND OUTDOORS INDOORS

My Hood

Cars

Wi-Fi

Indoors

Destination

Muqshin Oasis

In the desert scrubland, a small green haven fights to survive harsh conditions and endless sand Words & images: Jerzy Wierzbicki 038

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mind, parched by the arid summer sun, needed.

First, I had to reach this cool destination, around a 650km drive from Muscat. By the afternoon of the following day, Trop and I reached the edge of the Empty Quarter and the breathtaking Ramlat Muqshin.

While dirty white cotton wool clouds covered the sky, the humidity was high enough to push the temperature close to 42C, which is, in my opinion, the upper limit for a trip between the dunes.

Muqshin Oasis is located a few kilometres from the main road to Salalah, behind the small town of the same name.

Emboldened by having a new Land Cruiser under my command, I set off from the tarmac road directly to the valley, just 3km away.

Perched on a brow of a dune, Muqshin Oasis in the distance looked like a splash of green on an otherwise sandy canvass. Approaching, I parked under a tree.

With my camera in hand and Dachshund at my side, I walked between the tree and small dunes. After 10 minutes, Trop had signalled ‘enough’ and trotted back to the car.

It was too hot for him and after a super-cold drink of water from the cooler, he settled down in the shade under the car.

Now I could focus on the photography only. The quiet and sense of isolation was there – something that I always look for in the desert.

I was alone. A rustling of branches from a soft, gentle wind blowing through the tree tops, was the only noise to be heard.

Moving to the central part

of the wadi, I discovered the earth was cracked like a splintered mirror from the heat, suggesting it is covered in water during the winter. Trees, many of which are twisted into bizarre forms and shapes, densely surrounded the entire area around, the trunks bone dry to the touch.

Small sand dunes, a burnt orange in colour, covered many of the trees and shrubs.

With Trop back in the car, we headed to the other side of the valley. Here, the trees seemed to be struggling in the extremely harsh conditions.

The area looked almost like a combat zone – a contest between the living and inanimate fought out on a scorched battleground, a desert Armageddon After an hour and a half, I had a short coffee break before rounding up Trop and reluctantly leaving my little oasis. It was a short trip but one that will stay with me forever.

travel guide

A

bird’s eye view of Muqshin Oasis from the air, soaring high above, would be a little piece of verdant heaven, breaking the unrelenting brown of sand. My perspective on the ground was equally dramatic.

Cresting a dune on Ramlat Muqshin, part of the biggest desert in the world, the sudden change in landscape colour is as welcome as it is unexpected.

It is only as you draw closer that you realise this is not a lush verdant oasis as you may have imagined from a distance, but a patchy scattering of trees and shrubs, almost prehistoric in appearance, waging war on the encroaching sand for ownership of this territory.

It felt good to be back in the desert, like coming home.

Such trips are off limits during the hotter months, of course.

It makes summer in Oman a difficult time for desert wanderers like myself, with temperatures often exceeding 47C (116f), and the scorching sand making it unbearable for all but the hardiest of creatures – which does not include me or a long-haired Dachshund (my dog Trop).

September, however, is different. The feel in the air is changing and the mercury is slowly coming down, which can mean only one thing: desert driving season starts again.

When I discovered that a small part of the Empty Quarter was still touched by a cooling arm of the Khareef, I didn’t need any more convincing.

A stop on the way to Dhofar was just what my body and

TIPS: A 4x4 is preferable here. However, the tarmac road finishes quite close to the valley, so you can park your car there and explore the oasis on foot. Now is a good time to visit, as it’s even cooler than when I was there, making it an ideal location during the autumn.

GPS Coordinates (to the parking near Muqshin Oasis): 19°35’6.57”N 54°53’4.34”E

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CARS AND INDOORS

Voice work Singing in a choir is a way of immersing yourself in a group effort and enjoying the massive high of performing in public, discovers Joe Gill

P

ut it down to an adverse reaction to singing hymns at school and an urban upbringing in which the only music that mattered was rock, rap and pop music, but something about choirs has always given me the heebie-jeebies.

While public speaking might be the number one terror for most people, standing up with dozens of adults and singing in unison comes close to being mine.

My only forays into singing have been my halting efforts with a guitar a few years ago – only ever playing in front of friends.

So it was with slight trepidation that I arrived at The American

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International School of Muscat (TAISM) for the weekly practice session of the Muscat Singers.

Setting aside all reservations, I took my place in a packed music room as choir director Jason Drahos, a TAISM music teacher and the middle school choir director, began the session with stretching and voice exercises.

It felt a bit strange but as everyone was making the same funny arm movements and cupping their ears (there was a reason) as they loosened up their lungs, I simply had to join in.

The atmosphere was upbeat and jovial, but also focused. The mixed expat choir includes people from

their late 20s to 70s, many but not all with a background in music as teachers or experienced singers.

Drahos keeps the choir on its toes, picking up any weaknesses and encouraging everyone not to hold back. “If you make a mistake, make it big,” he says, pushing everyone to give it their all.

As the male and female voices soar, with altos harmonising over the main body of the song, one can already feel how the choir is working in unison towards what is shaping up to be a beautiful piece.

People come for a variety of reasons, sometimes very personal.

In 1993, choir member Jill Mundy’s parents died just a few

days apart. “I suddenly felt I wanted to sing. I was in the [UK] Foreign Office working in Jerusalem and I joined a big choir – it was brilliant and I had an amazing time.

“I also sang in a Palestinian choir in Ramallah. My next posting was Delhi where I joined a small opera group.”

She has been singing ever since.

“I love music, it’s very uplifting.

When you are singing it’s hard to think about anything else because you have to focus and concentrate so much. You are breathing so much that it is physically tiring – you forget all your thoughts about work or other worries.

“Once you get it right and you

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are in tune, it’s fantastic. I like the Muscat Singers because it’s very professional and the standard is very high. In 13 weeks when you hear the concert, it’s amazing.”

Singing in front of an audience may be nerve-wracking, but it can be a great confidence booster too.

René Bastiaannet, a Dutch engineer, has been singing since childhood and joined the choir three years ago. “It’s relaxing and you are gone for two hours, enjoying the music, with no phone or other distractions.

“It’s good for self-confidence.

Once I sang ‘Lean On Me’ solo in front of 600 people. I was scared as hell – but it was the biggest high.

“As long as we don’t sing Frosty the Snowman – I’m happy.”

It’s clear from speaking to the choristers that they are experiencing a collective high from singing together.

In fact, scientific studies back this up. Researchers from the University of Gothenburg have shown that singing in unison causes heartbeats to synchronise and has the equivalent health benefits of practicing yoga.

Another study from the University of Manchester found a tiny organ in the inner ear that was connected to the part of the brain responsible for registering pleasure, giving individual to get

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an immediate dose of joy from singing.

Another reason for joining the choir, particularly for newcomers to Muscat, is social.

“I have always been in choirs since I was in school,” says Vivian Da Boul, who grew up in the US. “Once in Muscat, it was a great way to be involved with the expat community. It’s a way of mixing socialising with performing.

“We really look forward to the performances – singing at Christmas is the best feeling.”

Elayne Looker, a marine biologist, says: “You meet so many people from different walks of life who come together through their

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love of music. My mother joined this choir in 1979 and now we come together. I can experience a release of emotions that I don’t get in my scientific work.”

Dr Samia Asfour, a dentist of Jordanian-Palestinian parents, says: “I love singing because it makes me happy. It releases my soul. Especially after a long day as a dentist, you feel like you are in a different world. You can release all your negative energy.”

After my first taste of the choir, I have to admit that the sense of camaraderie and the feeling of being part of a collective effort to create something beautiful was impressive. I get it. Choirs rock.

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GOLDEN CITY

Denmark is the happiest country on the planet according to the UN, and 'wonderful, wonderful' Copenhagen is its enchanting capital, full of fine food, nightlife and historic buildings such as Gefion Fountain and St. Alban's Church.

Top 5 Places To Visit: 1. Strøget 2. Tivoli Gardens 3. The Little Mermaid 4. Amalienborg Palace (winter residence of Danish royal family) 5. Nyhavn (old harbour district)

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I n d o o r s postcards from

Felicity Glover,

who lives in the happiest country in the world, recommends:

COPENHAGEN

A warm hello or Hej, as we say in these parts, from Copenhagen, capital city of Denmark, officially the happiest country in the world after topping a recent survey by the United Nations. Located southwest of Sweden, south of Norway and bordered to the south by Germany, there is a lot to smile about being somewhere that regularly appears at the top of lists for the best places to live and work. Copenhagen, home to around 1,230,000 people, is one of Europe’s oldest capitals, offering a unique blend of cosmopolitan chic and Scandinavian style. From gourmet food at Michelin-starred restaurants to retail therapy in elegant shopping malls and sophisticated nightlife, this city has it all and more.

My Favourite Place:

After just seven months in Copenhagen, I am still trying to figure this one out.

That’s because there are so many things to do and see here – from art galleries to palaces to simply riding about on a bike and discovering the city. But Strøget is one of my most favourite places at the moment. It’s a car-free pedestrian area – the longest in Europe – that has a fabulous choice of boutique stores, cafes, restaurants, bars and the bigger-name luxe brands. But it also plays host to all manner of buskers and kooky performance artists. It’s a great area for gawking while you stroll about and take pictures to impress your friends on Facebook. Just beware though: if you approach the performance artists, they may take you ‘hostage’ until one of your friends pay a ransom of DKK 20. Also worth visiting is Copenhagen Zoo and Kastellet, one of the best preserved star fortresses in Northern Europe. Don’t forget to have your photograph taken with our famous The Little Mermaid, a statue based on the fairy tale written by Hans Christian Andersen.

Highlights: It has to be the summer. As a Scandinavian city, Copenhagen may not quite be Sweden and the 'Land of the Midnight Sun', but still, the light is pretty incredible. It takes some getting used to, particularly during the midsummer, when the sun goes down at midnight and rises again at 3am and the birds start to twitter. During the winter, Danes hibernate. They call it ‘hygette’, which literally translates as 'coziness' or to 'cozy up'. This is when they become insular, light the candles, turn up the oil heating and keep the home fires burning. But come the summer, it’s a different story: everybody is out until all hours, eating ice cream and devouring the classic Danish red hotdog (pølse) by the beach. They head to their summerhouses, where there’s no heating and in some cases no running water, usually by the seaside.

It could be raining and they are still outside, riding their bikes – which everybody does here. One of the biggest summer traditions is to pay a visit to Tivoli, one of the oldest fairs in the world that opens only in the summer and attracts old and young alike. Not to mention some pretty big names in the world of entertainment, from Suede to Sting, performing in the amphitheatre, it’s a casual atmosphere that everybody is welcome to attend for as little as the entrance price. Sit back with a smørrebrød (sandwich) accompanied by a cold one of Denmark’s other famous export and enjoy the show.

Nyhav

n

The Little MERMAID

Lowlights:

The wintertime, not that I have experienced it in all its glory yet. I have been warned that Danes change when the winter comes, that they are not so friendly and just disappear. I have to say that I’m not looking forward to the winter – and not only because I have spent the past five years in the Middle East. But that said, I am also looking forward to the Christmas markets at the Tivoli in November and December, not to mention the snow.

Souvenirs:

Denmark is famous for design. It is cool, modern and known the world over for its simplicity. It depends on your style, but if it is true Danish interiors and fashion you're looking for, then Illum Bolighus, in the heart of Strøget, is the best place to become acquainted with the country’s top designers. But if it is something a little more quaint you are looking for, such as Viking hats, troll figureheads and mega mugs, then head to the lower end of Strøget, where the more touristy shops can be found. Other great buys include glass candleholders from legendary brands such as Royal Copenhagen and Rosendahl Copenhagen. Always a must in those winters when it is de rigueur to ‘hygette’ up!

Where to stay:

Like most capital cities, Copenhagen has them all. But if you are looking for something a little different, then a weekend at the Nimb Hotel in the heart of Tivoli is a must for a boutique hotels. With just 14 rooms, it takes you back to the Middle East, at least in the architecture. However the service is Scandinavian all the way. If you do get the urge to leave Denmark, escape to Sweden by the road and rail 8km Øresund Bridge, which connects Copenhagen to Malmö.

TIVOLI

GARD

ENS

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-FI THE TECH IN YOU

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HAPPINESS IS...

A choice. Glee gadgets. Cool contraptions. Joy creators. Call them what you will, they’ll keep a smile on your dial. Matt Herbst finds a piece of happiness for everyone SAUNA SMILE

After a hard day at the office there’s nothing like a sauna to sweat away the stress. With the Supine sauna you can skip the gym and just head home, knowing there’s a relaxing treat waiting for you, and you don’t even have to talk to the bloke / girl sitting opposite. An exterior LCD control allows you to set the temperature from 86° F to 185° F. A pricey investment, but compared to a weekly massage, a deal.

RO6,352.50 www.hammacher.com

BEAM ME UP

You might have seen yourself as Captain James T Kirk or Han Solo – now you can be your space hero with this Kids Orbit Spitfire Chair. Complete with polished aluminium exterior and plush velvet upholstery, Restoration Hardware’s chair swivels a full 360 degrees, bringing the whole ship and crew under your command. www.restorationhardware.com RO462

MY LIFE

Just because we Facebook, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t still record our feelings in a diary. And with life expectancy rising toward 100, My Life Story is one way to record every important moment in a hardcover paper format. Also included is a map of the world, for you to track your travels. The ultimate present for you or your children to see in the new century with. Just don’t lose it.

RO14.60 at www.amazon.com

EDITOR’S PICK HEY SUNSHINE

Imagine having the sun shining its happy rays 24/7. Imagine no longer. The Sun Jar is a portable solar light stacked with style. Simply place it in or near a window and it will store Oman’s sunshine all day. Later at night, the frosted glass container becomes a wonderful mood light giving out a warm glow. Not only is this clever piece of kit environmentally friendly, it can also be used in your tent. Available online from The Glow Company for RO11 044

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BOOGIE WOOGIE

Say goodbye to scruffy paper notebooks that look like your dog ate them. The Boogie Board Rip 9.5-inch LCD Writing Tablet combines a realistic, paperlike writing experience with the ability to record scrawls and images and save them.

Connect it to a computer and transfer files for editing, organising, archiving and sharing. The Boogie Board has the feel of an oldfashioned chalk board but reduces paper consumption, giving every conservationist a warm glow. www.amazon.com RO38

FIND OUT WHAT’S HIP & HAPPENING IN GADGETS

to the beat

Take your show on the road with Drummerz drumsticks and turn any iPad or Tablet into the ultimate drum set. Guaranteed to make every wannabe rock tapper beam with joy. Listeners may be a little less enthusiastic though!

Each Drummerz drumstick features a plastic inner core surrounded by a highly conductive rubber-like material. www.getdrummerz.com RO11.50

NEW! iPhone 5c FINALLY! Two new iPhone 5s unveiled. The more expensive 5S and the low-cost alternative 5C. The plastic casing 5C 16GB is around RO211 or RO250 for 32GB without contract. iPhone 5S will be featured next week.

Assisted GPS and Glonass, digital compass, Wi-Fi Retina display, 4-inch (diagonal) widescreen multi-touch display iSight camera - 8 megapixels, LED flash, backside illumination sensor, autofocus, tap to focus, face detection, panorama, photo geotagging 1080p HD video recording and TV Built in Apps - maps, messages, passbook, camera, reminders, notes, weather, FaceTime, stocks, music, game centre, voice memos, App Store, mail, Newsstand and much, much, more

APP OF THE WEEK

With all that smiling, you’ll definitely need the Beam Brush,the first app-connected toothbrush. It has an embedded sensor that maps brushing behaviour then sends the data to your Android or iPhone App via Bluetooth. The app uploads brushing length and frequency data as well as the option to send it to the dentist ahead of appointments, so oral care habits can be considered in treatment planning. It even displays a timer with the ability to play music for two minutes. This nifty pearl brusher will also tell you when it’s time to replace the brush head and send it to you automatically. RO9.6 www.beamtoothbrush.com and app from iTunes

5 different colours. Mix and match the colourful outer case for variety

THE GIRLY GADGET

The ReFa Carat’s unique massaging action works deep within your skin. The spherical rollers help stimulate blood flow and improve circulation. It leaves your skin feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and tingling. You can use the ReFa all over – on the jaw line, face, underarm, waist, inner thigh, neck and chest. www.refausa.com RO76 AUG SEP 19 15 -– 25 21 / ISSUE 282 287

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CARS AND INDOORS

Postcards from

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Indoors

C ars

SsangYong Rexton GX Engine: 3.2L Horsepower: 217hp Transmission: Five-speed e-Tronic automatic Top Speed: 180kph Price from: RO10,600

Car of the Week Big in build and in heart, the SsangYong Rexton is a lot of car for the money – and it’s made in South Korea. Kate Ginn tried it out

T

he name SsangYong in South Korea means ‘double dragons’, which is just as well given the baptism of fire that one of their cars was put through for the test drive.

During our one day together, my Rexton GX had to handle unscheduled off-road driving, twisty steep bends up a mountain with the threat of a thunderstorm and flooded wadis. It responded admirably with no complaints.

Whatever the Rexton may not be, it remains a workmanlike traditional SUV with proper fourwheel drive and a sturdy body.

And what it lacks in refinement, it makes up with an honest desire to please its driver. If it were a horse, the Rexton would be a Clydesdale or a Shire, a noble, hardworking and gentle beast.

Let’s clear up one thing for starters. SsangYong is not Chinese, as it is often taken for, but South Korean with a proud history that goes back to 1954. It ran into a little trouble like many carmakers during the crash, but a bailout by the Indian company 046

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Mahindra in February 2011, has seen a resurrection in its fortunes.

The Rexton is the company’s premium SUV and had a makeover in 2006. Its smaller sister, the Korando, is actually in the Guinness Book of World Records for the title of ‘Korea’s longest surviving car brand’, with roots stretching back to 1974.

While the Korando is more popular with women for its overtly curvaceous look, the Rexton is far more masculine, both in looks and handling.

What they both share is a touch of Mercedes Benz technology (left over from a deal with Daimler), which offers some level of reassurance. A concern over engine noise has been fixed so well that it’s among the quietest I’ve driven.

Inside, it’s basic with a well laid out dash, commanding driving position and acres of space with room for up to seven people (unlike some rivals, it has air con in the second and third rows).

Don’t expect lots of gadgets, though. This is a no-frills 4x4.

On road, its almost sponge-like

suspension makes for a soft drive and the handling, despite its huge steering wheel, is very impressive.

It made light work of Muscat’s highway traffic.

But it really came into its own on a day trip to Jebel Akhdar, a story of circuitous routes and getting lost. A diversion off the tarmac road to gravel and rocks held no fear for the Rexton, which rumbled on like a tank. In low gear, it made slow but steady progress up the Green Mountain as the sky darkened, thunder growled and lightning illuminated the way, without a pause. On the way back home, rain at the foot of the mountain had left flooded roads and warning police signs.

As smaller SUVs and saloon cars that had previously overtaken us prevaricated by the water, our Rexton carried on regardless, brushing off the flood with a flick of its running board. A case of the tortoise and the hare.

I’m an unashamed SsangYong and Rexton nerd now. I could bore you all day with lots of facts and figures. Instead, check it out for yourself.

They say: ‘Draw attention like you draw applause!’

We say: ‘Big car space at small car price’

Check this out

Rear collision sensor Automatic sunroof Full 4x4 system Good ground clearance Rear air conditioning Steering wheel controls 18” diamond-cut alloy wheels Leather seats (GXL)