Nothing symbolizes human achievement quite as scaling a mountain and reaching its lofty peaks.
That’s why we love our cover story about Emirati adventurer Ebrahim Alkhajeh, the inspiring story of his travels, and his unwavering focus on endurance and motivation. And it is this desire to push oneself into new experiences, and beyond one’s comfort zone, that reflects this issue of Tempo – from the piece on ‘How to be motivated at work’ by Nilofer Safdar, to the artistic expressions of the Desert Roses; the sassy fashion experimenters of niedsano.com, and the entrepreneurial vision of Manpreet Sagu.
Then there is The Smovies, a project that is dear to our hearts, and one that has sparked the imagination of film lovers, hobbyists, amateur filmmakers and established film production houses. The competition launched by BrandMoxie, and hosted by VOX Cinemas, introduces a short and exciting format; and the ability to shoot the film using any medium, including mobile phone and ipad. What’s easier than that? The debut of the competition has been amazing, with the community, creative groups and educational institutions rallying behind it. Be sure to get involved in season two of The Smovies!
This issue of Tempo lands in the middle of Ramadan, which means that you may read this during the giddiness of Eid celebrations. Unfortunately the close of Ramadan brings with it the shedding of some of those values and behaviours that were adopted during the month. Some of us may go back to old habits and forget about resolutions made. Whatever your spiritual journey, stay focused on reaching out to others who are less fortunate. Perhaps it’s a rare convergence of circumstances, but it seems that right now many people on our planet are hurting, and many are in dire need of help. Remember that sometimes a small gesture you make can have a transformative effect on someone else.
Peace and kindness.
Sana Bagersh, July 2015
Rant: Maybe this should be a super rant – autocorrect! Why is it that I write something and then right before I hit the send button it changes into something different, unintelligible and embarrassing. If you ever receive a strange or rude message from me, please remember this rant about autocorrect.
Rave: Facebook. Seriously Facebook can easily end up on the Rant side of things, but not lately. The conversations we’ve been having on the sometimes happy, sad, and unexpected circumstances around us has been deep, satisfying, and inclusive. We need more conversations to help solve the world’s problems.
Rant: We have as a civilization launched rockets into space and are careening forward to an internet of things, and yet – many of us are incapable of standing in queues. Come on people – get in line!
Rave: Summer vacation – a time for families to spend quality time together. (Just remember to switch off those mobile phones)
