Early on in my first trimester, Mr T came home with a book.
My husband is no bookworm, and prefers reading to-the-point articles on the internet over burying himself in a novel. My biggest regret is that I have not been able to introduce him to the pleasures of getting lost in the written word. It is not for lack of trying, but alas, my powers over him only go so far.
To have him walk into our apartment cradling a package from Magrudy's seemed momentous. I hadn't sent him out on any book-buying errands. Is it possible he went of his own accord?
In the paper shopping bag, a distinctive black-and-purple cover stared back at me, the letters a bright yellow. Robert Kiyosaki's Rich Dad, Poor Dad is the first book I have ever seen Mr T buy for himself.
"What's this?" I asked, confused. "Did someone give you this?"
He seemed slightly insulted. "I bought it. I wanted to read it."
Read it? My husband? Whatever for?
"I think it's about what rich fathers say to their kids, so the kid ends up rich and successful too," he said, straight-faced. "I have to figure out what to say to the kid, don't I?"
"The kid" he's referring to happens to be my 20-week-old unborn child and, apparently, we have already established that said child is going to be rich.
I dismissed the event as one of my husband's occasional quirky moments, better left unanalysed.
I should have known better, especially when he began tracking our expenses on his iPhone and talking to me about "budgeting apps".
A mere two weeks after that, he left work early one day to rush to a bank he had been researching extensively in order to open a savings account.
"It's about time; we should really have an account dedicated only to savings," he preached.
A few weeks ago, the pieces finally began to fall into place when I was informed, via email, that he would be a little late coming home from work one day.
"I have a meeting with a wealth management consultant," read the email. "It's about financial planning." Before I knew it, our conversations were riddled with phrases such as "life insurance" and "long-term savings" and "investments". In the evenings, instead of joining me on our trusty couch, Mr T can usually be found at the dining table, surrounded by papers covered with a lot of numbers, calculator in hand.
Suddenly, my husband was no longer nonchalant about my tendency to keep Balenciaga, Jimmy Choo and Prada in business.
"Do you have any idea how much we're going to spend on nappies for just that one kid?" he would ask me, time and time again.
In response, I'd beg him not to worry.
"Worried? Who's worried? I'm not worried. I've been meaning to meet with a wealth management consultant for ages. I just finally have the time, that's all."
Whatever helps him sleep at night.
The line up
Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego
Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh
Sole DXB runs from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Design District. Weekend pass is Dh295 while a one day pass is Dh195. Tickets are available from www.soledxb.com
ICC Awards for 2021
MEN
Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)
WOMEN
Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)
The biog
Name: Shamsa Hassan Safar
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Degree in emergency medical services at Higher Colleges of Technology
Favourite book: Between two hearts- Arabic novels
Favourite music: Mohammed Abdu and modern Arabic songs
Favourite way to spend time off: Family visits and spending time with friends
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
RESULTS
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The Florida Project
Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe
Four stars