I blame Microsoft

I can only think that it was caused by the excessively large 'critical' update I installed earlier this week, another one of Microsoft's carefully crafted security patches for Office. My Macbook Pro, doubtless offended by the cheap and poorly thought out offering, must have become depressed, for last night it took a suicidal leap from my hands, to crash disasterously on the bathroom floor.

It worked briefly thereafter, but as I scanned Google Earth maps of Bahrain, it grew slower and slower - not unlike a Windows machine in fact. A restart, far from solving the problem, proved utterly disastrous. My lifeless machine now sits in front of me as I type away in a terrible internet cafe in the Rashid Mall, waiting, probably in vain, for the Apple store to open. This is the first night of Eid, and although the Mall is thronging with the bethobed, many of the shops have chosen to remain closed.

I hadn't realised how much I have become attached to my Mac. Countless times throughout the day I have thought, "I'll just ...", only to realise that without my computer I can do nothing. Having grown tired of reading a book and talking to chef, I resorted to a two hour run this afternoon. At least now it is Eid you can drink outside during daylight hours. The temperature in the 40s and humidity high was for once a blessing. Back at home I was far too tired to even think about my poor dead Mac.