JEDDAH: Most people especially youngsters continuously seek the answer to one question: What is the key to success?
In search of an answer, many people spend a fortune in attending conferences and seminars where experts or successful entrepreneurs share their success stories to serve as a source of inspiration to the participants.
People who are interested in reading start collecting how-to books in their quest to succeed in life.
To be honest, there is no fixed formula or strategy for success. As a matter of fact, the very concept of success varies from person to person. It is, however, better to set aside this philosophical debate and focus on the general notions about success.
It is said that the key to success is doing what you love. When one transforms his passion into a profession, it becomes easier to stand out in the crowd.
Hisham Abu Al-Ainin, a Saudi businessman, is supporting arts and crafts in his unique way. He is the owner of Jeddah’s famous sewing machine shops — Art and crafts. It is the go-to place for those interested in crocheting, knitting and the accessories.
Abu Al-Ainin’s mother used to crochet dolls and his father owned a shop dealing in sewing machines. So, his mother’s interest and father’s business influenced his thinking and he developed an interest in art and culture.
Abu Al-Ainin said: “In 2011, I joined my father’s business. I became the local distributor for a number of international brands including the German brands ‘PFFAF’ and ‘Madera,’ the American brand ‘Simplicity.’ Later, I added quilting machines as well.”
“I have about 50 kinds of different needles, 250 different color tones of a variety of wool and cotton threads of various materials,” he said.
Art and crafts shop is not only an authorized distributor for sewing tools but also a great motivation for all visitors to learn more about this craft as Abu Al-Ainin and other crochet instructors organize educational workshops in different institutes and universities to help to keep this craft alive.
Abu Al-Ainin also wants to introduce environmentally friendly products to combat pollution and make the world a better place to live. He wishes to introduce products such as the jumbo crochet and knitting yarn called “Hooked Spaghetti,” which is basically a recycled fabric.
“This large thread is in the form of ropes and weighs one kilogram. It is suitable for the manufacture of carpets and bags,” he said.
Abu Al-Ainin also motivates productive families interested in crochet to showcase their products at his showroom in Sultan Mall. By doing so, he not only adds variety to his available collection but also provides local talent a platform to showcase their skills and earn money.
During a visit to the shop, this writer met Jumana Al-Beid, a graduate of the Saudi Center for Fine Arts. Al-Beid is interested in crochet and teaches the basics to amateurs and beginners.
She said she gets inspiration from the handicrafts and eye-catching works of art available at the shop. These products, she said, help her relax and set her mind free from stress.
Startup of the Week: Creating one’s own way to success
Startup of the Week: Creating one’s own way to success
- Art and crafts shop is not only an authorized distributor for sewing tools but also a great motivation for all visitors to learn more about this craft
REVIEW: ‘Is This Thing On?’ — stars elevate Bradley Cooper’s low-key rom-com
DUBAI: Bradley Cooper’s latest directorial effort is based — loosely — on the life of popular UK comedian John Bishop, so you might expect stand-up to be its focus. It isn’t. This is a bittersweet low-key depiction of a love that has eroded between a couple who’ve been together for decades.
Alex (Will Arnett, of “Arrested Development” and “BoJack Horseman” fame) — a regular guy with a regular job — and Tess (Oscar winner Laura Dern) — a former Olympic volleyball player, now a housewife and mom — are separated, heading for a mutually agreed divorce, and keeping it amicable partly for the sake of their two kids, partly because they still get on well — just not well enough to stay together.
Newly single Alex decides to get a late-night drink at New York’s famed Comedy Cellar. To avoid paying the $15 dollar entry fee, he signs up for a slot at the open-mic night (a part inspired by Bishop’s own origin story). With no material planned, he’s not great, but his self-deprecating, anecdotes about his impending divorce get a few laughs. Most importantly, the experience sparks a new passion in Alex and he continues to perform, befriending other comics who offer him companionship and advice and a new perspective that leads him to re-evaluate his own contributions to his marriage. His newfound spark also makes Tess see him in a new light, one that might just convince her to give him another shot.
What elevates this sometimes-saccharine, not-entirely-believable (exhibit A: the scene where Tess discovers that Alex is using their relationship as comedy material) film above similar fare is the engrossing chemistry on show between Arnett and Dern as people struggling to (re)discover themselves in middle age. Arnett is typically charming and witty as Alex, but brings out unexpected depths of emotion in what may be his best performance to date. Dern imbues Tess Tess with the toughness and independence you’d expect from a successful former pro athlete, but gives equal weight to her vulnerabilities as someone who’s invested so much of her identity into something she can no longer do to the same high standards. Their relationship is so sweetly genuine you’ll find yourself rooting for them both.
