Dance of Hope

Paris-based Iranian dancer, Sahar Dehghan, performs a modern dance with a Persian inspiration. Music and cello by Homayoun Khosravi. I wonder if my friend, Sabereh Kashi, made this video. It's beautiful music and a beautiful dance by a beautiful dancer. Enjoy!

I hope you guys have a good week ahead of you. I am struggling with some hard things and I hope to be free of a lot that bothers me these days soon. Any good vibes sent my way will be greatly appreciated! Who knows? Maybe when I'm free of all that keeps me bugged down these days, I can tell you some great stories! My pains always turn into good stories with hindsight! For my part and as always, I send each and every one of you waves of love and good wishes. Be good y'all.

Ross Mirkarimi in Berkeley

This coming Sunday, November 16, 2008, Berkeley Lecture Series and Iranian Student Alliance in America (ISAA) will host San Francisco Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi at a lecture on "The Historical Election Results." Ross (Rostam) is an Iranian American politician and one of the founders of California Green Party. He has an impeccable record of fostering diversity, community outreach, environmental policies, and good city management. He was recently re-elected as City of San Francisco's District 5 Supervisor. Ross is also a friend of mine. When his campaign first kicked off last May, I did a report of the event which was published here. (Heeh! If you go look at my report and photos, you can even see me in picture 25 next to Reza!). I am delighted for his overwhelming victory and I look forward to hearing his talk on Sunday. The man is an excellent orator with a voice unlike any other's! Come see for yourselves if you live in these parts. The lecture will be at 4:00 p.m. at UC Berkeley's 110 Barrows Hall. Here's a campus map.

Kiosk in San Francisco

Deutsche Welle has prepared a report of Kiosk's performance in Bonn during their recent tour. I know several members of the band and a couple of them are my friends. But that's not why I love listening to these guys! I love their music. I'm going to see Kiosk in San Francisco this Friday night. They will be performing in other cities, too. Here's the tour program information, in case you want to catch one of their shows. They are fabulous.

On a less fabulous note, some things have been happening around me which are bugging me. I can't talk about them yet and I don't want to pretend to anything, so I cut this post short and go to bed. I'll come back and write a better post when I'm in a better mood. Yes, I'm having a very human moment! Be good y'all.

Love Songs

Ebi sings Ghebleh, one of my most favorite love songs.

Do you have a love song you would like to share with me?

It's that kind of night!

Be good and happy everybody. Don't forget love!

Spic 'n Span!

An American woman, Jane Stillwater, visited Gilan when she went to Iran recently. Read her travel notes here, where you can see more photographs. Photo shows some of the typical appetizers served in a Rashti restaurant. I miss Gilan.

O.K. So my laziness extended to my blogging, too! Na baba, just kidding. I got so caught up in doing chores around my house, I decided to give myself a short break from "thinking work!" I have cooked and cleaned and scrubbed and dusted for two days now. I did take a short, pleasant break yesterday to go visit with my friend Helaleh's sweet parents. Their family has been through a lot and I'm sure glad they have been taking it easy and enjoying each other for the past couple of months. Omid and Alireza came, too, and between the journalists and Helaleh's parents the discussions were so interesting!

My kids' friends are aware of my son's long weekend stay at home, so they keep showing up in droves! Last night when I stuck my head in the family room, there were 8 young guys sitting there next to one another like sardines, watching something! Tonight I had to feed five people again and that was fun, too. You know, I grew up in a large family and a busy household. My parents' kitchen never prepared food for 2, 4, or 6 people, as there were anywhere between 8 and 12 people at the table during our ordinary mealtimes! I learned how to cook when I was 12 and later it was hard for me to learn to cook for less than 10 people! I think this is why I love having guests so much!

I'll drive my son back to Santa Cruz tomorrow. It's been a satisfying weekend. I want to tell you guys about Hamed Nikpay's new album and Kiosk's upcoming concert and finish my Three Weeks in October series and show you two other things! I just need some time to sit down and do it and I will get started on it tomorrow morning. Have a good Tuesday everybody.

Lazy Saturday

Opening night of Sculpture Exhibition at Artists' House in Tehran, November 7, 2008, Seyyed Mohsen Sajjadi Mehr News Agency. Isn't it awful that Mehr News, much like other news agencies of Iran, never take the trouble to write the artists' names and information on their photographs? I don't have any information about this artist and this piece to share with you.

I have been the laziest woman in the world today. Well, I did manage to produce a report of the comedy show I went to last night, but that was about it! I did absolutely NOTHING today, loving every second of my quiet and eventless Saturday. My younger son and his friends Iden and Pouria had gone to visit my older son in Santa Cruz last night, staying there. My younger son called at around 6:00 p.m. to find out what was for dinner, as he was bringing his two friends with him. Remember me, the lazy woman who did NOTHING today?!! I told him to come over and we would order pizza. They showed up and guess what?!! My older son had come home with them!! Joy! I was still the lazy woman in her sweats with unkempt hair and no makeup, but all of a sudden extremely happy, too! They are sitting in the family room now, watching TV--it must be something funny because I keep hearing them laugh. I am so excited! Three more days of my long weekend still ahead, my two sons and Iden still around, and enough time on hand to do my projects around the house. I am so happy!

I hope you all are enjoying your weekend just as much as I am. Reach out to those you love and spend time with them, or around them as I tend to do with my family. I plan to make a big breakfast for my family tomorrow morning and to spend time catching up with them. (Heeh, I will need to make up for my laziness today!) Maybe you could do the same for your family! If you live by yourself, make yourself a big breakfast and love yourself as this is a very good place from which to start loving others! Take care and be good you all!

Sweet As Can Be

Akihito Koriyama of Japan took two years to travel to many places including Iran. This is his photographic account of Iran and Iranians. This might appear a little slow to some of you. I simply LOVED the slowness and the overall effect of the video, because it gave me a chance to think about those scenes and those people. I hope you enjoy this and that it doesn't make you too homesick for Iran.

If I can, I will come back and write my Friday post late this evening after I return from an event* in Berkeley.

Berkeley Lecture Series presents "Baha'i Faith 101," a comedy performance with Mansour Taeed, featuring Professor Enayatollah Farhoumand Sangsari, Sociologist and Emeritus faculty of Columbia University; Friday, November 7th, 2008, 8:00 p.m.; Gaia Center, 2116 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA 94704.

Warm and Beautiful and Easy

Painting by Narges Hashemi, exhibited at Aaran Gallery in Tehran, shown on Iranian.com, November 5, 2008.

I had some nasty dreams last night. Things I didn't want and places I didn't want to visit and people I didn't want to see and actions which were all unwelcome were filling my sleep and I actually woke up several times to "reset" my dreams, but as is an unfortunate thing with me, I would fall asleep again and pick up the dream wherever I had left it off and the unwelcome images came back. It wasn't a nightmare, because I didn't wake up in a cold sweat or screaming, but I was angry all through the night, clenching my jaws, and keeping my hands in a fist, my nails cutting into my palms. Yikes!! That was awful!

I woke up to light and calm, the sun breaking out outside my window, the tree branches dancing in a soft breeze, the sound of my son's breathing down the hall, even the sound of Iden's flushing the toilette upstairs, sounds and feelings of order, life, and normalcy, things that do rule my life these days. I woke up my son to get ready for his 8:00 a.m. class and as he was ready to leave the house, he came into my bedroom where I was getting ready to go to work, and handed me an unsolicited cup of hot tea with a little milk in it, just how I like to drink my morning tea. I stayed in my bedroom for a few more minutes, sipping my tea and looking out the window, feeling alive and fortunate for my life which is warm and beautiful and easy. Thank you God!

Rain, Rain

Tehran's autumnal rain. More photos in the series by Abolfazl Salmanzadeh, Fars News Agency.

The windshield wipers squeaked across, losing fast to the pouring raindrops. The old Paykan wasn't well-insulated, so I could hear the rushing water running under the car, the huge raindrops hitting against the roof, and I could feel the cold wind finding its way into the car, reminding me of how safe, warm, and dry I was sitting in the back of that cab. I was going home, where someone waited for me in a warm environment. The apartment felt cozy and welcoming, with the delicious aroma of home-made food filling its every nook and cranny, and a fire burnt in a fireplace. I took off my scarf and raincoat, washed my hands, and sat to good food and good company, friendship and peace, and love and understanding. We sat by the window, watching the rain, and I felt safe for I was in the company of old, deep, and unpretentious friendship. I miss Tehran and I miss Mandana.

Yes, I Do!

Elections days are really exciting days for me. I think my excitement might be contagious, too, because I could see my younger son mirroring my excitement to the point that after their early morning class, his friend Kayvan decided to follow the two of us to the polling place nearby! He will be voting later today in his own neighborhood.

There was a very good turnout at the polling place. My son and I were 111th and 112th people who had voted this morning. Do you remember the short report I posted the last time I went to the same place to vote? This time there was a "No Photography" sign at the entrance, so I couldn't capture all the excitement inside the room! But, hey, I can assure you that the place was buzzing with an unusual level of energy and turnout this time around!

Heeh! This picture shows the two of them wearing "I Voted" stickers, if you can spot the tiny stickers on their T-shirts!

We talked about how the policies adopted over the past eight years have changed our world, have created wars, have caused economic havoc all around the world, and have left so many people destitute, displaced, dead, and disabled. Politics and politicians of America have affected the rest of the world in irrevocable and irreparable ways. We talked about how when some ignorant and apathetic people ask: "Do you really think your vote makes a difference?!" by now we know for sure that the answer is "Yes, I do."

I am honored to be able to vote.

Get Out There And Vote!

Tomorrow is Elections Day in the U.S. My younger son and I will go to vote early in the morning. My older son will be voting in Santa Cruz. If you are U.S. Citizens, I urge you to go out there and vote. To be able to vote is one of the most important and precious privileges an individual can enjoy anywhere in the world. Even today in so many different parts of our world people are not allowed to participate in choosing their leaders through fair elections. So many people in our world have given their lives to struggles for gaining the right to vote and to be heard. A person who doesn't vote is not counted and is not heard. I take the responsibility with care and with honor. It doesn't matter for whom or what you vote, so long as you vote. The best part of a democracy is being able to cast that vote and accepting the outcome no matter who wins. Do your part and accept the outcome. Help make this country and the rest of the world a better place. Your vote is that important.

Three Weeks in October (II)

Kerry and Mark's friend, Todd, had been cat-sitting Ray that Sunday morning. He left after Mehran got there to help me with the setup. I told Mehran and all the people who came in after him that both front and back doors to the house had to be closed at all times to make sure Ray won't get away. My cat, Asghar, was allowed to leave our apartment in Ghaytarieh all the time. Even so, when he was supposed to be in the apartment we all made sure he wouldn't bolt for the door. Out of habit, I guess, I was overly cautious about Ray who never showed any interest about leaving the house. Ray is a house cat which means he roams the house, living like a king, but is never let out. Even so, it wouldn't hurt to be cautious, I thought.

Mehran and I set out the food, the plates, the backyard furniture complete with a hooka (ghelyoon), and the drinks. I was in jeans and a T-shirt, keeping it casual for the casual gathering. Mehran asked me if I wasn't going to change into party clothes. I was surprised he would ask that! I asked him why he thought we should dress up and at this point he said: "Well, because it's your birthday party and everyone will be dressed up!" Say what?!! It was not my birthday party, and I hate birthday parties and even worse, I hate surprise birthday parties!! I won't let this go! I kept asking him whose idea this was and what was this all about and whether the friends who had called to join the party were all in on this, too? As it turned out, Leva and Jahanshah had arranged for everyone to come ready to celebrate my birthday. Yikes! I went and changed.

The guests to my small party started arriving. Bloggers, writers, journalists, artists, and activists, my friends are some of the smartest and most professionally-accomplished people you would know. They are just a fabulous bunch. Everybody looked really good and was in a very happy mood. By the time Jahanshah showed up with the cake, I had stopped being mad at the lot of them! We were so happy to be together, as is always the case when we get together, talking and laughing and eating and having a good time. Ray came down to check out the scene, but turned around and went upstairs to be by himself, I guess! I felt bad for him because he was probably looking around and not recognizing anyone but me, missing Mark and Kerry. I went to check up on him twice during the evening, and both times he was sitting on the bed, alert and awake. Mehran suggested I shut the bedroom door on him, but I felt kind of bad locking him in for the whole night, so I let him feel free to move upstairs between the bedroom and Kerry's den, where she and Ray spend most days together.

We were having such a good time, jaaye hamegi khaali! We were celebrating not so much my birthday or Jahanshah's sendoff, but our friendship. As I made the rounds to check on my friends who had broken into small groups all around the house and the backyard, I could hear them talking about politics, telling jokes, and catching up with each other. Joy!

(To Be Continued...)