I Am Iran

It's Friday. I have had a whole week of very exciting and very exhausting events. My older son was applying for university admissions this week. Waiting until the last possible moment created so much stress for him, something from which I hope he has learned a thing or two. Truth be told, I am learning a lot of things, too, about myself, about him, and about life in the process.

I leave you with a video clip which sweet Roja Najafi, Tameshk, has made. It was an idea I had, which she understood with all her heart and ran with it, adding her own soul to it. It is about Iran and about our collective desire to protect it from a potential attack. It was inspired by anti-war protests in San Francisco and Berkeley in October and November. You will see many of the photos that I have collected about Iran in the slideshow. My beautiful and talented friend, Vaaleh, performs her song "Mojdeh-ye Vasl," based on a Hafez poem in the background. I hope you enjoy it. Do tell us what you think. If you can' access Youtube, watch it here on FileDen.

I hope you have a good weekend, full of joy and warm feelings. Think about peace this weekend. Talk about it. Share this video clip with anyone you like, if you find it useful. Do anything and everything within your power to raise awareness about peace. Life is beautiful, full of promises of joys and accomplishments and good memories to come. All of that can only happen when there is peace. When there is no peace, there is fear, there is hate, and there is hopelessness. Peace is what our world needs the most. That's the least we can give our children and their children. Be good y'all.

Parsi and Persepolis in Berkeley

I went to listen to Dr. Trita Parsi present his new book, Treacherous Alliance, The Secret Dealings of Israel, Iran, and the U.S. Parsi is President of National Iranian American Council, and Adjunct Professor of International Relations at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies. Parsi's book discusses the different eras of relations amongst Iran, Israel, and United States. His most important point is that though the relations have been defined by each country's ideology during certain periods of time in recent history, currently it is one of strategy and not ideology. He discussed each country's motivations in behaving the way they do, and why having skipped diplomacy and starting at the present hot-headed critical stage of dialogue is costing every country so much and how this is threatening world peace. As I have said before, the best part of going to a lecture is when questions are asked and answered. Parsi is an excellent orator and his speech was flawless, and he particularly answered his questions well. I bought his book and when I have read it, I might talk about it.

Later, we went to a sneak preview of Marjane Satrapi's animated film, Persepolis. I had read her books before, but seeing the movie was a remarkable experience. In the movie, Satrapi talks about her childhood and her memories of Iranian Revolution, Iran-Iraq War, and growing up in Iran. Many sequences were funny, some of them were dramatic, but the majority of them were sad for me. I cried several times during the movie. I remember FarNice had said that she had cried during the movie and I had wondered at the time how an animation could make one cry. I found out how tonight. I recommend this movie when it opens in the US in late December through mid-January. Of course, the best part of tonight was seeing my friends, old and new, and feeling like a part of the large Iranian community in Berkeley.

Inspired on A Wednesday (Part III)

Last, I want you to look at a slideshow depicting one woman’s story. Her name is Mahtab, and she lives in the Ghassemabad Village of Baluchestan. Her art and trade is soozan doozi (embroidery or needlework). Ghassemabad is a village that has gone through ten years of draught; its men have moved away to find work, and it is now left with a population of women, children, and old people. Mahtab taught her village women how to do soozan doozi, and women of the village saved and continue to sustain the livelihood of the village through this art. Look at her hands and her feet, listen to her voice telling her story, and see her beautiful creations. Don't be sad at Mahtab's story and the story of her village. Be inspired by her triumph over adversities and her life which has inspired and sustained so many, including me on this Wednesday.

Inspired on A Wednesday (Part II)

While on the subject of inspired and inspiring paintings, I would like to make sure you have all heard the story of a Mazandarani woman by the name of Mokarrameh. Have you heard it? It is an incredible story, which my friend Alef Shin shared with me not too long ago.

A very young village girl was married to a much older man about 60 years ago. The young girl was deeply sad and unhappy, looking for an outlet to release the pain and abuse she had suffered in her world in Darikandeh Village of Babol. Later in her life she became attached to her pet cow. When she was too old to take her cow grazing, her children secretly sold the cow. Mokarrameh went through a depression after which she started painting. At first she was painting with raspberry juice. She then started finding paper and paint, painting more elaborate and sophisticated designs. She painted day and night, giving her paintings away. When she ran out of paper, she would paint on her walls and furniture and appliances. When asked why she painted, she responded that she had so much to say, but she was illiterate and couldn’t read or write, so she started to paint to express herself, her hopes, her fears, and her demons.

Mokarrameh started a revolution in her village, where slowly other village people started painting, too. She started having visitors from Tehran , mostly artists and fellow painters. She received national and international attention until in 2001 she was named Woman of The Year in Sweden. Mokarrameh died in 2005, leaving a legacy of love for painting and hope in her village and in every Iranian's heart. Each year artists from all over Iran gather in her village to remember her. On that day everybody paints in her memory. Take a look at this slideshow on BBC Persian about this year's event. You can read more about her here. Doesn't this story just inspire you?

Inspired on A Wednesday (Part I)

My friend, Talieh Shahrokhi who is a photographer has posted this picture on Iranian.com today. It is of a piece of a Hafez poem, written on a wall in the Corcoran neighborhood of Minneapols, Minnesota. Citizens of Corcoran have gathered to create artwork on their neighborhood's walls. Take a look at this slideshow which shows how they did another wall, that one depicting another piece of Hafez' poem. It made me so proud to see this. I felt inspired and strengthened in the humanity this project reflects. Hafez rules in my world and as it appears, in other people's, as well.

P.S. Can anybody tell me which Hafez poem in Farsi this is?

Laugh Like There Is No Tomorrow

Parviz Sayyad and Mary Apic perform a special version of The Swan Lake Ballet in the 1970's Kaaf Show. Watch this. This is one of the funniest things that ever happened on Iranian television, well, in my opinion. Simply priceless!

There is no mystery in the aging process. There is no fountain of youth drinking from which will keep us young. We grow old and our bodies fight and lose to gravity. Our skins develop wrinkles and sags, bulges and stretch marks. Yikes! This is no fun at all! We develop wrinkles around our eyes and if we have frowned too much, the wrinkles on our foreheads make us look permanently puzzled or angry. I am aging and developing wrinkles just like everybody else.

I am happy about the way my face has grown old and somewhat wrinkled, though, because my most profound wrinkles happen to be two lines around my mouth, what Americans charitably call "laugh lines." I am proud of my laugh lines, because I have earned them laughing throughout my lifetime! Laughing at the most obscure and ordinary things, laughing at things which only appear humorous to me, and most importantly and on a regular basis, laughing at myself! Some days I laugh so hard at myself, my sides hurt. I think the best approach to life is not to take ourselves too seriously. That means that we must laugh, boisterous, loud, and hearty laughs. At the end of the day, we all succumb to age and gravity. It is so much better to succumb enjoying ourselves and brightening our space with the sound and feeling of laughter. My approach to life on most days is: laugh like there is no tomorrow. My advice to you is: Do try this at home! And if you feel up to it, do leave me a joke or a funny memory in this post. I thank you in advance.

Artsy Afternoon

I went to San Francisco yesterday afternoon. I had taken someone to meet Arash Sobhani for an interview. We went with Jahanshah, who was taking pictures. This picture is not by him, though. It is by Shadi Yousefian. Arash is such a sweet and warm person, approachable and not pretentious at all. I am glad he pursues his professional career as an architect in addition to his musical activities. The Kiosk will be a part of a performance on Friday, December 7th at 7:00 p.m., at San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts. My very good friend, Hamed Nikpay, will also be performing that night, and I am really looking forward to attending, if I can manage my life!

While those guys did their interview, we went into Cafe Trieste in San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood (601 Vallejo Street). (Photo by Jahanshah Javid)

Full of life and excitement, Cafe Trieste is said to have been "the first place for Espresso on the West Coast back in the 50's." A Piano player played beautiful music for us, full of emotion and dramatic presentation.

After running around like a crazy lunatic for days, fighting a scratchy throat and what feels like an emerging massive cold, it was relaxing to wind down and be engulfed in San Francisco's Sunday afternoon scene in the company of friends.

One More Picture

Photo by Vahid, Leva's better half.

Occupied Chairs

My only picture of my dinner table. When I get better pictures I will replace this one. (To those who took those millions of pictures: get with it, send them to me!)

Sorry for disappearing from the radar! I have been so busy this weekend, preparing for a gathering of friends and a few family members, as well as looking after my house guest, Mersedeh. I think the party was a success. I invited several of my friends to come and to be my family. They came and some of them brought their friends, so it was a lively event, full of joy and warmth and friendship. My little house was teeming with people and joy. Of course there was food and dancing (it wouldn't be an Iranian party without those two elements), but there was also a lively game of pantomime, which was entirely too hilarious, and live musical performances by unnamed Northern California bloggers. I missed all those who couldn't make it, and rejoiced at welcoming the ones that came. It is always a good day when the chairs are occupied, the plates are used, the food is eaten, and the doors are opened to welcome all those breathing, thinking, feeling, and smiling faces in my house. This was a good day for me to be thankful for second chances, new beginnings, and flawless feelings of friendship and harmony. Jaye hamegi khali bood.

Progress Report

I am preparing for a dinner at my house tonight. My good friend, Mersedeh, is here from Southern California this weekend. Poor baby, she has been chopping and mincing and cutting things for me all evening! She is working on the pomegranates now, as this is a very popular dessert item. I thought this picture would make for a good progress report. Well, to be fair, it is "Mersedeh's Progress Report!" Of course, someone has to take pictures and write blog entries, so I take that part on! I just love the excitement of a house waiting for dear guests. Life is good.

Family, Friends, and Food

Thanksgiving dinner at my sister's house. Jaye hame khali bood.

Thanksgiving

It's Thanksgiving Day in the US today. The original British pilgrims who arrived America in search of religious freedom were not very lucky in securing themselves food the first year they arrived. Many of them perished in the cold weather of US East Coast, and they all suffered much. The next winter, American Indians came to their aid, gave them agricultural produce such as corn and fruits, and turkey. Americans celebrate this day as a day of national prosperity, familial traditions, and to a very small degree as a religious gathering to thank God and count their blessings.

Just as with any other idea in the country, there are those who discredit the authenticity of that "First Winter" story, and those who view the story as a mockery of how native Americans were treated in the hands of the pilgrims. While research in the area makes for excellent reading and a good conversation piece, I find that Thanksgiving in the US is neither about history, nor about religion anymore. It is about families and friends getting together, and it's about food, food, and food! My family get together on Thanksgiving day at around 2:00 p.m. in my older sister's house and eat a big dinner together for several hours (pictures to follow). I will have my Thanksgiving turkey dinner on Saturday with my beloved friends and some family members. I have already started cooking for the event. Take a look at my Salad Olivieh preparation scene! I will show you more pictures of my cooking as the weekend progresses. Happy Thanksgiving you all. Remember, you don't have to be American or religious to feel contentment and joy in appreciating what you have. As I chop and mince this morning, I am grateful for all that I have.