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Selected short notes January 2003 * Jackson's first chelokabab January 31, 2003 * Jackson's first chelokabab January 31, 2003 * Maloomeh digeh! A friend who just went back to visit Iran after quite a long time in the US, was
besieged by the Baseej militia for dressing unethically and forgetting that he had
"Khaar Maadar" (a sister and mother) himself. He was forcibly taken to
the station and ordered to fill out an information form. He finally gave up and asked the Haaji on duty: "Jenaab, maa baayad injaa
chi benevisim?" ("Sir, what am I supposed to write in this section?") January 31, 2003 * Sweet cousin hi..., it was nice to see you that night. maybe next time when ( ) is in ( ) we can see if ( ) is here too!! i want to be a nosy cousin and ask you what size clothes do you wear? -- L January 31, 2003 * Life and all its joy Received on a group email last December 14: To One and All: January 31, 2003 * UN inspectors Hello, my name is John Stewart and I haven't fully cooperated with UN inspectors. -- Opening line to Comedy Central's The Daily Show with John Stewart, after President Bush's State of the Union address warning Iraq of grave consequences if it doesn't cooperate with UN weapons' inspectors. January 26, 2003 * Men Two things stuck in my mind about men. One is a comment from Forough Farrokhzad's mother. In Nasser Saffarian documentary, she was asked about men and, in particular, her husband, who was a womanizer. She said do you know what women want from men? "Mohabbat" (affection, love). That's all. I remember her face, it said, "How hard is that? Is that asking too much?" And then today, I asked my love, "What do you think about men? How is that they are so stupid and yet they rule the world?" She laughed. Do you know what all men have in common? She said, "Khod-khaahan" (They're selfish). January 26, 2003 * Goodbye in my own words My Iranian wife left me about 2 years ago in a very unpleasant manner. After I recently won cases both in American and Iranian courts, she sent me an explanation! My heart is so broken that I just had to say goodbye in my own words.
January 26, 2003 * Salute from class of '79 It was the summer of 1978 when I first heard a sound that moved my teenage heart and body like none other before. It was the beginning of an age in music, that those of us who lived our youth through would never forget. [News: Death of Bee Gees singer] Coupled with the Iranian revolution, it is a time and place permanently etched
in our minds forever. Wide collars, wide pant legs, high heels, tight skirts and
perfume, Ah the perfume! Their music always lifts me and whenever I revisit one of
their songs, I am instantly transported to a time, a place, colored lights spinning. January 26, 2003 * OK, what do I do now? I got this in the mail from my mother. It's a Financial Times article about sons whose father (one parent?) dies when they are around 15. My father died when I was almost 15.
January 26, 2003
* Flying houses for war Last night I dreamt the Americans had developed warplanes that looked just like houses in various shapes. They would land somewhere on the outskirts of a town and roll over next to another house. The houses looked like those in the U.S. east coast. January 19, 2003 * So here we are with Zack Zack is my friend, better yet, my confidant, a shoulder to cry -- although he
uses my soulder more often. He's an attorney, a damn good one, a criminal attorney.
After three marrieges followed by god knows how many heartbrakes, he has become extremely
guarded (if I may use that for lack of a better word; he is scared). I love this
person. He has a heart of gold, so did all his wives. I am a friend to all of them,
and I wonder, what went wrong? WHAT? January 19, 2003 Reza Shah's chin I was at a gathering. Someone said there had been a big snow storm in Shiraz. Another man said, "Roo choone-ye Reza Shah barf neshasteh?" (Is there snow on Reza Shah's chin?). I asked what he meant. He said there's a mountain west or southwest of Shiraz which looks like a man with a bloated stomach. The man's profile looks like Reza Shah's. And when there's snow on his "chin", that means Shiraz has been hit with rare, heavy snow fall. -- Jahanshah Javid January 19, 2003 Noon sangak My East Coast friends Reza and his wife Mina were visiting California for the first time. They first came to San Francisco and planned to drive down to Los Angeles. The first thing they asked was, "Do they have noon sangak over there?" -- Jahanshah Javid January 14, 2003 Korsee Last week we had a spell of cold weather in London. It snowed for 3 days and temperatures
dropped to -7 at some places.The whole cold weather scenario reminded me of winters
in Shemiran. The snow-covered garden of my grandmother's, snow-covered trees, white
deserted streets, sliding down the alleyways on an old tyre, eating hot laboo in
Tajreesh, sipping hot aash... All these memories came flooding back. January 14, 2003 Ordinary Muslims Don't remember where I got this quote from: Between liberals and non-liberals pushing for change, the latter often win precisely because they use illiberal means and do not mean to spill blood for their cause. The liberal voices in Islam are found among the millions of ordinary Muslims who live their lives, who have no quarrel with anybody and disdain the attention getting tactics of radical conservatives. January 10, 2003
Aren't WE about to go to war? Aren't you afraid? I haven't been able to visit Iran since 1998 because of school ... Then my job didn't approve my vacation request 3 times on account that I was their top sales associate and "Speaking from a business stand point, 'We' cannot allow you to leave for that length of time. Can you shorten your leave?" I sarcastically replied, "Umm, I don't know if you realize where exactly on the map Iran is ... but, umm, it's half way across the planet Earth ... it's not as if I'm going to my friend's house 50 miles away where I am able to shorten my stay! ... It takes three days just to get there" I was given a blank stare. They don't understand ... Some of them have never ventured out of this city much less the state. Then they promised that if I postponed my trip for January that I would be granted a month's leave of absence. So, now I'm on my way on Wednesday!!! FINALLY, Whoo-Hoo!!! And I haven't been able to sleep from the excitement for the past 2 weeks. See, even my writing sounds rushed! I have packed and unpacked 20 times. How do you know what you will need to wear for a month? My Mom says, "Who cares what you wear, it's snowing, it's cold; just pack a couple of sweat pants and sweaters, it's just family." HA HA. Then instead of sleeping (so I could get up in time for work), I found myself at Super Walmart this morning at 2 AM looking at suitcases, film, deodorant, shampoo ... you know the necessities. I feel like a shaken Coca-Cola can! However, something is really bothering me. People at work have been coming to me and wishing me a wonderful trip and then turning around asking me, "Are you going to be OK over 'there'? Is it safe to travel? Aren't WE about to go to war? Aren't you afraid?" I just try to brush them off and calmly say, "Oh, of course it's safe. You know how the media hypes everything up" or "As a matter of fact, this is probably a very safe time to travel? You know, with all the heightened security and all." However, the more I try to ease their fears, I find that I'm really trying to convince myself. It really angers me that in one sentence someone can wish you well and then make you fearful for your own life. I think the thing that scares me the most is the thought of officials not allowing my non-citizen family members to reenter the US. And who knows, even though I'm a natural born citizen, what's to say they let me back in? ... But then I answer my own question ... It's in God's hands. (And when all else fails, make friends with the NYPD! (See picture) To anyone else that will be en-route to Iran ... Bon Voyage!!!
Have a wonderful time and enjoy your beautiful families! PS: Anybody else leaving from Atlanta, GA on Wednesday, January 15th? January 10, 2003 Steven Lee Cunningham Heard from Amir I have an uncle who has been in America for more than 30 years. He drives a truck. Where's a cowboy hat. And he has changed his name to Steven Lee Cunningham. January 3, 2003 I really enjoy Dakar Javid Jan, A quick hello to say that I am still alive and am looking forward to 2003! I am writing from Dakar, my new duty station. I was relocated to Senegal recently, because of the nasty civil war in the Ivory Coast. I am not sure for how long I'll be staying in Africa but for the moment I really enjoy Dakar. I have a nice place facing the ocean and the climate is just perfect these days. No need to say that you're always welcome to visit... It's a fun experience. [My daughter] came to see me in August. We traveled to a few countries together and both had a very good time. [Mu son] is getting ready to go to college next year, in England, most probably. And, I'll start getting fed up with Africa. Hopefully I'll go back to Europe by late 2003. I have an offer with the UN in New York but looking at your articles, NY seems too hostile for Iranians, for my taste. And you? Busy with your magazine I guess; which I receive and look at with joy. Love life? Mine is the same old business: changing girlfriends on a yearly basis, basically! Has Mahdieh started college? I wish you and Mahdieh all the best for 2003, loads of joy and serenity. Hope to see you soon. Doostdar... -- A friend January 3, 2003 Hair-raiser I have an uncle who has a strange skill. When we get together at parties, he rolls up his sleave to show his bare arm. Then at his command the hair on his arms rise and fall. -- Shirin January 3, 2003 Climate: Italy vs. Iran When my father was young, he went to Italy. When he came back, he brought one of those tiny dogs that fit in your pocket. But after a coule of weeks, he got sick and my dad took him to the vet. After the examination, the vet said, "Aabo havaaye eenjaa behesh nemeesazeh" (The climate here doesn't agree with this dog). The poor thing died soon after. -- J.K. January 2, 2003
Peeshy The two peeshies the color of honey are my companions during the hazy early morning hours. I leave them left over food, or bread soaked in milk and we eat our breakfast at the same time while glancing at each other from time to time. I will miss them when I leave. I will miss the ritual of getting the paper, leaving food and calling out to them in peeshy language. I will miss the the moon face one -- the one with a patch of white on his face -- specially. He isn't afraid of me. One day, as I was walking in the garden, I saw him walking by only a few feet away. I stopped and slowly sat on the freezing ground. He stopped too, and sat. We both sat there for a long while staring at each other. I was amused and he wouldn't nudge. As cold as the ground was, he was the first to move. I will miss it all when I leave: the garden of my childhood with the empty pool that remains full with memories of so many dives and swims and laughter, the rose bushes and the grape vine, the kaftar khooneh and the swing that has creaked since the day we got it. I will miss this garden, the garden I love more than any in the world. I want stay. I want to be here, specially now. Who will feed the honey colored peeshies after I'm gone? -- Shadi Bahar
Glimpse of Damavand This is a glimpse of Damavand, you can't see much of it, but it's there! Larger
image A New Year is here I'll ask the angels to carry you unto their wings... and rest you body on the clouds and there you will find a joyous sleep... as you awake the bells will ring, the rains will pour, and birds will sing... A New Year is here... blessed are you... life is yours and all it's joys for you to explore... The colorful rainbow within your reach... each color a bounty life will give... there is the wish of good health... of love and peace... of laughter and adventures of prosperity and new found dreams... to be with family and friends... to fill the heart with faith and hope... to always be grateful and rejoice... to see the beauty of the trees... to be in quiet, in prayer and at peace... to feel the spirits protect your being,to see God in all you touch, feel or hear... to know you are a special child that is so loved... That is my prayer for you , my wish, my desire... and with this I will end my
words... Merry Christmas, Joyous Days... and to a Joyous Year!!!!!
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