Esfand Aashena

man ke chizi ro az dast nemidam mardom IC vali kamtar mikhandan!

Everything is sacred

Efand jan, pass deege kareesh nadaree?

Ok, be ghoole maroof, bebeeneem va tareef koneem. Man ke cheshmam aab nemeekhore ke dast az saresh bardaree.Mer30 ke goftee nice hast.

Anahid jaan very nice!

Vali man taghriban hamishe jaan be jj midam.  Dar zemn dige man ba oon martike olagh kari nadaram! tamoom shod raft, haminghadr ke ta hala khandidid basse! 

Everything is sacred

Esfand jan, I have written that best work of mine, here it is

It totally identifies where I am at and wow, guess what, it is about you. Here it is in finglish

dobareh sobh amaado sheitanee az esfand

reseed esfand maa ze mooshee be shohrat

meenevesht paarsaal az yek adad haji

rooz deegar deed esfand filmee toatree

be sargord meedahad fohshee 

be jj dahad o gaah jaanee

HHH what you described covers authors and artists's best work!

By the time we get to experience the good and bad in life (if we're that lucky to experience it all, many will only get to experience the bad from cradle to grave) we're set in our own lives and it is hard to break from it.

This is the dilema that I think makes authors, poets, film makers and artists of all kind create their best work and as a minimum identify where we're at. The next step which is to take that leap is the imagination that they leave us to cherish. 

Everything is sacred

Good Movie

I saw it once in San Rafael theater and again on cable. What I liked about it was the woman's peaceful beauty, her cutting off from her past and starting a new life & her special relationship with the new man.

It's a bit sad because it shows how most people don't find what they'd wished for even up into their midlife. Also how they break out to take another last attempt to shoot for the stars.

Bavafa jaan I'm as liberated as they come!

If I were to be any more liberated I'd be walking in public in my shorts! I like my TVs and the programs I choose!  I don't watch everything but there is enough of likeable stuff to keep me going.  The high definition PBS digital channels have very good programming.

As for junk, yes I know, I no longer gather junk and try to get rid of as much as possible.  Most of the junk in my house is not mine and hopefully they'll be gone soon.  I'd forget about selling them and just put them on the sidewalk or give them to charity! as we say in Farsi, mehram halal joonam azad! 

Everything is sacred

Esfand jaan,

All those channels (with the exception of PBS) was the whole reason for "killing" my TV as I believe there is nothing (well 99%) but JUNK programming.

And all of those ideas to make room in my house, is just to buy more junk (table, chair, etc) to fill my house with. Unfortunately I have a lot of space in my house and consequently gathered a lot of junk, vastly sporting equipment. Each year, I say to myself that I will put some on Craig list to sell but then I have a hard time parting with them. Well, maybe this year as the season is ripe for it now :)

Now here is my recommendation to you, try to live without your TV for a while and see how librating it will be. After a while, I would think you will not be able to stand 10 minutes of it as it is packed with commercials and non-sense programming.

and let me know if you are in a market for some sporting equipment :) I can make a good deal.  My basement is like a mini REI

 Mehrdad

Digital TVs have a lot of new digital channels.

Bavafa jaan I had a 38" deep TV as well.  Pain in the neck!  The only TV in my entire life that I couldn't move by myself!  A heavy and lash motherf*****!

Now tell me doesn't that take a lot of space?  Imagine the space that you can save and use for a lot of stuff, like another chair or two for guests, a table to put a plant on, a Persian rug or a number of stuff that you can imagine.  Imagine that space empty. 

You don't need cable for these new LCD TVs.  There are a lot of channels like public TV channels that are multiple not just one public TV channel that you have with your old TV.  The channels in digital TVs go up by decimals unlike your old TV.  For example if you have one public TV channel under channel 26, you have 4 digital channels, 26.1, 26.2, 26.3 and 26.4 which means you don't even get 3 of the channels in your old TV.  And they're really good programmings in high definition.

Not to mention that all those other public channels plus the normal TV channels like ABC, CBS or NBC are high definition which is the world of difference and you won't know it until you see it, actually have it in your house to see it not just the showroom.

You can also get the basic cable ($10 or $15/month) and see how many more channels you get with these digital TVs.  Of course it is up to you whatever you want to do, I'm just trying to impress upon you that digital TVs are NOT anything like the old TVs.  Perhaps you can compare them to when color TVs replaced black and white TVs.   

Everything is sacred

Esfand jaan:

Those are all well recommendations for letting out much frustration and fortunately I am not just there yet :)

My [36"] TV which is probably at least 38" deep is working just fine for what we watch, so no need to spend $$$ on getting things that is not going to be much value added to our lives. Although we seriously considered getting a new one during last world cup but we suffice to just cable for that month or so and discontinued the cable subscription the day after.

Once our lives get boring enough or TV program improve much we probably stay with this old chunk of plastic/glass till it dies. Of course by then TVs probably are not any thing like today's TV :)

Mehrdad

COP jaan sounds good. I'll comment in your Film Festival blog!

Make sure you write it with aab v taab! Maybe put some sexy blog photo or something!  

Everything is sacred

Bavafa jaan maybe you can have a TV demolition event!

Esfand is my preference and also on TVs, don't know if you like the bigger screens or not but some of the very big ones require a large room and may be too big.  47 inch is also very good and I recommend installing it on the wall like a picture frame!  It'd look very cool and save so much space.

As for your old TV, there is not much demand so if you can't get rid of it by selling it cheap ($20 or $30) or give it to charity or have it taken away, consider a party where you can destroy the TV!

You can take a sledge hammer to it or drop it from a 5 or 6 story building or better yet break it on Sargord's head!  Happy TV demolition! 

Everything is sacred

Matter of fact, I was thinking about doing that

Blog, I mean. Although the festival needs no advertisement (free is the password there, specially if you're Iranian, I mean Purrrrsian). But I definitely agree with the need to donate a few bucks. Most of the time our good hamvatans selectively ignore the donation box on their way out of the theater to the nearest chelo kababi.

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IRAN FIRST

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Yes COP jaan why don't you belog about the Freer Gallery of Art?

I'll be there and am sure will run into you but will probably remain anonymous!  Although it'd be hard to miss me in a crowd since I'll be a dashing handsome Iranian (not Purrrrrrrrrrrsian with a silk neck scarf :-) surrounded by a few beautiful Iranian women!  Well, at least one but others may find it hard to resist me! 

Everything is sacred

Then if U don't mind, I will use Esfand

This way I don't have to apologies for mis-type or getting it wrong with other Anonymous(e) :)

Yes, my TV is the older one so I appreciate the quick guide/recommendation.

cheers

Mehrdad

COP jaan you've become Americanized!

Yes it is a stereotype that subtitles are distracting and many don't watch it because of it.  However, when we watch an Iranian movie with English subtitles we realize that the subtitles are just enough to send the message and the rest is the movie itself with the cinematography, sounds, editing and acting.  Sometimes we even get a better understanding of an Iranian movie when we read the subtitles.

So my suggestion to get you trained on foreign language films is to start by watching some Iranian or Afghan movies where you understand some of the language but not all!  Like movies in Kurdish or Turkish!

Then you can slowly (as much as you handle multi-tasking :-) graduate to other foreign language films like this one or better yet, search for Foreign Language Films nominated for Oscars and watch those.  It can be any year, 2009, 2008, 2007, and so on.  5 films get nominated each year so right there you have a lot of films to choose from and most are a hit and you won't miss.

For your first training exercise :-) I recommend  Bashu, the Little Stranger (1989) which is an Iranian movie with English subtitles in Arabic and Mazandarani dialects (as well as regular Farsi) since the movie is about an Abadani boy being taken away during the war and ending up in Shomal.  It is a very good movie with good plot and beautiful sceneries.

You can use this movie and regain the Iranian men's aberoo which you have lost for us as a whole!

Everything is sacred

Speaking of foriegn movies

In Person: Granaz Moussavi, director

This riveting film gives a view of Tehran that would never meet with official approval, taking viewers inside the city's thriving, rebellious culture of artists, poets, singers and dancers. Presented as a series of flashbacks, it stars the intensely charismatic Marzieh Vafamehr as an actress who rebels against authority and seeks escape through a doomed relationship with an Iranian-born Australian man.…

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IRAN FIRST

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COP: don't feel bad, you are not the only one

When we watch them, I don't know what each character look like and may have to pause it to look at their face just to know who is who. Of course I still miss a bunch of zir nevis.  Still better then the usual junk comes out of Hollywood.

Mehrdad

Bavafa jaan, Esfand or Anonymouse or Mouse, but not Anonymous!

I prefer Esfand but others as I mentioned above will do.  I changed my username as I explained in the blog, I didn't want to get blocked for a silly reason and then have everything associated with me vanished!  Hopefully the new i.com will have an option to keep the blocked users' profile "public" despite being blocked and not being able to comment.

As far as TV, if your TV is one of those flat screen TVs you can hook it up either with an HDMI cable (one simple easy to use cable, similar to a USB cable, used nowadays with flat screen TVs) or one of those computer monitor cables.

If your TV is old it is time to get a new flat screen TV!  You can get a 42 inch TV about $400 - $500 or so.  Those in this price range have LCD screens.  Just a summry of what to look for in an LCD TV, you want it to be 1080p and 120HZ, although 720p and 60HZ will work too and they're cheaper.

You can buy a 32 inch LCD TV even cheaper which is still a good size, good for the bedroom.  With all the streaming videos both in Iranian and other languages that you can get on Netflix and other websites it is worthwhile to get one and start enjoying!  Nothing wrong with watching TV instead of the walls! 

Everything is sacred

Dang...

I am so uncultured. Last might as my wife was watching a French movie with English subtitles on cable, I remarked that the only reason I don't like foriegn movies is simply because I have to read the subtitles and it's too much work. She remarked that it is because men cannot multi-task! Ahhh, the insults one has to endure.

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IRAN FIRST

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Anonymous jaan;

(not sure if you have a preference which name to go by)

Likewise I will push it up in our queue and look forward to it. Since we killed out TV some 5-7 years ago, we have not bothered to buy a new one that has all the bells and whistles that a laptop can be hooked on to unless you can show me an easy way to do so :)

Also, I have been meaning to thank you for that blog you wrote regarding your user ID change. It was rather decent/honorable to clarify who you were as some keep making multiple ID and which in a sense it is deceiving.

Mehrdad

Bavafa jaan you won't be disappointed!

I've seen Secret in their eyes (2010) and it's ok, a little too twisty for me, but still a very good movie, 2.75 stars!

I've loved you so long (2008) is in my queue and now that you mention it I'll watch it next!

By the way Bread and Tulips can be watched online via streaming video so you can hook up your laptop to your TV and watch it anytime.

Everything is sacred

I will add this to the list to watch

We have been enjoying foreign movies far more then the usual Hollywood crap. A couple of those I have found just lovely and would highly recommend are 'the secret in their eyes' (Argentinean movie) and 'I 've loved you so long' (French)

Both are drama but you won't be disappointed.

Mehrdad

RW jaan what ray of light?!

Where do you see ray of light in the new generation Iranian-Americans, if I may ask?  All I see is the new generation trying to distance themselves from the generation of their parents.

They don't eat the Iranian cuisine and try to become more Americanized and "teach" their parents how Americans do things!  They hardly consider an Iranian partner as a spouse and more and more are marrying into Americans or Hispanics or others!

Cultural issues and diversity are better in America than decades ago when they wanted everyone to assimilate and forget about their own heritage and embrace the "American culture".  Further in the past (during 40s) they took away Native American kids from their parents and flogged them when they spoke their native tongue!  Some culture!

But now cultural heritage is celebrated and food and cuisine and cultural habits are acknowledged and encouraged.  Whether or not people take advantage of it is another story. 

Everything is sacred

...

Esfand jan,I have lived 7 years in the U.S. and I have enough to understand that in general Americans are very superficial in cultural issues! Now the new generation .. I see a ray of light! but overall Americans can not have fun with a movie as well as us.

RW jaan Iranians can understand but not so sure about Americans!

I think in general Iranians whether born in Iran or outside Iran to Iranian parents can understand how to live with limited means.  Whether they're willing to see movies like these that are not made in Hollywood is another story!

I think you're right many are too Americanized and think European movies are beneath them and not worth their time, i.e., 2nd generation Iranians!  

Everything is sacred

...

 Lovely movie !

Esfand jan,I did not know you like European movies, that I am very happy and so I understand you're a wise person now .. :) .

 These films are not made for anyone, so not  many people will understand a thing about a movie like this!

Thank you .

sorry,

should have peeked at the trailer link first. Yes, it is the one I remembered.

"Stuff happens and some, one way or another, get stuffed"

I will neither confirm nor deny, you'll have2 see it 2 find out!

It is a lovely movie, funny too! 

Everything is sacred

is this the one

in which she drops a piece of jewellery in the loo? 

If so, it's a lovely movie.

"Stuff happens and some, one way or another, get stuffed"