ESLAMBALIPOLO

Hong Kong Donkey Kong 2010

2010-01-08T00:29:00.003-05:00

Wow, it's been years ... I haven't posted on this blog for EVER! I think I am going to try to start it all up again... After talking to my friend about it... it made me realize how much I missed analyzing my days or weeks by posting on the blog... Just a little update... I am now living in Hong Kong... been here almost 2 years... it's been a GREAT experience for the most part! The transition was initially hard coming from Atlanta... but after over the shock of the crowds and getting used to public transport, I have to say --- this city is truly amazing! I love the food, I love the shopping, the beaches, the ferries, the islands, and the movie theaters! I have made good friends and have family that has moved right around the corner from me in Macau! If you haven't been, I certainly recommend it! Hope to post more soon, with pictures documenting some of my experiences here!

when we struggle

2006-09-24T14:14:00.000-05:00

life is full of greys...

I am always struggling with that... but thank God it's not black and white.

home sweet home

2006-06-13T17:16:00.000-05:00

Well,

Got home about a week ago... still recovering from the trip... It was good to see family and visit Beijing again. The city has changed sooo much... all the places I used to hang out are gone... not only did they disappaear, but they have been replaced by huge malls and buildings... It was sad to see all the old style homes and buildings disappear to large western style malls and apt. homes... The city is losing it's character... Apparently, the government thinks this is what is appealing to people... but most of the locals and foreigners in the area agreed that they prefer the old to the new... I don't mind a little change, but China is moving way too fast... I think it's a combination of the olympics and booming economy...

One of the central figures of the Bahai faith, Abdul-Baha, said that 'China is the country of the future...' I really understand what he means by that... anyone who visits will have a glimpse of that future...

By the way, I recently read an article on how China can control the rain... They can either stop the rain or start it up by shooting these chemicals in the sky...
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/06/05/china.rain/index.html

Only in China....

ASIA CALLS

2006-05-17T06:36:00.000-05:00

Hey hey hey,

I know it's been a long long long time since I have posted anything.... had to take a break from it all for a bit... But now I AM BACK!!!!!!!!!

I am heading to the airport right now with Day heem, we a boarding a plane to JAPAN!!! we will be in tokyo for a couple days and then head over to CHINA!!! My parents are visiting china right now as well, and they have NO IDEA we are coming... it's going to be a good surprise!!!

Will keep you updated on my trip.

Good to be back..

no mickey in this house

2006-01-11T17:14:00.000-05:00

we have a mouse.... it's sneaky and i don't know how to catch him.... i asked my friend to bring her cat, but that didn't work (maybe the cat wasn't comfortable with his new surroundings)... Today, the arrow guy came and he show'ed me all the opening's where the mouse could have come from... he put some traps and told me he could come back to fill up the holes....

he has been killing mice for 30 years...

anyway, mickey is gonna be gone soon and we will all rest in peace...

now this is life

2005-12-20T03:44:00.000-05:00

I have found that loving your job can really make a difference in life...

I have never been so fufilled. (well, i shouldn't say never.... it's all relative)...

orbits gum

2005-12-03T02:12:00.000-05:00

orbits has a new flavor: bubblemint!!!

i love love love it!

the perfect combination ---

so glad i don't live in singapore today.

chickens in china

2005-12-01T08:32:00.000-05:00

about a month ago, i called my sister because i was worried about the possibility that she had chickens for pets.... you see, in her province there was an outbreak of bird flu and it was not safe to be around live poultry... i pleaded with her to get rid of those chickens... she had already had chickens before and ended up having chicken soup (look at the earlier posts)... anyway, yesterday, she updated me and told me that she took them back to the village...

i don't understand why my sister keeps getting chickens for pets...???????

last time, before this whole bird flu thing, i was a little weary of her getting rid (by making soup) of them... this time, i was BEGGING her to do it... i guess it worked...

whew, all these bird posts are getting me tired...

at least i 'm not chicken.... but i have had the flu....

evan

2005-12-01T08:27:00.000-05:00

evan came to visit and made my day.... nayce and tash are blessed with a creative little boy who can touch anyones heart and inspire joy and smiles that can carry on forever!!!

if you ever get a chance to meet him, ask him to sing his version of twinkle twinkle little star!! you will be impressed by his creative ability... also, ask him to draw a picture for you... you just won't believe this is from a 3 year old!!!

:)

feel turkey tired

2005-11-25T18:15:00.000-05:00

in life, we cook, we eat, we play, we sleep... it's not natural to do all that and keep working.... but somehow this is MY situation....

we made not ONE, but TWO turkeys.... those are some big birds --- let me tell you... and when you stuff them, better be ready to get down and dirty... it's not like stuffing a bag with paper... it's almost like stuffing a real human being... it took me a while to psychologically prepare for that... after the turkeys, we made the veggies, natasha made some pies... we made the mash potatoes and natasha made her dad's famous gravy... people came over and brought TONS of food... it was a FEAST!!!!

With natasha, Evan and naysan in town, we had to do it right! We had the Ravanbaksh -tofighian/lenzen-masumi families over!!! Along with more of the friends! It was FUN... only thing... I had to work that same night....

My cousin Dayheem spends the night with the family and works in the day... i work in through the night and sleep in the morning and try to visit during the rest of the day... so we take turns visiting with them... dayheem and i barely see each other any more... and nadia is off taking care of someones house... so she pops by when she can... she's also preparing for the lsat... it's a tense time for her, but soon she will be over it... it's nice to have family around, too bad we are never together at the same time...

i know i am just rambling all over the place... but this is because my body and mind are not all there right now... i will end on saying - one thing i have learned....

turkey makes me tired...

love and justice

2005-11-15T17:55:00.000-05:00

i had to give two weeks notice to my tenant... she's been late on rent every month... (last month she ended up paying me on the 25th.... this month she hasn't paid me yet... every check she has ever written me has bounced...

it's a difficult thing to do to someone, but after all the trouble she has caused me, i had to get the courage to face her and give her the notice... then I had to go to court and file a dispossessory charge... the funny thing is that i didn't know all this stuff before... got a call from an old time friend who said she was really thinking about me and wondering if i was ok... come to find out, she's taken this thousand dollar landlord course in Georgia that taught her all the laws and legal procedures to handle this type of thing.... she emailed me all the forms i needed and now i am at this point...

i was worried about kicking my tenant out, because i didn't think i could find someone for December.... but another miracle happened... jamila called and asked me yesterday if i still had the condo and if it was available... she new someone that was looking to move in dec. 1st... we have since connected and he really can't wait to get in there...

i tell you, i wasn't sure if i was doing the right thing before, but all these confirmations make me feel like i am on the right path... it's hard to kick someone out of their home... the tenant really made it a difficult process... but i had to stick to my ground... now i am only hoping she leaves in peace...

watch our film

2005-11-07T15:49:00.000-05:00

If interested in seeing our short film we entered into the National Film Contest, visit this link:

http://www.benicestickers.com/video/greenrock.asf

Keep in mind, we only had a weeekend to make this film. Also, the rules of the contest required that we include these things:

Character: T.J. Heinshcwartz Rockstar
Prop: Funnel
Line: "wow, can I touch it..."

The Genre they chose for us was "fantasy". And it could only be between 4 to 8 minutes long. Our's ended up being 7 1/2 minutes.

We were told Friday night our genre and the requirements and then had to have the film ready and posted by the following Monday...

Enjoy!

last night

2005-10-27T12:49:00.000-05:00

so, i was home (my day off....) actually, earlier that day, i had a root canal done... it wasn't as bad as i had expected the experience to be... it was all done and over within an hour... i came home and just felt groggy all day (from the medication)... i had plans to go to coffee with a friend...but had decided to call it off... she was asleep when i called her, so i left a message...

later that night she called me and said i would feel better if i went out with her... i really didn't believe this, but since she was so adamant about me going, i decided to go... we get to the cafe and walk towards the back... i thought it was strange that she walked directly to this table that had a reservation card on it... i was so fixated on the card - i didn't realize there were a ton of people waiting at the other end of the table for me... it was a SURPRISE! they organized a party for me because of my promotion... i was in shock!!! i have never been so surprised in my life... really had no idea it was coming!!! an evening of what i thought was going to be pain and sleep in my bed turned into a completely opposite experience... instead, it was filled with stories of joy and laughter... lot's of good food (i had an amazing SOUP he he).... people praised me all night and as hard as it was to take it in, i admit it really felt good... i had no idea so many people had so much to say... it was a fun night... and whatever pain i had before, was out the window... totally forgot about it... it was a great time!! thanks to everyone who came... and most of all thanks for all the love!!!!

green rock

2005-10-26T23:34:00.000-05:00

afshin, dayheem and i entered a short film contest and completed our film this past weekend...

we found out our genre on a friday night and had to have the film done and postmarked by the following monday (oct. 24th)... we are competeing against 161 other contestents...

i have to say, it was a lot of work for such a short time, but we completed it on time (barely)... i don't know what the outcome of the contest will be, but i can't stop watching our film... just to see our creation is rewarding enough for me... i really can't believe we pulled it off... and as hard as it was at times (those late night hours with no sleep), it was totally worth it... i hope at one point, either afshin or dayheem will figure out how to stream it online so everyone can watch it!!! (i still can't even figure out how to put pictures up on my blog site).... :(

anyway, our genre was fantasy.... we had to include a prop, which was a funnel, and a line - which ended up being "wow, can i touch it".... all of the films competeing have these three elements required in their short film... also, the film had to be between 4 and 8 minutes long... ours ended up being 7 1/2 minutes...

i will keep you guys updated on how we do....

cheers,

roya

update

2005-10-16T03:28:00.000-05:00

Both Afshin and I got promoted at work this month.... YAY!!!! Also, Dayheem is slowly easing in with already a few weeks of CNN freelancing under his belt. he's making friends with people all over the network and will hopefully land a full time gig soon... it's only a matter of time now. we ("team bollywood") are working hard at getting quick results.... (email me for more information :)

we (day, afshin, and i) are about to do a 48 hour film project.... we will find out the genre and what prop and line we have to use in our film friday night... and by the following monday, we have to turn in our final edited version in... it's gonna be fun - and it will test our creativity and our ability to work as a team... the three of us have plans to make music and films together...

fall is here and the weather is GREAT!!!!

that's all i have for now....

oh happy "day"

2005-10-09T01:53:00.000-05:00

DAYHEEM's here!!!!! it's been nothing but sunshine and candy!!!

yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

baton rouge-katrina

2005-09-10T08:52:00.000-05:00

you know,

since katrina hit new orleans.... baton rouge (only an hour away) has doubled in it's population over night.... 2 weeks ago, there were over 3500 houses on the market for sale... now there are only 500 left.... all the apartments are filled.... even the hotels are all booked up...

it used to take my parents anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes to get to the Bahai center.... now it's an average of 35 to 40 minutes.....

all the stores are packed, traffic is always there, crime is up.... this little lazy town has been shaken up.... but of course the people are understanding and adapting to the change... for the most part, they want to be there for their new orleans family.... it's really interesting -- the change that's occurring there....

funny side note.... my parents have opened their home to the media.... since the reporters have nowhere to stay, they have been sleeping at our house in baton rouge.... we are all holding out to see if christiane amanpour stays over.... if she does, my parents will flip out... she almost did come wednesday night, but ended up staying on the new orleans side, to cover more in that area..... we'll see......

the "constant gardner"

2005-09-10T08:51:00.000-05:00

great film! just beautiful....

detachment

2005-09-09T18:12:00.000-05:00

oh, i wish i could give you all the details, but to keep this post simple...

i just got one of my life time --- dream come true jobs today...!!!

I AM STILL IN SHOCK!!!!

Never actually believed i could achieve this goal...

man, i was in the pits a month ago.... funny how things work in life...

there really is a reason for everything....

no words

2005-09-02T21:42:00.000-05:00

i have no words to express the pain and sorrow i have felt for the people of new orleans... my friends and neighbors.... i have cried and yelled out loud in frustration....

i'm grateful that my frieinds and family are ok, even though these are some of the toughest times for them.... some of my friends don't know if they will have a job to go back to... they already know they have lost all their material possesions... My friends in baton rouge told me that many of the new orleans folk who did manage to evacuate, are deciding not to ever go back (at least that's what they are saying now)... alot of people are buying homes in baton rouge and starting over in that community...

my parents are fine.... they have had no electricity since monday.... however, they have family in the area who do, and have spent a lot of time cooling off in their homes... luckily, no damage or loss....

interesting enough, i am currently homeless myself... because of flooding and sewage backup in my home (due to my plumbing --- the pipes were not connected to a working sewer line)....i had to leave --- and am waiting for the line to get fixed...
luckily, the builder is paying for all my hotel expenses and food till the problem gets fixed...

i know this is short... and after no blog for so long... i knew i had to write SOMETHING to make sure people knew i was ok and my family was fine.... I have been working long hours covering the hurricane.... (actually at work now...) hopefully, i will have more time and energy to write again soon....

thanks for all the friends and family who called and sent prayers to make sure my parents and friends were ok....

hum dum video

2005-08-18T15:35:00.000-05:00

Hey everybody,

afshin, dayheem and i made this funny music video... some of you have already seen it... if you haven't, you can watch it at

http://www.youtube.com/watch.php?v=aQlSwcWlp1I

we submitted the video to the Yammy awards and if you feel like voting for us, please go to this link on August 30th... and vote for our video

http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/scp/viewer/index.php?loc=ycsc-iy-keyw-intph&client_id=1173&event_id=15951

be nice stickers

2005-08-09T12:15:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone,

Afshin and I just had these stickers made... We think it's important to share it with as many people as possible... If you are interested in having one, please click on the sticker to go to our website!!! It's a simple message "Be Nice"....

love to all!

freaking out

2005-07-16T12:39:00.000-05:00

oh lord...

no time and more problems...

i basically have one day to pack my whole place up.... is that even possible?

i hope so... i need a miracle...!

bye homie

2005-07-15T03:06:00.000-05:00

man, i am sad and happy at the same time.... i just love this condo that i have lived in for the past 4 years... it has been a long time since i have stayed in one place for such a long stretch... i was packing up the kitchen and had to pause and take a moment... i realized i was leaving MY HOME... this has been one of the best homes i have ever had... i just had to pay my respects... as much as i love my new house, i will miss my condo dearly... i guess, it was the first place i ever owned... it was my space... i painted the walls orange and purple and it was ok... because it was all about me... it was my home... i went from my twenties into my thirties in this home...
alot of things happened here... i know i have to move on... ahhhhh, well, for those of you who never made it here while i was living here... it's too bad... don't make that mistake again with my new home.... help me build memories there as well...

no go china

2005-07-04T16:01:00.000-05:00

hey you guys...

for everyone that called me these past couple of weeks... thanks so much! sorry for being so vague in my last post... JUST TO BE CLEAR... I AM NOT MOVING TO CHINA... HA HA HA HA... AT LEAST NOT YET... Actaully, i am still going to be in atlanta... i just bought this huge house and am so excited to move in (closing is on the 18th)...

My radio training is coming to an end and I have this huge exam on wednesday... i hope i pass...it's a lot of tech. info that i have to remember... if i dont' pass, i can't get the certification needed to run the show... so I HAVE TO PASS... i haven't taken a test in sooo long... i am just not used to studying anymore... lord help me... it's hard to believe it's been more than a decade since i have been in school... it feels like it should have been like 5 years ago or something... where did all this time go?

i blink and it's a decade....

before change

2005-06-21T03:40:00.000-05:00

I can tell that I am on the cusp of change... It hasn't happened quite yet... it's one of those slow turns that you see coming... It's interesting to be at this moment.. the moment before everything changes...
It's one of those periods where life is about to take a shift....

New job possibility,

new house possibility,

new social circles,

It's not easy leaving the comforts of what your familiar with behind, however, it's exciting to venture into something NEW!

Missing in Action

2005-06-18T22:00:00.000-05:00

this week iran has been in the headlines... i look at every piece of video with such awe and excitement... any sight and sound from that country just captures me... i would give anything to be there right now...

one of these days...

clear the debt

2005-06-12T05:02:00.000-05:00

I am so happy today... the G-8 finance ministers have agreed to wipe the slate clean -- the debt owed from several impoverished countries many of which were in Africa, is no longer to be paid ... This is great news!!! I hope to see more of this trend --- maybe Bono is on to something... maybe getting rid of poverty is attainable in our lifetime...!

street fighter

2005-06-08T16:05:00.000-05:00

I just got back from a road trip visiting family in d.c. and rural Virginia... it was fun... my cousin Dayheem, my niece Nadia and I all traveled together... I got to see Noosh and Ruhi’s kids and Nayce and Tash’s little boy… it was a good time…

I love them all so much! I miss Evan, Hannah and Sohayla sooo much…

I think my cousins are the luckiest people in the world!

GISOU PASSED!!!

2005-06-08T12:56:00.000-05:00

The past month i have been waiting for this day!! YES!!! GISOU IS A REAL LIVE REALESTATE AGENT... the world is now open for business and HERE WE COME!!!

sohayla

2005-06-05T07:36:00.000-05:00

well,

yesterday, i saw nooshins baby for the first time! :) she's the cutest thing ever... and it so happens that the moment she woke up, she was goozing up a storm...so that's how i met her...

little goozy is the cutest thing ever!!!

moosh!

rock love

2005-05-21T22:28:00.000-05:00

there is nothing better than spending the day with a band that has found their true potential and have that spark... the duo of dresden dolls term their relationship as falling in "rock love"... it's really inspiring to be around individuals who know their gift in life and share it with those around them...

ahhhhhhh, even though it was "work", it really was heaven...

look for it on Cable News Network... i hope it comes through on television as it did in real life... this band is awsome! Some say if you only listen to the CD it doesn't do justice to the band... you really have to see them perform live to get a taste of what i am talking about... It's a real treat!

here comes the sun

2005-05-10T16:28:00.000-05:00

Overnights at my job have been fun at times... the chill environment has made me forget where it is I really work.... I will miss my coworkers on that shift...

But after a year in the dark, I am happy to see the light again!!!

Here comes the SUN!!! I just hope I don't get burned!!!

kung fu hustle

2005-05-04T02:43:00.000-05:00

if you have this film in your town - it's a must see!!!!

I LOVED IT.... don't want to give anything away, so I will just say...

GO SEE IT!!!

WRFG

2005-05-03T02:14:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been a while since my last post... Just been pretty busy... my cousins came to town and I got to spend a lot of time with them and the MOOOSHY LITTLE ONE (EVAN).... it was so nice to see them again... What's even better... Naysan arrived while I still had this Beatle Convertible loaner car!! We drove around town in style - with the top down - it was FUN!!! I am even considering trading my current car for one… Not sure… but I really loved the bug! It just made me soooo happy…. I couldn’t wait to drive around – especially with the top down and the breeze in your hair… with the sun shining… You feel like you are more connected to your surroundings too… It’s awesome!!!

On another note, I am pretty excited about this new radio program I might be hosting... My coworker invited me to help propose and participate in the making of it... After meeting with the board of directors, the board passed the show! We begin training on the radio equipment next week... The show will deal with issues surrounding women of all backgrounds. The way it looks now, we will each host a show every week (there are 4 of us, so each of us would work once a month).... The possibilities are endless; I am so excited to be able to do this... It's a little scary, but the rewards could be very powerful!!! The station is publicly funded through donations... it's got a pretty good following... I will update more our show as we get off the ground!!! For those of you in Atlanta, it will be on 89.3 FM... WRFG.

ode to naysan

2005-04-21T08:41:00.000-05:00

Dear Nayce,

Your nickname rhymes with "toothpaste"
Spending time with you is never time awaste.

I love your funny dance
make every effort just to get a glance.

When you laugh - you make me cry
tears of painful joy in my eye.

And when you preach the science talk,
you make me feel like michael jackson doing the moon walk.

Between you and Afshin I can't decide
who has greater goofy pride.

And even when I'm hurtin' you have a way
of making me believe I had a good day.

God bless you for being who you are
even though you live very far.

The beats that you play on your drum,
inspire really fat elephants to run.

If it weren't for your funky style and frog slide shows,
I don't think we could have lived this long ---- who knows...

Thanks for wearing makeup and being silly,
it's a relief to those who milly milly milly...

I wrote this poem with ease
because thinking of you is like a breeze...

I meant to say, a breath of fresh air...

:)

I love you cuzzzzzzzz you make sense of nonsense,

And you have ENORMOUS CALVES!!!!

Word UP!

digehnemikham eenjah bokhoram.....

rumors

2005-04-19T06:17:00.000-05:00

so my friend at work had a ring on his wedding finger.... for about a week, rumor had it that he got married and everyone was going up to congratulate him...

he was so confused...

he didn't realize the ring finger and the truth was that he was still single...

it was so hilarious how that just got out of hand... i told him he should've gone along with it and registered at crate and barrel or something...

pretty funny for a group of journalist to get the facts all wrong... but not such a stretch from reality... ;)

in sync

2005-04-16T04:42:00.000-05:00

There is nothing greater in life, than understanding your role in the bigger picture. What you have to bring to this world and what you need to gain from it in order to grow... I often lose focus and feel lost... but last night I was reawakened to my purpose... It's the greatest feeling in the world! Although it's a huge task, it's nice to know what it is you need TO DO.. I am not saying that I have all the answers... but I do have a better understanding of where I have been, where I am at, and what direction to go in...

It took a conversation with a friend to help me realize that my life has not been a waste of time...

whew... man, that feels good...

I know this is just the beggining of another uphill climb, but somehow, I am ready to sweat thru it... it's one of those moments where your mind is clear... I just love those moments... where everything makes sense... It's a happy feeling... ahh, i just want to take it all in...

I love these moments...

bahais in iran/human rights

2005-04-14T14:31:00.000-05:00

here's a recent article on the Bahais of iran and the situation there. I just wish the U.N. Human Rights Commission would do their job!

GENEVA, Switzerland, 14 April 2005 (BWNS) -- The Baha'i International
Community today expressed its dismay and disappointment at the failure of
the UN Commission on Human Rights to even consider a resolution on human
rights in Iran, given the worsening situation in that country and in
particular the persecution of the Baha'is.

"In view of the sharp increase of human rights violations against the
Baha'i community of Iran, it is nothing less than shocking that the
Commission on Human Rights has for the third year in a row failed to renew
international monitoring of the situation," said Bani Dugal, principal
representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations.

"Over the past year, two important Baha'i holy places have been destroyed,
Baha'i students have been denied access to higher education, and, most
recently, Baha'is in Yazd and Tehran have been swept up in a new wave of
assaults, harassment and detentions.
"All of this has come as part of a continuing pattern of religious
persecution instigated and condoned by the Iranian government, which has in
years past faced the clear condemnation of the international community for
its actions," said Ms. Dugal.

"We are very disappointed at the failure of the Commission on Human Rights
to live up to its mandate," said Ms. Dugal. "Unfortunately, countries which
in the past have initiated resolutions calling for the international
monitoring of Iran backed away from the table again this year," said Ms.
Dugal.

Ms. Dugal's comments came at the end of the Commission's period for
consideration of country-specific resolutions today, when all hope for such
a resolution on Iran had passed.

Three weeks ago, the Baha'i International Community strongly urged the
Commission to table and pass a resolution on the human rights situation in
Iran, saying that "the gross, flagrant, repeated violations of human rights
in Iran -- including the abuses that target Baha'is in that country --
warrant the re-establishment of a monitoring mechanism."

"For three years, this Commission has not been capable of presenting a
resolution on Iran, while the situation there has gradually but steadily
deteriorated," said Diane Ala'i, the community's representative to the
United Nations in Geneva, in a statement to the Commission on 23 March 2005.

"And now, over the past few months, we have had the impression of a
shifting back in time, some 20 years or more, as we have witnessed a
resumption of violent attacks on the Baha'i community in Iran," said Ms.
Ala'i.

"The most serious outbreak occurred in Yazd, where several Baha'is were
assaulted in their homes and beaten, a Baha'i's shop was set on fire and
burned, and others were harassed and threatened, following a series of
arrests and short-term detentions. The Baha'i cemetery in Yazd was wantonly
destroyed, with cars driven over the graves, tombstones smashed and the
remains of the interred left exposed."

Ms. Ala'i also said that in March, in Tehran, Iranian intelligence agents
entered the homes of several Baha'is and spent hours ransacking their houses
before carting away their possessions and taking them into custody.

"Five Baha'is have been imprisoned just this past month," said Ms. Ala'i.
"Two were finally released on bail, but family and community members have
not been able to locate those in detention. Two others, who had previously
been briefly detained for nothing more than distributing copies of a
courteous letter to President Khatami, have now received the maximum
sentence for this so-called offence.

"Six more Baha'i families recently had their homes and land confiscated,
depriving them of their only means of livelihood."

"Indeed, human rights violations in Iran have again become so grave that,
in our view, they warrant a clear signal from the international community
and a decision to reestablish international monitoring -- now," Ms. Ala'i
said in March.

Between 1978 and 1998, the Iranian government executed more than 200
Baha'is. Hundreds more Baha'is were imprisoned, and tens of thousands were
deprived of jobs, pensions, businesses, and educational opportunities.

In the face of intense international pressure, most significantly through
a series of United Nations human rights resolutions, the Iranian government
has essentially halted the executions and greatly reduced the number of
Baha'is held in prison.

Yet while it has halted the most egregious forms of direct violence
against individual members of the Baha'i community, the government has
nevertheless continued its campaign of persecution, principally through
social and economic restrictions that aim at slowly suffocating an entire
religious community.

update

2005-04-13T02:00:00.000-05:00

well, it pays to be informed... even if you don't have a chance... ha ha ha...

A MIRACLE HAPPENED... the insurance guy budged... I made a compromise with him... After doing some research on the internet... i found out that many people have tried to sue insurance companies over this same issue... in some states, they win, in others they lose... it seems that Georgia is on the side of the insurance companies on this one... Anyway, to make a long story short, I shared some stuff that I read with the adjuster and asked if he would consider only providing some of the major parts as genuine parts and he agreed to it... I did spat off some lawsuit cases that I had read about (not the ones in Georgia, because the consumer lost in my state), and somehow it worked... I don't know, but I am happy with this outcome...

whew... it was some work, but in the end worth it...

Oh, by the way, I had some really good help from some Bahai's here in Atlanta... The network here among the Bahai's is AWSOME!!!

And Isaac, I want to thank you for your advice! Thanks for caring bro!

Ok, no more bad vibes... Only happy posts for the meanwhile... :)

car insurance hell

2005-04-12T02:07:00.000-05:00

A couple weeks ago, nadia was involved in a car accident. it wasn't her fault, but the main driver took off and left the other two cars (who were not at fault) at the scene of the accident. luckily, these girls followed that car... got his liscense plate number and returned to the scene of the accident in order to give the info. to the police officer.

After talking to some people, we decided to use our own insurance to cover the rental and damages (because of the urgency of the situation), and then our insurance company would tackle the other company for reimbursment.

Everything was going fine, until the field adjuster gave his estimate to fix the car. I got a call from my mechanic (who is someone I really really trust and also a Bahai who's really close to my father), basically saying that the field adjuster only wanted to use "after market parts" and not genuine TOYOTA parts (it's a camry that was hit). He said, normally he wouldn't make a big deal about it, but it's a 2002 and the parts would really not do the car justice... He basically went on to say that the parts leave big gaps and don't really fit right, the paint doesn't stay on the bumper very well, etc... So i call my field adjuster and ask him to estimate using genuine toyota parts. He says he can't do it. I ask him why, and he says because it's cheaper to use the out of market parts... I wanted him to prove that we HAD to use it... and in my insurance papers there is something that says

"THE LIMIT OF OUR LIABILITY FOR LOSS:

2. WILL NOT EXCEED THE COST TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE PROPERTY, OR ANY OF ITS PARTS, WITH OTHERS OF LIKE KIND AND QUALITY."

This is the statement that they use in order to use the "after market parts" but the truth is that these parts are not of "like kind and quailty" especailly "quality". My mechanic specifically stated to me that these parts didn't fit quite right (leaving gaps and spaces where they don't belong), that they also didn't hold paint well, etc...

My mother also asked her mechanic in Louisiana (in order for us to get a second opinion), and he said exactly the same kind of things... These mechanics don't know of each other, and have nothing to do with one another... They both give the same advice... I told my insurance adjuster the same information... He said he wouldn't change his mind...

Now some people are telling me not to give up, to get a lawyer to write a letter and they will do it for us... but I am not sure... and it cost like $100 to even talk to a lawyer...

Ahhhhh, I hate these kind of things...

it's so annoying!

What sucks even more is that I am involved with MY insurance company... Kind of wish I just went with the other guys, but out of convenience we did it the way we did....

THE CONGO CHOIR

2005-04-05T22:42:00.000-05:00

Oh, I just don't know where to start... THE CONGO CHOIR IS BEAUTIFUL... We went to the airport today and wanted to greet the choir members as they arrived. Most of them couldn't speak english and very few of us could speak french, so the only words we knew to say was "allah'u'abha"... after the greeting, we all hugged each other... and the choir began to sing and drum (some of the friends brought drums) for us... There we were, in the middle of baggage claim, singing and dancing our hearts out of pure JOY!!! It was so inspiring... I had tears in my eyes-- we were all just soooo moved... They are a really wonderful group of people who just have such a powerful presence... All the people in the airport gathered around to hear them sing... no one cared about their bags... It was really just awsome!! I can't wait to see the performence... For those of you who live in the South Eastern states, you should look out for them... they are starting their tour now and will end in D.C. - with a performence at the kennedy center... If you are interested in the dates and venues, please email me and I will forward the information... Anyone who's debating going, believe me, you won't regret it!!! I will never forget the experience!!

its B-DAY

2005-04-05T03:10:00.000-05:00

ok, so the clock striked 12 and my coworkers attacked me with balloons and pulled out a cake (all to my shock/suprise) and wished me a happy birthday... (all this while the POPE was still dead)...

i have worked the same company for over 6 years, and this was the first time something like that ever happened... it's been a good birthday week... thanks to everyone who made it that way!!! i love you guys!

disco/bowling

2005-04-04T03:51:00.001-05:00

the other night, a bunch of friends had a party for me at the bowling alley... It was a BLAST... I haven't done that in years... they were playing all the good songs and we were shaking our booties why knocking down pins...!! I thought, as I got older, I wouldn't experince parties quite like that anymore.. but - even at 32... I can still where a little hat and eat some candy at my birthday party with a bunch of friends enjoying the same thing!

Yay, birthdays are still fun!

wooo hooooo!

correction

2005-04-04T03:51:00.000-05:00

M.I.A. - the lead singer is from Sri Lanka.... not indonesia...

laughs

2005-04-01T15:26:00.000-05:00

Oh my lord, did anyone see the south park on Schiavo? It's Hilarious....!

Those guys are mad man... ha ha ha... then again, they are really good at showing us how crazy WE are in our society...

M.I.A

2005-04-01T15:23:00.000-05:00

This group is awsome!! She's from Indonesia and when she raps she has a bit of a english accent... My friend Brooks shared their CD with me last week, and it's all I can listen to now...

Man, it's so much fun.. Check them out... M.I.A.

I never thought a girl from Indonesia would sound like this... Then again, I am the only persian blues singer I know.... ;)

You can listen to their music at amazon.com... (only thing is it's little clips of the songs - so you don't get the full effect..)

RoostERS - still on my mind

2005-03-31T04:18:00.000-05:00

So when I chatted with my sister online... I found out that there were TWO roosters and the auyee's actually convinced ladon to kill the both of them because the other rooster would be lonely... (this is just such wierd logic, but in a strange way, it makes sense... and somehow morbidly comical.) I asked her if she enjoyed the dinner that eve... she told me she - she JUST can't eat chicken for a while...

I don't know... I just can't let this one go... It's hilarious and just so unexpected... Every time I talk to my sister, I can't help but bring it up ... it just comes and goes... "So Ladon, did you eat both of the roosters? Or did you save some for the future?" "um, who killed the roosters, do you miss them...." We could be talking about anything and I just randomly throw out a rooster question in between. I find it so facinating and funny at the same time... I guess it may not come out right on the blog, but if you could only hear it directly from her... you would see why it's so funny... She has no idea why I feel this way though... but every time I talk to her, she just adds a little more to the story and it's just this thing now... I will keep it up till I stop recieving new details...

but maybe I won't burden the blog with it anymore... just had to get it out of my system...

rooster for dinner

2005-03-30T20:39:00.000-05:00

My sister (who lives in China) was given a rooster for Naw Ruz as a present. This on top of all the other animals she now owns... The boys wanted a puppy, so they got one. They have a bird... (i think it's a parakeet), a rabbit... and a mouse... Anyway, she kept telling me how the rooster would start singing at the crack of dawn and it was sooo annoying... I would just laugh at the whole thing... Then, just last night she told me that they decided to eat the rooster... I thought she was joking, but the Auyee's (translated to "aunties" in english, they are like housekeepers in china) took the bird and cooked it for dinner... and THEY ATE THE ROOSTER!!!

I am still in shock.

funny blog/schiavo

2005-03-29T05:25:00.000-05:00

Hilarious!

from a joke blogspot i read -- fafblog.blogspot.com

A Culture of Lifutainment!

Giblets has been transfixed - transfixed, I say! - by the grippingly ghoulish saga of Terry Schiavo. Giblets has watched her on the web, on CNN, on Fox, on C-SPAN and C-SPAN 2, and Giblets wants more! The coppery taste of compassionate conservatism is in the water, and Giblets is hungry for more! "If only it could last forever!" you say. Oh, but it can - and Giblets decrees that it SHALL!

Senators, from this day forth none of you will be allowed into Congress without dragging along AT LEAST one (1) vegetative American with a partially liquified brain. Remember, the more you bring with you, the more compassionate you are! You can use them however you want - wave them around, pose them in interesting shapes, demonstrate their need for private Social Security accounts - but you must use them AT ALL TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY. If you go without referencing them for thirty seconds, you must either stop to bounce them or pass them to another player on your team.

News media: from now on all your stories must be about Terry Schiavo or Terry Schiavo-related activities. If you are reporting on the war in Iraq, don't tell us if we're "winning" or "losing," tell us what would Terry Schiavo think of the war in Iraq? Can Terry Schiavo follow a balloon in Iraq? Even Saddam Hussein wouldn't unplug Terry Schiavo's feeding tube! Repeat for torture, climate change, UN rape scandals! Interrupt the stream of Schiavomation only for quick cuts of Hannity beating Colmes with an ape femur! Giblets wants to see Terry Schiavo on Larry King, on Leno, on Wheel of Fortune! Spin it, Vanna! Buy that girl an "E"!

Oh, sure, there are plenty of sensate human beings dying in horrible ways around the globe right now, but who cares about them? Iraq? Too foreign! Darfur? Too brown! Medicaid cuts? Too poor-y! Remember, one death is a tragedy, a million are a statistic, but one stretched out to an interminable length makes for endless hours of thrilling tragitainment!

earthquake tremble

2005-03-29T02:58:00.000-05:00

Today, I woke up hearing the news of the earthquake in Indonesia... Immediately, I thought of Bahie Rassekh.. and began to worry... I have to say, you never realize how much you love someone - untill you think you are going to lose them. Wait, don't get me wrong... I have always LOVED BAHIE TO DEATH... she is pure sunshine and just an inspiration to anyone she comes across. Even with that, the idea of losing her to the abha kingdom was so hard to accept... I was not ready for that... NO WAY! For about an hour, I almost lost it... Nadia (my niece) and I sat down and prayed... It's all we could do... I called friends and family and about an hour later, found out that she was OK...

Whew...

This experience just made me realize to really make the best of every moment you have with your friends and loved ones... You never know when it's their or our time... We are so insignificant in the scheme of things... In one day, a natural disaster can demolish all that we know and have...

my grandma "remembers" - i won't forget

2005-03-22T12:32:00.000-05:00

The other day (naw-ruz day actually), my mother callled me from Spain to wish me a happy new year (Naw-Ruz). She and my father are still in Spain and visiting with my relatives there, including my grandmother. My grandma is really aging fast these days and lately, I have been trying to visit as much as possible, because I want to really take advantage of the time I have left with her. She is not all there - but I will take whatever I can get, because I dont' think I really took the time to know her in the past. A turning point in our relationship was a few years back, I was given the opportunity to take her to memphis (while she was still living in the states) and try to work out some greencard/citizenship issues. Anyway, it was a trip that I would never forget. I just found her to be sooooo interesting, and I had never been in such a position with her - one on one (for two days) - before. I really got to know a lot about her on that trip. And probably for her, she was seeing ME for the first time... I am not saying she never noticed before, but there are just so many grandkids and I don't think I ever stood out to her or whatever... don't get me wrong, I know that she loved me in her own way, it's just we never had any special bond or anything. Anyway, she got on the phone after my mother and began to tell me how much she loved me and missed me etc... then she said, "ROYA, I KNOW YOUR BIRTHDAY IS COMING UP... I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, I KNOW ITS COMEING AND ON THE DAY OF YOUR BIRTHDAY, JUST KNOW THAT I AM THINKING OF YOU... REMEMBER THAT I REMEMBER JUST IN CASE YOU FORGET." ha ha haha ha ha ha it was so cute and soooooo funny the way she said that.... I have been thinking about that statement for two days now!! I just had to write that down....

last day of fast

2005-03-20T13:50:00.000-05:00

it's the last day of fasting for me!!! and naw ruz is right around the corner! hope everyone is blessed with a good new year....

much love to everyone and happy naw ruz!

back home

2005-03-11T17:14:00.000-05:00

well,

i wasn't able to post about the rest of my trip during the trip. it was hard to get online... but all i have to say is Paris is BEAUTIFUL... I want to go back...
And most of all, I miss my family in Spain. We really had a good time there... lot's of laughs and good eating!

Now I am back... already working and fasting.... I think I am still processing where I just came from. I have always avoided Europe, thinking I wasn't interested in the western countries as far as travel... but man, I was wrong. Europe has a lot to offer and it's just beautiful... I will definitely go back...

When I got to work, I had people lined up to hug me... I was so suprised that they missed me so much. Or maybe it was the belgium chocolates that attracted them my way.... hmmmm... got to think about that. It really felt nice though. One of my coworkers scolded me and said I can never go away for that long again!

To make it up to her, we are having coffee tonight and sharing all the juice that went on while I was gone.

brussels mussels

2005-03-04T12:35:00.000-05:00

i can't wait to eat dinner!!! my friend has the fattest apartment in the middle of brussels... right in the embassy area and next to the e.u. parliment building... it's beautiful here!!! i have only been here for a few hours and already loving it!!! anyway, back to dinner... apparently they love mussels here and it's very common to have them - even with french fries or something... gao xia is cooking up a storm - with a mixture of mussels and chinese dishes to go along with it... i just can't wait to eat... this place is fantastic... and my friend is AWSOME!!!

by the way, it's still cold all over europe, but i am beggining to get used to it... we are going to france tommorow... will let you all know how that goes... it will be my first REAL time in paris... apparently, i was there when i was 3 or 4 years old... but i can't remember that... it doesn't count...

snow captivity

2005-03-01T06:43:00.000-05:00

well,

spain has been fun but we have been inside most of the time... because it´s too cold to do anything.... with all the time on our hands... i decided to teach my parents how to play POKER!!! typical huh!!! ha ha ha... they LOVE IT!! and are more addicted than I!!! that´s all we do now... we just play and play and play... i must say, my mom is a PRO!!! but i feel bad that i have left one addiction in atlanta, only to start it up again in madrid!!!!

oh well, that´s life... can´t run away from your tests!!! (at least there is no money involved..) It´s all in good fun!

I hope the weather gets a little warmer so we can go outside to the cafes and just enjoy the country a little more....

soup in spain

2005-02-26T17:47:00.000-05:00

well,

my parents and I arrived in spain on the 24th of feb. our goal was to come and help my grandmother out, by just bringing her company and helping her smile. it´s funny because we are always worried about her health and here we are, all in spain and sick as dogs... my mother and i are going through stages of a hard core cold-fever.... now it´s just in the head stage, with stuffy noses and sinuses.... my father had it pretty bad, but is recovering quickly...

my poor cousin has been running around and taking care of all of us... not only were we supposed to come and take a load off her shoulders, now we have added more weight on her responsiblities. but all of us have been laughing through our fate in spain... in an odd way, it´s been a good time....

the soup is good in spain....

addiction confliction

2005-02-13T06:58:00.000-05:00

well, we had a fallout among our poker group... it was brought up that we never talk anymore, we don't socialize or do anything else besides play poker to not just play but to WIN.... the discussion led from that to a whole bunch of other things and the conclusion is that POKER is ok, but in moderation.... as a group, we vowed to only play it once a week....

we'll see how it goes....

hopefully we will have fun but also find other more productive things to do with that energy and time....

digitalia

2005-02-02T02:24:00.000-05:00

Now, I have really souped up my car... basically, i connect my phone to this speaker and when people call, i can hear them without having to hold the phone or anything...also, there is a microphone that picks up my voice so i can just talk without worrying about anything while i am driving. i also have an ipod and it connects to my radio in the car... anyway, i am sharing all this because when i picked up nooshin and ruhi from the airport last week, ruhi looked at my dashboard (we are in my car) and all the wires and the microphone sticking out of my seat and said... now that's what i call "digitalia"....

h ah ah ahaha... he cracks me up!!!

suffering fortunate

2005-01-30T21:55:00.000-05:00

i drove past some guys standing outside of this building, just freezing their butts off... i felt so bad for them... they were gonna have to stay out in the cold all night.... they were homeless and alone... guess the shelters were all filled up...
i have no idea what to do in situations like that... i wanted to help in some way, but knew in the end that it would not accomplish much... and who knows, it's never safe for a woman to help in situations like that... anyway, it really sucks.... i was really feeling guilty about everything... my warm home...sleeping in a nice bed, with the knowledge that there were people in very close vicinity really suffering.....

all i could do was pray about it...

stuck with poker

2005-01-29T06:28:00.000-05:00

well, we all went over to gisou and afshins house... and got stuck there... the weather took a major turn and we got iced in, so everyone had to spend the night at their apartment... it was the poker game crowd...so- of course, we took the opportunity to play even more poker together... we played through most of the night... and will probably play all day tommorow if we are still stuck together...

it's insane how much we are into this game... ALL OF US...
even if we are dead tired, dropping our cards because they are tooo heavy to hold ... we still continue to play...

but at least it's free... :)

texas holdem

2005-01-27T01:59:00.000-05:00

i am a poker fanatic! can't get enough games.... the other night, i actually contemplated being late to work, so i could get another game in... HELP!! It's even more addictive now because we are keeping score on a chalkboard to see who's the BEST.... we don't play for money or anything, but the competition is strong...everyone wants to be on top...

there's really some truth to that old kenny rodgers song... "you got to know when to holdem' no when to foldem... no when to walk away, no when to run..."

another day another diet

2005-01-23T23:56:00.000-05:00

well, tommorow is exercise and diet time.... time to get in shape, time to start over and begin a new life....

i hope it lasts... don't want to fail AGAIN!!!

keep me in your prayers everybody....

changes

2005-01-21T00:28:00.000-05:00

man, everytime i come home, i am just amazed at all the changes that have taken place...

the street i live off of has completely been developed --- lot's of stores... movie theater, fast food resteraunts etc... none of which were there when i grew up here... all the woods are disappearing and the construction continues...

my neighborhood is double the size it used to be... the first high school i attended has been demolished and it's just a field now... i believe they are going to construct something in it's place (not sure what it's going to be)....

is this a sign of getting old? does everyone see these kind of things when they get beyond 30?

man... it's just so strange... the city i grew up in no longer exists...

mom's plastic baby

2005-01-19T12:56:00.000-05:00

i bought a king cake today.... it's mardi gras time in lousiana... this year, fat tuesday will be on feb. 8th... so the celebrations are starting already...

it's been over ten years since i had king cake... pretty good (i got the apple kind)... my mom got the little plastic baby on the first slice.... she's gonna have to buy the next cake... :)

baton rouge

2005-01-19T01:47:00.000-05:00

it's nice to be in baton rouge... i like going back to the place where i grew up.. in the house i used to live in... with my family... ahhhhh sooooo nice!!!

there's nothing like it in the world...
oh, by the way, i watched law and order tonight and my neighbor that i grew up with, juan, his sister was in the show.... (anna andricane)... she had a small part, but she did a great job!!!

anyway, that's all i have to say for now...

mi familia

2005-01-14T02:35:00.000-05:00

i am soooo excited... going home to Louisiana this coming week and will spend time with my parents, my sister, and my nephews!!! I CAN'T WAIT !!! I need a break from work... a whole week --- YAY!!!!

This past week at work was dragging... ah, it's finally the weekend.... I can't believe how long it took to get here!

vioxx

2005-01-11T14:28:00.000-05:00

i didn't realize that i was taking vioxx... it has been recalled by the gov't because of several side effects and apparently causes heart attacks. one of the side effects is blood clots, which i have been getting...

it's a little scary... i am getting rid of these pills as fast as I can... i hope it hasn't done serious damage to my body....

i had seen the reports about the recall all over the news... but didn't realize it was the same medicine i had been taking... i never look at the labels of medicine bottles prescribed for me... guess i better pay attention....

24

2005-01-10T02:06:00.000-05:00

new season started tonight (a two hour special!!!)

i love love loved it!!! and there will be another 2 hour special tommorow nite!!! all year i have been waiting for this!!!

anyone who hasn't seen this show... you have no idea what you are missing!!

my ipod is ...

2005-01-06T05:53:00.000-05:00

my passion.... i have now uploaded over 1200 songs on it and usually when I drive, I put it on shuffle... the excitement in anitcipation of the next song is just undescribable... I love that I can listen to such a great variety of my own collection in one sitting... effortlessly...

i know i have already dedicated a post to the ipod, but such an invention deserves infinite praise!!!

The only regret I have is that I didn't buy one sooner...

efficient giving

2005-01-05T05:24:00.000-05:00

the other day, my friend mentioned to me that she would be donating money to charity to help with the tsunami crisis... I told her how my company matches whatever donations we make (up to $1000 per person)... After finding out her company had no such set up, she called me back and asked if she could donate through me - so that the money would be doubled... I thought that was a great idea... So, I just wanted to throw it out there to everyone. If you are donating money, you may consider donating through me as an option... that is, unless you have the same kind of setup...

axiom of choice

2005-01-04T04:59:00.000-05:00

has anyone ever heard of axiom of choice....?

the "niya yesh" album is AWSOME!!! maybe because it's persian, somehow i am drawn to it... but i have never heard persian music like this before... especially two tracks are my favorite: "Greener Than God's Dream" and "Raindrops"

it's just so soothing....

check it out... i am also gonna buy the other albums... so far, "niya yesh" is the only album i have heard.... and it's wonderful!

my new years surprise

2005-01-01T00:35:00.000-05:00

i went to work on dec. 31st and got out right around 11:20pm... i knew i had to be at work at 7am the next morning, so i just thought i would go home and sleep through the new year. right before i get off work, shadi - brooks - and sue called and said they were coming over to share the new year with me... it was a pleasent surprise... we all gathered round my living room the last 15 minutes of 2004 and celebrated into 2005... it was a short but fun party!!!!

we had fake champagne and danced around for 20 minutes...

perfect way to start the new year!!!

goodbye sammy

2004-12-31T22:47:00.000-05:00

i sold my car today (honda / civic 97 - "sammy"). we had a good run together... i will miss him sometimes... hope satish treats you well...

bye bye, sammy...

happy birthday nayse!

2004

2004-12-30T07:14:00.000-05:00

this has been one of the toughest news years i have ever worked... lot's of calamity...lot's of tears for humanity's suffering....

i am glad it's ending... but know that 2005 will probably hold more pain than this... i know there is a bigger picture... but it's hard to observe the detail....

funny how ....

2004-12-29T00:14:00.000-05:00

I keep going back and forth, up and down with my career... I decided that within a year I would be doing something else... The moment I gave up on it, I started to really enjoy my job... Now, I don't think I would want to do anything else with my life... What's up with that... I LOVE MY JOB... what happened... Why do I have to hate it in order to fall in love with it all over again... I don't think I can leave now... but then again... who know's how I will feel tommorow.

Is this normal?

GOOD BYE CD....

2004-12-27T17:58:00.000-05:00

Well, I have had this ipod for a couple weeks now and I am beggining to realize that I never use my cd player anymore ... Although I must pay my respects, it was a good time... CD's were a revolution of their own,,, but now it's time to say goodbye... Just like the tapes we used to own, you will forever be remembered, but those days are gone. Dayheem, you were right... i will never use the CD player again...

I just want to tell the ipod that i love it... and it's a new chapter in my life! Just like when I first discovered the internet and bill paying online (no more envelopes and stamps)... shopping online... email..., then came the TIVO - man, I never miss a beat or watch commercials anymore. And now it's IPOD.... if you don't have one.. you don't know what your missing!!!

I love technology!!

you can comment...

2004-12-26T16:15:00.000-05:00

hey everyone...

i think i changed the settings to where - if you are not on blogger, you can still comment... so if you feel the moved to comment... please don't hold back...

tsunami

2004-12-26T14:06:00.000-05:00

i woke up this afternoon (i work overnights - so i sleep till about 2pm everyday) with a few messages on my cell phone... all of them were about the earthquake that hit s.e. asia. they were asking about my family if they were ok, and one of my friends has a sister who was visiting sri lanka (hardest hit) and wanted to know if i had any information or way to get through.... I ran to the t.v. to see what they were talking about.... and then i checked on line... it was scary for a while, until i got confirmation that my brother and the rest of the family had already left phukett and they were ok. whew....

playing tennis while vacuuming pistachios

2004-12-22T05:04:00.000-05:00

Do you ever wonder what material possesion means most to you in life...?

I used to think that if I had to choose between all the possesions I owned, whatever it would be, it would certainly relate to music.... weather it be a CD (or now I could say my new ipod --oh yeah! I finally got one!), the guitar, piano, drum, etc... But, I learned that my instinct had somthing else in store for me.

You see, a few years ago, I lived in a studio apt. in this 15 story building... My parents were visiting me at the time. We were sitting in the living room when all of a sudden we heard the fire alarm go off... Outside the window we saw several fire engines had surrounded the building... I started to smell some fumes and realized this was REALLY happening... My apt. was going to burn down in flames!!!

We all jumped to our feet and each grabbed something to take with us as we hurried outside. My father grabbed his tennis racquet (that's no suprise), my mother went for the pistachios (strange choice, I know... It's hilarious... apparently, they had been brought from Iran for her, so she felt she should keep them), and I - for some reason- went for the vacuum cleaner...

The VACUUM CLEANER???????????????

To this day, I have no understanding why it was so important for me to grab an item that I try to avoid like the plague. Don't get me wrong, I love cleanliness, I just live in denial of my responsibility to use the vacuum to get there. The amount of energy I use in anxiety over lack of vacuuming is painfully ridiculous. More energy is spent agonizing over the duty than the actual act of vacuuming. Oh, the irony..... I just drive myself crazy over that machine... That's why it's so hard for me to believe that I chose to save it in the fire....

working overtime

2004-12-20T00:52:00.000-05:00

well, today is my first day of a 20 day non-stop run at CNN... I will work straight through with no weekends... basically till the weekend of the 7th in January... This past weekend, I really took it easy... knowing that I was about to work overtime all over the place... I just sat by the fire and read a little, then watched some t.v. hung out with friends over a movie... It was nice...
It just seems like you don't get a lot of those anymore... Anyway, I won't have one for a while... but gotta pay for that JETTA!

afu in mind

2004-12-18T05:24:00.000-05:00

hey,

anyone who reads this and knows afshin ravanbaksh, please please keep him in your prayers... I want him to work in the same dept. as me and we are waiting to hear if he got the job... it's totally selfish on my part... but he really wants the job himself too.

just had to put it out there... I am going crazy waiting for my boss to make that call.....

Kunefe in the ATL

2004-12-14T23:31:00.000-05:00

The other day, while shopping for a dress... Hande and I decided to eat lebonese... we went to this AMAZING restaurant and the chef happened to be TURKISH.... Thank God I was with Hande (who happens to be Turkish) -- he came out and said hi to us and gave us advice as to what to eat there... At the end of the meal, he brought out Kunefe for desert... I was in complete bliss and shock at the same time... I didn't think we could find this treasure of a desert in Atlanta!!! And man, it was PERFECT!!! I am sure, if Hande wasn't there, we wouldn't get such royal treatment!!! God Bless the Turks... and God bless Kenuffe!!!!

taco bell style

2004-12-14T04:12:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I attended a wedding with lots of friends and family. There was a ceremony and reception, at two seperate places.... After the ceremony, we still had about 3 hours till the reception and we were all starving. So we decided to go to Taco Bell.... All dressed up in our wedding attire, we walked in and had our Nacho's in style....

VW JETTA

2004-12-09T00:20:00.000-05:00

I am so excited... i got a new used Jetta... 2003, GLS with only 20,000 miles on it!!! I just go around and find excuses to drive, because I just want to be in my car all the time... I have been searching for a deal on this car for around 2 years now... After all the search and debating back and forth, I just went for it... and so far soooo good...

Goodbye Honda/Toyota days..... I have left Japan, and gone to Germany!!!

Go Jetta!!!!

wooo hooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!

I'M BACK!

2004-11-15T06:33:00.000-05:00

I am finally blogging again... Unfortunately, because of laziness, I lost all my old blogs from the passingtrees site. Regardless, it's good to be back, and unlike the other blog, this one is in my complete control! I have so much to say, and to catch up, but I will have to write that post another time. Just wanted to write a quick post to get it started... It has been hard living life without a blog... I didn't realize how theraputic it was for me... I want to be able to look back and see what I was thinking or doing... Helps me analyze myself...

ok,

bye for now... be back soon :)