Iran election

Everything in Iran’s 10th presidential election is so new. Every event’s happening for the first time in the history of Islamic Republic. For the first time, women are involved thoroughly in the race and influence the votes. The changes also happened to be more visible on the national TV channels, ‘live debate’ between candidates... For the first time I feel people in Iran are really tired of the present situation. all of my Persian friends are gonna vote for Mousavi,Even here in the U.S.
Some additional data and analysis on Iran's election eve blogosphere is posted on Morningside Analytics Shifting the Debate blog. ...
check it out:http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/06/11/mapping-iran%E2%80%99s-blogosphere-on-election-eve/
I'm waiting for the result...

some thoughts

I went to the Stanford bookstore today. That's one of my favorite place... so many books...
I felt... Ohhh, Living in this country is giving me many experiences... yeah... experience
there is no experience you have had that you weren't at the absolute center of it.
The world as you experience it, maybe in front of you or behind you, to the left or right of you, on your TV, or your monitor, or whatever... That is YOU
Other people's thoughts and feelings have to be communicated to you somehow, but you are own are so immediate, urgent, real
Everything in my own experience supports my deep belief that I'm the center of the universe.
I should be aware enough to to choose what I pay attention to and to choose how I construct meaning from experience.

I used to

I'm living in a foregin country, but things don't seem foreign any more.
Confidence is on my side when I speak the language. I'm watching the news, Ahhh... It's a small world.
But I'm feeling the distance between my hands and my mom's hands. I can't tell how much I miss my mom. Her smiles, her eyes...
I just used to live here like my homeland, I used to watch the TV more than 2 hours a day. I used to love everything that I have. Yesss...
But I remember my teacher at the university" If you have ever lived or worked abroad, you probably went through culture shock"
In my case, It didn't take me a long time to get used to some of the customs.
I love this quote, It makes me think.

It is human life. We are blown upon the world; we float buoyantly upon the summer air a little while, complacently showing off our grace of form and our dainty iridescent colors; then we vanish with a little puff, leaving nothing behind but a memory--and sometimes not even that. I suppose that at those solemn times when we wake in the deeps of the night and reflect, there is not one of us who is not willing to confess that he is really only a soap-bubble, and as little worth the making. - Mark Twain's Own Autobiography (North American Review, May 3, 1907)

13 bedar

The tradition of leaving the house on the thirteenth (Sizdah) day of Farvardin, the last day of the Norooz period, and spending that day outside with joy, laughter and pleasure has been in practice since ancient times in Iran. This is the last phase of the celebrations of the New Year ( Norouz). This joyous celebration has its roots in the Zoroastrian belief that laughter and joy symbolize the throwing away of bad thoughts. According to Zoroastrianism, bad thoughts are the gift of Ahreeman (the devil) and his offspring and the festival of the New Year will cleanse all bad thoughts. The celebrations defeat the enemies and plant shoots of comradeship and peace. The custom of kissing each other on the cheeks also comes from a belief that it cleanses the individual.

On the last day of the New Year celebrations, the 13th of the first month Farvardin, it is the custom of Iranians to pass as many hours as possible outdoors. All people leave their homes to go to the parks or local plains for a very festive picnic. It is a must to spend this day in nature and the occasion is called Sizdah-Bedar. It is generally believed that if people stay home something bad can happen.
All kinds of food and delicacies are prepared with tea, local drinks, fruits, bread, cheese and fresh herbs, noodle soup called ‘ash-e reshteh’ and herbed rice with lamb (baqali polo and bareh) are favorites. The wealthy Iranians will spend the day in their country homes and estates, while the entire day will be spent in their gardens. The occasion is a communal one and all close relatives and friends will participate. Wheat or barley shoots (sabzeh) that are grown especially for New Year and are kept throughout the festivities are discarded in nature mainly in running waters and small rivers at the end of the day. Another tradition on the 13th, is the knotting of blades of grass by unmarried girls in the hope of finding a husband. The knotting of the grass represents the bondage of a man and a woman. The picnic ends with the setting of the sun. The occasion has no religious significance and is celebrated by all.

Nouroz

It was the first celebrating Nouroz without my family specially my mom.
I can say, I had a hard time without them and I felt it by my heart. But this is my life.
This new year I think I should become an extraordinary.
see the best in everyone and everything.
Accept that life has its ups and down.
Face my fears.
Live in the moment.
Be honest with myself.
Finish what I started.
Don't focus on negative thoughts.
Don't lose hope.
I don't know what tomorrow will bring.
I wish everyone a year full of love, happiness and peace.

spring is coming

I'm looking out my window, I can see the daffodils are blooming and the grass is changing from brown to green. I can smell the fragrance of fresh flowers.
All around town I can see the flowering cherry and plum trees have popped into bloom.
I can already smell the scent of spring in the air. I love the longer, warmer days.
Spring brings new life and It is my favorite time of the year. Also the first day of spring is Persian new year (Noroz).
It announces that spring is coming:)

life

"Being happy doesn't mean every thing's perfect. It means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections."

"If you look at what you have in life, you'll always have more. If you look at what you don't have in life, you'll never have enough."

"Pay no mind to those that talk behind your back, it simply means that you are two steps ahead!"

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."

what do you do when you make a mistake?

" To make no mistakes is not the power of man, but from their errors and mistakes the wise and good learn wisdom for the future."
Plutarch

I'm thinking about apologizing, every one makes mistakes. if you think about it, you have made your share of them over the years a misdirected package, a forgotten deadline.
some reactions like anger, frustration and embarrassment.
I think this is great virtue in making mistakes, learning from them and improving along the way.
when you fix a problem, you not only get a chance to right a wrong, but you can build a strong working relationship, too.
But the point is how you approach a person to apologize.
Some times saying " I'm sorry" doesn't seem sufficient, offering something extra can build good will.
I'm trying to keep a record of my errors, the causes, and their solutions.
It helps me to prevent the same mistakes.

heyy:(((

اینکه می‌گویند ما ایرانی‌ها حافظه تاریخی نداریم حقیقتی ست ها !!!

این روزها فقط کاپشن رییس جمهور توی ذهنمان برق می زند ! و معطلیم که ببینیم آیا خاتمی می آید یا نه !

از هشت سال پیش هم فقط هجده تیر یادمان است و نهایتا قتلهای زنجیره ای و ترور حجاریان و اینکه حرفهای اکبر گنجی چقدر می چسبید !

کسی یادش هست که اولین موج سانسور اینترنت در ایران با دستور شورایی راه افتاد که رییس اش خاتمی بود ؟

کسی یادش هست که وحشتناک ترین جهش قیمت مسکن بعد از جنگ در دوره‌ی زمامداری خاتمی رخ داد ؟

كسی یادش هست كه آغاز تبلیغات قوم‌گرایانه و نیرو گرفتن پان تركها و پان عربها در زمان ریاست جمهوری ایشان بود ؟

كسی یادش هست سكوت خاتمی را در قبال فاجعه‌ی 18 تیر و تخلفات انتخاباتی ؟

كسی این جمله‌ی خاتمی را یادش هست : "در ایران زندانی سیاسی نداریم" ؟!

خاتمی و هاشمی و احمدی نژاد و ... چه فرقی دارند وقتی ما خودمان مردمان آگاه و درستی نیستیم ؟

یک ملت دلال مسلکِ ناآگاه ، با آن حماقت آشکار در هنگام رانندگی یا توحش علنی برای برداشتن یک شیرینی از جعبه ی تعارفی یا شهوت عجیب برای قرار گرفتن در مقابل دوربین ، با رتبه‌ی نخست جستجوی سكس ... چرا باید در پی یک زمامدار رویایی باشد ؟

من پیشنهاد می کنم ملت هشت سال انتخابات را تعطیل کنند و اجازه بدهند هر کسی كه می‌آید همینجور ادامه دهد . بعد خودشان با حوصله این موارد را تجربه کنند :

اول : ایرانی ها لطفا روزی یک بار(یا دست كم یك روز در میان) حمام بروند.

دوم : ایرانی ها قبل از پرتاب فحش به بیرون ، دهانشان را ببندند و تا بیست بشمرند.

سوم : هر خانواده‌ی ایرانی هر روز یک روزنامه بگیرد ، اگر شده یالثارات !

چهارم : هر فرد ایرانی تعهد کند که هر ماه یک کتاب تازه بخواند ... حتی خلاصه مبانی لوله کشی عمومی !

پنجم : رانندگان به جای فاصله ی بین شلوار و جوراب دختری در آن طرف خیابان به پنل داشبورد جلوی چشمشان نگاه کنند و سرعت از پنجاه کیلومتر در هیچ شرایطی تجاوز نکند.

ششم : همه به خودشان تلقین کنند که این كسی كه می خواهیم کلاهش را برداریم و شب برای عزیزمان هدیه ببریم ، خودش عزیزِ یک نفرِ دیگر است.

هفتم : ایرانی ها شبها با هر که دوست دارند، خانوادگی بیایند بیرون از لانه هایشان .. حتی برای پنج دقیقه نشستن در یک فضای سبز.

هشتم : به جای دوازده النگو خریدن و در دست انداختن ، یک دستگاه دی وی دی پلیر بخرند و شبها تلویزیون دولتی را از آمریکا گرفته تا ایران نگاه نکنند ... یک فیلم ببینند.

نهم : مردهای ایرانی یک بار برای همیشه قبول کنند که زنها ، جزو املاکشان نیستند و خودشان عقل دارند و عشق و رابطه و آشنایی ، بازی برد و باخت و فتح قلمرو دیگران نیست.

دهم : مردها تمرین کنند که رد عبور زنی را با نگاه شخم نزنند و زنان تمرین کنند که جواب سلام مردان را با خونسردی و لبخند بدهند چون به معنای ... نیست.

یازدهم : ورزشکاران ما بعد از باخت به رقیب تبریک بگویند و دهانشان را تا نیم ساعت بعد از هر باخت یا برد ببندند.

دوازدهم : ایرانی‌ها به جای تمسخر شکل ظاهری سیاستمداران ، فکر کنند که ایراد واقعی کار آن شخص در کجاست.

سیزدهم : برای حسین فقط در (داخل) مسجد عزاداری کنند.

به نمایشگاه کتاب اگر می روند برای (کتاب) بروند.

به خیابان فرشته می روند برای (عبور) از خیابان فرشته باشد.

KATE WINSLET WINS FOR THE READER

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NA1E8FHw7LI

I love her speech... honest, cool
" Ah, Ah... I'm so lucky to have a wonderful husband and two beautiful children, this is for you, this is for both of you"
she looks like one of those classy actresses from back in the day.

How do I look?

I know this article isn't new, but I want to share it.
http://www.doubleviking.com/questions-from-your-girlfriend-that-aren-t-really-questions-4486-p.html

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is celebrated by many people throughout the world.It is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending cards, flowers...
Actually, I don't like to express my feelings by buying some stuff. It is just the way that you can spend your money.
What does love mean... ??
Love inspires us to do great, beautiful, terrible things and a bunch of weird and stupid stuff.
you can discuss your dreams, desires to your love and you know it is safe to share things that you could never say to anyone else.
But sometimes it seems as if you both came from different planets.One person is up and the other is down!
The bottom line is that love like everything else in life that really matters, requires,genuine effort.
Really think about your feeling and see how they look and feel. That's a wonderful way to find your feelings as they are.
" Love can climb the highest mountains and cross the deepest sea."

Iran

Since I've been in U.S, I've been asked several times about different things in Iran.
Yesterday my teacher asked me " Is Iran safe to travel? " I became surprised by this question, and I started talking about my country.
me : the country is completely safe. there is no safety problem to travel, but you just have to wear Hejab in public places.
Then, one of my classmates said " I heard that people aren't allowed to laugh and cry in the streets"
me: what... what... Are you serious?
you're not even able to understand my feeling in the class. These questions made me upset.
I tried to control myself and then I replied: " It's completely wrong"
I don't have any idea about these stupid questions.
I think the picture of Iran is not clear among people in U.S.
Iranian people don't speak Arabic, and women don't cover their faces by scarf.

Live, laugh, love...

Today is Wednesday, I'm watching TV and I'm thinking about live, laugh, love ...
how simple those words are, yet how serious they are.
I would like to know if anyone else knows the origin of the saying, "Live well, Laugh often, Love much"?

I'm here

Time is passing, reading my writings which belong to past time, I see a different person with different struggles in her mind and soul ...
Still there are many things that make my mind busy...
But the fact is this : I'm growing .
Living in the real society, touching and feeling the real life ...
When you wish a good future for yourself, it means you have to fight for it and try to change some thing that bothers you.

changing

I'm a girl who grew in Tehran.
I like living without any restriction.
I like many things, I like my family and my friends, my thoughts, my dreams, doing nothing, singing in the shower, learning about everything, smart people ....
lots of random thoughts are rushing my head ... some times i want to shut off my mind.
I have been here (USA) since July. I'm not like the person I used to be.
Everything in my life is changing and I feel it by every cell of my body .
I am facing with different situation and I'm challenging myself .
I'm trying to be a better person.
After I got here, I quickly realized this country was sort of unfriendly. I missed my friends in Iran, my mother, my nephew and.... But I kept putting myself out there. because I got married here with a lovely person. I found that he is gonna be my life, friend, love.... and I found him an amazing person.
I met a few people, Eventually... now... I have friends .

Nooshi