Book of Life, Chapter Three

Good Stuff

2012-01-15T14:26:00.000-08:00

Finally after a long time today I had a chance to chat with my cousin (Behi) and her lovely husband. Before I came to Canada we all lived in Tehran and hang out all the time. We were very close, still are despite the long distance. Have you ever had a friend in your life that you didn't need to explain yourself to her/him. She/he just knows what you mean by few words. Have you ever had a friend in your life that just sitting next to him/her makes you feel much better. Behi was/is that person in my life.
When Mr Behi join the club I couldn't be happier. He was my gadget guru, book guru, technology guru..We used to sit and talk for hours about our favorite topics.
Today he told us about this cool gadget "fitbit". It is the same size as a memory stick. You put it in your pocket and this cool piece of technology track your daily activities and tell you about how your week was in terms of acitivies you've done. He also bought this "Wi-Fi Smart Scale" that track your weight, % body fat, and BMI over time and sync your weight data to your Fitbit.com account through your wireless network.I think I know what to buy Nima for Valentine. ;)

Happy New Year

2012-01-12T18:03:00.000-08:00

Nima and I went for one week trip to Punta Cana in Dominican Republic this new year holiday. This is our second sun destination travel after Cozumel Island. I loved it. Beautiful sun, tropical vegetation, grinish blue ocean, warm and wavy with a very fine white sandy beach.
The ocean was warm and slightly wavy. We floated on the waves felt weightless like a leave on the water. We took an island tour which was very interesting. Our guid was a mixed American/Dominican with american accent. We went to a local coffee and cocoa plantations. The farm was family owned who were happy to have visitors. One of the family member I think the father cut the cocoa fruit in half. It was full of seeds with a soft white cover.He told us to eat the cover which was sweet and sour and inside was find a cocoa been. That was what they would dry later and pack to go. Our guid told us that these family are doing ok in this area financially. He gave us a tour inside their house. Basically it was very basic shelter made of wooden wall and tint roof. No shower. Washroom and kitchen was outside. The family looked simply happy.
I loved the nature, beautiful flowers. We visited a local school, had lunch in a resturant with home made food, and ended our tour with boogie riding in Macco beach.
We had different experience in Cozumel and Punta Cana. In our resort in Cozumel they had entertainment every night, which was always related to their local culture, dance, music, etc. But in Punta Cana it was mostly western specially music of eighties or nineties. Even in a shuttle to airport the music was Bee Gees, Donna Summer, etc. There was king of sense on humor in different individual (local people) we met in Punta Cana. In both country where we went, sellers were eagerly try to force you to buy something from them but in Punta Cana this was much more aggressive. Even when Nima and I were walking to get fresh air if there was any store around the seller would come out and shout to attract your attention.

I shared some photos from the beautiful nature around.

Beyond A Reasonable Doubt

2011-12-16T14:27:00.000-08:00

We can afford to have a criminal, walking freely in the street but we can not afford having an innocent person behind the bars.

WHO UNLEASHED YOU GUYS THIS TIME???

2011-11-30T03:46:00.000-08:00

I am shocked. Everyday there is a new bad news related to Iran and it is getting even worse. I am worried about my people. The nice Iranian who haven't had a single day of piece for the last 30 something years.
I am worried. But it's not going to help my people.
I read in a news about "The attack on the British Embassy in Tehran". THIS IS A SHOW. These are not ordinary Iranian people. These are BASIJI, a paramilitary militia who get order from Islamic Regime. Who unleashed them this time???
They don't represent Iranian not even close. But we don't represent ourselves either. Iranian came to street 33 years ago wishing for freedom and ended up with Islamic regime. Iranian came to street two years ago with their heart broken of lies and frauds, screamed for freedom again. Several civilian imprisoned or killed, the president called people " angry hooligans" who can't face the election loss.

Sanctions one after another make people's life miserable. Those who can immigrate they don't hesitate and those who stuck in there are doomed to bear all these sanctions either from the regime or from international forces.
The irony is many of those who are part of the Islamic regime in Iran come and find shelter here in Canada or other countries. Many of them are here in Toronto, buying luxurious houses. This is disgusting. This is unfair. But who makes things fare. Not someone from the sky it has to be ordinary people like me, like you, If we feel things are not justice.

2011-11-24T15:20:00.000-08:00

Mailman finally came to our door. Brought me my offer letter. I am changing my job, I am taking a new path in my career. I am simply happy. I was smiling all day for no reason. I know no where is perfect but I am certain it was just on time to leave my current work. It was doing no good to my career anymore, just waste of time and talent. I am ready to step in a new path. Wish me luck.

Farewell Debbie

2011-11-14T18:14:00.000-08:00

My colleage has been killed in a car accident last saturday. Today in the office when her close freind called and gave us a news we were all shocked. ""Debbie had a car accident she couldn't make it". Another colleague of mine said. I was in a lab playing with some rock cores.
The irnoy is always and always in response to " goodbye Debbie" she would say "Drive Safe".
I miss her. She was a sweet sweet girl. A single mom. What would happen to her son?
rest in piece Deb. I miss you.

2011-11-10T14:40:00.000-08:00

How happy are you at work? What kind of reasons give you stresses? Deadlines? Jerk manager? Jerk co-workers? Load work? Work security?
If you own a business and responsible to hire people how would you hire? what would be your criteria?
If I open my business one day, for me the most important things is have a descent environment. I believe someone who is working overtime but has a healthy mentality is much more efficient than someone who struggles with stress. I think mental exhaustion is much worse than physical. You can take care of your physical tiredness by sleeping for few hours but you can't get rid of your stresses that easy.
Good quality work needs good healthy mind. So my main focus will be on hiring nice descent people rather than anything else. You can always train the person with positive attitude but no matter how hard you try a jerk is a jerk. It doesn't matter that the jerk work performance is good or bad I believe the amount of damage that person can impose on other colleagues do more harm than good.
If one day I opened my own bussiness ..If...

Open or Close

2011-11-10T13:24:00.000-08:00

What kind of office environment do you prefer? open or closed?
Open concept means 2 to three and in my case 6 people share a space at work. You have your own desk but no walls. In closed concept you either have your own room (which is barely a case for most of staff) or you have your own cubicle.
In our office the open concept dose not work for me. Where I sit there are few people who really mistake the office with the coffee shop. All day long you can hear giggling, chit chatting, non-stop. Some days they talk (specially one of them) in a way that you think if they stop talking they might die. I was talking with another colleague of mine who was upset with this open concept too. He told me the way these poeple act you and I looked like an anti-social creatures, by Sitting on our chair, facing toward screen and working for 8 hours a day.
If we are working in an open concept environment we should/we must respect each other. Instead of chit chatting all day long or taking care of our personal businesses on the phone, we should keep it quite for those who bother working.
I told about these things to my husband and he was shocked. He told me in their office people barely talk together about non-related work stuff.
Our previouse manager once send these gang an e-mail and warned them about their behaviour but then he leftt. Now we have new manager. But considering when he is around they keep it down. I don't know how long it would take for him to find out what is going on.
I know myself. If I am so annoyed by the level of unprofessional behaviour of some of my colleages it can't be only me. Sometimes I decide to speak up but then I am telling to myself wait for the good news.

2011-11-09T18:32:00.000-08:00

My parents went back. Nima and I started our routine which for now is watching one episode of Downton Abbey every night thanks to my lovely sister in-law who introduced the series.
I am waiting for a news. waitting makes time passes very slowly. Come on mailman bring my letter :). I can't wait ...

GUESS WHAT...

2011-10-12T15:51:00.000-07:00

My Parents are here. It's a first time they come to Canada for a visit. Last time I saw them was more than two years a ago. They are here for less than a month and I took the whole time off. The weather has been kind to us here in Toronto for October. We visited Niagara Falls first. They loved the place. It was a beautiful sunny day and a gorgeous rainbow was painted in sky. May parents was stunned with Falls beauty. The first night they arrived we opened the suitcases, one after another full of good goodies for us. Local wheat bread smell so good made me feel that I'm in the heaven and I can'r describe the taste. Few walnuts, few oranges and tangerines from my grandpa garden. I am blessed.

2011-09-26T15:44:00.000-07:00

I was driving to work this morning listening to CBC radio when I heard the story of this woman from Montreal. She is a survivor from Holocaust, 97 years old. She donated her jacket to the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Center. It was a jacket that she was forced to wear while she was in a camp. In her interview she said something really nice. She said whenever I was upset from everyday matter of life I looked at this jacket and I felt better.

I think all of us need to have a jacket, something to remind ourselves not to be upset for every silly thing in life.
Photo is from here.

Give Me Some Time

2011-09-14T18:29:00.000-07:00

You know I have a feeling that there is this lesson I should take. Life is making me face it over and over again to take it. I am afraid I might fail again...

Fruits of Life - Part I

2011-09-12T16:33:00.000-07:00

It has been in my head for a while to write about different people who came to my book of life and affected me in a positive or negative way. I believe we should dare to talk about what we think of each other more often. I believe we should be more open to hear what other think about us. People come and go, some scratch us, some leave a deep scare, some heal our old wounds made by other and some just pass by like the air, no influence nothings. Every relationship that we make is like a fruit, some are sweet, some are sour, some are bitter like a bitter melon, and some are tasteless. I want to write about people who has influenced me in a positive or a negative way.
I always think every individual has a patience bowl. something like a balloon (expandable you know). Every time we made acquaintance with someone automatically we designate a spot inside that bowl under that person's name. As we get a long if that person does something that we don't like his/her balloon grows. If the person keep annoys you the balloon tagged his/her name will explode and that's a day that you just had enough and cant take it anymore. Now if you want to designate new balloon to that person, or you want to cut the relationship is your decision.
I want to start with a friendship that I ended up for the first time in my life. When I was younger I would never even think of braking up with anyone let alone cutting the relationship for good (I am talking about simple friendship not romantic stuff). But at the age of 25 for the first time in my life I reached to the point of explosion. The balloon exploded and I knew I would never designate another balloon for that person. I learned something knew about myself. I saw my limits. After years of friendship I felt I am fed up. I don't want to make a list of things and events that ended my friendship. All I can say is that we were totally different people , different personality with few things in common. I find that person very jealous. This former friend of mine told me once that everything she/he achieved in her/his life is because there was always someone around that make her/him jealous. She/he studied/worked hard to be ahead of that person. years passed that I realized I can't change his/her character. I am wasting a precious energy and time on someone who is not a friend but a pathetic competitor. I was tired of dishonest attitude, bitter tongue, continuous jealousy, constant competition in every things, studying, career, social life, etc. After 7 years I had enough. I killed the relationship and never regret it for a second. What I really regret is that I wish I would spend all those years with a real friend. I did make very good and close friends within those years but I wish I wouldn't wasted my energy, heart, time on some who didn't worth a penny of my friendship. What that event changed in me is that I became very impatient and alarmed toward similar attitude from people. Now if I see anything slightly similar I would never consider getting close in first place. Now is this a bad or a good thing. I don't know. Should I blamed that relationship for being less patient or it would happen to me anyway as I grow older. I don't know.
...to be continued

Hats Off To Jack

2011-08-27T10:52:00.000-07:00

I have lived in Canada for 6 years now. I learned about Jack Layton soon after settling down in this country and starting to follow the political news. Nima and I always thought that if Jack had been a leader of any other two parties he would have definitely become a prime minister of Canada long time a go and for a long time. We liked him although we never voted for NDP. We respected him for his determination; for being strong a leader and inspiring to his team.
His farewell letter is very noble. This is admirable to hear from someone who was going to die soon from cancer encouraged other cancer fighter to be optimistic.

"To other Canadians who are on journeys to defeat cancer and to live their lives, I say this: please don’t be discouraged that my own journey hasn’t gone as well as I had hoped. You must not lose your own hope. Treatments and therapies have never been better in the face of this disease. You have every reason to be optimistic, determined, and focused on the future. My only other advice is to cherish every moment with those you love at every stage of your journey, as I have done this summer."

Very noble indeed.

" My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world."

REST IN PEACE JACK.

Say Goodbye to Your Friend

2011-08-07T05:53:00.000-07:00

One of the saddest causes (and I would say common) that can end your friendship with a close friend or even a member of your family can be his/her marriage.

Imagin you have a very close friend who is single. You are like a brother or sister. You grow up together. You have lots of things in common. You share precious memoirs. One day this very dear friend get married. You can't wait to meet the girl/guy. Finally you meet "the significant other". First meet you can feel something is not quit right. You can feel the slight tension at "hello". You deny it.

This friend of yours is so dear you can find a way to like his/her love of life. But life has its own way. Gradually you notice your friend is changing. You are still in denial. You don't want to accept that your friendship will never be the same. This new "significant other" turns out to be control freak. Its her/his way or highway. and your friend has to get along and the price is your friendship. Gradually you feel the distance. Gradually you watch your friend leaving your book of life. No matter how loud you cry for him/her train of life taking him/her away from you. And with that, a piece of your heart goes. Your heart aches but there is nothing you can do.

It doesn't have to be this way. Sometimes when your close friend gets married , things get even better. Your friend spouse himself/herself becomes another best friend of yours. When my best friend married her husband became my best friend in a bit. The three of us had a lot in common. We enjoyed talking to each other till midnight without noticing a clock.

Dear spouses, when you get married please don't try to cut your partners friends and families ASAP. If they were doing fine before you appeared in their life, trust me they don't need you to coach them how to manage their 20-year old friendship. Why do you think you have a right to suddenly take everything over. When you get married you don't own your partner you are his/her PARTNER not boss, not coach, not.... You two are supposed to share your life together not taking over one another's.

...

2011-07-17T18:36:00.000-07:00

گفتمش نقاش را نقشی‌ بکش از زندگی‌ با قلم نقش حبابی بر لب دریا کشید
Translation: I asked him what life is. With his brush he painted a bubble by the sea
P.S. Pic from here

Pigeons Can remember Your Face

2011-07-17T09:05:00.000-07:00

" From Toronto Star, July 11, 2011, Lesley Ciarula Taylor :
Pigeons remember the faces of the people who are nasty and who are nice, according to a French study.
KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP/GETTY FILE PHOTOS

City pigeons remember who’s nasty and who feeds them, a French study finds.

Experiments in a Parisian park revealed that pigeons would ignore a patch of food around a person who had routinely harassed them in favour of dwindling seeds near a friendly feeder.

The study tried to confuse the pigeons by having the feeders swap their long, bright coats or by moving around the male and female feeders.

The pigeons weren’t fooled. After a few days, they remembered which one had been the hostile, arm-waving feeder and snubbed his or her food.

“Several studies have shown that pigeons are capable of remarkable feats of memory and discrimination of photographs of humans,” study co-author Ahmed Belguermi told the Star."

P.S.1 So now if it happens to you that a pigeon crap on you, think back in time see if you ever be unkind to them :)

P.S.2 Picture from here

Self Observatory :)

2011-07-13T12:40:00.000-07:00

I found myself on the edge these days. Little things can upset me easily that couldn't before. I think the combination of selling our house, buying another, thinking about career goals, missing my family and waiting for their visa to come pushed me to the edge.
This morning I went to a site. I was suppose to be there and waiting for another colleague who was coming from another office to join me. He came and the two of us went to the site. The construction was started already and we had to be fast to catch up. The site was located in downtown Toronto at the busiest part of it. It's a mad house. The client we were working for provided us with a parking space by closing part of the main road. It's not easy to park in there. I always find my ways and even if I can't park in the designated spot I go and park in a nearest public parking around. We started working, when my colleagues cell started ringing and because he was busy working I end up talking to a guy who supposedly was sent to the site to be trained. No body told me or my colleague about him coming. He was late too. He told me he can't park his car and ask me to go and guide him. I never met him before so I asked him what car he had! where he was exactly!
Anyway I left at the middle of the operation and ended up waiting for him for 10 minutes and he wasn't where he said he was. I didn't have his number. I didn't know his name. I didn't know how he look like. But he knew my face apparently. I gave up and I came back to the site. after half an hour the guy called back very annoyed.
"Hiva I am still waiting for you" He said.
"I came to the intersection and looked for your car, I couldn't see it" I said frustrated by this interruption.
"I was supposed to come to the site, I was supposed to be trained. My supervisor keep calling me if I am in the site or not" He said in such way like I am responsible for that.
"Ok I am coming back again, I have a red shirt and..." I said
"How long does it take" He asked.
"Couple of minutes" I replied.
I went back to the intersection and saw a man waving for me. I guessed it should be him. I showed him the designated parking spot and told him how to get in there so I can move the cones and let him in. He asked me to come with him and showed him exactly how to get to the intersection like I am a freaking GPS. Anyway I didn't want to argue so I walked with him to his car and after 20 minutes driving in downtown I told him to forget about the designated spot and just park in a public place and charge the expense. Long story short by the time we came back to the site it was about 45 minutes.
I was really angry with the fact that nobody told me he is coming. That he wasn't on time. that he didn't use his brain to simply park his car somewhere and join us rather than wasting 1 hour of my time to find him the parking spot. When we went back to the site I told my colleague from the other office who knew this guy that: "Why he didn't park his car himself. Why I had to go and show him, I am not a babysitter"
I was listening to myself. It just didn't sound like me. Right then I knew I needed to rest. I came back home couple of hours earlier and start writing this post.
I just need to calm down. Taking a shower will help.

Super-cali-fragilistic-expi-ali-docious

2011-06-26T09:55:00.000-07:00

Super-cali-fragilistic-expi-ali-docious

Use it carefully please :)

Hopefull Ape

2011-06-26T06:40:00.000-07:00

I found this link through a we-blog while ago. You can read the response of different intellectuals to one of the biggest question that anybody might have: "Does the Universe Have a Purpose?". Looking at the twelve responses, you can find:
Two (2) definite No
One (1) Unlikely
One (1) Not sure
Five (5) Yes (including Indeed and certainly)
One (1) Very Likely
One (1) Perhaps

And finally one (1) "I hope so"

If you look at these numbers again, 33% (4 out of 12) said no or are more inclined toward no.
58% (7 out of 12) said yes or are more toward yes and there is one with hope.

I liked Elie Wiesel answer too which was "I hope so, and if it doesn’t, it’s up to us to give it one."
Also Lawrence M. Krauss answer is very logical " While nothing in biology, chemistry, physics, geology, astronomy, or cosmology has ever provided direct evidence of purpose in nature, science can never unambiguously prove that there is no such purpose. As Carl Sagan said, in another context: Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

Of course, nothing would stop science from uncovering positive evidence of divine guidance and purpose if it were attainable. For example, tomorrow night if we look up at the stars and they have been rearranged into a pattern that reads, "I am here," I think even the most hard-nosed scientific skeptic would suspect something was up..."

P.S. Picture is from here

C-Section to the Resque

2011-06-20T18:11:00.000-07:00

I was telling to my husband the other day that I found an idea to help commuters.
"Nima we can make a website in which every commuter can register and those who are commuting the same way can find each other and car pull" I told Nima with a ray of pride in my voice like I found a million dollors idea.
"Honey the website is already out there. That's how my colleague find someone for his wife to commute from Burlington to Markham" Said Nima with slight mischief in his voice.

Seriously people, can't I have one original idea that nobody think of it before :)
I am not gonna give up. One of these days a million dollar idea will come out. Push Push

Change is in the Air

2011-06-02T19:01:00.000-07:00

I am not quite motivated at work these days. No manager for the past month and some of the junior staff are taking advantage of that. Office is more like a Coffee shop sometimes, rather than a place to work. We have an open concept and the privacy is almost zero. Just imagine yourself trying to work while two/three people around you giggling and chit chatting all day long. Sometimes I feel I am in a high school surrounded with bunch of teenagers that has nothing else to do rather than making silly lame comments on every things happening around them.
I don't feel I am in an engineering office working with adults.
These days I am dragging myself to work..Change is in the air...

Smile, No really Smile :)

2011-05-15T14:53:00.000-07:00

Ron Gutman: The hidden power of smiling | Video on TED.com

100/0 Principle by Al Ritter

2011-04-17T08:28:00.000-07:00

I found this very helpful to ignore people who give me a negative attitude..

Under Development

2011-04-06T16:25:00.000-07:00

How many times we deal with difficult people around us. As a friend, as a colleague or even a family member.
I know nothing is perfect and as far as I am alive there would be people who I don't like and get on my nerve.
The easiest case is that the difficult person you have to deal with is difficult for most of the people around you and the hardest case is that , the person is difficult to some and doesn't show steady pattern. For example the person is difficult today and act easy tomorrow. You know someone with unstable personality but clever enough to play his/her game.

It's not always possible to get rid of that person. For instance say you have a difficult colleague, you can't just go to your boss and ask please fire her/him, right? The only solution is to learn how to block out that person in your head. Stop thinking about the attitude the person is giving you and be yourself. It's not easy believe me but should be possible. This is what I am working on it. I am developing a thick skin. It hurts but that's the only solution. Soon enough I'll be a rhinoceros. Wish me luck!!

Enjoy Every Sandwish

2011-03-29T18:54:00.000-07:00

Sitting in a cozy coffeehouse, Nima and I were enjoying our coffee and a small mocha pastry this evening. Sipping from the Parisian Bowl I felt so happy. Forgetting about small and big problems, forgetting about my fears, forgetting about missing him and her, I am happy. Life is sweet just like this little piece of pastry, life is deep like this bowl, life is bitter like my coffee but as far as you are breathing just enjoy that moment. Enjoy every SANDWICH...

Happy Charshanbe Soory

2011-03-15T18:45:00.000-07:00

I am 14. With my younger sister and cousins we are gathering wood pieces to make 7 bonfires. Any tree branch would do.We are going to have family get together tonight at my grandpa place. The weather is so nice, winter is over and I can see little beautiful plum blossoms on the trees. Lisa and palang (two lovely guard dogs) are following us every where. I can feel excitement inside myself makes me shiver. Always last few days of the year makes me feel so fresh and happy. I can feel the nature is coming back to life. It's like I am one of those trees in my grandpa garden blooming.

It's getting dark, fireflies are dancing in the air. Their winking lights makes our surrounding dreamy.
7 bonfires are ready, we bring some oil and waiting for my grandpa, parents, aunts and uncles to join us. Gradually everybody are coming: "Happy chaharshanbe soori".."Happy Norooz"..kissing and hugging.

My dad starts firing the piles of wood one after another. "Ok let go" My dad announced. We line up and start jumping while whispering "zardi man az to, sorkhie to az man" which means my sickly yellow paleness is yours, your fiery red color is mine. After celebrating charshanbe soori we all get together in my grandpa place for a delicious meal. Laughing, making jokes, having fun was our way to welcome spring.

I am 31 now, well almost. Having crazy March, this is my way to celebrate this beautiful ancient feast. But I am promising to myself next year I will do this not just blogging about it. Next year I promise

JUMP JUMP

7 TIMES

OVER 7 BONFIRES

WHISPER THE MAGIC.

P.S Picture from here and here

.......

2011-03-13T05:28:00.000-07:00

How would you feel if you invite some guests and then one of them who are not as welcome as the others, act like the host, put food on everybody's plate like they are his guests. Chatting with your guests like he invited them in first place and at the end ask you: "oh by the way are you hungry? do you want me to put some food in your plate? Come on don't be shy do you want to join our party?"
How would you feel?What would you do with this person?

P.S.pic i from here

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD

2011-03-10T18:55:00.000-08:00

Today was my dad's birthday. For a long time I was thinking to do something for him as a gift, making a website for him and his magazine, adding his bio to wikipedia..I had a big plan in my head. I said to myself I would build a website for him and let people to subscribe to his magazine on-line. I would do this and that..I planned all these for his previous birthday and I never had time to do it. Our life is such a rush rush thing that making a quick call for his birthday is the best I can do.
Today a colleague of mine treat a few of us for a lunch as his goodbye lunch. He is returning back to his country for good. He was saying after 14 years living in North America I am tired of this fast pace life. Life is so stressful here, he said. I can't agree more.
There was this lady came to our office today for safety meeting. She was from UK. One of the first thing she mentioned was about food being tasteless. She said she didn't have a good Coffey in two weeks. I simply believed her.
I wish black coup would have never happened and the democratically elected government of Persia would have succeeded to grow. How would be Persia looked like. Who knows maybe there is a parallel universe in which Mossadegh never been imprisoned and died under house arrest.

In that universe dad, Hiva is buying you a thoughtful gift. Something better than overpriced bunch of roses that I ordered on-line last year. which wasn't even fresh. I would hug you tight and kiss you allover your face.I'll be there to order a cake to take pictures and help mom through you a surprise party. Where are you WALTER?

Everyday There is a New Fruit in This Garden

2011-03-07T14:27:00.000-08:00

I never understand how things work..sometimes for a long time nothing is happening except the routin and you get bored. And some times everythings happening all together..March is our new year which I usually like to take some time, cleaning the house...planing a little party..things like that
But this March specifically is also my thesis defense and believe it or not exactly a day after is my citizenship exam..I also have two deadlines for two paper to submit..I need a day be 48 hours to get my things done..wish me luck
P.S. The title of the post is a translation for a Persian saying which implies that every day something new is happening to deal with

Please Never Get Old..Promise me!

2011-02-24T13:39:00.000-08:00

MALO KIN

2011-02-20T07:03:00.000-08:00

Nima and I just came back from one-week trip to Cozumel Island in Mexico. We had a great time over there. I am still shocked with the rich nature around this pretty island, the thick vegetation, the endless coral reefs, the greenish blue beaches with white sand surrounded with coconut trees, the Iguanas...
The first time that I went for snorkeling around the three famous coral reefs at south west side of the island, I was speechless. Just like those documentaries, colorful curious fish were swimming with us, a green see turtle was playing around, a five feet Barracuda absolutely fearless was staring at us, a small sting Ray which scared the hell out of me, sun rays on the ocean floor which made the view kind of dreamy.Still thinking about these things make me smile.
We had a chance to visit a mainland few times. We went to Chichen Itza to visit one of the seven wonder of the world "The Mayan Pyramid". Our tour guide taught us some Mayan world "Malo Kin = Good Morning or more accurate Good Soul". I wanna know more about these smart people with scary rituals, sacrifices, play of death, etc.
It was 25, sunny with a mild wind blowing, Nima and I were lying down by the beach. "When we came back when ever you are stressed from anything come back to this moment and remember how relaxed we are" Nima said. Our life has such a fast pace I wish I could slow it down a little bit.

A GATE TO ANOTHER REALLITY

2011-01-26T19:10:00.000-08:00

"A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own"
The idea of alternative reality is fascinating. Imagine for every decision you make there are several options and depends on each option you choose you'll have different life story.Imagine if there were infinite universes formed based on possible choices in our life . There would be infinite version of you out there each made of different decision which led to different path. You might be a fire fighter in one of those world, maybe a leader, a criminal, a teacher, a hero, an actor,..religious or anti-religion.
I am watching this TV series called "FRINGE" which is based on this hypothesis. One of the main character of this film is a genius called Dr Bishop, he made a gate to the other world when his son died. He made that door to go to another reality which his son was still alive and bring him back to his world. I am fascinated with this idea.

I want that gate, I'll come for you all and bring you back..things would have been so much different!

Address to The Haggis

2011-01-26T18:51:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a Robert Burns day. A memorial of this famous Scottish poet. I have a very nice Scottish colleague who told me how they celebrate the day. A family prepare a meal called Haggis and a person who serve the meal read the famous poem of Robert Burn's called " Address to The Haggis". He read the poem for us in its original format. I couldn't understand a word of it but I was amazed with his performance. The way he read it I could felt the excitement in his voice remind me of my father when reading "Hafiz" poems for us.
P.S. a picture is from here

I JUST WANT YOU

2011-01-23T14:34:00.000-08:00

There are no unlockable doors
There are no unwinnable wars
There are no unrightable wrongs
Or unsingable songs
There are no unbeatable odds
There are no believable Gods
There are no unnameable names
Shall I say it agin? Yeah
There are no impossible dreams
There are no invisible seams
Each night when the day is through
I don't ask much

I just want you
I just want you

There are no uncriminal crimes
There are no unrhymeable rhymes
There are no identical twins or
Forgiveable sins
There are no incurable ills
There are no unkillable thrills
One thing and you know it's true
I don't ask much

I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired
I used to go to bed so high and wired
Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah
I think I'll buy myself some plastic water
I guess I should have married Lennon's daughter
Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah

There are no unachievable goals
There are no unsavable souls
No legitimate kings or queens
Do you know what I mean? Yeah
There are no indisputable truths
And there ain't no fountain of youth
Each night when the day is through
I don't ask much

"I NEED TO KNOW IF THERE IS A LIFE AFTER DEATH AND I NEED TO KNOW KIND OF SOON"

2011-01-23T14:28:00.000-08:00

P.S. From the : "Strange and beautiful" website

Immortal Jelly

2011-01-19T18:47:00.000-08:00

There is a species of jellyfish which is able to go back in time and become young again. Read this:

"This species of jellyfish might be the only animal in the world to have truly discovered the fountain of youth. Since it is capable of cycling from a mature adult stage to an immature polyp stage and back again, there may be no natural limit to its life span. Because they are able to bypass death, the number of individuals is spiking. "We are looking at a worldwide silent invasion," says Dr. Maria Miglietta of the Smithsonian Tropical Marine Institute."

I wonder if the jelly has any memory of its previous life? If it would happen for humans imagine your parents got older sooner and then go back to their childhood again and you could see your dad as a little boy call you son/daughter. "No dad you can't have another ice cream", "that's enough mom no more cartoon for today"...

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee

2011-01-10T18:59:00.000-08:00

I shal not be there. I shal rise and pass. Bury my heart at Wounded Knee...
I read this book many years ago. One of the most touching book I've ever read. I Feel like reading it again.

GIRLS TALK

2011-01-02T09:06:00.000-08:00

I was 22. Finishing a term of English class which was everyday based. There were two of my classmates (all of the students are females) attract my attention. Every day they kissed and hugged and said nice things to each other like: "I missed you so much" and that so much missing refered to 24 hours that they didn't see each other. To me they should have been very close friends and probably knew each other for a good deal of time. One day one of these love birds didn't come and she didn't show up the day after and the day after so at the end of the day 4th teacher naturally looked at the other love bird and asked about her friend where abouts. She simply shrugged and said: "I don't know!". " "Well would you please call her?" teacher asked surprised by her indifferent reaction. "I don't have her phone number". She replied. "We can find her number from 118" (which is equal to 411 here in Canada) I said. "I don't know her last name". Right on that moment I was thinking about all those hugging, kissing, missing you so much scenarios everyday between those two but there even didn't know their last names. I was thinking what was with the freak show then.

I still have this question in my mind when I am seeing my female friends or acquaintances who just met or know each other for a short time and behave like they are friends of 100 years. This is different from being friendly this is more of a show. This is not like really care about each other this is simply is a fake show. The moment one of them is in trouble all those sweet words and hugging and kissing turns to indifferent behavior and things like "I didn't really know her". God I dislike these things.

Do men do the same?

Have you ever experienced that you are in a small group of female friends (I assume I am talking to girl mostly in this post) and suddenly for no reasons two or three of them start bounding by speaking in a way that you can't participate. You feel you are being pushed very delicately out of the circle. You watched them laughing, giggling talking in low voice like this is the most important secret of all. It's like a wave come and go and never last. Over an hour things might change and one of those who was trying to push you out , pushed out herself. It is nothing deep and not really bold enough that you can put finger on it. It's like a secret language between girls, you know, I know but we don't talk about it. We just play...God I dislike these things. I think this is a girly way to gain power and control..More people you bound with, more power and more control you have..But the things is this is not real power to me because the bounding is happening over a short period of time.

I learn one things if I have a friend that over and over again sending negative energy to me, if I have a friend that taking away my piece by playing and not being real, that person is not my friend. I want real things, when smiling at me, means that ..when you are upset show it to me..Aren't we girls complicated?..DON'T PLAY JUST DON'T

Happy new year

2010-12-29T07:47:00.000-08:00

We are in san diego, warm, sunny, and green. Blue pacific ocean with lazy seals laying along the shore, these tropical trees, and green ground are all haunting me. I am watching the news about snow strom happening at east part of the continent, burying cars, holding travelers in airports. I am not going back, I like it here :).
P.S. A picture is a Santa at the end of the Disney Parade

FRIENDSHIP

2010-11-06T05:32:00.000-07:00

Friendship can be simply made but to maintain the healthy relationship one need to make an effort all the time. It's a dynamic relationship. I am a friendly person myself I can easily initiate, also I'm easy to approach (well most of the time I guess). When you are making friends depends on the level of chemistry, similarities and harmony between the two persons involved that relationship can get closer or fail (obviously). I usually take my time to get to know people better before getting very close. Simply because as I get closer and closer I become attached emotionally. Thus if for any reasons after getting close the relationship doesn't work I'll get hurt. However you can never tell how much your relationship would work until you get close.

I think the best way to have a healthy relationship is:
1- try not to analyze/ interpret every details of your friends saying or actions (he said this so he means that, she did that so she meant this...this things just annoy you and lessen the joy of your friendship...I think women are more liable of doing too much analyzing ).
2- Another way is to be aware of your expectations; as we get closer automatically our expectations get higher. Some of those expectations might be absolutely unreasonable but because emotions get involved it's hard to control them.
3- Be liberal; don't try to own your friend simply accept that you friend has other friends and she/he can enjoy their friendship as much without making your friendship less valuable.
4- Try to keep the balance. If you are the type that caring and devoting a lot in your relationship there is a good chance that you end up disappointed. If you are the type that your friends mostly benefited you rather than you caring about them there is a good chance you will be cut off at some point and loose them.

As time passes you might upgrade, downgrade or delete your relationship; the last two are never easy.
There are few people in my life that I deleted or downgraded them for different reasons. The one that became possessive and controlling (rule#3), the one who was enjoying the free ride (rule#4), or the one who became weirdly needy (rule #2).

Life is too short , have an ice cream ;)

P.S.: A picture from here

...A human is a human being..

2010-10-30T09:48:00.000-07:00

In my 30 years of life I learned one things "a human is a human being". No matter how far we go, how hard we try to make a polish image of ourselves, at the end of a day we are simple naked ape with all instincts that other animals have: food, territory, mating, survival.. No matter how hard we try to show ourselves as saint or a bully we all have that naked ape inside, smiling at us.
I knew a girle, educated and from a good family who was in love with a skinny unemployed heroine addicted man for 3 years till the man die of overdose and a police found his body in a ditch.
I knew a successful businessman who had a lovely girlfriend for two years until that lovely girl realized he had a wife.
I knew a girl who was cheating on her husband for 6 years ; all of their close friends and her family knew about it until someone voluntiered to let the poor husband knew.
I knew a man who had a sex-addicted wife, slept with many of his cousins and he has no clue.
I knew a highly educated boy, funny, smart and sporty who one day for no reason decided to kiss a random girl's boobies in an elevator.
I've been surprised in a positive or negative way by people around me. I am sure all of us has some similar stories. At some point in my life I realized that I could never be able to know someone good enough so that he/she would never surprise me. At some point in my life I stopped making a certain image of people I meet in my life. I told to my self "a human is a human" and anyone can do anything. But to tell you the truth still I am being surprised once in a while. Then I am reminding myself "Hiva, a human is a human being".
You might be be surprised one day even by yourself.

Late Night Thoughts

2010-10-18T18:23:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I feel I am a leaf that strong wind drags me here and there. I can't stop it, I can't cling on anything; my hands are too slippery. I am just flying with this wind. Sometimes work takes over my life, from dawn to dusk. Right then I feel like being drown. Feel like a paralyzed person who can't stop and watch the flock of birds migrating and dream a little bit. Is it because I am a woman? Is it because I am Hiva?
I love working, I love being independent but you have to pay the price your freedom!
I love blogging and the fact that the gap between each post getting bigger and bigger upsets me. While working I am watching people around me and imagine writing about this and that incidents in here. When I am home I just can't put myself together to write. Blogging for me is Like praying..mediation..reviewing my day, reviewing my feeling..being honest with myself and spit it out in here..
List of things in my head...defense, car light engine which has been on forever, my family I haven't seen them more than a year...etc
Life is too short..I can live with a Mazda which its gas consumption is more that a SUV but I can't live without having my family in real term..something more than a voice through few phone calls or few photos through emails. I need a practical solution.

Field Experience and Extras ;)

2010-09-17T05:51:00.000-07:00

Today I am off but I have to work this weekend. I was working last Saturday too. We were drilling a borehole on one of the main street in Toronto city. When you are working on a road here, you have to be accompanied with traffic guys and a police officer for safety issue. I love this part, making aquintence with different poeple. In general drilling one borehole on a road means a team of drillers, engineers, trafiic guys and a police officer working together.
Some people pass with curiosity in their eyes, looking at the giant drilling rig with admiration or amazement. Some even come close and ask questions about what is going on. One time there were 3 lovely kids about 6-year old I think, with their mom. They were so amazed by the all thing that finally their mom ask me to explain for them what was going on. They were actually asked me serious questions for a 6-year old. Some people just pass totally indifferent like the giant rig which make lots of noises doesn't even exist.
There was one time that heavy rain started and finally after I got soaked to my skin I remember that I have umbrella. I brought my giant golf umbrella (no I don't play golf) and 3 of us including one of the drillers, a funny traffic guy and me sheltered under. There were quit gentleman and hold the umbrella. Right on that moment I was thinking I would never imagine standing under a giant umbrella soaked to the skin and chatting with a toothless traffic guy in orange uniform about my life story.

Man mucham

2010-09-02T19:15:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid there was this phrase that we used a lot "Man mucham" which was a childish slang for "I am out of the game for few minutes". Basically we used this phrase during a play when we needed to use a bathroom or we needed to tighten the loose shoe lace, or any kind of excuses. Back then no matter how hot the game was, no matter if we were at the peak of the serious game while someone said "man mucham" everybody give him/her a break.
These days I wish I could use this phrase in my real, grown up world. Hey everybody I know we are dealing with serious contract deadline, I know everyday is gold and we have no time to loose. I know we are talking about big big money but you know what "man mucham". I need to come out of this play, go home and hug my mom so tight , I need to go home and drown myself in my dad's arm. I miss my sisters, my brother, my niece, my home. I miss being their child.
I miss you guys, I really miss you..you have no idea

Getting There Soon

2010-08-22T14:49:00.000-07:00

It's been more than a month since I wrote in here. I am busy working, commuting, trying to graduate :D. I finalized my thesis. I applied all the comments from my supervisors. Now I am going to make 7 copies and mail to the dean of graduate office at MUN.

I should confess it took me so long because I was too lazy to keep my "A.." on the chair in the weekend and do the final touch. When you work full time it's just not easy to spend more time working behind your desk at home. believe me!

I love my job that's a good news. I do like my colleges of course everywhere there are some weirdos or jerks but as far as nice people dominants I'm happy. Summer is ending and I am still waiting for my parents to apply for visa which I have a feeling they won't just like last two summers. I missed my family GOD know how much and I can't just go and visit them anytime I want anymore. Unless I quite which is not that likely ;)

Nima is downstairs right now watching TV waiting for me to join him to prepare delicious dinner. What do we have for dinner? Well we are going to bake 1 lbs Halibut Fillet and cooked some rice spiced up with dills.
Bon Appetit :D (ok I confess we just watched this movies, July and Juliet, last night).

Sunday Evening Thoughts

2010-07-18T16:19:00.000-07:00

Nima left this morning. He'll be away for a week. I am sitting here trying to plan something for our coming long-weekend. This summer we managed to go to two camping trips. I love nature, makes me so tranquil. I am sitting here searching the Internet, reading through pages of this lovely book called "THE GEORGIAN BAY COAST" and trying to figure out where can we go. Most of the campsite area are full by now but I am trying our chances through B&B, motels, INNs. Georgian Bay is the sixth largest bay in Ontario with variety of landscapes all around. It's a perfect place for exploration through caves, underground water, snorkeling over 100 years old ship wrecks, canoeing, swimming, hiking, you name it.

At the age of thirty I am starving for being more and more active, more sporty more outdoor-y. I want to challenge myself, push my boundaries to learn new tricks before I get too old for that. There are so many sports that I wish I was good at it.

But it's not just sports, I like to establish few numbers of hobbies. Hobbies which say who I am. I am working on a list..Like a bucket list maybe. I like to make a list of places to be visited, list of things to be done, list of things to be tried at least. I like to dare a little..

My list definitely starts with:
Holding a Koala bear on my lap in Australia
Backpacking a striking trail somewhere in the world I want the whole package ocean/mountain in the view
Travel to the nice place with Behis (and of course Nima)

I am gonna close for now and go have dinner all by myself (self pity :)). It's embarrassing but I have to confess that I am scared to be alone at night. I have to leave a light on ..so much for being more adventurous :D

Happy Anniversary

2010-07-15T19:14:00.000-07:00

Today July 15th is the 5th anniversary of our (Nima and I) first meet. I remember 5 years ago this day, with a group of my friends and colleagues we went to a picnic out of town. It was a beautiful Fall called "Savashi" we went to. We were about 5-6 cars and we arranged to meet each other at the beginning of the trail. I noticed there were some new guys that I didn't know apparently they were my friends' friends. I went to them and introduced myself. My close friend's husband introduced Nima to me. We shook hands :D

Then our hike began. To reach to the fall we had to walk along the river. Water was so cool makes the hot summer weather tolerable. Sara another good friend of mine told me:
"Hiva do you know who Nima is?"
I already forgot which one was him. Sara pointed to a boy with cream shirt and blue cap who was walking a head of us.
"He is the older brother of our TA in Physics I"
"Is he?" I asked surprised. "They don't look alike at all"

Nima and I had small chats once in a while. He was concerned about his camera not getting wet. Gave me a tip how to carry my backpack properly so not to hurt my back. Asked me about my admission from MUN university. On that day I could never imagine in about a year and a half we would get married. I would never imagined that boy with a blue cap and a camera gonna be the one.

I guess that's life, a box full of hidden surprises. It's short and time's flying. Just try to enjoy every moment...

P.S In the picture you can find me in a colorful (mostly pink) scarf and mantue, posing to the camera with my friends. Savashi Fall is right behind us and Nima is at the left corner minding his camera :D

My Mind Entropy

2010-06-26T06:39:00.000-07:00

It's about a month that I haven't got any time to write in here. 6 weeks at work...god it's exhausting
Nima and I stretch ourselves as much as possible to accommodate more things to do, house keeping, cooking, hanging out with friends.
At first I was really stress out. I stayed more than 8 hours many days. I couldn't stop thinking about work even when I was home. I was home but I wasn't. Nima told me once "I want my wife back". He was/is absolutely supportive and he tried to show me how can I separate my mind the moment I step out of my office. Became conscious of myself I start controlling my thoughts.

To begin with I start to say goodbye to office right after 8 hours "Hiva no matter how close you are to finish it after 8 hours out just get out, unless your supervisor ask you to stay or the deadline is tomorrow morning"

"As you stepped out, stop reviewing your day, say goodbye to "Mr amazing B", "Mr A the great", "Ms. N the mother of 4" (I don't know how she does it, she is just amazing), "Mr. P junior", "Mr. H the buddy" and so on. Everybody out this place is closed for the next 16 hours."

"I am turning the radio on, increase the volume and sing with song (I'll do my best). I am coming home yeah, lets think about what can we do today, maybe hanging out with "Hooman the Encyclopedia", have an ice cream a little bit of walk and chat and enjoy the endless knowledge of Hooman in almost everything"

Sometimes "Mr J the serious" from work sneak into my mind "Hiva is it ready yet?" remind me of Bart in Simpson "are we there yet". No no stop right there, I can't let you ruin my day dear, goodbye till the next morning.

These mind struggling sometimes continue even in bed before I go to sleep or right after I wake up early in the morning. I really need to tranquil my mind. I don't know when was the last time that I have deep 8 hours of sleep and imagine I don't even have kid or key responsibility at work (I've just started there). I need to reach to that point not to get excited with every tiny miny things happening around me. I'll be there yeah baby I'll be there soon.

More on site experiments

2010-05-30T17:45:00.000-07:00

It's been two weeks since I've started my new job. I getting used to my situation gradually. Sometimes I wish everyday was 24 hours. Being on sites are exciting especially when the site is an intact piece of land with trees and everything. I meet with different people with different background. Most of the time I am the only girl on site and I noticed that drillers find me interesting. For them I am like an alien hanging out with them. Apparently there are not many girls on construction sites. Some time drillers became a little shy and try to use less "F word", some of them ask me a lot of questions like what I am doing there, or how old I am, etc. I want them to be comfortable with me. I don't want to act like boys, I wanna be myself but at the same time I don't want to be a "Sissy" doesn't want to get her hand dirty.

Field Experience

2010-05-19T19:14:00.000-07:00

Today was my 3rd day at work. I feel like someone who is thrown to the middle of the sea and does not know how to swim. I feel everybody rushed me into something. Everything is quite new to me, office, field, colleagues, and above all commuting. It can takes me easily more than an hour if I stuck in the traffic.
Site experience is very interesting, dealing with drillers, the traffic guy, workers, etc. Yesterday I was counting the number of "F word" one of the drillers used in a very short sentence. Yesterday I had a cookie with my hands full of dried dirt. I am still trying to catching up, I'm trying to wake up from my hybernation.
Things also changed alot for Nima, now he has more responsibility. He has to cook most of the time since he is home earlier than I am. He has to take a bus to work sine I am driving our car. We both come home exhusted and try to spent the last drop of our energy together.
I should get used to my new situation as soon as possible and try to spend less and less time in the car. I can't talk to my mom during a day anymore, We used to talk every other day for half an hour. All these changes have been overwhelming for me. I am keep telling to myself: breath Hiva, just breath

I still Like You

2010-05-12T12:33:00.000-07:00

Do you remember your first friend? Someone made you thrilled each time come to you for play. I clearly remember my first friend. Not just one of the gang we use to play all together no, some one who was more match with me than others. I was 5 or 6 when we met first. Our parents were close friends. She was exactly my age and her sister was the same age as my older sister. She too was fascinated with animals and her first favorite was dog. We had so much in common as a kid. We play all the time pretend to be different kind of animals like two squirrels climbing the sofa (which to us was a largest tree in our beloved imaginary jungle).

As we grow older we still found lots of things in common to talk about, we both liked detective novels and enjoyed talking about Sherlock Holmes and Poaro. Gradually around the age of 13 I realized we are changing and had less and less in common. To me she was changing a lot but then that's just one side of the story. We where at different school and found different companies. Lat time I saw her it was her 14 years old birthday party. That day was officially the last day of our friendship. We didn't have argue of any kind nothing we just simply stop calling each other. Like we both reach to this understanding that we are heading different ways and enjoying different circle of friends. I never saw her again and never even heard of her. But I always remebered her as a close friend. I am sure today if I met her again we should start knowing each other from scratch and there is a good chance to find a lot of unpleasant things about each other. But I remember her as a girl who loves animals and loves play with me all the time. I remember her with all those positive moments we shared.

Last year she added me on face-book. I accept her request and notice that she just started her face-book account (because she only had 9 friends in her friends list). That was a pleasant feeling to realize she too remembered me. I thought she opened her account and decided to search for her friends and I am in her top 10 to search for. I looked at her photos and searched for old her (child version of her) in those pictures. I know she is an artist now. I wrote a small note on her wall and that's pretty much it. A child inside me still smiling at her as a first friend.

Picture is from here.

Icepiration

2010-05-10T06:25:00.000-07:00

We are still practicing ice skating. Nima and I with couple of friends started it while ago and now we are all loving it. Although I am fully protected, I am still tense and lean forward all the time. It takes time for me to skate with no fears. Yesterday on ice I saw a Sikh man in his early 60th skating very smoothly and confidently. He was doing figure skating, turning around, going backward, smiling to everybody and chatting here and there. We talk to him afterward and realized that he started skating at 55 years of age. It was really inspiring. There was a girl only 17 months skating with her parents and she actually started it at 12 months.
Skating is really joyful, the sense of freedom, coolness of ice touching your face and a harmony with others. I am getting better :D

Hard Touch

2010-05-07T12:44:00.000-07:00

It was about a year ago, Nima and I visited Blue Mountain Village in Ontario. There was an educational exhibition about this little crocodile and a huge Python. Kids touched them with curiosity and some horror in their eyes. I didn't dare to get close, Nima told me the Python skin was so soft. No wonder some people loves to make stuff out of it..
Look at the third picture. There is a trace of blood under the crocodile teeth might be because of his jaws pressure. I guess we were kind of educational exhibition for him :)

Symbolic Sign

2010-05-04T11:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my supervisor sent me an email with his comments on the last chapter of the thesis. He wrote some encouraging words for me about the job I have done. Right aftre his email I recived another email from the prospective manager of the company I am going to join in less than two weeks.
It's kind of symbolic, isn't it? I am staring at two emails and I know as time passes one of them will gradually disappear from my book of life and another is starting to be part of it for a while. It sounds these days are my last few days of freedom. I hope in the future I still be able to spare some time to come here and write about my life story.

Bubbly world

2010-04-16T12:51:00.000-07:00

I had an interview today. I drove about 40 minutes and arrived an hour earlier at 9:00. I waited till 10 to 10 and then got in. The interview went very well and at the end the manager told me he will prepare the offer for me till the end of the next week.

I was happy and at the same time scared. the image they tried to show me was a little scarey. although I tried to have a realistic image about what I am expected to do there still I was scared. Basically at this time they want me to start from the very basic just like some one with bachelor. I have to go to sites around Toronto maybe 6 months to one year and supervise masculine workers. Workers who might find it so hard to listen to a girl like me. I have to prove myself to them and learn to be tough. The office is about 50 km away from home and I have no idea about the pay or benefits. I should wait to see the offer package to make my final decision. During interview both the manager and the experienced engineer tried to clarify that probably for the next few years I won't do any numerical analysis as I used to do for my PhD.

This is the real world.

Many of us live in a bubble with the wrong image from the real world, our ability and talents. When we are choosing a major at college how much we really know what we will become at the end? how much?
You ask a 7 year old kid what she/he wants to be! The answers are something like : I want to be a Dr, I wanna be an engineer, I wanna be a fire fighter, I wanna be a policeman...
Where do we get these ideas..sure TV, movies..makes everything looks dramatic, exciting, challenging, but not realistic...

I remember there was a TV series about highway patrols dealing with drug dealers, murderers, criminals every day which is totally a wrong image. Most of the time highway patrols fined ordinary car drivers like us for speeding. You watch a movie, shows some young, handsome engineers working at decent offices and think those engineers are probably sending at least one Apollo to the space every week. If movies tries to show you a realistic routine of each career, a routine that is the case for 80% of your time, the movie won't sell. Everybody loves drama..and that what you get, a wrong dramatic image and you ended up doing something you probably hate and so bored with.

But it's not only TV or movies even these companies website are totally exaggerating about their work atmosphere. Just go around and search some engineering websites. I bet in every single of these sites you'll read something like " we are leading engineering company, dealing with innovative challenging projects." What many of these company should write is " we are working on routine projects and every 10 years maybe a little new subjects pops up and makes us out of our comfort zone, so if you are someone with post graduate degree please don't bother to waste your time by applying for our company".

Seeding

2010-04-14T06:57:00.000-07:00

- Hi I am Ms. nobody, calling to follow up on my resume with Mr./Ms. somebody.
- Sure let me connect you
-This is Mr./Ms. somebody's voice-male. Please leave a message!

And I know this is a dead end...He is not going to return my call but I won't give up. That's a Law of Seed :D

I must admit the hardest part of finding job is "the following up" section. You are as a total stranger calling to another stranger to talk about your resume. You don't want to look annoying or desperate. A friend of mine pushed me to follow up my resume few days ago which totally put me out of my comfort zone. But that's a good sign. If you are out of your comfort zone it means you are making progress. It shows something has changed for you. I need to practice being out of my cosy zone. I didn't realize how much I made myself comfortable at home during last two years of long distance study. Things are about to change...

The Law of the Seed

2010-04-06T10:44:00.000-07:00

Andrew Matthew is one of my favorite authors. I read one of his books "follow your hear" about 6 years ago and I loved it. The book is simple but full of wisdom. here is part of his book which comes handy for me right now.

Nature has something to teach us here. It's telling us: "Most seeds never grow. So if you really want to make something happen, you had better try more than once."

This might mean:

You'll attend twenty interviews to get one job.

You'll interview forty people to find one good employee.

You'll talk to fifty people to sell one house, car, vacuum cleaner, insurance policy, idea.

And you might meet a hundred acquaintances to find one special friend...

Happy Norooz, Happy Spring

2010-03-16T06:27:00.000-07:00

After revolution in Iran many pop Iranian singers left the country. Many of them got together in LA and continued their singing despite all difficulties. Many of us inside Iran made parties, celebrated our Norooz, weddings, and birthdays with their songs illegally imported to Iran. This is one of the song that some of the famous Iranian pop singers got together and sang for spring in LA. I wish one day my people could freely get together in street of Iran, sing, dance and celebrate Norooz the way they like.

Hello Thirthies

2010-03-11T12:01:00.000-08:00

I am 29 years, 11 months and 20 days old which means I'll be thirty years old in just few days. I don't feel like it. Honestly, inside I am probably 15 years old.
I finished my twenties, god that was fast. That chapter of my life is closed. So many things happened in that chapter, starting and finishing my studies, coming to Canada, and getting married are the big ones.
I lost, I gained.. My dearest grandma passed away and my dearest niece was born.
I learned what "future is now" means. If you plan to do something or learn new stuff just do it right away don't say one day. Because it can happen that after 10 years you realize you haven't started it yet.
I confess that last few months it came to my mind a lot "turning to thirty". It's like I held number '2' with my hands not turn into '3'. I know it's not a big deal. Life is life like it or not the blue planet spinning fast dancing around the sun and no body can stop the time.
Spring is coming, so does Norooz . Happy spring everybody, Happy Norooz :)

P.S the picture above is me around 2 years old. I loved my dummy.

It's a Two-Way Street My Lady

2010-03-03T13:01:00.000-08:00

I read an article in Globe and Mail today about a Muslim woman who has recently immigrated to Quebec (Canada). She attended a french class with a black all-covering garment and a veil (niqab) on her face.

"The class was designed to encourage open conversation among immigrant students"

" She gave presentations from the rear of the classroom with her back to the class, which counted three men among 20 students. She even one day asked male students to move away from her. For one-on-one exercises, the woman would retreat to a corner with her female instructor"

Apparently after one term the instructor changed and there was a male teacher this time. Students sat around a U-shaped table and the teacher wanted to see everybody mouth to make sure they are pronouncicng the word correctly.

The Muslim woman of our story became so irritated, quite the French class and has launched a human-rights complaint against the province!!!!

It is so obvious that she was absolutely uncomfortable in that class who has only three male students, she was extremely irritated when a teacher asked her to show her mouth so that he can help her to improve her pronunciation. I don't understand why someone like her would wish to live in Quebec in first place. She is from Eygept (according to the newspaper) and as far as I know Egypt is a nice country with decent economy situation no war. Isn't she more comfortable to stay where she can freely wear her niqab and not be annoyed by the presence of male classmate?

What bothering me is that why on earth some one like her thinks it's OK to immigrate to a new country and expect, that country totally bend to her satisfaction but she can just stay as rigid as she likes.NO IT'S A TWO-WAY STREET PEOPLE. I think that male students have a right to complaint about her because she treated them like they have fatal contagious diseases or something. That must be embarrassing for them when she told them to get away from her. what the hell she thought they might do to her? practicing french? oh that's bad. It's ok for her to insult others because of her "beliefs" but it's an unforgivable act if her teacher ask her to uncover her mouth so that he can correct her. Have some tolerance for god sake!

These stuff really irritates me. Because I think someone like her considers all of those who are not Muslims or even those who are moderate/normal Muslims as infidels. I can't be sure that someone like her would be tolerant toward others who are tolerant toward her.

Wake up for god sake, if your beliefs makes you hate other human beings because they are not like you, you are screwed you got it all wrong. Your practice is supposed to make you a better person, someone who loves and spreads kindness not some one who easily filled with hate. Your religion is a tool to help you to reach to your goals it's not a goal itself.
The pic is from here.

P.S There was an update to the story of this Egyptian lady at the French class. She was upset with all this publicity and apparently the article didn't said the whole story and it was intentionally written in a way to show her as a freak fundamentalist. I am sure she is like any other woman, a mom of three who wants to interact. I know just a piece of black garment don't make her less human. I think we need to interact much more than this to stop judging each other.

Battle of Daf and Tombac

2010-02-27T08:15:00.000-08:00

Mastano-Homay is one of my favorite Persian traditional music bands (one of the few :D). Here is a piece of their song which is a battle of 'Daf' and 'Tombac'. I love it. Here you can listen to the complete version of this song.

Just another Wednesday

2010-02-24T13:19:00.000-08:00

Today Canadian hockey team will play versus Russian. TV channels are trying to make a big drama out of this event: Canada versus Russia, Crosby versus Ovechkin. I learned about hockey here in Canada and started to like it. Now I am a big fan of Penguins and my favorite player is Malkin.

It's been 7 weeks since we started learning ice skating. It has been so much fun till now. I am gliding now of course I still have a long way to go, to glide at high speed and with comfort but I am doing it. Nima is better than me I should say.

These days I am just preparing resumes, cover letters, and list of potential connections, etc. I borrowed bunch of books from the library about how to write resume, how to do interviews, etc. But I know at the end it's all about the good connections and networking. It does not matter how knowledgeable I am if I don't know how to present myself how to sell my skills how to advertise for myself. I am a little shy to approach to strangers in conferences and introduce myself just for networking. But I'll get over it. Wish me luck!

I know I don't know

2010-02-11T07:35:00.000-08:00

Last night with some of our very good friends we engaged in hot discussion about God, organized religions, purpose of universe, etc..We were five.
Two of our friends were more certain that there is probably no God and religions do no good to humans and we better off without it. These two friends of mine reach to this conclusion that we don't know how we are here what happened before the big bang. But we know we are alive so lets live our live happily. They accept that one day we will die just like all other living creatures on earth and that's pretty much the end of it. No promise of heaven no threaten of hell...
Another friend of us was a big fan of reincarnation. He believed he can explain everything with that. He gave an example that if there is a child in Africa who was born in poor conditions and lives his/her short life in pain, this is a consequence of his/her Karma and it's necessary to pass this stage for better and purer sole next life till become God, at the end of his/her journey. He even said that the child might have been an ant in his/her previous life and now he/she is in better condition that being an ant which is lower and inferior in evolution chart. I personally don't agree with this kind of comparison between an ant and a poor starved African child. Why being an ant is worse than being a starved child?
I personally don't know the answer of these questions. I don't know if God exist, if there is anything after death , if our sole flies through lives to be God, if there is a heaven or hell. I know I am here, I can love I can hate I can wish..These are the facts I am living with. I can't fool myself with beautiful stories which has no proof. I don't know the answers of so many questions but I don't even insist to find the answers. It's useless to force yourself to come up with definite answers for very basic questions like if God exist or not? if the universe has a purpose?
I wish God exist, I hope the universe has a purpose but that's all. I don't know more I just don't know!
All five of us were agreed that at the end every single person should find the answer that match his/her taste. If you are feeling good with this or that idea if it works for you go ahead. Just live your life happily and don't force your ideas on others. I don't like it when people are so certain of their beliefs and start judging you and preaching you that why you don't practice what they believe in. I don't like it when people closed their mind to any new possibilities that might question their believes.
I love Socrates. To me he is one of the wisest human ever lived, only because he knew he knew nothing of ultimate importance and didn't pretend otherwise.
The pic is from here.

Szerelem (Love)

2010-02-09T08:20:00.000-08:00

I heard this song from The English Patient movie. I love folk songs no matter what language they are. The singer is Marta Sebestyen, Hungarian folk singer.

Self Discovery

2010-02-04T13:24:00.000-08:00

I finally finished my thesis and waiting for my supervisors to make comments. Meanwhile I started looking to see what' out there for me.
It's funny, all my life I wanted to be where I am right now. I wanted to get my PhD (literally I haven't got it yet) and be an academic person. Now that I am so close I don't like the academic life at all. I don't want to be a university teacher (at least not right now) and nothing else excites me either. Only few years ago "teaching at university and one day become a prof." was a big deal to me. Now I don't like that perspective. I don't know what I really like either.
I am asking myself what's next? What do you want to do? Where do you want to be in 5 years? I have no answers. I am confused.
Working in industry is another option but then there are not that much industrial companies who need post grad thus there is a good chance that after a while I felt bored with my job with no challenges.
I used to be very motivated and ambitious in a good way...Maybe all of us once in a while at certain age have these kind of dilemmas like what I am doing at all?, is it my dream job? Am I ok retired from this?.
when we are a child our head became full of heros stories and people who change the world which have big influence on us: when I grow up I want to be somebody , a hero , a genius, a world saver...But non of these are realistic goals. As we grow older we come up with more realistic goals but something secretly inside us still wish to be that famous hero.
What I need is a realistic evaluation of my abilities and interests.
I need to think..yeah I need to think

Dizziness

2010-01-20T14:27:00.000-08:00

I have this strange head-lightness all day long today. It started yesterday morning, got better during a day and then came back again this morning. I feel slightly imbalance. It's not like I am going to pass out but something is not right.
Nima and I searched the web. There are list of potential reasons: dehydration, low blood pressure, ear problem or even eye problem. I started drinking lots of water, some tea, some sugar, honey, lime juice and salt none of these working on me today. I read on web that one of the reasons for this might be siting behind the computer for long hours. well I do sit behind my computer at least 8 hours a day and to be honest if that's a case I don't know how can I stop my dizziness then. That's my life, I am an analyst!! get used to it body :)
Anyway I am going to see a doctor tomorrow and will update this post. Since I found so many people with the same symptoms as mine on the web this post might be helpful to them.

This is an update: apparently for my case in was related to ear. Dr said it's nothing important and would be gone in few days. I am back to normal after 6 days. I am a cat with her whiskers again :D

Learning to Walk

2010-01-07T18:10:00.000-08:00

Today Nima and I took our first class for ice skating. With shaky legs and small steps we were like kids trying their first steps. Before our class started the ice was full of children witthin the age of 4 to 7. They were skating like they born to do so. Our friend was joking that we are 20 years late. But late is better than never.
I want to be positive. instead of keep nagging about the cold weather I want to make the best out of it. Living in Canada necessitates doing winter activities. Learning Hockey is next on our list :).

Happy Yalda Night

2009-12-21T14:20:00.000-08:00

Yalda night belongs to anybody who loves it and celebrates it. Where ever you are, what ever nationality you are entitled to HAPPY YALDA NIGHT. All who lives in northern hemisphere have a long, deep and sweet sleep tonight.

Lonely Ape

2009-12-11T04:57:00.000-08:00

In Iran about 50-60 years ago (I'm not sure) it was more common to see a big family all lived together. The houses were usually big enough to accommodate several families including dad and mom and their sons with their families, their daughters with their husband and children. Every couple had their own bedroom but share the kitchen, hall and the rest of the house with others. Of course there was more friction and argues but I bet they felt less lonely than us in modern society.

As time passed we asked for more privacy we wanted to be more and more independent. Noways barely any couples live with their parents or in-laws in the same zip code let alone a house. It has it's advantages, less friction is one of them and of course more privacy but don't we feel more lonely? We humans are social creatures , we need to be in close relation with other, we need to live in a group. That's why cities formed.

In small town that everybody knows each other, people walk in street and say hello and smile more often. The bakery probably knows you, the lady working in a coffeehouse knows you. But why in big cities saying hello in street is so weird and unwelcome?

We pass each other on a street and pretend we are alone, by avoiding eye contact and making our self busy with a cellphone. We share small space in elevator or bus stops with several others but we act like nobody exist. We engage our self with different piece of technology or bury our head in a newspaper reading the boring articles like this is a literature masterpiece why? just to say "I'm too busy to notice you are standing right next to me? or I am too busy playing on my cellphone to have a nice friendly chat with you?"

Isn't that weird? This is in our blood! we are social creatures! The modern human acting against it's nature. Technology doesn't help at all if you ask me, just increases this gap between us everyday. If we used to go to somebody house to say hello, first telephone make it easier to call ( voice contact rather than physical contact ) and then e-mail makes it even easier :virtual contact. I'm not saying today nobody goes to his/her friends house or call but the trend worries me!

The pic from here.

Lazy Girl Repellent

2009-11-29T11:57:00.000-08:00

I feel, a big fat lazy girl recently nested in my head, slowing me down. Any suggestion how to get rid of her? Maybe I should go for BUNGEE.

Daddy's Sweet Milestone

2009-11-17T07:04:00.000-08:00

thousand and thousands of books on wooden shiny shelves; I am running through narrow corridors made by several book cases; playing hide and seek; I am 8 or 9. I loved the place I still do "daddy's library".
As far as I remember my father was always there all the afternoon till 9:00 pm, writing, reading working passionately. The library got bigger and bigger through the years right now he has more than 20,000 volumes in there. Some of the books are quite old, he bought them when he was a teenage boy.
As the time passes he became more interested toward the history first the world's and after that Iran's. He did a handsome of research first by a group of 8 to 10 other writers with similar passions and interests. The group worked together for almost 12 years before they broke up. I remember the up-stair floor used to be dad's library. For several years my mom did her best to keep the house quiet enough not to distract the group of researchers working with my dad on a book called "Encyclopedia of Biographies". When the first volume came out it became the book of the year. But the group didn't last long after that, one of the writers who happen to be a close friend of my dad betrayed his trust. He secretly copied all the Bios the group had been gathering for the years and left. My dad with several other member of the group tried hard to prove he stole the data but they couldn't.
After that heart breaking incident my father sail the boat alone. My mom was always supportive and encourage him to follow his passions. My father gradually became more and more interested in an Iranian historian called "Beyhaqi". He went through his book "Tarikhe Beihaghi" which is the history of Iran in the 11th to early 12th century. He gathered information about every single person named in the book and found out a lot of new things about people who were mistaken before with some other men. It took him several years to complete his book considering the fact that the research part is his passion not a job . Today my father's book is published. I know how much in means to him.
They had a small celebration back home, I wish I could have been there. Dad I am so proud of you. I hope your book find the place it deserves.

The more you cheat the more I make money

2009-11-06T09:24:00.000-08:00

I just read a very controversial article on Globe and Mail on line. The article introduce Noel Biderm the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at AshelyMadison Agency. Believe it or not the website is for married people who wants to have an affair. Noel is also the writer of the book called "Cheaters Prosper".

I entered the website, this strange quote caught my eyes "Life is too short , have an affair".
These are the facts about this agency:
1- The website has been operating for 8 years now and have over 4.8 million members.
2- The ratio of the men to women are 70 to 30.
3- The men tend to be between 35-60 years old, while women come in two distinct groups: married 30-50 and single 20-30 years old.
4- There are many single women on the site who are looking to be with an attached man for their own personal reasons

He was available on-line today to answer people's question. During the on-line debate Noel was saying that he himself is faithful to her wife and he is just providing facilities for those who are already cheating but through his website it's become easier (plus he is making money out of it).

He believes that divorced is not a choice for everyone, there are family, extended family, financial, and a whole host of other foundations to a marriage - at least by having an affair the person can recharge him/herself.

What really bothering me is that: in a nutshell this man is a business man and he makes more money as more people cheat on their partner. please note that he is not encouraging people to have open marriage, no he encourage them to have an affair. He does not simply accept the fact that this is all about money. He is trying to justify that what he is doing is good for mankind. He is saying that "The research from geneticists is more clear - it is not in our DNA to be monogamous"!!!!

Not in our DNA? Actually I don't think this kind of social agreements has anything to do with our DNA. Is it in Arab Saudian's DNA that a man can have four women. I don't think so!

I believe instead of encouraging people to have an affair, it's better to encourage them not to rush to get married. No one put a gun on our head to marry (at least not in North America). If someone think staying with only one person for his/her entire life is a torture, fine! stay out of it; have an open relationship. I could understand if someone has open marriage because it's not cheating anymore both side are adults and agree on a new form of social agreement. But Noel makes money by encouraging people to cheat.
One more thing, if someone after a while for whatever reasons feels his/her marriage does not work get divorced.

I don't believe that cheating on your partner can save your marriage. The moment you cheat your marriage is literally ended and it's useless to stay in that misery . I mean what kind of marriage is that when you have to cheat to save it.

Moment of peace

2009-11-04T13:57:00.000-08:00

Laying next to him, resting my head on his left arm; my left hand around him, I'm listening to his breath. Nothing else matters for now. We have each other, forget about everything else (job, thesis, etc). Life is beautiful..Life is...Life...L

European spice of downton Toronto

2009-11-03T07:25:00.000-08:00

If you are living around Toronto one of the very nice place to hang out is Distillery District. The place used to be the largest distillery in downtown Toronto, founded in 1832. Today the place becomes one of the first only pedestrian village and the city’s only historic district. It has brick lined streets with the European piazza charm. You can find several art galleries, restaurants and cafes inside.

With some of our friends we visited the area last weekend. There was a chocolate maker shop called SOMA. The place is very cosy and nice but you should taste the chocolate over there. I have never had such delicious chocolate in my life. We tried few truffles: Bergamot, Espresso crisp and Douglas Fir. I can't get over it. The taste was magical, the taste of fresh coca bean and charming spices added to the truffles. Absolutely lovely and 100% recommended if you can get there... We bought spicy Mayan hot chocolate to make some at home. I'm looking forward to taste this Mayan elixir :D

Thirsty Soul

2009-10-15T19:31:00.000-07:00

Dragging my thirsty exhausted soul, leaning on my shoulder, I am passing through a hot desert; hallucinating. Is that water? Come on buddy you can make it.
She is thirsty. She is tired but not hopeless neither do I. I don't know what she wants but I know what she doesn't want.
Come on my thirsty soul. I will find you the magical elixir. The elixir which fulfills your thirst, your hunger. Come on, come with me, just few steps more...
Come on my restless soul even if I have to make 1000 potions I'll find out what you want. I'll try anything to return the passions you used to have.
I will cheers you up, help you prosper again... I'll find the elixir, don't you give up on me..don't!

Waiting for a job opening

2009-10-14T12:34:00.000-07:00

If there is an opening for "Part time animal's baby huger" please let me know. I have a strong resume for your information.
- With more than 10 years experience in hugging different dog's cubs even occasionally feeding them when their mommy was not around.
- Also I have a passionate attempt to raise 5 sparoow chicks whose mother abandoned them after our gardener found her nest behind an old window's cover.
- One in a life time experience in hugging a large crow as big as myself (at the age of 6/7)
- and finally hugging chickens, lamb, colt, rabbits, kittys are only a fraction of my capabilities
Any Koalas', Polar bears', Foks', Lemurs' babies out there, feels lonely I'm here for you :D

It's October 8th

2009-10-08T14:49:00.000-07:00

It's Nima's birthday. He is talking to two of his friends called him from Iran to say happy birthday. Nima have some special friends that I love them all so much. They know each other from teen years. When Nima left Iran, these friends every year on October 8th went to Nima's parents place to celebrate his birthday. Every year for about 8 years they never stop that visit on October 8th. This year that Nima's parents are not in Iran they call him instead. This is true friendship, strong, reliable and heartwarming.
I wish Nima have these wonderful friends in his book of life for ever.
Happy Birthday Sweetheart

More Photos of Prince Edward Island

2009-10-07T13:47:00.000-07:00

One of the interesting feature about PEI was its red sandstone cliffs. The red cliff in composition with green grass and blue water makes it just magical...
P.S. Picture are all taken by Nima

Trip to Prince Edward Island

2009-10-07T13:28:00.000-07:00

Green Gables (PEI)

The house that inspired L. M. Montgomery

Anne Shirley's room

Prince Edward Island is one of the most scenic places I've ever seen. Green island surrounded with blue ocean, with colorful farms makes it just like a perfect painting. I loved driving along the island passing trough small hills painted in yellow, orange, green...
We visited Green Gables the birth place of L. M. Montgomery the writer of Anne of Green Gables. There was a house decorated in a way to visualize Ann's house as described in book. At gift shop it was all about Anne, dolls in different sizes, the book, several DVDs, fridge magnets,etc. We didn't have that much time but the best thing to do is to stay there for a night and rent a bike , go around the island, maybe next time ;)
P.S. Pictures are all taken by Nima

Trip to Nova Scotia

2009-10-06T14:11:00.000-07:00

Peggy's Cove (Nova Scotia)

Lighthouse rout - Peggy's Cove

Lunenburg (Nova Scotia)

Here are some photos from around Halifax in Nova Scotia. We rented a car and drove along the lighthouse trail. On the way we first made a quick visit from the Peggy's cove, a small community of 50 depends on fishing mainly. At bays you could see numerous lobster traps, pretty colorful boats tied along the cove. We visited the Peggy's cove lighthouse point you can see in one of the photos.
After Peggy's we headed to Lunenburg. This city was founded in 1753 and was recognized as UNESCO national heritage site in 1995. The city is built on a slope with overview to the ocean. Colorful houses were the very first things that catch our eyes. We had lunch over there , delicious Haddock fish . Also I am not really a fan of seafood, but I did love the taste of fresh fish.
The weather was rainy and we didn't have a chance to walk along the city. Pretty rocky harbor around Nova Scotia actually reminded me of Newfoundland.
Back in Halifax we visited Maritime museum of Atlantic, very informative visit actually. There we took a tour inside a small survey ship which was being used until 1970. There were tiny shabby rooms for the captain and other staff, narrow gloomy halls for entertainment and socializing, small kitchen with one cook for 60 people on board which all showed harsh environment to leave in for days on sea. I don't know about now days but back then working in a navy wasn't fun at all.
P.S. Photos are all taken by Nima.

Say hello from Halifax :)

2009-09-23T13:39:00.000-07:00

I'm in Halifax in a Hotel's business center checking my e-mails and posting on my blog of course. There was a conference, finished today which I attended. The conference went well, I met one of my colleagues from the University of Tehran. I haven't seen him since I left Iran and it was quite pleasant to catch up.
Tonight Nima will join me here and we will go around the city for the next few days. Nova Scotia has beautiful surrounding nature which reminds of Newfoundland. The Halifax itself is much like St. John's but bigger with some taller buildings. One of the places I am excited to visit is Prince Edvard Island. Back in Iran I used to watch two TV series: Anna of green gables and Road to Avonlea both were made in Prince Edward Island. I remember how much I was impressed with the beauty of the island.
Anyway we will back in few days and I'll post some photos from the nature around here.

Passion or Love

2009-09-20T12:48:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we watched the movie "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" with a friend. It's a good movie, what you would expect from Woody Allen. It's about the love, passion, marriage, relationship. There was part of the movie that a middle age wife who was cheating on her husband was confessing 'she loves her husband but she is not in-love with him'. The idea of the movie was to show a life of good couples who are each normal people but there is not enough passion between them.

From wikipedia : Passion is an intense emotion compelling feeling, enthusiasm, or desire for something.

If you ask me passion can be a strong motivation for two persons to start serious relationship but it's not enough to build up long-term relationship and it's definitely no guarantee that the relationship will work. When two persons attract to each other at the beginning everything sounds very passionate. But as time passes when they know each other much better the passion replaced with real love if the two matched. Everyone might have his/her own definition of love. For me true love is not based on temporary passions comes and goes like a wave, it's a deep feeling you have for someone based on real knowledge of each other. It's a feeling you have for someone you can't live without.

Some people are a loner, they love to be free and live without the idea of committing to a single person. They keep the relationship as far as the passion is high and when it goes down the relationship is dead for them. But for those who are looking for long-term relationship, passion is just one of the required ingredients to build up healthy relationship. You might attracts to someone but also you couldn't stand staying with him/her under one roof for more than a week. Attraction/chemistry is something you need to initiate the relationship but for a life-time relationship you need something deeper than initial and temporary passions. You need to really love your partner the way he/she is, not the way you are imagining him/her.

What I want to say is that don't mix passions with love, you can love somebody deeply but your heart beat doesn't rise up or your cheeks blush every single day you see your partner. It dose not mean you guys have problem or that's the end of the relationship. Visa verse it could means you guys pass the initial phase of the relationship and now with your feet on the ground you have something deeper and more meaningful.

If you want to know someone...

2009-09-07T19:24:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure you heard this saying "if you want to know somebody go on a trip with him/her". This is really true, I wonder why is that?
It might take years to know someone but traveling is like a shortcut . You learn a lot about your friends on a 10-day trip but you might not learn as much during a year of friendship.
You learn how flexible, tolerant, considerate your friends are. How much they can be easygoing? How selfish they might be to ignore you and act as they are on their own and you don't exist?
When you are going on a trip by yourself, you are free to do what ever you want (obviously) but when you are traveling with couple of people, it is very important to be cooperative. To be considerate enough to let everybody enjoy the trip. Try to learn about their needs and share yours to come up with the best solution for the entire group.
You need to listen and speak up both otherwise there is a good chance that you become (if you don't listen) pushi and boss your friends around all the time or (if you don't speak up) ends up being ignored all the time. Balance is everything.
This summer I had a chance to have short trips with different groups of my friends. I learn a lot about myself and them. Some of my findings are quite surprising :))

Fat man misery point

2009-08-23T04:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, early in the morning Nima and I headed to Blue mountain region close to Geargian Bay. It's about 1:30 hours drive from Toronto.
Georgian bay is one the most scenic part of Ontario. It's vast and all around it has something to offer. The part we visited yesterday, town of Blue Mountain, has the largest facilities for skiing in Ontario. There is a 126m long suspension bridge close to the town which gives fabulous view over Georgian bay .

Close to the bridge there were several caves really unique. one of the caves had a point called 'Fat man misery point'. The character of that point was it's narrowness, we had to pass through a very narrow space around 36 cm wide.
Along the caves trail, there was a huge rock on which Indian chief used to hold their secrete meetings. One of the rocky wall along the trail, naturally formed in a way that resembles an Indian chief. Can you recognize that?

1000 Island more photos

2009-08-13T05:56:00.000-07:00

Maybe the Bold castle caretaker building :)

Another luxurious cottage on one of the islands

One of the island, the owener made a beautiful deck and boat launch

People Camping at one of the island

1000 island from Sky Deck overview

1824 islands and not even one is mine :))

2009-08-12T18:53:00.000-07:00

Couple of weeks ago, there was a long weekend thus Nima and I planned a two-day trip to the city of Gananoque. We stayed at a cosy motel for a night. Our trip started with little excitement when right before getting on a cruise, we realized that I left my purse in a Tim Horton 100 km back in BellviLle. I called three possible Tim at Bellville and none of them could find my purse. There was no way to stay, we had to go back. All of my credit cards, driving license, student cards, insurance cards, my cellphone, camera and house key was in there. I called my cellphone several times and there was no answer.
We changed our cruise ticket from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm and headed back to Bellville. I was sure someone stole my bag. In my mind I started reviewing what I should do next: cancel my cards, make requests for driving license, insurance, student card again, change the house lock, cancel the motel reservation for the night and go back home...
When we finally got there, I couldn't believe my eyes. My bag was hanged from the chair, just the way I left it. Apparently everyone who came in thought this seat is taken and the owner of the bag is ordering coffee or something. It was such a relief.
We return to Gananoque and took two-hour cruise along the 1000 island (actually 1824 island). Every piece of land surrounded by water and has at least one three is considered as an island.
the first photo shows two islands, one belong to Canada and another to US, the bridge between the two is the shortest international bridge between the two country.
You can also see the beautiful Boldt castle. Apparently a rich man (George C. Boldt) built this castle for his wife. There was a small island very close to Blodt castle island with a cosy house on it, our tour guide told us that George Boldt built this just-enough cottage for his mother-in-law.
There is a SkyDeck in Gananoque , 130m (400') long, which gives you a fabulous overview of the area. You can see more photos from our trip in the next post.

Zeus is angry

2009-08-09T18:35:00.000-07:00

There are thunders one after another, make the sky at 10:00 pm like a sunny day. It rains heavily and strong wind spread the rain everywhere. I can hear the sound of ambulance from outside. We have such a strange summer in Mississauga with temperature below the average almost all the time and heavy rains at least two days a week. It's nothing like Toronto summer. I can feel the strength of this thunderstorm, each time it roars, the ground beneath me shake a little. Someone got on Zeus's nerve :)
The photo is from here.

Bella ciao

2009-07-29T10:35:00.000-07:00

One morning I awakened

Oh Goodbye beautiful, Goodbye beautiful, Goodbye beautiful! Bye! Bye!

One morning I awakened

And I found the invader

Oh partisan carry me away

Oh Goodbye beautiful, Goodbye beautiful, Goodbye beautiful! Bye! Bye!

Oh partisan carry me away

Because I feel death approaching

And if I die as a partisan

(And if I die on the mountain)

Oh Goodbye beautiful, Goodbye beautiful, Goodbye beautiful! Bye! Bye!

And if I die as a partisan

(And if I die on the mountain)

Then you must bury me

Bury me up in the mountain

(And you have to bury me)

Oh Goodbye beautiful, Goodbye beautiful, Goodbye beautiful! Bye! Bye!

Bury me up in the mountain

(And you have to bury me)

Under the shade of a beautiful flower

And the people who shall pass

(And all those who shall pass)

Oh Goodbye beautiful, Goodbye beautiful, Goodbye beautiful! Bye! Bye!

And the people who shall pass

(And all those who shall pass)

Will tell me: "what a beautiful flower"

(And they will say: "what a beautiful flower")

This is the flower of the partisan

(And this is the flower of the partisan)

Oh Goodbye beautiful, Goodbye beautiful, Goodbye beautiful! Bye! Bye!

This is the flower of the partisan

(And this is the flower of the partisan)

Who died for freedom

If I win a lottery...

2009-07-24T11:34:00.000-07:00

If I win a lottery, I will save some of it for traveling with these experts around the world!!!

National geography travel section has several delicious travel programs, like a trip to the heart of Africa or to the far far away land of Antarctica to watch emperor penguins, or 12-day adventure on New Zealand’s South Island (how about that)

But everything has a price, if you can spare $60,000 , get ready for your 24-day trip around the earth in a privet jet :)

Bravo My Proud Iranian Fellows

2009-07-17T08:04:00.000-07:00

I'm following the news from Iran like so many other of my Iranian friends everyday. God knows how proud I am. I am proud of you guys, for your mature act and behavior in response to savageness , darkness and cruelty . I am proud of your sincerity and braveness.
Despite all those limitations, how this mature, wise, brave, open minded, aware generation formed? Guys I am so proud of you!!!
Democracy can't be given to any nation as a gift. Democracy is a goal to be reached to. every nation has to pass the path to democracy on their own feet. There is no free ride. If we don't feel the necessity of having a freedom of speech/act with our skin, democracy won't come or if it comes easy through outsiders interference it will go easy and won't last.
I remember my math teacher back in high school used to say: "If I solve 100 problems for you; you won't learn as much as you solve 1 problem by yourself"
My people are solving a hard problem of "how to reach to real democracy" these days. God Bless you All
Be safe and sound

Hanna beats Barbie

2009-07-08T17:16:00.000-07:00

I remember two years ago when I came back to Iran, I found out that my niece (Ava) loves Barbie. This time I asked her what she like me to bring to her. I remember the conversation.

-Do you know Hanna Montana, Aunt Hiva? (She asked me)

- No, who is she honey? (I answered and at the same time googled the name)

- She is a singer and actress. Can you buy her latest movie for me please?

- Sure, sure, I’ll bring it to you sweetie!

I bought one of her latest DVD for Ava and also a book of her lyrics and some shirts. Ava is so into her when Hanna is on TV we literally can’t talk to Ava; she simply can’t hear you :).

She is not that interested in Barbies any more. One day I went to her room and noticed there are plenty Barbie girls around.

-Ava! why so many? (I asked her)

- Dad and mom and my friends bought these for me

It seems during last year every person who wanted to gave her a gift found a Barbie girl as the safe option, but apparently it’s not the best choice anymore.

Ava’s Barbies in different sizes and dresses amazed me, I put them all together and took some pictures. Can you find the lucky Barbie boy???

Coming back to normal life

2009-07-06T11:56:00.000-07:00

I came back from Iran.
So many things that I probably won't talk about, so many images that I would never forget.
Iran I went to is not the same country that I left. Something happened, I don't know how long it will take but change is on its way...

Nima and I arrived home late at night, we took a sleep pill and went to bed. Yesterday we tried to rest; had a little shopping , checking e-mails, doing some laundry, yeah we returned to our normal life.

Today I am trying to catch up. I made a note for myself before I left home month ago so that when I came back I knew what I'm supposed to do for the research. It's a big help believe me.

The weather is so nice, around 20 degree It is not like Toronto summer at all. I'll write more about my trip as soon as I catch up a little.

ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL ; BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS

2009-06-19T04:43:00.000-07:00

I believe one of the hardest thing for humans is to have power but not to fall in love with it. The ring of power lures us, not everyone can be a ring bearer.

Asking for change, fighting for equality, coming to power, falling in love with it, becoming a dictator is a repetitive story of our time

Poooooooh

2009-06-13T00:40:00.000-07:00

It's hopless

I'm Home

2009-06-08T06:20:00.000-07:00

I'm home (my parent's place actually). The weather here in Shahi (northern city of Iran in beautiful Mazandaran) is perfect. I'm catching up

Presidential election is in few days. Everyone talk about it. Presidential debate between four remaining candidates are on. People excitedly talk about it and sending funny SMS (text), making jokes,..

I watched all debates by curiosity, this type of debate between candidates are kind of new. The only thing stunned me was the way Ahmadinejad defended his performance during last four years. Iran from his point of view is:

One of the most powerfull country in the world :O

Our people are totally happy and inflation and recession does not affect Iranian as much as it affects other people around the globe :O

Rate of unemplyment is decreasing :O

He is showing fake graphs to prove Iran have positive economy growth. I am still shocked. How could he do this!!!!

I don't know if he is more a lair or a delusionary. I can't believe it, he tells big big lies right into camera to 70 million people.

All three other rivals called him a lair but he aggressively attacked them and accused them of trying to frame him because he was honest and was doing right things.

I am not living in Iran but how can I be reluctant toward my country mates and all those who I love and are living here.

Iranian deserve better than this. God how would you feel watching poeple whose foreheads are marked by long and frequent prays for you and lying , insulting, cursing ...

Election is getting closer and closer, I just hope Iranian don't be misled by all theses confusing signals and make the best choice. Please Do :)

A Trip In a Glance

2009-05-29T04:51:00.000-07:00

Kissing Nima goodbye
Having 1 hour delay in flight to St. John's
Settling down in MUN grad lab with my suitcase ;)
Texting to Nima
Having dinner with Eily and Ashkan my lovely friends
Meeting Shawn, my supervisor from 9 to 12
Talking to Nima on the phone
watching my supervisor gorgeous twins, surrounded in the most colorful toys
Calming my mom on the phone after a bad dream my younger sister had about me
Having a good laugh with 15 Iranians of MUN at UC
Catching up with close friends
Wishing a friend having fun at Hawaii
Solving middle east and the world problems after having delicious dinner
Counting 10000 sheep after a late night tea
watching pretty Asian girl having extra large coffee for the breakfast
Meeting my British smart supervisor early in the morning, talking about 'English got talent' show
Reading an article that Harper government is going to sell another company
Hiking a long way with Eily
Licking an ice cream while my friends are talking
Talking to Nima before sleep
Counting another 10000 sheep
Blogging Friday morning in grad lab
going to have presentation in the afternoon

Are some of my latest St. John's trip highlights...

An Accident!

2009-05-21T18:36:00.000-07:00

Monday early in the morning I have a flight to St. John's. I had some last minute shopping, thus Nima drove me to the nearby mall. The initial plan was that he drop me off at mall and head to gym himself. Right before he dropped me off I saw an old man trying to sit on a flat stone, suddenly he lost his balance and fell down on his forehead.
Nime stopped a car right away and I ran toward him. There was blood allover his face.

-You OK? Let me help you sit down

I looked at his face, it was like an old wound open up. the cut was deep and it was bleeding strongly. Two other young girls also hurried toward us.

-Are you guys fine?
- He fell down on his forehead. He is bleeding.
-Let's call 911

We helped him sit back and press some clinex on the wound to help his bleeding stop. 911 asked different kind of questions, I think it took about 5 minutes.
- how old is he? (a 911 operator asked)
-How old are you? we asked him
-I'm 90 something (he answered), I was in world war II (he added)
-Does he feels drowsy?...Is he diabetic?...Is he using specific medicine? (and some other detailed questions that operator asked before deciding to send an ambulance.)

-Good, they are on their way. (a girl who was talking on the phone said)

At this time another car stopped and a lady came out.

-Is he doing fine? (she asked)
- I am a nurse, let me check him! .. she came closer, looked at his wound. Then ask him if he know his name. if he has any numbers, we could call. She looked at his wallet and find a phone number. She called and found his wife on the line.

-Mam your husband fell down in front of the mall, he is fine now. the ambulance is on the way. She brought a bottle of water and helped him drink.
-OK guys I'm living now the ambulance will be here soon. Talk to him don't let him sleep

We start talking to him, one of the other girl asked him about his experience in war to keep him awake.

-How much time do you have? (an old man asked)
-I have time, I should have time, to help you so maybe one day when I fell down someone else take care of me (the lovely girl answered)

Nima went to guide the ambulance toward us. Finally they showed up and we could leave.
We say goodbye to them. The all things took about 40 minutes.

-Oh Nima don't you wanna go to gym? (I asked him)
-Nay forget it, let's go to the mall.

Don't think he was looking for any excuses :))

Start Counting Down

2009-05-12T06:52:00.000-07:00

These days I'm busy making slides, writing reports..In two weeks I have another trip to St. John's to meet my supervisors and to attend a conferee. When I come back, in less than a week I'll be on my way to Iran. It has been more than a year and a half that I haven't seen my family.

My mom was telling me she starts making my favorite jam, drying some vegetable from our yard so that I can bring them back. When you are away from those who you love, you really don't feel it until you go back to them. Right there you feel , Gosh what I was missing. I was talking to couple of friends who haven't seen their families for more than 5 or 12 years. For me it sounds impossible.

Anyway it's going to be a very busy month for me but I like it this way. My heart becomes wam by the idea of vising my family again..Cheerssss

Smile :)

2009-05-04T11:07:00.000-07:00

I love these photos of me and my older sister Roja. We are standing hand in hand in my grandpa backyard, wearing the same dress; Roja has a flower in her hand .
My dad took these pictures from us. Photography was one of his major hobby...
In the background you can see a part of my grandpa garden.

In this one we are sitting right in front of the house entrance door. ..I love these photos, I really do :))