life

..."And life,

is skinny dipping in the pond of ' now .'

Lets take off our cloths,

 water is a step away." ...

 

-Sohrab S.

Bogie's Birthday

Happy Holidays to all,

Today was the birthday of my very first favorite actor, Humphrey Bogart. I think he was a great movie icon. I love his movies ...

May he rest in  peace.  

A note from a friend,

The day Cyrus was born a friend sent this message regarding the origin of name Cyrus and its link to Indian culture and history. I found it interesting.
This is what she wrote,

"The name Cyrus is derived from either the Persian word "kurush," which may relate to the sun,
or "kuru", which relates to throne. Cyrus the Great was the first Persian ruler;
he conquered Babylon, and is known Biblically for releasing the Hebrews from their captivity there.Cyrus is the name of several saints.
BTW there is a KURU dynasty in Hindu mythology too. And they fought a great war in KURUSHETRA which means Land Of The Kurus...
hmmm....go figure ..........."

-Anisha Verma

Today

Today,
Cyrus is on his way...
what a joy.

If I were God...

“…
If I were God,

I would open the graves and let a thousand wondering spirit,
once again,
hide in the prison of bodies.

If I were God,
…”


-Forugh Farokhzad

Paul Newman, and my Mom!

Last night we were watching the movie ‘Cat On Hot Tin Roof’ with Paul Newman they said that movie was supposed to be in Black and White but just because director did not want to loose the sight of beautifully colored eye Paul and Elizabeth Taylor, they shot it in color. That was also one the only movie these two played together.
I remembered how my mom used to talk about that movie being one of her favorites…
After the movie was over I called my mom to check and see how she is doing. I also told her that we just watched her favorite movie and it was a tribute to Paul Newman who passed a couple weeks ago. She felt sad and said she loved Paul Newman a lot and will pray for him! Then told me a funny story, that when she was pregnant with my older sister, one night she dreamed of Paul Newman kissing her. So she, got up, excited, and told my dad “wake up… wake up, Paul Newman just kissed me!”
I wondered how may dad had felt at that moment!? Anyhow, It was amusing to me to hear that story for the first time…

Namâd Ensemble...

When I was young or even until now that I am pushing through 30s. I was never a fan of traditional Persian music (sonati).
My eclectic taste of music expanse from Opera, Jazz, African, European pop and classics, North African to south American… but never got close to sonati music, it was as if it required a different blood type than mine ...
About two years ago I was introduced to a new band called “Namâd Ensemble”. They have a new, unique and delightful style, while holing on to the traditional music and instruments.

Last weekend we saw their latest concert in LA, introducing their new released album “Ossyan”. The music was very refreshing and vocals as great. They used beautiful poems from Forough Farrokhzad and Siavash Kasraei , something that you don’t hear very often….. with an exhilarating improvisations of traditional instruments.
We got the CD as well and for last few days we have been listening to it every day, that is unfathomable for me.
I just wished they would be there afterward signing CDs or even during the intermission…

If you are a fan of Sonati music or even not, I suggest try this album. You may like it.

Got Wish?

I still remember that scene from 10 years ago… I was sitting in the center of Paseo Noevo mall in Santa Barbra next to two small water fountains, having my lunch, listening to the jazz musicians (hired by the city to play music for the tourist.)
There I saw a grandmother giving her 3 or 4 year old grand daughter some pennies to toss into the water. After the little girl excitedly throw the coins … grandma asked, “What did you wish for dear?” She said “ I wished to become a million dolor ballerina”.

And as my grandma used to say “your wishes come true, so wish for some thing good.”

Now I think if our wish is to become an artist, we need to make sure we state the salary requirement too, like the smart little girl I saw. But in the event that we forgot to put the salary on our wish, it helps to think of our wish as our ‘destination’, and not lose the sight of our journey…

A tastefully landscaped backyard

La Jolla California,
I want to call it "Reaching for the frog"

To a Dad or a Mom

Who were you to do this,
with your heart
with your soul
with your body.

You took off the darkness from my soul,
you burned yourself to keep me warm,
you were burned but you did not moan,

You kept your ashes, your soul alight to keep me warm
so I would not feel the darkness in life.

Tanha

تا روزی که بودم

او هم بود،

و شبها به سراغم می‌‌آمد،

پا به پای خوابم می‌‌آمد.

با من پرواز میکرد،

میلرزید،

از خواب می‌‌پرید،

و دوباره به عمق تاریکی خواب باز میگشت.

گاه گاهی

در آینه او را میدیدم

او را نمیشناختم

می‌گفتم،

کاشکی‌ مثل تو بودم.

می‌ گفت،

دنبالم بیا...

می‌ رفتم و می‌‌رفتم ولی‌ او نبود...

او نبود و من تنها بودم.

today...

برگ شمعدانی ,
از خواب من لطیفتر...

You will be remembered.

I had an uncle, who worked as a school principal for 30 years and in spite of his very handsome features that resemble Elvis Presley, he managed to stay single. There were many attempts to get him to marry but he always managed to walk away.

We often used to go to his place and look for old 'Sepid-o-Siah' magazines, very old books and old journals from decades ago... he had a second floor full of those buried under dusts...
His pastime was reading, especially the encyclopedias! He used to tell us "Did you know that China has that many provinces?... or capital of Congo has that many inhabitants... we often teased him that his references are outdated now and numbers are changed!

Every other Friday all cousins used to go to his place make kabab, play volleyball on his back yard and make clay houses in his garden, play cards etc.
He was not very keen on picking me as his game partner; he used to say "You can't help myself not to show it when you have bad cards or good. When you have a bad hand your legs and arms are in the air... you got no poker face."

He was always nice and used to care for us when my parents were out on a long trip abroad. But after retirement, he became a hermit.
We all loved him and cared for him, and wondered what if he had kids of his own?!
He did not hurt a soul in his life...he passed quietly last week... I miss him dearly, his smiles, his gentleness.
'Sharif Sharifi'. You will be remembered with lot of good memories, that is your legacy.

...Road

Once someone told me "Driving a four cylinder economy car on a rugged mountain road is not a good experience." It was an interesting analogy for many things including life...

Bule Sky

Hearts Castle, San Simeon California.
PS: What you see is what I saw.
no filter, no Photoshop.

Rain,

On the horizon of his thoughts, he was looking for a drop of rain.
To bring life into his dreams.

And the sky,
was free from clouds.

Looking...

I have been looking for this poem of Rumi in Masnavi, but have not found it.
Anyone has any Idea where it could be?

Come, come, whoever you are.
Wonderer, worshipper, lover of leaving.
It doesn't matter.
Ours is not a caravan of despair.
Come, even if you have broken your vow
a thousand times
Come, yet again, come, come.

phylosophy

And the philosophy of my life,
is same as those who came late, and left early.

What a loss.

My condolences to those who knew and enjoyed Khosro Shakibaie and the legacy he left for Iranian theater and cinema.
He will be greatly missed more than words can describe…

Bikes don't have feelings...

I broke my clavicle in a bike accident few weeks ago ( I mean an accident in a true sense.)
It has been and interesting experience since this is my first time baking a bone, and to see how people perceive me with that. Most people say “what did you do?” Many think that I am a hardcore daredevil who jumped off a big rock and landed badly. Then they wonder when I tell them that ‘it was totally an accident and I had not taken any extra risk’. “I was going my jolly way from work to home very slowly and then suddenly I skid and hit the pavement”.
So far the only interesting alternative point of view I heard, was from my 6 year old niece who had told her mom. “Why Amir had to ride such a bad bike that would crash and break his arm? Why is it that he had a bad bike?!
Another interesting point of view that I learnt from a kid…. what a wonderment kids are?!
Besides, bikes do not have feelings, we can blame them for our misfortunes as much we want!

Emotional Baggage

Last week I saw an 8 year old, sitting on the back sit of a car, tired of her younger sibling singing a same song over an over again. She said to her sister, and I paraphrase ‘I love you … but the song you are singing started to make me sick, please stop it.’
I was amazed and wondered, how some kids have better communication skills than some grown ups?! Then, the other day I had a short discussion with someone about ‘what may be more important when it comes to communications. The sender of message or the receiver?’
For sure one can’t do without another, but it seems as sender play a slightly more important role.
We my not notice this but regardless of how noble or just the purpose of a message can be , if it is sent with a bad tone or a wrong demeanor recipient will not like it and will not take the message . In other words, if we forget that words have ‘emotional baggages’ we more likely hurt peoples feelings.
It was an eye opener experience, made me think about myself too.

Canada Day

A French sailing vessel in port of Quebec.
Canada Day (July 2008), approaching 400th anniversary of founding of Quebec.

I have not figured this out yet...

I often watch classic movies. Recently I saw this movie called ‘Kings Go Forth’ with Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis and Natalie Wood. It was about two American GIs falling in love with one girl. I can’t say I liked the war portion of the movie. It wasn’t done very well, but that was not the point, it was not about that, the triangle of relationships between these three people was interesting and appealing. There was a part by the end that made me think, and I have been analyzing it in my head for the last few days and coming to believe it.
There is a scene by the end of the movie that, the girl says to one of the GIs “ Every body has a load, it is not the load that is important, it is how we carry it that matters.”
I thought, what a profound thought, it is all about “how”, and that is what makes us the person that we are, the way we deal with things, issues, events and life in general.
Now, when it comes to life some people take responsibility for it. Some like to involve God with it too, taking some of the burden off their shoulders.

I have not figured this out yet. Get crushed when dealing with a heavy load or let the Big Guy carry some of the burden, and move on?

Old school music from your ear

I've liked Jose Feliciano since I was a child. Some of you over the 30's may remember him.
Enjoy.

Another Coral

Last weekend I came across my favorite tree again in La Jolla, could not help myself, so I took a few more shots. I hope I can plant a couple of those in our front yard. They are not very easy to find, and I love them

Two Blue Galaxies

'Sweet' 2003

Who was Romeo I ?

He came home on the day of ‘Juliet’ and since he was a boy, could not call him Juliet, so named him ‘Romeo’.
He lived in a half gallon bowl all his life. He changed his color from blue to red when he got mad and did not like me taking long trips to Europe! So occasionally he would stay under the care of a friend, whom he thought she was Julie(t). He was often charged and energetic after coming home!
He lived for a good long fish life of about 5.5 years and moved with me 4 times.
In his final months he lost his beautiful blue color, and his sight. He could not spot his food anymore... One day 2 years ago he passed.
Rome II is red and continues the Saga…

Romeo II

A new companion, my New Years present....

Little house on the wall

Santa Barbra, CA 2002

Angohran, Bashagard, Hormozgan, Iran

Iron door, Stick walls, Lock on the out side.
1370

'Haft Seen'

I was planing on posting a picture of our 'Haft Seen', but they do not exist anymore?!
Don't know why!

Comme ils disent

Here is one of my very favorite songs of all times.
Aznavour's voice always gives me goosebumps, every time I listen to his songs. Even at his old age. "Comme ils disent" is a rendition of "Idiote je t'aime"
I hope you enjoy it too.

Ventura CA (correction!)

2005...

A great architecteal site in LA

For those who are not aware that Los Angles may have fantastic architectural sites,
here is an example.
Take a look at the 3D view of the interior at The Los Angles Theater if you will.
It is fantastic. A great architectural site.
Enjoy

Dancers by Edgar Degas

At the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena.
A museum small in size but great in quality of pieces, with excellent collection of 18th century art. I highly recommend it...
I have visited the place 5 times and took my visitors there, those who were interested .