toronto tales

i love hanging out with my sister. i really do. so she took me on a mini-tour of her updated/upgraded residence and dining hall (which by the way is sooo much nicer than when i was there). and the following exchange took place with one of the first year kids.
sis: and this is my sister.
me: hey.
kid: hey. so are you studying here?
me: no. i already served my time… graduated two years ago.
kid: that’s right. i keep forgetting that everyone here is sooo much older than me. i just turned 19 yesterday.
me [perplexed expression]: well, i’m not really that much older.
sis, snikering pulled me away or things may well have gotten ugly.
i keep forgetting that 18/19 year old boys are dangerous(ly dumb, at times).

inspired

by the endurance and everlasting beauty that is trapped inside everyone.
whether you are trying to uncover it or cover it up, the occasional ray of hope is all that i need.
make me stronger.

ps: cryptic adds mystery. no?

playing cold

x&y has certainly lived up to my expectations.
convinced that the life drive is not the way to go. happy now?

how can you do it when you don’t even try?

seeing

not forcing it.
it was great to see and not touch.
a true rush of blood to the head.
i said goodbye and let it go.
beautiful faces. beautiful face.

being

such a great reintroduction to the city. so nice to connect with friends after a while and remember why it was hard to not come back in the fall...
i’ve missed the good stuff. the laughs. the conversations. the meals. the absurdity of working really hard (i’m not sure if this necessarily falls under the “good stuff” or the “missed stuff” category at all, but i certainly haven’t been around it for a while).

although apart from with a few special people i’ve essentially had the same conversation a dozen times.
i don’t know what i should do. i know there is no “right” answer or solution, but i can’t help wanting it all. i want nyu and nyc and tehran and work and toronto and family and happiness and ... all at the same time. i’m not sure which geographical region should take precedent now.
i’m happy though.

wish i could do the whole “being through”... sigh.

finally

i'm at home.
enjoying h. shajarian and hesamedin seraj, master concerts, and dreaming of my own life drive.
still haven't ventured out to meet ppl which i feel pretty guilty abt. but family life is such a blessing and i've totally missed it for the last 10 months.

ok, will start calling ppl today after a point when i know they'll be awake. consider that a little blessing :)

this little silver bear

the berliner that is.
the one that panahi won for his lil’ gem of a film otherwise known as offside.
i’m obviously assuming that this movie is as good as his previous ones since i have not yet seen it and rights to broadcast it here are not yet secured.
kind of reminds me of bend it like beckam.
it has the potential to be a tremendous hit here in the build up to the world cup
people here love football. they might all have different ideas about the way society should be structured, who should be in power, etc etc. but when it comes to the national team, they all cheer with one voice.
so it is really nice to see a movie that challenges some of the stereotypes by tackling a bit of a hot topic – given everyone’s love of the sport, why should girls be prevented from attending football matches?
during the qualifiers, the most important of which were played in tehran in june, some girls attempted to enter the stadium (kudos to them). i wonder how the fairytale story ends?

more indulgent anticipation

shajarian will be in nyc... but march 5!!! three weeks before me... so very sad indeed. (enough time for YOU to get your ticket though)
but he’ll be in toronto march 18!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and i have tickets. according to the globe & mail, "shajarian is a superstar, the pavarotti of persian classical music." i’m glad. i think the next month is going to be fantastic and will provide enough pleasure to make me forget the hell that will be the next two weeks...

but i think this is going a little too far: "they [shajarian & co.] were hailed with three standing ovations–one before they’d performed a note." [washington post]... enough said.