Just-talking-out-loud

After such a long absent, I'm back. I've moved, unpacked, and organized a ton of papers. I think it's safe to say that I'm ready for a new term. Yesterday was the moving day here on campus. There were cars and people everywhere. You could feel the energy. It was fun to watch people trying to find their way around the campus. As I was walking by the bookstore on campus, I saw new freshmen with their parents waiting in the line to get their student ID. I thought of these students when they started the elementary school. The first day of school, they were accompanied by their parents. Now, 18 years later, they are coming to university and again they are with their parents. I thought that might be a good thing for parents to realize that no matter how old your kids are they always need you.

This is what I wrote when I was leaving Ottawa. Because I was very busy I did't have the time to edit it and post it. Since I really like to have here on my blog, I decided to post it now. I am saying good bye to the Rideua Canal which was my favourite spot in Ottawa. It was the most visited site by me. I biked, jugged, and took long walks there. I am saying goodbye to the Ottawa River, Ottawa Public Library, Tunney’s, ByWard Market, South Bank, Glibe, and Willington St. I am saying goodbye to the Parliament Hill where you can see the ocean from!! I am saying goodbye to all my noisy and disrespectful neighbours. Finally I am saying goodbye to the two best roommates I have ever had. I cherish all the laughter, shopping, and good times I had with them. Farewell Ottawa , it was an interesting summer.

By living with others, you get to know yourself better. I am who I am and I don't want to change some stuff about myself. I like myself for those qualities that some people think they can never find in others.

This is a cute animation by Louis Clichy and about love, life, and all its ups and downs. It reminded me of “You are not prefect; nor the person you are in love with. All it matters is that whether you are prefect for each other”. From Good Will Hunting A quoi ca sert, l’amour ? On raconte toujours Des histoires insensées A quoi ca sert d’aimer ? L’amour ne s’explique pas ! C’est une chose comme ca ! Qui vient on ne sait d’où Et vous prend tout à coup. Moi, j’ai entendu dire Que l’amour fait souffrir, Que l’amour fait pleurer, A quoi ca sert d’aimer ? L’amour, ca sert à quoi ? A nous donner d’la joie Avec des larmes aux yeux… C’est triste et merveilleux ! Pourtant on dit souvent Que l’amour est décevant Qu’il y a un sur deux Qui n’est jamais heureux… Meme quand on l’a perdu L’amour qu’on a connu Vous laisse un gout de miel - L’amour c’est éternel ! Tout ca c’est très joli, Mais quand tout est fini Il ne vous reste rien Qu’un immense chagrin… Tout ce qui maintenant Te semble déchirant ...

The Artist in action, Ottawa River, Aug 2008 Cleopatra, Aug 2008 The Kiss, Aug 2008 I have got more pictures of balanced rock sculptures and come up with names. Enjoy!!!

It just hit me that there was a time in my life that I was living in the past, surrounded by all sort of nostalgia. I never thought of living in a better place, in a better time, and actually enjoying my life. Now I have another problem. I live for the future.

"I believe peace in the Middle East could be achieved if the various leaders held their discussion in front of a giant bowl of Persian ice cream, each leader with his own silver spoon. Political differences would melt with every mouthful". Form Funny in Farsi by Firoozeh Dumas This is such a nice sentiment, funny and clever. However, instead of enjoying Firoozeh' wit, I am craving Faloodeh Shiraz with fresh lime juice, at this moment.

Apparently, today is a very lucky, lucky, lucky day. The date, Aug. 8, 2008, translates into 8-8-8 - and in Chinese culture, the number eight signifies wealth and good fortune. If you want to get married, you should do it today. Just a thought.

Ottawa River, July 2008 This is a creation of balanced rock sculpture by John Felice Ceprano. In 1986, he started using unaltered natural rocks to build ephemeral sculptures by hand. Later on, the sculptures are stabilized with glue.

On Dialogue or as I like to call it "the secret to the social reconciliation" It took me longer to gather my thoughts and write about this book than to read the book itself. Anyway I managed to do both. I believe this isn't a book that you should read once. I know that I need to read it over and over to be able to develop my personality based on its concept. To me, this book is a guideline to self-awareness. It helped / will be helping me to be aware of my mind, my thoughts, and my roles not as an individual in the society but as a member of my society. In the next two paragraphs, I've picked some of the most enlightening phrases from the book. I've quoted Bohm directly from his book for those who are not familiar with the concept of Bohm Dialogue . According to Bohm, "the word Dialogue means “a stream of meaning and ideas” among a group of people. It is possible that it occurs even within one person’s head (from page 7). …While Discussion is like a ping-po...

The clock on the Second Cup's wall, Ottawa, July 2008 Whoever knows me a little, knows that I love having a cup of coffee in the morning. Some considers it as my addiction to caffeine, but I think of it as something that helps to look forward to starting a new day. As long as I keep it to one cup a day, I should not be concerned about it. According to an article on Forbes , the Priciest Cup of Coffee in the World can be found in Moscow. I don't understand why the price of coffee should be so expensive in some places comparing the cost of living. While the average cup of coffee in Moscow is $10.19, including service , the same coffee costs $5.04 in Tokyo. The average monthly rent on a two-bedroom luxury apartment in Moscow costs $4,500. While in Tokyo, where space is at a premium, the apartment rent averages out to $5,128.84. I'm not sure that I would still enjoy my coffee, if I was living in Moscow.