Just-talking-out-loud

Source: here  There was a time that Iranian believed you are not supposed to eat even a grain of wheat that doesn't belong to you. If you eat at some one’s table, you own them for life! A legend says that once people of Isfahan were all great people known for their good deeds and there were no offender among them. As a result all their prayers to God were answered. Since they were free spirited people, anytime a new ruler was appointed to the city, people would pray to get rid of him. This went on and on for a few years and no ruler could last long in Isfahan. Until one ruler who knew the reason for that ordered all people to bring an egg to the main square of the city and leave it there. When a pile of egg was collected, he ordered everyone to take one egg home. Since no one knew which egg was belonged to them, they just took one egg, any egg. After that because people’s belongings were mixed together, their prayers were never answered again and that ruler cont...

Life is like the game of poker.

"If you want to make God laugh, tell her your plans." By Anne Lamott, bird by bird

زندگی یعنی چه ؟ روزی از گلی پرسیدم : زندگی یعنی چه ؟ گفت زندگی چیزنیست جز بوی خوش و عطر من از سنگی پرسیدم زندگی یعنی چه ؟ گفت : زندگی چیزی نیست جز استواری و قدرت من از رودخانه ای پرسیدم زندگی یعنی چه ؟ گفت زندگی چیزی نیست جز طراوت و پاکی من از انسانی پرسیدم زندگی یعنی چه؟ گفت زندگی چیزی نیست جز مهر و محبت درون من. زندگی هنر بافتن پارچه زیبایی است - زندگی دوختن شا دیهاست و به تن کردن پیراهن گلدار امید. مجتبی کاشانی I had this post written on May 2010 but I never clicked publish! and this is a sort of translation of this poem: What is life? Once a flower was asked: What is life? She said: life is nothing but my fragrances and perfumes A stone was asked: what is life? He said: life is nothing but my solidity and strength A river was asked: what is life? He said: life is nothing but my freshness and purity A human was asked: What is Life? He said: life is nothing but the love and kindness in me. Life is a beautiful art of weaving a...

 END OF THE WORLD Program of events: 05:00 Wake world population with air raid alarm 06:00 Entry of the Mayans 07:00 Entry of the aliens 08:00 Entry of the leaders of the G8 countries 09:00 Entry of the holy, martyrs, etc. 10:00 Hymn for the end of the world: "Highway to Hell" 10:30 Welcome speech by the Pope 11:45 Break for lunch 13:00 Meeting of the UN concerning the end of the world 15:00 Moment of silence 15:05 Start of the public ceremony 17:00 Buffet 18:00 Departure of the Mayans 19:00 Fireworks and soccer game - Brazil vs. the World 21:00 Ascension of Archangels and Angels 22:00 Closing ceremony, bar opens - FREE BEER 23:30 Distribution of 3D glasses 24:00 END OF THE WORLD (incl. "The Final Countdown") Later - Aftershow Party Source: I don't know!

It seems that I am 'technologically challenged'!!!

I guess that is it! I can't donate blood again. I passed out yesterday after 2 hours from the time I donated. I am glad I was not driving and I was not alone. But I am not going to take the risk again. It is scary to feel the cold sweat after being light headed. 

This past weeken, I finally made Mirza Ghasemi , a special dish from North of Iran. I don't understand why I didn't make it sooner. It is so easy to make.

"Anne Lamott claims the two best prayers she knows are: "Help me, help me, help me" and "Thank you, thank you, thank you." She has a friend whose morning prayer each day is "Whatever," and whose evening prayer is "Oh, well."" from here.  I thought that was one of the best things I have ever read. It is been sometimes that someone recommended me to read 'Bird by Bird'. It was a rainy night and she was giving me a ride to my place after work's Christmas party. She was the main editor, helping scientists of the group to polish their manuscripts for publication. I might have written about her here... I only talked to her for 20min or so and I can't even remember her face or her name but I remember that I admired her personality. I haven't read 'Bird by Bird' yet.

This is what I want to say to some people:  “How 'bout a shot of truth in that denial cocktail.” ― Jennifer Salaiz

I deactivated my facebook account. I don’t really use it anymore and I don’t see the point of it either. It is nice to see what people post; stay updated with current events, or the most popular videos / songs but I become very uncomfortable with all sort of privacy issue or lack of privacy associated with my online presence. Maybe I am paranoid, I don’t know, but I will try this and if I pass the trial, I will delete my account once and for all.

But when your heart is ready you will find  That spring is just a state of mind. Some flowers blossom late but they're the kind That last the longest.

“You never know what is enough unless you know what is more than enough.” ― William Blake

I really like to live in Europe at some point in my life... just for the experience. 

I just heard about ‘The Work of Byron Katie’ through this blog . My curiosity took over me and I wanted to know more about this Byron Katie. It turned out that she is quite famous and successful and I found this book [ PDF ] on her website . It talks about how to be in charge of your own thoughts. In short, it teaches how to be +. I am thinking of reading it all.

Like hope : How to make noon sangak  By Ashpaz BaashiJuly 6, 2001  "The Iranian Cyrus wrote: My needs are quite limited. I live in Michigan and want to have sangak. what is the best way to go about this? No, Cyrus, you are wrong. Your needs are deep, and their simplicity is as deceptive as a shy glance from under dark lashes. Today you want only sangak, but tomorrow you will want abgusht to dip it in, and the next day kebab to wrap in its folds, and then you will ask for the garden. In Michigan. So this is what you must do: Take a long walk to a fresh stream of melted snow, where pebbles shine under the rushing water. Find a thousand shattered pieces of the sang-e sabur that have worn smooth with the years of your absence. Gather the stones and take them into your home. Leave them to soak in oil for a day and a night. Drain them and spread them on an oven tray. Dissolve a teaspoon of yeast in half a cup of warm water and mix this into a cup of wholemeal flour and thr...

"Happiness is like a kiss. You must share it to enjoy it." Bernard Meltzer

The Price of Beauty is the name of a TV show by Jessica Simpson. I don’t really like her but this show is (believe it or not) interesting. She travels to different places and sort of interviewing people (mostly women) to understand what beauty means in that culture. She also investigates the methods being used in the beauty spas, fashion, and anything that has to do with the idea of beauty. I have watched couple of episode that I think I will watch the rest.