Hafiz

I got to translate Hafiz for two friends. A very odd experience. I loved it!

I am facing a great dilemma in my life, yet again. I keep bouncing between a calm and serene state to a whirlpool of thoughts and emotions. I am calm thinking of Shaikh Kabir and Molana (Mevlana), to surrender, to stay present with my heart, let go, and float. I am totally evil though thinking about my red coworker.

Speaking of red: Gene gave us a self assessment test once in the class in which it divided people in three different categories: Red, Blue, Green. It turned out I was red: a take charge wanting to lead person. His main advise to the whole class: if you are a manager and have two reds in your team make sure to clearly define their territories or you will have constant battle in your team. It seems a common management knowledge and I am surprised how managers do not know it! I have a red coworker who is in my hair almost every day. And I have decided to choose my battles and not let go of what I think I want to win, at least to a good extent. This is the devil in me speaking!

I drove an orange Challenger today, with a manual transmission!! I enjoyed it so much! I did not kill the engine even once even though I had not driven a gear shift for more than 10 years now. I accelerated fast enough to get to the fifth gear, and did I mention I was wearing orange, just for the occasion ;) MH is going to let me drive his car again. I so look forward to it.

We had a couple earthquakes that were felt in the course of the past two days. I am not sure what is going on underneath but I pray to God to take care of my A and M in any stronger event as such. It is scary to think about being away from them at these moments.

I took A to his pediatrician for his regular flu shot today. We debated the subject a lot with M and finally gave in to the idea. A was such a brave boy! He got a yellow lollipop and a strawberry Jumba Juice, his favorite treat. I had left work for the matter so I got online in a coffee shop to check my e-mails while A was enjoying his Jumba Juice and I was sipping on my latte. It made us a neat Friday afternoon. I was home at 4:30 which was yet again a long lost experience. Isn't it exciting that I loved to study our preclinical plan in my spare time waiting for the nurse to call A though? I am grateful for such a job I am so passionate about. No wonder my red colleague brings up the devil in me!

A's favorite book at the moment: "Dr Seuss's Green Eggs and Ham". He has it memorized. And he is intrigued with the idea that I used the phrases in the book to encourage him try a new food. He uses that back at me now.

I am going to Santa Cruz again tomorrow night enshaalaa. And I am taking a couple friends with me this time: EE and MGAP. I don't know why but I feel proud. There are a couple nice souls there in our Circle who want to learn to read Persian. That is also exciting.