"I am a mechanical engineer with a master degree from University of Toronto and a graduate certificate from Stanford University. I was wondering if indeed you have not listed Iran as a country people can graduate from with a degree as I couldn't find it listed and your search could not find my undergraduate university. My undergraduate degree is from Isfahan University of Technology in Iran. Please let me know how you can fix the pull-down menu so I can choose my school and continue with my registration. For your information I am already pursuing my MBA at Golden Gate University but preferred to transfer to San Jose State University which is closer to my work place and home. Please advise!"
This is what I posted on mba.com last night when I wanted to register for an official GMAT exam. I knew there was a way to go around this. After all so many of my friends and acquaintances have taken this exam around the world. I was just looking for an answer on why Iran was not even listed.
The brief response just indicates that I can leave the undergrad school blank.
What if I didn't have a graduate degree? I wonder, is this a punishment mba.com is imposing the Iranians? I wonder if people can be so resentful that they cannot comprehend the individuality of people, the brains, the souls. After all, don't you guys see there is a huge gap between people and governments particularly in that part of the world? Can't you realize the individuality of people beyond the location of birth? What do you know about Iran? What is the meaning of a country to you? Any one else born in any other country is assumed more worthy so their country will be listed?
I wonder, do I want to take the GMAT exam anymore? Can I talk to SJSU business school to provide me with an alternative? I can even stay in GGU where they elected to wave the requirement for GMAT score from me because of my strong technical background.
Ah! Healing Love. That's what we need.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Simply Living
It was a sunny but cold Sunday morning.
Despite the empty parking spots I parked far away from the store and walked for a while under the sun to warm up a bit. I grabbed a shopping basket and headed right to the isle I knew I could find what I was looking for. I noticed older couples shopping together. There were noticeably more bouquets of flowers. Roses were the norm for valentine; hence, I would buy daises I thought.
I imagined my dish. Looked good. I was certain I had gotten what I needed.
Walked toward the cashiers when I got invited to the just emptied one right at the very end. There was a blond guy there greeting me. I didn't notice his eyes. What color were they I thought later but didn't remember. He asked if I needed a flower bag for my flowers. Took me a few seconds to say "yes please; I just had my car washed". He laughed while obediently putting the flowers in the bag explaining he had also washed his car when he took his dog for a walk by a brook and only remembered it after the dog had jumped on the back sit after the walk. I said "too late" sarcastically. He asked "do you speak Farsi?" to which I responded positively. He said "I thought so". Oh! How? Interesting! He handed me my bag and said "rooz bekheir" with a nicely pronounced "kh" I was impressed. But I said "same to you, have a nice day" and left the store thinking why I didn't say it back in Farsi. Or why I hardly looked into his eyes to remember what color they were. I concluded I didn't feel like so, I rather just vanished away.
Remembered A.Z. and her description of complimenting strangers post a Starbucks stop we had a couple weeks ago. I smiled to myself.
Walking back to my far away parked car I thought I needed an antique flower pot with miniature roses for the window sill above my kitchen sink.
Despite the empty parking spots I parked far away from the store and walked for a while under the sun to warm up a bit. I grabbed a shopping basket and headed right to the isle I knew I could find what I was looking for. I noticed older couples shopping together. There were noticeably more bouquets of flowers. Roses were the norm for valentine; hence, I would buy daises I thought.
I imagined my dish. Looked good. I was certain I had gotten what I needed.
Walked toward the cashiers when I got invited to the just emptied one right at the very end. There was a blond guy there greeting me. I didn't notice his eyes. What color were they I thought later but didn't remember. He asked if I needed a flower bag for my flowers. Took me a few seconds to say "yes please; I just had my car washed". He laughed while obediently putting the flowers in the bag explaining he had also washed his car when he took his dog for a walk by a brook and only remembered it after the dog had jumped on the back sit after the walk. I said "too late" sarcastically. He asked "do you speak Farsi?" to which I responded positively. He said "I thought so". Oh! How? Interesting! He handed me my bag and said "rooz bekheir" with a nicely pronounced "kh" I was impressed. But I said "same to you, have a nice day" and left the store thinking why I didn't say it back in Farsi. Or why I hardly looked into his eyes to remember what color they were. I concluded I didn't feel like so, I rather just vanished away.
Remembered A.Z. and her description of complimenting strangers post a Starbucks stop we had a couple weeks ago. I smiled to myself.
Walking back to my far away parked car I thought I needed an antique flower pot with miniature roses for the window sill above my kitchen sink.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Earthly Love
It can be a browny. A rich chocolaty munch that leaves sticky residue on your fingers, even on your teeth.
It can be a mocha made for the love of it. Carefully melted chocolate in perfectly brewed coffee.
It can be a strangely delicious ice-cream. Bought in a local creamery, made with the passion of being other than ordinary.
It can be a dish of Pra Ram Thai cooked artistically in the kitchen of a small Thai place in the middle of nowhere.
It can be a home made pizza with added love of artichoke hearts, the fruit of love.
Or a traditionally made fessenjoon cooked in aunt Sh.'s kitchen with just the right amount of sour and right amount of sweet and the prefect burgundy color shining beneath the sparkling walnut oil.
It can be a green salad made with local organic greens and fresh figs from the backyard of the house of a beloved friend to be shared at a pot luck early evening dinner party.
...
There indeed is joy in earthly loves!
It can be a mocha made for the love of it. Carefully melted chocolate in perfectly brewed coffee.
It can be a strangely delicious ice-cream. Bought in a local creamery, made with the passion of being other than ordinary.
It can be a dish of Pra Ram Thai cooked artistically in the kitchen of a small Thai place in the middle of nowhere.
It can be a home made pizza with added love of artichoke hearts, the fruit of love.
Or a traditionally made fessenjoon cooked in aunt Sh.'s kitchen with just the right amount of sour and right amount of sweet and the prefect burgundy color shining beneath the sparkling walnut oil.
It can be a green salad made with local organic greens and fresh figs from the backyard of the house of a beloved friend to be shared at a pot luck early evening dinner party.
...
There indeed is joy in earthly loves!
School Overwhelmed
We got to visit the school today for an hour accompanied by the school principle. She seemed like a very nice lady principle. Th school facilities looked appealing. The library and all-apple pc lab really fascinated us. And the fact that kids of same ages only shared playgrounds. There were essentially three playgrounds. There seemed lots of emphasis on writing and reading. A browsed a couple writings in grade three class and got really fascinated by the level of imaginations. Finally, visiting grade five class was totally s shock! Kids were studying Latin. Gosh I don't know any thing about Latin vocabo! I felt totally overwhelmed by that. M thinks we can and will study with A when the time comes. I like the idea but I wish I already knew what he will study! Grade fours were taking a test. God knows I don't want to be them again. Yes i know I am studying still but grad school is totally different than elementary. Ah!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Wishing For the Cliff
It was a gloomy and chilli winter afternoon. It was going to get dark soon. She looked at herself in the mirror as she zipped her jacket up slowly toward her neck. Her eyes had dark shadows around them, her cheek bones more pronounced. She didn't smile at the picture in the mirror. Just looked at her blankly. The zipper was all the way up. She just turned away from the picture, opened the door, and stepped out to the gray late afternoon.
It was the most boring drive to the coast. She couldn't listen to music, nothing fancy her desires. News and talk shows sounded even more boring. She just concentrated on her drive, and the pinkish gray sky. The sun was setting behind the hills.
The waves were crashing to the cliffs. The sun was kissing the ocean goodnight. She thought the sun always looked sad leaving, as if it was not sure it will be dawning again the next morning. As if it was the last sunset.
She sat on a cliff and hugged her elbows hunching down sniffing her running nose up. She wished for a shawl or a blanket. He would never forget one.
She brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them now, just watched the setting sun and the sky with varying colors. It was a melancholy moment. She wished for God.
She felt a tightness in her chest and tried to inhale more forcefully but it didn't help.
The sound of the crashing waves appeared louder and louder as it got darker and darker. She bent her head on her knees and cried. No force to let them out of her tightened chest, no force to keep them up. She just cried.
It was completely dark now. Only the light of the nearby street was faintly reflecting on the border between the land and the waves.
She wished for a cup of steaming hot tea.
He threw a blanket on her shoulders, hugging her from behind helping to warm her up with the heat of his manly body. "I knew I could find you here" he whispered in her ear.
The crashing sound of the waves continued through the cold winter night.
It was the most boring drive to the coast. She couldn't listen to music, nothing fancy her desires. News and talk shows sounded even more boring. She just concentrated on her drive, and the pinkish gray sky. The sun was setting behind the hills.
The waves were crashing to the cliffs. The sun was kissing the ocean goodnight. She thought the sun always looked sad leaving, as if it was not sure it will be dawning again the next morning. As if it was the last sunset.
She sat on a cliff and hugged her elbows hunching down sniffing her running nose up. She wished for a shawl or a blanket. He would never forget one.
She brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them now, just watched the setting sun and the sky with varying colors. It was a melancholy moment. She wished for God.
She felt a tightness in her chest and tried to inhale more forcefully but it didn't help.
The sound of the crashing waves appeared louder and louder as it got darker and darker. She bent her head on her knees and cried. No force to let them out of her tightened chest, no force to keep them up. She just cried.
It was completely dark now. Only the light of the nearby street was faintly reflecting on the border between the land and the waves.
She wished for a cup of steaming hot tea.
He threw a blanket on her shoulders, hugging her from behind helping to warm her up with the heat of his manly body. "I knew I could find you here" he whispered in her ear.
The crashing sound of the waves continued through the cold winter night.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
A little too womanly
The color NUDE
That's what I fancy in make up lately. Got myself a nude lipstick late last year. I was shopping for a few other ladies picking burgundy and pink and red for them. Until I spot this "perfectly nude" one. I always wanted to try nude on me. As I would never try lipstick in the drugstores and department stores I had to buy it. I brought it home and carefully opened the seal and then the cap. Looks good. I tried it on ... hmmm ... too pale? too different? too unlike my other make up colors? ... I thought I wont use it again; it was too colorless. It was too daring. You always want more color on your lips and it is totally out of ordinary to make your lips less colorful than they are!
Some how though as I tried it here and there again and mixed it with other make ups it appeared very harmonious with my complexion I thought. So I kept it and kept using it. I realized the other day that it's being consumed way faster than all other colors I had, even my orange one! I must say though I love the orange so much I don't want to run out of it. So I'm being frugal with its consumption.
Last week I bought a cinnamon nude nail polish. Ah love its color!
That's what I fancy in make up lately. Got myself a nude lipstick late last year. I was shopping for a few other ladies picking burgundy and pink and red for them. Until I spot this "perfectly nude" one. I always wanted to try nude on me. As I would never try lipstick in the drugstores and department stores I had to buy it. I brought it home and carefully opened the seal and then the cap. Looks good. I tried it on ... hmmm ... too pale? too different? too unlike my other make up colors? ... I thought I wont use it again; it was too colorless. It was too daring. You always want more color on your lips and it is totally out of ordinary to make your lips less colorful than they are!
Some how though as I tried it here and there again and mixed it with other make ups it appeared very harmonious with my complexion I thought. So I kept it and kept using it. I realized the other day that it's being consumed way faster than all other colors I had, even my orange one! I must say though I love the orange so much I don't want to run out of it. So I'm being frugal with its consumption.
Last week I bought a cinnamon nude nail polish. Ah love its color!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Scattered Political Thoughts
Once upon a time in a far far away land there was a king who had become a king after his father. It was a monarchy. He was governing the nation but people realized they didn't want that leader, may be because he was too arrogant and yet too ignorant? He also was overlooking all the guns and that was deemed as too much power. So they decided to overthrow him by any means what so ever. And they did. By protesting and finally making allies with the military.
Now the king was gone. They had gotten rid of what they didn't want. But, what now?
Oh, they knew what they didn't want but did they know what they wanted instead?
The joy of the achieved victory kept the nation together, satisfied, united. They assumed they all wanted this. After all, they had prepared the land for planting, planting a new government, a kind that was not monarchy... But somehow it did not stay like that. There came the time for the differences to surface. The differences in what they really wanted. It was not the same thing any more! At that moment whomever got to tether the military got to win the country. It provided the power of demolishing the oppositions, those that their wanting were not in line with the newly appointed government's wantings; with the power of gun...
Now, in that far far away land, there is still the gun that rules. The nature of the ruling power had not changed much actually: Arrogance and ignorance plus power.
George Orwell has been a genius. His 'Animal Farm' to me is indeed the psychology of a revolution, although he wrote it as a critic to Stalin's politics in Soviet Union. I attest to it because I experienced it; in fact, I am experiencing it still. All are "equal" at first, they all want that but then over the years some become "more equal"! I see the Napoleon and his 10 puppies who grew to defend him by all means when the need came up. And Snowball, one of the first leaders who stayed committed to the nation, the one who wanted good for all at the beginning, was completely repressed.
Another note: I wont assume democracy will happen to a nation when there is no woman to be found in their vocalized demonstrations. Not any time soon at least even if the current leader/president leaves.
Democracy is not transportable; it is not to be taught, it is not to be ruled. Democracy blooms from the democrats. As long as there are people who are "more equal" to the rest because of their gender I don't think it will happen. As long as there are fathers who choose for their children, there are husbands who repress their wives, there are teachers who say and act as if the boys are always smarter and more successful than the girls, there are men who always blame the woman in any wrong done relationship, democracy is no where to be found!
Don't get me wrong. I don't think democracy is the best way to govern a nation, not in all times at least. But once I was told about Socrates believes about the philosophy behind different governing options in a society and based on that it was explained how in this time and era democracy is the best of the worst governing options. I totally believe in it now.
I am sorry to repeat the famous quotation my dear readers but those who forget the past are damned to repeat it.
And the history repeats...
Once upon a time ...
Now the king was gone. They had gotten rid of what they didn't want. But, what now?
Oh, they knew what they didn't want but did they know what they wanted instead?
The joy of the achieved victory kept the nation together, satisfied, united. They assumed they all wanted this. After all, they had prepared the land for planting, planting a new government, a kind that was not monarchy... But somehow it did not stay like that. There came the time for the differences to surface. The differences in what they really wanted. It was not the same thing any more! At that moment whomever got to tether the military got to win the country. It provided the power of demolishing the oppositions, those that their wanting were not in line with the newly appointed government's wantings; with the power of gun...
Now, in that far far away land, there is still the gun that rules. The nature of the ruling power had not changed much actually: Arrogance and ignorance plus power.
George Orwell has been a genius. His 'Animal Farm' to me is indeed the psychology of a revolution, although he wrote it as a critic to Stalin's politics in Soviet Union. I attest to it because I experienced it; in fact, I am experiencing it still. All are "equal" at first, they all want that but then over the years some become "more equal"! I see the Napoleon and his 10 puppies who grew to defend him by all means when the need came up. And Snowball, one of the first leaders who stayed committed to the nation, the one who wanted good for all at the beginning, was completely repressed.
Another note: I wont assume democracy will happen to a nation when there is no woman to be found in their vocalized demonstrations. Not any time soon at least even if the current leader/president leaves.
Democracy is not transportable; it is not to be taught, it is not to be ruled. Democracy blooms from the democrats. As long as there are people who are "more equal" to the rest because of their gender I don't think it will happen. As long as there are fathers who choose for their children, there are husbands who repress their wives, there are teachers who say and act as if the boys are always smarter and more successful than the girls, there are men who always blame the woman in any wrong done relationship, democracy is no where to be found!
Don't get me wrong. I don't think democracy is the best way to govern a nation, not in all times at least. But once I was told about Socrates believes about the philosophy behind different governing options in a society and based on that it was explained how in this time and era democracy is the best of the worst governing options. I totally believe in it now.
I am sorry to repeat the famous quotation my dear readers but those who forget the past are damned to repeat it.
And the history repeats...
Once upon a time ...
Saturday, January 29, 2011
My A Lately
Really, this post is not intended for all readers as it might sound boring but mainly for A himself. I have been meaning to right some about my experiences with my A lately and now that I have time in the sky I'm going to phrase my thoughts.
We attended his Kindergarten Orientation this past Tuesday. I must admit, I was/am a bit anxious about his kindergarten, more than how I was about my own kindergarten. Actually, I was not anxious about mine at all. After much debates an research and mainly per my own strong suggestion we had decided to put him in the very high ranked public school close to home; one major reason we bought this house at all. But now I'm debating again. Not much though, only 20% may be? To put him in a private school. I'm planning to attend their orientation too. Although will register him in the public enshala but we can still decide later. At the same time I still think with the money we won't spend on the private we can tailor his extra curricular activities
which is much more exciting and I think appropriate and effective. I had a mid year evaluation meeting with his PreK teacher earlier. She was very happy with him and his performance and his potentials. She said he was particularly polite and attentive to other kid, always shared and never left any kid behind. I felt like the proudest mother! He is going to play in a Haft Seen Play in a Persian New Year ceremony conducted by his Persian School. I am so excited about it. He still pronounces "gh" like "g" though and one word in the poem he has to recite in the play is "ghermez", meaning red, so fun when he says it!
He was sniffing me the other day! He said "mommy! you smell good! I think it's because of the corn you had last weekend"! Ah made me laugh so hard!
He pretend-played my grandpa several times lately. He was taking me to school but attempting to pick me up early to take me to Red Robins. My lunch box had a princess pattern on it. And the other day M informed me that A had explained that at school he had pretended to be the father, Corrine, his new favorite friend, the mother, and Haley the daughter. He talks and he talks and he talks even more.
Doesn't eat much lately.
Thanks to my M the grass in the backyard looks very nice and green now. It's so beautiful and inviting. I'm thinking to grow some herbs and tomato and strawberries at a section of the backyard. I think A is going to love observing the plants grow.
I told him on Monday that in two weeks we would go to Disney Land. He said it was too far away!
I'm going to take him to his Farsi class tomorrow enshala and I'm excited to take him for breakfast first. He loved it last week. We simply went to Starbucks but it seemed like an event to him. I'm so looking forward to it again.
He loves to be tickled and I love listening to his giggles.
He still remembers all about his recent trip to Iran and particularly his grandparents. I'm so happy about that.
He wants to buy his house in Texas.
So admire it. He has become much more relaxed and confident with his abilities and disabilities and mistakes. He is practicing with his bike without it's training wheels under daddy's supervision. Last week though on the way to the park he wanted the trainers back on as daddy was not coming. He said "don't worry, it takes time mommy but I'll get there".
Now that I am working for a new company he claimed my last company as his working place in his pretend plays. I offered him my old business cards.
He's growing more confident in his swimming class. I love to go swimming with him one day.
I so wish for him to pursue a sport professionally.
He claims he likes Baseball and Basketball. After the Farsi class last week we stopped by the gym and watched older children playing basketball. He said he wanted to have a shirt like theirs with a number on its back. I wonder if that is the reason for his admiration for these sports.
Although so far he does not show any particular interest in drawing or coloring I have a sense he likes to play keyboard or piano. We hope to provide him the opportunity to get to test his talent with musical instruments.
The main reason I wrote these here is for him to read it later and get to see his 4.5 year old age through my eyes. He is my sunny son.
PS: M informed me last night that our elementary school, Carlton, has been scored 930 this past year, the year before their score was 913. I am thinking there is no need to visit the private school any more. We will experiment with the public this year.
We attended his Kindergarten Orientation this past Tuesday. I must admit, I was/am a bit anxious about his kindergarten, more than how I was about my own kindergarten. Actually, I was not anxious about mine at all. After much debates an research and mainly per my own strong suggestion we had decided to put him in the very high ranked public school close to home; one major reason we bought this house at all. But now I'm debating again. Not much though, only 20% may be? To put him in a private school. I'm planning to attend their orientation too. Although will register him in the public enshala but we can still decide later. At the same time I still think with the money we won't spend on the private we can tailor his extra curricular activities
which is much more exciting and I think appropriate and effective. I had a mid year evaluation meeting with his PreK teacher earlier. She was very happy with him and his performance and his potentials. She said he was particularly polite and attentive to other kid, always shared and never left any kid behind. I felt like the proudest mother! He is going to play in a Haft Seen Play in a Persian New Year ceremony conducted by his Persian School. I am so excited about it. He still pronounces "gh" like "g" though and one word in the poem he has to recite in the play is "ghermez", meaning red, so fun when he says it!
He was sniffing me the other day! He said "mommy! you smell good! I think it's because of the corn you had last weekend"! Ah made me laugh so hard!
He pretend-played my grandpa several times lately. He was taking me to school but attempting to pick me up early to take me to Red Robins. My lunch box had a princess pattern on it. And the other day M informed me that A had explained that at school he had pretended to be the father, Corrine, his new favorite friend, the mother, and Haley the daughter. He talks and he talks and he talks even more.
Doesn't eat much lately.
Thanks to my M the grass in the backyard looks very nice and green now. It's so beautiful and inviting. I'm thinking to grow some herbs and tomato and strawberries at a section of the backyard. I think A is going to love observing the plants grow.
I told him on Monday that in two weeks we would go to Disney Land. He said it was too far away!
I'm going to take him to his Farsi class tomorrow enshala and I'm excited to take him for breakfast first. He loved it last week. We simply went to Starbucks but it seemed like an event to him. I'm so looking forward to it again.
He loves to be tickled and I love listening to his giggles.
He still remembers all about his recent trip to Iran and particularly his grandparents. I'm so happy about that.
He wants to buy his house in Texas.
So admire it. He has become much more relaxed and confident with his abilities and disabilities and mistakes. He is practicing with his bike without it's training wheels under daddy's supervision. Last week though on the way to the park he wanted the trainers back on as daddy was not coming. He said "don't worry, it takes time mommy but I'll get there".
Now that I am working for a new company he claimed my last company as his working place in his pretend plays. I offered him my old business cards.
He's growing more confident in his swimming class. I love to go swimming with him one day.
I so wish for him to pursue a sport professionally.
He claims he likes Baseball and Basketball. After the Farsi class last week we stopped by the gym and watched older children playing basketball. He said he wanted to have a shirt like theirs with a number on its back. I wonder if that is the reason for his admiration for these sports.
Although so far he does not show any particular interest in drawing or coloring I have a sense he likes to play keyboard or piano. We hope to provide him the opportunity to get to test his talent with musical instruments.
The main reason I wrote these here is for him to read it later and get to see his 4.5 year old age through my eyes. He is my sunny son.
PS: M informed me last night that our elementary school, Carlton, has been scored 930 this past year, the year before their score was 913. I am thinking there is no need to visit the private school any more. We will experiment with the public this year.
A Totally Different Experience
In the air
Flying from Newark back to San Francisco - on seat 12A by the window.
Seat B is empty which is quite surprising as the flight two hours before ours had gotten cancelled. As soon as I turned to put my coat on the empty seat in the middle the tall guy sitting on the isle seat (let's call him Tom the Engineer as I know now that his name was Tom and he was a Mechanical Engineer) said he was hocked to find empty seats on this flight as his flight from earlier this morning had gotten cancelled. I told him I was thinking about the same thing especially since the 3:30 pm flight had also gotten cancelled. I explained how I felt lucky to be able to get here on Wed night while so many flights had gotten cancelled right before the snow storm that night and mentioned that although the traffic was heavy yesterday morning for my colleague to get to us in a hotel by the airport from Short Hills NJ, we could make it to all of our meetings. He said he lived here but was travelling to meet her daughter in Berkeley before he went to a conference in Vegas. He said his time with his daughter was going to get shorter now with the delay as he was going to meet her and soon leave for Vegas the following night. I asked if his daughter studied there and he explained that she actually taught in Richmond Hill CA in Teaching for America. He explained that these were classes for under privileged kids where class sizes were 35 students or more in high school. Right after he proposed that this should have sounded like normal to ME but it was quite unusual in US. I was astound!!! How could he judge my background so easily and so confidently after 2 minutes into the conversation? What did he know about me? Where did he think I was from? Did I look under privileged to him? I corrected him quickly that all of my classes had had 25 students at most. I didn't tell him though that because of the unexpected obsession of my high school classmates with math & physics my last two years in high school were pretty crowded with 33 students, the school anticipated less than 20 students in math & physics and 40 in bio sciences which would be devided in two classes. But we chose differently, unexpectedly so. I didn't tell him that out of those 33 all-girl students a couple pursued pure math at university, a couple pure physics, one pure chemistry, a couple mechanical engineering, a couple civil engineering, a handful computer engineering and the rest electrical engineering and all in very high ranked schools. Didn't tell him either that almost 90% continued to graduate studies and may be half have gotten their PhDs and from very good schools around the world. Oh am I not proud of my "under privileged" 33-student high school class! Well done girls!
And now there is this Tom the Engineer guy judging me based on what? How I look? And what does he know about the people with my ethnic background any way? Assuming he had guessed correctly!
When he finished talking after that I just turned toward the window and watched the snow covered run ways. Didn't feel like wanting to talk to him any more. Felt sad a bit actually.
Later, when they brought the snack cart he was shocked that they wanted to charge him for the meal. He asked me if it was the routine lately for the coast to coast flights! I didn't ruin his honest curiosity by telling him this had been the case for most longer flights for the past 6 or more years. I comforted him by telling him
that in my opinion the meal quality was not very good although Continental was one of the better ones in that regard. I couldn't think about enjoying my meal by myself after that. I thought his flight had gotten cancelled from this morning and he was under the impression that he'd eat something in the airplane and he didn't. So I
opened my bag and offered him one of the half turkey sandwiches I had bought from the airport earlier. He thanked me for the offer but said he was a vegetarian. Then he asked what kind of business I was in and
chatted a bit but I answered with short sentences and didn't ask follow up questions of him while explaining his work in energy industry. No curiosity what so ever.
I cannot stop but thinking, what two so very opposite companions in my last two flights!
Ah and there remains 3.5 hours of flight...
... 2 hours later
He started chatting again. I suppose he was bored. Figured out at last that I was Iranian blessed with Canadian citizenship. I couldn't refrain from asking, so I challenged him where he thought I was from
initially when he didn't know. He hesitated much and said he was not good with accent; although per my previous plane companion, Dr A.A., my accent doesn't sound too Iranian any way, he said he thought I was
from Spain. Hmm. Dr A.A. thought I was from Costa Rica! I guess Spanish and Costa Ricans look more alike than either of them and Iranians?
Any way, good thing is that I'm not mad at him any more. I think the main reason why is because through a couple more q and a from his side he concluded that compared to other Muslim countries Iranian women didn't seem to have problem to study or work. I'm glad I could persuade him this much. I bet he learned something new. I offered my salad to him too and he accepted one tomato wedge. So, friends ;)
... An hour later
We chat some more, he was less prejudice now. Told me about his wife who was a Chemical Engineer and took her years to finish her masters with kids and all. About her sister who was a biomaterial scientist. And a bit more about his daughters. He thought it was very ambitious of me to emigrate from Iran to Canada and then to Bay Area. I never thought of it this way but now that I think about it I think he is correct.
Flying from Newark back to San Francisco - on seat 12A by the window.
Seat B is empty which is quite surprising as the flight two hours before ours had gotten cancelled. As soon as I turned to put my coat on the empty seat in the middle the tall guy sitting on the isle seat (let's call him Tom the Engineer as I know now that his name was Tom and he was a Mechanical Engineer) said he was hocked to find empty seats on this flight as his flight from earlier this morning had gotten cancelled. I told him I was thinking about the same thing especially since the 3:30 pm flight had also gotten cancelled. I explained how I felt lucky to be able to get here on Wed night while so many flights had gotten cancelled right before the snow storm that night and mentioned that although the traffic was heavy yesterday morning for my colleague to get to us in a hotel by the airport from Short Hills NJ, we could make it to all of our meetings. He said he lived here but was travelling to meet her daughter in Berkeley before he went to a conference in Vegas. He said his time with his daughter was going to get shorter now with the delay as he was going to meet her and soon leave for Vegas the following night. I asked if his daughter studied there and he explained that she actually taught in Richmond Hill CA in Teaching for America. He explained that these were classes for under privileged kids where class sizes were 35 students or more in high school. Right after he proposed that this should have sounded like normal to ME but it was quite unusual in US. I was astound!!! How could he judge my background so easily and so confidently after 2 minutes into the conversation? What did he know about me? Where did he think I was from? Did I look under privileged to him? I corrected him quickly that all of my classes had had 25 students at most. I didn't tell him though that because of the unexpected obsession of my high school classmates with math & physics my last two years in high school were pretty crowded with 33 students, the school anticipated less than 20 students in math & physics and 40 in bio sciences which would be devided in two classes. But we chose differently, unexpectedly so. I didn't tell him that out of those 33 all-girl students a couple pursued pure math at university, a couple pure physics, one pure chemistry, a couple mechanical engineering, a couple civil engineering, a handful computer engineering and the rest electrical engineering and all in very high ranked schools. Didn't tell him either that almost 90% continued to graduate studies and may be half have gotten their PhDs and from very good schools around the world. Oh am I not proud of my "under privileged" 33-student high school class! Well done girls!
And now there is this Tom the Engineer guy judging me based on what? How I look? And what does he know about the people with my ethnic background any way? Assuming he had guessed correctly!
When he finished talking after that I just turned toward the window and watched the snow covered run ways. Didn't feel like wanting to talk to him any more. Felt sad a bit actually.
Later, when they brought the snack cart he was shocked that they wanted to charge him for the meal. He asked me if it was the routine lately for the coast to coast flights! I didn't ruin his honest curiosity by telling him this had been the case for most longer flights for the past 6 or more years. I comforted him by telling him
that in my opinion the meal quality was not very good although Continental was one of the better ones in that regard. I couldn't think about enjoying my meal by myself after that. I thought his flight had gotten cancelled from this morning and he was under the impression that he'd eat something in the airplane and he didn't. So I
opened my bag and offered him one of the half turkey sandwiches I had bought from the airport earlier. He thanked me for the offer but said he was a vegetarian. Then he asked what kind of business I was in and
chatted a bit but I answered with short sentences and didn't ask follow up questions of him while explaining his work in energy industry. No curiosity what so ever.
I cannot stop but thinking, what two so very opposite companions in my last two flights!
Ah and there remains 3.5 hours of flight...
... 2 hours later
He started chatting again. I suppose he was bored. Figured out at last that I was Iranian blessed with Canadian citizenship. I couldn't refrain from asking, so I challenged him where he thought I was from
initially when he didn't know. He hesitated much and said he was not good with accent; although per my previous plane companion, Dr A.A., my accent doesn't sound too Iranian any way, he said he thought I was
from Spain. Hmm. Dr A.A. thought I was from Costa Rica! I guess Spanish and Costa Ricans look more alike than either of them and Iranians?
Any way, good thing is that I'm not mad at him any more. I think the main reason why is because through a couple more q and a from his side he concluded that compared to other Muslim countries Iranian women didn't seem to have problem to study or work. I'm glad I could persuade him this much. I bet he learned something new. I offered my salad to him too and he accepted one tomato wedge. So, friends ;)
... An hour later
We chat some more, he was less prejudice now. Told me about his wife who was a Chemical Engineer and took her years to finish her masters with kids and all. About her sister who was a biomaterial scientist. And a bit more about his daughters. He thought it was very ambitious of me to emigrate from Iran to Canada and then to Bay Area. I never thought of it this way but now that I think about it I think he is correct.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
In NYC
Sitting in a super crowded star bucks sharing the tiny table with another lady, in the heart of the New York City.
Just arrived last night. It was snowing and lots of flights had gotten delayed or cancelled. It was so strange being in the hotel room last night. Reminded me of the cold snowy days in Toronto. It was amazing, the snow, for the first couple of snow falls but a couple months into it it just got too bounding.
I missed A badly last night I am not sure why. May be because his voice on the phone was too sweet it was heartbreaking!
It's quite strange to be in the city by myself today, adventurous may be, intimidating too. Just got separated from my colleagues. We had a couple very good meetings at Cornell this morning. Then had sushi at a Japanese place close to the hospital. The Starbucks I am in now is pretty close to the union square where I'm going to meet my cousin in half an hour.
There are piles of snow every where! And snow trapped cars and SUVs all around.
My flight yesterday went was ok after about an hour delay on the runway. I got to know a physician in the plane, Dr A.A. who was also an Interventionalist and knew many of our main customers. What was pretty strange and interesting about him was that he knew much about Iran so much so his character name in a game on his iPhone was Mossaddegh!
I'm excited to reunite with my cousin shortly. It's going to be her birthday in s couple weeks and I hope to be able to spot a gift for her on my 5 block walk I'm going to venture.
Just arrived last night. It was snowing and lots of flights had gotten delayed or cancelled. It was so strange being in the hotel room last night. Reminded me of the cold snowy days in Toronto. It was amazing, the snow, for the first couple of snow falls but a couple months into it it just got too bounding.
I missed A badly last night I am not sure why. May be because his voice on the phone was too sweet it was heartbreaking!
It's quite strange to be in the city by myself today, adventurous may be, intimidating too. Just got separated from my colleagues. We had a couple very good meetings at Cornell this morning. Then had sushi at a Japanese place close to the hospital. The Starbucks I am in now is pretty close to the union square where I'm going to meet my cousin in half an hour.
There are piles of snow every where! And snow trapped cars and SUVs all around.
My flight yesterday went was ok after about an hour delay on the runway. I got to know a physician in the plane, Dr A.A. who was also an Interventionalist and knew many of our main customers. What was pretty strange and interesting about him was that he knew much about Iran so much so his character name in a game on his iPhone was Mossaddegh!
I'm excited to reunite with my cousin shortly. It's going to be her birthday in s couple weeks and I hope to be able to spot a gift for her on my 5 block walk I'm going to venture.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
The first step
Took the first step and got myself Sal, the personal trainer, at ABS Club in Los Gatos. Feel fit already!
PS: confession: I never ran the 10K I thought I would last year. There were many reasons for that but the most important one was the fact that I started to gain weight as soon as I started running and you know? I really don't like to gain weight. So I pursued alternatives. No athletic competition for now. Will keep you posted with my progress with Sal though, he thought "I was easy" and by that he meant since I have already been in competitions before and an active athlete I can achieve my goals. Amen!
PS: confession: I never ran the 10K I thought I would last year. There were many reasons for that but the most important one was the fact that I started to gain weight as soon as I started running and you know? I really don't like to gain weight. So I pursued alternatives. No athletic competition for now. Will keep you posted with my progress with Sal though, he thought "I was easy" and by that he meant since I have already been in competitions before and an active athlete I can achieve my goals. Amen!
Friday, December 31, 2010
The Old New Year
Last year on such a day we were in Santa Barbara, CA. It was a wonderfully sunny and peaceful day at the coast; I got a chance to write my New Year's resolutions part of which surprisingly got published in Santa Barbara Daily when they were interviewing random visitors in downtown S.B.
Then the New Year came, 2010.
I was thinking today, on the last day of that new year, while sitting in my mom's house in Isfahan, that it was one of the most interesting years in my life, if not the most interesting one. One very interesting part of it was this recent trip of mine to the home country itself.
- I got a chance to visit a few customer physicians along with the sales people here and get a feeling of the market here. It was way above my expectations.
- The pollution in the cities is unbelievable. It is so amazing not to be able to see the famous Kooh Sofeh mountain on the Isfahan city skirt! I wish I had never seen such a scene!
- Then the talks my dad made and then my mom. It was surprising to find them talk about stuff you anticipate to hear from parents 20 years older than mine. But I think I understand.
- I am so grateful for the time I got to talk with my brothers. Shocking, but has made me prideful. Not to mention the reunion with my sisters.
- M and I got a chance to rediscover some forgotten points in our relationships.
- A is having a great time, receiving lots of love and attention, and eased out in playing with other kids. Especially with his newly discovered cousin.
Another interesting point of 2010 for me was my huge job shift from purely technical in R&D to somewhat technical in Marketing. I consider that an achievement.
Last night I got a chance to write my new year's resolutions and also reread my 2010 resolutions. I am amazed how things came true! Now, what will be the writings on Dec 31st, 2011?
Happy 2011 every one! Peace and salaam!
Then the New Year came, 2010.
I was thinking today, on the last day of that new year, while sitting in my mom's house in Isfahan, that it was one of the most interesting years in my life, if not the most interesting one. One very interesting part of it was this recent trip of mine to the home country itself.
- I got a chance to visit a few customer physicians along with the sales people here and get a feeling of the market here. It was way above my expectations.
- The pollution in the cities is unbelievable. It is so amazing not to be able to see the famous Kooh Sofeh mountain on the Isfahan city skirt! I wish I had never seen such a scene!
- Then the talks my dad made and then my mom. It was surprising to find them talk about stuff you anticipate to hear from parents 20 years older than mine. But I think I understand.
- I am so grateful for the time I got to talk with my brothers. Shocking, but has made me prideful. Not to mention the reunion with my sisters.
- M and I got a chance to rediscover some forgotten points in our relationships.
- A is having a great time, receiving lots of love and attention, and eased out in playing with other kids. Especially with his newly discovered cousin.
Another interesting point of 2010 for me was my huge job shift from purely technical in R&D to somewhat technical in Marketing. I consider that an achievement.
Last night I got a chance to write my new year's resolutions and also reread my 2010 resolutions. I am amazed how things came true! Now, what will be the writings on Dec 31st, 2011?
Happy 2011 every one! Peace and salaam!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
My special day
It is nice to have a special day! I enjoy my day a lot. It does matter to me, the day, and any thing that happens in that day comes across as significant, even when it is an email from a CEO with the subject of "the power to transfer".
I feel happy and satisfied. I like to document all the nice happenings during the past couple of days to remember...
I got an unexpected free special mocha in the morning, I received lots of notes and emails and hugs from colleagues over the course of the day, absolutely surprisingly I received a bouquet of Lily from a friend; a novel, lunch with closer colleagues, calls from yet more friends and families, and dinner with my small family. My M and A gave me very beautiful pearls.
We planted three trees yesterday and I cherish the coincident. And thanks to M's scheduling and inviting I had a very joyful time with friends at dinner.
Cheers to a wonderful special day!
I feel happy and satisfied. I like to document all the nice happenings during the past couple of days to remember...
I got an unexpected free special mocha in the morning, I received lots of notes and emails and hugs from colleagues over the course of the day, absolutely surprisingly I received a bouquet of Lily from a friend; a novel, lunch with closer colleagues, calls from yet more friends and families, and dinner with my small family. My M and A gave me very beautiful pearls.
We planted three trees yesterday and I cherish the coincident. And thanks to M's scheduling and inviting I had a very joyful time with friends at dinner.
Cheers to a wonderful special day!
Monday, November 22, 2010
"Take This Longing"
Grey. Blue. White. The sky.
Green. Yellow. Orange. Red. The leaves.
The Sun. The Rain. The Fog. The hills.
The still chirping birds. The trees.
The smell of wet dirt. The earth.
I love San Francisco Bay Area in November. And this year, there is nowhere else I wish to be at the beginning of Azar, the month of fire, the month I was born in.
Listening to the music, driving home towards the southern hills in the middle of the day, I was thinking I would go to Santa Cruz if I were crazy enough. And I am sure, I will be crazy enough one day and I will do exactly so.
Happy to go to the concert in a couple weeks!
Green. Yellow. Orange. Red. The leaves.
The Sun. The Rain. The Fog. The hills.
The still chirping birds. The trees.
The smell of wet dirt. The earth.
I love San Francisco Bay Area in November. And this year, there is nowhere else I wish to be at the beginning of Azar, the month of fire, the month I was born in.
Listening to the music, driving home towards the southern hills in the middle of the day, I was thinking I would go to Santa Cruz if I were crazy enough. And I am sure, I will be crazy enough one day and I will do exactly so.
"Oh take this longing from my tongue,
whatever useless things these hands have done.
Let me see your beauty broken down
like you would do for one you love."
Happy to go to the concert in a couple weeks!
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Europe Biz Trip - 4
Finally on Heathrow Express toward London Heathrow. Alone.
I am excited that I have free WiFi in the train. So convenient!
I made it to London Euston Station alright and my yet another very polite and attentive colleague collected me from the station. I met another colleague and the three of us attended a kind of Neurovascular meeting that started at 6:30PM and last at 11PM.
It is cloudy in London today. Yesterday though, as soon as I opened the curtains around 7:20 AM there was the beautiful sun just in the horizon of my hotel room window view above the London Eye. My colleague was very kind to suggest to take me to our appointments on the ground by riding his car rather than taking the Underground. It was quite an experience to see London by car. Last time I was there with family we just took the underground. I dread the feeling of being jammed in a contained space layers and layers under the ground. So couldn't be more thrilled to travelin on the ground.
Meetings all went fine and informative. And in the evening, when finally all the work related meetings were over, M.A. kindly stopped by my hotel. We walked the Edgeware road for some time, chat nicely, and had a quick starter together. It was awesome to meet her, relaxing, refreshing, loving. I walked to the M&S store in front of the hotel after saying goodbyes to here and found many pretty stuff there. Earlier also when I stopped really quickly to buy A a Trunkie I found John Lewis store full of very stylish attires. I like European shopping.
...
I got to Heathrow and found the Star Alliance lounge. Ah almost home :) And again the convenience of a free WiFi so I can finish this post.
Oh people are very proper and polite in UK. I like it actually but now, sitting in the lounge and aching for a comfortable positioning for my tired body, I hope they don't mind if I stretch my legs on the bench.
All my colleagues have been fabulous everywhere I went. I cannot wait to meet them all again in San Francisco in January in our global meeting.
Last night, sitting or laying down felt as if I was still moving. I have been moving hundreds to thousands of miles every day in the past week. I cannot be more grateful for such an uneventful and fruitful trip! I can claim that UK has been very kind to my travels this time. All my hotel rooms were nice with better amnesties. Also my jet lag was fading so I slept much better in the past three nights albeit short still. Happy that I am ending on a high note.
Thanks Europe! :)
I am excited that I have free WiFi in the train. So convenient!
I made it to London Euston Station alright and my yet another very polite and attentive colleague collected me from the station. I met another colleague and the three of us attended a kind of Neurovascular meeting that started at 6:30PM and last at 11PM.
It is cloudy in London today. Yesterday though, as soon as I opened the curtains around 7:20 AM there was the beautiful sun just in the horizon of my hotel room window view above the London Eye. My colleague was very kind to suggest to take me to our appointments on the ground by riding his car rather than taking the Underground. It was quite an experience to see London by car. Last time I was there with family we just took the underground. I dread the feeling of being jammed in a contained space layers and layers under the ground. So couldn't be more thrilled to travelin on the ground.
Meetings all went fine and informative. And in the evening, when finally all the work related meetings were over, M.A. kindly stopped by my hotel. We walked the Edgeware road for some time, chat nicely, and had a quick starter together. It was awesome to meet her, relaxing, refreshing, loving. I walked to the M&S store in front of the hotel after saying goodbyes to here and found many pretty stuff there. Earlier also when I stopped really quickly to buy A a Trunkie I found John Lewis store full of very stylish attires. I like European shopping.
...
I got to Heathrow and found the Star Alliance lounge. Ah almost home :) And again the convenience of a free WiFi so I can finish this post.
Oh people are very proper and polite in UK. I like it actually but now, sitting in the lounge and aching for a comfortable positioning for my tired body, I hope they don't mind if I stretch my legs on the bench.
All my colleagues have been fabulous everywhere I went. I cannot wait to meet them all again in San Francisco in January in our global meeting.
Last night, sitting or laying down felt as if I was still moving. I have been moving hundreds to thousands of miles every day in the past week. I cannot be more grateful for such an uneventful and fruitful trip! I can claim that UK has been very kind to my travels this time. All my hotel rooms were nice with better amnesties. Also my jet lag was fading so I slept much better in the past three nights albeit short still. Happy that I am ending on a high note.
Thanks Europe! :)
Europe Biz Trip - 3
In the train, going from Liverpool to London, Alone.
It is half past noon and the sun is dimly penetrating through the clouds. It is grey.
I made it alright to France. Got to Charles de Gaulle. Flew to Bordeaux where I had a couple good and quick appointments. Had a good French food with colleagues and tried the yummy foie gras for the first time. Made it to the airport just to run to the gate and fly back to Charles de Gaulle. The wait was supposed to be short but there was delay which made it possible for me to call home. Boarded eventually and sat in plane, on the ground, for another two hours until they decided the fog in Dusseldorf wont interfere with landing.
I was listening to “The New Earth” audio book in the plane. Got me intrigued by talking about the depth of the reality in human, and how I am not the feeling, but I feel the feeling. And how Krishna Murthy said once that “I don’t mind what happens”. I felt like smiling at this :)
So. I got to Dusseldorf after two hours delay. So I contemplated staying in Dusseldorf rather than traveling to Essen by taxi in such a fog that prevented the plane from taking off at Paris. But decided I would think about it later. At Dusseldorf, my bag did not arrive. It was still in Paris. And I thought “I don’t mind what happens” :) Filled in the paper work, decided to take the chance and go to Essen, got to my hotel safely. And on such a nice that I had no bag with me, no toiletries or nothing, the hotel was not a nice one. It had a single bed, tiny. There was hardly any thing in the bathroom and I had no new cloth. Washed every thing I could to reuse tomorrow. And finally got to bed. After 4 hours I opened my eyes to find myself unmoved. Checked on the wet cloths and got back to bed, thinking “I don’t mind what happens” :)
Met my dear colleague in the morning who had brought me some cosmetics kindly. I decided I could survive without. Made it through the day with a very interesting and strong minded customer. But a fruitful meeting still. He offered me and my colleague a very yummy cake one of his patients had brought him. My colleague was very attentive and smart and I enjoyed spending the day with her.
To Dusseldorf again, collected my bag, and rode the plane to Manchester. In all Italy, France, and Germany I found it not difficult at all for people to think I was from North America. I felt my accent was perfect. ;) Unlike in US where occasionally I would be asked “where are you from originally” implying they could detect my non-American English accent. A chatty and polite British business man was sitting by me in the plane to Manchester. We talked about work and MBA and traveling by different airlines. He saw my passport when I was filling in the custom checking card. He thought I was Canadian. Later, he asked what kind of accent I had. Well yes, back to an English speaking country and I was caught ;) He claimed he could be George Clooney in the Up in the Air because he had already travelled more than 1.5 million miles. He had interesting wisdom to share for an occasion when your bag does not arrive at 9:30 PM local time and you have a meeting right the next day.
Made it to Liverpool from Manchester AND, my room got upgraded to Executive! I though there was justice in the world! :) Later, with the room service I ordered came the desert with a note “compliment from Nemo” and I thought that should have been my project manager whom I wrote to about my not so smoothly taken trip last night. It was a charming surprise. I had a very unusually nice falling to sleep experience. Slept very well, albeit short, thanks to the nicer room and fresh clothing and nice shower and sweet dessert and nice chats I had with my dear Sh. K. and my M. I was collected again by another kind and charming colleague and she took me to my next meeting. I had a nice appointment with more confirming points for my project. I am in train to London. Excited to be in one room for two nights in a row. And so very sleepy.
It is half past noon and the sun is dimly penetrating through the clouds. It is grey.
I made it alright to France. Got to Charles de Gaulle. Flew to Bordeaux where I had a couple good and quick appointments. Had a good French food with colleagues and tried the yummy foie gras for the first time. Made it to the airport just to run to the gate and fly back to Charles de Gaulle. The wait was supposed to be short but there was delay which made it possible for me to call home. Boarded eventually and sat in plane, on the ground, for another two hours until they decided the fog in Dusseldorf wont interfere with landing.
I was listening to “The New Earth” audio book in the plane. Got me intrigued by talking about the depth of the reality in human, and how I am not the feeling, but I feel the feeling. And how Krishna Murthy said once that “I don’t mind what happens”. I felt like smiling at this :)
So. I got to Dusseldorf after two hours delay. So I contemplated staying in Dusseldorf rather than traveling to Essen by taxi in such a fog that prevented the plane from taking off at Paris. But decided I would think about it later. At Dusseldorf, my bag did not arrive. It was still in Paris. And I thought “I don’t mind what happens” :) Filled in the paper work, decided to take the chance and go to Essen, got to my hotel safely. And on such a nice that I had no bag with me, no toiletries or nothing, the hotel was not a nice one. It had a single bed, tiny. There was hardly any thing in the bathroom and I had no new cloth. Washed every thing I could to reuse tomorrow. And finally got to bed. After 4 hours I opened my eyes to find myself unmoved. Checked on the wet cloths and got back to bed, thinking “I don’t mind what happens” :)
Met my dear colleague in the morning who had brought me some cosmetics kindly. I decided I could survive without. Made it through the day with a very interesting and strong minded customer. But a fruitful meeting still. He offered me and my colleague a very yummy cake one of his patients had brought him. My colleague was very attentive and smart and I enjoyed spending the day with her.
To Dusseldorf again, collected my bag, and rode the plane to Manchester. In all Italy, France, and Germany I found it not difficult at all for people to think I was from North America. I felt my accent was perfect. ;) Unlike in US where occasionally I would be asked “where are you from originally” implying they could detect my non-American English accent. A chatty and polite British business man was sitting by me in the plane to Manchester. We talked about work and MBA and traveling by different airlines. He saw my passport when I was filling in the custom checking card. He thought I was Canadian. Later, he asked what kind of accent I had. Well yes, back to an English speaking country and I was caught ;) He claimed he could be George Clooney in the Up in the Air because he had already travelled more than 1.5 million miles. He had interesting wisdom to share for an occasion when your bag does not arrive at 9:30 PM local time and you have a meeting right the next day.
Made it to Liverpool from Manchester AND, my room got upgraded to Executive! I though there was justice in the world! :) Later, with the room service I ordered came the desert with a note “compliment from Nemo” and I thought that should have been my project manager whom I wrote to about my not so smoothly taken trip last night. It was a charming surprise. I had a very unusually nice falling to sleep experience. Slept very well, albeit short, thanks to the nicer room and fresh clothing and nice shower and sweet dessert and nice chats I had with my dear Sh. K. and my M. I was collected again by another kind and charming colleague and she took me to my next meeting. I had a nice appointment with more confirming points for my project. I am in train to London. Excited to be in one room for two nights in a row. And so very sleepy.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Europe Biz Trip - 2
In the air. Flying over Italy into France. Alone.
I was supposed to be in Bordeaux this morning but a chain of events last night caused me to miss my flight and not get into any other flight for the night. So I came back to the same hotel I had checked out of that morning. I was told there was no regular room available and they gave me the deluxe room. I preferred the regular room of the night before as the so called deluxe room was full of insects. I believe that was the gift from the beautiful Swan Lake behind the hotel and the rain. The only problem was that I prefer not to have insects as my roommates and I couldn’t sleep a bit last night. Just waited till 4:30AM and got up and left. The hotel reception advised I should have changed my room but I thought there were no other available. They were very kind and I wouldn't mind to go back there again, hopefully in a more sunny weather so I can explore the lake may be.
In the two days I was in Milan it was foggy and rainy, cloudy in its best. Italians seemed to me as really warm as you would find in movies. They do talk passionately about any thing and take food seriously. It seemed not odd or uncommon that in a restaurant the tables were just side by side each other and if there was a forth sit available a total stranger would come and sit there. I thought what an admirably closely knit nation! And Linate airport, well, a bit of a memorable experience I should say.
I am going to Bordeaux, will be there only for about 3 hours. And will go back to Dusseldorf via Paris again.
Happy Eid by the way to my readers who celebrate it! Best of the best prayers to you all!
I was supposed to be in Bordeaux this morning but a chain of events last night caused me to miss my flight and not get into any other flight for the night. So I came back to the same hotel I had checked out of that morning. I was told there was no regular room available and they gave me the deluxe room. I preferred the regular room of the night before as the so called deluxe room was full of insects. I believe that was the gift from the beautiful Swan Lake behind the hotel and the rain. The only problem was that I prefer not to have insects as my roommates and I couldn’t sleep a bit last night. Just waited till 4:30AM and got up and left. The hotel reception advised I should have changed my room but I thought there were no other available. They were very kind and I wouldn't mind to go back there again, hopefully in a more sunny weather so I can explore the lake may be.
In the two days I was in Milan it was foggy and rainy, cloudy in its best. Italians seemed to me as really warm as you would find in movies. They do talk passionately about any thing and take food seriously. It seemed not odd or uncommon that in a restaurant the tables were just side by side each other and if there was a forth sit available a total stranger would come and sit there. I thought what an admirably closely knit nation! And Linate airport, well, a bit of a memorable experience I should say.
I am going to Bordeaux, will be there only for about 3 hours. And will go back to Dusseldorf via Paris again.
Happy Eid by the way to my readers who celebrate it! Best of the best prayers to you all!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Europe Biz Trip 1
In the air. Flying over Atlantic toward Europe. Alone.
Deactivated my facebook account a few days ago and since then I am yearning for my blog. I have inspiration to publish my thoughts again.
M.R. once encouraged me to really publish myself. He said he had notices that my writings were vague, as if the meanings wanted to be hidden beneath the words. That I buried the meanings I was trying to say under layers and layers of sentences. I smiled at his observation. He was correct I thought and I liked it. I thought I was too revealed already and being tagged as reserved in writing was somewhat an achievement even.
Tonight though, I better not type. I am too ready to reveal myself.
It is tomorrow, which is today.
I am in a hotel in Milan. Past 2PM here and it is dark and raining. The hotel looks fine but in a rather residential place. I think I will stay inside, no dining out.
In the transit security line in Frankfurt there was an old doctor in front of me who decided to swap his turn with me and hence, started talking. He was funny actually. In the short conversation time on the line I found out that he disliked United Airlines, he had been to Milan a few times and thought it was a large industrial city with very good food, and that I was crazy to think that after travelling all the way from San Francisco I was going to be functional and working tomorrow. He was German, a kind chatty sort.
My flight attendant from Frankfurt to Milan seemed curious about my origin as he asked me where I was from and when I asked why he said he thought I was from Eastern Europe but then when he checked my last name (!!! really curious!!) he couldn’t figure things out any more. His forst guess was Eastern Europe (!!) and he thought I was there for vacation. Why should I come to Milan on vacation in November? Hmm, may be for a nice walk in the Italian rain! And then a cup of tea yummy!
Need to get to work, have stuff to take care of before the big day tomorrow. I am meeting with a few customers and I am not sure if they speak English. I wish I knew Italian! I remember I started studying Italian when I was in middle school. My dad had two self instructed Italian learning books and I had started memorizing phrases. Wish I had gone further than the first few pages! Gosh I could memorize things much more efficiently back then and I thought I didn’t have the sharpest memory! How stupid! And I know 30 years from now I will say the same thing about today ;)
Deactivated my facebook account a few days ago and since then I am yearning for my blog. I have inspiration to publish my thoughts again.
M.R. once encouraged me to really publish myself. He said he had notices that my writings were vague, as if the meanings wanted to be hidden beneath the words. That I buried the meanings I was trying to say under layers and layers of sentences. I smiled at his observation. He was correct I thought and I liked it. I thought I was too revealed already and being tagged as reserved in writing was somewhat an achievement even.
Tonight though, I better not type. I am too ready to reveal myself.
It is tomorrow, which is today.
I am in a hotel in Milan. Past 2PM here and it is dark and raining. The hotel looks fine but in a rather residential place. I think I will stay inside, no dining out.
In the transit security line in Frankfurt there was an old doctor in front of me who decided to swap his turn with me and hence, started talking. He was funny actually. In the short conversation time on the line I found out that he disliked United Airlines, he had been to Milan a few times and thought it was a large industrial city with very good food, and that I was crazy to think that after travelling all the way from San Francisco I was going to be functional and working tomorrow. He was German, a kind chatty sort.
My flight attendant from Frankfurt to Milan seemed curious about my origin as he asked me where I was from and when I asked why he said he thought I was from Eastern Europe but then when he checked my last name (!!! really curious!!) he couldn’t figure things out any more. His forst guess was Eastern Europe (!!) and he thought I was there for vacation. Why should I come to Milan on vacation in November? Hmm, may be for a nice walk in the Italian rain! And then a cup of tea yummy!
Need to get to work, have stuff to take care of before the big day tomorrow. I am meeting with a few customers and I am not sure if they speak English. I wish I knew Italian! I remember I started studying Italian when I was in middle school. My dad had two self instructed Italian learning books and I had started memorizing phrases. Wish I had gone further than the first few pages! Gosh I could memorize things much more efficiently back then and I thought I didn’t have the sharpest memory! How stupid! And I know 30 years from now I will say the same thing about today ;)
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Fall
Steam is raising from the cup of tea. Her cold fingers punching on the keyboard, occasionally brushing over the raised bumps on her skin. She looks outside. The sun seems weakened, given power to gray clouds, feeling old and cold. The green leaves resist the loss, persist in imposing the power of life over the coldness of the Earth. She can hardly hear any chirping coming from the bushes. She feels an urge for the warmth of a fire.
There is no steam raising from the still cup of tea.
There is no steam raising from the still cup of tea.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
"The Painted Veil"
It was a long time I had not watched a movie. Months may be.
I got home late one night and there was no body there. Too late to do any thing, too silent to bear the loneliness. No cable or satellite TV but some recorded movies. I chose a 2006 movie happening in 1925 China. The title sounded appealing with added bonus of staring Naomi Watts. It turned out really exciting and interesting.
I enjoyed the illustration of ups and downs of emotions and reactions to the emotions through out the movie. I enjoyed the scenery and the costume. And most of all I enjoyed the liberating sensation of watching a movie to the end.
I got home late one night and there was no body there. Too late to do any thing, too silent to bear the loneliness. No cable or satellite TV but some recorded movies. I chose a 2006 movie happening in 1925 China. The title sounded appealing with added bonus of staring Naomi Watts. It turned out really exciting and interesting.
I enjoyed the illustration of ups and downs of emotions and reactions to the emotions through out the movie. I enjoyed the scenery and the costume. And most of all I enjoyed the liberating sensation of watching a movie to the end.
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About Me
- midnight/...
- An emigrant from an ancient civilization to North America, an engineer in marketing and management, a mom of working kind, who thinks when she talks, and who likes to write. I, L.B., own the copyright to the content.