Friday, August 14, 2009

some things i learned brought to you by the letter L ('L' as in Life)

I saw the other day that the inequality of men and women has to do with women not voicing their voices and men not listening to their voices. To reach true equality between men and women, women have to find their voices and let go of their fear that, one they will not be heard and two, the fear of their own power. Men, on the other hand, need to listen and let go of their fear of what might be said and the fear of losing power, and in some cases the fear of losing control. (Side note: I want to point out that I am not saying men have all the power and the women need to take it. What I am saying is that men have their power and women have their power. Each needs to step into their own and learn how to use it effectively.)

As individuals we have the responsibility to find this equilibrium within ourselves, that is to say we have the responsibility to find, use and listen to our own voices while at the same time listening to others. Do not be afraid of what you might hear, be detached and seek the truth in all things and in all matters, and soon, through patience and sincerity, you will recognize the truth when you hear it, see it or (who knows?) even when you taste it.

And now for a pretty picture:


artwork by: misha maynerick (and i believe, if you love this piece like i do, you can purchase it via her website...hint click her name and magically you might find yourself at her homepage)

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

This is why I love film:


from the about blurb from the official website:

Bita Haidarian, an award-winning Iranian American filmmaker fresh out of film school, sets off on a journey around the world to answer the big questions – who am I, where do I come from, and where can a girl find a good laser hair removalist?

Born in America to Baha’i refugee parents from Iran, Bita tells the tragic-comic story of her family coming to America, her childhood in Texas, trying to fit in, and competitive cheerleading – all part of the quest of a girl who knows more about MTV than Al Jazeera.

Bita brings us from ‘Tehrangeles’ where Iranian girls get their noses re-shaped in posh Beverly Hills offices, to the garment district of LA where she cut her teeth in the fashion industry, to high society London where veiled women take lessons on how to secure a husband. Where princes and emirs mix with lords and ladies, Bita will take us into lesser-known corners of women and the Middle Eastern world.

Finding Bibi smashes worldwide stereotypes about women in the Middle East and is simultaneously a clarion call for the emancipation of women around the world.

And Bita’s plea to public – please watch my film! If it doesn’t succeed, I’m going to have to get married.








the official website can be found here: Finding Bibi

Sunday, August 09, 2009

Jyothi totally called this day. Or also known as: Please, God get me to the second floor already.

So here it is Mr. O'Riley, what I learned today. ( Mr. O'Riley was my eight grade lit. teacher and also he played a larger impact in my life as my junior varsity soccer coach in high school. Each day he would ask me and my then friend Danielle what we had learned that day. On a surface level I think it was his way of building a relationship with us, but on a deeper level it was helping and teaching me not only how to reflect but also the power of reflection.) So, now that you all know what I mean when I say this, here it is Mr. O'Riley, what I learned today.

You know that feeling? The one that inches up every so slightly, ever so quietly that causes a strong thought in your head. You know, the feeling that gently tells you, "You probably shouldn't do what you are about to do. In fact, I would strongly advise against the action you are about to take." But then since it seems so silly (mainly because it goes against your own desires) you disregard it. You push it away thinking it is just a fear, that it has no merit and what you are about to do is harmless. I mean you don't know exactly where that thought came from or why it is so strong so why trust it right?

Wrong.

Please listen when I say this, when this happens to you and you analyze it and go, "ohhh..I think this thought is the type Anya was talking about on her silly blog she never really utilizes," remember that for once in your life listen to that thought, just go with it. Take that thoughts advice, even though it seems so random and doesn't make much logic sense, just freaking go with it, okay? If you don't? Well you might just end up killing your families cat and your sister's dog. Seriously, you ignore this thought you are just making life harder on yourself and causing one huge nasty shit of a mess that will swiftly and simply tare you up inside.

Basically this is what happened, and I'm going to write this in bullet straight forward facts to cut out the wordiness of my writing:


Saturday 12:15 p.m.: I tare up some of my left over chicken (even though I know there is something wrong with giving her the chicken, but it is just a feeling and psh, hahaha oh feelings...rolls eyes excessively) to substitute Misty's (or more sexually accurately, Mister's) one can of gravy and chicken. I then proceed to poor additional dry cat food over it to make sure the cat's got some food while I spend the next gloriously, gorgeous, and, more importantly, hot and sticky days in the city.

Saturday 12:20 p.m.: Misty roars with discontent on my decision and straight up tells me, "WOMEN THIS SHIT IS GOING TO KILL ME!" Which I reply, "SHUT UP DAMN CAT, YOU'LL BE DYING SOON ANYWAYS. WHAT ARE YOU LIKE 12 (which for those who do not know equates to 94 in human years)?!" Misty strikes back, "I am not that old." I fire back with all my sass, "Ohhhhh, that's right. You ain't got no teeth because they haven't grown in yet, you cute little kitten you." Misty grunts. "That's right, eat your food and stop complaining! I am so tired of all your whining" are the words I leave the house with.

Saturday through Sunday: Explore city with friends, only think of cat to bitch about the whinny pants self of hers. (Side-freaking-note: friends discover Lito's Empandas 2566 N Clark St, Chicago which are cheap AND amazing. This place has been especially made for those who like awesomeness to go and enjoy.)

Sunday morning: Get in elevator at 11th floor only to have elevator to take us to the 44th floor for no useful reason and thus elevator takes us back down to 2nd floor. As my ears are popping from pressure and my stomach twisting from the drop Jyothi points out, "We need to all go back to bed. It is going to be one of those days." (this would also be the forewarning from God which we all seemed to miss at that moment: today is just going to breed grossness and breed grossness it did)

Sunday afternoon: Return from city and am back home in B-town suburbs. Half of family and dog returns from vacation.

Still afternoon: Dog eats entirety of cat bowl. Eats grass. Throws up in kitchen. Oh, wait sorry, dog throws up grass, mucus and 200 white cream worms in the kitchen. 200 worms are alive and start moving to find a new home.

Sunday 3:00 p.m.: Suzanne and Husayn chlorine bleach the hell out of kitchen and clean up dog mess a.k.a. grossness God was talking about in elevator.

Sunday 5:00 p.m.: House still feels disgusting when one of the worms that got away are discovered inching across the kitchen. The phrase, "Can't get 'em all," never felt so appropriate in all my life.

Sunday 6:00 p.m.: Allmart's go to leave (busting the heck out of this nasty worm infected house) and I go to fill up cat bowl. See that there are about 20 worms in cat bowl and realize that this is where the worms originated from.

Sunday 6:01 p.m.: I begin to cry as I piece the puzzle together. Me and the stupid, hot, muggy, humidity not only brought worms into the house, we brought it directly into the mouths of the cat and dog. Directly into the cat and dog's bodies.



As I cried I found myself saying, "I am so sorry. I didn't know." But then I realized I did know. I did have that strong feeling that came from the pit of my stomach that I was not suppose to give the cat chicken. I knew but I didn't listen. I didn't even give time to question that thought, I didn't give myself the chance to digest it and understand it. In all honesty I didn't want to have to buy more cat food, I didn't want to spend the ten dollars. So when I went to put the chicken in the bowl and that thought came up and I ignored it because I didn't want to question, explore and reflect upon it. I feared that it would end in me going to Jewel and spending ten dollars I didn't have on cat food. Ten dollars, that's what it came down to. Ten dollars and I may have killed or caused great harm to my cat and my sister's dog.

And this, this Mr. O'Riley is when I saw this pattern of accepting but not taking the time to actually understand, and how it has repeated within my life and affected my life. All the consequences and the painful ways of learning all became clearer. Today I learned the importance of questioning that in which you do not understand, whether it is a thought that comes from within you or one that you hear/read about, and to not be afraid to explore or ask what you do not understand. Question and seek with detachment and sincerity and know (or at least from what I understand) that your answers will surely come. Patience, patience, patience and have faith that your questions will be answered and the answer you seek will at some point unfold before your eyes. Okay so that last line is a bit too cheesy for me, but I am way over writing this post to change it.





Oh and umm...can you imagine the grossness of seeing 200 worms quickly crawling out of throw up in the freaking kitchen right before you eyes?!!?? (I mainly wrote this reminder to freak Katie Bishop.)


(I love you Katie Bishop, I love you.)