ballet

Today, Ballet British Columbia announced that they are laying off all the staff and dancers! What a shame! They are calling it a reorganization. The truth is that the dancers will either have to move away from Vancouver or find something temporary and hang around in hopes that it won't take them too long to get back into business. I think that's a big risk though and my guess is that the dancers who really care about their careers will move away ... if you live in Vancouver and haven't seen Nutcracker, I suggest you do it this year. Who knows if there will be a ballet any time soon in the city.

state of shock

Now I know I messed up bad
You were the best I ever had
I let you down in the worst way
It hurts me every single day
I'm dying to let you know

Now I'm here to say I'm sorry
And ask for a second chance
Cause when it all comes down to the end
I could sure use a friend

P.S. I know you will both be strong and make it through :)

right now

justice

I have always admired the great civilization of Egypt. I guess they owe their abundance, at least partially, to their long history. My envy is that as a society us Iranians come from a rich background too, but we have failed to hold ourselves to the same standards. I can't blame it on governments or systems because the Egyptians have had their fair share of corrupt leaders. I think it has more to do with our personal sense of belonging to the society and our willingness to fight for our human rights. I don't want to downplay the great men and women who have done so much for our country, but I'd like to draw attention to the moral values we may have given up on.
This is what triggered these thoughts in my mind again:

The student concluded that the government could do whatever it wanted - oppress, detain, torture, whatever - but if the judiciary was independent, then freedom had a chance in Egypt. Without these independent judges, there was no hope of protecting human rights.

- Amin Ashmawy (interview with Robin Wright)

This is a testament for truth's sake. If I did not record it, I would be accountable before God on the Day of Judgment. by what I write here, I do not intend to support or defame any party. It is merely a question of telling the truth, to which I have devoted my life, and to honor the justice that I have vowed to uphold.

- Noha al Zeiny, Al-Masri al-Youm newspaper, 2005 (Dreams and Shadows)

geeky humor

optimist: the glass is half full
pessimist: the glass is half empty
engineer: the glass needs to be redesigned

- Carl Selinger

me and her

It had been raining all night and now a little sunshine was coming through the clouds. I walked by a large window swiftly and took a quick glance at myself in the glass ... and ... I slowed down as I approached the next window ... and ... I WAS her ... I stood and looked at myself in the glass ... I looked like the person I had dreamed of being as a little girl. In the glass, I saw the image of a woman I had wanted to be ever since I was a child, and, now I AM her, I'M HER! By this time there was a big grin on my face ... me and my future image of me are one now ... I need a new vision ...

W, always a disappointment

We went to see the movie W. The only believable characters in the movie were Bush senior and junior. The rest of the movie was a mess; even the travels in time were a disaster. It had insignificant details highlighted and important events skimmed. I don't know what Stone was thinking but didn't it ever occur to him that the Bushs wouldn't be watching election reports on their home TV? All in all I would give it a mere 4 out of 10; just like W himself, a dissappointment!