Happy Monday!

I just love what I do, where I work, and the people I work with.  Even with all the annoying rules and bureaucracy, I still find reasons to carry on every day.  For that I am grateful, every morning, even Monday mornings.

Cappuccinos

I miss these tasty Italian cappuccinos, that were strong enough to energize you, but not so strong to keep you up at night or upset your stomach like the American ones do to me. The ones that are not too big, nor too small, and are presented nicely to you like a piece of art, and yet they are cheaper than what their poor quality counter-parts are sold here in the U.S.

Small World

I spent three nights in a Villa in Tuscany for my cousin's wedding. She, a Persiam from a Muslim family, married a Jew from a Germam family. They met and live in England. The groom and bride sat in front of Persian, Muslim, and Jewish traditional wedding elements. Their marriage was officiated by a female rabi, breaking her own religion's law of only males being able to hold this position, and a female relative who read Persian poetry and led the Islamic and Persiam wedding exchange of wows and promises. Guests were from Iran, Germany, Italy, England, Australia, France, Finland, Switzerland, Japan, and the United States. Among them were two gay couples, enjoying the celebrations and reunion openly. The world was so small,so beautiful, and so perfect with green scenery, delicious meals, dances, and laughters. Everyone was happy. The End.

Decisions!

"In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing."

--Theodore Roosevelt

In today's leadership seminar, the instructor used this quote to make her point.  As I listened, my mind drifted away to so many years of my life witnessing adults and even society's decision-makers not making any decisions, doing  nothing, at many moments of decision.  I wonder how so many things, my life, my family members' and others' lives, would have been different had more adults practiced making decisions, good or bad, during my childhood.

برخورد با زندگى

هنوز يك ماه از حادثه ماراتن بوستون نگذشته بود، كه قربانيان اين واقعه را در برنامه هاى مختلف تلوزيونى نشان ميدادند و از وضعيت سلامتيشون گزارش ميدادند.  اينكه هر روز فيزيو تراپى ميكنند، و وقتى از بانى اين حادثه از آنها ميپرسيدند، ميگفتند، ما به او فكر نميكنيم. تمام فكر و ذكر و تلاشمان اين هست كه بهبود پيدا كنيم، بتونيم با پاى مصنوعى راه بريم، و به روال زندگيمون برگرديم.  در يك برنامه تلوزيونى ديگر كه مسابقه رقص هست، چند هفته پيش گفتند كه با يكى از قربانيان واقعه بوستون كه عاشق رقص بوده كار ميكنند تا در يكى از برنامه هاى آتى آنها شركت كند.  امروز يكى ديگر از قربانيان كه هر دو پاش رو از دست داده،  توپ آغاز يك مسابقه بيسبال را از روى صندلى چرخدار انداخته بود.  در فيلمى كه از او ديدم لبخند بر روى لبانش بود! واقعا از بودن در استاديوم و زنده بودن شاد بود.

اين روحيه قوى و تفاوت بين آدمها از كجا مياد؟  حدس ميزنم از حمايت اطرافيان و جامعه از اين قربانيان.  چطور ميشه كه بعضى آدمها به خاطر حرفى كه كسى 10، 20، يا 30 سال پيش زده از او نميگذرند و  به روال زندگى بر نميگردند؟  فكر ميكنم اين تفاوت ها فراتر از تفاوت هاى فردى باشه.  واقعا فكر نميكنم كسى در ايران 1-2 ماه بعد از از دست دادن  آعضاى بدنش بتونه لبخند بزنه، اميد به زندگى و بهتر شدن داشته باشه، حداقلش تا سالها، و به حق، افسرده خواهد بود.  شايد هم آن واقع بينانه تر باشه و اينجا زيادى هميشه ميخواهند زندگى رو رنگارنگ و زيبا و تخيلى ترسيم كنند و روى تلخى ها و درد ها و زشتى ها رو زود ميپوشونند و ظاهر سازى ميكنند.  شايد ما در ايران با درد و غم ميونمون بهتره و راحت تر ميپذيريمش؟  نميدونم كدوم درسته و كدوم غلط، اما فكر كنم هر دو طرف ماجرا افراط و تفريطى داره.

Project Management

Being a project manager is really being a good listener and mediator.  More accurately, it feels like baby sitting a bunch of loud and hyper kids.  Making sure feelings and egos are not hurt, no one picks a fight, and everyone feels appreciated and encouraged to play nice.  Everyone knows they have a safe shoulder to cry on, share their fears and problems without worrying it can be used against them later on!

As I immerse into this new role of mine, I realize how much more important it is to have females in such roles, especially in male dominant fields.  Projects need managers who do not see communication as a burden or pressure but as a necessity and a tool, someone who is good at feeling and recognizing tensions, future issues, and problems before they are communicated and before they come to the surface.  Someone whose ego does not stand on the way of achieving goals.

My Sanctuary

Unfinished businesses and trails of thoughts are carried with me every night as I leave my small office.  Worries of the next day, weeks, months' milestones, deadlines, and meetings are with me.  I wake up, have breakfast, and drive just to get to where things happen, to make them happen, with some sense of urgency, day after day.  Then, when I open the office door, just as I sit behind my desk, an amazing sense of peace and quiet conquers me.  It has not got old and does not fail. It is as if by just being here, my own little corner, everything is going to be just fine.  The fact that I made it here one more day calls for celebration.  The quiet early hour in the morning, no officemates, no meetings, no family, no events, only me, my thoughts, my plans, my brain.  I rule my universe in that early hour of the day.  I am in my sanctuary. I am home.