Host: Sholeh & Jinous
Location: Sholeh’s house
When: Friday, July 7, 8:00pm

Let me know if you haven’t received an Evite.

All paparazzi will be barred from entering. Helicopters will be silenced and egos should be checked at the door.

Formal Attire required to attend Gala. “Creatively formal” attire will be accepted.

Bring your friends/date/dance partner/co-workers/sidekick/co-conspirators!

singing along to music on a road trip
scary gas station stops
traveling on rickety bikes through the woods
making s’mores each night on the campfire
sharing a cabin with four other women
watching sunsets
laughing while stargazing
naps in the afternoon as the sun shines down
exploration of a “haunted tower”
not having access to internet & tv
reading in the cabin while a thunderstorm rages
realizing that you forgot your tennis shoes but not caring
ice cream with espresso poured on top
taking a canoe out on a very deep lake
playing glow-in-the-dark frisbee with random kids from Minnesota
soaking up the sun after a long winter
watching boats on the water
wading in the water…even though your feet turn blue from the cold
posing for pictures
cooking food from scratch
aimless walks
stopping at random places on the way home just because you can

I have been to 38 states (including D.C.) in the USA. As of Thursday, I will have been to 39. I am taking a little vacation Thursday-Monday to Los Angeles to visit my best friend.

Some of you may be thinking, “Wow, Sholeh, how have you visited so many states?”

The answer lies in the simple fact that my parents love to travel, and we took many road trips all over the USA. My mother is definitely fearless, taking us in caves in Kentucky and North Carolina. My father would take us on hikes through the woods. Now that I am old enough to travel by myself, my parents encourage me to do so. My road trips to Louhelen Baha’i School and Minnesota with friends are some of my fondest memories in the last few years.

Now, if only I can get my studying done for my midterm tomorrow, and get packed…

One Magazine launched the Love issue today! Check it out.

I try to write, and my hands refuse to translate the thoughts from my brain onto screen. I’m fighting them, but they prefer to sit back and take a break.

On Saturday I will attempt a feat previously unknown in the annals of Sholeh-dom. I will attend two weddings on the same day.
11:30 am: Emily & Doug’s wedding in the suburbs
8:00 pm: Myk & Lacey’s wedding in the city

I love adventures like this. Wouldn’t it be great to have a camera crew along as I rush desperately from church to reception to reception? The voice-over should be done by Morgan Freeman, as is appropriate for such things.

In a search for more information about voice-overs, I came across this article: What’s the worst ad song ever? Ad agencies, be aware! Some things are just not appropriate!

What with a surplus of weddings (Tajalli & Amir, Gavin & Kiyomi) and various other fun activities, I’ve neglected the poor blog. I’m so very sorry about that.

On Friday, I accompanied the illustrious Shannon and the fantastic Andrew to Evanston, where we helped Shannon’s father set up his business, which he moved from Wisconsin. It was incredibly fun, we unloaded an entire moving truck in a couple of hours, with a few other people assisting. I really couldn’t lift much, but I did get to help some. It is a beautiful storefront office, and I’m looking forward to the art that will be coming out of that place.

In these pictures, we were moving the VERY heavy equipment out of the truck. Mr. Reddy constructed that ramp himself, and the rope was a precaution against possible injury/loss of equipment. Fascinating to watch, haha.

(Click to make bigger!)

Summer is fantastic, it is wierd to think that this is the last summer before I graduate. heh. December is just around the corner…

Thank you for hugs.
Thank you for laughter.
Thank you for the New Food of Life cookbook and necklace. (mom)
Thank you for a gluten-free dessert cookbook.
Thank you for a ticket to a show.
Thank you for such a comfortable hoodie.
Thank you for a wonderful blue scarf.
Thank you for a card that everyone signed.
Thank you for wishing me happy birthday every time you saw me.
Thank you for cute earrings that we can match in.
Thank you for a photo album.
Thank you for phone calls.
Thank you for postcards.
Thank you for candles.
Thank you for money.
Thank you for cards.
Thank you for some really awesome cds.
Thank you for listening and being wise.
Thank you for understanding.
Thank you for rooftop healing.

Thank you, my family and friends. Thank you for being in my life, and showing so much love. I love you!!

The Persian Conference was…different this year. Some of the same people, and some new ones, and an extraordinary number of Chicago youth (Persian and friends of Persians). I went to as many sessions as I could, and spent the rest of the time laughing with friends.

I had lunch with family on Saturday, which is what usually needs to happen on a birthday. Yay for family! Saturday evening was spent at California Pizza Kitchen with 20 friends, where food was consumed and a brownie with ice cream was brought for me. Jonathan got everyone to sign a birthday card for me, and I nearly started crying because of all of the love. Yay for friends!

The weekend just kept extending itself. There was more birthday goodness for Shannon on Sunday night, which you can read about in his blog.

There is something to be said about living with a large group of Baha’is, and all of us living in the same neighborhood.

Also, life takes strange and wonderful turns sometimes.

I think I have a cold, which means tonight will be spent relaxing and drinking tea, in between studying sessions, hopefully. I’m not terribly witty or funny right now…it seems exhaustion has taken over at this point.

Every Sunday a group of Baha’is gather on a Chicago beach to play volleyball and enjoy each other’s company. I’ve not been able to go because of work and family commitments, but yesterday, I did.

I’m going again next weekend. Yeah. It was that much fun, with some of the coolest people you’ll ever meet and very tasty watermelon.

Go here to see pictures, taken by Lacey. The fifth picture down is me buried in the sand.

The picnic that I go to every year, my favorite event of the entire summer…was canceled because of rain. It poured here all day.

*sigh*

So we made the best of it and got food at Maggiano’s and then went to a friend’s apartment and danced the night away. I love my friends.

I’m very tired. Goodnight.

Thank God for a 3 day weekend. Apartment hunting, hanging out with friends, picnic, seeing my sister. So much to do!

I was on a 3 am-11:30 am shift this week at work. I rotate to the different parts of the store each week.

I will have pictures after this weekend, so be patient, y’all!

Going downtown today!

Things I have learned this weekend:

*When your friends play the guitar, goof off, and make drums out of tupperware, you know you’ve got cool friends…even if they like to play a game involving a Dictionary. *grin*

*When you are planning a huge conference and people offer to help, things seem a lot less hard.

*College is the perfect time to fit more people in a car than you thought you could. It is like a rite of passage…that you do over and over again.

*The weekend isn’t long enough, dang it!

*And sometimes, things happen that make you realize how awful it would be if something bad happened to any of the people in your life.

I hope everyone had a good weekend. Try not to bother me too much this week, I have a lot of studying to do.

Scene: Three happy youth driving back from a Baha’i event. Shannon is driving, Sholeh is in the passenger seat, Lev is in the back, leaning back with his eyes closed.

Sholeh: Lev, do deer make noise?
*long pause*
Lev: Only when they’re happy.

*commence laugh track*

The great thing about the above is…that it is entirely true.

This is the view when I step out of my building every day. Except…clearer.

honesty, respect, love, understanding, laughter, joy, anger, peace, security…

They are reaffirmed every day for me. Today was simply wonderful. Human interaction is something to be treasured.

Sleep well, everyone.