The middle managers are all wearing blue shirts & khakis today,
walking to their meeting in single file.
The sales guys know my name, but to me they all look the same.

Office dinosaurs
wander around the jungle of cubicles
colorful skin of polo shirts and sweater-vests
walrus-mustaches and flannel
voices modulated from 30 years
of telephone-customer-service
their lumbering gait
halts near my desk
where the jar of pretzels lies in wait
and they methodically chew and philosophize,
gathering around the watering-hole (coffee pot)
to shake their ponderous heads.
We younger mammals (of a different era)
just try to stay out of the way.

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http://www.overheardintheoffice.com is hilarious. If you’re a cubicle monkey like me, the irreverant humor and uncanny truth may save your sanity (or offend you).

Posted in Poetry | Comments (5)

Last Tuesday I went with my father and sister to the Girodet exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson (1767�1824) was a French painter, and the exhibit is overwhelming. I must say that he is my favorite artist…the vibrancy of color and attention to detail is amazing, and the way he used light is simply astonishing.

The Burial of Atala is definitely my favorite painting in the exhibit, but I was impressed by the attention to detail in Hippocrates Refusing the Gifts of Artaxerxes.

If you see Pygmalion and Galatea, note how Girodet manages to transition from marble to human flesh in Galatea’s body as he shows her transformation from statue to a live being.

The exhibit is at the Art Institute until April 30th, so I suggest you check it out ASAP. And give yourself a few hours…you’ll need it.

Posted in Chicago, Family | Comments (2)

UNITED NATIONS, 20 March 2006 (BWNS) — Representatives of the Baha’i International Community reacted with alarm today to a United Nations official’s statement about actions of the Iranian government against the Baha’is in Iran.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Asma Jahangir, stated that she was highly concerned and expressed her apprehensions in a press release posted today about “a confidential letter sent on 29 October 2005 by the Chairman of the Command Headquarters of the Armed Forces in Iran to a number of governmental agencies.”

“The letter,” she said, “which is addressed to the Ministry of Information, the Revolutionary Guard and the Police Force, states that the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, had instructed the Command Headquarters to identify persons who adhere to the Baha’i faith and monitor their activities. The letter goes on to request the recipients to, in a highly confidential manner, collect any and all information about members of the Baha’i faith.”

“We are grateful that Ms. Jahangir has brought this activity to light,” said Bani Dugal, the Baha’i International Community’s principal representative to the UN. “We share her concern for the welfare of the Baha’is and shudder to think what this might mean. Because of the unprecedented character of the government’s action, we are addressing a request to the Ambassador of Iran for an explanation.”

Ms. Jahangir also “considers that such monitoring constitutes an impermissible and unacceptable interference with the rights of members of religious minorities.”

“The Special Rapporteur’s concern that such information could be ‘used as a basis for the increased persecution of, and discrimination against, members of the Baha’i faith’ is clearly well-founded,” said Ms. Dugal.

Such actions come in the wake of mounting media attacks on the Baha’is, the nature of which in the past have preceded government-led assaults on the Baha’is in Iran. “Kayhan,” the official Tehran daily newspaper has carried more than 30 articles about the Baha’is and their religion in recent weeks, all defamatory in ways that are meant to create provocation. Radio and television programs have joined in as well with broadcasts condemning the Baha’is and their beliefs. In addition, the rise in influence in Iranian governmental circles of the Anti-Baha’i Society, Hojjatieh, an organization committed to the destruction of the Baha’i Faith, can only heighten the fears for that beleaguered community.

“We well know what hateful propaganda can lead to; recent history offers too many examples of its horrific consequences. We make an urgent appeal to all nations and peoples on behalf of our Iranian coreligionists that they not allow a peace-loving, law-abiding people to face the extremes to which blind hate can lead,” said Ms. Dugal. “The ghastly deeds that grew out of similar circumstances in the past should not now be allowed to happen. Not again.”

Full story here: http://www.bahaiworldnews.org/story/432

Posted in Baha'i | Comments (0)

Anna Quindlen’s Newsweek article, The Face In The Crowd, talks about the facelessness of today’s communication experience.

She notes that, “A face-to-face meeting often means the difference between understanding and estrangement.” How often do we send an email or a text message and the meaning is misunderstood? How many flame wars have started and friendships damaged because people can’t hear the inflection in a voice or see someone’s facial expression?

The other part of the article that I appreciate is the concept that we are not allowed to have time to ourselves anymore:

“So many of the old conventions have gone the way of the TV antenna—privacy, downtime, the line between work life and home life that was once delineated by the ride on the train or the closing of the apartment door.”

My cell phone is always next to me (as many of my friends and relatives can attest). The insistent ringing of the phone, the alert that I have email, or the buzzing of a text message all make me leap toward the offending bit of electronic equipment to respond. I have to make an effort not to answer my phone, instead of the other way around.

The expectation by others that I will always be available is fueled by my behavior, of course, but I also believe it is quickly becoming a societal virus. We expect instant gratification, but I think that our expectations are lowered, as well. Quality is sacrificed for speed.

Although I have both feet firmly planted in the modern world of communication, I still like to reach back to postcards, letters, and packages as a way of maintaining truer friendships and relationships with relatives. Everyone loves getting tangible letters in the mail…but can you remember the last letter you got that someone spent time writing?

I have one friend that takes time away from the internet for an evening or weekend. She doesn’t log on to check anything…it is a way for her to maintain a focus on the real world, I think. The times I have done this I have felt a sense of freedom from stress and the demands of others.

One of my closest friends is overseas right now, studying abroad. The other day we were surprised to learn how much we depend on each other for solid advice, support, and understanding. She and I have had to learn how to maintain a friendship as she first moved across the country, then across the world. Our friendship is not based superficialities…we talk about all kinds of subjects and do service in the Faith. She is one of those friends that will tell me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear. I feel blessed that I have so many people in my life that have these attributes.

There are times that I find myself stretched too thin between friends. How many people can one person maintain true, lasting friendships with? How has our definition of friendship changed with the advent of the internet and the way people constantly change locations? Do we take our friends for granted because it is easier to create new friendships, since we are no longer limited to the people that live in our town?

Posted in Thoughts | Comments (6)

Yesterday
I heard the voice of myself
at age 4
I spoke with a Persian inflection
as I said prayers into the microphone
age 5
I read from a children’s book
not recognizing myself as I realized
the strength of my southern accent
(South Carolina public schools)
But when I spoke to my parents
I had no accent at all.

“Maman joon, Baba joon, Allah’u'abha.
This is Sholeh, and I am going to say
some prayers for you.”
The messages that we sent my grandparents
17 years ago
brought tears to my eyes,
the slight lisp of my 4 year old sister
as she said her ABCs
and talked about riding the elephant at the circus
and sang prayers and children’s songs.
“Maman joon, Baba joon, can you come visit us?
We will play with you, and we miss you.”

I heard the patient voice of my mother
“Ahfarin, Sholeh joon.” (Good job, Sholeh dear)
As my 3 year old self
pointed out objects: duck! moo! ob!

Why do we forget the things
that should never be left behind?
I cried today…
I wish I could go back sometimes
to that innocent child of my past
to let her know that I love her.

Posted in Family, Poetry | Comments (8)

Once I tried to write a letter to you
you of my past
you haunt me still
in unknowing words
that I would do anything to be
the one you speak to
the only one you speak to
even when we’ve stepped
into other situations
I will never forget
I feel like I never learned
but you always said
this was forever
piece by piece I am taking out
my memories and knowing
that I am helpless against myself.

Trying to forget
orange streetlights against Chicago sky
my tears brought out in the rain
always tears, sometimes I ignore
the reality in those times
I will never forget
quilts sewn from the fabric
of our twilight dreams.

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“Well is it with you, as you have followed the Law of God and arisen to observe the Fast during these blessed days, for this physical fast is a symbol of the spiritual fast. This Fast leadeth to the cleansing of the soul from all selfish desires, the acquisition of spiritual attributes, attraction to the breezes of the All-Merciful, and enkindlement with the fire of divine love.”

-’Abdu’l-Baha

Yesterday Baha’is all over the world began the time of the Fast. This year was the first time since leaving home that I’ve had people to eat breakfast with. We (roommates/friends/friends of friends) have decided to combine our superhero strength at 5:30 am to cook breakfast, eat, and pray together. I must say that it is a singularly wonderful experience so far. We’ve laughed, caused messes in the kitchen (have you ever seen 5 people trying to cook at the same time?). We have two vegetarians and a gluten-intolerant person…we end up analyzing food to make sure everyone has something to eat.

I’ve not had horrible hunger pangs so far, strangely enough. If you spend any time with me you know that I eat all the time. But it is rather nice not to have such a huge focus on food. The Fast is wonderful. And this year has been the best yet.

Posted in Baha'i | Comments (6)