Terms of Endearments

It’s 2:04 am and my mind is, as always, wandering. This time my train of thoughts in on the track of ‘terms of endearments’ and how they differ in different cultures/languages. 

For example, one pet name the Turks use for their children is ‘my little lamb’ (Kuzum); now imagine an Iranian parent calling their son/daughter ‘gosfand’!!   

Or similarly, the English pet name ‘puppy’; which in Farsi would be ‘toleh sagh!’ 

Okay, now I wondering why us Iranians use animal terms as insults. I mean if in English you tell a guy, ‘you dog, you!”; it is not necessarily a bad thing (cough); BUT in Farsi, it’s an insult. All animal names are insults- lamb, dog, puppy, calf, cow, donkey (though this one is pretty much international. I beginning to feel sorry for donkeys; no one respects donkeys)

Now one that us Iranians and Arabs use, is ‘my liver’ (jigar’am)…which I often wondered WHY???!! Why the liver? Seriously? The liver??!!

UPDATE: I just googled functions of the liver, and got this:

• production of bile, which helps carry away waste and break down fats in the small intestine during digestion

• production of certain proteins for blood plasma

• production of cholesterol and special proteins to help carry fats through the body

• conversion of excess glucose into glycogen for storage (This glycogen can later be converted back to glucose for energy.)

• regulation of blood levels of amino acids, which form the building blocks of proteins

• processing of hemoglobin for use of its iron content (The liver stores iron.)

• conversion of poisonous ammonia to urea (Urea is one of the end products of protein metabolism that is excreted in the urine.)

• clearing the blood of drugs and other poisonous substances

• regulating blood clotting

• resisting infections by producing immune factors and removing bacteria from the blood stream

 

So, again, WHY?????

London’s weather and the Iranian Rial

What does London’s weather and the Iranian Rial have in common?

1. They are both the main ice breaking topic of conversation (Weather for the Brits, price of US Dollar for Iranians)
2. Their fluctuation pattern!!

Day in Review

Already accomplished:

Case 1: Finally called friends and let them know I’m back in Kuwait.

Case 2: Finally started yoga…OUCH my back!!!

Case 3: Finally mom had her talk with me on WHEN THE HELL I plan to go back to work.

Case 4: Finally fixed my yahoo messenger

Case 5: Finally changed my template…again

Case 7: Booked 2 tickets for the new KLT show: www.theklt.com

Case 8: Read a great translation of Googoosh’s song: Mordab HERE on Abadany dar Holland’s Blog

Still need to do

Case: 1: Install that “Intro to Guitar” CD; and that “Guide to Persian Literature” CD

Case 2: Check out all those bookmarked sites that were blocked in Iran

Case 3: Finish reading “The Memory Keeper’s Daughter”

Case 4: Reply to 2 personal emails

More random pictures from Tehran

1. Picture of two mosques in Tehran for Intlxpatr

2. Is it too polluted for ya? 😀 Keep track of the amount of gases in the air in Shahrakeh Ghaarb

3. Love this idea. Tehran’s city Hall has placed book baskets on buses. This particular book is called, “Short stories from Pakistan”

4. Wall painting in Vanak Square

5. My ice cream 😀

I FEEL ALIVE

Since I can’t access blogspot from Iran, I would post here till I get back to Kuwait.

Ahhhh my good old friend has wrapped itself around me again. This time though it doesn’t come alone, Who are these friends? If I remember correctly that’s the sweet smell of a wild berry tree drenched in spring rain, and aahh there’s the cool air that’s bouncing off that brick wall, just listen to that music our pure stream is playing…yeah of course a canary has to be whistling amidst this ‘earthy’ aroma. Thank you dear breeze, thanks my old friend for bringing new friends with you this time.

I FEEL ALIVE

Ahhhh yeah, today (Tuesday) was Sizeh Bedar (Thirteen gone out); it’s basically the last day of Norooz and as part of our tradition, it’s a day where THE WHOLE nation goes out to have a picnic. In every single park, river bank, meadow, gardens, or anywhere there’s a patch of greenery you would see families barbequing, playing badminton or volleyball, swinging on makeshift swings, smoking hookah, and dancing…yes even dancing but not in parks (too many prying eyes there :D)

I FEEL ALIVE

So mom and I are back in Tehran. During the past two weeks we went to Masouleh, Shomal (northern cirites of Iran near the Caspian sea), Abyaneh and Kashan. We still have to go to Isfahan, possibly next week. During this trip I have come to understand that:

1. Iranians are very sociable/talkative 😀

2. Iranians favorite past time seems to be fighting and dancing 😀 😀

3. Iranians are neither leaders nor blind followers.

4. Iranians don’t appreciate their cultural heritage or historical sites

In separate posts I would elaborate on each. Till then here are some pix from around Tehran and places we visited.