The Judge Geoff Show

Last Friday, Geoff had his first performance ever (if we don't count the one in the 6th grade) in the Little Theater of Alexandria. It was a two night performance of Twelve Angry Women - yes, that's "Women" not "Men" - if he can deal with a Persian woman, he can surely handle twelve angry women!

And here is Judge Geoff with his groupies - he makes a wonderful judge:

It is Nowruz!

Today is the first day of spring; it is Nowruz (which means New Day in Farsi)! The vernal equinox took place at 1:48 AM, DC time, and that was exactly when the new Iranian year, 1387, began! As it is said, "May everyday be a New Day (Nowruz) to you"!

I didn’t stay awake for the vernal equinox unlike what I used to do religiously even as a kid. I didn’t cry unlike what I did the first 2 years of my immigration to the States when anything and everything would make me feel nostalgic, let alone the Nowruz! But I did color some eggs, had the fish and rice dish (Sabzi-polo Mahi) at my uncle's last night, paid a pleasant Nowruz visit to Houman today, and smiled when I saw the spring blossoms and smelled Nowruz in the air...

And in case you are wondering what a Nowruz Haft Sin spread looks like, here is a picture from last year:

My Persian friends: Pardon my sarcasm! My American friends: Don’t take it against us!

Geoff is taking a Farsi class. I love his handwriting! It is very exciting to find him learning so quickly in so little time (and so little practice!) And it is very interesting to listen to his take on (and complaints about) the language especially the script. How can you tell between “o”, “v”, “u” while they are all written the same? What about “i” and “y”? How can you guys read the words without writing the vowels? Well, honey, we can!

We are not that straightforward, you know…we just aren’t! We write or say something and imply something else. We do that frequently (that is not to say you never do so)! And, yet, if you know the language, you can read (and hear) between the unwritten vowels. That implied something else is totally understood between the communicator and communicatee!!

*****

I admire Geoff for taking on the challenge of dealing with a “Persian” woman! Dealing with a woman is complicated enough! As a woman, I do admit that women are more complex than men. Here, I am, not only a Woman but also a Persian although my “o”s and “v”s and “u”s haven’t been looking similar enough for quite a while, neither have my “i”s and “y”s!

One More Anniversary!

Delivered by motorcycle under his jacket...