My "Welcome" at the US-Canada Border!

I was certainly treated differently, this time!!!

After having been a US citizen for 31 years and traveling to Canada numerous times by air and car, I was treated VERY differently this time!!!

I was questioned extensively, at the border, by one Canadian Immigration Officer, while he was taking notes and then, even more extensively by another officer in a building while he had the notes of the first officer in front of him. Meanwhile, MY CAR WAS DRIVEN SOMEWHERE ELSE to be thoroughly searched/examined.

They were polite but very firm! The whole exercise took 45 minutes.

Apparently, I may add "I CAN EASILY PASS AS A TERRORIST" to my acting resume!!!

Falling for Robert Redford

Seeing these two photos of Robert Redford on my friend's Facebook wall, instantly threw me to another time and place - to the night that I was introduced to Robert Redford and the place, a cinema in Tehran, Iran ....

My aunt, who had already seen the film, and had fallen in love with him, insisted that my father take me and her to see the film so not only I can meet her new love but she can revisit his lovely face too.

Lo and behold, I also left my heart, next to my aunt's, in the theater....
The film was Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid - And the time 1970


.دیدن این دو عکس از رابرت ردفورد در صفحه دوستم نسرین یکباره مرا به مکان و زمانی دیگر پرتاب کرد - به شبی که با او اشنا شدم ... خاله ام که فیلم را دیده بود وعاشقش شده بود به پدرم اصرار کرد که من و خودش را به دیدن ان فیلم ببرد که هم من با این عشق جدیدش اشنا شوم و هم خودش یکبار دیگر روی ماهش را ببیند ... ای دل غافل که بنده هم دلم را در سینما - بغل دل خاله ام - جا گذاشتم و امدم.... انگار دیروز بود --- فیلم بوچ کسیدی و ساندنس کید بود وزمان
1970

29 Years And Counting...

It wasn't really planned. It sort of worked out that way but however it came to be, it has survived for 29 years!

I was working as a Legal Administrator at a family law firm in the Woodland Hills area. Shorty after my first anniversary there, my employer (Ron) informed me that he is in negotiation with a much larger firm to merge. Once that happened, he apologetically told me that the partners of the larger firm wish to be in charge of the administration. I didn't even let him finish his sentence because I knew how painful it must be for him to verbalize it; He needed me to go on and 'Go On' is exactly what I did.

I decided to start my own company and provide services for the selected few clients. But how would I start? I asked Ron's permission to contact the firm's referral sources to see if any of them would need my help or know someone who does. I knew he wouldn't mind, but under the circumstances he even offered to help spread the word by asking around.

I borrowed the firm's phone book (believe it or not, back in 1987 people and businesses actually had phone books... the kind you WRITE ON) and started selecting and calling individuals on page "A". I landed my first project when I made it to page "C". She was a family therapist and was being audited for payroll taxes and payroll reports for the prior three years; none of which she had done!!! That project took three months of 4-days-a-week / 8-hours-a-day work to complete and I have been at it ever since. I am proud to say, that today is the 29th Anniversary of Nahzi Nikki Bookkeeping and Management Services and tomorrow I have a lunch date with Ron!

A Tasty Surprise

I find it interesting that there are still SO MANY FRUITS I have not even heard of, let alone tasted!!! I had one of those experiences tonight at a friend's. She served SAPOTE !!! Do you know what that is? Well, I had never heard of it before.

Apparently, it is native to eastern Mexico and Central America. It is an ovoid drupe, 5–10 cm in diameter, with a thin, inedible skin turning from green to yellow when ripe, and an edible pulp, which can range in flavor from bland to banana-like to peach to pear to vanilla flan. The one I had, tasted like pear!!! INTERESTING...

Life is full of pleasant yummy surprises. ;) Thank you Gole joon <3

Little Black Fish

It is exciting to know that Mohammad Aghebati is directing a version of The Little Black Fish for stage. You see, my tie with this "little" book goes back to my own youth. I was 15 and in 10th Grade when I asked our school principal to let me turn a very small vacant room on the second floor into a library. She welcomed the idea, had the room cleaned and a book case was placed in it. All books were to be donated by the faculty and the student body.
The first book I purchased for that library was the Little Black Fish by Samad Behrangi. At the time, as well as today, I think that was THE perfect choice for THAT library. 　

"I've always imagined heaven to be a kind of library." - Gabriel García Márquez

Link to: Fundraiser Indigogo (Deadline 8/18/16)

Wikipedia in English
The Little Black Fish

Wikipedia in Farsi
ماهی سیاه کوچولو

Lost him at 46!

It was over 10 years ago that I was exposed to the pure and raw talent of a young actor I did not know at the time, and that was just by watching the preview of a movie to come; "Love, Liza". Later, watching him portray a devastated widower in that movie convinced me that I was witnessing the birth of a GREAT STAR, a force to be reckoned with; Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

He quickly blossomed and made life-lasting impressions by the way he crawled under the skin of each character he introduced to us. It did not matter whether he pretended to be Truman Capote in "Capote" which he won an Oscar for, or his brilliant appearances in the three other movies, "The Master", "Doubt" and "Charlie Wilson's War" which he was nominated for Oscar, or his many other scene-stealing supporting roles. He would walk into the frame and capture your full attention. It seems he just gave his all to the scene.

I do not know what it takes to be like a chameleon but I know we have now been robbed of one of the greatest talents of his generation.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman was found dead of a drug overdose, with a syringe still in his left forearm. He was 46 years old.

A Daily Joy

This is one of the DAILY joys of my life.

During the year, as I receive different cards and pictures, I place them on my kitchen counter. This way, I don't get to enjoy them only once, but for at least a year, and on daily basis at that.

Sometimes one brings a smile to my face and the other times tears to my eyes. Sometimes tears of joy and other times tears of sorrow, loss or regret. Nevertheless, I get several chances to go through a journey with each and every one of them.

A few are so special that I have not had the heart to replace them yet. Some are funny, and some, silly. A few are thought provoking, and others just entertaining. But they all have one thing in common; A dear one has invested the time and energy to select and send it to me and THAT is what makes it unique, PRICELESS and special.

I have ALL the cards and letters I have ever received since the day I moved to America 38 years ago and there have been occasions that I have gone through the old ones as well, and just like watching a movie, my life has played before my mind's eye. So, yet again, I get a chance to review the memories.

Not everyone may appreciate this habit of mine. Some may think it to be a psychological disorder and some may wish they had all of their cards and letters. But since I am not doing this to please (or displease) anyone, I have it from a reliable source that the person I AM DOING THIS FOR is extremely pleased and appreciative; Me!