Pink Dot (Gift of Life)

When I went on line to help my brother renew his driver license, I had no idea we will end up spending hours discussing what our preferences are after we each die. It all started with the question in the renewal application about donating organs. The little pink dot some of us affix to the back of our driver licenses to let the police and medics know we are an organ donor. It feels weird to listen to your younger brother tell you what his wishes are about his remains but it is a conversation we all should have.

Luckily for Natalie Cole, a young mother-to-be had! I just watched the videocast of an interview with Natalie Cole on Larry King Live. She was there to be interviewed about a book she has written, "Love Brought Me Back". This was a follow up visit to their previous program in March 2009 when she had shared her medical problem with the viewers. She had had kidney problems for years and was on dialysis. She had announced how she was on a long waiting list of hopeful people with similar dilemma. Somewhere out there, an expecting mother who was watching the show with her aunt turned to her and said, “she seems like a nice lady. I wish there was a way we could help her.” Lo and behold she died as she was giving birth to her child due to complications with the delivery. She had one of those pink dots on her driver license and had made sure everyone knew about it. Her aunt remembered how her niece was touched by Natalie Cole’s story and you can guess the rest. The young lady’s kidney was a “perfect match”. But when Natalie Cole was called in by the special unit at the Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, she was at her sister’s death bed and she refused to go to the hospital immediately! Natalie’s sister, Carole or Cookie as she was known, died the following day while Natalie was being given another chance for life by receiving a kidney from a dead woman! Sometimes, the circle of life can be quite awesome!


That donor lives on through the recipients of her organs. I wonder whether Nader or I will get the opportunity to act out what we discussed on the eve of his birthday a couple of weeks ago and more importantly if we will have the privilege to give the gift of life to someone. Nevertheless, I am glad we had the conversation.




Donate Life California 8213 Organ Tissue Donor Registry

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/about/donateLife/donateLife.htm

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In Celebration of Dance

Iranian.com

Havana Marking's documentary, "Afghan Star" portrays the "American Idol"-style television show in Afghanistan that had become a national obsession and the act of voting for ones favorite singer is in fact a new practice of democracy. The movie also examines the tribal culture of Afghanistan as reflected in the backgrounds of the four finalists (2 of them women) and the public's responses to their performances. The most intriguing contestant, Setara Hussainzada, is a defiant young woman from Herat in her early 20s. During her final performance, she flouts taboos by letting her head scarf slip and doing a brief little dance for which she received death treats!

The British award winning director of this film, Havana Marking, is presently making another documentary about Setara and what has happened to her since the competition.

"Afghan Star" took 2009 Sundance Film Festival by storm. It was nominated for "Grand Jury Prize" in the category of World Cinema Documentary and won the "Audience Award", as well as the "Directing Award", in the same category.

How would I top such reviews: " A remarkable documentary" - San Francisco Chronicle, "One of the most hopeful and heart-rending movies I've seen this year." - Boston Globe, "Fascinating and, when you see Afghan versions of Simon Cowell and Co. reacting to tryouts, a reminder of how fame and the thirst for it is the same in any language." - New York City Daily News


This is the link to an entry Havana Marking made on The Huffington Post in early 2009 after winning the awards. Who can summarize the whole experience better than her?

Click here for the TRAILER of the Afghan Star



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Kamancheh @ The Getty

My friend and I had the privilege of attending a musical event at the Getty Center last night (Sat 10/23/10) where Mani Bolouri, an Iranian musician, was being featured.

On the printed handout, he was introduced as a composer and a virtuoso player of the Kamancheh and gheychak who began his musical studies at the age of ten under the guidance of his grandfather, an Ashegh (traveling musician) who taught him Armenian folk music. He received his MA in composition from Tehran Art University.

In 2006 Bolouri joined the Lian Ensemble and their performance of one of his compositions "Creation" at the Holliday Celebration at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles in during the holiday season of 2008 was broadcast live on KCET.

Last night, he was accompanied by Pirayeh Pourafar, the well-known tar player as well as two percussionists of the Lian Ensemble. They played 8 pieces to a hall packed by Iranian and American audience who applauded them enthusiastically.

Jaay-e shoma khaly!

My Blog at Iranian.com http://www.iranian.com/main/member/nahzi

To Iraj, Nasser, Kiarash And All Those Who CHOSE To Leave...

I was in the middle of reviewing a credit card statement of all things when this video started to play (shaere tamam shode.shahin najafi .lyric:mehdi moosavi). I don't know at what point I became transfixed. All I know is that when it was over I noticed my hand holding a pen in mid-air, motionless in amazement! I hadn't put the pen, or my arm for that matter, down on the desk. It was frozen, perhaps because all of my brain power was overtaken by the senses to watch, listen and digest what was on the monitor.

I know another blogger at IC has already posted this video but I just had to share my experience with you as well. The similar breathtaking feeling when I was watching some scenes of the "Trainspotting". Have you seen THAT?



My blog at Iranian.com : http://www.iranian.com/main/member/nahzi

Tala Rassi, Designer of "Freedom"

I was so impressed by what I heard and saw in a post at the Iranian.com
Tala Rassi's arrest at a houseparty in Tehran when she was only 16 instantly shaped an everlasting idea in her head to design with freedom in mind!
Click here to watch the video ==>> Iranian.com

A Tribute to Professor Seyhoun

Thirty-five years ago, I used to go to the Lincoln Library, on Vozara Street, every Wednesday afternoon. The icing on the cake was a visit to the Seyhoun Gallery few steps away where I got to see paintings, and sometimes painters. I would stand there, look at each painting and daydream. You see, I was just a teenager!

What I didn’t know at the time was the connection of that gallery to the man I later learned to be the best known Iranian architect, Houshang Seyhoun, the designer of so many buildings and monuments throughout Iran.

Last night I had the privilege to attend an event presented by the Society of Iranian Architects and Planners in tribute to Professor Houshang Seyhoun at the Bing Theater of Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

I had asked a friend if we should go there earlier than the start of the program to stand in line. But she had replied that the theater has 600 seats and there should not be any problem finding a seat at 6 o’clock on a weeknight. What she perhaps did not take into account was the popularity of Professor Seyhoun. The hall was filled within minutes after the doors were opened and many were unable to come in

The celebration was like a variety show filled with live music, documentary films, lectures, announcements, and congratulatory messages from dignitaries, friends and family members topped with his graceful presence on stage. What better way to end the program than to see and hear him in person, standing there tall and dignified at 90.


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