Iran

I is for Ten in Iran

I learned in Iran that referring to the future requires only three terms: tomorrow, after tomorrow, and in ten days. For the first year there, I persisted in behaving those terms meant the same thing as their English equivalents. Tomorrow to me meant the day after today. And after tomorrow meant a day or twoContinue reading “I is for Ten in Iran”

Zarathustra aka Zoroaster

Last week I attended a lecture at OASIS in San Diego on Zoroastrianism. I worried that there might not be enough interest in the topic for the lecture to be held. I hadn’t preregistered because I am on call for jury duty this month so I couldn’t commit to attending. When I arrived, I wasContinue reading “Zarathustra aka Zoroaster”

My Most Memorable Independence Days

Happy Fourth of July! As we approached celebrating our country’s 241st birthday, I thought about a couple of my memorable Fourths of July. Two things made the two mentioned below memorable: they diverged from the usual picnics and fireworks, and both involve Iran. July 4, 1976 The first was July 4, 1976, our Bicentennial Independence Day.Continue reading “My Most Memorable Independence Days”

Eight-Week Challenge: Weeks Three and Four

Weeks Three and Four: small improvements from Weeks One or Two. Again, a reminder of my goals: eat more nutritious food with fewer empty calories, walk at least 5,000 steps per day, spend one day a week reading the backlog of magazines sitting on the end table, and write at least 500 words per dayContinue reading “Eight-Week Challenge: Weeks Three and Four”

Eight-Week Challenge: Week Two

Week Two: not much difference from Week One. Again, a reminder of my goals: eat more nutritious food with fewer empty calories, walk at least 5,000 steps per day, spend one day a week reading the backlog of magazines sitting on the end table, and write at least 500 words per day for at leastContinue reading “Eight-Week Challenge: Week Two”

Happy Independence Day

“fireworks” (CC BY 2.0) by EpicFireworks When my husband’s Time magazine arrived with its headline, “240 Reasons to Celebrate Independence Day,” I was reminded of my most memorable Fourth of July, the one 40 years ago, our country’s bicentennial. But unlike most Americans around in 1976, no fireworks or sparklers featured in my bicentennial celebration. On July 4, 1976, IContinue reading “Happy Independence Day”

I is for Iran

“Music Room” (CC BY 2.0) by D-Stanley I loved it and I hated it on the same day every day for 882 days. It was Iran, and my love-hate relationship began on April 2, 1975, at the start of what I referred to as the world’s most elaborate April Fool’s gag. Two years before, I hadn’t thought suchContinue reading “I is for Iran”