The many faces of...RAMIN

vay khoshtip

talkh

I've been sitting in the same spot for the last few hours working really hard to find SOMETHING to do next year (in paris, quuooiiii??).  Uh anyway, so I've been really concentrated, writing, searching, listening to music.  I've been writing emails in English and French and I'm sort of it in this French mindset.  So imagine my surprise when I just turned my Itunes off and heard the people at the next table speaking English.  I was genuinely thrown off course for a second.  I was like, wait, huh?  why are those people speaking english?  And then I was like, oh yeah, cus I'm not in France.  that's right.  

Sigh.  So bitter.  So wrong, and yet so right. 

POLLOCK, JACKSON

et voila

its raining, its pouring, ranna is going to fall down and break her leg.

i really dont have anything to say.  its raining outside.  ive been in the johnson center all afternoon studying for my IT exam.  only, haha, thats a lie.  i watched "How I Met Your Mother," and "Desperate Housewives."  Then I went and met Ramin downstairs for a second, and oh..haha this is funny.

So, Ramin calls and he's like, meet me at the info desk.  So I go downstairs to the info desk and i'm waiting, and Ramin comes up and says hello and introduces me to this guy named Paul.  Paul smiles and shook my hand.  I think its one of Ramin's math chums at first and they start walking so I follow them into La Pat.  We're standing in line and I'm not paying attention to the conversation until Paul asks Ramin,
"So, do you have any problems?"
And Ramin laughs a little, and he's like, "hahaha problems?"
Then Paul bursts out into one of those religious speeches about how Jesus can be your Savior if you open your heart and let him inside.  So of course,  I start laughing a little, and I look over at Ramin and he has this half- amused, half-perplexed look on his face thats like, "ok, let him talk just let him talk and don't laugh."  This makes me laugh more.
I keep walking away from them hoping that my laughter will subside, but it doesnt.  Paul keeps looking at me and frowning as he continues to talk to Ramin.
Ramin lets him know how he feels, and I must say, it was a very diplomatic answer.  Paul shakes our hands and leaves.  Ramin and I burst out in laughter.
Then Ramin went to class, and here we are...

sitting in the Johnson Center, on the third floor.  Rebecca is in front of me studying for her midterms and papers due next week.  An Arab guy wearing a kuffiyeh and a bolero just walked past me.  What a strange combination.  It's prayer time up here, and girls keep grabbing their scarves from their bags, and going into the meditation area.
I have class in 20 minutes.  It's raining.  I'm going to fall and then my new pants will rip.  BOO rain.

Rain is only enjoyable when I'm at home with the fireplace burning, a nice cup of tea in hand , watching episode after episode of Law and Order.  Otherwise, its a pain in the patooti.

payeez dar vashington

Yesterday while trying to find a quiet study spot at Mason (they seem to be impossible to find) I ran into my friend Sahar who was studying for the upcoming OAT exam (for optometry school).  We spent the better part of the day "studying," but mostly giggling and taking breaks.  During one of our breaks I asked her to model for me in the series of pictures you are about to see.  George Mason in the fall is beautiful, all the leaves turn deep crimson, orange and yellow.  When you have a warm scarf and a hot cup of coffee, it is most enjoyable to walk around campus.  So anyway, I had a lot of fun with these.  Take a look:

dande imana janu shirasana. im thirsty

wow.  apologies are in order.  i was supposed to keep this blog in awesome shape..instead i let it dwindle away slowly....  really, i was so set on posting some new blogs last week, but i came down with what i like to call H1N1 and that kept me away from my blog writing duties.  but im back and ready to...rumble?

While I was sick I decided that whenever I recovered I would make it a life goal of mine to stay as healthy as possible for the rest of my life.  I have a very weak immune system, it seems, and so getting sick comes easily.  This can't happen.  I'm far too busy and far too important to let the flu keep me in bed for one entire week.  How will I do this?  Eat healthy, drink plenty of water, dress accordingly depending on the weather.
Yoga.  Yoga.  Yoga.

Now, my bikram practice today got me thinking.  Our instructor, Frankie, was excellent, and she started the class by telling a story about how during her Bikram training there was a crazy who would shout out before every class, " I LOVVEEE YOOOO GAAAAAAAA!!!"  At first, people thought he was obnoxious, but once they started getting into the practice, they themselves would start yelling it out at random times, whenever it seemed fit.

It's funny, because it made me realize that though it drives me crazy to practice this intense sort of yoga in a 120 degree room for 90 minutes, there must be something that I love about it that makes me go back again and again.  There must be something that makes people run to Bikram in flocks.

What is it?  I mean, I don't necessarily love the practice itself.  Most of the time, as i'm sweating, dripping really, and my heart it beating a mile a minute, I'm thinking, "whyy do i do this to myself?????"  but I keep doing it.

Then it hit me.  Yoga makes me feel limitless.  In that 90 minutes of moving meditation, while I'm sooo focused on getting my spine and my mind aligned, when I'm so focused to reach the "yog" it gives me a feeling of invincibility; that I can leave the room and do whatever I want because I can withstand this.

I strip away the plaque that is worry, that is arbitrary thought, every negative emotion, every looming, dooming feeling.  It's stripped away.  And for 90 minutes I can breath.

So I got it.  We practice because even if we SUCK at it, the practice gives us perspective.  A much needed perspective on our lives.

So you know what?  I LOVVEEEEE YOOOGGGGGAAAAAAAAAAA  :)

Love, RANNA