Christmas Pictures

I just want to say that I thoroughly enjoyed looking through all of the pictures I took.  At one point, I started laughing because I realized I had this huge smile on my face as I was skimming through them.  Hopefully you'll enjoy them half as much as I did :)  

Also, in other news, I'm very proud to say that after about a week and a half of playing around with "pen tool" on Photoshop, I finally learned how to use it....and now I can't stop.  

Come on, darling. Lie for Italia!

duck duck goose

Merry Christmas, everyone.  I hope you the very best in the world, and only the best.

Last night the usually clan came over for Christmas dinner and opening of presents.  Nazy and co, Marc and Sushmita, and Mamman.  My mom made a great dinner of chicken stuffed with goat cheese, sundried tomatoes, and basil with a side of potatoes.  But if you were craving Iranian food, we also had khoresht fesenjoon and rice...just in case.

The dinner was just like any other dinner, Monsieur Rene made strange jokes, my mom laughed at the comments she made, Nazy teased us all...you know, the usseee.

After dinner we ate dessert, a very nice rollet that Salma made herself!  And then we opened presents.  I got some very nice things.  I was pleased.
Parsa got a bunch of Xbox games from my mom, even though we specifically had a conversation the other night about how he has Playstation 3 and NOT Xbox...so he had to return most of his presents.
Aria got clothing and a Scrabble board.
Marc got some clothes and games for Playstation 2...even though he has Playstation 3.
Sushmita got an electrical blanket, cus shes always cold, a set of...pots?  Yeah, something like that, and some other things.
SALMA...salma salma salma.  Salma has been asking my parents for WEEKS now about her presents. And my parents said from the beginning, "a karaoke machine."  But we never believed them.  I mean, whattt.  So random, why would they get a karaoke machine.  But still, they kept saying they got it for her...I think since they knew we wouldn't believe them.
But believe it or not, Salma got a karaoke machine for Christmas.  So random, I know.

So ok, I went upstairs for like 4 minutes, and when  I came downstairs the entire group was in the living room, singing "Like a Virgin."  Of all songs they could sing, "Like a Virgin??" I have it all recorded, and if I ever figure out how to post videos on this blog, I surely will let you see them.  We were all in front of the television singing karaoke for like two hours.  If this isn't a bonding activity, then I really dont know what is.  
Then my mom decided that we had to watch all of her favorite dances from the "So You Think You Can  Dance"  episodes she has recorded on the DVR.  We did that for a while.

All in all, it was a good night.   A great Christmas eve.  Now, we're all going to go see, "Nine."  Salma has been obsessing over this movie for about two months.  The day has finally arrived.  I really hope she's not disappointed.  Because when Salma is upset, we're all upset.

Happy Christmas, Harry.

Happy Christmas, Ron.

RanDOME

"Random" has become a pretty popular vocabulary word among my group of friends and immediate family.  Every other statement has a "random" or "randomly" attached to it, even where it doesn't belong.
"Remember its randomly snowing?"
"She randomly went to yoga."
"Random, Ran."
The word has infested our manner of speaking, and without it, I don't know where we would be today.  How would we exist?

So a couple weeks ago Simsim and I were hanging out with our dad, and something came up, and we labeled it as "random."
After a few moments, my dad frowned at us and said, "That's not random.  How is that random?"  And we had to explain to him that while to others said subject may not have been "random," to us, it was the perfect adjective.
After that, Salma and I told all of our friends about our dad's confusion which prompted a good amount of laughter.
And while my mom and Monsieur Rene have fallen victim to using "random" in their daily speech, I never thought it would be uttered from my father's lips.

And then tonight happened.

As we were driving home after eating dinner at Church St. Pizza and dessert at Cenan Bakery (pause--if this isn't random, then I don't know what is), I started talking about how the other night I started thinking, "what if there's actually an afterlife?"
To which my dad replied, in a rather booming voice, I might add, "Ranna, that is SO random."
And then I started laughing and replied with, "I KNOW but it just popped into my head..."
And my dad said, "It's like, who cares?  Either there is or there isnt.  But you're supposed to live your life NOW so that one day your soul is randomly removed from your body and inserted into a dogs?  How are we supposed to adjust our lives thinking that way?  Are we supposed to start peeing differently?"

Haha, sometimes my dad is randomly funny.  Tonight was one of those nights.

The Nava's

today after 8,000 years, Nava Salehi came over to our house to hang out.  I hadn't seen her...probably since this summer, so it was really nice to catch up act goofy with her.  Then, as we were acting goofy, Nava Behnam decided to come over to hang out for a little bit, as well.  That was a treat considering I hadn't seen her either in a while.  Not since...ohh funny story.  Nava and her boyfriend Martin came to the laser clinic one day, and I was talking to them about school and such.

Ranna: What are you studying Nava?

Nava: Physics

Ranna: Cool, what are YOU studying, Martin?

Martin: Physics

Ranna: Oh, coolness, so you guys are just going to be physicians.

Weird looks from the two of them.

Ranna: Oh man, I mean...hahaha...physicists.

And then I felt awkward and idiotic the rest of the time that they were there.

In any case, it was nice to see them and to spend some quality time with my two favorite Nava's.  Of course, I brought out my camera and acted really obnoxious by taking 8 trillion pictures of the two of them.  I didn't put them all up for the reader's sake and theirs :)

rannar

Today after two days of being stuck inside the house, we had outsiders come and visit us.  It was the most exciting day.  Neda, Mina, and Rosa, came out of their huts for an afternoon at the burrow.  We did what we do best...nothing.  But we do "nothing" in style.  And from that style came the most amazing photo shoot.  I dont remember where the idea of dressing up like old-time Iranian women came up, but I'm glad it did, because it was oh-so-much fun.  And I'm also glad that I have some of the prettiest friends a gal could ask for, because it makes it all the more fun to take pictures of them :) Enjoy

so i was thinking about these gals and what they mean to me, and i feel like, i feel like, when i'm with them, I feel as comfortable as when I was abroad and the comfort and the love i felt with my friends overseas.  its just so easy to say and be and laugh with these girls.  and i really dont think that anyone from the outside could keep up with us.  seriously, today i stepped back for a second and i was listening to the conversation, and a passerby would not understand what the hell we were talking about half the time.  i mean, rosa literally has to say one word and salma and i burst out in laughter.

it's actually pretty funny at night, because salma is in her room on the computer, and i'm in my room on the computer, and its so obvious when we're talking to rosa because all of a sudden I'll hear a roar of laughter coming from sim's room.  and then rosa will say something and i'll burst out.  tonight it was like a symphony and the conductor kept pointing at salma for laughter on cue and then me, salma, ranna, salma ranna.

sooo, while it was a dreary cold and pretty boring start to the winter holidays, today made up for our ennuie (its a word in english, ennuie?  i dont know).  i hope you enjoy the pictures, i know i do.  i've looked through them all about 2847 times.  and with my new camera i'm taking pictures about a mile a minute.  just today alone i uploaded about 400.  i love my camera.  i cant wait to have my photo sessions with my friends and family as the break progresses.  the only thing thats really missing actually is...well three things..people really...top people really...marion, yasna and thom.  i wish they were here all the time.  i wish that tomorrow i could go over to marions house and take pictures of her smoking until she shot me the look of death and i feared to continue.  but alas, i can't. so i'll just have to make up for it, and busy myself by other means.

if anyone wants their picture taken...you have my card.  call me.

Back to the basics

I dont know guys.  Tumblr was a nice break.  Tumblr was like a short and sweet affair.  It was fun for a little while, but in the end, it's Blogger that has my heart.  How can I talk like this about a blogging site?  I don't know, I get very attached to menial things.  Its a vice...or not.  I don't know, even though there was so much that I could do with blogger, I sort of prefer the simpleness of blogger.  I'm used to it, I know how to work it, it's like, with Tumblr there was SO much to do that I just got overwhelmed and I felt like I needed to blog a mile a minute and posts videos and pictures and quotes and ahhhh!
No, this is fine.  My old blog.  Ranna is in Washington DC.  Because, that's where I am, in the end.  I'm not everywhere.  I'm here.

click the link

Mohsen Namjoo completes me

My sister and I were headed straight to the top

my sister and i had an act that couldn't flop

Darzemn

Uhh, did you know it's "darzemn," and not "darzem?" 

My entire life has just been a lie.  

coffee coffee coffee

Writing papers and studying for exams is quite the humbling experience.  It really requires me to accept how LITTLE I actually understand.  So...  that's always good....  you know, makes me feel better about myself, for sure.  Fo sho.

The problem with sitting at Starbucks on campus is that it's so far away from everything else.  OK, so not far away, per se, but far enough, that when I get hungry, I can't just leave my stuff here and go get food.  I actually have to pack everything up, and risk not finding a seat when I get back.  So I'll just suffer through my hunger, I guess.

No one really studies at Mason until a week prior to finals week.  All of a sudden, the campus is packed with people sitting over their books.  But even then, I don't think people are actually studying because they're always surrounded by a lot of people, laughing, talking, eating.
So for instance, there's this girl, who has been sitting next to me at Starbucks since like noon, and she's had this blank Microsoft Word document open since then.  Only, I don't think she's actually written anything.  She's had five different male visitors, she's spilled her heart out about why "so and so" really hurt her feelings.  She's done the whole Gmail-Facebook-Hotmail-Itunes dance multiple times (and I admit, today I have been victim to this dance, as well).  Darzem, every 30 minutes, she puts on her coat, gloves and hat, walks outside, smokes a cigarette, and talks to people.  Each time she sits down, she gives me a little smile, as though apologizing for her lack of work accomplished today.  Baba, be man che.  I don't care.  I've been listening to her talk all day and now I'm writing a blog.  I'm not much better.

Whatever, I finished (another) paper and a take home exam today.  So I still feel accomplished.  Thats not to say I don't have more work to get done.  I'll be working all weekend.  Until next thursday, I will be a slave to the education system.  And then I'll be free.  At least for a month.  Then it's back to Mason, back to slacking off until the first week of May.

Oh life.

i will triumph

one week.  one week.  one week.  one week.  one week.  one week.

This One Is Mine

Someone put
You on a slave block
And the unreal bought
You.

Now I keep coming to your owner
Saying,

"This one is mine."

You often hear us talking
And this can make your heart leap
With excitement.

Don't worry,
I will not let sadness
Possess you.

I will gladly borrow all the gold
I need

To get you
Back.

No L.

I had Salma change my Facebook password this morning because I have two papers to write for tomorrow and IT.  IS.  AMAZING.  I mean, its 3 o'clock and I already wrote one paper, and I only have to make some closing remarks for the second one.  It's awesome.  I'm going to be sans Facebook until school is finished on December 17th, and I'm sure without it, I'll get so much more work finished.

Watch me nowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

I mean, ok, granted, I downed two HUGE mugs of coffee earlier, but still!  This lack of distraction is really great.  Really really.

OH AND, I'm sitting in the room we never sit inside and today Monsieur put up the Christmas tree and I decorated it.  I ALWAYS decorate the Christmas tree.  It's my job in the fam.  I mean, I don't let the others touch the decorations, is what I mean.  Wanna see it?  Ok, I'll take a picture.

I have no hoseleh to try to block out the light.

question

• how do i put a video on my blog? 

ok so

At any given point how does anyone know what they really want to do?  We do what we do in the moment because usually there is something for us TO do.  But what happens when we reach the point where we have to decide what it is we want to do versus what it is we have to do?  Then the question arises of, what makes our hearts flutter more than anything in the world?  Stop thinking about what our parents think we should do, what will make us the most money, what will pave the future for us.  Instead, what makes us the happiest?  This is hard because we get confused.  Our entire lives we have been raised to believe that there is a proper way of doing things.  We go to school, we find jobs, we get married and have kids.  But what if we decide that that's not for us.  What if happiness doesn't lie inside that bubble?  What happens when you've spent the last four years of your life studying something, devoting yourself to it, only to realize that you hate it with every bone in your body and you don't have an ounce of energy to carry on pretending like you care?  What happens then?
Today my friend told me that when her parents and teachers asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up she always responded with, "artist."  Today, she still says artist.
I remember when people asked, my favorite planet was pluto.  My favorite food was ravioli from "La Baguette."  I remember I told people my mom taught Farsi (she didn't) and that my dad worked for my mom (he certainly didnt).  I remember my favorite books were "Hooper Humperdink," and "Berenstain Bears."  I remember loving to draw people.  I've wanted to be an artist for as long as I remember.  Artist transformed into doctor, into professor, into economist, into journalist, into photographer, into artist.  I've gone in a circle.  I'm back.
What do I want to do?  I want to be an artist.  I want to draw and paint and create and design and imagine and.  And that's what I want.
So at any given point, I might be doing something completely different, but I'm thinking about going into my room, taking out my pencil and paper and diving into that world.
I'm not conflicted about what I love.  I've just been scared about admitting it to other people.

nokhteh.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

poopoo daram

today ramin and i were walking around the JC not doing work..whaattt...and we started to speak french bc i need practice and ramin pretends to speak.  so we're talking talking talking, and all of a sudden, he's like, 

oh merde, je dois aller au toilette!   (ohh man, i have to go to the bathroom) 

and im like, ok vas-y  (ok, go)

and he's like blah blah blah (something i dont understand) blah blah blah, tu veux regarder?  (blah blah blah (something i dont understand) blah blah blah you want to watch?) 

and we were in the elevator and when he said that, he started to laugh so hard that he fell and I SWEAR i thought we were going to be stuck in the elevator bc the noise it made was not very friendly.  but he was laughing so hard, which made me laugh so hard, i mean, i was already laughing so hard, but i started to laugh harder.  

then the elevator doors opened and we're both dying of laughter, ramin is rolling on the ground, im sort of crying, and these two asians are like, "uhhhhh what's going on? 

so we walk out, and everyone is quiet and studying and ramin is like 

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA VAY  HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA AKH  HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA VAY KHODA HAHAHAHAHAHA AKH DELAM" 

and tears are streaming down his face.  and im like, zahreh mar, you're laughing so loudly, but i cant say it because its really funny when ramin laughs and it makes me laugh.  so i just laugh. 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA 

so i still dont know if he meant to ask me to come watch him while he pooped, but im sort of hoping that he didnt mean it.  just cus, i mean, thats even weird for ramin standards, you know?  

come watch me poop?  really?  I think not.