Thanks, Rick Steves!

I'm not at all dissatisfied with my life or unhappy...in fact, I'm with the perfect person, in the right place at the right time, but there's something inside me that stirs every now and then and lusts for adventure.  My mom once told me that until she moved to Colorado, she would get bored with places and need to move frequently in order to keep from going stir crazy.  I attribute part of my tiny restless nomadic streak to inheritance, but perhaps it's mostly a result of the fact that we moved and traveled constantly basically from birth until the age of 7.  Anyway, I sometimes imagine what my life would be like if I had taken a different path on my journey, or if I lived in a different place, or if I picked a different career track?  What if I wake up tomorrow and just hop in my car or on a plane or train and just go someplace entirely different for a week?  Three weeks?  Six months?  Equipped with nothing but my phone, wallet, medications, some spare socks and underwear, and Dante's blessing (of course I would come back after my journey)?  Meh.  Just musing.  I really do want to Eurail though.

I'm watching "Rick Steves' Iran: Yesterday and Today" on PBS, which is interesting because I just started listening to Anousheh Khalili, who is an amazingly talented Persian-American singer/songwriter.  Check her out, srsly!

I was reading an article recently about how "Iranians" and "Persians" are not one and the same, contrary to popular belief.  This Steves guy is taking the viewer through present-day Iran, but is very much focused on the wonders and contributions of the Persian culture, which is great because I think a lot of folks "out west" often imagine state-sponsored terrorism and American-flag burning crazies when they think of Iran.  It happens, but Iran encompasses so much more than that.  Aaaand that's the extent of my borderline-political commentary.  I really don't like to go there at all.  Ever.  So now I'm going to get off this little soapbox because I don't know exactly how I climbed up on top of it in the first place.  Errnnh?

Anyway.  Steves systematically covered aspects of Persian culture and components, and I got so homesick my eyes prickled and I could hardly breathe.  I don't think I realize how much Persian-ness is woven into the foundation of my life until I see it presented to me from outside of my home environment.  I see the Seven Spices, the Persian kebab, saffron chicken, the Norouz celebration, faloodeh...I could practically smell the food and missed sitting around a table with my family.  Persian rugs were unfurled for display; I saw several traditional patterns that were almost-exact matches to the ones on which I walked every single day from my first steps to high school graduation.  When examples of Persian jewelery were presented to Steves, I saw a necklace just like ones my mom wears, rings just like my aunt and uncle wear, and symbols like the Persian Lion.  Omar Khayyam was one of the first poets I ever read (I guess I should say...my dad read to me), and was instrumental in my love for wordsmithery.  Wow.  It's incredible the things you can learn about yourself - totally indirectly - from a documentary.  I am an American and proud of it, but I love having some Persian run so deep.

Whew.  Every single night I go to bed late, then struggle to wake up the next morning.  The next morning, I promise myself I will go to bed at a reasonable hour, and then I don't.  And so begins the cycle all over again.  This is a problem because I prefer working out in the morning (translate: I haven't been working out).  Hrrumpf.  I need to get a routine down, and I know it will be easier for me to do that when Dante has a set schedule, but ultimately, it's up to me to stop procrastinating.

Dante just introduced me to the song "Sometime Around Midnight" by The Airborne Toxic Event.  I can't stop listening to it.  For your enjoyment, here's the video:

The family that lives downstairs (ironically named Bird), just got a cockatiel.  Why would I think that?!  It sounds like Sonny used to when he would shriek!  Good thing it doesn't annoy me (I love birds!) because if it did I would have half a mind to go down there and tell them to put a towel over the cage.  I miss my birdies.

Final sidenote: Kiki is an excellent sleep aid.  After I get in bed, as soon as she settles down on my chest and starts to purr I begin to drift off.  Oh and I'm sure you were wondering about my teeth: they still hurt.  Goodnight!