Lovely story, Can anyone help?!

1. For the past 7 days I have got this awful sinuses infection (I know it is again!) and man-o-man I really need this antibiotic calls:
Levofloxacin. can anyone tell me where to get it in Iran. I have gone to couple of pharmacies and no luck. If there is anyone who can send me this prescription, please e-mail me:)( I know it is a lot to ask:)

2. Alex the girl has written a new story about having confidence and being different. It is called May Princess. I highly recommend you to read it. I couldn't find it in her weblog. So, I copy it here from the e-mail I have received:

When I was 13, I was an unusual girl. My days were spent at school and after that they were usually spent outside playing. I had a tool shed that I converted partially into a fort where, with 3 other girls my age and younger, I'd hold class or tea parties. We would also play in the nearby woods, building more forts, swinging from trees or fishing. In the evening I'd play alone in my room with Barbie dolls, lego's or Tonka Trucks. Before bed I'd read like a mad woman before I fell asleep to repeat again the next day.

This was not normal for a 13 year old girl in my neighbourhood. Most 13 year olds knew what hair spray was, what dating was, what style was. I didn't.

The school I was attending had only been my school for the year previous and because I was new and oh so different than my peers, I was teased, a lot. Not just by students in my class but by teachers. I was made fun of for everything; how I spoke, how I dressed, how I played. Most days I ignored it because I really just loved playing and what I called "private time" at home. It didn't matter to me that at school I wasn't liked because I had a pretty full life outside. Some days, however, when a girl would get too snarky, I'd deck her. That would keep things quiet for awhile.

In my last year at this school, I found out about a contest that was to take place for all the girls in the last grade. It was called May Princess which is an annual tradition in most commonwealth countries. To be in it, all you had to do was give a speech in front of the entire school about who you were and what you would do as May Princess to represent the school amongst others in the area. The school would then vote and the girl with the most votes would win and would then get to sit on a float in a pretty dress and throw candy.

I wanted to be May Princess, wear a pretty dress, sit on a float and throw candy.

It's not that I actually thought I would win, but I never thought I would lose. I didn't think about it, anylyse it, play it out. I just thought it sounded like a fabulous idea and, without telling anyone, entered.

The day came when 13 of us girls had to sit in front of the school and wait our turn to speak. The 12 other girls were the girls. They had the hair and they had the clothes. But what they didn't have was confidence in themselves and the ability to speak.

Despite my awkwardness, I did.

I remember standing in front of the school, giving my little speech which was filled with much cheeky humour and a real passion for wanting to be princess. I remember people laughing and the little kids in the front row staring. I remember when I was finished and turned to walk to my seat, the other 12 girls laughing at me like I was retarded.

Later that afternoon, the 13 of us were called to the office to hear the results before they were announced. The headmaster said to us with a look of disbelief, "I don't know how, but she won. She won with 400 more votes than the next girl. I don't know how, I don't know how." And he handed me the piece of paper that pronounced me May Princess.

I sat with a huge grin, the other girls scoweled. It was a very quiet walk back to class and when it was announced over the loud speaker that I won, I sat there grinning while the entire class, including the teacher, looked at me with that "what the hell" look.

Leaving school all the little kids kept running up to me saying, "I voted for you May Princess!" Some even asked for autographs! I was swarmed by all the little children who didn't care about hair spray or boys either.

When I got home, my mum was gardening in the front yard and I literally shouted to her, "Mum! I won! I was voted May Princess!" to which she replied, "What have we told you about lying?" She didn't believe some awkward girl who got into more fights with her peers and played make believe in the back yard could win some contest. But luckily a neighbour walked by whose child went to our school and told me congratulations. My mothers jaw dropped.

A month later I sat on the float, in a pretty white dress, and threw candy. It was so much fun I remember. I sat with girls from other schools who knew about hair spray, style and boys but somehow, liked me just the same. They assumed I must be cool to win so they chatted me up and we giggled on board the float. One girl next to me asked me how long I had primped for that day, after telling me about her day at the spa. I told her I had been digging for worms early but I had made sure to wash my hands. Oh, I added, I had taken a few minutes to learn how to walk in a heal. She smiled that polite May Princess smile and I smiled back. It was a good day to be a May Princess.

I often think back to that time and ask how was it that I won by so many votes. My guess is that I've always had a connection with kids somehow; they like me. While the older girls split the votes amongst their peers, I got all the primary's who didn't know what cool was or who was it this month. They just saw a girl with blonde hair and a big grin who seemed happy and maybe once or twice protected them from a bully on the play ground or played jump rope when they needed another player. I realised at a very early age that you can worry about a few people and be miserably controlled, or you can worry about yourself and have more freedom and happiness. I've always had a lot of freedom and happiness.

I also think about why I entered that contest, why I wasn't afraid or didn't think I'd lose. I think it's because my concern wasn't with how I would look, how I would win, or what it would all mean but how much fun it would all be. I did thingsbased on the enjoyment it would give me and not what was "cool" or "hip." Actually, that hasn't changed 17 years later.

3. How could I forget about Earth day. I haven't heard a lot about any event in Iran! but let's cherish our earth and its environment. Becasue we are so much depend on them.

Retirement and democracy

I have noticed that in Iran age of retirement does not technically exist. Look at our government and in particular an entity called “Canceller of Guardians”. Looking at the age of whom are in stated entity just reveals that their average age is over 65 years old!! This is surprising in a country that about 70% of its working force are youngersters age between 19-29. So, having stated that I would like to talk about my own father in this regard. He is around age of 72 and still trying to make himself busy with jobs that are perhaps not very appropriate for him to follow up at this age per say! I have told him a few time, why do not you let me take care of them, and his respond is sure, I let you do it, but can you do it!?
What I realized is the fact that he wants me to follow his shoes to doing or directing any provided job. If I do otherwise, it is not technically considered the job is being done!! Something I personally refuse to do is to follow up my parents’ way of solution to provided problems.
I wish to relate what I said to the fact that our mentality is not democratically developed. That is why many parents wish to directly, or indirectly get their children do what they wish them to do. This at heart is against democracy. Many of Iranian, not all, pretend to be democratic but at their hearts they are not. Because they believe in totalism. Pretending to be an advocate of social equality and group decision making but at their heart being far from it. This is what they have been grown with. So, starting from our family why not practicing democracy right at home with family and friends. So, as it has been said “everything runs in family”!

Dubai, North of Iran and Break a heart...!!

1. I am back to Tehran after being away for 6 days in Dubai (UAE) and 4 days in North of Iran. About Iran's North I should talk about how much fun it was that people were throwing party from late night to early morning to almost any small community that you would live in ( Shahrak haye Shaomal I mean).

About Dubai, I have to admit that Dubai beauty was so sophisticated that I have hard time to consider Dubai a third world country!! The trip was quite fun.
I went on Desert Safari. A trip that was started by getting on a Toyota land-cruiser and being driven to edge of desert. The real part of the trip got started by going ups and downs on desert hills of Dubai. It was hell of the trip. Our diver was the owner of one of the biggest desert tours called Arabian nights. He was a great driver since whenever another driver had a problem he was the one who had to help out. There were a few people who got motion sickness due to so many ups and downs of the desert hills! So, my recommendation is that never ever eat if you wish to go on such a trip!! After being in this status for about 1.5 hours. We arrived on an entry gate of where we drove about 20 minutes to get to the main tent. Before getting to the main tent, there was this camel ride. Getting on and off the camel is not that difficult. The hardest part comes in when the camel gets up or tries to bend in his/her knees and gets down! So, after a joy ride on a camel I went in to the main tent. Getting in to the tent from south east corner the first thing would capture your attention was the area that guests were supposed to sit. The guests were sited in the middle and north parts of this closed area. The sitting area was carpeted by hand made Arabian carpet and on it there were this short table where around it sitting spaces were presented. On south part there were buffet of several middle eastern plus Arabian food (e.g. ) South west part there were Barbeque area where Kebab and chicken kebab were prepared. All around the tent wall there were small booths in which you could drink tea or coffee take pictures in traditional Arabian gown or blow into Calian (traditional Middle eastern Ghalyaan). After chit chatting with different members of the tours (They were British, German, Chinese and Iranian) we started to eat. After dinner we were presented by a belly dancer who indeed was a professional in her work. After the first dance she went around and asked the guests to either dance along with her or imitate her dance! This indeed turned to an entertaining moment. There was this Russian man who did really well to imitate the dancer move. He at last stole her cane and started to dance for the audience!! The dancer got a little angry or at least this was expression of her face! So, we returned after having a memorable night under glittery sky. What I learned was the fact we could even use desert for tourist attraction! Something that we, Iranian, have to learn.

2. A friend sent me the following story, which is quite interesting, and I would like to share it with you.
There once was a little girl who had a bad temper. Her mother gave her a bag of nails and told her that every time she lost her temper, she must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.
The first day the girl had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as she learned to control her anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. She discovered it was easier to hold her temper than to drive those nails into the fence.
Finally the day came when the girl didn't lose her temper at all. She told her mother about it and the mother suggested that the girl now pull out one nail for each day that she was able to hold her temper.
The days passed and the young girl was finally able to tell her mother that all the nails were gone. The mother took her daughter by the hand and led her to the fence. She said, "You have done well, my daughter, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. " You can put a knife in a person and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.
Friends are very rare jewels, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share words of praise and they always want to open their hearts to us.

3. Narges Kindly sent me the following links. I found them interesting.
A cool flash:-)
talking toonis:-)

4. It is hard to write after being away from writting for more than 16 days!!:))