Nothing But Net...

Lionel Messi's amazing header

Three years ago - almost to the day - I was in the midst of coming down with pneumonia... and the only thing on t.v. was World Cup Soccer. I had never seen a game before, and here I was - watching an entire tournament. [yes, I know. The biggest tournament ever]

Well, since I've been outside of the United States (where soccer's not really a big deal), I've been learning a lot about the game. So much that in certain circles I even call it football! So last night I got to watch the championship game (of what, I'm still not sure - baby steps, kids) with my football tutor, Naysan.

Friends, I'm going to say it here - I'm spreading a rumor that I'm good luck for Barcelona FC. Yes, I know that this rumor is not dissimilar to the rumo(u)r about me being good luck for London's weather. But let's look at the facts, hmmmmmm?

P.S. Sorry I couldn't find a better photo of Messi's header in the 70th minute - but, as an athlete, let me tell you that it was a.m.a.z.i.n.g! You should have seen it, seriously.

All the News That's Fit to Print...

Image Credit

"In this Day the secrets of the earth are laid bare before the eyes of men. The pages of swiftly-appearing newspapers are indeed the mirror of the world. They reflect the deeds and the pursuits of divers peoples and kindreds. They both reflect them and make them known. They are a mirror endowed with hearing, sight and speech. This is an amazing and potent phenomenon. However, it behoveth the writers thereof to be purged from the promptings of evil passions and desires and to be attired with the raiment of justice and equity. They should enquire into situations as much as possible and ascertain the facts, then set them down in writing."

This quotation, excerpted from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, Prophet Founder of the Bahá'í Faith, about the responsibilities of reporters (and other writers - hello, blog world!), is one I think anyone who has ever written in any sort of public setting would do well to consider.

There are really two ways to look at news reporting: you are either documenting the decline of the Old World, or you are documenting the birth of a New World Order - an age destined by God to bring such marvels as universal peace and accord.

You choose - I have.

Creative Word...

Example of Arabic Calligraphy

So I took a calligraphy class this weekend, friends! It was so cool! I didn't do anything this fancy - and I also wrote in English - but I had a great time AND learned a little bit about the history of calligraphy. I learned that calligraphy came west to Europe from Arabic calligraphers - but then (and this is the cool proto-type globalization part) the idea to illuminate a text *similar to what you see above* was something that Christian (primarily Irish) monks did when they transcribed the Bible - and that art form traveled east.... So cool!

Anyhow, you all know how I'm a sucker for words and language - well, with calligraphy there's an aesthetic beauty that transcends the mere words on the page. Definitely a skill I'd like to hone as time permits.

*Image courtesy of LAUSD*

More From the Vault...

Taking pictures of inanimate objects is pretty much my option as I'm in learning mode - they don't care how long it takes me to put things in focus....there is, afterall, a reason why people in old photos look serious and grumpy - as it took f.o.r.e.v.e.r. to take the pictures.

The Prison Cell of Bahá'u'lláh

Akka, Israel

*This one from my third ever roll of film - more to come*

...Brings May Flowers

It's officially linen season, friends!

Image courtesy of Kadria Simons

Possibly, Maybe...

The following is excerpted from an email conversation I had with Nazy today - her question? "How are you?"

"Answerable by a giant (if inaudible) meh.
I think my experience at lunch today probably sums things up:
“I’m not hungry, but I’m not satisfied”.

…unfortunately, as far as my life in general goes, a lot of that lies in my court, so to speak.

But the funny part is that I’m busier than I’ve almost ever been here – at least in the last year. I’m happy, but I’ve got a general feeling that there’s something missing, or just a tad off balance. I get the sense that this is how amputees must feel – like you remember having an arm (or whatever), you even feel it, but when you go to look for it or use it – it’s just gone.

Except that I think I miss something I’ve never had before.
How Bjork of me…."

If this were a mathmatical equation, it would go something like this:
Simple question (x) complex(ish) answer = complex question (squared).

Two for One....

As you all know, I'm pretty remedial when it comes to taking pictures - so it naturally came as a surprise when I finished not one - but TWO rolls of film (two. two rolls of film HA.HA.HA.) last weekend. It's all down to this really cool 'field trip' I went on. It had all of the classic elements:

Road Trip, Paul Simon, Ruins AND the best restaurant in Israel! (more on that later)

I went to a place called Beit She'an, or Israel's Pompei (or so the guide information says). But this place was seriously cool - at various points in its history (as with many places in Israel) it was controlled by the Egyptians, Jews, Philistines (and Jews again), Assyrians, Greeks, and Romans. It marks the place where King Saul and his sons were defeated by the Philistines and where King David defeated them. It's located in the Gilboa mountain range about 20 minutes from Megiddo (you may know that as Armaggedon) and 3km from Jordan.

Anyhow, so don't be surprised if you start to see more pictures that I've actually taken in days to come.