Another day to relax

After yesterday's warfare, I seemed like the best day to take a complete day off. I was hoping there wouldn't be anything crazy to report on today and slept for hours. You can't imagine how tired I am recently and I couldn't resist sleeping for more than 12 hours! I even took a nap in the evening after confirming there wasn't anything important that I had missed as someone responsible to send the stories from a nation catching attention.
At nighttime, we went out in the streets, peaceful as always. This time I received no calls from Tokyo when we started ordering our burgers at the same store we went to last week. We took our time shopping in the supermarket and returned back after 10PM. I know it's my fault I was sleeping for so long today, but the day was over so quickly. Again, I have to return to my battlefield tomorrow...

Photos...

we played our favorite tennis game together!

and we finally became "pro"s today!

Going out...

so many people at the park! so peaceful... at least today...

waiting for the burgers...

voila! they're here!

Back in the ring

The opposition, defiant as always, returned to the fight against the authorities. They never said they will back down so it was no surprise, but though there's many people risking their lives, it's now more like a propaganda warfare and I'm trying to be cool as possible unlike the Western media who don't even have correspondents inside the country. I know there will be no end to this war and my country may have done the same though ours ended when we lost the World War more than 60 years ago. I can't imagine how hard it is to apologize as I always try to be apologetic as I detest people who are angry and threatening. Why do they have to hate each other so much? Maybe anger is the fuel for these people and the propaganda backing both sides is happy to fuel them up for more crashes. I hate even more those people who are bystanders and taking part in the propaganda war. They're surely going to say "we're just reporting what's happening". Yeah sure... Sorry, but I think they're just reporting about what they think what's happening, or rather what they would want to see happen. Being a propaganda machine for their nation's interest, I think they're doing their job correctly, but sorry, I loathe these guys!

PS
Today's late dinner...

some Indian curry my wife brought home!

Demand and Supply

At lunchtime, I was asked to give out a live report for a program broadcasted at night in Japan and I had to scramble to write my script. There seems to be a shortage in the news in the world as Europe is completely in its vacation mode and I'm sure many people are enjoying their days off. Here it's just as usual, a bit hot of course, but just over 40 degrees Celsius, much cooler than it is in the Gulf. I don't know where the people in Europe would want to go as I would love to go to Europe, even if is the center of work, to spend time leaving this crazy place. I'm hoping I would really be able to take a day off from next week after the important ceremony due to take place one week from today. Anyways, just like the weather, the news of the turmoil continuing in this country is still hot and it seems like Tokyo is targeting me to import some supplies for satisfying the demands to fill in the international sections of the news programs. I know very well that they would switch to a better story especially from the West which bumps in after I send my stories, but it's more like an obligation to send in anything so they wouldn't be worried about the stocks.

After the job was done, I rushed to a party commemorating the 80th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between Japan and Iran. The FM of Iran attended and it seemed to be a very friendly party. I talked to many of my Japanese friends who I hadn't talked for a long time after I was preoccupied with the coverages of the election and its aftermath. Many say they will take their summer vacation and actually many already have left the country to take theirs. I always have to be envious about how people can easily take their vacations, but the responsibility I get for being a correspondent is incomparable. I thought I was used to this, but after getting married, it really hurts to realize the position I'm taking. I hope things go the way I hope it will. I really do this time!


heading north to the party...

Sympathy?

Today, I spontaneously proposed that I would write a story and things were looking good until I found out at nighttime that there were more information coming in after 7PM. It was too ridiculous to write the story over so I decided not to think about it. But I was worried so much that I decided to be on the alert till midnight. Fortunately, I had no calls from Tokyo and though I never feel relieved, it's much better than hearing sarcastic comments via phone calls.
Working under an "absolute" authority, I even feel some sympathy to this person who seems to be defiant to such unconditional entities. I seems like suicide, but maybe like the supporters, you see a hero in adversity which could very well be just a Don Quixote. For me, it would be unimaginable to make such a challenge, but I feel some sympathy in the fact that I would have done the same if I had the guts to fight back the adversities.
Several years back, I think I was accumulating enough expertise to be a bit defiant to my "absolute" organization, but I was thrown out to somewhere completely different twice... and whatever happens twice happens thrice as we say in our country, and here I am. They have ripped off my expertise and even my confidence that all I could do is obey.
Of course if I look at everything positively, I should say these are great opportunities for me to build up more capacity and further develop as a stronger professional.
But was this what I wanted? At least everybody is trying to hypnotize me to believe that this was what I had wanted. But hey, I'm not going to fall into that kind of trap... maybe like... him!

PS
Another one I always feel sympathetic...

he or she always cries for food...


meow, meow
I'm sorry... I don't have anything for you...

Being a puppet...

I was strongly pressured from Tokyo from the morning, and I had no power at all to resist the indirect orders. It hurts more when I'm told that "everybody here in Tokyo thinks that it should be done", rather than directly being ordered to do something. I'm just some kind of a puppet correspondent and as I'm compensated with money from an organization, I have no right to fight back. There's so many reports from everywhere in the world that workers are being laid off and salary cuts are hitting every person, it's really hard to once again pursue the dream of declaring independence like a while ago. So, though I really had other plans about when and how to write about the internal affairs of this country, I prostrated myself completely to the orders given out implicitly.

Today, I had a chance to talk with my Japanese journalist colleagues and I realized there are many ways of looking at what is going on in this country, and writing a short story about it would not give the slightest idea to my viewers. In fact if there's ten people, there would be ten different analyses and if I ask hundred analysts, there would be hundred analyses! The conclusion: anything could happen in this country now. Anything!

PS
We had dinner together at the same restaurant I went on Saturday...

but this time at the terrace! it was quite comfortable outside after 8PM!

Perfect timing?

As the second year starts for me, the permits for the press were ready and it seems like they're going to let me do my work... Perfect timing... But what can I cover!?
There were many reports about domestic politics today and still words of protest out in the streets and roofs of buildings in the nighttime... Do you think these issues would be so exciting to cover!?
Well, however things develop in the short term, the target for the moment would be either this Thursday or Wednesday next week!

PS
In the backyard...

family or friend or rival??


hello there!!

UPDATING!!

UPDATING MY BLOG AFTER THREE MONTHS OF DELAY!
I DID NOT UPDATE MY BLOG FOR MANY SPECIAL REASONS...
ONE JUST BEING THAT I HAD NO TIME TO DO SO...
I'VE BEEN WRITING MY DIARY ON MY MEMOPAD ALL ALONG...
IT'S TIME TO UPDATE THEM WITH PHOTOS...
BUT PLEASE BE REMINDED THAT I WON'T POST ANYTHING THAT WILL ENDANGER MY SECURITY!
A REMINDER THAT THESE ARE JUST PERSONAL VIEWS!!

ONE YEAR ON FROM...

THE START OF MY LONG JOURNEY...

It's exactly a year since I arrived in this country... already a year! only just a year!
Will I stay here for another year or another two years, I have no idea, but it's going to be a tough year coming up with all of the turmoil I experienced especially in the last month...
Today, I had already decided to go out to have dinner with my staff and once again show my appreciation to their hard work. We also invited a journalist friend who had helped us in many ocasions and congratulate him for his recent marriage.
But abrubtly, we found out that protests were going to be held at a square near our office and once again I felt blue... As a supporter of democracy and freedom of expression, I have no right to tell them that I feel blue that they're fighting for their rights, but also as a human being, I was asking "why today??"
The answer was so simple... they were holding demonstrations calling today the day of Global Action all over the world... okay, can't blame anyone anymore... I just prayed there wouldn't be terrible news that I had to cancel everything!

We were able to go out to have dinner... thank God. We enjoyed the Thai food at a restaurant in a hotel in the north and just for a short while forgot about all of the darkness engulfed around our smiles... It was a great occasion just to smile, so leave us alone!


food on the table... there's no going back from here!

There's still news waiting in front of us... I can't run away from it as it's my job to confront them... I feel the responsibility to tell our viewers about what's happening in this country... I have faith in myself that I can continue... Let's go forward!

Allez!

PS
The SMS service is back again!

will it be for good or not this time!?

Frustrated... but helpless...

It was supposed to be an easy-going holiday and as it was hot as ever outside, surely over 40 degrees, we decided to go outside later at night. We spent the day inside and I helped my wife start her blog in a Japanese site.
There were surprisingly no calls from Tokyo and I thought we took the right decision... We left our home at around 8PM and didn't think of going to an ambitious place for dining... just a hamburger shop that my wife said she always wanted to go...
Right when we decided what to order... a call from satan... no... it was from Tokyo. Apparently a plane accident took place in Mashhad and we had to leave without ordering... I was quite frustrated... why did they choose this moment? Why? Well, being frustrated doesn't help at all... feeling helpless I took my wife back and off I went to work!!


right in front of burger shop counter... I received the call...

It was exactly a year after I left Tokyo for this country having worries but slightly having hope that I might have a good time... Please don't ask me if I'm having a great time now. Please don't!

Taking a nap!

As we finished our coverage by 3PM, I finished working around 6PM! Quite early isn't it!? But on Thursdays, our staff could finish earlier than usual as in this country we only have a day off!
After dashing into my room, I went to bed and slept for more than two hours! It was such a nice opportunity to take a nap as there was no disturbance from Tokyo! I hope there wouldn't be any tomorrow either as I'm thinking of taking another day off!

For dessert...

our favorite cherry! I'm happy my wife never forgets to get the best!

Eclipse...

While many were enjoying the astronomical miracle in the east, it was a day of worries... it was the end of the fourth month of the Iranian calendar today and our press permits were to be terminated... we had no news of its renewal and all we could do is wait...
I'm sure when you experience a solar eclipse, you would feel how stupid it is to be worried about everyday troubles and ups and downs of life is just an assurance of being alive... Seeing no miracles, I can't view the world so philosophically like great achiever. So I'm going to live everyday being sad, angry, and hopefully... happy!


we had a brief power cut at night... boo...

Something in the ordinary

Using my spare time, I went out to get a haircut. My wife came along to the shopping center where the barber was and we stopped by an ice cream shop to get some treats for my staff. No major steps in our coverage, but there were indications that the authorities were not thinking of kicking us out as we received another three months visa today.

PS
It was a day of election coverage in Japan, as the major step of dissolving the Lower House took place. From now on, most of my colleagues working in Japan will have to take part in the coverage and we would feel the pressure of filling the news from abroad... do I have enough dough to make a nice report!? I don't think so...

Photos...
Our lunch today!

Super Star burgers!

And...

to the ice cream shop!

6 scoops please!

sharing with my staff!

First day in months!

It was another precious day that I did not step into my office... A very rare occasion unless I'm abroad and it's physically impossible to go to my office! It was possible as both in Japan and in Iran, it was a holiday!
I spent most of my time together with my wife and taking a nap in the afternoon... what a pleasure! On the other hand, I'm feeling how much weight I'm gaining each day recently... I want to blame it on the fact I'm not being able to do my job of journalism, but it's rather because I have too much stress, I can't stop eating and drinking!

PS
This isn't too much right!?

just some yakisoba and rice!

One day to go till another holiday!

In Japan they're having a three day weekend. For us it's only a one day weekend and another holiday after three days. I took my first day off in months on Friday and I want to take another day off tomorrow! From Tuesday, another wave of work days... perhaps with no assurance about our future and limited security is coming. Will I be able to find stories that will once again stir up my enthusiasm!? I hope so... or again I have to go on disheartened...

PS
It's starting to hit the over 40 degree mark... It's too hot to go without air conditioning!

hello there! having a nice meal!?
the shadow of the visitor is so clear you can imagine how hot it is out there!

A birthday to celebrate!

It was my wife's birthday today... It was the start of another week and my staff were here to celebrate! We had pizzas together for lunch...


four different kinds!

And in the evening before the end of the working hours, while we had a power cut, she was congratualted with a cake!

her favorite cheese cake!


And how old she is... ??


a surprise!


and very tasty!

In the nighttime we went out to have dinner at a Mexican food restaurant. All of the visitors were smoking shisha (or ghalyun غلیون in Persian), and it was too smoky for my wife, but the food was good. I hope she had a really fine time in her first birthday in a crazy environment!


too dark to take a picture...


having ice cream bars for dessert!

The turning point or the dead end!?

We went out from the morning to cover the friday's prayers, but sadly we were kicked out... actually I didn't even get to enter the venue! I'm still lost... without being able to cover anything important...
After today's sermon, I really don't know if the people are still lost... Everybody reports today was the turning point, but for me it really didn't seem so... Will anything change from tomorrow? Or did they reach the dead end? I really don't know, but somehow it doesn't seem a major change will happen soon...


in front of the venue... lots of people... but we were kicked out...

PS
After writing my story, I took my wife out to take part in a farewell party for a Japanese colleague working for another media organization and a diplomet both returning to Japan. They were longer so I have no right to say so, but I'm envious...


we had tasty Iranian food at the party!

Waiting for the new front...

It's getting obvious that tomorrow is the next day that could decide the near future for this country. Today, I wanted to finish working as early as possible and I told my staff to do the same. It could be a very long day tomorrow and I was sure nothing important would happen today. The day went by quickly and I spent some time with my wife in the nighttime. We even had a chance to play Wii Sports together for the first time in months! Would it be peaceful as it is tomorrow night, or would it not... let's see... it depends on what the people decide and it's my mission just to give the report out!

PS
For dinner...

having spaghetti my wife made using the leftovers from lunch!

Suddenly!

I went to a lunch meeting with Japanese business people and it was supposed to be another ordinary day, but... As I received an urgent call from Tokyo that the agencies were writing a plane crashed, I thought they were kidding, but when I saw the English state TV broadcasting screen I saw the eyecatching words: BREAKING NEWS PLANE CRASH
Our staff scrambled to get information and the crash was confirmed right away and it was a roller coaster experience after that. I decided not to go the scene and concentrate on gathering information as I found out it was a plane model, Russian one, that would not be used in Japan. Rather than thinking of getting our footage it was important to get as many information as possible to fill in the evening news in Japan.
The battle was over at nighttime, but I was once again shivering to realize how dangerous riding planes in this country is... Actually we took the same airline and perhaps the same type of plane when we flew to Tabriz in October. I was relieved to feel how lucky I am to be alive and I told myself I have to cherish what I have... my life... my family... I don't want to lose it now... or the near future!

PS
I went through my picture library... I found it...

it's the same type of plane we took in October!

PS
In the morning, the installment of satellite receivers were done...
I was lucky I had it done before the plane accident!

K... Konishiki!

setting it up!

PPS
I was looking enviously at the visitor in our backyard...

meow...

Nothing special...

There was nothing special I can do today and I even went through my accounting papers... which I would if I had nothing else to do! I was making some papers requested from Tokyo and that was it for the day... Nothing fun happening and I was seriously thinking about what I can do from tomorrow... what should I do without any way of getting permission to film!?

PS
The Islamic beer (=non-alcoholic beer) my wife had...

it's apple flavor! she never drinks beer, but she thinks it's okay!

Unsatisfactory

My life has also hit the downturn like the reformists... I can foresee nothing that could make me feel excited and it's quite depressing... One thing can change that drastically and that's if I would be able to take some time off and go visit my family which is the only wish I have at the moment. Will it be very risky to leave this country now while there's no way that the authorities would issue a visa for anyone? I don't think my wish is too ambitious after all the crazy work I've gone through! Anyways, no one would care and all that would be left is an unsatisfactory sentiment that would ultimately lead to depression. Please help me out of this mess... please!

PS
Oh please help me!

take me out of here! meow!

PPS
1USD was exactly...

1 Khomeini (10,000 Rials) today!

Generous tip?

As I was turned down my plan to offer my staff a reward for all the pains they have gone through these two months, all I could do is use my private money as the bureau chief to show my appreciation for their services...

Going to a restaurant serving "Caspian" food!

starters...

mahi (fish) my wife had!

and the kyabab I had!

dessert!

This is always my way of showing appreciation to them, but maybe it would only be a small tip for them... I'm trying to make it generous as possible... natural as possible... humble as possible... and hope they would understand I'm happy for their performances... though my bosses in Tokyo wouldn't care at all...

PS
We had power cuts in the daytime...

completely dead...

PPS
Watching closely how the change of power in Japan is taking place...

democratically!

Weekday but...

It was a start of the week and I was at work, but mostly like a dead body... I really didn't want to work, but I had to sit in my seat as the chief of my bureau. I just prayed nothing crazy will happen... it didn't and in the evening I went out with my wife to a party we were invited to. They celebrated my wife's birthday along with another younger, and I was glad that there was nothing to bother me tonight! I'm really sorry, I couldn't spend so much time with my wife, but I hope I can compensate a bit from today... I really do!

PS
In the afternoon, we also opened up a gift sent from the US a while ago...

the familiar See's Candies gift pack!

Day off... at the 70th day!

Today, I briefly went to my office, but just to see if everything's okay. It was my first day off since May 1st... That's 69 consecutive days at work! I finally took a day off! I was very sorry for my wife, but I used most of the day sleeping! I was too tired to wake up in the morning, and after going out for lunch with her and stopping by my office, I went back to sleep! The day went by reeeeally quick! Sadly, it's Saturday again, but I hope my staff had enough time to rest themselves! Foo...


having a burger at a nearby restaurant!

Another turning point?

There were plans of demonstrations today and I was ready with full force. Some who had said that they did not participate in the protests earlier said they would take part in this one and evidently it was seen as a turning point for further activities. It was notable that today was the tenth annversary of the student protest that took place in 1999 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_student_protests,_July_1999) and it was surely the best excuse to catch attention of active dissenters.
Though we're not able to go and cover ourselves, many witnesses have sent us reports about how the protests were and according the them, the number of participation could have been limited. It's hard to see what really happened until the next day (maybe I'll never find out...) but obviously the number is not hundreds of thousands. (maybe not even thousands!)
I think the opposition has completely hit the wall and as everybody says, it's going to be an underground battle from now on. From now on, I think the real confrontation starts...

PS

having donuts for a light snack!

A kind of public holiday!

It was the second day of "a kind of" public holiday. I doubt that it was really a public holiday as the newspapers were printed and the courier service brought mailed goods to the office as usual. But it seemed like some people were taking the announcement seriously as my wife told me some of the shops were closed when she went shopping with her friend.
Well, I'm one of those who decided to take it seriously and announce these two days were holidays. It was a good opportunity for my staff to rest and I asked our temporary assistant to help me out today. Fortunately there were no big issues today though I had to record a radio report late at night. Not too much work, but it would have been better if I were able to take the day off completely!

PS
My favorite dish again for lunch!

ramen, ramen!