Going slow...

I can't produce... My work is slowing down and I couldn't make out any story I can sell to Tokyo. Maybe I'm in a slump. Or perhaps everything's in summer vacation recession. I told my wife I'm not being productive and sooner or later, I'll get the slap from my bosses. She just smiles and says why not take it easy when you can!? When you're busy you won't get that luxury at all!
She's right. Okay, I'll take it easy and go slow... Maybe it's the only time of the Iranian year except the Norouz time that I can...

At night, we watched a Persian-Japanese joint film, "Hafez" (Japanese title: "Hafez, Persia no Uta" http://www.bitters.co.jp/hafez/) together.

it was a very difficult film to understand with a complex plot... at least I was able to see completely different aspects of this nation full of varieties...

Start of a decisive week...

We had another colleague from Tokyo today and hiring a driver made our office at full force with 9 people hanging around, more than double our usual force... the pressures of showing results is mounting... It's great to have people who will bring good influence to my staff and it's a great help that I will be able to work with other young ones. But I'm also sad that I can't really smile before them saying I'm really doing a great job at this post and I could really make show them how great it is to work here...

We went right away to meet two people that we needed to include in our documentary and I think both interviews went fine. I hope we can get the filming part rolling so I can concentrate on my news reports, which I have been given an ultimatum to give my ideas after digging for these two days. Well, my day is over and I still haven't anything... unfortunately...


at night we went to the film maker's world... a reproduced Tehran in the old days... wow!

Transit and arrival...

A brief transit stay at Charles De Gaulle again was boring as ever, and very troublesome with the transfer to a different terminal with a bus. I was already tired after flying out to JFK last night at 22:50 and reaching Paris in the afternoon with a 6 hour time loss.

Inside the first plane I watched two movies that you would never be able to see in the Middle East... Sex In The City and Forgetting Sarah Marshall... no time to be a critic as rest of the way I was just sleeping like a log!

they had to twirl around the airport for a long time with a bunch of Air France planes taxiing around!

nothing to do at CDG!

I tried to continue the quest for nice movies to watch... I decided to see two that were connected to New York... one was What Happen in Vegas and the other was Definitely, Maybe... right before the ending of the second movie the entertainment system was turned off and I missed the last part of the story! Oh... where is my God!

Sadly, I lost another 2 hours and a half returning to Tehran. It was over 10PM and when I got home, it was almost midnight... It was a very tiring flight back and someday I hope they would get some direct routes, which is very unlikely!

back to IKIA... oh that was long!

Fruitless, fruitless!

One of the most fruitless weeks of all time. No advances and no clear acheivements...


time is flying... the leaves are getting green... it's springtime!

My collegues gave me a welcome home party tonight. I'm happy I have somewhere to be welcomed back... but today I still had a throat ache and even a tooth ache... C'mon! I got to have some rest!

PS
I admit I should have slept earlier, but a Stephen King novel film "Dolores Claibone" was being broadcasted on satellite channel and I couldn't resist watching it... to get enough sleep, I stayed in bed till noon and took off to my office to work on my day off!

Back to my home country!

Leaving Bangkok, I was flying with a plane with one of the best equipment, but this old businessman on my left went to sleep right away and was wildly snoring. And my neighbor on the right was not snoring, but he was groaning and he also tossed and turned, kicking my right foot once in a while.
Am I unlucky or what!?

I switched on the entertainment system right away and started watching Bourne Ultimatum while eating my second dinner in about four hours. (I already had a full meal in the previous fight from Lahore!) I finally slept for about an hour and after I woke up, at around 6:20AM, we landed on Japnaese soil where it was a holiday, the third day of a three day weekend.

no one around the luggage claim turntables at this early hour!

I headed to my office and after I said hello, I swiftly jumped out of the building to take the rest of the day off! After spending a pleasant time, it was time to eat sushi for dinner and take a good night's rest!

But late at night, I was informed that a terrorist attack was confirmed at a hotel in Kabul.
Oh please...

What kind of HERO!?

Before going to my night shift work, I went out to watch a movie in the morning.
I happened to watch a morning show on TV featuring the film...

the movie: HERO (http://www.hero-movie.net/index.html)

So what are heroes for?

For yourself!?
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you

Nothing great?
We don't need another hero
We don't need to know the way home
All we want is life beyond the thunderdome

Or something truly great for someone?
I can be your hero baby
I can kiss away the pain
I will stand by you forever
You can take my breath away

Songs portray a HERO differently...

Ideal hero...
(http://hide3diary.blogspot.com/2005/11/just-for-you.html)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eviq_WMzBDg)

A hero within yourself...
Hero by Mariah Carey
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeipHCpY7wQ)

There's a hero
If you look inside your heart
You don't have to be afraid
Of what you are

There's an answer
If you reach into your soul
And the sorrow that you know
Will melt away

And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive

So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you

It's a long road
When you face the world alone
No one reaches out a hand
For you to hold

You can find love
If you search within yourself
And the emptiness you felt
Will disappear

And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive

So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you

Lord knows
Dreams are hard to follow
But don't let anyone
Tear them away

Hold on
There will be tomorrow
In time
You'll find the way

And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive

So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you

That a hero lies in you
That a hero lies in you

Something you can't believe too much on...
We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) by Tina Turner
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IV9an1EE9M)

Out of the ruins
Out from the wreckage
Can't make the same mistake this time

We are the children
The last generation
We are the ones they left behind
And I wonder when we are ever gonna change
Living under the fear till nothing else remains

We don't need another hero
We don't need to know the way home
All we want is life beyond the thunderdome

Looking for something
We can rely on
There's got to be something better out there

Love and compassion
Their day is coming
All else are castles built in the air
And I wonder when we are ever gonna change it
Living under the fear till nothing else remains

All the children say

We don't need another hero
We don't need to know the way home
All we want is life beyond the thunderdome

So what do we do with our lives
We leave only a mark
Will our story shine like a light
Or end in the dark
Give it all or nothing

We don't need another hero
We don't need to know the way home
All we want is life beyond the thunderdome

But I still want to be one for someone...
Hero by Enrique Iglesias
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IV9an1EE9M)

(Let me be your hero)

Would you dance
If I asked you to dance?
Would you run
And never look back?
Would you cry
If you saw me crying?
And would you save my soul tonight?

Would you tremble
If I touched your lips?
Would you laugh?
Oh please tell me this
Now would you die
For the one you loved?
Hold me in your arms tonight

I can be your hero baby
I can kiss away the pain
I will stand by you forever
You can take my breath away

Would you swear
That you'll always be mine?
Or would you lie?
Would you run and hide?
Am I in too deep?
Have I lost my mind?
I don't care
You're here tonight

I can be your hero baby
I can kiss away the pain
I will stand by you forever
You can take my breath away

Oh I just want to hold you
I just want to hold you
Oh yeah
Am I in too deep?
Have I lost my mind?
Well I don't care
You're here tonight

I can be your hero baby
I can kiss away the pain
Oh yeah
I will stand by your forever
You can take my breath away

I can be your hero
I can kiss away the pain
And I will stand by you forever
You can take my breath away
You can take my breath away

I can be your hero

Before vacation... number 2!

I presume I won't be able to go to the movies while I get my vacation as all my schedule is getting crammed up!
So I went out today!

to watch Ocean's latest film!

I took a day off again... I really didn't want to work today... but I sweared to God... I will work very hard from tomorrow!!

A lucky day!

After having drinks till three after the farewell party, I fell down dead on my bed till noon.

I'd given up on going to the movies to watch the latest film on screen, but one magical phone call saved me and I was able to fly out free!

There were so many people at the theater...

the last one was entertaining too!

Sequels...

After I woke up at around noon, I ran to Shinjuku to get a DVD I was desperately in need of.

aye my lad, the film I've been talking about!

I went out to watch the third one in the evening, and I thought it was a pretty good movie. Films' high qualities are rarely passed to the sequel, but this American hero series maintained its completeness till the third film. Now, I'm already looking forward to watching the pirate movie sequel coming out very soon!

Consequential...

I was so sleepy today.
No wonder... because I couldn't sleep after midnight, I just stayed up all night...

watching Spiderman I'd recorded...
but I haven't watched Spiderman 2, so I still can't watch the third one...

There's a place in the sun...

タイトル：太陽があたる場所はあるさ…

A rainy day at start, but for a change plus to slice off some of the stress, I went out to the movies.
The choice of the day was "The Guardian" (http://theguardian.movies.go.com/).
The USCG film has helped me concentrate on something different from work.

After the movie was over, it was sunny again!
I had to go back to work, as I had to finish my job I couldn't touch yesterday...
But looking at the sunshine...
I feel the tide is changing! I'm going to break into a gallop till I'll reach the goal line!

there's a place in the sun, where there's hope for everyone!

雨降りな日で始まったけど、ストレスを少しでもカットするために、映画を見に行ったよ。
きょうのチョイスは「守護神」（http://www.movies.co.jp/guardian/）
米沿岸警備隊についての映画だったけど、とりあえず仕事以外のことに集中できた。

映画が終わったら、また晴れてた！
仕事に戻らなきゃ。昨日触れなかった仕事を終わらせなきゃ…
でも太陽の光を見たら…
流れが変わった気がした！ゴールラインまで全力で駆け抜けよう！
写真：太陽があたる場所はあるさ。そこでは誰もが希望が叶うんだ！（唄の歌詞）

One last day of rest...

タイトル：休暇の最終日…

Waking up before noon, my last day off flew by so fast... faster than an arrow...

I went to the movies to watch "Lucky # Selvin" (titled "Lucky Number 7" in Japanese). I love films where everything fits into place at the end, and this one fooled me to the end. Entertaining, it was. And pleasantly I have spent my last day off with a reason...

In the evening, I got a haircut, and went to the press club with my car to bring many of my belongings to my base camp from tomorrow.

at night taking a peek at the new TV serial drama... watching TV relaxes me too...

Oh, these three weeks... have I had enough rest!?
Anyways, I shall truly return to the battlefield. This time the endless heat shall continue till March.
Yes, I better be ready!!

昼前に起きて、最後の休日はあっと言う間に過ぎ去った…弓矢より早く…。
「ラッキーナンバー７」を見に行った。最後にすべてが理解できる映画は好きなんだが、最後まで騙されたね。面白かったよ。とにかく最後の日にちゃんとした理由で、楽しく過ごせたよ…。
夕方には紙を切りに行って、基地に明日から必要な多くの物を持って行くために記者クラブに出掛けた。
写真：夜になって新しい連ドラを覗き見しながら…テレビを見ると落ち着くんだよね…
ああ、この３週間点十分休めたかな！？
どちらにしろ、戦地に戻らないといかない。今度は、３月まで限りのない熱気が続くことだろう。
そう。準備できてない訳にはいかないんだ！！

If I was wiser...

タイトル：もっと賢ければ…

I would've predicted that I could've had one last day to rest. I was only wise after the Governor's press conference that I was free. But without any plans, I stayed at home all day, just making a couple of calls to confirm that.

あと１日休めると言うことが予想できたのになぁ。自由になると理解できたのは、知事の記者会見が終わった後だ。でも予定は入れてなかったし、そのことを確認するために何本か電話した以外は、家にずっと残ってた。

So it became nighttime so quickly, I had no time to satisfy myself feeling the joy of having this one last day of vacation. And watching the American version of "Shall We Dance" and reading a book, was all I can do tonight.

reading the Earthsea stories... I love to read the originals after watching the films, but this time a bit different... the film, "Gedo Senki - Tales from Earthsea" differs so much from the original work by Ursula Le Guin... it's like two completely different masterpieces with the same characters in the same kind of world!


ということで、あっという間に夜になって、休暇の最後の１日を満足げに楽しむ時間は無かった。洋画版の「シャル・ウィ・ダンス」と、本を読むことぐらいしか今夜はできなかった。
写真：アースシー伝説を読みながら…映画を観た後に原作を読むのは好きだが、今回は少し違うかも…映画の「ゲド戦記」とアーシュラ・ルグウィンの原作とかなり違うかも…まるで同じ登場人物と同じ世界観で、２つの全く違った佳作なのかも！

Another day off... perhaps...

タイトル：もう１日休み…たぶん…

I did work today in the morning, but not in the afternoon... so I thought it wwas fair enough to keep it a day off, and hope I don't have to work on Friday either. Then, I will be able to finish off my vacation, which I must have had to spend till the end of March, and spending it after next week will probably be impossible with so many judgements and sentences ready to be given out till March.

朝働いたけど、午後は休めた…ということで、休みしちゃう方がいいだろうと思った。金曜日も働かなくても良いことを祈るよ。そうすると、３月末までに消化してしまわないといけない休暇を消化できる。３月までに大量の刑事や民事の判決が言い渡されるので、来週以降消化することはたぶん不可能だから。

After taking a long nap till the evening, I finally started cleaning up another quarter of my room. I think I was only able to clean up a fifth rather than a quarter, as I only had about four hours to engage in this rather painstaking work and I was taking peeks at the Eagles-Giants wildcard playoff game while cleaning up.

夕方までゆっくり寝たあと、部屋の別の４分の１を片付けだした。このどちらかと言えば疲れる作業をやるのに４時間くらいしかなかったから、４分の１というより５分の１程度しか片付けられなかったと思うけど。イーグルス対ジャイアンツのワイルドカードプレイオフの試合を見ながらやっちゃったしね。

At night, I decided to spend my time, trully like a day off.

starting with Pirates! I finally can watch the first one... I already had watched the second film last summer with my sister...

Oh, will I still be enjoying another day off 24 hours from now, or will I be working dreadfully... only God knows...

夜になって、ちゃんと休みみたいに時間を過ごすことにしたよ。
写真：パイレーツから始めて！最初のヤツをようやく見られるよ…妹と去年、２つめの映画は観ちゃったもんね…。
ああ、今から２４時間、休みを楽しめるんだろうか、それともだらだらと働いてるんだろうか…神様にしかわからんね…

Back to childhood!

タイトル：子供の頃に戻って！

I was quite dizzy today, but I had no idea why... well, except that perhaps I haven't had enough sleep, if about 7 hours of it ain't enough on holidays...

After awaken by my parents, we went out taking my cousin's child together to the movie theaters...

at a movie complex in the seaside of Sakai City...

Our choice of the day was "Charlotte's Web"(http://www.charlotteswebmovie.com/site/index.php), a version dubbed in Japanese (http://www.charlotte-movie.jp/site/).
I read the original work, an illustarted book read by billions of kids all over the word, when I was a child myself!
It was like travelling through time, back to my childhood to see Wilbur and Charlotte at this age! (The only things I remember about the story was that it was about a pig and a spider helping each other a farmhouse, and the spider dies at the end leaving her offsprings behind for the pig...)

After the show we visited my uncle's, where my grandma stays and my cousin's family is staying. I had too much Japanese Sake... and the sandman has attacked me instantly when we arrived back home... just like a child would after sipping some alcohol... Zzz...

今日は結構、くらくらしたが、どうしてか分からず…まぁ、睡眠不足のせいかも知んない、もし休みの日に７時間の睡眠が少ないって言うんならね…
両親に起こされ、いとこの子供連れて映画館に一緒に行った…。

写真：堺市臨海部の映画コンプレックスに…

選んだのは「シャーロットの贈り物」の日本語吹き替え版。
世界中の何万という子供たちが読んでいる絵本の原作は、自分自身がガキの頃にも読んださ！
タイムトラベルをして、ガキの頃に戻ったようだね。この年にウィルバーとシャーロットを見るなんてね！（覚えてるのは、農家の倉庫で豚と蜘蛛がお互いを助け合って、最後に蜘蛛が死んで、たくさんの子供たちを豚のために残すって程度なんだけどね…）

映画の後、お婆ちゃんといとこ一家がいるおじさんっちにおじゃまをして、日本酒を飲み過ぎた…家に戻ったら、睡魔にあっと言う間に襲われた…子供がアルコールをすすった後のように…ぐーぐー…