Merry Christmas!


www.imdb.com

This year my company decided to close its doors one day before christmass eve to compensate for boxing day holiday that this year is on Saturday. To that end we have been off since Thursday! It has been great so far.
We ended up doing our Christmas shopping in peace mostly because I planned ahead. On Christmas eve. before we go to my mom's house for dinner, Pishi booked 2 tickets for "Avatar" for us. We watched the movie in IMAX 3D version. This was yet again a heuristic movie, bad vs. good. The difference was that there dialogues that were controversial. The movie was great in its effort in creating a fantastic virtual scenarios and back and forth between real and virtual scenes. I think this movie could have been shorter with the same content but at the same time, I hope people really get the message underlying the movie. I have read a number of critics write ups for this movie and some how it reminds move of the movie "300". A number of those critics pointed out issues that I used to point out for the movie "300" and I must say, now that I am on the other side of the table, I can see both point of views.


http://en.wikipedia.org/

Anyways, party was great and the gifts were cool. I really enjoyed them. Christmas day we went for lunch to my mom's place and watched an Iranian movie called "old man's killers". It was supposed to be a comedy but I must say, it wasn't that funny and it was very slow. We ended the night by coming home and watching a few of "The big bang theory" episodes. I have been addicted to that show. I think the writers of that show are brilliant!

Yalda night

Last night my classmates from university gathered at our place for some fun. It was great to see everyone and celebrate different stages of our lives. Muna and her new pregnancy, Christine and her new hubby. It was great seeing everyone. Every thing went well, except that I forgot the Saffron for the rice!!
I took today off to do the clean up in relaxation and not to rush anything and complete all the SOPs that I still have under my profile. I have to start looking for my winter classes and plan for 2010.
This week is a short week as we are off on 24th and pishi and I are going to watch Avatar in 3D enhanced movie theater!
Happy Yalda night to everyone. Winter arrived officially at noon and so far, I am loving it!

Teeth!


The story of my teeth started when I was a teenager, I really don't recall which age when my first round of Orthodontic treatment took place, I think I had the braces on for 3 years and I was suppose to wear my retainers and there were more work that needed to be done, but I was too fed up with the braces I stopped wearing my retainer and it was around the time that my family decided to immigrate to Canada. So being a stubborn girl I am, despite my parents advise to continue my teeth treatments, I insisted no more.
Now that I am in my late 2o's I am on my second round of Orthodontic treatment as It dawned on me 2 things. First, If I don't take care of my teeth now, It would be more difficult to take care of them when I am older and second, I have come in peace with myself that taking care of myself in beauty department is not a bad thing.
For years, I hated to be complimented on physical attributes than my mind. And I thought that anything I do in that department, means that I am a shallow person and that I am one of those girls that have nothing to offer but just my beauty.
Now that I am getting closer to the end of my treatment my finalized treatment plan indicates that technically I am not really done until 2011!
Moral of the story is that had I listened to my parents and wasn't too damn stubborn, I wouldn't need to go through these treatments again and delay my other life plans on hold because of it. So if you really want to count the number of years that I have been involved in teeth treatment, it counts so far to around 6-7 years!

The lesson that hits home is that when you think that doing something will be a big commitment now taking into account your current circumstances, you may be faced with bigger ones when you have to do it later in life. So Carp e Diem and bite the bullet and take the challenges as they come your way as it may be harder to deal with them if you put it off for later.

Dominican Republic- Punta Cana


http://en.wikipedia.org/

My parents and us flew to Puna Cana last week and enjoyed 7 nights of fantastic weather. The temperature during day was around 29-31C during the day and abit cooler during the evenings. Swimming in Atlantic ocean was great, amazingly, it take a few minutes to get deep quite quick from the shore, and the water tasted so salty that felt bitter! We had the chance to go 10 feet under the ocean and spend time with the fishes, the experience was priceless!
The food was good and we discovered 2 more drinks, Coco loco and Allasandro drinks. They tested great. I must say it was fun vacationing with my parents, as they are very fun and active individuals. Lots of swimming in the pool and reading cheezy novels by the pool, and getting as much vitamin D as possible was the mission of the trip! The highlight was reciting poetry in the pool the last day! We ate, rested and enjoyed the relaxtion, participated in air gun and archery challanges and a dance class. I think our moves are becoming rusty and we need to start classes again!I won the women air gun challange after 1 day of being exposed to the trick!It was fun!
It all felt like a dream.

It's now a week after and is back to reality. Next Sunday, we have invited my classmates to our place and I am looking forward to that!

Vacation!

Tomorrow morning around 4:00 am we are off to Dominican Republic. Pishi and I are finishing off the tasks before going to bed so there is nothing else needed to be done Tomorrow morning. As I am typing, Pishi is bathing our fish and making sure they have food for the next week that we are not here!
Looking forward a week full of sun and relaxation! I really needed this vacation and as my boss said, have fun in the well deserved vacation!!
Once we come back, it would be a busy December, with lots of parties and get together with friends and getting the pending tasks end.
I did my first interviews for my team last week and I chose the newest member of our team!It was interesting to be on the other side of the table and be the person who chooses..
The day that I interviewed for my team, was the 80Th birthday of our company ex-owner and everyone at the headquarter was there! It was nice to see everyone, the good thing about it was that everyone said, I looked fit!!Specially one of the guys who I used to work in the lab, which when he said it got completely red!!

Le Pain Quotidien

Today, a group of our friends got together for brunch at Le Pain Quotidien. This place had an interesting concept. Had a big table in the middle of the hall, and different poeple could sit at it similar to a cafe at school! The food was good but the best part was chatting with friends.
Work is going great, my boss talked to me on Friday and gave lots of compliments! One key thing he said specially was that I act mature!! It's funny, but I know what he means in an environment that the head of the plant act like a 4 year old some times, being mature is a good trait!!
One week is left to our vacation to sunny Dominican Republic, we already started getting ready, buying the necessary items!
This week is going to be a very busy week. Tomorrow, we will take our care to the body shop and the rest of the week is filled with tasks that need to be completed before we head for vacation!


http://en.wikipedia.org

I watched a movie on Saturday called "My super ex-girlfriend". This 2006 movie production was a girl hero version of superman, i.e super woman, was a funny movie. Pishi and I had a good laugh out of it.

Baby time!


http://www.zaffron.ca

Last week was Christine's wedding. We had so much fun. In the morning we went to the church, but made it within few seconds! The ceremony was definitely interesting, it was my first catholic wedding! The reception in the evening was fun as well. Seeing the friend's and finalizing their coming to our home was great. One of my friend's is now pregnant on her second child! It's amazing we got married within a few month from each other and she is already on her second one!
Another one of my friend's were we met last night at Zaffron restaurant is also pregnant. It was great seeing her after a while, a year to be exact after her wedding. Food was great and the dessert afterwards at Red Rose was tasty as well.
In 2 weeks we are flying off to Dominican Republic and I can't wait for the relaxation!
One thing that I realized was that my concerns are more or less similar to my friends. Basically I am not alone!

Last week, we went to an Indian restaurant on Yonge, in front of the library. The food was great. At work, I trained this year's FLL candidate and it was interesting to be on the other side of the desk. I think I have grown a lot since last year this time!

Halloween

This Halloween Pishi and I dressed up as teacher and student costumes! Pishi looked so different that a number of our friends didn't recognize him with his fake glasses and Pipe! It was a fun party but a bit too crowded. Got to see a number of friends who has missed.
I am intending to invite a number of close friends for a night of chat at our place. I need to find balance in my life again. I have been consumed with work and it needs to stop and I need to reflect what are the priorities and what are the steps to plan for future.
I need to do more exercises to get in shape! I am so in need of a vacation, that I can't describe! I can't wait for the end of November when we are flying down to Dominican Republic. I am going to look for classes in winter time for both Pishi and myself to get ourselves active!

Sick

This week, both pishi and I were under the weather but feeling better now. We made our first "Ash e Reshteh" and surprisingly for the first time, it tasted delicious.

Work has become more manageable and I feel I am more and more in control. The best part is that my boss is confident enough to send another supervisor to spend time with me to see how we investigate and how we do things which I think being only less than 6 month in the job, is a pretty good compliment!
Pishi got me a paper back book from library called "Secrets of married women". I am reading it slowly everyday.

I am looking into completing my P.Eng application and sending it off hopefully by next week.
I have started thinking of what I would like to study if I move to do my masters. I am not sure if I want to stay in my field or change it. I thinking of getting myself prepared for GRE. Any advise?

Thanks Giving Day

Today is Thanks Giving Day and this long weekend, we haven't done much except, watching an Iranian movie called "Mojaradha" and watching "Gossip Girl" series because we couldn't go out much due to pishi's cold.
"Mojaradha" was a comedy that touched on women's hardship in Iran, when trying to be in leadership roles. This movie in my opinion touched on a very important point but I think in general it was not a strong movie. There were many disconnects and at the end, the only reason why there was a happy ending was because the men in the movie had pity toward the women.

"Gossip Girl" is a show that was first aired in 2007. It is a total waste of time for me. The target audience for this show is high school kids and may be university students. There is no value added knowledge by watching this show for me. I just watch it because, pishi was sick yesterday and he insists on watching it. You know me, once I start something, even it means watching something, no matter how point less it is I have to finish it. The only positive point of this movie is that un like regular soap Oprah, the Truth comes out very fast and people deal with it fast. I think the only thing I have so far gained by watching this show has been to be strong and be able to verbally say how I really feel.
Next weekend I am going to Chris's Bachlorette party and it seems tons of fun. Pishi and I are also going to a Halloween party at the end of the month!
I tried making a tomato soup yesterday and it ended up to be pretty good, I think it would be even better, if I haven't had too much tomato paste in it!
In the spirit of Thanks Giving Day, I want to thank God for everything he has given to Pishi and I and hopefully we can help others with what we have learned so far.

Fall!



http://en.wikipedia.org/, John Everett Millais, "Autumn Leaves".

Last Wednesday was the first day of Fall. Another Fall has come and another school year has started. We decided to take golf classes but unfortunately, the classes were full. Now we are going to look into dance classes. At the same time, I am going to start studying for GRE and see what options are there.

Workwise, I am feeling more confident about the decisions I make and my boss thankfully backs me up and teaches me when I need to put my foot down and when to let go! A sentence that has been said many time so far from different people that is useful in a variety aspects of life is that "you have to pick your battles". We are not the winners all the time however when the consequence of not turning the table in our favor is too grave, we should defend what we believe in and is dear to us like our fundamentals.

I am getting close to 30 and that scares me! I don't feel I have accomplished two major things that I wanted to do before 30 and those are getting my masters and getting pregnant. I have accomplished a lot though, in my career and what I wanted in my relationships. But I still feel, I am missing on some things.

Anyways, last weekend was great, because we got to do a Fall house cleaning and have Pishi's friends over for dinner and playing Mafia!

The week before that we went to one of Pishi's friend's wedding celebration where I met his supervisor, a noble prize winner in chemistry. I had the opportunity to talk to him a bit and it seemed so unreal! The next day, I went to Christine's bridal shower, which was great, I enjoyed it a lot but the news about my other friend and her losing her baby was a shock!

October is coming our way and I want to invite another group of our friends over, I was hoping at the same time to take a course but I think I need to wait until winter to be more stable at my job!

Labour Day



This long weekend, we had tons of fun. We caught up with some of the things that was on our to do list, like Pishi's belated birthday gift on Saturday and going to Rice lake for a day of fun on Sunday where we enjoyed the evening breath on a boat that my dad was sailing! He got his sailing license on Friday!
Today, I cooked and are planning to go for an evening walk and return our library books and get ready for the week!

Next week, we are going to one our friend's wedding reception and on Sunday I am going to Christine's bridal shower.

September has started very busy and in this month, we are going to host a number of parties as part of our house warming parties!

Workwise, I am getting more relaxed and my boss is happy with my progress and I am happy with my team. I was looking for some courses but decided to take them in Winter. This fall, we are going to do some dance classes and enjoy it while it lasts! and I am going to look into my P.Eng. application and possible courses that I like. School year is going to start tomorrow and my school sick heart is pushing me in to looking for some new adventures!

White Water Rafting


http://www.riverrunners.com/

The past weekend, Pishi and I along with my brothers went to an adventure organized by IAUT. This adventure was white water rafting at river runners rafting resort in Ottawa.

Rafting was fantastic. I never thought that I could do it and that I would chicken out but I did it and enjoyed it a lot. We drove to the resort Friday afternoon and by the time we reached there it was past mid night.
We got up early, had breakfast and head to a cave that was about 40 minutes to our resort where we learned about the fossils and the type of stones there. Most of the stones found around Ottawa are sedimentary rocks. The cave we visited was interesting and we actually saw a bat!
We got back to the resort and had lunch and got prepared for training for the rafting and head upstream Ottawa river. Our guide, Mikhal was very fun and strong, our raft that had 12 people in it, were a fun group. We managed not to fall out of the raft in the strong waves, except once were pishi fell out of the raft! Other than that we went in to the water and swam in the calm areas of the river. My brothers and pishi jumped off a cliff as well into the river and swam to shore but I was too scared even though I really wanted to jump!
Dinner and the movie of our adventure afterwards were great. We played a game that we learnt there called "Mafia" with a group of our friends till past midnight.
The next day, although a group of the people went to Ottawa for site seeing, we decided to head back as it was a long drive.
Pishi and I decided to take a vacation day today, to relax. So far it has been very relaxing specially that our lunch was provided by my mom!

Wedding Anniversary


http://belgiumsearch.info/

It has been a few days that summer is really here with all its heat, such that we now have a heat alert issued! But no amount of heat alert can make me resent summer.
Last weekend, we went to Fani and Sharif Alumni picnic where after a month or so I saw a number of my friends. Afterwards I met one of my friends where we went for a walk. She is going to Iran and is going to stay there for 3 month! I envy her that she can take a break! I don't mind leaving everything here and go some where for a few month just to be away from the craziness that happens at work everyday! It would be a new chapter in my friend's life and for that I admire and wish her the best.
I must say though, I have become immune to the issues that arise and can control my stress level. I just have to make myself detached as well and come home on time!!

Last night, Pishi's cousin and his family along with my family came to our place for dinner. It was fun spending time, although a bit tiring, in fact I decided to give myself some rest today and I didn't go to work! Specially that today is our 3rd year's wedding anniversary!
I can't believe that we already spent 3 years with each other! It has been great and I am looking forward to the next year's fun! We are going to celebrate tonight by going to moving Restaurant on top of CN tower.

We finally got Pishi's ergonomic chair and I must say it's really comfortable, now we have to upgrade his desk!

August Long Weekend!


http://www.whale-watching-holiday.co.uk

It has been more than a month since my last post. I was reading my last post and remembered how stressed I was at work with my new position. Now, 3 month in to the position, I have gotten used to my work and how to handle situations for the most part. Despite 12 hours working day routine, I am slowly getting to my normal self!
Mid July, Pishi and I went to my volunteer award ceremony organized by ministry of citizenship. Some of the volunteers with 55 years of volunteering experience shocked me of their dedications! I was the first Youth volunteers award for the night and the pin they gave me was a nice one!
For about 5 weeks my in laws, Pishi's parents, were with use for a visit. They came here a week after voting for Iran's presidential election and all the time they were here, them as well as us, watched and heard news of horror from Iran. To this date, I can't believe all the violence and killings of the innocents that happened in Iran and worse now is the trials of all the ones who were part of the protests for election results. My two cousins are victims of unnecessary beatings of "lebas shakshi" individuals. They were not part of any protest and they were minding their own business when they were ambushed! Similar to Neda Agha Soltah who got killed during the protests even though she was not part of it at all! What is strange is that despite people thinking that the killings of innocent people are wrong, they have made her a symbol of green movement, i.e. Mosavi's fans.
Anyhow despite all the political event, we managed to go on a road trip on the Rockie mountains from Calgary to Victoria. Lake Louise, Lake Emerald and beautiful winery's of Okanagan Valley where we went on a winery tour of Qauils' gate and bought red and white wines were the high lights of the trip. That trip was fantastic, specially that Pishi and I needed a vacation and we have taking pictures that look like posters! The breath taking views were amazing.

Aside from our trip, we went to one of our close friend's weddings and it was great seeing everyone after a long time! I passed my green belt exam and now I am certified six sigma green belt!! I am going to look at some statistic courses and courses in PMP next! But in the meanwhile, Pishi and I are planning our next vacation!

As we are completing what is needed for our new apartment, another piece of furniture arrived today, 3 more pieces and we are done shopping our home!

Summer is going by quickly and we are planning to enjoy it as much as we can. Last week, we went to the North York Public Library and both of us got two books, one English and one Farsi. I took a book called, "I love the rich" by Siamak Golshiri and am in the process of reading it! It's a series of short stories.

Today is the first weekend since my in laws have gone and seems that the days have stretched! But no fear, we have spent the time, organizing and resting and we are planning to watch more movies, go swimming and go for walks more often now that the weather is nice!

Bitter Sweet

Last week, was one of the hardest weeks at work. Despite that I am trying to keep my calm in stressful morning planning meetings, I cracked. I know that shouldn't have but I did. My only courage is that history speaks for itself and as they say, what comes around, goes around. Thankfully, the immediate department's contacts are very helpful and my boss, which I am growing more and more everyday fond of, is protective of our decisions. To be honest, if I survive this position for year, I know that would be a stronger person however, I afraid that it changes me such that I can't recognize myself.
Next week this time, Pishi's parents will arrive in Toronto. We are both very excited and trying to finish off the pending tasks.
This Friday, is Iran's election. I truly miss, Iran and all the excitement. I have been following the presidential debates and one thing that was interesting in comparison to Canadian politics is respect. Each candidate talk and the opponent keep quite and answer to the allegations through their designated times contrary to last prime minister's debate in Canada, that everyone not only was attacking the current prime minister but also didn't allow him speak much. What is interesting as well is the Parliament in Canada follows the same type of behaviour. "Not allowing your opponent finish speaking, and interrupting them". I was in shock when I saw that with my own to eyes when attending one of the sessions in the Parliament. You definitely will come out of it with a headache!
Last Friday was two of our friend's baby shower. The babies were very cute. The most interesting part was the different in attitude of the mothers. For one, this was her first and the other the second. You could see the confidence in the second one but you would see the care and worry of the first one!
One of the exciting things that I am looking forward to, is attending Ontario Volunteer Award in mid June. I was invited to participate by the minister of immigration and citizenship for my volunteer work in the past years.
I finally got myself a spot for Green Belt training and exam! I can't wait for its participation and actually being able to write the test in the beginning of July!

To vote or not to vote!

Every day at work is a new adventure! It is scary and interesting at the same time! Scary because some times I am scared to make the call, as I may have not seen all the angles! Interesting because every day there is a different drama!
Last weekend, we got to have dinner with a couple that both have been our friends for a while now. One of them has been studying and working in Hong Kong. He shared with us his experiences of far east and about people's hard working habits and their different life styles.
I am hoping that one day pishi and I can go and explore far east countries. The only thing that concerns me is food in that area!
Two weeks is left till Pishi's parents arrival to Toronto. We are very excited but still have a number of tasks to complete, including a self make over!
Pishi is going to start studying for his exam and I am going to leave him in peace so he can concentrate! or at least that is my intend!!
The stories of my office and the falling bugs continue! I am hoping that during our plant summer shut down, those bugs go distinct!!
Last but not least is Iran's voting hype. I am pro voting because that is each citizen's responsibility. Although I am not sure why the IRI embassy is not having a polling station in Toronto?

Victoria Day Long Weekend


http://www.allstarwingsandribs.com/

May's long weekend is finally here and after working long hours at work for the past couple of weeks, Pishi and I are getting some rest! Last night we went to a restaurant called, All Star Wings, where they had a large variety of sauces including chocoloate sause on wings!
Good food and spending time with friends was great. Afterwards we ended up going to one of the friend's apartment for some "ghelyoon" and tea and playing pantomime! I really enjoyed last night. This has been the first fun gathering of 2009!

We finally caught up with "Lost"and watch the season finale on TV and can't wait for season 6! Pishi already booked our tickets for our trip to the west and we have to get our place presentable for end of June when Pishi's parents are visiting us.

Second week!


Well this week I learned to stand up for my leadership style but I also learnt that I am not alone when hard questions come my way! I feel I am getting the hang of this!

We have started watching "LOST" again starting with season 5. We ended up doing more household shopping and getting ready for Pishi's parents to come. We are planning to have a road trip from Calgary to Vancouver the first week of July and I already looking forward to it.
We watched two movies in the past week, one was "Laws of Attraction" and the other was "Love Actually".


www.cyber-cinema.com

"Laws of attraction" is a 2004 movie that Pierce Brosnan Julianne Moore starred in. It was an Okay movie. The script was cheesy but the handsome couple made it watchable!!



http://www.sinepil.org/

"love Actually" is a 2003 movie directed by Richard Curtis. This movie contains a number of famous actors and actresses. I recommend watching this movie if you are interested scripts that look at several character's life their connection to each other during their life time.

I have been working long hours last week. This weekend was a great time off with watching "LOST" in pishi's arms. The weather is getting warmer and it's time for hiking and outdoor activities.

New Beginning and more!

Last week, was my first week as a supervisor! I had a lot of learning and catching up to do plus I had to read SOPs. I was so into trying to have updates of everything for our daily meetings and catch up with the emails that I haven't had got the chance to finish my SOPs first!
I still feel unreal about being a supervisor! I have started delegating tasks and can't wait to become as efficient as I can! I am trying to evaluate my time and find ways to finish work during the 8.5 hour work time rather than stay longer! My slogan for life is that we are not living to work but the other way around so we should enjoy our life as much as we can.

I have to finish off my notes about FLL program and be full time working in my new role. I must say Friday was the day that I realized how lucky I am to be in this role. I not only am learning new things everyday but learn how to deal with different situations!

Pishi and I have to finish off our home decoration as Pishi's parents will join us by mid June. I am going to start working out and look for project management courses in September!

Program Finale

A lot has happened since last week. I went through an interview and got a job offer for one our groups supervisory position by Friday which made my weekend a lot of fun! Friday night we went to my friend's sup rise birthday party. It was lots of fun seeing her being surprised! I was really happy that night after a long time. I couldn't stop myself smiling! It was a great feeling moving to another step on my career ladder!
Saturday Pishi and I spent the whole day with Pishi's university friend's from Vancouver! It was nice seeing his friends. We started the day with brunch at "egg expectation" and then we got the chance to see the "ROM" after its renovation. The mineral and Book of dead demonstrations were very interesting. In addition there was a section on home decor and textile history from 1700s till now! We finished off the night going to Shomal restaurant. Dinner was excellent! We bumped into couple of our family friends which made our night great.

Sunday Pishi and I was both dead!!We had to relax after the excitement of the past two days.
I started Monday by moving to my new office and was introduced to my team. It was weired hearing the head of department introducing me as their boss! I know it will be a tough month until I get used to things but I trust with the team I have it will be an exciting period.

Realization of Reality

Last week I have been spending time with corporate engineering group. I am very happy to spend time in this group to see what they do and what I can learn more. To my surprise, despite the manager's well done organization of my stay, the staff were not really helpful. I am sure their work load has something to do with it but what I have noticed is that the level of ego is very high. A know it all group that don't have time for any one else! Had I not studied engineering myself, I would have been fooled in thinking that these people are the smartest individuals in the company! Nevertheless, I found them lacking in a number of qualities that I am glad to have learnt in the past few years in my non-engineering related positions!
What I had pictured in my mind of what an engineering position would look like and the level of technical work associated with it had little resemblance to what I saw in reality in this group.
Come to think of it in the past few years, I tortured myself of why I am not doing what I thought was to be real engineering work. I put my family and my pishi in the never ending drama of "I am wasting my life".
The more I spend time with group, the more I realize that I can do their job with better efficacy and efficiency! The realization of what I have been doing in the past few years, have made a better person of me than had I stayed in engineering department only.
This coming week is the last week of the program and I must say, this last department, has been the icing of the cake!
I am not sure what will happen to me by the end of this week but I know that this full circle had made my life so much more in peace with myself! There has been times, that I would question myself and my abilities and would be depressed why I wasn't given the chance to work in Corporate engineering department at my company and now that I am going through it, I realized, how lucky I was that I never got picked. Had I have been picked, I might not have gotten the chance to go through this program and to even get accepted in this program, as I would not have had the skills required to do so.

Uncertainty

Friday was my last day with packaging group. I learned a lot from this department. I learned their functions but more importantly I had a chance to practice management behaviours, i.e. conflict resolution and effective feedback, that I learned through UP trainings.
Since my personality training, I try to be more detail about people's personality and actively listening to what people say and determine which color group they more or less they belong to. What is funny is that my cousin and I used to spend hours reading astrology books and talking about how to predict people's birth month when we were teenagers! more than 10 years passed and I am revisiting what I was interested as I was growing up!
Presenting at pre-shift meetings everyday, made my presentation skills stronger specially that this group was famous to be a hard group to communicate with! I didn't believe it for a second. I enjoy having people who question their surroundings in my group. I like people who ask questions and want to find better ways of doing things. Those qualities are attributes that I admire and won't consider to be negative. The last pre-shift, I asked them to evaluate on a mini survey I made about supervisory skills and asked them to rate me and leave me any comments if they want. The comments were the interesting and funny part! I burst into laughter when I read one of them who was advising me to cut my hair!! But aside from that it seems that I have left a good taste in their mouth as mostly evaluated me on the high side.

From tomorrow, I will join Corporate Engineering group for two weeks. This group is the group that I have been targeting to learn the most and one of the main reasons that I joined the FLL program. I am very excited and at the same time I am not sure what will happen at the end of the program. I have decided that no matter what happens I will accept the challenge with open arms and I will welcome the opportunity no matter what it is.

My dinner with my classmates went well. My last single friend is engaged and another friend of mine is pregnant. I was thinking that the topics of our conversations have changed so much from 5 years ago when we graduated and was wondering how it would look like in 10 years from now! Then we would reminisce about school and wanting to find jobs and now it's more about money, work and having babys!

Similarities


http://www.yelp.ca/

Friday night, after two weeks of planning my friends and I managed to meet each other. I hadn't had a chance to see them since the end of November! We went to the "Nose restaurant" for dinner and desert and I must say, I enjoyed their food very much. The ambiance, lighting and service was great. Spending time with friends was fantastic. I realized that some of the things that would bother me at work with regards to people's level of knowledge and willingness to learn as well as their unprofessional behaviours was not limited to me. It used to bother so much that I would avoid, dinning with certain individuals because of their ways seemed to me so inappropriate. It made me feel I am an outcast in their group because I couldn't participate in their shallow frame of mind.
It was great to hear my friend's experiences and understand that I am not alone! What I also found out is that I must thank god everyday for the great life I have and that I shouldn't worry too much. From now on, I will hope for the best and will welcome challenge one more time.

I am going to meet my classmates this week as well and I am so excited to hear from them.
We are slowly trying to get what we need for our new home. Our first company was my parents and my brother. We celebrated my dad's birthday together. It was fun.

"As we get older, we get less embarrassed talking about taboo subjects", this was one of the topics of conversation during my parent's gathering Friday night! This sentence really made me think. It gave me another view of why I shouldn't take unprofessional behaviours at work that seriously.

This weeks is my last week with packaging department and only another 2 weeks is left from my eight month training. I can't wait to see what life has in store for me.

Norooz



We celebrated Norooz in our new home yesterday. Spring arrived in our town at 7:44 am. As Pishi was reciting the words, we watched the special Persian program from TV. I was finishing off my breakfast and as I was chewing the last bite new year arrived! There is a saying that says, whatever your have been doing during the moment new year arrives, you most probably will be doing that act all year round. To that end, it seems I will be eating a lot this year..haha..
I wish everyone, a fantastic new year filled with happiness and health.

Just before new year our bedroom set arrived. A few more items and we are done with our place and then its party time!!!

Sober- Pink


http://khairilhusni.blogmas.com

After looking for a good number of bedroom sets, finally Pishi and I reached to the same conclusion and today we are going to purchase it! The computer desk and chair and a sofa bed, kitchen table set are still pending!! but one thing at a time! We are slowly getting there.
Yesterday Pishi and I along with my parents went to one of the Norouzy Bazars. We bought pastry and donated to for a cause. It has been a while since the last time that I have gone to any Iranian functions and it was fun.
I am beginning to realize that although, knowledge is power but sometimes, ignorance is a bliss as well! Knowing more of what's going on through my program, has made me very knowledgeable but it has caused me so much stress! I need to leave work at work and not think about it when I come home. To that end, I guess my this year resolution will be reading more books, exercising more and hanging around with friends more when possible! Tuesday is Charshanbe soori and I can't wait participating for that!

We watched a movie called, "Deldadeh" Friday night and if you are looking for a good laugh, this movie will do it! A comedy romance which touches on certain social issues.

Last but not least, below is the lyrics for Pink's new song, sober, which is on top of the chum list currently. Enjoy!

"I don't wanna be the girl who laughs the loudest
Or the girl who never wants to be alone
I don't wanna be that call at four o'clock in the morning
'Cause I'm the only one you know in the world that won't be home

Aahh, the sun is blinding
I stayed up again
Oohh, I am finding
That's not the way I want my story to end

I'm safe up high
Nothing can touch me
But why do I feel this party's over?

No pain inside
You're my protection
But how do I feel this good sober?

I don't wanna be the girl who has to feel the silence...
The quiet scares me 'cause it screams the truth
Please don't tell me that we had that conversation
When I won't remember, save your breath, 'cause what's the use?

Aahh, the night is calling
And it whispers to me softly, "come and play"
Aahh, I am falling
And if I let myself go
I'm the only one to blame

I'm comin' downComin' downComin' downSpinnin'
roundSpinnin' roundSpinnin' round
Looking for myself..
When it's good, then it's good, it's so good, 'till it goes bad
Till you're trying to find the you that you once had

I have heard myself cry
Never again
Broken down in agony
And just trying to find a friend"

www.elyricsworld.com

If today was your last day- Nickel back



Today, I felt that I finally put my mark on something that was important to me. Being humane is the most important thing in life for me. I can't tolerate treating people and seeing people being treated unfair and unjust. I was able to make the management think twice about the fate of an operator that made a mistake. When I heard the change of heart by management, I was incredibly happy. Because I felt my efforts has worked.
Now that we are more settled in our new place, I am going to get in touch with my friends for some fun time before I get absorbed in odd shifts that I think I am going to be respectfully forced it!
Anyways, the new Nickelback song is quite interesting. Below is the lyrics. Enjoy!

My best friend gave me
The best advice
He said each day's a gift
And not a given right
Leave no stone unturned
Leave your fears behind
And try to take
The path less traveled by
That first step you take
Is the longest stride

If today was your last day
And tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past
Donate every dime you have?

If today was your last day
If today was your last day
Against the grain
Should be a way of life
What's worth the prize
Is always worth the fight
Every second counts 'cause there's no second try,
So live like you'll Never live it twice
Don't take the free ride
In your own life
If today was your last day
And tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past
Donate every dime you have?

Would you call old friends you never see?
Reminisce of memories
Would you forgive your enemies?
Would you find that one you're dreamin' of
Swear up and down to God above
That you finally fall in love

If today was your last day
If today was your last day...
Would you make your mark
By mending a broken heart?
You know it's never too late
To shoot for the stars,
Regardless of who you are
So do whatever it takes'cause you can't rewind
A moment in this life
Let nothin' stand in your way'cause the hands of time
Are never on your side
If today was your last day
And tomorrow was too late,
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
http://www.metrolyrics.com/

Strange times

Last week was full of events. We started the week by checking out bedroom sets, kitchen table and office furniture for Pishi. We have narrowed some options but I think we should search more! For some reason, I have the need to be sure that I have made the best decision all the time!! The more time passes by the more I fell in love with Pishi and love our life together. I love our new place with great sun light and enjoy every single day in it.

We ended the week with one our friend's birthday party that happened at our building party room. It's great when you go to a party of around 70 people without the need to look for parking spot, dressed with coats and what not. Going down with the elevator to the party room was the best!I must say the party room was great and we had lots of fun!

Mid week, our company announced that they are eliminating some departments and moving them to US! That news was a big surprise to all of us, specially that a brand new facility was built for them and they just moved in a couple of month ago! This move wasn't due to recession unlike most companies that are laying off people due to financial problems. I hope the personnel who worked there find jobs fast. The employees in those groups are highly educated and it always puzzles my mind that why those people always get screwed all the time!

I am still continuing reading Miss Marple stories and enjoying every page! We watched a movie called " Negab". This movie was the first unpredictable Iranian movie I have ever watched. I highly recommend watching it as I give the director and script writer 2 thumbs up.

Last but not least, I got the pleasure of taking packaging lines apart! I had the opportunity to tag along with a mechanic while I am learning about packaging lines and I must say it was great! Trying to take things apart and looking into the machines and actually seeing the design and how it works were fun!

Moving and Agatha Christie


http://en.wikipedia.org

Since my last post and finishing our flooring, Pishi and I have been slowly moving from our current place to the new one. This prolonged moving has exhausted Pishi and myself. Some times I think had we moved in one shot it might have been easier. The positive part about this slow move is that we have been disciplined enough to set the stuff we have moved. Such that our kitchen over there is already completed before even us moving in! The heavy stuff will be moved by Saturday and I hope that no one gets hurt!!

Work wise, I spent 3 weeks with warehouse and distribution group and so many things happened during my stay that it may be beyond belief! From hostility of employees who thought that we were surveying them to get them laid off to theft investigation that was going on and just got to know about it afterwards!

This week I have started with packaging department and so far so good. My trainer is very organized and fun to be with and more importantly people are extremely helpful. I am looking forward working on the lines with the operators!

I had my first supervisory interview yesterday and despite the fact that the proposition is great, the timing is horrible! I don't know what's going to happen to me if I take that role. Although, I know its a great experience and I will be both doing projects as well as supervision which will help me get my Peng. faster. I haven't decided as to what to do and hoping for upcoming opportunities!

Going through all this excitement has been very tiring and I feel that I need rest all the time! I have started reading a series of Miss Marple stories by Agatha Christie. Always loved mystery books and it makes me detached from all the stuff goes around me and takes me to another world.

Once we are finished with moving, Pishi and I are planning to rest and watch movies and start with our exercise!

Birth day, home renovation and more!!



Today is my birth day. Unlike last year that I had 3 birthday celebrations with family and friends, I will be spending my birthday this year exclusively with my pishi and family. Today, I felt so lucky to have get so many birthday messages from my friends. I feel really blessed.

In the mean while, I finished spending time with production and spent two weeks with Quality Control group. It was great going back to the area I started with. As I looked at myself in the mirror of the lab's washroom, I realized, how much I have grown in the past three years at Novopharm and how great it is that I got my wishes have come true since the time I started there. When the lab managers interviewed me three years ago, they asked me what my plans were for the coming 5 years. I want to learn as much as I can from pharmaceutical industry and different departments in this company, I responded. Being accepted in the program I am enrolled now is full filling my dream.

Last Friday we got the key to our new apartment and today was its flooring renovation! I just had a peak an hour ago and it looked great! we have started packing slowly and by the end of this month we will say good bye to our current place.

I can't believe how much my life has changed in the past 10 years and how much I have grown and more learning to do. The past two days I spent time with customer care department and I must say being in that department was very informative and eye opening for me. The more I spend time with people from different departments the more I realize where they are coming from and why they think the way the do. By the way, after having lunch with our program Spenser and vice president of operation, I feel very happy, as it seems we share common thought processes, even in cooking!!

Observations!

2009 started with a great purchase and hope in our life. Pishi and I after much anticipated search for our first home, after driving my mom crazy!, we finally put an offer and it got accepted one day before our reception anniversary. It will be closed by the end of January and we will have a month to slowly move in before the end of February.

Despite my nagging about the size of our current place when we first moved in, thinking of moving out brings tears in my eyes. Pishi and I started our married life together in this apartment where we slowly made our life together from scratch. Gone are the days that we used to lay on the floor of the living room and watch movies together, because our furniture weren't ready! We experienced lots of firsts in this apartment and I wish the person who resides there after us, experience as much joy and happiness as we had here.


Our new apartment is perfect they way it is, except that we are going to remove the carpet in the bedrooms, as I am against carpets around the world!! As they are hygiene hazards!


As my days in production is slowly comes to an end, I have learned few valuable lessons. I enjoyed spending times with the operators learning how they do their job and help them with their tasks. I made connections with them on a personal level and got the answer to my first question from the supervisor who is training me, who brushed my question with a not so convincing answer. Our conversation went something like this:

J.E.:How deep is your level of understanding of the production process and machines when performing investigations or solving problems?

Trainer: Oh I don't need to know everything, I ask the team leads to find the solutions.

Surprised J.E.: What if the team lead leave here? Then how are you going to find the answers?

Trainer: They won't leave!! They can't find a job better that this! They have been working here for a long time and they probably will retire from here!

At that point, I just was astound and didn't say anything but I was amazed of his way of thinking and thinking why would the operators and team lead not leave this company.


15 days later, when observing and conversing with one of the team leads while testing a sample that I took from a 100 cubic feet blender, (yeah you read it right, 100 cubic feet!) Thank god I didn't fell into it! I find out the reason for the operators loyalty to this plant.

As I was listening quietly, he told me about the good old times of when the previous owner of the company used to run the company that wasn't as big as it is today. What he told me was very similar to what I have heard from other employees who has been with the company for a while.

"He was a gentleman. we could go see him anytime we wanted to. when I needed money for down payment of my new house, he gave me the check for $10,000 in 2 hours when he learned from my need." Another operator continued by saying that the company helped him when he needed $2000. This was the answer to my question. These people are loyal to this company not because they can't find another job, its because they truly feel that this plant and the people who they work with are like family.


Aside from the soft skills I practiced as a supervisor, I learned about the equipments and production process which I am proud of! Next week, I will go to QC lab and at the end of the month, I have a lunch interview with upper management to talk about my experiences thus far. I can't wait to tell them about what I have learned so far!

Winter is showing itself to Toronto and we will be experiencing a very cold week. Aside from the weather, what has been on my mind recently is the Gaza conflict and the violence Israel is leading on Palestinians civilians. I hope and pray that justice prevails.

Happy New Year

2009 is here with all its might! We have started this year with putting offers on a new apartment and now are waiting to see if the negotiations would lead to a postive ground or not! It's exciting times! Yesterday, my parents and us went to see the apartment we were putting the offer on again as well as some other ones to make sure that this place is what we really want and have a game plan for plan B! We are hoping to have a smooth move from our current apartment and the next one in the next couple of months.

Last night we enjoyed the night at one of our family friends among other friends. I always enjoy grown up gatherings than the ones in my age group! I think the quality of discussions are much better and they are more interesting!

Recently everyone at work and some people who I just met, ask me why I am not getting pregnant! So far I have used the polite approach but I know that it slowly is getting me sensitive on this topic and may result in some not so polite responses later on!

I think in general, generation Y is not as keen as increasing the population of the earth as generation X did. Our mentality is different, our point of views, goals and dreams are different. For example, I was talking to a man from generation X from work, about motherhood versus career life for modern women and he totally ignored my point. I am not sure it was because he didn't understand my point or he is used to thinking of women as means for having babies!

From all my friends around my age, only 3 of them have babies, which 2 of them had to struggle with their goals as a woman and their duties as a mother. Don't get me wrong, I love babies and I think they are adorable. At the same time, I know that in order to make sure a new born comes into this world with his/her parents planning, may be a better off person in future than what I hear from generation X for example that our parents didn't know what we were doing or studying and had no plans for us and we grew up to be okay!

To be honest, being emotionally and financially ready to me are the key points before getting pregnant. I refuse to be selfish enough to insists on creating a being that its genetic make up includes pishi's and mine when we are not ready for he/she. I would rather wait until we think the time is right and if by then I don't think I would like to add another person to the current population of the earth, I would adopt.

The most irritating point of the baby discussions is that, some people allow themselves to interfere in other people's lives and try to change their minds about their decision making process. Everyone in this world is sensitive to some issue. I think one of the lessons that I have learned over the years that i lived in Canada is tolerance and not to judge and interfere in people's lives.

Don't be surprised that the people who conversed with me about to have or not to have a baby are from different cultures and that they think babies should pop out after 2-3 years after marriage!!And to add to that the majority of them are guys who are telling this to me!

I some times wonder, whether men really understand what women go through to have a baby and that once a baby is born, do they really help their wives with the baby and have the same level of care as women have.