Fall of 2011

Time has flown by since the last time I updated. We enjoyed my uncle's visit and went on a number of picnics. Pishi and I hired a personal trainer since August and we have been working with weights since then. It's amazing the feeling after each session. I feel more energized. I try to go to swimming once or twice a week on top of that and have started a Zumba class last week. The best part of all of these activities is that they are available in our apartment and I don't need to go outside to use the facilities. I am working hard on my goal of becoming fit before Jan 2012.

We had an FDA visit where this time I played a bigger role in the inspection. I was in the war room and was asked to talk to inspector on the activities of the team and reports. She had a number of questions which I was able to put together the asnwers for.

Thanks giving weekend was great. With a group of friends we went to a cottege in Muskoka. The weather was amazing, we canoed and hiked in the 6 Mile lake Provencial park.

It seems, this year is the year of babies! 2 of my close friends (B and M) are pregnant! It is exciting times. What I have learned so far is that just preparing for pregnany is a full time job!! From getting your body prepared, finding a doctor/midwife to preparing for the arrival of the baby (i.e. Preparing the baby room, the cloth, bed and baby proofing the home..etc). For a smooth ride a detail planning is required. Most probably I will start with all of those Q1 of 2012.

For this year though, we are planning for a relaxing vacation begining of December. I can't wait for a week of sun, swimming, reading and absolute freedom! I think we should also think about babymoon!

Summer!!


It has been such a long time since I wrote. I can't believe my last post was in April. So many things has happened since!
First let me start by our Euro trip. It was amazing. We flew to Amsterdam stayed there for 2 days, where I met my childhood friends, then we flew to Barcelona and stayed there for 4 days. There I met my cousin and had a blast night with her and her friend. Afterwards we took a train from Barcelona to Montpelier, a city South of France and met with Pishi's cousins and then rented a car and drove to many cities across Mediterranean Sea such as Marcelle, Nice, Cannes, Saint- Tropez, Annonay. We then drove North to Paris. We spent a week in France and flue back to Toronto. The scenery, Architecture and people were amazing. We did some shopping and enjoyed good food in all these countries. I loved Barcelona the most as I enjoyed seeing the works of Gaudi.

The second day we were back, I was presented an offer for an interim assignment to department I was looking into. I must say I am very excited to learn new things in this group. Although it is a bigger group. (i.e. 16 people report to me) but the most important part is that I don't need to micro manage them and hold their hands. They are experienced and know their job very well.
When my boss announced to my previous team that I am moving, my team was very depressed. I built a strong team and trained them well. I miss them but I needed to move on to learn new stuff and gain some balance in my life and get ready for the next step of my life.

I also got my last implant in and everything went well. I asked my surgeon not to put me to sleep and I am glad that I made that decision.

Two weeks into my role and already have got a positive feed back from my bosses boss on handling certain teleconference! I am glad to be part of this team. Most of them are my old friends and people are friendly.

Last week, my uncle with his family came to Canada for a visit. We spent almost every night with them and I really enjoy spending time with them, last night they came over to our place and it was nice hosting them.

Since the last post, I made drastic changes in my view of life. I started reading this book on 7 habits of highly effective people by Steve Covey and interestingly, as I started reading my life started to change I will continue finishing it but the start was the best thing that happened to me. I highly recommend reading it.

My plan till January of 2012 is that I finish up my dental project, get fit and balanced and enjoy our time as much as possible and start trying to get pregnant.

We have started watching Gray's Anatomy and I must say I am not addicted to watching it!

Bye Bye April


I can't believe April went by so quickly. By end of this week, I will be finished with all the teeth stuff until June when I have to do another implant. I must say, I am in love with my teeth now! They look fantastic thanks to the Orthodontist, Surgeon and the Prosthodontist!

Two weeks to my suprise, my boss called me in her office and presented a great raise! I can't believe that my persistent finally paid off!

Last week, I got to meet my university friends. It was great to hear from them. Although it was getting a bit boring as all they talked about was their kids. The great news was that Marija is pregnant with her second son. Lots of changes!

It's getting closer to the vacation time and I am excited by the minute! In the past couple of weekend, I got to go for long walks with my parents and Pishi and it has been great. I hope the weather continues as I feel as the spring type weather finally coming to Toronto, it is making me happier and more positive!

I finally watched the movie called, "Others". Nicole Kidman stars in this movie and it was screened in 2001. Nicole Kidman was brilliant in this movie I must say. If it was not for the movie sound track, her great facial posture showed her terror. The ending was surprising to me.

This romance was in the air this weekend. William and Kate of Britain got married in front of millions of people. I know it's shallow of me to say that it was fun and great that it was so public as there are people who are getting killed in Libya and Syria but I am a sucker for weddings. What can I do!

Tomorrow is Canada's election day and Tomorrow for the first time, after voting always Liberal, I am going to vote NDP. I am tired of voting strategically ensuring some other party does not win.

Norouz It has been a while since the last time I updated. We had Pishi's cousin here with us for the last month and it was nice to have her around. We spent time together, went to Norouz party and different site seeing places. In total in the last month, I went to the airport 5 times. What can I do, I am a sucker for the airport. For some reason, airport is a symbol of life. Some leave, some arrive and some are waiting. Anyways she went back to Iran last week and we miss her already. Since last I updated, I got a great raise and bonus. It was about time to be paid off for all the hard work. Knock wood my new boss is great. I got my enhancement eye surgery done over the weekend and so far I don't see any change. It seems as if I haven't gone through it. Although the optometrist said my eyes are swollen that's why I don't see the difference yet. I hope he is right, otherwise it would be disappointing. I hope I could touch base with the surgeon in the next coming weeks. In less than a month Pishi and I along his parents and brother and his cousins are going on vacation to Europe. I can't wait for the great journey Pishi had planned. We will start from Amsterdam, then go to Barcelona and then to a number of cities in the south of France and end at Paris. It would be a fantastic 2 weeks. Today, I didn't go to work as I needed to give my eyes more rest before I start work again. By the way, I am done with my braces and now I have my retainers. One more implant to go, which I am planning to have it done in June and I think by end of 2011, I will be done! I must confess, I feel blessed. Specially today, when I was catching up with all the chores left, from refilling the dried herbs that my mother in law sent to archiving my teenage/ pre-marriage memories, I felt really fulfilled. Despite the craziness at work and the fact that I have been nagging about it, I felt at peace. A majority of it comes from Pishi, who has been my rock during the crazy times at work. I know in couple of month, I will have my team energized with the team building exercises I am going to introduce and I can't wait to have more improvements in the team.

Busy Winter!

February has been a very busy month. I had to write 2 tests, one for the government job and the other was for the black belt position that I applied. For both I am waiting for the scores and the next step.

Work has been crazy but I finally caught up and now is just maintaining the paste. My ex-boss, rated my last year's work as exceed expectation and it was great news! It was a surprise as last when we spoke I had to remind him of all the things I did last year which should lead me toward an exceed expectation rating!

Pishi's cousin is coming to Toronto on Wednesday and we are eager to meet with her and tour her around. Eid is around the corner and I am going to start my sabzeh early this year as last year, I was late and by Eid, it wasn't fully grown.

The first day of new Persian new year, my braces will come off and after that I am meeting for my eye appointment to get that surgery out of the way as well. It seems 1390 is starting great!

We have been so busy with work that both Pishi and I need a relaxed vacation! In May we are suppose to go to Europe but I hope before that we get to go somewhere warm to chill!

By the way, my mom is back and it's great to have her around. It seems it's the year of babies. A number of my friends either have delivered or they are pregnant! I have a very good feeling about 1390 and looking forward to the wonderful changes.

Birth day

Thursday was my birthday. It was my first birthday without my mom being involved in my celebration. She has gone to Iran after an executive decision the week before after contemplating to go for 1.5 year. She was ready, everything was packed and once she made the decision it was a matter of just flying. She decided on Saturday and her ticket was booked for the Tuesday of this same week!

Pishi did a great job in organizing both a gathering with my family and with my friends. It was fun to see old friends and catch up with new ones.

Not being able to talk to my any time I want is a bit strange. It clearly shows that my dad misses her very much too. She is the glue of our family. I have tried to act as the glue and gather everyone as much as I can. It has been crazy at work, coming home very late every day but I am optimistic toward the future. I applied to 2 positions, one is a position for Health Canada and I will know of the results in April and the other one was for another big pharma company which I was invited for the first interview and pending for the next one. In addition to those, I internally applied for the continuous improvement team which that one also will be announce later in March. So I guess in couple of months I will know my direction for the next couple of years.

The end of this week, I will be going to have anther procedure done as part of my teeth implant and by end of March I will go through another eye exam and for the second laser surgery. I think by the end of 2011, I should be done with all my body improvements!! and hoping to get in shape before we start working toward pregnancy.

As I start a new decade of my life, I am optimistic about the future. While blowing the candles on the cake among friends, I wished this decade be spent with good friends with happy moments.

Since the beginning of this year, we have seen some of the fruit's of pishi's effort and I can't wait to see their big success. I know and believe that they will be very successful.

It has been strange times, there has been turmoil in a number of Arab countries, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Yemen and some in Saudi Arabia. Some think that it is the continuation of the green movement and some believe the Tunisia's up rising is the trigger. I guess we will see. There seems to be revolution is happening in Egypt and the world is watching with interest. But what bothers me is that all those countries don't want to have the same destiny as Iran. Hearing such words just makes me think, what happened to the glorious Iran that now every country is using it as an example of what not to become.