A Songslide Artist

I am in Minneapolis, and getting used to the cold climate.
I spent the bulk of my day yesterday exploring the Mall of America--that gigantic shopping mall built to make you spend all your precious dollars. Its a place of entertainment, amusement, and off course the ideal land for a shopping spree, but also a nice place to sit, enjoy Chinese food and watch people go about their business of shopping and taking rides.

Ah!!! There goes a woman with three full sacks, she must have spent a fortune at Bloomingdales or she is a great bargain spotter.

Hey! Leave that child alone, he just wants some ice cream with his cinnamon roll...Daddy does not buy it.

That grin on the face of a seven year old boy in a water sled reminds me of how sweet life is, full of simple pleasures and fun.

To prevent my bank account from slipping down to zero, I went into Barnes and Noble, got me some multi-grain bagel with cream cheese and a cup of Godiva hot chocolate to stimulate my brain cells into reading an ancient book on Gnosticism. Having gone through many Thou's, Hither's, and Sayeth's it was time for some light reading. My choice! Happiness for No Reason-- well, can't tell you much about it because I am not done reading, but its a good read for all you Positive Psychology buffs.

Now I am sitting here thinking: What will it be like to have a gigantic mall in my backyard?

On another note, I spent the whole day today loading music into my newly acquired laptop. Being in a Music mode, I decided to upload some of my songs on SongSlide


Now you can decide on how much to pay for a song and help slide up my bank account, that way I can make more music and don't go exploring Mall of America- Hahahahaha.

Wilbraham-- A place of memories

I woke up this morning feeling really good. So I did the next best thing, complete a writing project, and then thought about blogging about my visit to Wilbraham. As godsent as it was, I happen to peruse the blogs of Jafred and Christina. Since I do not want to bore you, click on the title above : Wilbraham-- A place of memories and read Or go to:
http://mato-heaphy.blogspot.com/

Note: It was a fantastic time.

Indeed A Blessing

Fazal and I---I am practicing Fatherhood skills-- Yeeeeehhhhh.

Sitting at the Rutgers Student Centre surfing the net, I see eager-face students focus on computer screens preparing hard for upcoming exams. I think its time to write about the travels of the past days.

Wilbraham-MA at the home of Christina and Jafred Mato, whose son Fazal was a bundle of Joy, a source of musical inspiration and my opportunity to practice chanting some African Lullabies to a baby's ear, was my command centre-- in other words the place of launch.
From the comforts of their home, our morning devotionals after very early breakfasts (It is Fasting time for Baha’is), and joyous reminiscing of the Glorious Days at the Holy Land (Haifa-Israel) as staff members, most of the time preceded my participation in the loads of activities they had put together to keep my drumming hands busy.

Nineteen Day Feast attendances, Cultural presentations, Ayyam-i-Ha celebration, a visit to Amherst and Bridgewater State College put me in touch with the friends in this part of the country. The dinners were delicious, the camaraderie superb, and the company very encouraging. At some of the gatherings most especially with the folks in Holyoke, we danced, letting our spirits fly.

Highpoint:

-A jam session where we played Celtic music, switched to Middle Eastern music, crisscrossed that with some Pop and rested on an instrumental improvisation was acutely energetic.

Reflection:

It’s always great to visit friends. Energy, revitalization, enormous support and encouragement, plus the pouring of Loving Kindness from these Angelic beings were indeed a Blessing.

The White stuff called Snow

It was a long travel, the bus was comfortable and the layover was patient-teaching. New York City bus terminal (lower levels of Union Station) was teaming with people. As the saying goes, New York City never Sleeps, but the bus station was packed with people tired and weary from long rides to and from different parts of the country; Some sleeping on their luggage, others transforming metal benches into cozy dozing spots, a few read books, some listening intently to ipods and CD players, and a small band walking up and down the terminal making small talk and kicking sleep right off of their 2am sleep-deprived dreamy moods; eagerly waiting departure time.

When the long awaited departure time was at hand, and the loud speaker announcement was made, lines were formed, a well dressed bus driver collected tickets and passengers filed into seats, and off we went. Four hours thirty minutes later, we pulled in into the bus terminal- Springfield-MA. Glad to be in MA, my first state ever lived in the U.S. The snow covered embankments and snow everywhere reminded me of my first encounter with the White stuff called Snow:

It was winter 2002, fresh from the heat and warmth of Haifa; I got to shovel snow in Elliot- Maine (Green Acre Baha’i School). It was an exhilarating first experience. Dressed in Thick Jackets, Jeans, Boots and warmly secured hand gloves, making sure no part of my body except for my eyes were exposed to the cold temperatures, I shoveled that white stuff out of the driveway. Dove into some of the piles and flung some snow balls. I was not as brave to stay and mould a snow man, (for love of my highly needed delicate hands for drumming) but in Boston I was a hero to myself for playing ultimate frisbee under the cold weather.

Now I can reflect on the good times had in Charlottesville-VA.

The Stage Is Set

"The Stage is Set," were the bold letters that graced the backdrop of the music stage of the common area at the Sheraton hotel in Stamford Connecticut. Those were the welcoming words that greeted my entrance as a pop song was blazing in the air.

I walked to the registration desk and penned down my information on paper, and so it went, I was officially registered as a participant of the NEBY(Northeastern Baha'i Youth) Festival 2008.
http://www.neby.org/about.html

All through the weekend, from the performers to the plenary sessions and featured guest speakers, including workshops, their message revolved on the theme: The Stage is Set. The question is; The Stage is Set for what?
That is why I attended the conference, but on a more selfish note, the lineup of speakers and performers featured Rebequa Murphy(A beloved speaker) and KC Porter (My favorite producer).

Throughout the weekend, where I was opportune to be in the company of over 1000 Baha'i youth and their friends, listen to great talks, participate in a workshop, pray and got my spirit enlivened by heavenly devotional music, I got the answer to my question.

As Ms. Rebequa Murphy pointed out quoting from the Baha'i Writings "We have been created to carry forward an ever advancing civilization," I learned that the stage is set for us the youth (young adults included) to bring about the realization of the Oneness of Humanity-- the next stage in the spiritual development of mankind. And we can do it by living conscious lives, proactive lives, lives filled with meaning and of service to Humanity.

I also learned that activities known within the Bahai community as core activities are building blocks in the realization of this essential principle. Let me explain a little bit about these activities and we can see why they are such fantastic avenues for building Unity:

1- Study Circles: A group of friends come together and immerse themselves in a sequence of study of the Holy Writings as it relates to spiritual matters such as Life after Death, the Importance of Prayer, the Blessings of Sharing the Word of God, the Role of Children and Junior Youth in a Community etc. And each book in the sequence calls for actions which are of service to Humanity. e.g One of the practices of the first book in the sequence(Reflections on the Life of the Spirit) asks us to share a prayer. Just imagine the power of Creative Energy we infuse into the world as we share prayers with our friends, families, and neighbors.

2-Children Classes: A series of lessons for children based on the development of Virtues. These classes teach us on how to be better humans, bringing to light those pearls latent in us. Those "gems of inestimable value" that benefit the world.
And Oh by the way! One of the lessons is Unity. And the children memorize this quote: "So powerful is the light of unity that it can illumine the whole earth." AH HA. Meditate on that.

3-Junior Youth groups: This is about peer groups formed purposely to act as a support network of mutual respect and love for one another as well as being of service to their immediate community. This is my favorite core activity. Teenagers are filled with energy, more in tune with what is going on in the world, and have creative ways to address these issues. If we support them and offer them the tools, This World will be a Different world (a Better one I must add). Contrary to popular belief, teenagers are not spoiled brats who are only concerned with designer clothes and shoes, bling-bling and the latest technological gadget, they have intuitive and powerful minds as well, just get to know them and you'll be blown away.

4-Devotional Gatherings: This is when we gather to give Praise to the Lord. In an atmosphere of complete devotion we express our praise in whatever manner we deem conducive to this purpose: connecting our souls to the All Highest Essence of Creation, becoming One with the Friend as Rumi says.

Since the purpose of this entry was to report on my participation at NEBY 2008, I say, it was a blast. I had a good time. Got to converse a little bit with KC Porter, saw Rainn Wilson (Dwight of the the TV Show-- The Office) give a hilarious but touching account of his spiritual journey, Jam till 2am on Saturday night, played with Ali and Nasim Youssefi, Ben, Mike,and Dan on both the main and side stages, and had a safe drive back to Charlottesville-VA.

Just a side note, I got to eat at an Italian Restaurant close to Broadway(New York City), on our way from the Conference, after a short stop to say Hello to one of our friends' sister at Columbia University. What can I say? I am Blessed and You are Blessed too.

PS. No photos here, because I sold my digital camera to make money to attend the Conference (Just Kidding.

Party, Party

Fareed and I at Mardi Gras
Fareed got his beads

From the seventh floor of the The Terrace, one could see the parking lot by the House of Blues in Downtown Dallas filled to maximum occupancy. A walk around saw the main streets that carve out Victory park teamed with people,and in the parking lot adjacent to the entrance to The W, stood a live music stage, vendors and a throng of colorful costumes of party goers. Lines to buy beer, craw fish, and Popeye's chicken was as long compared only to the lines to the restrooms-- two hundred or more people in two lines.

On the other side of the park, where the giant screen displays flashed all kinds of ads, the fountain was on display wetting the body of a dancer who apparently drunk was a source of entertainment to many onlookers.

The night's weather was cool(upper 5o's or so), and the people of Dallas came out in great numbers for their first Mardi Gras party. You could see the excitement in many faces, as they walk in numbers holding hands, saying Hello's or "Excuse me" as they make their way through tight corners of standing bodies chattering the night out.

The parade-a time that got so many people shouting, hollering and some jumping for beads, was as colorful as the rainbow although not as flamboyant as one might expect in a Mardi Gras party.

I am on my way

I am a thirsty fish
longing to swim in
in the ocean's deeps

A bird trapped in sordid waters
flapping its wings, to
free itself from its mesh
and fly heavenwards

I am a child
tender in age
crying for Mother's breast milk and caress
wanting Father's touch
and the tenderness of his kiss on my forehead

A traveller
staging the course of his journey
seeking his pathway, navigating
readying for the challenges of an adventure
And I am, I am on my way.

Celebrating the Dream

It was Monday, January 21, 2008. The afternoon's weather was cold, a little windy and temperatures hit the lower 40's. Notwithstanding, a group of people gathered in the Southlake Carroll Senoir High School auditorium to celebrate the Life, Dreams and Vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
As the diverse assembly settled in their seats, the commemoration began with a soulful song of praise by the Saint John Baptist Church Choir. A prayer for Unity from the Sacred Writings of the Bahai Faith preceeded an invocation by a Pastor.

A welcome note, a Mayoral declaration and an overview talk by Jack Guillebeaux were the next items on the agenda. After a lively song saying "We are One Family" with me on the Djembe leading the crowd, it was time for the most emotional and heartwarming part of the program:
Recitation of excerpts of Dr. King's speeches by children ages 9- 13. As the children recited excerpts from these speeches:
"Eulogy for the martyred children,"
"From the mountain top,"
"MIA mass meeting at Holt Street Baptist Church,"
"Paul's letter to the American Christians," and
"Where do we go from here,"
I was mesmerized not only by the brilliance with which they recited the speeches, their intonation which invoked such a deeper understanding of the message contained therein, also by the spirit of joy and knowing with which these children conveyed that spirit of Dr. King's message; a call to harmony, a fight for the establishment of justice and equality, and the recognition of our essential existence as humans who need to be treated with respect and dignity.

Then came time for some action. Jack called on the assembly to regroup in fours to discuss on how we can build a better Southlake using Dr. King's dreams and vision. A sample of the groups' ideas were shared on what an individual, neighbors, family and the city can do to make a better Southlake. It is important to note that most of the ideas shared were actions that could be implemented immediately with no need of grandious plans, just a commitment to a reorganization of our lives. E.g invite a neighbor to dinner and have them taste a meal from your culture or another culture, say prayers together, make a deliberate effort to make friends and meet people who are different from you.

Another lively song(Beauty) which celebrates the beauty in the diversity of the world proceeded the Awards and Scholarship Ceremony. Three students were awarded prizes ($250-1000) for the essay they wrote on building a better Southlake using Dr. King's Dreams.

Closing comments, a prayer for America, and a performance by the Saint John Baptist Choir brought to a close this ceremony. The first sponsored by the Bahais of Southlake. As the friends gathered around enjoying their refreshments, I could see faces beaming with joy, gladness and a realization that meetings of this nature can be brought to a neighborhood level, filled with enthusiasm, a spirit to get to know our friends and neighbors at a more intimate level rather than superficial salutes and "How di's" as we walk our dogs along paved sidewalks.

Heavenly Delights

The journey was long and the anticipation of meeting the friends in Dallas made it even longer. Although a smooth drive, and the pleasures of listening to great music (Temple of Light CD, One Giant Leap) was soothing, yet my heart kept saying "Soon I'll be there, there will I be soon."

On time, I was in Dallas, the weather was cloudy and cold( somewhere in the 40's?)Not paying attention to weather reports, I was expecting some sunshine. What the weather didn't provide in sunshine, the greeting and salute of Fareed did. Even more so the treat, which was eating at a Moroccan restaurant.

It was then time for some enjoyeeeing!!!!!
The drive was short, the vicinity jiving with a Downtown revival spirit of Dallas Downtown projects: trendy shops, big screen displays, kool restaurants, and booming condos that exhibit the flow of Benjamins.

A short walk and a few How are you doing?, we entered Medina- a Moroccan restaurant owned by a lively Gentleman known as Sam. The decor was appealing, showcasing some aspects of the grandeur of Moroccan interior design without overwhelming the eyes.
The staff was friendly.

Then came the food. Ah the food!! Heavenly delights. From the Calamari salad to the Za'atar lamb chops,the pita bread, shrimp wraps and hakira sauce in between, are foods that awakens the taste buds, satisfy their longings, and conjures a Princely dinning, healthy and well suited for a boujoir lifestyle without its extravagancies.
Needless to say the flavor and aroma of the lamb chops, their tenderness and zest of the sauce was the perfect combination,that made me a hearty eater with ringing smiles running along my face.

Whisperings

I dove into an ocean
And drank deep of its
Crystal clear waters

My ear drum got filled
With the whisperings:
The time is nigh
When Faces will be Faces
Beings are Beings
And the color of skin
Is a matter of
how much sun you've got.

Welcome to the Swamp

No white picket fence
or manicured gardens
No scented rose petals
or the wafting sweetness of jasmines
No rosemary blossoms
or the attractions of hyacinths

This is a swamp
Where cypress and mangrove trees
provides the shade
The pond looks green
Frogs croak and toads produce the music
Cardinals harmonize in the distance
while sparrows sing their own tunes

Fungus and algae flourish
Moss and ferns are corridors
To a perculiar terrene

Welcome to the swamp
Know my nature, my ecology
Enjoy my beauty
And don't get stuck with a goose

Lover and Friend

A Lover is a Friend
And the Friend is in the Lover

A Friend is the Lover
who loves the Friend

And the Lover is in Love
With the Friend

I am a friend, a lover and in Love

Message

I felt like calling you
To talk about me and you
But decided not to
Something was holding me back
How does flame seperate from fire
And river runs away from the ocean?

I see planes fly and fish crawl
Not talking of dogs that pant on hot summer days
Snails creep into their shells
Causing the tortoise to feel shy
Wait my friend
you are running over your shadow

Finally I picked up the phone
Yes you were not there
How could I leave a message
when what I wanted to say was clear
Clear as sunshine at noon
My breath said it all
If you listened

Lover's Line

I'll write a Love Song
And paint a Masterpiece
I'll sing the Sweetest tune
And dance the best Moves

Song Sing Paint and Dance
That I'll do for you

I'll climb the tallest mountain
And cry out my Love
Write the most poetic Poem
I'll fly your name on every banner
And give you a Call

Climb Cry Write and Fly
That I'll do for you

You occupy my dreams
Make my dreams
You are my dreams
You are in every face I see
Your actions and ways
Takes me to worlds beyond

The Smile, Kindness, and Radiance
The Service and concern for the well-being
Of others teaches me Humility and Patience

That smile Oh that Smile
That radiance Oh that Radiance
A spirit that Inspires

Now I am free to Love for Love
Wings to fly and arms to rest on
A caress that awakens my soul
And lifts me up to sing a joyous song

Song Sing Paint and Dance
Climb Cry Write and Fly
A Lover's line to say
I Love You,
With Love,possibility is all I see.

All I can Give

There is nothing in the world I own
If I owned the Sun,
I will make it shine for you at all times
No darkness to follow the sunset's dawn.
If I owned the sky,
I will make it smile for you at all times
No thunder clouds to disturb the brilliant blues.
If I owned the mountains,
I will let them bow down, and give you a seat at their peaks
I will ask the green fields of the planes to caress your feet,
And the waves to soothe your skin, and
Call on gentle breezes to calm your spirits.

If only I owned it all,
I will beckon the nightingales to sing all day
Songs of my Love for thee
Carrying the message far and wide
Reaching every land.
These I cannot do because there is nothing in the world I own
But All I can give is my Word
And let my Love for Thee carry me through.

Life

Life is a Business
Life is Love
Life is a Journey

The business of day to day living
Today I am in pain, tomorrow I am fine
Bills to pay and money to make
I draw my calender and mark every date for its due
With every step I take, there is a call to make
To seal the deal for my next move
Everywhere I am, Anywhere I go,
I am in a time crunch to meet with deadlines

The Love of Life
Where its all about living
Flowers to smell and get drunk by sweet fragrances
Laugh at my silliness and enjoy the company of others
Sleep like there is no tomorrow
Dance like its my last day on earth
And play like a child with no cares and worries

And then comes the journey
The preparedness for things beyond
I meditate to find my inner self
Asks where I came from and where I am heading to
Every step I take, I dedicate to the mysteries of essence
Where the lessons become the practical
Love is sacrifice, Sacrifice is death and Death is Life

Whether Life is Business,
Whether Life is Love,
And if Life is a Journey
Let me Live It, for it is worth Living

Life

Some would say
Life is a tricky business
Others say it's Love
Yet another person
Would clap hands in the air
In prayer and being Grateful
for being Alive

From Picturesque drive to Persian Food

The evening was turning to a good one, coolly mild. Good jams in the car from world DJ's to Persian pop, kept us hitting the high notes of our musical enjoyment as we drove from Nashville to Knoxville. Smooth drive, less traffic after we've made sure some smoothies take on the responsibility of satisfying our tastes buds while walking the fine line of healthy calories intake.

By the time we arrived the city of Knoxville, the night sky was upon us and a few stars dazzled in distant parts of the horizon. We pulled into a porch neighborhood, parked the car and entered the beautiful house filled with beautiful people of different backgrounds and races. We gave and received welcoming hugs and smiling hellos. No sooner had I relieved my tired legs, before I was kindly ushered into an adjacent room to the kitchen, were to the satisfaction of my gastronomic dreams, before my eyes, a spread of Persian dishes were beckoning for consumption.

From the sabzi polo (rice with dill, cilantro and green onions) , zereshk polo (rice with berries) to the salad, plus the sweet chicken, my plate was filled. I sat down to good conversation, happily eating away the fine foods. Which made it easier for me to follow the presentation of the evening: a fantastic presentation (with visuals) on the significance of the year 1844 by Joel Price.

By the time the night was over, the camaraderie, the joy of meeting old friends, the pleasure of making new friends, and that air of "Its Good to be here" had enveloped my being, and I knew from then on my stay in Knoxville and surrounding communities was going to be great.

And Great Indeed it was. The colorful trees and hills of the area was as colorful as the welcoming spirit of the friends here. Their gratefulness, enthusiasm, hospitality and above all, a high spirit of service to humanity, makes it an inestimable Blessing to be in their midst.

Chicken Wings and TV

There is a time when ones attachment to TV is crushed by the sheer number of available TV's and programs. E.g the case of a sports bar in Pensacola Beach- FL.

I love TV, and rank it as one of the greatest invention of modern man including internet and cell phones, but when there is so many TV's around me displaying many programs at the same time, when I am supposed to concentrate on how flavor-full my teraki chicken wings are; I can't handle that.

Adding to the multiple screen displays I was surrounded by, was the loud volumes of the sets, the deafning cheers of football fans rooting for their teams, and most annoying, the odd variety of music playing clamorously in the "background".

This, after an intense enjoyment of waves splashing on my body, salty ocean water cleaning my taste buds, salinating my flesh, and the Florida sunshine basking some much needed tan on my skin (hahahaha). I love Vacation spots

An Operatic taste

My late Sunday morning was fast becoming a lazy one, and the fact that Chelsea lost to Manchester United 0- 2 wasn't going to help either.

Then came that phone call,
"Gustaff would you want to watch a live simulcast of an Opera at the arts center?"
I immediately agreed for the benefit of having some fresh air and participate in something I have never done before-- watch an Opera.

Opera to me: was listening to the radio and hear high pitched vocals and trained tenors sing out sad love stories in Italian. And it was a hobby of Old rich people who didn't know what to do with their spare time. End of story.

That all changed after watching the live simulcast of La Boheme
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_boh%C3%A8me

It was a performance at the Washington DC Opera house, and I was watching it in Gainesville-FL--Thanks Technology!!!!!

I enjoyed it mostly because it was a passionate love story with intricate lessons. A poet falls for a seamstress who dies at the end because of an illness? In addition to that, there is Marcello my favorite guy-- he is the photographer (A painter in the original version as written by Puccini) whose love story is filled with broken hearts, with a good sense of humour.

The director of the show gave the original an update, bringing the characters lives similar to modern days. A milky-white couch as a prominent stage prop--something the college students can relate to, symbolizes college life and all that associates with it.

The goal of the simulcast to Universities and High schools across the country was to reach out to the younger generation and get them interested in Opera.

I would say for sure, they got that goal met. From that Sunday afternoon September 23 2007 at the Phillips Arts cennter then on, Opera is no longer a hobby for old rich people who don't know what to do with their spare time. Opera is more of a passionate and lively display of love stories?