Insights Young Adults Conference - Bosch, April 14-16, 2006

Birthday

I recently celebrated my birthday with friends in San Francisco at a restaurant called Bissap Baobab, a Senagalese place that is REALLY good, with a kewl crowd and fun music. I look like I am having an epileptic fit in the photo, but don't worry, I am not. Samira Samadani posted her photos from the night here.

Parisa and Sasha's Wedding

My family recently attended the wedding of Parisa Maghzi & Sasha Voight in San Francisco. The wedding was very nice and simple, held at the Bahai Center, only 100 people, and had the ambience of a Bahai devotional meeting - tranquil and loving.

Here is a picture of my family. Unfortunately my mom only took the camera out to photograph us, and we don't have a single photo of the wedding itself or the bride and groom. But the photographer has a website with tons of photos. Click here to be taken to his web site. Pick "Parisa" from the event list and enter the password "weddings".

My Avatar

Yahoo and MSN have these new avatar features, where you get to make your own digital representation. Here are my first goes at defining the virtual me. Click on the pictures to make your own. Make sure to show me the new virtual you too.

Yahoo:



MSN:

Take Over Canada 2

Brother: "What is the capital of Canada?"
Me: "I think it is Toronto."
Brother: "Yeah ... we can take Toronto."
Me: "Umm, bro, you've been watching a little too much South Park lately."
Brother: "You think they would even fight back?"

[Ok, I know! Toronto is not the capital of Canada! But if you thought there was a good chance that it was, click here for some informative material on our "friendly" neighbor to the north.]

Take Over Canada

Brother: "I think I am going to marry a Canadian."
Me: "Why?"
Brother: "So I can have a person on the inside when we take over."

U.S. Flags

Yesterday I ran to the store to pick up a new U.S. flag for my grandfather. He is a World War II vet and has flag hanging from a 50-foot pole in his front yard. (My grandmother says it reminds her of the post office.) Anyway, a recent storm had left the flag tattered, and he sent me to the store to pick up a new one. Upon arrival, I searched around a bit, but couldn't find it. So the first employee I saw I asked "Excuse me. Where are the U.S. flags?". She thought for a bit, then replied: "You mean the American flags?"

Dylan's Birthday!

Dylan turned seven yesterday and we had a little family party to celebrate. He got to choose what we had for dinner - surprise, surprise - it was pizza! (One of like two food groups - the other is hamburgers.) Then my mom brought out the “Death by Chocolate” birthday cake with seven little candles, which Dylan blew out successfully with a single breath! Then, to commemorate the opening of the presents, Dylan initiated a ceremony derived from the game of “Hot Potato”, where we passed the presents around until he said "Stop!". Of course the presents always stopped when they got to him... I was disappointed of course because I didn’t receive any gifts, so he generously gave me “The Chronicles of Narnia” on VHS tapes. I was naturally excited, but he couldn’t help me when I explained I also needed a VCR…

Mountain Biking, outside Grass Valley

Here's a picture of the boyz (brother Devan, Dad, brother Ryan, and me) before we hit a nice little mountain bike trail out in the woods. 

Grass Valley House

This is my parent's house in Grass Valley. You can see we are close to nature. The photos were taken around the time my parent's bought the place, but don't worry, it still looks the same. 

Barnyard action

This is a photo of the barn outside my parent's house. It currently houses the BowFlex machine, the treadmill and the ping-pong table. Click on the link to see how buff I will become using the BowFlex.

Grass Valley photos

This is a photo of the driveway to my parent's house in Grass Valley. You can see the barn on the left. 

I am Gandalf

I just took the "Which character are you" Quiz [after seeing it on Farshid's blog] and guess what? I am Gandalf. I was hoping to be Neo from the Matrix, but Gandalf is kewl, for a wizard.

Dylan's Halloween display

Dylan created a Halloween display. Scroll down for close ups of the signs.

Halloween

This is a picture of my parents and Dylan before a Halloween party. My father said he was dressed as an "indigenous person", however, we informed him that he looked like a hippy...

Mom went as a wicked witch - she looks quite wicked I might add.

Dylan is a Jedi. (not a pirate!)

On Halloween my father and I accompanied Dylan while he trick-or-treated. After about 2 blocks he got tired and we went home. Dad tells me that is the shortest trick-or-treat run in Portillo history.

Japanese girls gone wild!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-123322263707848424

-i caught the- cat in the act!

Ryan got a bike

Introducing my brother Ryan, artist and now: biker. He dropped by to show off his new ride, check the pic. Devan (another brother, all same mother) and I appear in the second pic.

Dylan says...

D: "What letter is ah-ah-ah-ah?"
Mom: "Ah ah?"
D: "No! AH-AH!"
Mom: [Quizzical look]
D: "O!!!!"

Visit to Santana Row

Last Sunday I visited Santana Row in San Jose with Navid, Gloria, Neda and Mohan. Here's a picture Navid took. Displayed are our empty boba drinks, which were delicious. (Boba = tapioca pearl tea) I was surprised to find Santana Row to be the new hipster scene for the south bay. For example, THE place to show off one's new Ferrari and (I imagine) new plastic surgery. (OK, I witnessed the former, but not sure about the latter.)