What’s Old Is Not Necessarily New Again!

Clearly, some things need to stay in storage! Last week, my parents handed over something that was very special to me when I was a kid. This thing dates back to early 1980s. I was thrilled to have it back. My dad asked me to take it home and change the battery and have another go at it.

I couldn’t wait… I carefully placed it in my jacket pocket and protected it like my wallet. This thing has been with me through the good and the bad. On the way home, all I could think about was whether or not I could fire it up once again and listen to its sweet sound.

If you look closely,
you can see my fingerprints
from years of pushing on the
buttons!

Next morning, I put new batteries in my hand-held video game and it came alive. It was ready to go like it had never stopped. Excitedly, I called our daughter over to show her my childhood toy. She couldn’t wait to see what it could do. I turned it on and pop appeared the soldier on the screen. 7000 points later, which was accompanied by many compliments from my daughter, I lost and my last soldier succumbed to the attacks of the enemy.

I couldn’t wait to pass the video game to my daughter to play. I was sure she was going to love every minute of it.

Well, 3 minutes later and against my words of wisdom (trying really hard to convince her not to give up), she passed it over to me and asked for her Nintendo DS. I guess my generation’s video games just don’t do it anymore. L

With much sadness, I thank you for reading,

Armin

PS. My “Soldier Fighter” is sitting in the cupboard with Isabella’s Nintendo DS.

Are You Ready For The Three-Letter-Word Conversation?

I am a self-described open-minded person. I spent my early teen years in a country that one of its most important national icons was a cross-dressing singer: Zeki Muren… beautiful voice and a beautiful person (YouTube her name if you get a chance… you won’t be disappointed).

Upon arrival in Canada, we settled in the Westend, where it is internationally known as the gay and lesbian capital of British Columbia.

So it’s fair to say that I have been exposed to different lifestyles and hard to believe that I could ever feel uncomfortable about anything… until tonight!

Tonight, our daughter’s school had put together a seminar, which was “intended to provide parents with guidelines around what to teach their children and when”. The organization, Saleema Noon Sexual Health Educators, was going to talk to my baby girl about sexual health??? I don’t know why, but I was nervous and unsure. Although we have been trying to be as “open” as possible when it comes to talking about the topic of sexual health, I have to admit that it’s not an easy topic to participate in when children are involved.

Long story short, I am so glad that I attended the presentation because it reinforced what I had been saying all along: Best medication is prevention (fine, I have simply said what many others have said before me). I learned that my daughter’s class will learn (and I’m quoting here):

·         That they have ownership of their bodies

·         Scientific words related to sexual health

·         That reproduction usually happens when a man’s sperm joins a woman’s ovum by sexual intercourse, but that there are many different ways that families are formed. All families are unique.

·         That the baby grows in the uterus (not the stomach)

·         That the baby is usually born through the vagina

·         Not to pick up condoms or needles

What are listed above are hard topics of conversation but necessary ones… I am just glad that a real doctor will start the conversation and that my wife and I will have to simply follow the lead.

I don’t know about you but I wish I had a similar education when I was growing up... but that would’ve been unthinkable 30 years ago in a religiously driven and war-torn country of mine.

Thanks for reading,

Armin

PS. I think it was Sir Francis Bacon that said knowledge is power! Isn’t that the truth? Thank you Cambridge Elementary School and PAC for organizing tonight’s event.

As always, your comments are welcome! I hope you'll share your experiences with me.

First Brick

While sorting through some old stuff in the storage,
I came across a bunch of my old name-badges, which prompted the following question:

Looking back at years past, I began to wonder to whom I owe my professional progress.

Was it that little construction / development office in Istanbul, Turkey, that hired me as a “coffee boy”? I was working full-time (5 days per week) when I was about 13 years old and brought home about 4,000 Turkish Liras, which paid for our weekly household groceries… actually, I had a bit left over to treat my family to Lahmacun (famous Turkish pizza) every Friday and buy a little toy for my baby brother from a neighbouring pharmacy that displayed all sorts of shiny toys behind the shop window. Back in 1985, 4,000 Liras went a long way as if I remember correctly Ekmek (Turkish sourdough bread) was about 250 Liras.

That job lasted for a year or two but I am ever so grateful for having the chance to experience it. I learned how hard it was to make money, the difference between the “Wants” and “Needs”, prioritizing expenses, the importance of family members helping each other, self-discipline, and most importantly humility!

Thanks for reading,

Armin

PS. Take a chance on and give a chance to a teenager… you might just be the one that sets the first brick on his or her path to success!