#RandomThoughts As a New Week Dawns....

This week's #RandomThoughts is truly personal--because it is about all I  am blessed with as yesterday was Fathers' Day.  

While out & about with visits to the Social Grid yesterday, I shared thoughts and images remembering all who have made a difference.    I had the good fortune to pay my respects to my Father--I am one blessed dude that is thankful for every semi-millisecond in spite of the challenges.   As we all grow up, we begin to have disagreements with our Parents--and yes our Children.   It is that sense of it all that in the end makes all frankly realize how blessed we are to have them in our lives.    As I was working away on the daily media rounds, I ran across this from China Daily which said it all:

The last few days were admittedly again very trying with some of the events on the political scene and some of the on-going profound challenges in Iran--I have been sidetracked with the contemplated #RandomThoughts I've contemplated on Iran.   I did run across this which broke my heart on the Dad's who lost their loved ones when PS752 was shot down--which also gave me a moment of pause to be even more thankful in spite of challenges:

heartbreaking ...let's do all we can @khansarinia to be supportive of the quest for justice for @ps752justice ...@JZarif @Rouhani_ir ...shame on you and your masters.... https://t.co/YCEHGwNOY6

— Mike Pouraryan (@mikepouraryan) June 22, 2020

As I hope to have it soon, I ran across this during a visit to the Biden Campaign Site--the message itself resonated .   I see no choice:

Remaining hopeful.....

Out & About w/some W-End #RandomThoughts

It was quite a week in our World--but also a week of hope and optimism as I had the pleasure to visit the Aliso Niguel High School International Food Faire and serve as a judge.    This is an tradition at Aliso Niguel High School where clubs come together to showcase a country and its' culture and raise funds for their causes.      Here are some images of that great day:

I also was working away on commitments at the Daily Outsider and it was frankly a challenging day.  I decided to be circumspect as I released this to my Twitter Feed late last night:

#FridayThoughts #SaturdayThougths #SundayThoughts: "..
A fool vents all his feelings, But a wise man holds them back.
Proverbs 29:11..." Wishing all a restful W-End and a great wk ahead...will be kind of off the grid for the w-end although my snapshot curated by @paper_li pic.twitter.com/dv56xybwJu

— Mike Pouraryan (@mikepouraryan) February 8, 2020

As I was thinking about the past week and all that had occurred, I re-read this from President Bush 41 to President Clinton:

 

May we see better days....

#RandomThoughts

Tehran, Iran (01/26/2020) 

It has been quite a challenging week, yet again--Public Health Pandemic in China, Floods in Iran, deaths in Iraq and the broader Middle East.     I captured a scene from Tehran which I decided to headline my weekly #RandomThoughts with to think about the beauty of it all in spite of all the challenges as it was not easy to be witness to it all.   I helped with a Notation for the Daily Outsider which will be available tomorrow in the Perspectives Platform.

The World was also witness to he tragic death of #BlackMamba, the Fab @kobebryant, his daughter GIgi and 7 others Sunday.  He's here with President Obama courtesy @PeteSouza:

   

In Spite of all the tragedy of the past week, I decided to begin the week on a bit of a high note as I was witness to the celebrations of TET at Mile Square Park--The vibrancy of the Vietnamese Community was especially fabulous to be witness to it.   I produced a Visual Essay  of a day in the Community to sustain a sense of hope and optimism: 

Onward to the New Week....

Out & About with Brief #RandomThoughts

This is my First #RandomThoughts here in my corner as a new Quarter dawns.    It has been quite a challenging time in our World.   It was distressing as I saw Alla Abdel Fattah, one of the heroes of the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, was arrested yet again: 

I first heard of him and his family when he was first arrested--and never forget how his Aunt said how lucky they were that he received only a death sentence and was not shot as Egyptians took also to the streets to protest against the brutal rule of Sisi.     

While on responsibilities at the Daily Outsider, I have been assessing the protests in Iraq and continued challenges in Iran--a very small victory as women in Iran were allowed to attend a FIFA-sponsored soccer event which in some measure was brought about as a result of the death of the Blue Girl.   Challenges, though, are profound in Iran which is heartbreaking to be witness to.

Remaining hopeful and upbeat is not easy.   But, I see no choice as I caught this courtesy of the team at foundr:  

As I was in Community, I caught this on the absolute beauty of my hometown, Laguna Niguel as the Moon was out there in the background:

Remaining Hopeful....