Books

 

Roy T. Bennett

“It’s only after you’ve stepped outside your comfort zone that you begin to change, grow, and transform.”  
Roy T. Bennett

Language

 

Beginnings

I've always liked new beginnings, so here's to today.

Book Review

                                                            

Coming Soon...

...in January 2024: a memoir

Andy Warhol

“Don't pay any attention to what they write about you. Just measure it in inches.”
Andy Warhol 

Charles Schulz

 

Roots

Did you know that all the following words (and more) come from the same root, the root gwerə-, a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to favor"?

congratulate
congratulation
disgrace
grace
gracious
grateful
gratify
gratis
gratitude
gratuitous
gratuity
gratulation
ingrate
ingratiate
...

Wondrous Woods

Is it me, or does this little guy look like he's going skiing? I don't even know what this is...

Laissez-Faire

Merriam-Webster's word of the day is 

laissez-faire

pronounced less-ay-FAIR

a noun 

referring to an economic policy that allows businesses to operate with very little interference from the government

laissez-faire is also used as an adjective and often figuratively used to mean “hands-off” 

1

: a doctrine opposing governmental interference in economic affairs beyond the minimum necessary for the maintenance of peace and property rights

2

: a philosophy or practice characterized by a usually deliberate abstention from direction or interference especially with individual freedom of choice and action

Originally French, the phrase laissez faire literally means allow to do. The origins of laissez-faire are associated with the Physiocrats, a group of 18th-century French economists who believed that government policy should not interfere with the operation of natural economic laws. The original phrase was laissez faire, laissez passer, with the second part meaning “let (things) pass.” Laissez-faire first showed up in an English context in the first half of the 19th century, can still mean “a doctrine opposing governmental interference in economic affairs.” However, it is also used in broader contexts in which a “hands-off” or “anything-goes” policy or attitude is adopted. It is frequently used as an adjective meaning “favoring a ‘hands-off’ policy.” 

(taken from Merriam-Webster)

To see it in context or listen to the pronunciation, check the link: https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day (November 20, 2023). 

Hippocrates

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
Hippocrates

Book Review

 

In the Footprints of Rumi

Here's an excellent translation of Rumi's "The Guest House"... Enjoy!
The English version starts at 5:37 of the video: 
https://youtu.be/4TFUghPHgjs

Carolyn Myss

“Just let go. Let go of how you thought your life should be, and embrace the life that is trying to work its way into your consciousness.”
Caroline Myss

Time Traveler

Merriam-Webster has a TIME TRAVELER: https://www.merriam-webster.com/time-traveler/

It displays words and phrases that were first used in print in a particular year. Out of curiosity, I entered my birth year, 1970, and found lots of words and phrases, several of which made me smile: anti-sexist, bad hair day, harissa, love handles, spork, mochi, and generative semantics.

Cabin Update

Here's a short paragraph from my memoir Reflections: A Journey of Transformation:

(taken from the 2021 section of the book)

"In November, I built a small deck around the side door of the cabin and covered it with walls and a roof. I installed a window in the wall facing east to see the sunrise without leaving the cabin." 

(present time - November 2023)

The last few days, I've been working on the deck I wrote about:
I insulated its walls and its ceiling... and now my cabin has a teeny-tiny fully-insulated room on the side.

https://www.amazon.com/reflections-journey-transformation-Afarin-Rava-ebook/dp/B0B33RN2Z4

Sunrise

Arkansas, USA, Monday, November 13, 2023, 6:33a.m. (#3)

 Arkansas, USA, Monday, November 13, 2023, 6:33a.m. (#2)

Arkansas, USA, Monday, November 13, 2023, 6:33a.m. (#1)

Bugbear

Merriam-Webster's word of the day is 

bugbear

pronounced BUG-bair

a noun 

meaning a source of dread or irritation; in other words, something that causes problems or annoys people.

1

: an imaginary goblin or specter used to excite fear

2

a

: an object or source of dread

b

: a continuing source of irritation : PROBLEM

The bug in bugbear does not refer to an insect but, instead, comes from the Middle English word bugge, used for all kinds of imaginary spooky creatures, from ghosts and goblins to scarecrows, that cause fright or dread. In the 1500s this bug was combined with bear (as in the animal) to form bugbear and became an all-purpose word for things that cause fear or dread, not just supernatural beasties. This sense is still in use today, alongside the closely related sense of “a continuing source of irritation or annoyance.” 

(taken from Merriam-Webster)

To see it in context or listen to the pronunciation, check the link: https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day (November 12, 2023). 

... said the editor

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QFDJWL1/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BR72NYHV

Languages & Life Lessons

Pablo Picasso

“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”
Pablo Picasso

Indiana Joes

My memoir Indiana Joes was released a year ago today. 

https://www.amazon.com/Indiana-Joes-Noosha-Ravaghi-ebook/dp/B0BLWHH1GS

Mike Bowerbank

 

Dear Doubtful Darlings

O Dream Doubters,

I take delight in dazzling you, 

disbelief detectives, 

with my drive.

O Gloom Guardians,

you get me going,

and I glow

and I glisten

with grace.

O Negativity Ninjas,

naysayers never stop me;

they only nourish and navigate me.

O Critique Crew,

your cynicism doesn't confuse me

or cause me to crash.

Instead, it supplies support and strength.

Your sabotage squad makes me soar

and succeed and smile and sing and sparkle,

O Skepticism Sultans.

Summer Samplings - Preface

I volunteered to teach interested teenagers a summer writing class at my local library for an hour a week in summer 2023. I created a workbook — containing some basic information, the types of writing, a few grammar lessons, exercises, several useful tips on editing, and so on — and promised my potential students I would publish their completed work in an anthology. 

Only a few people registered, and only half of them were teenagers, but each had a story to tell. Four students completed their stories, edited them, and allowed me to create this tiny anthology, titled Summer Samplings — “Samplings” because each piece of writing is a sample of a bigger project in the works.

Noosha Ravaghi
Instructor & Editor

Doris Day

“I have found that when you are deeply troubled, there are things you get from the silent devoted companionship of a dog that you can get from no other source.”
Doris Day

Book Review

 

Winter Is Here

 

Cynthia Rylant

“In November, the earth is growing quiet. It is making its bed, a winter bed for flowers and small creatures. The bed is white and silent, and much life can hide beneath its blankets.”
Cynthia Rylant