Saturday, July 22, 2006

Exactly one year ago on this very day, a thirty year old Iranian woman woke up in her flat in Oxford. It was a July Friday morning like any other.
She looked at the clock as a dog yapped in the building opposite and a few crows greeted each other in crow language. She twiddled with her hair as she listened to a drunk father and his young son have their morning chat and the single mum downstairs shout at her little girl, ‘GET IN THE CAR.’ And suddenly she was seized with an uncontrollable urge to start a blog and thus Shirin in Engelestan was born.
Now one year on, the drunk father has finally listened to his son and f***ed off, the little girl downstairs has listened to her mum and got in the car and they’ve gone away too but the dog, the crows and Shirin in Engelestan are still going strong; yapping and croaking and click clicking away on the keyboard; letting the world know that they need the bathroom, that they have just been to the bathroom on someone’s head or that their bathroom taps were designed by Doctor Evil.
But enough about me, the dog and the crows, let’s talk about you. Do you come here often? ;-) Why that’s a lovely monitor you have there, it frames your head so beautifully! :-)
Thank you for visiting Shirin in Engelestan in the past year. I hope it has made you smile sometimes.

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's us who must thank you my dear Shirin, we lucky people who got the chance to know you, such a wonderful person, and the pleasure is all ours, mine certainly.
Although I have some on-line problems these days, reading you is such a strong motive that makes me do what ever I can to get on line. Thanks.

kimia said...

me too. I hardly leave comments but visit u often and ur lines Definitely brings a smile to my face. ]
cheers

Anonymous said...

It's only one year! It seems to me that I read your blog since long time ago. It's a real pleasure to read you. It doesn't always bring the smile to my llips though, sometimes I have tears in my eyes.

arthemis said...

i also read your blog regularly, and enjoy it very much -- i am glad that particular july morning was inspiring :-)
thanks!

Anonymous said...

Just want to say:I'm one of your English blog's fan and visit it so often.

. said...

Me too ;-D

Anonymous said...

It definitely has...I even had one of my biggest laughs of these past months reading you ...seriously...these are two of my favorites...your blogs I mean, each in a different and spacial way.
We have met just once but now, knowing you through these blogs, makes me think how would it have been nice getting to know you better also in the real world. I'm happy to have known you at least in this virtual world!
Keep up the good work Shirin and thank you

Anonymous said...

shirin, your blog has been a real relief in moments when i needed some cheering up. like now where the printer is not doing it and I think it ll take me another week...also your blog has made my day lighter and less lonely in front of the computer, thanks:)
marieh

Anonymous said...

of course I come here often. what sort of a question is that?! I have not missed one post since that very first one :) even my sisters who normally don't read any blogs read yours. we all love it.
happy first birthday to Shirin in Engelestan!

The Spring Breeze said...

I've started reading your blog like nine months ago and have become a regular visitor. Happy blog-birthday and hope you keep on writing here.

Amir said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversary. It's good to know you even through your blog.

shadi said...

congrats from one of ur biggest fans :-) ME!

Amir said...

Congratulations on your first Blogoversery,
We certainly enjoy reading your blog and almost every day look forward to seeing your new posts. They are fun to read and we enjoy your writing style very much.
And also you give a fun perspective on the things … very inspiring…
Thank you Shirin…
Write on and on
Chakameh and Amir

Anonymous said...

congrats on the anniversary and hopefully you will continue to write for many more years!

Anonymous said...

We loves it. Our preciousssssssss.

. said...

OK, Ok! I know I should have said more. Well, to be honest, your blog is one of my faves. I like the way you narrate things. Force be with you for another year of success.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your "1 Year" of bloging! I come here often, and makes me laugh all the time, keep it coming!

Anonymous said...

Excellent writing, well structured stories & Beautiful illustrations.

Looking forward to reading more...

Thanks Shirin!

Anonymous said...

Happy anniversary my dear;)

Anonymous said...

Shirin Aziz,
Happy Anniversary on your Blog! I can not imagine my life without your blog anymore, so don't lift those little fingers from the keyboard!

Em said...

Hola Shirin

And I would like to thank you for the entertaining posts that always make me smile.

jarvenpa said...

It did indeed make me smile, and sometimes weep, and I love the authenticity of your writing.

Anonymous said...

Shahin put it better than I ever could :-) Keep going please

Anonymous said...

Shirin jan

I have smiled and cried along with you reading your stories khanumi...
I am so happy to have met a distant cousin so far away from me this way.....

Hugs
Moj

Anonymous said...

Shirin jan

I have smiled and crie while reading your stories khanumi...
I am so happy to have met a distant cousin so far away from me this way.....Make sure to look me up if you ever come out this way and I'll do the same :))

Hugs
Moj

Shirin said...

Er…is it healthy do you think to feel jealous of one’s blog because it received a lot more messages on its birthday than one did on one’s own birthday? ;-)
Thank you very much everyone. It’s absolutely wonderful to have gotten to know all you lovely people through this blog.