My Grandpa, the Hero

After finishing his book, RAJA'OUN, I was going to title this post, "my Grandpa, the author," but he is so much more than an author and much more deserving of the title, "hero." I just found this great article about him. It was written in 1982 and details his work and service when he served as Director of AMIDEAST, an organization that helps Arab students gain education in the United States. This picture shows my Grandpa (on the left) welcoming a visitor to the AMIDEAST Baghdad office in 1960.

In his years of retirement, Orin Parker has taken to writing books. RAJA'OUN: We Will Return is a moving novel about the triumphant return of Palestinians to their homeland. It is, of course, fiction. Described by the author as "wildly optimistic and unrealistic" it is a touching story that connects human emotion with political insight.

Recent years have taught me how lucky and rare I am to have grown up in an American family so sympathetic to the Arab community. By raising their family in the Middle East, my grandparents set an incredible standard for understanding Muslims, a group who was and still is misunderstood by the US population. Orin and Rita were open to adventure, to learning, and to acceptance of other people.

Their open-minded attitude is clearly expressed in this article, titled "A Life Among Muslims," written by my Grandpa and published in the Ensign six months after 9/11. It emphasizes similarities between Muslims and Mormons and if you have time, I recommend reading it.

Thanks, Grandpa, for sharing your understanding of a part of the world so few Americans know.

Sunflowers in June

are my favorite!

Good thing someone was nice enough to give me some for my birthday.  ;)

Last week, I was speaking with my mom on the phone and she asked if I was getting excited for my birthday.  I replied, "Well, it doesn't really feel like my birthday."  To that, she responded sympathetically, "Aw, it's because you're getting old!"  

While true that birthdays aren't quite as monumental as they used to be, they're still a great excuse to sing, laugh and eat cake with friends and family.  And lucky for me the singing and cake lasted all weekend!  Reflecting on my 24th year of life, all I can sat is it has gone by fast.  For the first time, my life is not defined by a semester, or a season.  Instead of being segmented by time frames and deadlines, it's turned into something more free-flowing.  Aside from my Parker-family-plan cell phone bill and bi-weekly laundry trips home, I am completely independent and living on my own timetable.  

No one or no thing is forcing me to do anything.  I'm living for myself.  And enjoying it. 

Aside from LA traffic and stuffy parking, I can't forget the quality of life California offers.  Living in warm weather is wonderful.  After bearing the brunt of Provo winters for 4 years (and a Jerusalem winter for 1), the California sunshine is a welcome reminder of why I moved home after college.  Yesterday while pontificating this very topic I said, "It's like summer never ended!"  While I have a strong desire to live a large portion of my life overseas, if I'm in America, I very much enjoy California.    If only my two siblings moved here, it would be perfect.  

I'm grateful to be living a life that doesn't require things to be happy.  I'm content with a good book.  I have a long way to go in my knowledge of the world, but I do have enough insight to know that I have so much more than most people.  I would look like a fool to ever feel ungrateful. 

While the last year of my life does not offer any foreign adventures, it offers a solid foundation of self.  Travels will come in the future.   

Gary, Indiana

Here is a story written by my creative director, Jimmy Smith about Michael Jackson and Gary, Indiana.  Enjoy.

"In 1965, in accordance with the Civil Rights movement, Mom and Pop decided

to move from an all Black neighborhood in Muskegon Heights, Michigan, to

an all White neighborhood in Norton Shores, Michigan.  Only about 5 miles

separated the neighborhoods, but they might as well been a thousand miles

apart.

The KKK sent letters to all of our soon to be new neighbors urging them

not to allow us to move into the neighborhood.  They threatened the

builder of our house, so he wouldn’t complete the project.  We had to hire

a dude all the way in Ohio to build our home.  People threw bottles at our

cars and shot bb’s through our windows.  From kindergarten through 4th

grade, I was called nigger so much it wouldn’t have surprised me if some

kids thought it was my first or last name.

In the summer of 1970, my two cousins, Kee-Kee and Angie, came to visit. 

They were from Gary, Indiana.  Kee-Kee was six years older than me and

Angie.

Kee-Kee was talking about how this kid he went to school with, Jermaine,

had just left school and moved to California with his brothers.  They had

this singing group called the Jackson 5.  He had their two albums, “Diana

Ross presents the Jackson 5” and “ABC.”  I had just gotten a new record

player.  When Kee-Kee let the needle drop it was a moment I’ll never

forget, man.  I can’t describe the feeling.  My mind was blown!  Michael,

Marlon, Jermaine, Tito and Jackie were the new sound of Motown!  I mean,

damn, “I Want You Back,” “ABC,” “Stop The Love Save,” and “One More

Chance,” are you kidding me?  Bananas!!!

Ever so slightly, things even started getting better at school.  Suddenly,

that Black kid at school with the afro like the Jackson 5 wasn’t so

strange.  Gradually, I could at least go a week without being called

nigger.  Not bad...considering.

It was 1971.  Thanksgiving was a few months away.  Angie called.  Kee-Kee

told her that the Jackson 5 were coming back to Indiana for Thanksgiving

for the first time since they left.  They were gonna perform at Kee-Kee’s

new high school, Gary Westside.

Brothas and sistas, I was going to that joint even if I had to ride my

Schwin Stingray with the banana seat all the way to Gary.  Didn’t matter

if it was 150 miles or so away.

Fortunately, Mom and Pop were down for the cause.  They drove me to Gary. 

Right on!

The morning of the concert, my Aunts and Uncles took us kids to where the

J-5 were to receive the keys to the city.  They arrived by helicopter in

this huge shopping center parking lot.  It seemed like everybody in the

city of Gary was there.  The girls were screaming so loud you couldn’t

hear yourself think.  And it was like what Ice T said about Michael in

concert in his book that came out in the 90s; even hardcore gangsters were

yelling when the J-5 jumped off the helicopter!  Of course, I didn’t

scream.  I was too cool...

...OK, I’m lying!!!

Finally, it was show time.  Dudes and dudettes...from head to toe my

threads were groovy, man!  From my psychedelic shirt with the butterfly

collar to my multi-colored and striped bell bottomed pants.  And don’t get

me started talking about my platform shoes.  I was straight pimping,

playa!

And the concert?  Please.  Ain’t seen nothing like it, EVER.  When Jackie

said something like, “Mike, where you going?”  And Mike said, “Jackie,

what’chu mean, ‘Where you going?’”  Then Jermaine jumped in, “Com’on,

Mike, answer Jackie’s question, “Tell the people where you going, man!” 

Mike played dumb, “Ooooooooh, you mean ‘Where am I going?”  Marlon

couldn’t take it, “Michael, quit playing, man!  Tell the people where

you’re going, man!”  “Oh OK,” Mike sighed.  Finally, he grabbed the mic,

“I’M GOING BACK TO INDIANA.  INDIANA HERE I COME.  YEAH, YEAH!  I’M GOING

BACK TO INDIANA, ‘CAUSE THAT’S WHERE MY BABY’S FROM...”

The crowd lost it.

And when they got to Tito’s guitar solo...and that cat leaned back and his

rainbow colored cape opened up...

Well, you know...what more can I say?

Godspeed - Jimmy"

Here is a picture of Michael Jackson's childhood home in Gary, Indiana:

For a full photo gallery, click here.

Why I Chose Advertising

As I grow deeper into my career and think about starting others, I think about the reason I chose to study Advertising. I think about people who have had wonderful influence in the world, and most seem to have business degrees, law degrees, or medical degrees. This makes me think about my BA a little questioningly.

Advertising -- the science of convincing a large group of people to do something. It comes from the Latin word advertere which means to "turn toward."

There are two truths that have become apparent to me in the last couple years:

1. The number of people on this earth is very large -- I'm tempted to say the number of people on this earth is beyond my comprehension. Really. To think of the entire population huddled in a large crowd is a vision I have a hard time picturing. I'm not sure how much space that would take up. The world is very large and in comparison, I am a very small player. Communities are created to give people a sense of influence because to have influence on the entire world is really, really rare. There are several people that influence specific groups for the better but to really "save the world" is very difficult to do.

But it doesn't mean we shouldn't try. To understand people and how to speak to them heightens a person's influence.

2. The rate of change in the world is growing exponentially -- This mostly refers to technology, but also includes theology, biology, social customs. I believe the rise of new technology causes the three previous items to evolve and change. Things are changing quickly. New things are being developed and studied and discovered all the time. Perhaps this has something to do with the high number of people on the earth. The point is change is happening.

So, advertising. Turning people toward something. While I may not work in the currently money-driven industry forever I am happy to have it as my base. Why? Because in a world with massive amounts of people and massive amounts of change, the study of advertising trains me to see things in a different way and communicate that vision.

Someday I hope to master that skill.

The Wild Things

Childhood imagination is something I both envy and adore.  Life's questions get much more difficult as we grow older, but that doesn't mean we should stop asking them.  My nephew Parker loves to ask the "why" question.  He says it like this: "But, whyyy?" pronouncing the 'why' using two syllables and with a very sincere look on his face.  (It's really cute.)  I believe most people are born with a very large imagination that is limited by growing up and, perhaps, some other things which I've written about previously (see here).  

Another thing that dwindles with age is the acceptance of being a little wild.  When I was a Senior in high school, I was involved in a mother/daughter charity group with about 30 other girls.  For some reason, this organization believed that the proper way to recognize a high school Senior for six years of service was by walking her down a runway in an all-white ball gown in front of hundreds of onlookers at the Beverly Wilshire.  Quite an affair, indeed.  In preparation for this big event, our class was asked to choose a theme song to represent our class.  We had already chosen the theme, "Imagine" and to go along with it, we collectively and anonymously voted on the song "Born To Be Wild" by Steppenwolf.  

It got vetoed (by our mothers I think), and I can't even remember the song we ended up using.  I guess the point here is that it's OK to be wild and it's OK to imagine and ask questions.  And I'm not exactly sure why this privilege lessens with age.  Childlike curiosity is a great thing.

"Where The Wild Things Are" the movie isn't in theaters until October 16, but already I'm excited for it.  The trailer inspires me to look back into my childhood brain and remember what it was like to dream up adventures.  Everyday.  Backyard adventures, front yard adventures, closet adventures.  It seems that kids can dream up the most exciting adventures no matter how simple their surroundings or dismal their circumstances.  Some say life gets more difficult as we grow older, but why?  Because we want more?  

Maybe I just have a thing for movies that combine anthemic music with artistic images, but I recommend taking two minutes to watch this trailer.  And be a little wild.

As Iran Awakes...

The rapidly evolving world of social media is helping young Iranians organize and report purposeful protests in Iran.  Even my initial despise of Twitter as a tool for bored people to celebritize themselves is being reversed to respect as I find out how it is providing a voice to supporters of democracy.  Because of Twitter's simple engineering, it is easier to integrate and harder to control than any other social networking tool.  This means that when the Iranian government (who was ranked 166th out of 169 countries on the 2007 World Press Freedom Index) wants to shut down sites like facebook, myspace and even personal blogs, zealous and defiant citizens have another place to voice their opinion.  In a country that has more bloggers per capita than anywhere else, the Iranian government's control of media has ironically spawned a generation quite adept at circumventing cyber roadblocks.    

This video explains the Twitter/Tehran connection further and this article from Christian Science Monitor also explains technology's role in revolutions while also warning against over-hyping technology.  Without the proper strategy it can hurt, not help, a cause.   
According to NPR, the largest community of Iranians outside of Iran is in Los Angeles. Tonight I drove past a group of protesters on Wilshire holding signs communicating the Iranian message. I wondered how many cars understood what was being protested. I leave you with a tweet from paralax999:

"As Iran awakes I wonder how it is we remain asleep."

Here's to the crazy ones...

...the misfits,

the rebels, 

the troublemakers,

the round pegs in the square holes,

the ones who see things differently.

They're not fond of rules,

and they have no respect for the status quo.

You can quote them,

disagree with them,

glorify,

or villify them.

About the only thing you can't do,

is ignore them,

because they changed things,

they pushed the human race forward.

And while some may see them

as the crazy ones,

we see genius.

Because the people who are crazy enough

to think they can change the world,

are the ones who do.

Written by: Craig Tanimoto, Chiat\Day copywriter

To watch the full video (which I HIGHLY recommend), click here.

Ward Champions!

This may not be as big an accomplishment as the Lakers, but my flag football team won our game a few weeks ago!! There's no league or anything. Just one game. But we won it. So that makes us the champions. Go Bandits.

World Champions!

Basketball is a team sport and the Lakers are the best team in the NBA!!!!! I'm over all this debate about who is the best player in the NBA, who is the greatest NBA player of all time, who deserves to be this year's MVP. All of those accolades and chatter are nothing compared to the TEAM championship. This is the ultimate dream of any player. And everyone on the winning team gets a ring. Congratulations to every player on the Lakers! Here's to the best TEAM in the NBA.

Gaza, not Giza, Obama

I know Obama's visit to the Middle East is old news now, but one thing has been bugging me. He visited Giza on his way out of the Arab world, not Gaza!

Before he left, I signed a petition encouraging him to visit Gaza, the location of a recent war. A war started by America's closest ally in the Middle East, a country that America gives up to $3 billion annually. I think he misunderstood the petition because he accidentally went to Giza instead. Instead of seeing the site of a recent war that destroyed public buildings and killed 1300 people less than 6 months ago, he saw structures that have been standing in the same place for over 4500 years. They haven't changed at all. For a president who stands on a platform of "Change We Can Believe In", I'm surprised he chose quite a stagnant landmark to cap his trip to the Arab world.

City Lights vs. Beachy Nights

I've got a new place. Despite the bare feet and "Beach" decal you see in this picture, I've recently moved closer to the heart of LA. While I became quite attached to the "Circus Peanut"-colored walls and dirty carpets of my last apartment on McLaughlin Ave., I have changed addresses to something a bit cleaner and also a bit more metropolitan. I live in a high-rise building on Wilshire Blvd., which is a large contradiction from my dream lifestyle of living in a simple house on the beach. But nonetheless, my new apartment is nice, it has a pool and I LOVE the view! I did my best to patch together a panoramic photo of what I see from my bedroom window. Unfortunately It turns out really small on the blog, but it gives you an idea.


If you look really closely in the picture above, you can see the Los Angeles Temple on the right side. It is a glowing white spire in between two large buildings.

Here's what my side of the room looks like. I'm still waiting to nail some holes in the wall to hang the pictures and mirror, but I kinda like the way my things look combined behind the lamp. Like a mini collage of some of my favorite art, collected from my travels.

Feelin' Groovy

It seems like all my favorite music lately comes from male voices so I've got to share my latest girl group obsession, "Those Dancing Days." This adorable group of Swedish girls played a concert at my office a couple weeks ago and 30 seconds into "Home Sweet Home" they had me hooked. The bouncy blonde keyboardist makes me want to give up my day job and hit the road to play music for other people. The giggly girls that ran up on stage looked a bit too young to be so talented and independent but their skill, passion and energy quickly proved me wrong. Love their style, love their tunes and love that I get to spend an hour of my workweek listening to live music.