Well, I hit the Shushan Petrosyan concert last night and have some mixed feelings about it. Of course, Shushan is a major talent with star power and commanding stage presense. Her performance was stellar and she gave the crowd exactly what they were looking for. With Shushan being from Armenia, this also gave the concert a novel feel since we don't get Hayastansi performers here often. So, on a basic level, it was a nice time. However, if I were to be critical the show, it was a microcosm of a typical Armenian event that was generally poorly organized. Unfortunately, this is the norm we have come to expect here in our communities. And, I'm not really happy about it. For that, I have a few words. While the organizers had good intentions and certainly worked fairly hard in making this event possible under some difficult circumstances, the final outcome of the product was shoddy, unprofessional, and at times- embarrasing. A late sound check that delayed the show for over an hour, a cheap looking program booklet, rag tag local backup band, and uneven sound marred the evening. For those who choose to look past these problems (as I did for most of the night), one could have come away pretty happy from the whole even. However, I just don't think that Shushan, or the paying crowd deserves an unprofessional and inferior "product". I suspect the Boston community has come to expect this type of amatuerism. I personally feel it's time for a change. Not so much in the people we bring here to perform for us, but a change in the mentality in how we choose to present these performers to the paying crowd. But, more importantly, should we as Armenians ever expect something less than professional? I say no.

In February 2004, I am attempting to bring a big name artist to Boston and New York from Armenia. Instead of offering the opportunity to a large organiziation, instead, I will put together a team of qualified professionals from inside and out of the community, have it privately funded, and charge a little more for the ticket price. I think the difference in product quality will be noticeable. And, in the process, I will prove that if you don't like something in your community, do something about it.

On a lighter note, I am going to name drop here. I finally met Keri Khatchadoorian, an AVC volunteer visiting Boston from Armenia. She is part of the "clan" in Armenia I work with regarding Pomegranate stuff. That group involves the talented Rhoda Manook, "Godfather" Tom Samuelian, Aram Hajian, etc. Good to finally put a face to the name.

I've been in touch with Gor regarding our next album, "Godfather Tom". All systems go and this week we secured a distributor to take care of getting that CD into major record stores. Also, the Hover stuff comes out in September. If anyone in Europe is free in September and would like to help with the Hover UK tour, please contact me.

Peace

Unfortunately I don't have much to update you all about other than my health... The surgery took place on Tuesday morning and it was successful (actually we won't really know till the pathology report comes in). I just came home today and this is my 3rd break away from the couch today... I kinda had to get up and move around a little. There's really not much else to say other than, I'm doing well and I can't wait to get back to normal cause I feel like a lazy bum! :) All day long... "bring me water, i need juice, fluff my pillow".... it is not in my nature to order people around.. hahahahhaa :) (I'll enjoy it while I can). :)

TSUH! :)~ ---for now

Well, life has certainly been full. To be determined how good or bad it is. I've been getting up in the morning at 5-6am and getting home at 11pm on average. Today was the first day in a LONG time I got home when the sun was still up. Life is to busy these days to sit and think about it, but I'm powering my way through a summer of interns so that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Today we had some successful meetings on the Hill. Usually Senators hold breakfast meetings for their constituents where they speak and answer questions. We spread out to different meetings: California, Illinois, and New Jersey. Many asked questions regarding S.Res 164 on the genocide convention, and some Senators replied with positive feedback. Great experience.

Kay, gotta go find myself a good night sleep for once.

4 STARS FOR BAMBIR-QUAKE IN AMG

Refreshing Lives...


THE EGO OF AN ATOMIC FILM ! ! ! ;-)

The visit of Atom Egoyan to Buenos Aires lighted the fire of many armenians that were sleeping in the local community. Lots of kids that are far from the active community took the advantage to remember the meaning of being armenian watching the film out. Better news, this week the film is reaching a great goal: One Month in the Cinema!!!
Is very difficult to share a place in the cinema with new hollywoodian films as Matrix II. The mystic of Ararat is still fighting. Now, I wonder how is the reaction of the tiny Turkish community here. It is very loco because many parts of the film were filmed in turkish present lands (or kurdish?, or armenian?). And...there is a question for you. I do not know if you noticed that Atom commited a little historical mistake, but on purpose. When the fedayis are fighting in 1915, the ottoman army is carrying the Attaturkian Modern Turkish Flag and all the soldiers are dressed with the modern republican dress of combat of the Kemalist Revolution, times of Massacre against Armenians and Greeks. Its a little detail that shows the big capacity and intelligence of this director. He is involving the Turkish Republic into the film, and making the great part of this planet see what happened to our Great Parents.

At the photo Atom is holding the poster of the Encyclopedic Page about the Armenian Genocide in spanish: GenocidioArmenio.org . He promised to make an exclusive interview about this topic with the guys of the page.
40 days of Mousa Dagh, Mayrig I and II, and now Ararat ! ! !

E V O L U T I O N , Armenians, Evolution...

FINALLY!!! June gloom is almost over... and I'm not sure if it has anything to do with the fact that June is almost over too. (shrug) Oh yes, mid-June..... graduations, weddings, and more weddings. This is where the barahanteses end, not because people wouldn't go to them, but because all the good singers worth going for are booked. So the most exciting thing coming up is definitely the Homenetmen Navasartian Games. Fireworks for 4th of July, Harout coming down to the field in a parachute, cotton candy, khorovadz... the Navasartians in L.A. are a popular mix of Armenian and "American" culture.

This week is my last week before surgery, and so I'm trying to keep things simple, yet have some fun while I can. Last Saturday our chapter did a fundraiser Car Wash, and it seems like it was the perfect day! The only drawback was that we didn't have enough people helping us out, so we had to cut it short. It was interesting to see that there were more "odars" coming to get their cars washed than Armenians.. hmmmmmmm.

I had forgotten to write about our "Evening with Shushan". Well...it went very well! We sat around a long table with lots of Armenian food, and spoke about different topics starting from politics all the way to Abaran jokes. It was interesting, and she seemed to really enjoy it and got to tell us a lot about her different songs and what had inspired them, etc. All that was missing was the microphone and the little stage.. or else it would've been a good "Shushan Unplugged".

Last Friday I went to a play called "Props". The play was translated from Armenian by one of my friends Myrna Douzjian. The author of the play, Aghassi Avetisyan was here from Armenia to see the first performance and speak to the audience afterwards. The play was VERY different... it is absurd drama and therefore has no set characters or acts, etc. The actors who are all UCLA students did an incredible job! I didn't know what I would think of it since I had been warned that it was "different", but I loved it!!! I loved having to think of what each scene was an analogy for and all the underlying meanings. The play was written after the earthquake in Armenia and right before independence, and so it is clear what the character and scenes represent. I don't want to explain everything right now, because I'd like all those who are in L.A. to go see it... I will try and get some contact info and post it. If you're in LA... this is definitely a MUST SEE!

TSUH! :)~

Not much going on here in Beantown. I would say that "June Gloom" is probably a great phrase to describe the weather in New England the last month or so. I've never seen a strech like this. Out of 30 days, we have had 3 or 4 non-rainy days. Anyway, I guess I am not here to to talk about the weather.

I really get a kick out of reading different logs, especially of those in Armenia. Here in Boston, we are getting ready for a performance by Shushan Petrosyan. It was organized "last-minute", so it will be interesting to see the outcome. She has a nice voice, but, I am just not into all of the extra arrangements. I just listened to Aramo's new disc, "If Only". Again, nice voice, but too much fluff. The good news is that the production values have really gone up in Armenian CD's. Boston is an interesting Armenian Diaspora city. For as much as Armenian American roots really started here, our community seems to be a little shy in bringing Armenian pop artists here to our fine city. Lilit Pipoyan, Shushan, Nune, etc. have either limited or no musical engagements here.

Right now the Pomegranate team is working on a few projects. We've got the new Gor "Godfather Tom" album coming in the late fall and a September 2003 release of "The Six Fables of Vardan Aigektsi" by the Hover Chamber Choir of Armenia. I just received the music and materials this week and will send it off to Arsineh for her to do her magic in creating a booklet. The unbelievable Rhoda Manook has coordinated an all-out tour of the UK for Hover from September 13-21. So, all of you European's, book your flights now because the Aigektsi will be performed in London with the full light show and costume effects.

As a little sidenote/disclaimer, the reason I was asked to participate in this log was to just talk about what I do in everyday life pertaining to Armenian stuff. Because I am pretty wrapped up in music, it's really where I focus most of my 'Armenian-time' energy. I am going to freely admit that my logs seem like a commercial to push my products on Pomegranate, but, I think that it falls in line with what I've been asked to log about. So, although I have other stuff I'd like to talk about (some of which have nothing to do with Armenian stuff), I have chosen to stay focused in my logs and just stick to what I know and can talk about best. And trust me folks, I don't think what I write about is anything special...But, I hope it gives you an idea as to how one Armenian chooses to spend his time with regards to Armenian affairs.

Ok... I MUST say something about the unusual weather in Cali. Excuse me..... what month is it? June? Cause if you look out your window in L.A., you don't see the usual sun or feel the scorching heat as you walk out your door. No. Instead you see clouds. You leave your house not in a tank top, shorts and flip flops (the usual summer-wear), but with long pants, boots and a sweater... even a beanie, cause it's drizzling. Meg vargyan.....where am i REALLY? :) "June-Gloom" has definitely hit Cali.

Well, the excitement continues! We don't let the weather bring us down....we bundle up and head out. This past weekend I took a road trip with some friends to San Francisco to visit a friend who was there with business from Australia. We had all met in 1997 at the Youth Jamboree at Lake Sevan, and so this was a great reunion! We did the usual tourist things in SF, and I got to visit my sister up there.. and my sister and I also went to an opera. I forget the exact name, but it was Cinderella in Italian.... with a few changes. It was quite interesting... I hadn't been there since the Arshak II thing 2 yrs ago. Of course we also did a lot of shopping... and we roamed around Chinatown and played with the little things we bought.... for example those little things you throw on the floor and they POP! (baytutsigs)

This weekend we're supposed to have a car wash. HAH! The weather says it's gonna be sunny and hot, but I'm not holding my breath. Last Wednesday I participated in the Tumor Board Conference at UCLA, and it was VERY interesting. In the end, the doctors decided that I would definitely need surgery.... soooooo... June 24 they'll operate and hope to find the 2 TINY tumors so that I can do radiation and be done with. If they don't find it..... well.... we'll think about that later. It's gonna be a boring summer after all...

TSUH! :)~

The Washington Armenian community is very unique. So many things are the same and will never change, yet so many things have changed. It's certainly an adjustment to going backwards. Where in Boston I got comfortable with the many aspects of the Armenian community, the constant conflict of events at the same time, so many different organizations and activities going all the time, so many corners of Watertown held so many different things to do all within the same context of "Armenian."

I'm learning that Washington is not the same. If you aren't at a particular Armenian event, you are not doing your "Armenian thing." I went to church the other night for a lecture on the economic and political status of Armenia. I saw all the same faces there that I would see at any other given event. A day later, they all arrived again at an Armenian Embassy sponsored show. The only difference is a growing presence of Hayastansis, who are mostly workers at the World Bank and IMF.

The community is very obviously dominated by government workers and people very much involved in the political scene. Of course, it is Washington. I have to admit though, it is strange now seeing the Armenian Ambassador and the NKR Rep. on a regular basis, to the point that they now know me simply by seeing me so much.

It's a unique town. But it's a very proud one. Old to young, the Armenians in Washington are everywhere and do everything. Only by being in the middle of it can I completely appreciate how much all of us depend on this community. They have truly stood the Armenian name on a pedistal here. It's such a different world.

The ANCA interns arrive next week. Some of the Assembly interns have already arrived. There will certainly be some festivities through out the summer. I know of plenty of boys who would like to "visit DC to help the ANCA." I'm sure it has nothing to do with the excess of women in the program. 8 girls, 1 guy. What a lucky guy.

My crazy lifestyle has caught up with me. I simply fall asleep in the middle of doing things. It seems like there's no controlling it.

Last weekend I was in LA. It was quite a loaded trip with no room for flexibility. Let's put it this way... my grandmother was RAGING mad that I didn't go see her until the third day. It would have been insulting if I didn't see her at all. And I couldn't get away with being in LA without seeing my Aunt, Uncle, Cousins, and a few others. I love 'em all, but sometimes trips are meant to be just plain simple. This one was with responsibilities of meetings, lectures, etc. Phew, I'm zonked.

So I saw the May 28th event on Sunday. Shushan Petrosyan did sing, and that was the first I saw her live. I love her voice and she was absolutely tremendous in person. Wow! Sometimes I just get happy thinking about how many great things our culture has to offer.

So I snuck out of the program early to catch my red eye flight back to DC. Now all I have to show for all the craziness is a very disturbed sleeping habit.

Oh, I saw Mr. Kojian the other day in Washington, just before my flight to LA. Raffi, though the visit was breif, it was great seeing you again! I hope all is well!

Well, things have not yet calmed down in our wonderful "Los". This past week has been quite busy. Here are my updates....

Health: After seeing my surgeon, he decided that I would participate in this week's Tumor Board meeting at UCLA, where 30-35 doctors will look at my case, interview me, and try to decide what my next steps should be... So now, we wait for Wednesday.

Graduation: I can't believe that I had once decided not to walk for graduation. I have to be honest and say I'm VERY glad I went. It was a great experience! My family was very happy and so was I.

Community: May 28 coincided with all this other stuff going on. Saturday there was a dinner-dance in Pasadena for May 28, and George Tutunjian had come all the way from Canada to sing. The hall was packed, and for some reason they forgot about the "dance" part of the evening and went straight into the "sing-along" part. Oh well. The next day there was the usual "celebration" during which Shushan Petrosyan sang (by-the-way her concert was INCREDIBLE), and there was a monologue with Simon Vratsian's writing. Different... and very interesting.

Coming up: Thursday evening our AYF chapter has organized a little "mixer" with Shushan Petrosyan before she leaves to go back to Hayasdan. It's not a big deal, there will only be about 50 people there... and hopefully Shushan can leave L.A. with some ideas about the youth here....positive ones.

TSUH! :)~

Luz, Cámara y Acción!!!

Nestor Carlos Kirchner is the new president of all the argentineans. He promised work, health and education for all the nation. Well, we hope the best for him and for our country.
ATOM EGOYAN IN ARGENTINAAAAAAAAA!!!

Well, Ararat is now in all the cinemas of Buenos Aires, AT LAST ! ! ! The Armenian National Fund invited Atom Egoyan for some days here in Buenos Aires. Atom has been giving conferences for the press here. He has been very very busy. I think its the first time i see a movie and then, one hour after, i met the director personally!!! (ahhaahahha) I will retell you what happened. The staff of GenocidioArmenio.org decided to invite all the kids of the last grades of the armenian high schools to see the movie, the reason was to unite the youth under the same flag and to promote the film. We filled the cinema with armenian girls and boys, some of them let us to take them some photographs near the Ararat Advertisment Sign of the Movie.
After that day in the cinema, we know that all the Armenian high class was dinnering in the AGBU with Atom, the price of the dinner was quite high so we decided to climb like a spy group and take some photos with Atom. So, we got there with the poster of the page and we talk with Atom Egoyan. He told me that he decided to use Van as the city for the film because he considered that is a city that involves the armenian from the caucasus and the armenian for the diaspora. (the Epicenter of Urartian-Armenian history) We told him what we did with the high schools and he got very exited, so that he promised us an exuclusive interview by mail soon.
What´s more about the film, all the newspapers and radio cinema specialists gave Ararat very nice critics. All the community is trying to buy and give as a present tickets for non-armenians to see the movia, and loooking foward to keep the movie for at least one or two month in the main cinemas. For example, i went twice!!! Thursday and Friday!!! ahahhaha. So i am very touched, like, all that anger against the türks i used to have when i was an irracional kid came on again. And the anger is not only against the türks but against the armenians, too. (i leave my reasons for another log)

What can i say? Its marvellous to listen a high volume Zurna at the cinema and listen armenian in a movie. We know that is part of the work of Atom but i think the Armenianess should thank eternally the film Atom gave us as a present In Memoriam of our Medz babigner. He put us, as the movie says, in a Pedestal Of life...