My interests are fairly diverse. I love pretty much anything historical. For example, I got a major kick out of a tour of two ancient cities of Shiraz and Esfahan in central Iran my parents had arranged for me after I managed to go back home after 23 years abroad. Check out the following short documentary for a little of what I saw on that tour:
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What else do you see in Iran? Well, I think it'll be a while before I put together the 15 hours worth of footage I collected during my trip back home, in a neatly edited format, so just to give you a taste, here's an adventerous American family's account of going for "SKIING IN IRAN":
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Along learning about Iranian history, I also get a major kick out of anything that has to do with my Iranian culture. Being away from it for most of my life, I always feel there's an empty hole I should fill with various pieces of our culture, namely poetry and traditional Iranian music. Here's a short look into this rich medium for you:
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I also like making handmade soap and I often treat the people that I like to a bar of my super moisturizing glycerine soap made with plenty of TLC and with a variety of really nice scents. The soap making is my creative outlet since working in a Meical Research Lab can get pretty boring. But this hobby got expensive in a hurry so I had to charge for my materials and time spent on making these good smelling pieces of wonder! And so Hunny Bunny Creations was born in 2004.You can check out our website at: http://www.hunnybunnycreations.com
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Everyone is welcome to come and see my basement soap shop except the kitties that my wife (Lea) and I have. We have two kitties: Shadow (~15 months old and also called Boy Boy because he hangs with me most of the time) and Smokey (~1 year old and also called Boy Toy, because he mainly plays around with Lea) and is very much like the kitty in this video because he'll also give you a bite or two:
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I'm sure those of you who have cats can relate to this next little video. It's pretty funny :D!
Bad Pussy
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Add to My Profile | More Videos
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I'm also an avid movie buff (and DVD collector), although I don't get much time to go to the movies any more, so my passion has really shifted to music. I love most kinds of Metal music. I find myself being atracted to metal bands with female singers or musicians. I think if a metal band can bring a female perspective and ability into their Metal fold, they can benefit tremendously from it. Case in point, Amy Zion playing her kick-ass guitar for my friends from DARK HAVEN, my friend Carrie Stevens playing drums for her band THERAPY, my vocalist friends NANE from CROWNLESS, Michelle Loose from Brave, ELE from TITTYTWISTERS, LITA FORD, Elisa Martin in early DARK MOOR and current DREAMAKER, all the ladies from VIXEN & THE TOMMYS, and many many more. I just think Women in Rock & Metal are totally HOT!
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Below I'm listing the banners of all my UNSIGNED FRIENDS. I'd like to use this space to advertise for them. Hopefully, somebody with a little bit of vision happens to surf in and decides to take advantage of all the untapped talent over here! I think everybody should check these guys out anyway. just tell them Datis sent ya :)!
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I'd like to meet:
If I could see both my grandmothers one last time, it would have been great. They both passed away while I was 5000 miles away :(.
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Other than that, I'd like to meet Sir Arthur C. Clarke (actually his MySpace site recently requested an Add from me. You should have seen me almost peeing in my pants :D!), Joe Michael Straczynski, Dr. Paul Cook, just about any of the actors from the Star Trek and Babylon 5 series (I was fortunate enough to meet Richard Biggs, Dr. Franklin from Babylon 5, before he passed away. What a super nice guy and what a loss for us!). Then there are tons of Metal musicians I'd like to meet:
For example, The Thrash Metal band from Tehran called "EXPLODE" whose Metal music was the first I heard with Farsi lyrics. Let me tell you, that was truly a unique experience. Here's the link to their regular website. Go and check them out and download their 6-track EP for free if you're interested to hear what truly Iranian Metal sounds like.
I also wouldn't mind meeting any of the artists from the Iranian Metal band called Kahtmayan. Other than them, AHOORA this is the only other band that I know of that got to perform LIVE in Iran and although they played just Instrumental material, the sound was apparently still too aggresive. Check out the video to see what I mean:
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Another group of musicians I'd really like to meet play in the Brazilian Progressive Power Metal band called STORMENTAL. Check out their newly released video clip called "A Miserable Life" and prepare to be impressed!!!
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Another musician from Iran whom I'd like to see is Ali "The Beast" Sanaei who plays Bass for the Thrash / Death Metal band ARSAMES from my hometown of Mashhad in Northeastern Iran. Check out the short clip below of his increadibly agile fingers dancing all over the frets of his Bass guitar. He's simply amazing! Ali, Damet Garm :)!!!
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Music:
Heavy,
Hair & Glam,
Power,
Epic,
Progressive,
Symphonic,
Technical,
Speed,
Thrash, and
Melodic Death Metal. It goes without saying, therefore, that I like to exercise my neck muscles by listening to fast and furious headbanging songs. Sometimes I don't even know I'm actually exercising until I start getting dizzy :)! To demostrate how this can happen without you even realizing it, I had to add CELLADOR's "Leaving All Behind" over here. These guys are our metal brethren from Omaha, Nebraska, and they are the American answer to DRAGONFORCE, the awesome intrnational phenomenon of a band who have unleashed their brand of European Power / Speed Metal shredfest since 2003, courtesy of Herman Li and Sam Totman. All hail CELLADOR:
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If you have not had a chance to headbang to a Progressive Power Metal song yet, here's your chance. This is the title track of the awesome Brazilian Prog Power Metal band called STORMENTAL:
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Here was a defining moment in 80s Metal when SKID ROW roared into our consciousness with their melodious EIGHTEEN AND LIFE:
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And here is one of my all time favorite Metal songs by the mighty MOTLEY CRUE when they were on top of their game. This is KICKSTART MY HEART:
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Here's a modern classic. Luca Turilli's THE ANCIENT FOREST OF ELVES:
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Movies:
I'm a total movie buff, so this is a difficult question to answer. But here are some of my ultimate favorites:1) Scent Of A Woman2) The Blues Brothers3) Almost all of PIXAR movies.4) The best made Jappanese Animation movies.5) Michael Bay Action Flicks and the Lethal Weapon series.6) Most of Disney animation and live action movies.7) Boondock Saints8) Silverado9) Most Science Fiction movies.10) Most War movies.
Television:
Sci Fi Channel (Stargate: Atlantis & Battlestar Gallactica),
History Channel (Just about anythin; I love historical stuff),
USA Channel (Burn Notice, The 4400, Dead Zone),
NBC Channel (NBA Games, Heroes, and The Apprentice),
ABC Channel (NBA Games),
TNT Channel (NBA Games, decently produced Westerns),
CBS Channel (University of Kansas (Jayhawk) Bascketball Games),
ESPN (The Contender, and The University of Kansas (Jayhawk) Basketball games),
Comedy Channel (Daily Show with Jon Steward, & The Colbert Report),
FOX Channel (On The Lot).
Books:
I have a whole library of books I haven't had time to read. My most favorite genre is Science Fiction and my most favorite Science Fiction author is Sir Arthus C. Clarke. I have read more books by him than anyone. After him, the most influential book in all science fiction is, I believe, Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451" which is a book I've given to 9 friends of mine so far as a present. Then there are number of authors in science fiction that I like most and they are: Paul Cook, Michael Crichton, Kage Baker, Ben Bova, kim Stanley Robinson, Michael Jan Friedman, John Vornholt, Dianne Carey, Robert Silverberg, and Connie Willis just to name a few. From the realm of Literature: J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher In The Rye" is bay far my most favorite, followed by Leonid Salavyov's "The Prince Who Became An Ass", followed by Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre", followed by Jack London's "The Call Of The Wild", followed by Harper Lee's "To Kill A Mockingbird", and of course, William Shakespere's "Hamlet" just to name a few. From Non-Fiction, I like Maria Nerius's "How To Make Soap For Fun And Profit" the best, followed by Stephen E. Ambrose's "Band Of Brothers" which I have yet to finish!
Heroes:
My Parents,
My uncle, Mr. Abbas Alaee.
My Masters Committee Advisor, Dr. Christopher Field.
My Wife, Lea :)!
