My hair smells of cigarettes from last night. I was at a club in D.C., surrounded by large men in black suits, who watched the underage kids like hawks. The man at the front door marked my hands with two big, black X’s so everybody would know I wasn’t 21. I’m still struggling to wipe off the X’s.
In the midst of neon lights and the deafening music, it’s possible to let go and get lost. Sensation. Ecstasy. Not being you is too easy. Just be. Be a dancer, a drinker, a guy passing, a watcher, an observer or a lonely recluse, sitting on a couch…
There are men who watch your every move, your hips, your legs, your arms, your eyes…
There are men who come too close, crossing every boundary, leaving no room for you, trapping you, putting their arms around you…do you let them? Do you turn around and look away?
There are women who dance without defining it. There are no rules in this wild, colorful, fantastic fantasy…there are simply no rules.
I dance…and the rest is forgotten…
Sensation
Dear Lili,
My name is Donya. I am a student at the University of Amsterdam, and I am currently doing my masters research project about the intriguing phenomenon of Iranian weblogs. In particular, I am interested in English-language blogs like yours, and the way Iranian national identities are created through them. I have been eagerly following the English-language Iranian blogosphere for some months, and I am now beginning to contact particular bloggers. I find your blog impressive, and a valuable representation of the English-language weblogging phenomenon/movement, so I would like to ask you some questions about it. I would appreciate it very much if you could let me know, as soon as you can, whether you are interested in participating (also if you are not). Just reply to this e-mail (address: d.alinejad@student.uva.nl), and if you are interested, I will send you a short list of questions. Of course, please also feel free to ask me any questions you might have about my research, my background, etc. If, for any reason, you prefer to do a telephone interview instead, just send me your number and I will call you at a time that is suitable for you. In any case, I am very hopeful to hear from you.
Kind Regards,
Donya.