The Last Thoughts of a Busy Mind

In this episode, we once again meet up in person to talk in length about everything and nothing with Mehdi. We met through gatherings that discussed Doctor Who and then we got closer through more gatherings until I asked him to do editing and color correction for my movie, a seemingly never-ending process at this point. With Mehdi's prowess as a videographer and editor, and our similar tastes in "Doctor Who" and "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", our professional and personal bonds have strengthen. So, we sat down (despite technical issues) to discuss many subject like Nintendo games, Generative AI and its use in art, and the dreams of filmmaking.Check out Mehdi's personal Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/abaranchu/Check out Mehdi's Retro Equipment Business account: https://www.instagram.com/retrofy_archive/

Life in Iran is hard under the best of circumstances, and it's been 'not-the-best-of-circumstances' (to put it mildly) for a long long time. When the threat of annihilation looms over one's head, and when the breaking of one's spirit is imminent, it's become harder and harder to survive, let alone live. Sadly, that is true for people who live in most of the world as well, and this could be the guide they needed in order to wake up every morning and between their bouts of depression and anxiety, actually manage to survive.Email me at: [email protected]

Originally recorded on 30 May 2026On February 28th, 2026, United States and Israel attacked Iran in what has been dubbed "Iran War 2026". It has yet to reach its final conclusion. These are the episodes that were recorded in the midst of that war and the internet blackout that it caused, waiting for an opportunity to be shared. They are a reflection of the time they were recorded in. This is the recordings of one man's thoughts in the midst of what became an international incident. Email me at: [email protected]

Originally recorded on 23 May 2026On February 28th, 2026, United States and Israel attacked Iran in what has been dubbed "Iran War 2026". It has yet to reach its final conclusion. These are the episodes that were recorded in the midst of that war and the internet blackout that it caused, waiting for an opportunity to be shared. They are a reflection of the time they were recorded in. This is the recordings of one man's thoughts in the midst of what became an international incident. Email me at: [email protected]

Originally recorded on 9 May 2026On February 28th, 2026, United States and Israel attacked Iran in what has been dubbed "Iran War 2026". It has yet to reach its final conclusion. These are the episodes that were recorded in the midst of that war and the internet blackout that it caused, waiting for an opportunity to be shared. They are a reflection of the time they were recorded in. This is the recordings of one man's thoughts in the midst of what became an international incident. Email me at: [email protected]

Originally recorded on 2 May 2026On February 28th, 2026, United States and Israel attacked Iran in what has been dubbed "Iran War 2026". It has yet to reach its final conclusion. These are the episodes that were recorded in the midst of that war and the internet blackout that it caused, waiting for an opportunity to be shared. They are a reflection of the time they were recorded in. This is the recordings of one man's thoughts in the midst of what became an international incident. Email me at: [email protected]

Originally recorded on 25 April 2026On February 28th, 2026, United States and Israel attacked Iran in what has been dubbed "Iran War 2026". It has yet to reach its final conclusion. These are the episodes that were recorded in the midst of that war and the internet blackout that it caused, waiting for an opportunity to be shared. They are a reflection of the time they were recorded in. This is the recordings of one man's thoughts in the midst of what became an international incident. Email me at: [email protected]

Originally recorded on 18 April 2026On February 28th, 2026, United States and Israel attacked Iran in what has been dubbed "Iran War 2026". It has yet to reach its final conclusion. These are the episodes that were recorded in the midst of that war and the internet blackout that it caused, waiting for an opportunity to be shared. They are a reflection of the time they were recorded in. This is the recordings of one man's thoughts in the midst of what became an international incident. Email me at: [email protected]

Originally recorded on 11 April 2026On February 28th, 2026, United States and Israel attacked Iran in what has been dubbed "Iran War 2026". It has yet to reach its final conclusion. These are the episodes that were recorded in the midst of that war and the internet blackout that it caused, waiting for an opportunity to be shared. They are a reflection of the time they were recorded in. This is the recordings of one man's thoughts in the midst of what became an international incident. Email me at: [email protected]

Originally recorded on 4 April 2026On February 28th, 2026, United States and Israel attacked Iran in what has been dubbed "Iran War 2026". It has yet to reach its final conclusion. These are the episodes that were recorded in the midst of that war and the internet blackout that it caused, waiting for an opportunity to be shared. They are a reflection of the time they were recorded in. This is the recordings of one man's thoughts in the midst of what became an international incident. Email me at: [email protected]

Originally recorded on 28 March 2026On February 28th, 2026, United States and Israel attacked Iran in what has been dubbed "Iran War 2026". It has yet to reach its final conclusion. These are the episodes that were recorded in the midst of that war and the internet blackout that it caused, waiting for an opportunity to be shared. They are a reflection of the time they were recorded in. This is the recordings of one man's thoughts in the midst of what became an international incident. Email me at: [email protected]

Originally recorded on 21 March 2026On February 28th, 2026, United States and Israel attacked Iran in what has been dubbed "Iran War 2026". It has yet to reach its final conclusion. These are the episodes that were recorded in the midst of that war and the internet blackout that it caused, waiting for an opportunity to be shared. They are a reflection of the time they were recorded in. This is the recordings of one man's thoughts in the midst of what became an international incident. Email me at: [email protected]

29 is an odd age. It is the last year of a decade of life, that is also often conflated with recklessness and experimentation. When one reaches that odd age of 29, one tends to get introspective. Looking back at everything that one did in the past decade, and planning for the future. Though, living in constant turmoil of life outside of one's grasp, those plans may seem like the follies of a fool. Whether follies of a fool or the steps of a genius, one can't help but reach that precipice of turning 29. Email me at: [email protected]

2025 was an almost apocalyptic year. It had shown each of the four horsemen of the apocalypse with great vigor. It had shown war, and pestilence, and famine, and death. The year 2026 has started for a while now, and though it seems that the specter of these four horsemen are still looming and their handiworks are still being seen, one needs to look for that little ray of light in the darkness; and that little ray of light may come from planning for 2026.Email me at: [email protected]

2025 was an almost apocalyptic year. It had shown each of the four horsemen of the apocalypse with great vigor. It had shown war, and pestilence, and famine, and death. The year 2026 has started for a while now, and though it seems that the specter of these four horsemen are still looming and their handiworks are still being seen, one needs to look for that little ray of light in the darkness; and that little ray of light may come from planning for 2026.Email me at: [email protected]

Life is an unpredictable mess. Things go awry when you full expect it and when you least expect it. Planning for the future, though an essential part of life, is one's attempt at organizing an untangled mess of webs. That unpredictability becomes much greater when one is part of a world as chaotic, as brutal, as depressive and as oppressive as life in a country like Iran. There are moments in one's life when the reality of living in such conditions of inhumanity makes all future endeavors feel like an exercise in futility. Not just planning, but life itself becomes one.Email me at: [email protected]

In this episode, we go back to the online roots of The Last Thoughts of Two Busy Minds and we're having a long conversation with Arash. We met each other online on a social media platform because we had some mutual friends, and hit it off due to our mutual love of cinema and movies. Arash lives in Italy, and has been there for a few years, and recently got his graduation; so our talks did include cities of Europe and living abroad, but it also included topics such as the use of AI in art, Guillermo Del Toro's "Frankenstein", Food and Travel, and ended with an exhaustive discussion of James Bond and Mission Impossible.

With a season coming to an end, introspection and retrospection is sometimes needed. When that season has a theme such as Misunderstanding Iran, it's important to bring it to a close with a clear point. What can be done to help Iran, now that we have a better understanding of its history, culture, issues, and different political landscapes? This is the answer to that question, as best as it can be answered. It might not be as holistic as it can be, but it is the answer needed at this time. Email me at: [email protected]

With the current regime of Iran facing more and more scrutiny, there's also a loud voice in the room claiming that the only way to return to any sort of stability is by returning to the olden days of Monarchy. This is the prominent voice behind propagandists and many of the older diaspora. Yet, this is also the voice that carries with itself an uncritical view of all the problems that rise with a monarchy, and a desire to deprive people that they deem unworthy of any political power. This is the Monarchist infestation in Iranian political discourse, and it needs to be examined and ridiculed as swiftly as possible.Email me at: [email protected]

Iranian Culture is old, historied and incredibly complex, which is why it is oftentimes easier for people who are not aware of it to bundle it up with the whole of the Middle East and create an Orientalist view of the region. Though there is need to untangle that mess and look at Iranian Culture as its own thing rather than a monolith, it is as important to look at its shortfalls and problems. By ignoring them, we learn nothing, but by learning and facing them, we can step in the right direction.Email me at: [email protected]

Self-image and what you project onto the world is an important part of politics, and it becomes more important with every passing year. It's such optics that can shape the opinions of public, who in turn can put pressure on their governments. Much like any other country in the Middle East, Iran's optics are oftentimes complex, filled with historical context, and fueled by the desires of a few powerful to shape the world's narratives. Though, in this web of optics, there's a question: How do the Iranian citizen projects their self-image?Email me at: [email protected]

Usually when discussing the health of Middle East, there's an ugly assumption that once the physical needs are not actively hampered, then the responsibility for betterment of mental needs are completely off the shoulders of people who were doing the physical assault. It's an ugly assumption because much like other things misunderstood about Iran and Middle East as a whole, it doesn't fully grasp everything and shifts the blame for the depression caused by outside forces onto the populace who is depressed. Iran is such a populace. Email me at: [email protected]

Social media has become a hot button issue since its conception, and since its effect are becoming more and more apparent. Social media tends to bring out the worst in us in certain situations, and for people who are primed for conspiracy through their government, education and media systems, these "worst in us" can come out in horrifying degrees. Iran has a problem with social media. It's a big one, and it has been laden with the worst of humanity.Email me at: [email protected]

Sometimes it's important to tackle ideas and ideals when talking about misunderstandings in one region or another. Sometimes it's just as important to tackle a symbol of those misunderstandings and a throughput of more misunderstandings. Iran International, the """news""" network, is such a throughput. It is a propaganda machine with a singular vision of a perceived enemy, who caters to the most vibe-based views on Iranian history, culture and systems. It is a cesspool of talking heads touting propaganda, and it serves as the worst in a series of already broken systems.Email me at: [email protected]

Much like any country who has had massive social and political upheaval in the 20th century, Iran has a considering number of diaspora living abroad. This has created a schism in the pop culture of Iran, and has separated it into a homegrown and a diaspora-grown branch. Both of these branches though, still have a home in Iranian identity, and have created the dual-personality of Iranian culture.Email me at: [email protected]

Food is such a peculiar subject. It is universally believed to be apolitical, even though our connection to it is increasingly becoming more and more political. It's one of those subjects that can lead to appreciation of a culture, while also quietly dehumanize it. It's a peculiar subject, and when it applies to any one culture as their defining trait, it makes putting aside the people of that culture in favor of their residual aspects much easier. In short, when food is involved, it's easy to diminish people into what they will serve you.Email me at: [email protected]

The specter of Iranian Cinema outside of Iran is an odd and interesting one. It oftentimes frames some of the most unique movies out of this system as the "norm", and creates a stereotype of an Iranian artist as someone in tune with something extraordinary. Truth is a lot more complicated than that. A positive stereotype, is still a stereotype, and with it comes a misunderstanding. Iranian Cinema is not what the best of it represents, and Iranian filmmakers are far more varied than imagined.Email me at: [email protected]

When it comes to the history of Iran, there's so much misinformation and misinformed opinions that it's hard to divide the wheat from the chaff. Even for most Iranians, whether they've been learning history through school or through revisionist texts online, the idea of Iranian history is a complex and contradictory mess. In this mess, some reviled ideals can harbor and fester, creating an identity based on a past that was never there, and try to return to that imaginary past.Email me at: [email protected]

The matter of religion is always more complex than it seems, but it becomes doubly-so when it enters the varied world of Middle East. The outward view of many countries make them seem like purely religious puritans, even though their ultimate goal is control, and religion is just one single lever in their arsenal. Though, religiosity becomes even more complex when the actions of supposed religious governments inflate to reflect on the public, and there's no better example of that than Iran.Email me at: [email protected]

The view on Iran can be categorized in many ways, and one of them is a geographical climate view. As with many other countries in the Middle East, Iran has been depicted time and time as a purely desert climate. Sand dunes, palm trees, oases with shallow water reserves, camels and desert people. This is how the world likes to view Iran, because that way they can diminish the Iranian experience and bring it down to a single monolithic view. But, that's not the truth. Iran is not a desert, and it never has been.Email me at: [email protected]

When it comes to discussing politics in and about Iran, there's usually one or two stereotypes that people fall into. These two often reflect the political intent of the person spreading them, but nonetheless the effect is similar: it reduces a range of ideas, people and political identities into a single force. Iranians in either interpretation of these monolithic parties are zombified husks who will follow a singular leader, whether it's a tyrannical overlord or a disgraced prince.Email me at: [email protected]

During the war between Iran and Israel, oftentimes Iranians were reduced to a monolith of ideals, ethnicities and even culture. It's a view that is prominent outside of Iran, and sadly it's even prominent inside of Iran. The idea that Iran as a whole is a unified set of beliefs and cultures is one that's pushed even by our government (then and now). It can't be farther from the truth though. Iran, throughout its existence, has always been a tapestry. It's always been complex, and it's always been more than a monolith. Special Chapter #12 - It's the Circle of Noora: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/akhamseh88/episodes/Special-Chapter-12-Its-the-Circle-of-Noora-e36i050Check out my appearance on "Re-Animate THIS!": https://reanimatethis.podbean.com/e/sky-captain-and-the-world-of-tomorrow-2004-the-devil-rides-out-1968-and-the-gorgon-1964-feat-ali-khamseh/Email me at: [email protected]

In this episode, we're meeting once again in person to sit down and talk in depth with Noora. We met each other while I was "cosplaying" as Santa, and then later... some other time... we think? Though we have had other connections that have made us to meet each other more and get closer with time. Noora is an artist, and has been from a very early age, so our talks inevitably went into talking about art, artists, our relationship with art and artists, including an in-depth discussion of Leonard Cohen and Mohsen Namjoo, with things inexplicably going to Salvador Dali's peculiar interests in intimacy.Check out my appearance on "Troubled Artists": https://open.spotify.com/episode/0TLIkphzhHlOMgpdUxlWmE?si=8cd011d820544fa9Check out Noora's book on Mahasa Publishing: https://www.instagram.com/p/DCOI5Q4Cmrp/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MW9meTFmM3V6amdrMQ==

When one reaches the end of an era, one has to look at one's contributions and works in that era and come to a conclusion: was the past showing signs of discontent or contentment? What happened in a season that its arrival was under the influence of its number? Was the unlucky aura of "13" enough of a curse on the season to bring about the end of one's own desires and wants regarding the project itself? How close can one come to the end, before finally going over the threshold?Email me at: [email protected]

Sometimes one needs a jolt of something to bring about all the things that one has lost. Sometimes, a great experience in a less-experienced field can have extraordinary effects on one who needs to jumpstart to their life. Sometimes, that great experience is "The Age of Decadence", a CRPG who boasts its social interactions and focus on more-dialogue based events rather than pure combat readiness, and a throwback to the CRPGs of the old; a claim that they manage to deliver on in droves.Troubled Artists: https://open.spotify.com/show/4p5ItGGzt3NpMpzeteVXAx?si=57860b4d2b474078Email me at: [email protected]

Some people revel in the heroism of their fictional avatars. They embody themselves as the moral good of the story in the interactive world they inhibit. But that is not true for everyone. Sometimes one wants to be the imoral one, the thief, the villain... and it's also about the Iran-Israel war which is why this episode is a month late.Email me at: [email protected]

The name "Timeline Up" will mean nothing to most, but will mean something to few. To those few, the name "Timeline Up" is evoking the true nature of a guilty pleasure, or a sunken treasure of their finances, or just a repetitive and easy-to-play mobile game which barely qualifies outside of the purview of "auto-play". For one, it is the herald of everything that is wrong with one's attention span and lack of motivation. It is the herald of all that is guilt and no pleasure.Email me at: [email protected]

There are so many pieces of art in the world, that to experience all of them require almost infinite lifetimes. With such a vast world, it is understandable that some will fall through the fingers of anyone trying to capture all. Sometimes, that is one of the beloved games of its genre. Sometimes, that is "Prey" (2006 - the original one). To understand "Prey", is to understand a vast network of satisfying gameplay, mind-bending physics, and a lack of disregard for its story. To understand "Prey", requires one's attention.Email me at: [email protected]

There are, sometimes, projects so massive and so expansive, that it becomes a beacon of hope for those who enjoy such projects, but also becomes a barrier of entry for those who REALLY want to enjoy those projects, but are extremely threatened by their lack of explanation. When such projects lack the necessary starting steps to guide one in, one can lose in some amazing and unforgettable experiences. Such is the story of "Crusader Kings III".Email me at: [email protected]

With one week of unplanned break, one returns to discuss yet another video game, and this time the subject matter is that of piracy. But not the cool piracy of the modern era in which softwares are shared with the masses, but the brutal piracy of the 19th century, in which Blackbeard and Henry Morgan thrived. This is the world in which Sid Meier (of "Sid Meier's Civilization" fame) has set his seminal piracy simulator: "Sid Meier's Pirates!".Email me at: [email protected]

In Switchblade City, the Aces used to fight crime, but that was a long time ago. Now, the city is filled with gangsters and crime lords, each trying to carve up sections of it for their own desires. In this city, one has to learn to fight to survive and use everything in their line of sight to fight, and that is the exact situation that "Fallen Aces" puts one in. Made by New Blood Interactive, "Fallen Aces" is the noir-inspired immersive sim, and it's one hell of a style over substance game.Email me at: [email protected]

When the courier walks through the ruins of Mojave, dealing with the intricate balances of power near Hoover Dam and the bustling city of New Vegas, it's hard not to want to continue their story further and further. Thankfully, the brilliant minds in Obsidian Entertainment decided to do continue the journey of the courier, even outside of Mojave and the confines of New Vegas. So, it's time for one to go through and talk about "Honest Hearts" and "Lonesome Road".Check out my appearance on "Criterion Now": https://cinejourneys.com/criterion-now-episode-159-iranian-and-world-cinema/Email me at: [email protected]

When the courier walks through the ruins of Mojave, dealing with the intricate balances of power near Hoover Dam and the bustling city of New Vegas, it's hard not to want to continue their story further and further. Thankfully, the brilliant minds in Obsidian Entertainment decided to do continue the journey of the courier, even outside of Mojave and the confines of New Vegas. So, it's time for one to go through and talk about "Old World Blues" and "Dead Money".Email me at: [email protected]

In October of 2281, a courier near the town of Goodsprings got a bullet to the head by a casino owner named Benny. That was the catalyst that started the wonderous and amazing tales to befall Mojave and the city of "New Vegas", built on top of the ruins of Las Vegas. And all of that is contained in one extremely well-made package called "Fallout: New Vegas". One of the best games ever made (if not THE best game ever made), "Fallout: New Vegas" still rides high more than a decade since its release.Email me at: [email protected]

When one spends too much time within an activity, sometimes one gets ideas and daydreams of creation within that activity. Sometimes one even goes forward and start brainstorming a prototype of that creation. Sometimes, that creation is a concept for a board game about Greek mythology, centered around a creator who saw his creation come to life: Pygmalion. Sometimes, one is oblivious to the irony of choosing this myth as the backbone and the title of one's own attempt at creation.Email me at: [email protected]

Nowruz is the Persian new year, and can be translated literally as "new day". It's the harbinger of new things to come and a goodbye to all that was left behind. So, much like any other new year, it brings with itself some introspection and some resolutions. Possibilities seem endless. Severance, on the other hand, is an Apple TV+ tv show about a rigid system in which any acts to changing it are herculean. A day after Nowruz, Severance had its second season finale.Email me at: [email protected]

When one finally sits down and crosses off an item off of an overly robust "to-do" list, it fills one with pride. Pride over a job well done, and drive to keep that sense of pride alive and relevant. So, in pursuit of that feeling and that drive, one will try to look at the other items on that overly robust "to-do" list and plan to achieve them one by one. Coinciding that with the end of a tumultuous year, will bring out the fires of retrospection, and one can put some things in perspective.Email me at: [email protected]

When one is feeling the familiar feelings of sickness, it might be appropriate to conjure up memories and thoughts of the last feelings of sickness. It feels like a poorly planned and poorly received sequel to an already unpopular project, but such is the vice and the draw of sickness, and the loss of health. It will become even more dramatic when that return to sickness is coinciding with the start of a whole new season.Special Chapter #11 - You Hear That Heavy Metal Sound? The Symphony of Kiarash: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3IFCEb8DOeIoW094VMvO3D?si=B23emsELTIW2wbXZCfwNPAEmail me at: [email protected]

In this episode, we're meeting in person as I sit down to talk with one of my oldest friends with almost 20 years of history, Kiarash. We met each other in elementary school, and despite our lives taking different shapes and different paths, we have remained friends. With such a rich history between us, and similar interests like fantasy (now!) and mythology, we got closer in school and remained close to this day. So we decided to sit down, talk about our history, our paths, our guiding principles, law and delivery apps, and of course the most important of all: Fifa 2018.

Sometimes, things are so out of control that one needs to take all that one can and hope not to lose grasp of life itself. So, when one is nearing the point of giving up, or circling it, or landing on it, then it might be of some use to look forward. When one cannot fathom the idea of looking at one's life in its current form, maybe looking up from the ground and looking forward might help, even a tiny bit. Email me at: [email protected]