Published in Coffee Times·PinnedOn Being Legally Blind: Why I Started WritingRemember Livejournal? Or Xanga? Or even Google’s Blogpost? I had them all. I was in my early teens and never posted more than twice on each account, but there was something thrilling about the possibility of talking to the masses through the internet. “Hey, world! It’s me Shabnam, your average…Writing4 min read
Apr 27Someone Else’s LifeHow do you cope when you’re not where you want to be anymore? — My body is tingling, my guts are quivering. I’m lying curled up in a ball looking at my phone refreshing Uber and Lyft waiting for the prices to drop. I already had my eyeliner on, my earphones for the long ride across town packed. But I don’t want to go…Personal Development2 min read
Mar 3AmericannessWhy am I so confused? I started questioning my nationality exactly 10 years ago. It was fall 2012 and I was living in Florence, Italy for the semester. I was at a satellite campus for an American university, and staying with an Italian host family who didn’t speak any English…3 min read
Published in Coffee Times·Jan 14Finding Florence in TangerinesEvery bite brings me back. — Every time I peel open a tangerine, I am transported back to a narrow apartment kitchen in Florence’s Campo di Marte neighborhood in the winter of 2012. I was an exchange student in Italy, living with my host family, Onelise and Mario. They were around my grandparents’ age, and they…Coffee Times Movement3 min read
Published in CRY Magazine·Jan 11“We Forbid You From Playing Basketball”The moment my pursuit of happiness became a form of rebellion. — I helped create my high school’s first girls’ basketball team in my sophomore year. I remember spending my lunch breaks running around campus, going from the principal’s office to the teachers’ lounge with papers to sign and meetings to schedule. …Happiness4 min read
Published in Coffee Times·Jan 9Dreams Don’t Work Unless You DoWhy float when you want to learn to surf? Until today the only thing I was sure about was my uncertainty. I had decided I wasn’t going to make any decisions. Living in L.A. doesn’t feel right anymore but European Visas are such a monster to take on. Stuck between…Coffee Times Movement2 min read
Published in Coffee Times·Jan 6Why Don’t I Feel Lonely?Musings from my first time living alone. — Six weeks ago I packed my bags and left my friends, my projects, and the rest of the life I had built in Los Angeles and flew across the world to a city where I barely knew anyone. …Coffee Times Movement3 min read
Published in Coffee Times·Jan 5Pretend to be a JournalistA response to Coffee Challenge: Ideas that Inspire — As I walk through this new city where I find myself alone for the winter, I realize that for the first time in six months I don’t feel lonely. I realize my mind is becoming freer every day from the anguish that would send me into spirals. My head isn’t…Inspiration3 min read
Jan 1How to Get UnstuckAnd Unleash Your Creativity — I’ve been thinking about starting a podcast for months. I have pages of scribbled notes and documents full of episode titles. I even have a few color palette ideas for the logo and a mood board for what I envision the branding to look like. I’ve been dreaming about guests…Ego Is The Enemy4 min read
Published in The Digital Journals·Dec 29, 2021Twilight Zone in the Operating RoomWas my body tingling with anticipation for improved eyesight? Or was I just high? — In the operating room, twilight is an anesthetic state induced by a mild dose of drugs to block pain and reduce anxiety during surgery. The patient is sedated and sleepy but still conscious and able to follow instructions. Awake, somewhere in between here and there, in the twilight zone. I…Surgery3 min read
