The most frustrating thing about writing isn’t the painstaking mental torture of attempting to arrange words together in a way that clearly and effortlessly conveys your ideas. It’s that there are, inevitably, always ideas that get left out.
Writing is my practice of understanding others. Understanding others requires context. Too much context can be overwhelming. Whether someone is the biggest celebrity on the planet or a stranger on the street, I believe everyone has a story — and subsequent perspective — that sentences and paragraphs, no matter how detailed, can fully capture. Even without editors to redline my ramblings or word counts to contain myself, plenty gets left on the table.
In creating this space, the intention is to do the best job possible at sharing full context and perspective, whenever possible. We all learn and consume things differently, so instead of just writing very long-winded articles (thank you to those who read anyway!), Tuesdays here are now going to be known as TAPE TUESDAYS, where I’m going to share conversations I have with subjects, too. It should provide additional context and serve as a more consumable medium for those who would rather listen to someone than read.
The first edition of this features actor/writer and human rights activist Nazanin Nour and comedian Tehran Von Ghasri — clearly true professionals in their respective fields, considering how entertaining and informative they each are. My chats with them take place the days after Iran made its 2026 World Cup debut. We discuss reactions to the match, the history of Iran, the nation’s current political state, and what they hope you, me, and everyone else who isn’t part of the diaspora should take away from watching Iran compete on United States soil in the midst of a conflict.
HOUSEKEEPING
Cover Photo: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Music: “Loosin’ Up” by Wendy Marcini; “Starry Night” by Harry Noda; “Ruby” by Ennio Mano
Host/Produced/Edited: Kaelen
