this just happened #persian #food #tahdig #nomnom

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/ieFJLHyRp-/

squished umbrella in the #rain

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/h9Aw17SRuG/

bird, door, colors - just love the shot

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/hgp6suSRvu/

little #flower

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/gxa6jmyRjX/

#sunset in Bahji #bahai

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/gcThQ7yRna/

regram @sahar009 I did it! I #selfpublished my #first #book, a #short #story #collection in time for #halloween! #writing #writer #cover #coverreveal #amazon #itunes #kobo #exciting #publish #nofilter #omg

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/f3ONhkSRiP/

#eat more #chocolate #truth #food

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/f2-rtGSRqF/

no words to describe. #bahai

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/fsP_esSRg3/

#light in #Bahji #bahai

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/fk2VmgSRmr/

another #night shot, this time in #haifa #bahai #light

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/fdb4f5SRvP/

#sunset in #Bahji #bahai #night

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/fX_CYySRip/

#bird the almighty #sunset #sky #telaviv #israel

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/fN4nZrSRt6/

light square.

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/fHoRWASRo_/

current view in #haifa #rain

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/ehg19hyRjc/

the letter B represents so many things #bahai #Bahji

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/eXpaUiyRsl/

#haifa at #night #bahai

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/eMmPvaSRrI/

#flowers in Bahji #bahai

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/d_jWN4yRoH/

wonderful view #bahai #haifa #israel

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/d7UP8SyRh8/

spoons.

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/dxCPVzSRj_/

favorite view #bahai

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/duhamfyRvt/

#dream location #books #reading

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/dptcLSSRn9/

#detail #bahai

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/dUGsbjSRhB/

final product! #chocolate #dessert #oreo

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/dKbpgdSRuL/

#Oreo mousse in the making! #chocolate #dessert #food nom nom!

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/dHmXYMyRrl/

#salad and #fries nom nom #food

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/c7CjjUSRlp/

#relax #cat #chill

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/cmKN0eyRj5/

fresh paint: light and darkness

here's another simple painting with fresh paint. this time I was thinking about light and darkness, and how it manifests itself in our soul:

in short: there is always a speck of light in any darkness; likewise, there is always some darkness in the light. these two are interconnected, and it is up to us to decide which way we go.

very simple, and very quick to draw. but fun!

currently #reading #bahai

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/cW8gM4SRsG/

pi digit connections!

I just saw this picture, and it's beautiful:

trying out fresh paint

fresh paint was just released for windows phone 8, and I decided to give it a go to see what would come out. this is a quick thing I made:

I might continue with this... it was a lot of fun to learn the different brushes and all!

world's loneliest office?

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/cMlMyFSRhM/

just your average day on Arc #bahai

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/cE8p_QyRnI/

#service #dedication #love #protection

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/b3x44_SRqN/

piece of #art #cupcake

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/buHjosSRql/

delicious #pizza! #food

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/brij-vyRvc/

they're on a boat!

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/bnfnwmyRqg/

#sunset from #airplane #nofilter

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/bnVeLpyRg8/

maybe contentment is needed

the problem with having expectations is the great risk of being disappointed when they're not met. if expecting positive and neutral feedback is given, will you be happy about it? maybe it's better to be grateful for what we have, regardless of how little it is.

this Hidden Word of Baha'u'llah seems very apt:

O QUINTESSENCE OF PASSION!
Put away all covetousness and seek contentment; for the covetous hath ever been deprived, and the contented hath ever been loved and praised.

amazing #burger and #fries! nom nom! #food

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/bdmy3FyRoY/

red is beautiful. #colors #tree #beauty

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/bao278yRih/

found

national geographic photo blog. so worth it.

#homemade #nachos #food #yum

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/XphRyqSRnM/

simply droolworthy.

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/XfT9cmSRgU/

eagle. #bahai #gardens #haifa #beautiful

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/XB3NLwyRln/

entrance. #light #darkness #contrast #nofilter

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/W6_uCfyRuR/

Shrine from an angle #bahai

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/W33D2QSRkv/

good morning sunshine! #haifa #fast

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/Wis1KMyRo4/

outlook.com calendar subscription...

... is pretty much an outright lie. it doesn't seem to really be a subscription as much as a one-time import. checking the status of my calendar import from google, it says that the latest refresh was at: Tuesday, February 26, 2013 10:08. the time now? Thursday, February 28, 2013 11:24. it's been more than 48 hours, and nothing has been updated. if microsoft wants people to move from gmail to outlook.com, they need to make things work.

that's my rant of the day.

the virtue of limitations

straight copy/paste from artemy lebedev's blog:

More than anything else a designer needs limitations.

To prove this statement right let’s run an experiment. We’ll invite a designer and offer him all kinds of money.

— Will you do some design work for us for a very large sum of money?
— I’ll be honored.
— We have one request: we don’t want to limit you in any way.
— That is amazing, you’re my dream customer. All my life I was suffering from having my hands tied, but now...
— Excuse us for interrupting you.
— Most certainly. I’m all ears.
— Please provide us the best design in the whole world.
— A design of what?
— Our request was: no limitations.
— Aaa... Uuh... Hmm...

The designer’s brains explode.

There’s no creativity without limitations. The best design specimens arose as a result of painfully strict requirements. Modifier “the best” is applicable to a 60 by 90 cm two-tone poster announcing a certain band concert to take place in three days (so the job must go to the printers in four hours), printed on newspaper stock and using Baskerville typeface set at 72 points and incorporating such and such logo. Now, this is limitations, this is a real creative opportunity. A designer receiving such an assignment would do a good job, while a designer asked to do “the best something” would produce nothing.

When in their professional circles designers complain that a customer requested they “add some red” or “blow the logo up” it’s a typical example of ridiculous and unprofessional cowardice. A job can be done right with any combination of limitations. So the only thing for the customer to worry about is if he’s treated respectfully as a person and if his project is even interesting. Strict limitations could be and should be in place and in abundance.

The author’s personal experience was earned under very high pressure of the money being scarce and the demands unrealistically high. Instead of dwelling on the lack of financial means the author posed himself a question of how to do a good job under the current circumstances. The answer to this question is the result itself.

Knowledge: good design only exists within limitations.

got the keyboard, waiting for the rest! #surface #excitement

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/V18u1eyRhh/

there's still plenty of good in the world

here's an example. quora is a site that allows people to ask questions and get "answers and content from people who share your interests and people who have first-hand knowledge -- like real doctors, economists, screenwriters, police officers, and military veterans." the answers are often well-written, pedagogical and worth the read.

they have now released the best answers from 2012 to 2012 as an ebook, for free! there are answers from people like ashton kutcher, jimmy wales (founder of wikipedia) and many others with lots of experience answering the questions they're being asked. check it out at http://qsf.cf.quoracdn.net/best_of_quora_2010-2012.pdf!

2012: what brought us together

a beautiful video, remember the year that just passed:

is your screen too blue at night? try flux!

there is research indicating that lights from screens are guilty of keeping us awake at night. not just because we're having a hard time putting our laptops, tablets and phones away, but also because they suppress the production of the hormone melatonin, which helps regulate our sleeping patterns. see here, here and here.

I recently heard about a new software, f.lux, which is supposed to help alleviate this problem. how does it work? like this:

[f.lux] makes the color of your computer's display adapt to the time of day, warm at night and like sunlight during the day.

f.lux makes your computer screen look like the room you're in, all the time. When the sun sets, it makes your computer look like your indoor lights. In the morning, it makes things look like sunlight again.

Tell f.lux what kind of lighting you have, and where you live. Then forget about it. f.lux will do the rest, automatically.

I've been trying it out for about a week, and I clearly notice how the screen color goes a bit more towards red as the sun sets. does it help? I don't know. is it annoying? not really. is it worth trying out? I think so.

all you need to do is set up your latitude and longitude (which you get help with), specify your kind of lighting, and then it runs in the background and takes care of everything else. when I temporarily disable it, I definitely notice a difference, so I think it might be worth checking out. my recommendation: download flux now!