Self study by an Iranian/American

Interesting digital photo project by Natalie Abbassi. Natalie is an Iranian/American who has created this interesting photo collage. In each scenario she has incorporated herself twice, once as the Iranian and once as the American.

Such an interesting concept! While we all don't have such dramatic differences in our selves culturally. I'm fairly certain that each of us experiences some inner conflict between our different selves. 

Click here to see more images from the collage.

Natalie was raised both in the United States and Iran and speaks both English and Farsi fluently. She recently graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a BFA in design and a concentration in photography, and currently lives in Greensboro. Abbassi enjoys setting up scenarios and digital photo collages to discover a deeper understanding of who we are as complicated beings. The goal of her photographic communication is to tell the stories of individuals’s lives, as it helps us see the shared common ground between us all.

Amazing!

(Photo via Guernica by Natalie Abbassi)

Holi - The Fesitival of Colors, India

Last week, around the world, Hindus celebrated Holi or The Fesitival of Colors. In celebration of springtime and in commemorating Krishna's pranks. Hindus celebrate by throwing vibrant powders at each other. How beautiful.

Click here to see more.

(via theAtlantic)

Great expectations

Ahhh...travel...

I'm a bit of a Hemingway or Fitzgerald when it comes to traveling. What I most enjoy about visiting new cities is experiencing the new place in the eyes of its residents. I first learned this approach from my favorite novel, The Sun Also Rises, in it Hemingway depicts ex-pats seeking authentic life experiences via the cafe cultures of Spain and France. If I learned anything from Lady Brett Ashley, and the other misfits, it's that you need to get drunk in a city to really understand it. Perhaps I should say you need to put on your booze-colored glasses or, better yet, BTB! Bring-the-booze! Hehe.

Then there are other times when you simply want to see the sights. I'm not talking about the typical Diva in Distress sights like

an Italian Man dressed perfectly in red pants (yum!),

rays of sunshine bathing squatters in front of the Palazzo Pitti, or

 the studded-kitten heels from Valentino that you have been craving for months.

I'm talking about Historical monuments like the Colosseum or the Taj Mahal. Places that maintain a heartbeat after centuries and have a history so rich that, with a little imagination, you can see the visitors of the past. Places where you don't feel lame (like you did when you had dinner next to Bono and couldn't stop staring) being awe struck.

Italy, rich with culture and well-dressed men definitely met expectations.

Tell me Puppets - where have you been that met or exceeded your expectations?  And, please, feel free to say Barneys if that's your mecca! Stay tuned for a DID list of life experiences that met expectations.

Bello e stupido