I read a lot of philosophy books and psychology books, and I highly believe they impacted a lot on me as a human. I just enjoy reading theories and what other people think and their perspective in life. 

We only live once you know, so why not do the thing you enjoy the most? Even plentiful of constructive films post WWII are huge theories on their own, but executed differently.

I come from a conservative family, but what I wold say religion impacts their choices in life more than culture, and in my opinion, I think in Lebanon in general a persons religion is what impacts their life more than عادات وتقاليد.

I’m curious what impacts your life.
Is it your culture?
​Is it your religion?
Is it both?
Or none?

If I had to answer, I would say my human self, ethics, and moral. Then my culture, and religion come as marinara sauce.

If you feel more comfortable by sending it on my email, please feel free.
offtovenus@gmaill.com

Dear Off to Venus, 

You know me personally, and so do I. But let's just keep it anonymous and honest here. I am not sure if this was what you were willing to hear about the "Relationship Menu" but here's what want to share. 

Love is real, passion is there, and whoever feels it is lucky. I was lucky enough to feel passionate and in love with a guy that wasn't even from my community, not having the same religious thoughts, and came from different backgrounds in general. But that what kept me very very interested in him. It's our difference. It's how much love I had to small talks with him. His voice, his mind, his thoughts, even his appearance. Btw, you know this "love is blind" kinda shit? Yes, it's true. I was blind and I knew I was skipping a million toxic and negative things about him but I always thought that the love I have for him is above all. I want to live with a person that sparks up my life every time I see him. 

One thing you should know about me is that, when I love, I give my all. ALL. I had too many emotions for him. He left because he thought he was toxic. But I fought for him, many times. I showed support. I loved him when he didn't care about me. I believed in him when he didn't believe in himself. 

He broke my heart. 

But as I said, love is real. And when it hits you will start thinking in all possible ways to make him feel the same towards you. I knew he loved me, but it wasn't enough. I keep thinking what wrong did I do? Should I keep fighting and talking to him? Should I be the person who fights for love???
Or should I be concerned about my dignity? 

To conclude, Love can be our greatest strength and our deepest weakness. Relationships are important because they make us feel stuff that we didn't know we would actually feel. Relationships teach us a lot, you will never be able to forget it, you just learn how to cope with the scar. 

It's just نصيب.


Much love to you Asma. 


To view the artwork, make sure to check the instagram page here

No matter how beautiful a plant is, someday at sometime it will wilt. 

P.S I recommend to listen to this beautiful album while you are reading this, click here

I planted these Lentils back during the lockdown, most probably in April. It occurred to me that an old school project can be fun as an adult. I did it.

I took care of it, like really did. Slowly I stopped, I lost interest. I moved on .


It started wilting, so beautifully inside of my room. 

I looked at it and said, it's just like us, wilting in this beautiful world.

The world is beautiful, the blue skies that leaves us mesmerized  as the sun settles down. The sun that blesses us every day with its warmth, it gives you that hug that you need. The glaciers and snow that cools us down, and makes fun of us by turning our noses red. The trees, and forests that gives us oxygen, and food supply. The moon that helps the tide go back and forth, while the sea watches over us in the deep.

Have you ever, paused the moment, and looked how beautiful the world is?


how come, we wilted in beauty?

PLEASE VIEW THE FULL PROJECT HERE

On the 26th of June, the world have lost another amazing Graphic Designer, and this designer may not be known to you, but I appreciate him so much.

Here’s  a little story of how I got to know him.
​
I was still at uni back then, and I had a class with one of my favorite instructors, and in that class we were given a list of famous designers to do a research and present them in-front of the whole department. I was at his office with my bestfriend, and on that day I told him I d o not know who to choose from the list because I didnt know most of them. On that day I was wearing my favorite tshirt, I ❤️ NY. He typed a name on his screen, and asked me if I know who this person is, I said no. All what my instructor did was click on the images option on Google, and there it was. I’m not gonna lie I felt very ashamed of myself at that moment, to not know who the designer is, of the most recognizable slogan on earth, I <3 NY the T-shirt I was wearing brought me to shame, but thanks to my instructor and thanks to that shame, it brought enlightened to me and introduced me to, Milton Glaser.

I did a whole research and a presentation about him, not only that though. Even Robb Janoff, the designer of the apple logo, called me by the name of the hoodie that I was wearing, which obviously was I ❤️ NY. He even had the chance to meet him once, how did I know? yea I asked him that question.


I got to make some online friends through my xboxb, that we always game together. When I got to know that they are from NY, first thing I told them of course my dream is it visit, and if I had the chance of ever meeting Milton Glasor.

The chance now is gone Milton, I will never meet you.

I swear to God it was just a coincidence that I was wearing the I ❤️ NY T-shirt the day of your death, but I believe it was fate/ or destiny because you meant a lot to me.

Thank you Instructor Shahrayar for giving me the honor of representing him.

This is just a tribute to you, to the man who inspires me, to the man who did simple thing matter, to the man who believed. 


Thank You Milton.

​Sometimes I truly doubt if anyone reads my blog, because you know I’m not going to ask each and everyone of my friends to do so. As an act of support I expect everyone who follows me on my IG to like all of the 3 artworks and read my blog tbh, because that’s what I do do, whenever I see any of my friends posting something I like it, n sometimes I share it.
Knowing that no one is going to read this, some people who follow me silently no like no nothing, just watches my story. Which is honestly weird. Stalkers? Creeps? No idea but I do get the chills.

This is the topic of this blog, helping others but forgetting oneself in between.

The self.
Is a mystery.
We thrive to become the best version of ourselves.
We push others.
We help others.
But, in the overall picture and experience of life.
We forget ourselves.

Putting others above your own needs, is the most brutal thing you can ever do to yourself, you first then others.Some might say this is selfish, but did the “other” put you out first?
Ask yourself that question, when you are being in a tight spot, did he/she put you first or no?
If it’s going to be the fight of egos, then I highly recommend opening that damn door, and leave. P.S this example is for the people who have the tendency of saying yes to everything and putting others above themselves. Not for selfish/egoistic pricks who put themselves always first, and do not compensate for once. If you scratch their ego, enjoy the defense mechanism show.

Anyways, the bigger picture is something that we do not always see, and most of the times its related to fate. We go with the flow, but we we have to work for that flow to be stable. It’s nice sometimes to go for adventures, yet trust me when I say that each decision you make affects you for the next 5 years. Make sure to build your life wisely, since the upcoming years do not look the most welcoming.

It’s nice to help other, it gives you that type of satisfaction that you’ve done something. It’s nice to push them to a better version of themselves. We all have that one blind spot, and if there’s someone around us who cares and notices it and advices us to be careful, then you are lucky to have that person in your life. Just make sure to not waste their time if they advice you, and you already know that deep down you won’t change/do the mistake again.
Because, honestly? That effort should be put on themselves if the person receiving is not planning to take it. If the receiving is also a person who only likes to receive with no giving back, then what’s the point?

In the end, life is all about giving, and getting back. Yes, we all expect favors. A favor for a favor, right? So do yourself a favor and favor yourself, by giving yourself the time to understand your problems, buy that book that you wanted, reply to that message that you\be been ignoring, and you know self isolate for a better quality of you? Maybe?

Put yourself first.
Bigger picture shows itself late, so be prepared.
Work on yourself.
There’s only you, for you.

Look at us here in facing this virus while we are at home, and to be honest I couldn’t ask for more.

I have always enjoyed staying in my room, I dont’ know about you but I have a lot of things to do, and trust me when I say I enjoy my own company the most, even when it's on something that is very negative.

Yet, what we are facing too is a whole another thing, and that thing is called “ Attention Seekers “. Which lead me honestly to not only practice Social Distancing ( which was already in practice) but to also practice Social Media Distancing. 

It’s always a good idea to refresh yourself up by staying away unfortunately from everyone, because sometimes you can’t truly identify the toxic source.

Around you, you will have the dramatic friend,the who makes things seems super big friend, the one who thinks the world revolve around him/her, the attention seeker, the spoiled one, the egoistic one, and imagine having them all joined in one friend (God forbid).

You know what’s in common with all these “friend(s)”, these, let’s say traits, are all toxic.

This is why now, and I’m gonna repeat yes NOW, take this opportunity to social distance in life, and social media distance for some time, at least for a day. 

Let me share something with you, about myself.

Social Media and I kinda have that very complicated relationship, I’m very on and off about it, but you see my job actually revolves around it. I truly go days and weeks without bothering and checking on it. I can indulge in my video game or do something  I’m passionate about and forget about the whole world, you know zen/ikigai kinda thing. 

Thus the reason I went totally off on my personal account, is because I know I don’t need anyones validation, I do not need to check for who viewed my story, I do not need to share something about something I love just because I want people to know that I love this? (If that makes any sense), and finally share something just because you mean it to another person you have on mind.

Or you can do whatever you like on your account/life, I’m not implementing this on anyone, just a recommendation, experience and point of view from a person behind this screen.

I highly believe we are all grownup by this time, and we truly need to not only cleanse this virus but cleanse ourselves too.

Take a deep breathe, ease in your mind and heart, cleanse, exhale!

Stay safe, stay home, enjoy you, help you, love you, and be you. 

No, I am not gonna talk about the COVID 19, because I believe you've already heard the news, got a notification on Twitter, or your friend already updated you.

What am gonna talk about is influence, which sadly, the bad influence tends to impact precious people. 
Unless that was their true-self, and just now you got the chance to witness it.

2019 was impactful enough, 2020 has its plans & games.
Hence why someone would change not for the better, but the worse.

You start noticing small things, them questioning, them interfering, and of course the talk behind your back.
You start ignoring, why?
Because you are looking ahead, the whole talk behind your back, IS WHY THEY ARE BEHIND, and you are ahead.
They ask you things, they do not apply to themselves, and wear masks, every day they use a new mask.
Thus, why you try your best, to not interact, and stay away.

But, when you see someone that wasn't like that, it is turning to something like that is what's sad.
Again, as mentioned before, maybe? just a maybe... they were originally like that?
Yet, you were blinded, with one of their masks? or here's a better idea, you knew but you didn't
want to label them with it.

As Bishopp mentioned, "I'm sick of slippery stuff"

Of course, we can always overcome any obstacles, and just leave them behind, and keep moving forward.
Life is a canvas, and my job is to fill it with art.
Art that I was born to do, and embed it with creativity.

It's just a chapter everyone,  self develop you, and keep doing you.

Miss you all and love ya :)