Sunday, April 13, 2025

Khayyam

Omar Khayyam (1048 – 1131), a Persian poet and polymath, made great contributions to mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, and Persian literature. He was born in Nishabur, Iran, and his body rests in the same city. 

The Mausoleum of Omar Khayyam, a modern mausoleum of white marble erected over his headstone – designed by Hooshang Seyhoun and built during the Pahlavi era  symbolizes modern Iranian architecture and is part of the national heritage of Iran 

Last month, during the Nowruz celebration in Iran, many people gathered there to welcome the new year. Now, the occupying regime in Iran wants to destroy this beautiful landmark... because that's all they know and do: murder and destruction. 




(all images taken from Wikipedia)

Thursday, April 10, 2025

Indie April

Indie April Teaching, Writing, and the Real Stories Behind the Classroom

In 2022, I taught a group of students who made their first leap into the world of publishing, by writing and releasing their own tiny Kindle books. It wasn’t about perfecting the craft; it was about the raw experience of doing it and figuring it out along the way. My book Indiana Joes is my reflection on that experience — what it’s like to guide students through their first big creative step while navigating my own struggles and realizations.

The following year, I worked with another class, this time on bigger projects: a mix of fiction and nonfiction. I gathered the beginnings of their stories into Summer Samplings, to show them that their first steps, messy as they were, had value — real value.

Not everything in life is neat, and that’s exactly how I like it.

#IndieApril #Teaching #WritingCommunity #TESOL #IndieAuthors

Friday, April 4, 2025

Jaeger-LeCoultre

Jaeger-LeCoultre has unveiled a timepiece inspired by the Shahnameh, the legendary Persian "Book of Kings." Crafted with the precision of Swiss watchmaking and the soul of Persian artistry, this exquisite watch is a celebration of millennia-old tales carved into the soul of a culture.

"The Reverso Tribute Enamel Shahnameh watch features a guilloché dial with a wave motif on the front and a green Grand Feu enamel finish, inviting the wearer to discover the magic of the famous Book of Kings (Shahnameh in Persian) written by Ferdowsi. The reverse of the watch features a miniature painting enhanced with gold leaves (24k, 999/1000) and vivid colours that tell the story of a king and his valets on horseback searching for the princely son lost in the mountains, soon to be rescued by a magical bird. In a flurry of shapes and colours, this scene is the result of several know-how. The reverse, on a surface measuring just 2 cm2, our Métiers Rares™ bears the fruit of 100 hours spent by the craftsmen on enamelling and oven work."

See this beautiful piece here:
https://www.jaeger-lecoultre.com/ru-en/watches/reverso/reverso-tribute/reverso-tribute-enamel-shahnameh-q39334s3