• New job musing

    Bringing you exclusively..my new desk!

    Actually, a more accurate depiction would be:

    I'm still in euphoria-mode from new job. I guess the reason behind this can be simplified as follows [metaphorically speaking]

    a while back... there was a box.

    I know I’ve been talking a lot about this new step in my life, but this blog has always been and will always be the space to express myself, and I just had to draw those. Late night musings. This new job/setting/experience/life has given me splashes of motivation, positivity, that I can hopefully pass on to you as well πŸ™‚

    Yea at this stage I wouldn’t be surprised if I started liking techno. Ok not that much πŸ˜› Here’s a [everything-but-techno] song for you πŸ™‚ Have a wonderful day!

    12 You Win Again

  • It’s not about the traffic…

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    Thank you so much for the wonderful comments you guys sent me yesterday! You made my day with your support, as usual! I guess I underestimated the power of making a change in your life routine. It’s beautiful. Just like this cover by Brad Mehldau of Nick Drake’s Things Behind the Sun. Enjoy, and have a lovely day! πŸ™‚

    01 Things Behind the Sun [Nick Drake Cover]

  • To new beginnings

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    Wish me luck! Today’s my first day at my new job! A big thank you to Ayman Itani who made it happen; he is the person who has most supported me ever since I started the blog. Forgive me for not posting much, but the whole move and CC Beirut are taking up a lot of time.

    I wish you all a wonderful week! Here’s Lhasa de Sela’s De Cara a la Pared from her fantastic album ‘La Llorona’. Enjoy! πŸ™‚

    01 De Cara a la Pared

  • A day in Hasbaya

    During this long week-end, I visited Hasbaya, the village I come from South of Lebanon

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    Of course, after the classic stop at al baba sweets in Saida. I'll have the honey and pine nuts ice cream

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    Hasbaya is a village full of history, a perfect example of Lebanese diversity

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    In the village, people visit each other everyday. This is abu assaad.

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    In the house, I found a box of old images

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    Why were oldies so much more elegant in the old days?

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    Then, I picked up flowers and made 2 bouquets

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    Watching granma in the kitchen

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    But in all this serenity, one thing broke my heart...

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    the chehabi citadel is crumbling down and noone seems to care!

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    this citadel is a historical, architectural and cultural treasure

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    This boy is a prince by blood, he lives in the citadel. His family cannot afford to maintain it,  leaving most of it falling apart. They are willing to let go of the property for someone who could take care of it... but nothing has been done about it!

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    Wish box: I HOPE THAT THE CHEHAB CITADEL IN HASBAYA WILL BE WELL PRESERVED BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE, THAT IT WILL BE DOCUMENTED AND PROPERLY ORGANIZED TO WELCOME PEOPLE INTERESTED IN KNOWING MORE ABOUT THE AREA'S HISTORY, ARCHITECTURE AND CULTURE. IF ONLY SOMEONE COULD HEAR AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

    If anyone of you knows a path that could lead to the realization of the above wish, please let me know. I hope you all enjoyed the long weekend & easter vacation! Now it’s back to work, and when we say work, we say music to compensate! Here’s Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong singing ‘Our Love is Here to Stay’. Have a wonderful day! πŸ™‚

    12 Our Love Is Here To Stay

  • Mini-vacation

    Guys! I’m heading South [Hasbaya] for the next three days, with no internet connection [how will I survive that, do not ask!].

    Meanwhile here are the latest illustrations for ELLE Oriental to keep you entertained πŸ˜‰

    In French:

    And in Arabic:

    Have a great long weekend and see you soon! πŸ˜‰

  • Here’s the thing…

    [If you can’t see Youtube, download the video here]

    As we say in Lebanese, Ψͺعيشو و ΨͺΨ§ΩƒΩ„Ωˆ غيرا! [hope you’ll live to see more pranks πŸ˜‰ ]

    Thanks a lot for the AMAAAAZING reactions that you guys sent out regarding the TV show… I was so happy that I actually put them all into a collage [from FB, Twitter and the blog] and you can check them below!! [click to enlarge]

    A big big thank you goes to the brilliant Habib who brainstormed this with me yesterday last minute when I still didn’t know what today’s prank would be πŸ˜‰

    Last but least, let’s end it with a beaaautiful tune by Pat Metheny, “New Chatauqua”

    03 New Chautauqua

  • Amalgam goes on TV!

    Remember when I told you about my Birthday wish of turning Amalgam into an animated series? Well…… *drum roll* ……. it was actually a sample to submit to LBC intl [Leb TV channel]Β Β to feature it at the end of their night news!!!!!!!!!! And….. it got accepted, 1st episode will show starting April! I’m SO thrilled about it!!!! See you tonight on the news πŸ˜‰

  • Announcing… CC Salon Beirut

    Remember when I went to Jordan for CC Salon Amman? Well, now we’re finally organizing CC Salon Beirut with the help of Donatella, Habib, Naeema & Mohamad!

    What I’d like to share with you is the design process of the poster, which is a collaborative design between the talented Naeema Zarif and myself, Γ  la Creative Commons πŸ˜‰

    Step 1: I designed this

    Step2: I sent it to Naeema, who sent me this back!

    Step 3: I tried to mix both designs, CC-style πŸ˜‰

    And… lo and behold, the CC Beirut Salon poster… [click to enlarge]

    What do you think?

    Now the next step is to SPREAD THE WORD! Join our Facebook event, and if you’re a blogger, download a banner from the options below to add to your blog!

    160 x 800

    150 x 417

    160 x 200

    150 x 90

    Share away! And don’t forget to follow the updates on Twitter, follow @CCBeirut, and use the official hashtag #CCBeirut and join the Facebook event.

    As for the line up of presentations at the event, here it is:

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    *PRESENTING ARTISTS*
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    CC for music
    > Meen The Band, Lebanese Rock. Live music
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    Michelle Keserwany, Jagal el USEK

    CC for visual arts
    > Naeema Zarif

    CC for photography
    > Lara Zankoul – 365 project
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    Samer Nakfour – Analog photography

    CC for media
    >Β Jessica Dheere – SMEX

    CC for filmmaking
    > Cyril Aris & Mounia Akl – Beirut I love you (I love you not)

    CC for comics
    > Samandal
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    Maya Zankoul

    CC for geeks
    > Leb Geeks

    See you all at OBROS, Clemenceau on April 16 πŸ˜‰ And to end it with music released under Creative Commons, here’s another song from Meen: Superhero

    01 Super Hero

  • April goodies

    It’s that time of the month, time for next month’s desktop background!

    Download for free [:P] at your convenience!Β [Hope I didn’t miss any resolutions – including iPhones!]

    320 x 480,Β 1024 x 640,Β 1024 x 768,Β 1200 x 800,Β 1280 x 1024,Β 1440 x 900,Β 1620 x 1280,Β 1680 x 1050, 1920×1200

    And before I leave you to your busy days, I’d like to share the music of a band I’ve known for a while but that I REALLY discovered when I won their CD at Twestival Beirut Amman. Meet Meen – true Lebanese rock. I just LOVED their songs!

    Here’s my fav so far “Shefta Jayyi Min B3id”

    07 Shefta Jayyi Min B3id

    Here’s how the background looks on my laptop! Feel free to email me [maya.zankoul at gmail dot com] yours, I’d like to do a collage of them all πŸ™‚

  • The Twibbon

    How to use the Twibbon: So, for the newbies, twibbons became the mutant of ribbons when people became avatars and words became tweets.

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    Before: Ribbon - After: Twibbon

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    The twibbon grew to become an independent customizable organism.

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    This led to common use and abuse of the service, which calls for the below clarifications and rules.

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    Please, one twibbon at a time

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    Please, select a real cause.

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    But please, make sure they're timely.

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    Finally, remember that it will resize your avatar.

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    Thank you!

    If you like Twibbon, you can go ‘”start something” on their website, as their slogan says. Ok i just had to let out what bothers me about twibbons. Today’s song is Jackson Browne’s Running on Empty, I adore the lyrics. Enjoy! πŸ™‚


  • Special gathering

    it's that time of the year again.

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    The annual socio-religio-politico-fashiono-masquerade gaterhing of all 5 family generations

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    Palm Sunday - Les Rameaux -  Sha3nineh

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    But I nag not, for the true victims of this are the children (this year I did not wear heels)

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    Yalla mami wlek smile pour la photo!

    In comparison to last year, it was a much easier experience & I spent the occasion observing others – something I very much enjoy doing [in case you haven’t noticed yet] πŸ˜‰

    It’s Monday, and I have a beautiful tune for you. This is another Joe Hisaishi, from the soundtrack of Howl’s Moving Castle. Enjoy and have an amazing week! πŸ™‚

    Ending_ The Promise Of The World_ The Merry-Go-Round Of Life-cut

  • Illustration for self-expression

    I was very happy to give a workshop at Nasawiya about using illustration to deal with your frustrations. I had a great time, met lovely people, and we all drew and chatted about illustration. Add to that cake and juice, how better can it get? πŸ™‚

    I’d like to thank Nadine Moawad and Joelle Hatem for helping me to organize it, Jessica Dheere from SMEX for the projector, and everyone who attended for their participation and making this fun!

    Here’s the outcome of the workshop, for more photos, check out the Facebook photos.

    My illustration of the event:

    Maya Zankoul workshop at Nasawiya

    Nadine‘s funny -true story- comic: [click to enlarge]

    Joelle‘s existential cartoon πŸ˜€ [click to enlarge]

    A 12-year old girl, Alice El Asmar, surprised us all with her AMAZING TALENT, she’s a real pro [wacom and blog and all!]

    Jessica‘s cartoon who looks just like her!

    Nadim’s also kind of existential cartoon

    Abeer‘s drawing against photography restrictions in Leb – She’s right!

    Ali’s Gemmayze demonstration:

    If your drawings aren’t here, please send them to me at maya.zankoul [at] gmail [dot] com!

    Have a lovely weekend all πŸ™‚ I’m off to play some piano…