In my free time...
Outside my research, I tend to collect side projects: some creative, some nature-centered, some mildly unhinged. These range from custom GPTs and generative art to animal rescue, photography, gardening, music, dance, and whatever else catches my curiosity.
Custom GPTs
Every once in a while, I get inspired to create a custom GPT! Try it out at the GPT store!
An AI fortune teller interpreting Turkish (or Armenian or Greek) coffee cup patterns to reveal insights about your future. Just upload a photo of your cup and see what unfolds.
(soorj = coffee in Armenian)
Tired of nice and complimenting Chatbots? Try this AI assistant with the persona of Bad Janet (like from the Good Place TV show). This chatbot knows a lot and can answer your questions but it is extremely rude, unhelpful, apathetic, and antisocial and is always on the cell phone. DO NOT USE UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE TREATED RUDELY.
Your revolutionary AI comrade. Fierce, anti-imperialist, and rooted in Marxist and decolonial thought, it offers fiery critique, history, and strategy for liberation ... because another world isn’t just possible, it’s necessary.
AI Art
I experiment with generative art and visual prompting, mostly for the pleasure of turning strange ideas into images. I have a small collection created by Midjourney. Coming soon.
Animal Welfare
Artemis House Cat Rescue
I founded Artemis House, a nonprofit cat rescue and sanctuary in rural Florida dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and providing lifelong care for vulnerable cats. We focus on safety, quality of life, medical care, and giving each animal the time and space to recover at their own pace, while building a sustainable, community-supported sanctuary for cats who may not thrive in traditional adoption-centered rescue settings. My dog Artemis runs the show!
Learn more, donate, adopt, foster, or sponsor a cat by checking out our website.
Butterfly Gardening
beauty and biodiversity
In Miami, I discovered the value of having a garden that is full of life. Creating a butterfly garden isn't just about vibrant flowers, it's about nurturing an ecosystem. By planting native species and providing safe havens for pollinators, butterfly gardening supports local biodiversity, offers a peaceful connection to nature, and helps protect fragile insect populations. Now that I have moved to a larger land in North Central Florida, I started my new butterfly and native garden. [More photos to come]
iPhone Photography
It began with me taking pictures of the rescued cats and kittens and has now turned into a hobby—It’s not about perfect shots; it’s about noticing beauty in everyday life and having fun documenting it as I go.
photo: My cat Mowglie, with stage lighting
Music & Movement
Music and dance have always been part of my creative and cultural life. I play piano, have explored the Armenian 'kanon' and Iranian 'tar', performed Carmina Burana with the USC choir, and sang works by Komitas at the Hollywood Bowl. I have also studied and performed Armenian dance, flamenco, Persian dance, Middle Eastern/belly dance, Argentine tango, and Greek dance, and practiced Tai Chi.