A...roof with a view

Food, Education, Health Care, Work, Roof. I would say that these five words include and sum up a person's vital needs and rights. The needs...one needs to fulfill in order for him/her to live a great life. A human and happy life...and then you start thinking...

This week's Theme Thursday made me think about homes and how important they are. How essential it is to have a roof over your head for you and your family. How a 2% of today's world population owns houses, when it is estimated that the number of people that own not even one house in Athens/ Greece is 11.000 and rising (I dare not to add the numbers for a worldwide example). How did a human right become an inhuman wrong?

I mean imagine a world that didn't sacrifice its basic human rights in the altar of consumerism and profit. A world where all people own a house, a regular sized one with solid foundation, secure doors and a roof that keeps nature out. With functional and usable rooms (not 30 bedrooms that no one will ever see their inside). And when I say all people I mean ALL people, no exceptions, no discrimination. And I start thinking again...how is it OK if one person owns a piece of land with a house the size of 5 (or more) houses when, at the same time, people live in a carton box? How is it OK to preserve endless fields for private use, like golf courses and 'hunting' areas, when at the same time there seems to be no place (a complete lie) to build a shelter? How is it OK for just 3 people to eat their 5-course meal in a room so big that they can't even see each other (!) when, at the same time, hundreds of people eat garbage, literally on each other?

Just thinking...just imagine...

The "Fiddler on the Roof" (musical: music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in Tsarist Russia in 1905) because the scene and the colors are unique.




Happy TT everyone and 'see you' all when I read your posts :)
xoxo

This past week...

...the case is that for us Greek teachers it is an exam period (as I'm sure the same goes for many other colleagues abroad:). So this means hours in front of the computer, trying to figure out the perfect exercises for my students (ones that are both easy and complicated, valid and objective blah blah blah). Then there comes the grading part which is hard, considering that it is summer time and you wanna go to the beach and drink a mojito instead! Surprise, surprise your students wanna do that too (minus the mojito, hopefully:), so they didn't pay much attention in class and now you gotta figure out how to grade a paper, so that the particular child will have...a nice holiday with the parents and not a "you're going to summer school!!" one...

Apart from all the work (which is almost over), the week went from great (over the weekend) to something I'm still trying to recover from, get over, understand, forgive (or not)...

Something, that I can't call "person", poisoned our 10 year old dog. Flox has been a member of our family, keeping company to my grandma in our village, protecting the house from strangers and above all he was a good friend. I still can't believe that this happened in a neighbourhood filled with dogs (in every house), where people are around all kinds of animals every day...

While reading some blog posts this week, I found a meme on Leah's wonderful blog, an "I love-I hate" one...it said something about "most hated person". Well it is needless to say that the person I hate most right now is the one that did this to our dog...

"The Scientist" by Coldplay, cause I feel like crying...



PS My fellow bloggers I'm sorry I missed out on Theme Thursday and haven't been able to read your posts! I'll try to catch up over the weekend and play along next week! Wish you all to have a great weekend!



Peace and love
xoxo

"Same Time, Next Year"-A Theme Thursday Post

Hello everyone! So today I noticed that this post is the 60th for this blog. Today's Theme Thursday is also "Clock" so I figured, 60th post+60 minutes (as in an hour)= important blogging moment :)

I thought about time and how we say it always passes so quickly or the opposite! Then two people came to mind. Two people that managed to 'fool' time and make it 'stop' even if it was just for two days, every year.

Of course I'm talking about my favorite theatre play (one of the many I enjoy). Its title is relevant to the theme, "same time, next year" (written by Bernard Slade). The 'people' I'm referring to are the heroes, George and Doris. Two characters living separate lives who, somehow, manage to make them parallel by meeting the same weekend of each year, in a hotel room.

The scene I found on YouTube (from the movie) is the reason I thought of this play for today. The fact that George's watch, when Doris asks the time, is "3 hours and 25 minutes fast"! Time is so relevant, isn't it? I mean would you wear a clock that doesn't work as it should? Are you obsessed with time or do you struggle to make time your friend?

The way I see it, one thing is certain. We can 'make time' by choosing what is important or not in our lives. Time keeps...ticking in that monotonous sound. However life is so much more than that and the sound is far from monotonous out there, in the real...clock!



Have a great day you all!
Peace and love
xoxo

Motocross or..."camera gone bad" (as in "fairytale gone bad":)

Have you ever been to a motocross competition-/race? Well my friend Helen convinced us to go this Sunday and I have to tell you...I enjoyed it (thank you Helen)!! So I'm all excited to be around all these motorcycles and people with helmets and all the adrenaline! Got my camera with me to capture the event's most memorable moments! They start warming up and I'm all like "OK let me take a few pics, warm up the...camera".

So I take this small series of photos...

...and then the camera's batteries go from low to...dead!

Of course I missed capturing all the good parts of the race. But hey, later on we went walking next to a river (after getting back to civilization and...batteries) and found an abandoned tree house...that should count for something right?





Wish you all have a great week :)
xoxo

Is this suit-case gonna travel far? (A Theme Thursday Post)

What's in a...case (as in "what's in a name")? If it is a suit-case, it helps us carry all our clothes (and many more) around, so that when we go to another place...we may be able to feel at home. For people who are practical by nature, a suitcase serves a...'light'-yet important-puspose. And then there is this other category of people, the ones with the...'heavy' load (in the literal sense:). However, heavy or light, big or small, black or white, practical or impractical, suitcases share a common starting point...going somewhere!

My intoduction on tommorow's (Thursday) Theme is kind of...misleading. I thought about suitcases, then about traveling, then about...cases! There are two 'cases' I'd like to mention today. This post is going somewhere so bear with me :)

(Suit) Case no 1: Pencils...

This was going to be a seperate post, then...life cought up with me and time 'travelled' fast! However, while pondering upon the theme on suitcases, it hit me. This 'special pencil-case' is going to be my 'suit-case'! Meaning...

One day, in early May, I was going through the wonderful blogs I read and found this great post in Mrsupole's place. I am around children all day and there is nothing better and more rewarding than the chance to teach (or rather...for children to teach you) the beauty of caring about and helping other people. So I told my youngest students that children...somewhere in this world... didn't have pens and pencils to write with. "Would you like to help out?", was my question..the response I got-and the lesson my students tought me that day-is in this little video I made (this is all the children's making, I just used the editing programme:)...

(Suit) Case no2: Message in a bottle...

Would you say that a message travels like a suitcase only...faster (well depends on the message)? What if I told you that I have a 'message in a bottle' kit!



I bought it to from a friend with a toy-store. Figured it would be cool to give to someone or even use it myself someday. Have you ever tried to think about writing a message for a bottle, when you are not in a desserted island and in no need to be rescued? Well it is HARD!

So here is my thought...there is nothing better than sharing and this one I wanna share with my fellow bloggers from around the world. Would you like to gather up messages (your messages) put them in the bottle, seal it and 'release' it out in the open sea? I mean what would you write? Who knows were it might end up? If you're with me, leave your message in the comment section and the rest is up to me. Of course I'll keep you post-ed and the 'release' date for our little bottle will be set soon!

So there you have it my dear TT, fellow bloggers! Off to read all the great posts out there!
Take care
xoxo

Vacation...a Theme Thursday post!

Random shots of places not so random...

All the colors and laughter and relaxation and freedom...how can these fit into just one camera click! Oh they can...because every picture holds one important key. The key to your memories. All you have to do is look at it and...one thousand pictures flash before you!

So these are some photos taken in Manchester/ Salford/ UK and Thessaloniki/ Greece. I made a small compilation, because they remind me of two special vacations I spend there with a dear friend of mine. Wanted "New York State of Mind" as background music because...well, New York is one of my-many-dream destinations! Enjoy and here's to the vacations to come...

Oh and don't forget to check all the other wonderful posts on the theme!
xoxo

"Make a wish..."

First of all I would like to thank all of you my fellow bloggers for leaving a comment wishing me happy birthday! It is so sweet that people care to come back and say such nice things.

Yesterday was a special day for me. Not only did I 'gain' one more year of wisdom and maturity (OK I'm a year older...or younger...who cares lol) but I realised that I got the best gift anyone can ever wish for. The gift of friendship!

There comes a time in one's life when one has to decide what (or who) is important in their life. What do we value more...our priorities? When my friends burst into the radio station today (I think I mentioned my radio show-just a hobby, not a job:) with a birthday cake, singing "happy birthday" I knew...all the money and presents and wealth in the world can't buy the feelings of love and friendship and care that one has for another human being...need I say what my wish was when I blew out the candle?

This year is also special cause I celebrate my birthday with my fellow bloggers as well. I wish health and happiness for our little blog world! The following is a funny version of the happy birthday song! Found it on You Tube and it is the song we all know just..."made in Greece". Hope it'll make you smile :)




Take care
xoxo

Saturday night (Eurovision) fever :)

It was a big and event-full Saturday for Europe. You see the Eurovision song contest was on and people (at least in my country) stayed in, ordered some pizza, drunk (a bit or a lot) and listened to songs that made no sense (language wise). However, since music and art know no borders, who cares about understanding the lyrics!

So we deal with Eurovision the same way people deal with football games and major sports events which is OK, I guess, as long as we don't take it...too seriously. Anyway, Greece got 7th place and I think we deserved...less.There are countries that enter the contest singing songs in their own language. This year Greece participated with a song taken right out of a Britney Spears/Michael Jackson/Madonna concert which-is great on its own but-has nothing to do with Greek culture and our image as a country. So instead of showing you our song for the contest, I'll give you my favorite one...Patricia Kaas sang in french, put her soul and wonderful voice in it and the outcome is a simple and yet magnificent presentation of a song that touches you in many ways! Enjoy...



Take care you all and have a wonderful week :)
xoxo

Whoops...my bad :)

photo from google search. The (famous) greek invention of a coffee also known as frape...

Today it's a regional type of holiday in my part of the world. Lots of celebrations going on, parades, schools and workplaces closed :) The sun is shining so...its the perfect day for a cup of Greek (or Turkish:) coffee! This is my time off...getting ready to go out with friends, cook and read all your wonderful TT posts on the most challenging theme of the week lol

I wouldn't say that this post is a (pure) TT one...it is more of a lazy kinda post from a blogger who wishes to all the wonderful blogging people out there to have a GREAT DAY lol lol

Happy (Whoopsy) Theme Thurs-day :)
Peace
xoxo

Wind of change...

It is the first Thursday of May and a 'wind of change' is blowing...can you feel it? For me May is what January is for...the New Year. The first month of 'my' year, since my life started once upon a time, a cool, windy May day (oh dear I'm so dramatic :)...but enough about me.

This week's theme got me thinking. Bob Dylan...blowing in the wind...Scorpions...Dust in the Wind...Wind of change. I guess wind does change a lot...but what does 'wind' symbolize for you and you and you?

For me the "wind" is young people. The generations that are growing up, the generations to come, the generations that think they've grown but still got tons of things to learn. I' m surrounded by young people everyday, my students, and they never seize to amaze me...I give you an excerpt taken from an essay (unabridged and in its original version-uncorrected). It was written by a young girl aged 15, who I had the privilege of knowing and having in my class...

[...] As Helloween say in their song: "Life is too short to cry, long enough to try...our society is bad, war, lies, hypocricity, no one cares about the environment...." with a few words: just desperation! I want the world to be changed. That is just a dream that will not gonna be fulfiled but it's OK...when injustice becomes law, rebellion becomes duty [...].

I was the teacher in that class or wasn't I? I am not always sure who is teaching whom...

Sing along of you like Karaoke...I know I am and hope you can join me :)



Thank you to this wonderful karaoke channel I found on You Tube. Visit if you wanna sing your heart out!

Peace and love
xoxo

6 things you don't need to know about me (Vol II)

My blog friend, Candie, must know that I'm a sucker for blog games and memes!

I've been tagged by her to write 6 unimportant things about me! If you wanna visit Candie's great blog just click...here!

Like every game, this one has a few rules:

1. Mention the person who tagged you on your blog
2. Use your creativity and write 6 things about you
3. Tag 6 more blog pals
4. Notify them by posting a comment or sending them an e-mail saying the words "you've been tagged!" (or however else you wanna express yourself really:)

Now, let's see...

1) I find it difficult to sleep while facing...up (on my back). I catch myself thinking in that position, which makes it kinda hard to concentrate on sleeping. However once I face my pillow its bye-bye thinking...hello 'Morpheas'!

2) I enjoy watching...blooper reels, 'making of's or reading books that deal with the process of writing books! While watching a movie, a series, a theatre play or even reading a book, I think about the people sitting behind the lense, behind the desk in front of a computer or behind the curtain of a stage. I enjoy the journey as much as enjoy the end result, I guess :)



3) I like rain and cloudy weather, something that my friends don't find...'normal'. They say sun=happy, rain=moody. I say..."says who?"...

4) You can tell what kind of music I enjoy listening to by the songs I put up here. However, if I listen to a song (any song) and its stuck in my head...I can go on singing it for days (no matter what type of music or which singer it is). In the latest 'song-in-my-head' playlist, a song that was brought to my attention by my students (aged 12-15). They wanted to let me know what song they liked these days and started singing...



What can I say...it is what my students listen to. Who am I to argue?

5) I have many badges. I love them! My favorite these days one that says "young. old. just words" lol

6) I hate...high heeled shoes, grrrr! I can stand them for like 1-2 hours, then I go barefoot. I mean they are so uncomfortable, aren't they?

That's all folks. I will tag...

The silver fox

Reyjr

Baino

Ronda

Leah

Jodi

I picked some of the great blogs I read. There are just too many out there. Sorry if you've been tagged before. I don't mean to bother anyone and, hey, if you don't feel like it...rules are meant to be broken :)

Take care
peace and love
xoxo


PS click here for Vol I :)

Newborn...

Lots of first things these past couple of days...

1) A 'newborn' month with a very important day, May 1st!

Many people sacrificed their lives for better working and living conditions, human rights and ideals. I am not sure if we do much to honor them today...

2) Spring...sprung! This is the first beautiful rose, 'to be', from our garden!



Things look greener and more colorful...somehow. The first day of this month was rainy and cloudy for us. We usually go out to celebrate and honor labour day, then go to the countryside, pick some flowers, see the family. We 'catch' May (as we like to say). Well we didn't catch anything this time, the weather made other plans for us :)

3) Finally to complete my 'newborn list' I give you the newest members of our family. Our two lovely, little kittens our cat gave birth to last month. They are 2 weeks old and unfortunately we are giving one of them away. Wish we could keep them both but...

Look how cute they are, sleeping on my granny's lap :)





Care to name them?
Take care you all and have a great 'first' week of May!
xoxoxo