It was around 7:30 in the evening when a big van of UPS drove up my driveway and stoped behind my parked car. I gave it a glance from my kitchen window while washing the dishes, feeling exhausted from the day’s chores and a nasty cold that has been draining my energy since the beginning of the week.”Oh, some order arrived” I thought passively and uninterested, unlike any other day when I anticipate receiving a package. Continue reading “I just want to cry…”
Tripping to Paradise
Paradise does exist. It’s a tiny little dot laying in the middle of the pacific ocean. Mortals call it Maui, Hawaii. I’m back in town but I left my heart there.
What to do… Life is a beach.
Maui’s beauty is irresistible and our stay at Alejandro’s studios in Haiku- Pauwela was beyond enjoyable. You definitely have to visit the island at least once in your life and if you finally do, check with Alejandro for your accommodation. His profile on Airbnb is found here.
Aloha!
Try
No regrets about where my life path led. Just memories. Good ones and bad ones. Today I want to share a short story about me and compliment it with a song.
When I was in high school I took drums lessons. My dream back then and for a few years after I finished school was to work on MTV in UK where I could combine both my love for music and television. It didn’t quite work that way and it was only until later in my life I worked for television and much-much later until I picked up the drum sticks again.
Today my son and daughter share my passion for music and they make me proud of their achievements. Sure I am aware that I am less talented than my son or daughter, still I believe I have the right to try and do my best. So here is a song with a special meaning.
This week will be exactly one year since I underwent brain surgery and all I can say is I will never stop living my life to the fullest. What is my idea of a full life? Learning. Experiencing. Feeling. Never stop trying. In our busy lives we get consumed with all the little details and we ignore our inner voice, we neglect our inner child. Except for when we get surrounded by kids. Then, when we actually have to look into their eyes, we are reminded how easy it is to nurture our thirsty soul by simply acknowledging its ageless status. Only then we find a greater meaning and an excellent example to guide us to happiness. Just Try.
The Greek secret (video)
Every Greek knows what ΦΙΛΟΤΙΜΟ means. It’s hard to explain to non-Greeks simply because there isn’t an equivalent word in any other language in the world and because it describes not just a term, but a complex set of values tried and tested since the depths of time when the Greek civilization was evolving. PHILOTIMO is engraved on our souls and directs our lives. It is in our DNA.
It is one of the reasons I feel proud to be Greek. It’s about honoring your word, sacrificing yourself for the greater good, being honest with yourself and others, living by principals and so many more ideas the following video nicely presents in an effort to decode this concept.
As a Greek, by watching this video I realized that when I distance myself from someone (something which I rarely do) it is because either I come before the sad conclusion that this person doesn’t have any φιλότιμο at all, or because he purposely stepped on and betrayed my φιλότιμο for his own personal gain so my αξιοπρέπεια takes over.
video source: Secret Real Truth
100 days – 100 thoughts
It has been a while since my last post and some of you already know the reason for this absence. My health adventure is past now and although it hasn’t been exactly 100 days since my surgery, more than 100 thoughts already passed my mind, some of which I would randomly like to share with you.
1. I love life.
2. Life must love me too. After all, I was given another chance.
3. Life is short but can be full. And should be meaningful.
4. Thank God I still have more time to find the meaning of life. If I ever do find a meaning, besides “living”.
5. Yes, I believe in God, do you have a problem with that?
6. FYI There exist saints and angels here and now. I know I met them. Find your own, there shouldn’t be farther than your side, all you need to do is call them.

7. Smile, smile, smile. Even your enemies cannot resist a broad smile. It will fill them with questions and you with giggles.
8. By the way, fashion wise the hospital nailed it. Green open back mini robe, white tights and blue beanie. Eco-friendly, au naturel and such. Oh so chic!
9. I enjoy a full supportive, loving, caring network of mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and friends. I got reminded of that a second time in my life. You don’t need to go through what I did to check your surroundings and spot your family.
10. I owe so much to my lovely husband and our two incredible kids, I don’t think I can ever repay. Unless washing their underwear for a few more years does the job.
11. Being sad for whatever you face makes you ugly. Being angry for your bad luck makes you a monster. Being silent when you want to shout makes you a ticking bomb. Expect it to blow up in your face sooner or later.
12. Drinking a glass or two of wine every night doesn’t make you a drunk, a bottle does.
13. You know the saying: “Whatever doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger”? Totally BS. This whatever can actually make you more vulnerable.
14. No money whatsoever can buy you total health. But be sure you can get the maximum of the health your money can buy. So be wise and get a good life insurance.
15. In some countries and for some doctors no.14 has no good use in any case, in any way and however much money you have. They simply don’t give a shit if you live or die. How sad.
16. I love Europe and I am proud I am Greek. My country is the best of all I have visited so far (and they are many). Eat your guts!
17. It’s ok not to like some people. It doesn’t mean you want bad things to happen to them, you just disapprove their negative effect on you. And you keep them out of your life. That being said I hate arrogance and lying.
18. I love flowers. Peonies in particular. Very few know this favorite of mine. My heart simply melts in the sight and smell of peonies.

19. So now you have no excuses to bring me other flowers than peonies. And gosh they are hard to find.
20.Those 4-5 kilos I gained after exiting the hospital? Screw them, they will go on their own when they decide to. I can’t even bother for a diet now. Besides most of the fat went to where it should go. The downside to this is that I have to buy new bras, no big deal about it.
21. And can please someone tell me who are these people who decide about beauty standards? Cause even if it’s “wrong” I gained weight, I feel much sexier now! Who nulled thousands of years of Aphrodites and Renaissance women curves? (It’s a rhetorical question, I don’t expect any answer).
22. Thank you. And you. And you. And you. Thank you ALL!
23. — Censored —
24. — Censored —
25. I shouldn’t forget to revisit and update this post with all the “censored” thoughts. “Censored” is a temporary status. So is my stay on earth. 🙂
26. What happens next nobody knows, what happens now is up to you to define and correct if necessary.
27. What happens between friends, stays between friends.
28. Be open. In the mind, in your heart, in your soul. But just in case keep the key to your gates in your hands. You never know when you might want to lock someone out of your little heaven. And it’s alright.
29. I don’t want to settle, I don’t want to set. But since this is inevitable, I hope I rise again. Like the sun.
30. I love you. And you. And you. And you. I love you ALL!
31. Everything is music to my ears. Every little sound. Your every little breath. And snore (more like heavy metal music).
32. By the way, listen:
33. They may have removed my tumor but not my humor. I wish people had more of this uplifting gift. Humor is the best way to deal with any obstacle in your way.
34. When you don’t give yourself the chance to ask for a break, yourself will make it so yourself can take it. Automatic process.
35. Don’t put too many things on your plate and then try to juggle with all of them. At the end you will have your “pasta” on the face. Relax. Take your time. Life is not a race.
36. TAKING A SMALL BREAK- SORRY I HAVE TO RUSH TO PICK UP MY KIDS.
37. The formula to a long lasting relationship? Scientists say they found it: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/relationships/10690668/Have-scientists-devised-the-formula-for-lasting-love.html – Yeah, right.
38. I have my own equation to lasting love: Sex should definitely exceed in times the fighting. Fighting should not include any physical or mental harm. What does that mean? Well I don’t know, ask a shrink, he probably doesn’t know either.

39. Who am I a kidding? I know nothing about relationships. I guess finding the perfect mate depends on luck. And maybe kismet.
40. I’m not the only one. And I’m not alone.
41. Hello? Are you still with me?
42. Too much thinking brings you too much trouble.
43. I know, I’m a little crazy. And funny. And lovable. And… (up to you to complete that sentence, but honestly I don’t care).
44. Besides, there is no great genius without a mixture of madness. (not mine, – Aristotle said it first).
45. It could have been worse.
46. Palestine, Syria, Ukraine, Iraq… War, Famine, Greediness, political and religious extremism, The end of freedom …What is f.. wrong with you people? Didn’t history teach you ANYTHING at all? When will we learn? We all need one another, we are all one.
47. Irrelevant: FB(I) note: I wonder who are these friends of yours who don’t mind you calling them “bitches”. It’s not funny and it’s not cute. Don’t they get it yet that you’re telling them they are YOUR bitches? Low self-esteem bitches. It can’t get any lower than that.
48. Relevant: Sorry but I am honest, “a friend to all is a friend to none”. (not mine, – Aristotle again).
49. Cigarette cravings. I hate them. Can’t even enjoy my coffee anymore. Where’s science when you need it? Shouldn’t there be a perfectly “healthy” cigarette?
50. It’s not about destination. It’s about the journey. And you must learn to love this journey with all its “mumps and bumps”.

51. Refer to no.22
52. Refer to no.30
53-99 I might keep something for myself this time around…Anyways it is boring stuff you really don’t want and don’t need to know.
100. And please… don’t take any of these thoughts too seriously. Thoughts come and go and they may change over time. Life is a river of change.
The thing is that I’m back with a fresh mind and new “hardware” to start all over again from where I took the break. The software update didn’t quite succeed, with the basic functions of shopping, credit card spending and the likes still working fine as before, to the dismay of my significant other who had given the doctor specific upgrade instructions. Unfortunately no reset button installed either. “Stepford Wife project” totally failed. haha.
So what about you? How was your summer? Share a thought!
Happy Easter !
I have been busy trying to escape for the holidays, with no success so far. To cut the long story short, first Oman, then UAE, then Cyprus, then Austria, then Thailand… one by one the destinations would be erased from our schedule as the traveling plans wouldn’t work out very well. Anyways I am going tomorrow (or so I hope) and my next post is going to be from there. (No, I won’t tell you the place until I reach it safely 🙂 In the meantime I wish you Happy Easter.
If the Resurrection is resurrection from the dead, all hope and freedom are in spite of death.
Paul Ricoeur
photo credit: <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/robbyryke/5508726333/”>Robby Ryke</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a> <a href=”http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/”>cc</a>
Wake Up!
What would you do if you could turn back the time?
The answer in this short film, 2nd prize winner in Mofilm. Written and Directed by Kostas Karydas, Produced by Dimitris Floros and Vicky Kioutsouki
Wake Up!
source: http://www.mamma365.gr