Earth Hour 2010

It's not about saving electricity for an hour, it's about showing how many of us are concerned about climate change.

"Earth hour" seems like a tiny chink against the mountain of climate-doom but it is an action of oneness and hope and who wouldn't want to be part of that?

On March 27, 8.30 p.m. be part of a symbolic global action.

World Day against Racism

My friend, Katy, gave me Gazmend Kaplani's book "Small Diary of Borders" (Μικρό Ημερολόγιο Συνόρων) as a Christmas present three months ago. However I hadn't gotten around to reading it until last week.
I had already thanked her for the gift, but after finishing the book last week I thanked her again for such a great gift.

The only free time I have to read books is while commuting back and from work on the trains. I was so fascinated with Mr.Kaplani's storytelling that I couldn't control my eyes brimming with tears or my mouth smiling while reading the book. All week long my co-passengers stared intensely at the cover of the book I was reading trying to understand the cause of my mirth or why I was dabbing my eyes with a tissue.

Today, March 21st is World Day against racism and my humble contribution to the blogosphere is read this book.

This book is
for Greeks,
for Albanians,
for anyone who has lived the life of the immigrant,
for anyone who has looked down on and treated an immigrant badly,
for anyone who has a sense of humor,
for anyone who has a sense of humanity.

On becoming 44...

There is no excuse for being a grumpy old fart..., originally uploaded by Vimrod1.

When I was 43

When I was 43... I lost my best friend, to cancer.
Eleni and I were together for 17 years, the better part of my (so far) adult life. It felt as if a large chunk of my heart had been torn out with her passing.

When I was 43... my last living grandparent, my mother's mother, aged 98, passed away.
I am no longer anyone's granddaughter and my inner child doesn't like it at all.

When I was 43... Daughter#1, my eldest, spread her wings and flew away to another country for her studies.
It's a proud moment when your child is out on her own for the first time and doing very well in another country nonetheless.
It's a bittersweet feeling that as "Mommy" you're not in demand as much any more.

When I was 43... a homecoming took place that put my heart at ease and I was able to hug my father again.

Last night, a quarter past midnight, I turned 44.

International Women's Day 2010

From the World Food Programme site:

Some 60 percent of the world’s chronically hungry people are women and girls. This is because women often have unequal access to resources, education and income, and because they participate less in decision-making.

And when hunger and undernutrition affect women, they also affect their children. More than 19 million children are born annually with low birth weight, often the result of their mothers receiving inadequate nutrition before and during pregnancy.

Inherited hunger

These babies are 20 times more likely to die in infancy, and those who survive are more likely to remain malnourished throughout childhood. It is also likely they will face health and learning difficulties all their lives.

This means that hunger and its effects are passed from generation to generation.

But women are not merely victims of hunger. They are also the most effective solution to combating and preventing hunger.

Women as solution

In many countries, women form the backbone of the agricultural sector and food systems, making up the bulk of agricultural labourers.They also play a key role in guaranteeing food security for the entire household.

Experience shows that in the hands of women, food is far more likely to reach the mouths of needy children.

WFP is committed to using its policies, programmes and actions to promote women’s empowerment as a key to improving food security for all.

How we can help: donate, play freerice.com, send a message of solidarity, spread the word.

22nd wedding anniversary. Husband remembered.

22nd wedding anniversary. Husband remembered., originally uploaded by flubberwinkle.

Nothing like a big, vibrant bouquet of flowers in the kitchen to say "happy 22!".

Photos from my mother's village

[link]

Shutter Island (no spoilers here, honest)

Just came back from the movies where Husband and I saw "Shutter Island". A mesmerizing mind bender by Martin Scorsese. A film noir and political allegory with captivating performances, particularly Leonardo DiCaprio's. Riveting.

Leonardo's baby face constantly dupes me into believing that he won't be able to pull off a role and am forever and happily surprised by his excellent acting.

Two thumbs up for Shutter Island.

Greek Ghost Whisperer?

On Sunday I re-visited my mother's birth village for a memorial service. We arrived very early in the morning with more than two hours to spare until the service. I took a walk down the family cemetery to pay respects to my two recently departed relatives, my aunt and grandmother, whose graves now lie side by side.

The air was crisp and clear and I was impressed by the abundance of greenery and variety of wild flowers. My mother's birthplace, Mani, is well known for its xerotes and bouldered terrain and I had never chanced to see the region with such life-giving aura.

This was the second time in three months I had journeyed to this tiny village overlooking the Messiniako gulf and although I'm not sentimentally attached to the place, I do have pleasant childhood memories of visits and can't help but admire the resoluteness of its habitants to withstand the harshness and inhospitality of the region.

It was 7.30 in the morning, I took out my camera and hid it in my coat pocket afraid someone might spot me toting the camera and label me as disrespectful.

In Mani when they mourn, they mourn - or at least keep up appearances of mourning. It wouldn't do for me to be sporting a camera like some silly Athenian tourist who was there to stroll around and take pictures instead of singularly and solemnly attending my aunt's memorial service.

Again, this is the key phrase:
I was in my mother's village, and like all villages, the villagers thrive on gossip. Long lost relatives -like myself- are the peculiarity of the day and easy bait for slander so that is WHY I made absolutely sure that nobody was around when I took a picture... or at least I thought so.

The same night we returned to Athens. I was exhausted but decided to show my husband and daughter #2, who hadn't traveled with me, the photos of my mother's village.

As I flipped through the digital camera's gallery I was confused. Someone had crossed my path in the second photo of the morning on the path towards the graveyard when I had made sure no one, NO ONE was around when I took out my camera.... or at least I thought so.

My husband looked at me, "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost".
"I... I... ", I stuttered, "I think... I have". *gulp*

My husband -a down to earth, no-nonsense type- said that he felt that something didn't look altogether "right" about the dark silhouette and I was furthermore shocked when he didn't dispel my ghost theory and let it float -pardon my imagery- by simply shrugging his shoulders with a ..."why not?" *gulp*

Daughter#2 said "you may be a ghost whisperer". *gulp*

This it the picture, Internet. I CANNOT for the life of me understand from whence the figure appeared from.

[my photo's full size]

Now you can all go *gulp*.