Flubberwinkle

A 7 Billionth Person - 1 In 7 Odds Of Being Hungry

2011-11-30T18:52:00.002+02:00

Happy Birthday Daughter#2!

2011-07-02T20:55:00.001+03:00

17th-birthday-cupcakes.jpg, originally uploaded by katiskupcakes.

45

2011-03-16T00:28:00.002+02:00

45, originally uploaded by 67Bosely.

According to Mom, when March 16, 1966 strode in, ~12:15-12:30 a.m. I strode in with it and I came out without much of a bother [her words].

It seems character sets in from the womb because my life's motto has been not to step on any toes or be bothersome to others.

Here's to some more twisting and climbing until 46.

- Tip of the hat to fellow Flickr user 67Bosely for allowing his/her lovely photo to be used on blogs.

I heart Blogger

2011-03-14T18:40:00.000+02:00

Twenty three going on sixty.

2011-03-06T15:54:00.000+02:00

Yesterday was our 23rd wedding anniversary. I asked Husband if he felt, like me, that we've been together for more than 23 years. He agreed.

We're glad we chose each other as traveling companions down life's journey.
Here's to another 23.

p.s. Inside family fact: Saturday, March 5 1988. The only time Husband ever wore a tie. Our wedding.

The King's Speech

2011-02-25T09:23:00.000+02:00

Superior historical drama. Captivating performances by Firth and Rush.

My holiday e-card for you. Happy Holidays!

2010-12-22T21:08:00.000+02:00

Mikis Theodorakis 1000 songs. Free.

2010-12-20T09:07:00.000+02:00

A group of friends of Mikis Theodorakis' music chose 1000 songs from the composer's works and proposed they be freely propagated hand to hand. They made 50 CDs and suggested that anyone who received Mikis' music, make 5 copies and distribute it to friends and so forth. The proposal was accepted with pleasure by Mikis, himself, through the NET telecast "Stin Ygeia Sas".

Then the idea went even further when Mikis agreed to allow his work to be distributed freely on the Internet. The result is http://mikis1000songs.blogspot.com, where you can download 1000 songs by Mikis Theodorakis.

From the blog:

In this blog, you can find 1000 songs of Mikis Theodorakis available for free sharing with the permission and encouragement of the composer:
"For my songs to reach all places of the greek land, all aspects of the greek soul."

The banner from mikis1000songs.blogspot.com

A big thank you to all the people who decided and worked to spread Mikis' grand work.

And, of course, an even bigger thank you to Mikis Theodorakis, the giant man in black I saw for the first time up close in the mid seventies in Chicago and whose music imprinted on my soul from that first concert when I was 10. Once again, he leads the way, allowing his work to be freely distributed on the Internet.

Melomakarona, the greek cookie that says Christmas is here

2010-12-19T22:28:00.001+02:00

My family keeps complimenting me today that our house smells Christmasy because I made melomakarona to get the holiday season in gear here at Flubberwinkle home. It's been a few years since I made this traditional Greek recipe and tough times call for heartier and merrier homemade holidays.

This recipe is definitely Greek because it requires a lot of olive oil and honey. Daughter#1 informs me that each cookie has about 150-180 calories. The upsides: (1) it's a VERY simple recipe, (2) after kneading with such an oily dough you have soft hands all day, (3) they keep for about a month without refrigeration, at room temperature in a container, (4) I almost forgot: They're delicious!

Ingredients

2 cups olive oil
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup brandy
2 teaspoons orange zest
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
8 cups all purpose flour

For the syrup
2 cups honey
2 cups sugar
2 cups water

For garnish
1 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Makes: 40-50 melomakarona

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Directions:

Blend the first 6 ingredients in blender for 4' at high speed.
Sift flour with soda and baking powder into a large mixing bowl.
Open a hole in the center of dry ingredients and pour in the mixture of liquid materials.
Take a little bit of flour around the edges of the bowl as you mix it with the wet ingredients and knead gently.

To roll melomakarona, pinch a portion of dough off about the size of a walnut.
Shape in your palms into a smooth oblong shape, almost like a small egg.
Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Shape and roll cookies until the sheet is filled.
Bake at 175C (350F) for about 25-30 minutes, or until lightly or well browned (note: they will get even darker when submerged in the syrup).

Prepare the syrup by boiling all the ingredients together for 5 minutes. Remove any foam.
Carefully submerge melomakarona in the syrup and allow them to absorb syrup on both sides.
Remove melomakarona with a spatula and place on platter.
Mix ground walnuts and cinammon together and sprinkle on melomakarona.

Do not refrigerate melomakarona as they will harden. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep for one month at room temerature.

Credits: This recipe is based on Ms.Vefa Alexiadou's recipe found in her book "Greek Pastry Kitchen", but like most cooks I have tweaked a couple of things for my taste (replaced 1/2 cup shortening with 1/2 cup olive oil and did not add 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves for garnish).

TECH SUPPORT care package for Christmas anyone?

2010-12-17T13:07:00.002+02:00

Send your parents (or work colleagues, in my case) a TECH SUPPORT care package:

http://www.teachparentstech.org/

Too bad these helpful videos are not available in Greek so I could send them to my network users at work. I honestly love showing people the ropes on a computer, but it really pains me to have to repeat myself every once in while because they don't bother to a) take notes when I explain things, b) look anything up themselves on the Internet, c) use F1 (global computer help button).
Oh well.

Happy Birthday to Daughter#1 & Nephew#1!

2010-12-09T20:18:00.000+02:00

Daughter#1 turned 22 on December 7th and Nephew#1 turned 4 on December 8th!

Kristin and Kayla

2010-11-22T15:17:00.003+02:00

We're no dummies, originally uploaded by jwlphotography.

I recently discovered and fell in love with this blog: kristinandkayla.blogspot.com

The two little sisters are perfectly adorable and their photographs (taken by their father) are absolutely magnificent .

Kristin and Kayla remind me of my two daughters. In fact my own Daughter#2 looked soooooo much like Kayla, the little one, when she was younger that it's uncanny!

Test Your Hunger IQ – Feed a Child

2010-11-16T08:59:00.000+02:00

Six questions, one happy child. Making a difference has never been so easy. Take a moment now to feed a child.
http://gifts.wfp.org/quiz/

Don't call me or SMS me for my vote!

2010-11-11T20:30:00.004+02:00

Last Sunday we had mayoral & prefecture elections here in Greece. I find candidate telephone calls and short message service to voters v.e.r.y. annoying.

I was made aware that Daughter#1's former high school principal was running for town council because his brochure (amongst the tens in my mailbox) tried to be witty. His last name is "Perimenis" (which means "wait"), and his campaign slogan: "Don't wait, vote for Wait".

One afternoon his campaign aide, I assume a close relative, called our home (probably got our telephone number illegally from the school records).

Me: Hello?

Her: I'm calling from Principal Perimenis office. Are you aware that he's running for town council?

Me: Yes, I am [silent chuckle, remembered his slogan]. We got a bunch of his personal campaign brochures in our mailbox.

Her: Are you willing to help him out?

Me: [long pause] How?

Her: [sarcastic tone] How does a voter help out a candidate? By voting for him!

Me: [annoyed tone] First you stuff our mailbox with brochures and then you call us to tell us to vote for him? This is pestering...

Her: [immediate apologetic tone] We call because we don't know whether or not the brochures have reached you...

Me: Well, I'm telling you they did. Is it necessary to heckle me via telephone to vote for him also?

Her: I did NO such thing. I'm only asking you to HELP out.

Me: What kind of HELP do you MEAN?

Her: To VOTE FOR HIM! -click- phone hangs up

Stops signs. A suggestion. If it suits your agenda.

2010-10-14T15:04:00.000+03:00

I'm turning left at a not very busy intersection and I have right of way. The car on my left, however, has a STOP sign but keeps rolling through and (luckily) brakes when I get in her way.

Through my open window I point "The STOP sign is there for a reason".

Lady driver calmly retorts, "I know I have a stop sign, but I'm in a hurry".

Tragic, yet funny.

Daughter#1 on my new blog banner:

2010-10-08T00:40:00.006+03:00

"Oh NOW I get it!
Athena.
As in goddess of wisdom.
Owl.
As in symbol of wisdom.
That's witty, Mum."

Thanks kiddo. Glad you caught on.

Eat, Pray, Love - a movie review

2010-10-08T00:18:00.000+03:00

Last Saturday I won 2 free invitations to the preview of the film "Eat, Pray, Love" before it opened in Greek cinemas. I didn't know a lot about the movie nor had I shown any particular interest when I watched the on-line trailer. Nevertheless in these trying economic times, a free ticket is a free ticket and one should never look a gift horse in the mouth.

The movie's based on the book which is based on the true story of Elizabeth Gilbert’s search for happiness/enlightenment as she travels to Italy, India and Bali to find whatever's-missing-from-her-life (?). I couldn't understand the leading lady's dilemmas. -spoiler alert- She had love, kicked love. Found love again, kicked love again. Found love once AGAIN and kicked love again almost. Wha-?

Julia Roberts and her cute co-stars did a decent job of trying to make the movie interesting, but it was unmoving and ridiculously long: almost two and a half hours! There was something fake about the entire so-called quest.

After the first hour I kept repeating in my head "thank goodness I didn't pay any money to see this".

Even so, I DID enjoy the film's amazing cinematography and the beautiful sights of Rome, India and Bali. And thankfully there were plenty of those lovely shots.

No thumbs up for Eat, Pray, Love.

On the other hand, Daughter#2 who accompanied me to the preview, liked the film. The silver lining is that we were together for a much needed and luckily inexpensive outing on a Saturday afternoon.

Updates

2010-10-07T17:03:00.000+03:00

As soon I press the "Publish Now" button the blogosphere will come to a screeching halt, the staff over at blogger.com will be popping open champagnes because blog traffic will pick up and everything will become brighter and that warm fuzzy feeling you thought had abandoned you will start to shimmer and glow and THEN, snuggle in your heart. Yes. That's how powerful a flubberwinkle post is.

So, I start off this post celebrating my blog's five year anniversary with the BEST news:

New Flubberwinkle family member has come into our lives! Baby Neo, my first nephew, will henceforth be known to you, Internet, as Nephew#1 since he now has a baby brother. Nephew#2 was born July 23 and methinks he's so debonair for a newborn. Quite the gentleman. I took this photo on the day he was born, he's grown out and up since then.

Unfortunately, I haven't had the pleasure of holding him since I've been in and out of hospitals since he was born (long story - no need to alarm you, I'll live).

I'm back from a very eventful and yet uneventful summer.

On the upside:

I overdosed watching 5 seasons of the sitcom "How I Met Your Mother " in 30 days as well as 2 months of the daily Turkish soap opera "Binbir Gece". Barney phrases from HIMYM and tamam, evet, cok guzel are flying all over our house. It's strange how addicted you get to some shows when you are bedridden... awe.some.

We didn't go away for our summer holidays (see previous raving post on why). However, I WAS on vacation, meaning that I didn't check in on my emails, my workplace's website or log in my work computer from home. I stayed away from anything computer-related for three whole weeks. 3 whole weeks. This may not sound like a feat to some people but my daughters and Husband were so relieved, as were my knees, my wrists, my coccyx, my eyes and nerves. 14 hour shifts in front of a computer screen for months on end had taken its toll on myself and my family.

On the downside:

Overworked, overstressed and diagnosed with CMV, which brought on fatigue, shortness of breath, loss of appetitie, loss of interest in general wore me out this summer. I wasn't feeling too well and had a train of tests to go through. I now work mainly from home and go in the office for a few afternoon hours or when an emergency arises. Of course, my workplace may become obsolete at some point but I can't worry about that until it comes. A day at a time.

Just when I was on my way to recovery my 83 year old father-in-law had a couple of heart attacks in one day (luckily the second and massive coronary hit while he was in hospital). He's home now after the doctors did an angioplasty stent on the blocked artery (he'll have another one in 2-3 months). He's trying to adjust to a less active lifestyle. Grandpa walked A LOT and did a LOT of gardening which is how he keeps in shape. It's hard for him to take it slow when his motto is "do something useful everyday so that day doesn't go to waste".
Words to live by.

Have a good autumn.
I promise not to stay away so long Internet, I missed you too.
Group hug everyone!

Be warned, I get upset

2010-07-11T01:17:00.003+03:00

OK, Internet, I've tried avoiding posting this letter because during the past months I have been battling early stages of depression. Sadly I'm not alone because I think most people living in Greece are on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

My brother and my sister-in-law, expecting their second child any day now, are out of work.
My husband will most likely be fired by March 2011 while in the meantime his pay has been seriously slashed in 2010.
I am still employed and not worried about being fired because my "employers" stand firm on the belief that "everyone has a right to work". Their problem is their shortage of cash flow and therefore HAVEN'T PAID ME for over two months. So yes, I am still employed -in fact continue to work even harder at my work- , just not getting paid for it.

Consequently, we buy less things at the supermarket because a) money is short and b) prices have been hiked on basic foods and necessities. I look around at the supermarket and see everybody else also buying frugally.

By the way, [side note to supermarket owners] the same bloody no-name-cereal is 2,43€ at Sklavenitis and 3,48€ at MyMarket? God-damn! It's cereal, not caviar, get a grip guys.

I've noticed that most people are leaving their cars at home because of the gas prices. (OK, I know, this is a plus for the environment, so it's not a bad thing in itself).

Most of my friends and family will not be going on vacation this year. We live in the blasted "land the ancient gods chose" and we can't afford a short frigging holiday here.

And obviously, we have cut out our modest social frivolities like going to the movies and cafes.

I have no idea if our family's savings are enough to withstand the crisis. I don't know how long the crisis will last and whether or not something harsher will follow.
Daughter#1 is finishing graduate school and heading out for her post-graduate studies in a year.
Daughter#2 is still in high school.
I'm trying to keep a stiff upper lip in front of the kids although I feel helpless for their futures.

My husband and I have worked hard over the course of our marriage and have acquired a house, a house which was hit hard in the 1999 Athens earthquake that we had to rebuild most of it and replace everything that was destroyed. The only upside is that we have no bank loan or mortgage hanging over our heads, like friends who have lost their income and are being bullied by banks and threatened to be thrown on the street.

I have no idea how the hell in the short span of my lifetime I have witnessed the working people of Greece winning the right to Christmas, Easter and vacation bonuses (what we call the 13th & 14th salaries) and in the same lifetime these rights being savagely ripped away from us, the working class. I have paid my god damn taxes ever since I started working 23 years ago. I have paid any and all dues the Greek state requested from me. But whenever I asked something from the state there were never any available funds.

A quick example: after the Athens earthquake of 1999 (since we're on the subject), our town was hit hard and the elementary school my daughter attended had collapsed. The god-damn Ministry of Education was unable to fund its rebuilding and advised us -the parents/earthquake victims- to find sponsors! And I ask: If the Greek state can't provide its citizens with education and health, why the hell are we being taxed for? And why-oh-why is it always us, the blue & white collar workers that have to pay more? Are there no rich people to tax? Who, by the way, how the hell DID they get rich, eh? MAYBE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T PAY THEIR TAXES?

When will this system ever feel full? Never mind, I know the answer.
Never.

Now you see, Internet, why I put off posting my thoughts?
BECAUSE I AM MAD AS HELL AND I'M NOT GOING TAKE ANY MORE.

THIS CRISIS IS NOT MINE
IT'S NOT MY HUSBAND'S
IT'S NOT MY BROTHER'S
IT'S NOT MY SISTER-IN-LAW'S
IT'S CERTAINLY NOT MY DAUGHTERS', MY NEPHEW'S AND MY UNBORN NEPHEW'S
IT'S NOT MY ELDERLY PARENTS' & PARENTS-IN-LAWS' WITH THEIR FEEBLE PENSION OF 400 euros!!!!

Now, you know I'm mad because I don't use capitals lightly.

A Prime Minister's dream, a people's nightmare

2010-07-07T16:57:00.002+03:00

English subtitles

The lady in the middle: "I want you to sack my son".

The man on the right: "I want a 40% cut in my pay".

The young lady on the left: "I want to have no future".

And... the deliriously happy Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou:
"Somebody pinch me..."

photo montage via antistachef.wordpress.com

Sha-la-la-la-la Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen Daughter#2!

2010-07-02T07:00:00.002+03:00

Happy Sweet 16 Birthday Cupcakes

2010-07-02T06:55:00.001+03:00

16 candles, 16 cupcakes awkwardly formed into the number 16 for Daughter#2 who turns (what else?) 16!

The Truth in Thirteen Words

2010-06-22T13:21:00.002+03:00

1. Inside
2. every
3. older
4. person...
5. is
6. a
7. younger
8. one
9. wondering
10. what
11. the
12. hell
13. happened.

-reblogged from my tumblr

A blog moment indeed...

2010-06-22T11:35:00.003+03:00

The Greek Postal Service is one of the last remaining Greek public services that hasn't been turned over to privatization. The heads of ELTA - Hellenic Postal Services are refusing to renew temp employee contracts or hire new postal workers in the name of "minimizing" their budget and apparently not caring if the tax-paying people get their mail on time or not.

The photo is from my town's mail distribution center where incoming post is sorted according to postal codes, streets and numbers. The man (see elbow and athletic pants on the left) is our mailman, who broke his leg (see his crutches in the middle of the photo). Because of the lay offs, Takis' broken leg and yet another postman's serious illness the mail in our town wasn't being distributed. Bills were arriving extremely late, utilities were cut off because of expiring bills, banks were sending warning letters of delayed payments and so forth.

Anyone who wanted to get their mail had to go to the central mail distribution center and search for it by themselves. The young lady on the right is my eldest daughter, who is not a postal worker. She came to help me search for our mail,our next-door as well as across-the-street neighbours' mail. The distribution center was packed with other townfolk doing the same. It was insane. My daughter gave me the idea when she rolled her eyes and shook her head, "THIS is a blog moment!".

A blog moment indeed..., originally uploaded by flubberwinkle.

For those who think it's a "greek" thing...

2010-05-12T12:26:00.002+03:00

See Cartoons by Cartoon by John Darkow - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

My Friend Is...

2010-04-23T06:44:00.000+03:00

Earth Day: Give Earth a Hand

2010-04-22T13:29:00.000+03:00

Um,

2010-04-19T13:31:00.000+03:00

with all the earthquakes going on, the volcanoes erupting doesn't it seem like Earth is trying to kick us off?

The Easter bunny from hell

2010-04-03T07:45:00.000+03:00

If you were never afraid of the Easter bunny before...
you will be after this post.

The people in charge of my town's decorations have serious psychological issues.

Last Easter these giant, hideous bunnies/rats that light up at night along with jumbo red rotating eggs that wish the denizens of this godforsaken Athenian suburb "Happy Easter" in Greek appeared all over town.

This year the same kitsch and disturbing Easter decos are back...
(please make sure no children are near the screen).

[these photos were taken by Daughter#2 with her cell phone while I was driving]

Have a safe Easter & a Happy Spring Internet!

They fled Afghanistan to avoid death and found it in Athens

2010-04-01T18:33:00.000+03:00

A mother and father took their children and fled Afghanistan, their homeland, because life was unbearable. Terrorist attacks, Taliban rule, American bombs. Their painful Odyssey brought them to Greece, a country the father, who as a teacher had always admired.

They were immigrants, frowned upon, looked down upon... but they had brought the children to safety and would not be shot down by a stray bullet or blown to bits by a random bomb. Like back home.

Last Sunday, while the mother, her 15 year old son and 10 year old daughter were passing by a public trash container in the Athenian suburb of Patisia, the children picked up a travel-bag from the bin. The teenager was blown to bits and the young girl lost her sight by the explosion. The mother "survived" but like most mothers who have their hearts ripped from their chests after witnessing the death of a child and almost fatal wounding of another one... probably wishes she had not lived.

I am wondering if the idiots who placed the bomb are AT ALL distressed, sorry, guilty that an innocent boy was blown to pieces, a little girl condemned to darkness and an entire family thrown in the abyss of eternal mourning.

Do these pseudo-revolutionaries believe they will change the world,
the system,
anything...
by blowing people up?

I am ashamed we Greeks didn't spill out on the streets to declare our abomination for this act of terror, to demonstrate our solidarity to the family, to the community of migrants.

Last night the Afghan migrants in Athens gathered for a silent demonstration in front of the Greek Parliament and held up signs of "Why?", "It could have been any child" {photo from Greek newspaper "To Vima")

Earth Hour 2010

2010-03-26T12:03:00.000+02:00

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

2010-03-21T09:36:00.001+02:00

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...

2010-03-17T13:12:00.002+02:00

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

When I was 43

2010-03-16T23:38:00.001+02:00

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

2010-03-08T20:54:00.000+02:00

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.

2010-03-05T15:50:00.003+02:00

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

2010-03-03T23:43:00.001+02:00

[link]

Shutter Island (no spoilers here, honest)

2010-03-02T23:32:00.000+02:00

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?

2010-03-01T23:55:00.002+02:00

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*.

Summing up the crisis

2010-02-23T10:24:00.001+02:00

An American is talking with a Greek

The American says:
In USA we have Barack Obama, Stevie Wonder, Bob Hope and Johnny Cash...

The Greek replies:
In Greece we have George Papandreou, No Wonder, No Hope and No Cash...

Political cartoon awards

2010-01-21T16:05:00.001+02:00

via The 2009 UNCA and the United Nations Society of Writers & Artists Ranan Lurie Political Cartoon award winners || citation for excellence to Michael Kountouris, Eleftheros Tipos, Greece:

No end to the horror, new 6.1 quake hits Haiti

2010-01-20T17:39:00.002+02:00

breaking news

See Cartoons by Cartoon by R.J. Matson - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

Ta-da!

2010-01-18T11:59:00.000+02:00

I know, I know ...I've been a baaaaaaaaaaaaad blogger. Don't ya just hate it when real life messes you and won't allow you time to blog about it? To make up for my absence from the blogosphere, I decided to make my "comeback" a little theatrical, change of my blog's layout and... an overload of gadgets!

Have a good 2010 Internet!

Human Rights Watch:: No Refuge-Migrants in Greece

2009-10-17T07:57:00.003+03:00

Find out more at my vigilant friend's blog: "This Is Not My Country".

Blog Action Day 2009 - Climate Change

2009-10-15T20:35:00.004+03:00

Blog action Day 2009

Haste siempre companiera Mercedes Sosa

2009-10-05T21:16:00.003+03:00

RIP voice of Latin America.

Yup. I'm still ranting about the upcoming Greek parliamentary elections...

2009-09-17T22:16:00.005+03:00

The British (if I recall correctly) have a saying about if you want to eat sausages never see how they're made and if you want to be part of politics never see how legislation is made. (If anyone knows the exact phrase feel free to correct me).

I think if you want to see the true character of a person (male or female) watch them run for office. Political candidates give a whole new meaning to ego trips.

My nephew in awe.

2009-09-14T16:09:00.002+03:00

My nephew in awe., originally uploaded by flubberwinkle.

Must. not. write. what. I. know.

2009-09-03T12:50:00.008+03:00

My workplace is, hmmm, how can I put it lightly... well, closely related to anything that involves elections in Greece. So just having recently been done with the European parliament elections in June, still staggering from the recent work overload, we are in alert mode once again.

The only -and I stress only- positive aspect about this is that it will be over and done with in 30 days. 30 excruciatingly, looooong, boolsheet-crammed days.

OH! How I wish I could tell you the tales that I know...
but then I'd get dooced (fired for writing about my workplace on my blog).

IF I told those tales in Greek and upset some people I could coin my own term "flubberwinkled" (there's a mouthful for ya) or in Greek layman's terms "φλαμπερ - μαλακία".

BUT if I told those tales, then "they'd" flag me and blogger.com headquarters would probably shut me down.

Blogger.com HQ: "Shutting down flubberwinkle.blogspot.com NOW skipper!"

Me: "Nooooooooooo! I have a lot more rants I need to get off my chest!"

Blogger.com HQ:"We have our orders! Immediately! Aye-aye captain!"

Me: "Beam me up! Beam me up!"

Blogger.com HQ: "Mission accomplished. flubberwinkle.blogspot.com terminated".

Me: "Very funny Scotty. Now beam up my clothes as well..."

update: I wrote this on September 3rd, 2009 and only got around to publishing it today, Sep.15, 2009. That's how busy things are.

What is our national sport in Greece?

2009-09-03T11:49:00.001+03:00

Elections.

An a capella Africa

2009-09-01T10:23:00.004+03:00

This is an 'a capella' version of the Toto song "Africa". The astonishing human-made storm will surprise you. This is too good to pass by and wait until Friday to to post on my feel-good-Friday feature.

The Rite of Passage

2009-08-30T20:46:00.000+03:00

...when your eldest calls you from her flat in Portugal and asks how long she should leave the toilet disinfectant she bought from the supermarket before she flushes.

Ah, they grow up so fast.
It seems like only yesterday I was changing her diaper.
And now we're exchanging toilet cleaning tips.

What Dreams May Come

2009-08-30T10:22:00.004+03:00

When Helen, my best friend, watched this movie a decade ago she was deeply moved and told me her favorite scene was when Robin Williams' dead character reunited with his dead dog. Somehow imagining this scene of her and her Berkey meeting up again makes me feel better.

Dying is about the living adjusting to dying.

Για την Ελένη

2009-08-30T09:20:00.002+03:00

For my friend Helen who would have turned 44 tomorrow
(I apologize to my English readers, when I get a grip and stop crying I'll try to translate).

Είχε φέξει και βρισκόμουν σε εκείνη την περίεργη φάση που δεν ξέρεις εάν κοιμάσαι ακόμα ή εάν έχεις ξυπνήσει. Ένιωθα μία περίεργη γαλήνη, σαν κάτι καλό να μου είχε συμβεί στον ύπνο. Γύρισα πλευρό να εκμεταλλευτώ το πρωινό χουζούρι, αλλά δυστυχώς όταν έχεις μάθει να ξυπνάς νωρίς σ’ όλη την ενήλικη ζωή σου, δεν σου κάθεται να μένεις στο κρεβάτι. Περπατώντας προς το μπάνιο, θυμήθηκα και σταμάτησα. Η Ελένη. Η Ελένη είχε έρθει στο ύπνο μου. Είναι η δεύτερη φορά που την βλέπω από τότε που με άφησε, μας άφησε.
(Την πρώτη φορά -πριν 2 μήνες- είχε έρθει θυμωμένη και μου φανέρωσε κάτι σπουδαίο που έπρεπε να βρω στο γραφείο της και το βρήκα.)

Η Ελενίτσα στεκόταν όρθια δίπλα στο κρεβάτι μου, με κοιτούσε ενώ κοιμόμουν. Το σκηνικό του ονείρου, μου φάνηκε, ότι ήταν κάπου στη Νότια Αμερική. Κάποιος λέει της είχε κάνει δώρο γαμήλιο ταξίδι, ότι βρισκόταν εκεί με τον πρώην άνδρα της (δεν το είδα) και ενώ είχαν έρθει για μία εβδομάδα τελικά ο άνδρας της πλήρωσε για ακόμα 50 ημέρες επειδή της άρεσε τόσο πολύ. Έδειχνε ευτυχισμένη.

Φορούσε μακρυμάνικο, βαθύ μπλε, μπατίκ φόρεμα και μου χαμογελούσε συνέχεια. Είδε ότι είδα την κοιλίτσα της φουσκωμένη - ένδειξη του ασκητικού υγρού που τόσο την βασάνισε. Η φιλενάδα μου έγνεψε καταφατικά, "αυτό ξαναβγαίνει κάθε φορά που το αφαιρούν... αλλά είμαι καλά". Χαμογελούσε ήρεμα.

Ελένη μου αύριο είναι τα γενέθλιά σου. Αύριο θα έκλεινες τα 44.
Δεν ξέρω εάν σε δημιούργησα στο όνειρο μου ή εάν ήρθες εσύ, ξέρω ότι αυτές τις μέρες μου είναι δύσκολο να σκέφτομαι ότι για πρώτη φορά -μετά από πολλά χρόνια- δεν θα είμαστε μαζί στα γενέθλιά σου. Στο γνωστό μας τάμα, εκεί στον Αη Γιάννη Ρέντη.

Πόσο διασκέδαζες να λες, "η αδερφή μου με έχει τάξει στην Αγία Βαρβάρα και η Αθηνά στον Αγιο Ιωάννη Ρέντη" και μετά συμπλήρωνες... "στο Village Park" και τους έκανες να γελούν (γιατί αναρωτιόντουσαν πως μία άθεη, όπως εγώ, κάνει τάματα).

Εγώ, το αμερικανάκι, σου έλεγα ότι τα γενέθλια είναι πιο σπουδαία από ονομαστικές γιορτές και κουραφέξαλα. Πρέπει να γιορτάζουμε την ύπαρξη ενός ανθρώπου και όχι το όνομά του. Χαίρομαι που σε γιόρτασα όσο σε είχα κοντά μου. Χαίρομαι που ευχαριστιόσουν τις εξόδους μας με φαΐ και κινηματογράφο, που ζήσαμε τόσα χαρούμενα γενέθλια μαζί, με πολύ κουβέντα (αχ Ελένη μου λείπουν οι κουβέντες μας...., ακόμα και στο νοσοκομείο κλείναμε 8ωρα κουβέντας... που τα βρίσκαμε τόσα θέματα...)

Πέρυσι που πάλευες με τον καρκίνο (ναι, έτσι ήθελες να το λέμε δυνατά) ήσουν ευτυχώς έξω στα γενέθλιά σου και πήγαμε στα Village Ρέντη. Μόνο που μου ζήτησες να προσπεράσουμε την ταινία για να χορτάσουμε κουβέντα, για να με χορτάσεις. Κι έτσι κάναμε. Από τις 2 μέχρι τις 11 το βράδυ.

Φέτος θα πάω πάλι στον Αη Γιάννη Ρέντη μόνη μου, απέναντι από τα Village, στο Γ' Νεκροταφείο.
Εκεί στο κρύα μάρμαρα θα ακουμπήσω τ' αγαπημένα σου λουλούδια, ηλίανθοι, για να σ' ευχαριστήσω που ήρθες στη ζωή μου... αλλά φιλενάδα δεν είσαι εντάξει.
Νωρίς με άφησες.

.

Upcoming wanna-see movies

2009-08-29T10:29:00.008+03:00

Over at my tumblr blog (I know I've been sleeping over there a lot lately) I've added these 3 movie trailers of upcoming films I hope to see:

Amreeka

Amreeka chronicles the adventures of Muna, a single mother who leaves the West Bank with Fadi, her teenage son, with dreams of an exciting future in the promised land of small town Illinois. In America, as her son navigates high school hallways the way he used to move through military checkpoints, the indomitable Muna scrambles together a new life cooking up falafel burgers as well as hamburgers at the local White Castle. >> continued on official movie site

The Men Who Stare At Goats

In this quirky dark comedy inspired by a real life story you will hardly believe is actually true, astonishing revelations about a top-secret wing of the U.S. military come to light when a reporter encounters an enigmatic Special Forces operator on a mind-boggling mission. >>continued here

The Boat That Rocked

In the late 1960s, American radio stations blasted rock and roll 24 hours a day. But in the home country of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones the only way 25 million people could hear their music was to tune into.. a boat. >>official movie site

The Cake Eaters

2009-08-29T10:20:00.000+03:00

Because of the Twilight series hype, this film "The Cake Eaters" luckily has been spotlighted. There are some very fine performances and a wonderful soundtrack. Get the synopsis from the movie's official site as well as Ebert's review.

Excuse me while I bitch in Greek for a moment...

2009-08-29T09:32:00.007+03:00

Σχετικά με την "συγκέντρωση / διαμαρτυρία των μπλόγκερς".

Ηταν "πρωτότυπη διαμαρτυρία" μετά τις φωτιές και τους αδικοχαμένους του 2007 και υπήρξε ένας τρόπος εκτόνωσης του θυμού του κόσμου. Φέτος, έμοιαζε σαν απελπισμένη προσπάθεια αναζωπύρωσης (pun intended) της "τότε αυθόρμητης δυναμικής" του κόσμου να ξαναπάνε έξω από τη Βουλή και να ξαναμουτζώνουν το κτίριο σιωπηλά....
Μετά ήρθαν οι εκλογές.
Φέτος αρκετοί έμειναν σπίτια τους και μουτζώνουν τους καθρέπτες τους.
Αλλωστε εκλογές ξανάρχονται.

deja vu.

Sometimes all it takes is to close your eyes and listen to the music...

2009-08-26T23:03:00.003+03:00

Χαρταετοί/Kites - Mikis Theodorakis

BBC reporter's first hand account on the Greek fires and living in a forested suburb...

2009-08-26T22:32:00.002+03:00

The BBC's Malcolm Brabant flees the fires

I always felt a little guilty about living in Drafi.

Like all the other homes dotted around the crags and wooded slopes, the construction of our small rented house was only made possible because of a terrible fire 10 years ago which wiped out a virgin forest.

Our delight in Drafi's dramatic mountain scenery, the cleanest air in smoggy concrete Athens and cool invigorating breezes was always tempered by pangs that we were possibly benefiting from an act of arson that enabled unscrupulous property developers to prosper a decade ago.

And this weekend, it seemed as though nature took its revenge. >> READ ENTIRE STORY HERE

If you look for hope in the eyes of firemen and find none... then you know you're screwed

2009-08-25T09:28:00.013+03:00

[picture gallery]

We're on fire again

2009-08-22T23:00:00.003+03:00

This woman's face sums up all the despair of the situation.

The 2007 fires are still
burning in our minds.

The Secret Life Of Bees

2009-08-18T22:35:00.005+03:00

One of the movies I watched this summer was "The Secret Life Of Bees", based on the novel by Sue Monk Kidd. It is a heartwarming movie about girl-power, sisterhood and civil rights. It is not a great movie but certainly not a bad one. I liked Queen Latifah's majestic presence, Dakota Fanning's smooth and composed transition from child to teen actor and was impressed with Paul Bettany's performance. This movie is a bittersweet dream. I liked it. The Secret Life of Bees, official movie trailer

About swine flu || Σχετικά με την γρίπη των χοίρων

2009-08-17T14:56:00.001+03:00

#46 Feel-good flick for Friday

2009-08-14T12:07:00.002+03:00

100 Days, 100 Nights - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

Αύγουστος & Ελληνικό Δημόσιο

2009-08-07T21:32:00.003+03:00

Διάλογος στην Δ.Ο.Υ του Δήμου μου:

-Καλημέρα. Θέλω ένα παράβολο των 5€, παρακαλώ.

-Γιατί είναι;

-Έκαναν λάθος στην ασφάλεια με το διαβατήριο της κόρης μου και πρέπει να κάνω νέα αίτηση. Ζήτησαν ένα παράβολο των 5€ για την διαδικασία.

-Α, βεβαίως. [κοιτάζει για παράβολο 5€]. Λυπάμαι δεν έχουμε των 5€.

-Ε, καλά, δεν πειράζει δώστε μου ένα των 10€ ή τρία των 2€ [βλέπω ότι έχει από δαύτα]. [χαμογελώντας] Χαρίζω στο ελληνικό κράτος τη διαφορά. [είμαι γενναιόδωρη - ανάθεμα με].

-[χαμογελάει] Λυπάμαι δεν γίνεται. [σοβαρεύεται] Πρέπει να είναι το ποσό που σας είπαν.

-Μάλιστα. [σκέφτομαι εναλλακτικές, είναι Παρασκευή και σήμερα έχει ο σύζυγος ρεπό & και χρειάζονται τις υπογραφές των 2 γονέων στην ασφάλεια και ήδη έχω αργήσει για δουλειά]. Να έρθω τη Δευτέρα; Θα έχετε;

-Τώώώώώρα πια, από 24 Αυγούστου να έρθετε. [είναι 7 Αυγούστου] Γιατί δεν πάτε σε άλλη Δ.Ο.Υ.;

-Ξέρετε ποια είναι η κοντινότερη;

-Α, όχι.

-Α, μάλιστα.

The Greek church strikes again

2009-08-01T08:02:00.006+03:00

The Greek church did not like the part in acclaimed film maker Costas Gavras' animation depicting the widely known fact that Christians and priests during the Byzantine hacked away at the Parthenon and served in its ruin. The short film, made by Gavras in 2003, was being shown at the new Acropolis Museum to depict catastrophes the ancient monument has endured throughout history.

The Greek church -embarrassed by its own history- protested and the Acropolis museum officials censored (!!!) Gavras' film. Did someone mention that the Greek church has the Greek state by the balls? Naaaaah.

Here's the entire story (as well as the uncensored animation)>> Rewriting History at the Acropolis Museum

UPDATE, Aug.4 th 2009
ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's new Acropolis museum on Tuesday reversed a decision to cut a short film by director Costa Gavras to appease the powerful Greek Orthodox Church, after a public outcry. >> entire story

Happy sysadmin day

2009-07-31T07:13:00.004+03:00

The last Friday of every July is System Administrator Appreciation Day. You don't have to shower us with gifts. A day free of stupid, whiny, smart ass remarks will be enough.

Reforestation of Parnitha?

2009-07-26T10:42:00.003+03:00

Two years ago, Parnitha, a Greek national park, was devastated by fires. I came across this Greek news snippet today:

"More than 885 cannabis plants were spotted by the police helicopter at Parnitha. The men of the police also found in packets of hashish and tools. The height of seedlings was up to 2.5 meters." [via]

Hey, reforestation is all about making the forest green again, right?
I can't stop laughing.

Aναδάσωση της Πάρνηθας;

Περισσότερα από 885 δενδρύλλια χασίς εντόπισε το ελικόπτερο της αστυνομίας στην Πάρνηθα στη θέση Πηγής Κιθάρα. Οι άνδρες της αστυνομίας εντόπισαν επίσης στην περιοχή πακέτα με χασίς και εργαλεία. Το ύψος των δενδρυλλίων έφθανε μέχρι και τα 2,5 μέτρα. [πηγή]

Αναδάσωση με ότι πρασινάδα μας βρίσκεται πρόχειρη. 'ντάξει;
Ακόμα γελάω.

Welcome baby Ster!

2009-07-26T09:37:00.003+03:00

Remember my expecting friend I threw a baby shower for? Yesterday she gave birth to a healthy, beautiful baby daughter!

What's cuter than one baby? LOTS of them!

Do you hear that?

2009-07-25T00:29:00.006+03:00

That's right.
Just the gentle wind and the waves lapping lightly on the shore.
Nothing else.
Pure bliss.

[video link]

Who's 29?

2009-07-25T00:05:00.003+03:00

Ellasdevil is!

Italian bloggers: We do not want to be gagged!

2009-07-14T10:02:00.006+03:00

Today, July 14, 2009, Italian bloggers are on strike against legislation to gag the italian Internet.

The following English statement of the first ever blogosphere strike from dirittoallarete.ning.com

It will be the first strike of bloggers ever.

On July 14, 2009, Italian bloggers will muzzle themselves in the Web as well as in Piazza Navona in Rome, at 7PM where they will meet to protest against an Italian government bill (the Alfano decree) introducing a number of new rules which will limit the freedom of expression in Italian internet.

The so-called "obligation to rectify" imposed to the manager of an information site (blogs, social networks such as Facebook, Twitter etc) clearly appears to be a pretext. In fact such imposition, in terms of bureaucratization of the network and of very heavy penalties for users, shall make of the new decree an internet-killer.

The practical effects shall be to cause the independent sites and blogs to cease or materially reduce their publications. The apparent intent of introducing criteria of responsibility hides the attempt to make life difficult or impossible for bloggers and users of shared sites (for example: You Tube...)

The fact is that bloggers are already entirely liable, from a penal standpoint, in the event of crimes such as insults, defamation etc: there is no need to introduce unbearable penalties for "citizen-journalists" who do not intend to submit themselves to the bureaucracy and the burdens contemplated in the Alfano decree.

The plurality of information, regardless of the media, internet, newspapers, radio and tv networks etc, is a fundamental right of men and citizens, on which democracy and freedom are based. The Alfano decree is an attack to the freedom of all media, from the major newspapers to the smallest blog.

For this reason we invite all Italian blogs and sites to a day of silence, in the day in which newspapers and tv networks will also remain silent. It is a message of all operators in the media world, who jointly shout to the political world: "we don not want to be gagged". We therefore invite all citizens with a blog or a site to publish this logo and maintain it for the entire day of July 14 next.

Defending the press, the tv and radio networks, the journalists and the Web, we firmly defend the basic freedom of information and the future of our democracy.

Alessandro Gilioli
Guido Scorza
Enzo Di Frenna

Who knew? I've been peeling bananas the wrong way all my life.

2009-07-12T17:11:00.002+03:00

Wish you were here (then). A postcard odyssey.

2009-07-11T20:33:00.002+03:00

Postcard arrives from Greece 22 years late
A woman received a postcard from a Greek island - 22 years after it was sent.

Awwwwwww. Puppies!

2009-07-11T18:26:00.002+03:00

Awwwwwww. Puppies!, originally uploaded by flubberwinkle.

Two, adorable, stray puppies surprise Daughter#1 at the beach. Moment caught by Daughter#2.

Petabyte explained

2009-07-08T16:01:00.009+03:00

[via]

In Memoriam Michael Jackson

2009-07-07T01:47:00.001+03:00

In a 2003 interview, Michael Jackson said his most honest and autobiographical song was "Childhood".

Childhood
Written and Composed by Michael Jackson.
Produced by Michael Jackson.

Have you seen my Childhood?
I'm searching for the world that I come from
'Cause I've been looking around
In the lost and found of my heart...
No one understands me
They view it as such strange eccentricities...
'Cause I keep kidding around
Like a child, but pardon me...

People say I'm not okay
'Cause I love such elementary things...
It's been my fate to compensate,
for the Childhood
I've never known...

Have you seen my Childhood?
I'm searching for that wonder in my youth
Like pirates in adventurous dreams,
Of conquest and kings on the throne...

Before you judge me, try hard to love me,
Look within your heart then ask,
Have you seen my Childhood?

People say I'm strange that way
'Cause I love such elementary things,
It's been my fate to compensate,
for the Childhood (Childhood) I've never known...

Have you seen my Childhood?
I'm searching for that wonder in my youth
Like fantastical stories to share
But the dreams I would dare, watch me fly...

Before you judge me, try hard to love me.
The painful youth I've had

Have you seen my Childhood....

Thank you for the music Michael.

For my little girl growing up so fast...

2009-07-02T08:14:00.007+03:00

And so it's begun. Or has it?

2009-07-01T23:43:00.006+03:00

Greece has officially prohibited smoking in all enclosed spaces and public services starting today the 1st of July 2009.

We Greeks are stubborn SOBs. The fact that someone tells us to NOT smoke doesn't mean we won't.
"What do we care if you are bothered by our smoke? Huh?"
"I don't like your face but I put up with it, do the same with my smoke... "
"Turn away and suck clean air from the other side... "
"Go enjoy your drink/coffee/beverage where people don't smoke..."
"I don't see a no smoking sign anywhere..."
"Make me... "

Embarrassingly, these are some of the excuses I HAVE heard and witnessed over the years if a non-smoker dared to complain to a smoker.

Non-compliance to common sense is the rule in Greece. And rules don't change very quickly here.

We will need about 20 years of conditioning to get the public non-smoking ban through our thick skulls.

Same thing happened with the seat belt law. Drivers in Greece wearing seat belts used to be a very rare sight. Any fellow/gal donning a seat belt was thought of by other drivers as "frightened", ergo a bad driver. It wasn't until the Traffic Police went on fining sprees, writing up non-buckled drivers and passengers. Finally, after many years, drivers and passengers wear their seat belts for fear of being caught without them.

We eventually learn.
At pain of death of our income.

So, until smoking fines commence, I don't expect too much to change.

Sometimes summer sucks

2009-06-25T09:04:00.001+03:00

[via]

A must see

2009-06-23T21:30:00.005+03:00

Spanish band, Labuat (note: the band opened for Beyonce Knowles in Barcelona last month), has launched a Flash-based music video for its single, "Soy tu aire." The video allows viewers to use their cursor to manipulate a constantly flowing ink-like line that occasionally explodes into splatters, words and images (such as birds, fish, butterflies and a pair of lips). It appears designed to give the viewer the impression that s/he is painting the flow of the music in the air. The video was conceived and art-directed by Herraiz Soto & Co, animated by Jossie Malis, and produced by a company called Badabing. It can be viewed at: soytuaire.labuat.com

discovered at and copied from : Spanish Band, Labuat, Launches Flash-Based Interactive Music Video for "Soy Tu Aire"

Slaves & ku klux klan methods in Greece.

2009-06-22T23:28:00.005+03:00

An unprecedented act of racism in New Manolada. Two Greek farmers beat, tortured and robbed two Bangladeshi land workers, tied them with a roped behind a motorcycle and dragged them around in the village. The farmers believed that their missing sheep had been stolen by migrant workers, who took the law in their own hands. Without bothering to report the missing animals to local police decided to find the culprits out on their own. They singled out a migrant worker, terrorized him, who then lead them to his compatriots. The Greeks randomly chose two foreigners to brutalize.

The villagers called the police at the shocking sight of two men being dragged behind a motorcycle driven by their torturers. The two Greek farmers were arrested for dangerous bodily harm, unlawful violence, insults and theft and the two migrant workers for suspicion of animal theft and... for not providing Greek officials with proper papers (residence permits, alien cards)!

On the one hand Greek employers exploit immigrants as cheap labor force and the other blame them for anything that goes wrong, unemployment, crime, missing sheep.

The recent euroelections results have foreshadowed Greek society's mentality. The ultra right wing Greek Party, LAOS, which advocates migrant sweeps and "solving the migrant problem once and for all" tallied a surprising 7% of Greek votes. I'm afraid the disgusting behavior of the Manolada farmers will find applauders and mimics.

Parenting. How to prepare.

2009-06-18T09:50:00.000+03:00

[from Surviving The World]

The Cove, an examination of our oceans and our hearts

2009-06-17T13:23:00.002+03:00

THE COVE, directed by Louie Psihoyos, tells the amazing true story of how Psihoyos, O’Barry and an elite team of activists, filmmakers and freedivers embarked on a covert mission to penetrate a hidden cove in Japan, shining light on a dark and deadly secret. The mysteries they uncovered were only the tip of the iceberg.

Winner of the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, The Cove follows a high-tech dive team on a mission to discover the truth about the international dolphin capture trade as practiced in Taiji, Japan. Utilizing state-of-the-art techniques, including hidden microphones and cameras in fake rocks, the team uncovers how this small seaside village serves as a horrifying microcosm of massive ecological crimes happening worldwide.
The Cove exposes not only the tragedy of dolphin slaughtering in Japan, but also the dangerously high levels of mercury in dolphin meat and seafood, the cruelty in capturing dolphins for entertainment, and the depletion of our ocean’s fisheries by worldwide seafood consumption. We also see how the mandate of the International Whaling Commission has been manipulated by the Japanese Fisheries Agency for its benefit and its subsequent effect on the rest of the world.

Find out more: http://www.thecovemovie.com/

"The Earth Laughs in Flowers" -Ralph Waldo Emerson

2009-06-16T09:47:00.002+03:00

139|365 ||| amongst the buttercups, originally uploaded by .bella..

Plinky.com asked me "What summer food are you most looking forward to?"

2009-06-11T09:13:00.004+03:00

I scream: ice cream!

Doesn't everyone?

Words on a Wall

2009-06-01T09:36:00.003+03:00

Words on a Wall, originally uploaded by flubberwinkle.

I took a photo of this graffiti at the entrance of my friend's, Eleni's, home.
When Eleni came to came to the door to greet me she saw me taking the photo with my cell phone and giggled, "You know who wrote this? I did!".

Eleni is no longer with us and neither is the graffiti.
When I went to Eleni's home after the funeral I saw that someone (probably the building manager) had painted over it.

There was a lot of profound and witty graffiti written in Athens during the December '08 riots and my restless friend wanted to add her voice to the protests of young Alexandros Grigoropoulos' murder in December 2008. Her battle with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma wouldn't allow her to take part in marches and demonstrations. But Eleni found a way to protest. I'm glad I preserved it.

Furry Marley

2009-06-01T08:51:00.002+03:00

Furry Marley, originally uploaded by flubberwinkle.

Athens, Peiraios Street.
Caught this while waiting at a stoplight. This big furry version of Marley suddenly appeared and scared the daylights out of a motorcyclist cruising next to the dog's car.

The dog remained in this position even when the light turned green and the vehicle started up. Dog seemed anxious to leap out of the car. Who knows how many bikers and pedestrians the dog managed to scare the daylights out of that day.

Maksim Mrvica - Exodus

2009-05-31T08:44:00.000+03:00

Recuperating

2009-05-28T14:39:00.005+03:00

Berniece (Howard's Mom, played by spunky Debbie Reynolds): "I need that wedding. I need some beauty and some music and some placecards before I die. It's like heroin".

This is one of my favorite quips from the movie "In & Out" with Kevin Kline who plays Howard, a high school teacher who comes out of the closet, realizes he's gay, a couple of days before his wedding with Joan Cusack's character.

That quote came to mind when I began planning my friend's baby shower. I needed something to push me, to inspire me, to get my "oomph!" back. I needed the dawn after a very dark night.

What can possibly be more happy than a baby on the way? A bundle of joy, of hope. I threw my heart into it and I'm proud to say that it turned out quite nice and the momma-to-be was very happy.

Since I don't post photos of faces, you'll just have imagine the success of the shower with my home-made banner, the big fuschia gift that contained soon-to-be-mama's gifts and a copy of the CD with songs especially for a baby shower.

baby shower, originally uploaded by flubberwinkle.

I am posting the track list, hoping it will help other co-baby-shower-planners in their search for a good collection of "baby shower songs" or "songs with baby in the lyrics" etc.

You're welcome, future visitors who land on this page via web search:

Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell (no baby in the lyrics, but what any mother would do for her child)
Baby I Need Your Loving - The Four Tops
Baby Love - The Supremes (classic)
Baby One More Time - Britney Spears (OK, admittedly cheesy, but it does say oh babeh, babeh)
Be My Baby - The Ronettes
Can't Take My Eyes Off You - Frankie Valli (I love you baby! And if it's quite alright, I need you baby...)
Celebration - Kool And The Gang (no baby lyrics, but a baby shower IS a celebration after all)
Dancing In The Street - Martha Reeves & The Vandellas (ditto, see above explanation)
Everybody Needs Somebody To Love - Blues Brothers
Feeling Good - Nina Simone
Happy Together - The Turtles
Heaven Is A Place On Earth - Belinda Carlisle
Heaven Must Have Sent You - The Elgins
Here Comes The Sun - Nina Simone
I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) - The Four Tops
I Got You Babe - UB40
I Say A Little Prayer - Aretha Franklin (if people know the movie "My Best Friend's Wedding" they'll sing along)
I'm a believer - Monkees
I'm Coming Out - Diana Ross (this is for the due date)
In Dulci Jubilo - Mike Oldfield (very cheerful and something New Age for the collection)
It Takes Two - Kim Weston & Marvin Gaye (how a pregnancy begins)
My Baby Just Cares For Me - Nina Simone
My Girl - The Temptations
New Kid In Town - Eagles (I love the Eagles and well... there's a new kid on the way)
Reach Out, I'll Be There - Gloria Gaynor
Reet Petite - Jackie Wilson (for the Momma)
Rock Me Gently - Andy Kim
Rock Your Baby - George McCrae
Signed, Sealed, Delivered - Stevie Wonder
Sugar Baby Love - Rubettes
Sugar Sugar - The Archies
Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns n Roses (you need hard rock in ANY collection)
The Bump - Kenny (the bump=the big pregnant belly)
The Way You Do The Things You Do - The Temptations
Walking On Sunshine - Katrina & The Waves
We Are Family - Sister Sledge
You Are So Beautiful - Joe Cocker
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life - Stevie Wonder
You'll Be In My Heart - Phil Collins

trying to swim to the surface for air

2009-05-14T22:22:00.002+03:00

The grief sometimes gushes through me in the form of a tidal wave and sometimes in the form of bittersweet drops of memories. My eyes are always ready to cry. My heart is aching. And I'm afraid. I'm afraid that if the pain subsides I will begin to forget. I will not be able to remember. And then my best friend will be forever lost to me.

I can't get to the claring in the forest yet. I can't let the rays of light touch me. I just want to lay down and cry.

I thought I was all cried out during Eleni's 13 month struggle with stage IV Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Everytime I left the hospital, everytime I left her home, everytime I put down the receiver after our conversations... I would cry ...

tears of... anger.
hoping the doctors were wrong.
hoping for a scientific miracle.
hoping my friend would not suffer, would not know what was coming.

tears of... frustration.
43 years old. too young. too many things to do yet.

selfish tears.
what was I supposed to do without a best friend?
what would happen to me?
how would I go on?

My husband tells me I need to "come back" soon.
My mind knows he's right. I need to get a grip...
it's my heart that won't listen to anyone.

Eleni

2009-04-03T23:47:00.002+03:00

Ελένη, εκεί που πας κοίτα να είσαι ευτυχισμένη,
σ' αυτή τη γη η μοίρα σου ήταν γραμμένη
σ' άσπρο χαρτί με ένα κίτρινο στυλό
σα δάκρυ απο λεμόνι.

Earth Hour is almost here and Greece has surprised the lights out (yes, pun intended) of everybody around the world with its participation.

2009-03-28T08:04:00.006+02:00

MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT
Turn off your lights for Earth Hour, record your vote and share it with the world! Here's how:

PHOTO || Take a photo on the night, upload it to flickr and add it to Earth Hour's flickr group and tag it with your city and country.
VIDEO || Make a video of your event, upload it to YouTube and add it to our YouTube group.
BLOG || Write a live blog post during the event and tag it with earthhour or voteearth, and your location.
TWITTER || Update your Twitter on the night and write #earthhour or #voteearth and your #location in your update to tag it.

ΚΑΤΑΧΩΡΗΣΕ ΤΗ ΨΗΦΟ ΣΟΥ
Σβήσε τα φώτα για τουλάχιστον μια ώρα, καταχώρισε τη ψήφο σου μαζί με όλο τον κόσμο. Μάθε εδώ τον τρόπο:

ΦΩΤΟΓΡΑΦΙΑ || Βγάλτε φωτογραφίες το βράδυ του Σαββάτου και ανέβασέ τις στο flickr στο group του Earth Hour πρόσθεσε tags με την πόλη και χώρα σου
BINTEO || Τράβηξε βίντεο από το βράδυ του Σαββάτου και ανέβασέ το στο YouTube στο group του Earth Hour
ΒLOG || Γράψε ένα post στο blog σου με tag earthhour ή voteearth.
TWITTER || Ενημέρωσε(update) τον λογαριασμό σου στο Twitter το Σάββατο βράδυ και πρόσθεσε hashtags #earthhour ή #voteearth και #location στην καταχώρησή σου

The bucket list. 5 things to check off my list before I die.

2009-03-26T00:35:00.002+02:00

Pet a dolphin.
Dolphins, in my mind, are the Gandalfs (all knowing) & Sams (loyal friends) of life form on this planet and making contact with one of them will fill my heart with completeness.
Stand on the Scottish Highlands.
Whenever people ask me where I would like to visit, I almost catch myself saying 'home' when I want to answer Scotland. Perhaps I lived there in a former life, or maybe watched one too many episodes of Highlander...
Stay in a castle/cottage/pub in luscious green Ireland.
Land of leprechauns and U2, need I say more?

Write a novel.
Hopefully one that becomes a best-seller after my demise which is then turned into a(n Oscar nominated) movie. The royalty rights will -of course- have gone to my daughters who will -in turn- become filthy rich and forgive me for having sat so many hours in front of a computer when I was alive.
Make things better for people here and now.
To live my life so that when the time comes I will look back with a smile and hopefully be remembered with one.

"I'm sorry I wasn't a donor"

2009-03-25T09:58:00.002+02:00

My friend, Helen has aggressive Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (diagnosed last February) and several days ago finished her 14th round of chemotherapy and needed several blood transfusions (again) to get her red blood cell count up. Helen has blood type A-, which is hard to come by and much needed.

Helen's family, of course, brings in people to donate blood -regardless of blood type- in my friend's name so the hospital can keep supplying Helen with blood transfusions. The day before yesterday, the hospital gave her one bag of A- (she needed at least 3) and informed the family that they were out of her blood type and nothing they could do.

Helen's family had a niece with the same blood type on hold in case of an emergency like this, but luckily I was able to round up two bags of her blood type and they were sent to in Helen's name to the hospital she is being treated.

I went by yesterday to see how my friend was doing and if the blood had arrived because I had been warned by a blood donation worker that because Greek hospitals are in dire need of blood they may try to "cheat" us of our second incoming bag if we don't press them.

True enough, Helen was informed that a bag of blood would be transfused after noon but they had only one bag. I insisted that that there were two incoming bags and when Helen's sister, who had many times battled with the hospital's blood donation center, gave them a piece of her mind, the second bag of type A- magically appeared.

As I sat with my friend, Helen looked at the blood bag dripping life in her veins and said "May God bless the person who donated this blood. I'm sorry I wasn't a donor".

-"I wish you hadn't had to live this to change your mind", I replied.

I reminded her that two years before she got sick our workplace (we work at the same organization) had organized two blood donation drives at our offices.

-"You know how many people showed up the first time? 16! Out of 150 people only 16. The second time, six months later was even more tragic, only 2."

Helen and Zoe were among the many colleagues that hadn't even bothered to show up. Turned out that when Helen had been first admitted to hospital, 13 months ago, with what (then) seemed ovarian cancer, Zoe needed an operation and which required blood and went to our director asking for help.

Because our workplace's blood donation drive had not been a success and the blood collectors were from a hospital and disgusted with our turnout, they gave us a hard time about distributing our small blood collection to colleagues who needed it. (I can't blame them… because if you knew where I worked you'd be upset too.) Hospital teamed blood drives require some bags of blood to be handed over for hospital needs, so I had to officially authorize my donation to be transferred to Zoe, who was desperately looking for blood.

My colleague got her operation, is healthy and is still not a blood donor.

Today is World Water Day

2009-03-22T10:45:00.003+02:00

Reusing water in the bathroom, originally uploaded by flubberwinkle.

Here's an idea for homes in developed countries: Place a plastic basin/bowl in your bathroom sinks to gather the water used to wash hands and brush teeth as toilet flushing water.
It may be a drop in the ocean, but every drop helps.

43

2009-03-22T10:01:00.004+02:00

43, originally uploaded by ponyintheair.

...the year after 42 (aka birthday post)
Was 42 "The Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything"? Yes, Mr.Adams, although it was just a number you randomly chose for the ending of your book, 42 turned out to be a milestone, a breaking point during my time on Earth with a lot of esoteric conflicts and purgings.
Older? Yes, I feel like I'm 60 instead of 43.
Wiser? I've sucked a lot in and have learned to breathe with it all inside, without exploding. Yeah, maybe, wiser.

(photo credit to co-flickr user: ponyintheair)

International Women's Day 2009 - Gender facts

2009-03-08T10:34:00.003+02:00

Networking ...

Women use 20,000 words a day while men only use 7,000

Global Issues ...

Females in developing countries on average carry 20 litres of water per day over 6 km
Globally women account for the majority of people aged over 60 and over 80
Pregnant women in Africa are 180 times more likely to die than in Western Europe
530,000 women die in pregnancy or childbirth each year
World population hit 6,872,741,131 on 1 January 2009
Of 1.2 billion people living in poverty worldwide, 70% are women
80% of the world's 27 million refugees are women
Women own around only 1% of the world's land
AIDS sees women's life expectancy of 43 in Uganda and Zambia
5 people are added to the world's population every 2 seconds
Women are 2/3 of the 1 billion+ illiterate adults who have no access to basic education

Innovation ...

Globally women comprise 42% internet users (Italy 37% ... US & Canada 51%)
In OECD countries women comrpise only 30 per cent of degrees in science and technology
Women's representation in computer and information sciences workforce is around 30% globally
Female inventors still only account for around 10% of the US inventor population

Business / Finance ...

Women control $14 trillion in assets and this should grow to $22 trillion over next 10 years
Women comprise 21 of the 37 million people living below the poverty line in the US
Only in Japan and Peru are women more active in starting a business than men
Women spend more time researching before they invest than men do

Media / Arts ...

Only 21% of all news subjects (people interviewed or whom the news is about) are female
Women less than 1% department heads, editors, media owners but third of working journalists
80% of UK purchasing decisions are made by women but 83% of 'creatives' are men

Work ...

Women do two-thirds of the world's work but receive only 10% of the world's income
Women's education is the most powerful predictor of lower fertility rates
One year out of college women earn 20% less than men and 10 years later 31% less
Women on average are away from workforce for 14.7 years compared to 1.6 years for men
The biggest EU gender pay gap is in Cyprus and Estonia at 25% then Slovakia at 24%

Government ...

56% of women who voted supported Obama compared to only 49% of men voted for Obama
Until 20 years ago there had never been more than 5% women MPs globally
Benazir Bhutto was the first woman prime minister of a muslim country (assassinated 27/12/07)
From the 27 EU member states, UK ranks 15 for women's representation in national Parliaments
From 1945 to 1995 the percentage of women MPs worldwide increased four-fold

Wishing Robin Williams a speedy recovery after his "tune up"

2009-03-07T06:32:00.002+02:00

Robin Williams' appearance at "We Are Most Amused,
comedy gala for Prince Charles's 60th birthday", Nov.2008

Ouch. How'd you get that?

2009-03-06T11:52:00.003+02:00

Plinky asked me to share my scar(s). I did:

I have a 4 stitch-scar under my bottom lip from falling on bottle cap (age 3). It was the first time my mom left me alone with dad...

I have a lumpy scar on my right thumb from a piece of glass that stabbed me while I was washing the dishes on a Mothers' Day (age12). The darn hole took forever to heal and I'm guessing I needed stitches but didn't want to make my mother worry on Mother's Day so I bit the bullet and wrapped my thumb in piles of Band-Aids.

I have a burn scar on the inside of right ankle from touching the exhaust pipe on a motorbike (age 18). I still shudder when I remember the burning sensation and I avoided motorcycle rides ever since.

I have a C-section scar from Daughter#2's birth (age 28). This one serves as my own personal weather vane, itching when there's a temperature change...

I have 4 tiny button hole scars scattered on my belly are from my laparoscopic cholecystectomy (age 40). The one on my belly button gives me the shivers.