About Life ... Sobre a vida ...

Blog Suspended

2006-09-08T21:22:00.000+02:00

This blog is being suspended presently untill further notice. I will be around but unfortunately I won't be able to express my feelings here.
A breakthrough happened in my insignificant life. I hope it's all for the best.

Live your lives, responsibly and with honor.

Alximistis: children gifts or fobou toys Dannaoys dwra ferontes

2006-08-03T14:48:00.000+02:00

Alximistis: children gifts or fobou toys Dannaoys dwra ferontes

Summertiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiime

2006-07-11T11:56:00.000+02:00

I'm going back home for the Summer!

KISSES!!!!!
I'll Be Around though :)

What an ASS, honestly

2006-07-10T19:29:00.000+02:00

fruit cake love: materazzi

ehmmmmm vai a farti fottere caro mio

ZIZOU, pour TOUJOURS!

Zizou

2006-07-09T23:50:00.000+02:00

ALLEZ LES BLEUS ! ! !

Faith

2006-07-09T12:36:00.000+02:00

I've seen this dog, a couple of years ago, on tv.

Black (2005)

2006-06-23T22:24:00.002+02:00

I've never watched an Indian movie before. At least I think so.

B.L.A.C.K. was the best way to start I guess. Tender, strong, full of emotion, moving in that very rare way that some movies are. It's been such a long time since I last saw a mesmerizing movie, enchanting me with its simplicity, yet strong in performances, nostalgic cinematography and much more.

Although time is not adequately expressed throughout the movie, the viewer has no problem in following the life of Michelle, a deaf-blind girl, that grows up to be a woman with the constant help of her teacher. Her struggles, her pain, her anger, him, trying to succeed, to make her happy, his total and altruistic devotion to making her independant and bring her back into light. In the end, the roles become inverted...

The story could be considered as simple and kind of usual. However, cinema, as I said many times before, is not the mere representation of a story, but art. And art it is. I could have watched this movie by another director, another male and female in the leading role. But it could never be like this.

I believe it's a must see. Just remember. If you're in a bad mood, you'd better leave it for another day. Art doesn't wear out...

Fade away

2006-06-13T13:38:00.000+02:00

There are stars that end their life with a big badaboom explosion. Distruction, frustration, mess, anger, violence.

There are stars that end their life silently, calmly, paying a last tribute to their glowing existence.

They just fade away. They fade into darkness. Into oblivion...

Time is up.

Everything comes to an end...
The "Game" is over my "friend".
My part of the "deal" is over... Now.
Yours, existed long ago ...

I'm in Love

2006-06-09T21:07:00.000+02:00

Fooled you huh? I'm in Love with this little pretty awesome gadget.

No I'm not advertising it, nor have I got any contract of any kind with them :) I'm not even mentioning its market name.

I just like the thing and in about a month's time from now, it's gonna be mmmmmmiiiine (mine, mine, miiiiiiine).

So I'll be able to listen to my favourite podcasts through it everywhere and anytime. Unfortunately in Greece my internet connection is a humble pstn but I'll find a way around this "problem" and I'll be enjoying Daily Source Code, Jersey Toddshow and other podcasts I'm discovering now.

I'll be a bit absent from blogging in the next days, due to my up-coming exams, for which I have to study. But I'll be around so stay tuned and update your feeds to my blog every once in a while.

There's a new feature on my blog. You can send me an audio comment through the ODEO banner on your left. You just need a microphone. Nothing more. No other software or any other kind of stuff.

Jersey Todd Show

2006-06-09T12:40:00.000+02:00

Maybe the Coolest guy in podcasting. The living proof that not all Americans are ... "Americans".

Funny, farsighted, mordacious, sarcastic, accurate, intelligent and millions of other things. I downloaded his latest show and now I'm just downloading them all.

A New Jersey lawyer that just happened to do a podcast show.
It's really worth hearing, even just for once. You'll end up loving it for sure.

Mind is like a parachute. It works better open.

Cheers.

Hearing English accurately

2006-06-05T02:49:00.000+02:00

During my last participation in a skypecast, someone introduced me to a skypecaster who actually gives English lessons online.

So I spotted his skypecast and participated just to listen to the guy. His nickname is heronstone, and as I listened to his skypecast I was amazed for yet another time about the vastness and the global information that the internet provides.

He actually does this, presently for free but he will charge in the future. In order to take up a student, the student must dedicate at least 10 hours a week to English learning.
It's not actually an English grammar course. It's learning to hear English accurately and thus reproduce it accurately as well.
He sends some audio files, quite a lot of them, in mp3, and the student is writing down in vocal alphabet what he hears. "Listen and write" is the system. The files consist of 2, 3, 5 or 8 phonemes each. The student could occupy 100 hours to correctly put them down in paper, or even 300 or 400. As much time as needed. He charges only for upload costs and that's it.

My point is that, Internet can offer enormous possibilities for someone to get informed, learn, create, share knowledge and all kinds of stuff. Let's hope that this kind of initiatives will grow up and mature in the future.

Almost approved by Heronstone :)

Podcasts, Vidcasts, Skypecasts

2006-06-03T19:46:00.000+02:00

I could have simply leave the title talk for itself. But I guess I'll become more concrete.

Podcasts. They are recorded emissions that are found scattered in the internet with subjects about anything that crosses your mind. From mere music (podsafe music) up to entire discussions and presentations of ideas, up to lectures of universities (Berkeley). The idea was created by ipods, sweet small Apple gagdets that play files mp3, aac etc etc. Thus you can download these podcasts files and listen to them at any moment of day/week that you wish. A good with these emissions is precisely their portability and it doesn't take an ipod for you to listen to them but you can hear them in your computer as simple files of sound or in mp3 players etc etc.

There are podcast managing clients. Then most well-known is iTunes but I use Juice. The choice is clearly personal. Such a program therefore provides you the facility to register in podcast feed (naturally free of charge) and then this program by itself searches looks for and downloads new podcasts whenever they are available in that feed. Practical, automatic, fast, carefree.

Vidcasts constitute audiovisual podcasts. Consequently they are small video files for the same use and with the same process of registration/downloading.

Recently as I was discovering about podcasts, I came across to Skypecasts. Maybe you already know Skype. It is a program for voice of over ip telephony that you gives the possibility to talk with a microphone from PC to PC (free of charge) or from PC to phone(small cost) or from phone to PC(small cost) and all these with voice encryption.
The company therefore made one more step and created small conferences with a usually determined subject where each one can say, live, his opinion. In other words persons from all over the world speak in realtime through their computer.
To test it, I tried it, creating a Skypast for LOST, the television show but the discussion went from the situation in Southern America up to the political changes in China, the European Union and everything else but LOST.

Some Podcasts/Videocasts I like (some in Greek, marked with GR):
Weekendgeeks (GR)
vrypan (GR)
LOSTcasts
Lost podcasting network
Irish n Celtic music
Wiggler (GR)
Chillcast

Get on board

2006-05-29T00:17:00.000+02:00

I must convince myself not to succumb to temptation... I have to be strong and realistic. I need to. It will hurt otherwise. And I'll loose a friend... I have to stop doing this. I have to stop hunting away people through my feelings....

Will & Grace

2006-05-21T05:33:00.000+02:00

"To Family...
Family that loves you and accepts you for exactly who you are..."

Bye Will, Grace, Karen and Jack.

Child Within

2006-05-13T17:46:00.000+02:00

How can we all see an Elephant eaten by a Boa instead of a mere Hat?
Sometimes I think I'm alone. Walking all by myself in this small planet of mine.

It's an Elephant inside a Boa...
Remember the innocence you once had? That child-scented innocence?
It's there. Inside you. You were once the child from which you grew up.
Always remember it... Never forget.

What about me? (for once!)

2006-05-08T16:23:00.000+02:00

I'm beginning to think that there are two options. Either I am too old to make new friends, or I have problems hence the age, to choose the appropriate ones.

I'm sick and tired of people that use me and then throw me away like an empty soda canister. When they need me-let me rephrase that-when they need company, I'm there, we have a good time, I try to cheer them up, to help them forget or even solve some of their problems and then, they find others, more "friendly" ones, to replace me.

The most annoying thing about this is the fact that they, themselves, were making fun of people that were doing the same things before. They were reproving the others' behavior. Big words. Without meaning.

I'm totally aware of the fact that I should sit down and talk to them. But unfortunately I'm also aware that I 'm impulsive and I'll loose my temper easily, without my wanting to... So I prefer for the time to wait and see. Naturally my attitude will comply with my growing sad feelings about them. I can't help it though. Maybe it's better this way. Sending a message that may, or may not be received.

"Them" is used at random.

Choices again

2006-05-06T13:06:00.000+02:00

Recently, I realized that, although I'd like to have children one day-a fact that is most improbable-I'm still not able to stand up to the responsibilities that a child's bringing up brings along. Not because I'm not smart enough, but merely because I didn't have to think seriously about it.

Let me put it this way. On the 1st of May, faithful to the Greek custom, I went out in the country to have a bbq and enjoy the nature (however I had a horrible soar throat). There came along a young couple, friends of my parents, with their two young boys, 4 and 2 years old.
As I was practicing my favorite sport, observing other people's reactions, attitudes and behaviors, I watched the father, instructing in the most simple of ways, the power of Choice (my favorite subject as you all know so far) to his kids.

Every child at that age, comes along with a toy. Just like a Kinder egg. Each child was holding a bow and a couple of toy arrows. At some point, the older one, wanted his ball which was left in the car. He started complaining, asking for it. The father, took him apart and told him a simple thing. "Give me your bow and arrows and I'll bring you the ball from the car". The boy thought about it a bit and then gave in. After a while, the boy asked for some orange juice. When it was brought to him, he asked for some soda as well. The father again, said "There is either juice or water. It's your choice".

I know it sounds kind of harsh to the kid. But it's a way to introduce him in the world of choices and build up his self-esteem. Make him know that what he enjoys in life, what he has, what he doesn't have, it's his choice. In the future this is likely to protect him from the difficult, more complicated burden of real-life choices.

Sicky

2006-05-01T22:02:00.000+02:00

I'm flying back to Italy tomorrow morning...
And I'm feeling that I'm gonna be ill in the next days... I have a soar throat and feel rather cold....

Had a great time in Greece though... I'll come back to you for details, cos right now I'm about to be like this cute puppy.

Mother's Heart

2006-04-30T22:07:00.000+02:00

A widowed mother was living with her only son; they were the best of
comrades, the most intimate of friends. But an adventuress got hold of the
young man. She took away his money, his health, his position, his
self-respect, and turned him into a vagabond. One day she told him that he
must give her a supreme example of his devotion. He must murder his mother
and bring to his mistress his mother's bleeding heart. Accordingly the young
man went to his mother, killed her, cut the heart from her body, and holding
it in his hand, hastened to the evil woman. In his haste he slipped on the
pavement and fell headlong. The heart rolled out of his hand. Then the heart 
spoke and said, "Did you hurt yourself, my dear son?"And wept...

Jean Richepin

Dedicated to my mother...

Old "friend's" quotes

2006-04-22T01:09:00.001+02:00

"Hi!"
"How are you?"
"When did you come back?"
"When will you leave?"
"Have you met anyone?"

I hate these formalities... However, I always find myself in the position to answer this kind of questions over and over again, responding to the same old "friends" that may or may not think that I don't have anything better to do than to spend valuable time to talk to them or even go out for a coffee along with other unwanted-annoying and boring people...

Quote of the Day
Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.
Emily Bronte

Syriana

2006-04-03T18:50:00.000+02:00

"'Syriana' is a very real term used by Washington think-tanks to describe a hypothetical reshaping of the Middle East..."

I didn't like Middle East films. I thought of it like another one of them. And talk about judging a book by its cover huh?

Syriana is a film that depicts in a very plausible way the way really things work in the world. Who decides making wars, and why wars are actually being held. Everybody knows that, but watching it for about 2 hours being done in front of you, makes you have goosebumps.

Its initial slow plot may make you tired all too soon, but patience is a good advisor because the end of the film will compensate you. Instead of being bored try to find the tiny strings that hold the whole "theatrical play" together.

Unfortunately Syriana is not just a film. It's reality given in a film-making way. Although, actual reality is far more brutal and cruel than the one on the film.

And then we expect that Extraterrestrial Intelligence may be interested in us? Interested in what? Get serious will you...?

Keeping One's Word

2006-03-31T17:17:00.000+02:00

I sometimes wander what people are thinking when they make commitments or promises to people. Whether they intend to keep them or whether they make them simply because it suits them at that particular moment.

I was always brought up with the belief that if I gave my word to someone, I would attempt to honour it to the best of my abilities, and if I couldn’t, I would advise the person before breaking it. This belief applied to not only minor things like “doing coffee” but also to major events. Maybe its because my parents always taught me that “my word is my honour” and if I got in the habit of not keeping my word, then people would come to the conclusion that I was unreliable and untrustworthy.

Don’t get me wrong, circumstances do change which can cause one to not honour their word. But it’s not hard to turn to someone and say “hey, you know that promise I made? I won’t be able to honour it because …” and then provide the reasons. Whether the other person accepts them or not, is really irrelevant but it is the right thing to do.

Take for example a female friend of mine - Maria [not her real name]. She’ll organise a coffee session and then not meet up with her friends. This was not a single occurance, but a regular one, to the point that when she organised a coffee session, no-one bothered going. The sad thing is that on this particular occasion, she actually went, only to find no-one was there. As one would expect, she was annoyed at being let down by her friends. She rung to find out where they were, only to find a common reply “oh. you did come this time?” and “you never show so we didn’t bother as we didn’t expect you to make it”.

In Maria’s case, some serious friendship building was needed to re-establish that trust she had lost with her friends.

Another friend of mine Craig was in a similar situation with a friend of his. His mate would organise drinks after work, but would always arrive 2-3 hours late because “he met some hot chick” earlier. In the end Craig simply turned around and told him to piss off as he had better things to do, and more reliable friends to socialise with. I can sympathise with him as I am like Craig - hate waiting at pubs for friends. A simple call to say “hey, can’t make it at 5pm. Want to meet later?” would have not only given Craig the opportunity to to say “ok” or “we’ll leave it for another time as I have things to do”, but would also have kept the friendship going.

These kind of people only think about themselves, and assume that even if they don’t keep their word, their friends will always be around. It is not the case unfortunately. In both cases, if they had simply told their friends they would be late or couldn’t make it, then the damage to their friendships wouldn’t have been so bad. But both treated their friends as “stop gaps if nothing more important happened in the meantime”.

That kind of attitude is - in my opinion - one which can lead someone to have few, if any, close friends. I, like many others, have “lots of friends”, but the real close friends I can number on two hands. These are the friends that I trust, respect and value. The others are “social acquaintances” who I might catch up once in a blue moon or down the local pub, if they happen to be there.

If you happened to be a “Maria” or a “Craig” who tends to let your friends down, maybe you need to sit back and consider your actions. Friends will only put up with so much before they decide that “enough is enough”. What could have been a good solid lifetime friendship is simply ruined because of one placing their own self interest and lack of consideration of others ahead of their “word” and “honour”.

It’s never too late to try and rebuild a friendship that is dying. Reviving a dead friendship is near impossible.

James

Originally posted by James Bailey

And so very true I might add...

Totality

2006-03-29T21:20:00.001+02:00

I am proud of seeing the totality with the help of 3 fabulous persons. Dr. Timothy Young, Dr. Ronald Marsh and Tricia Johnson.

THANK YOU!
University of North Dakota

I'll see you some other time

2006-03-27T16:41:00.000+02:00

March 29 Solar Eclipse

2006-03-14T21:29:00.000+01:00

My dream since I was a kid, that never came true.
I was waiting this date for years.
The only Total Solar Eclpise close to my home, during my lifetime...
For various reasons unfortunately I will miss this unique event...

Eternal City

2006-03-09T14:16:00.000+01:00

Resting, originally uploaded by WandererGR.

Rome

I honestly don't know how to put in words the feelings I had yesterday, when I took for a tour to Rome 2 of my friends that came to visit me here in L'Aquila.

Marvelous!Glorious!Magnificent!

By the minute we went into the subway to take the first train to Saint Peter's Square, we were surrounded by hundreds of people that each of them had someting to do, somewhere to go, something to talk about, something to think about.
The diversity you meet in such big cities is astonishing. Monuments filled with young people, old people, people that take a walk, people that sit there to draw a statue or two, Roman people that just pass by to go to work.

The narrow streets from Piazza Navona to the Pantheon and Fontana di Trevi are filled with turists coming and going, groups from France, US, Cina, Japan, Portugal, Germany, Spain, Greece, Italy and many many other countries. Little souvenir shops are thriving throughout Rome with many cute little items to take back home.

Fountains... The Fountains in Rome are practically in every corner. Pigeons in a sunny day like yesterday are catching their breath and drink a sip of water there. Children are playing, frightening them from time to time, to make them fly away for a while.

It's a wonderfull city. Rome. Although I wouldn't like to live in L'Aquila, I would be able to pass some years of my life in Rome. Honestly.

I must make it a habit. I must go to Rome, to take some pictures, to read a book in Piazza del Popolo, to just talk to two or three people about anything on the streets, once a month.

I shall try.

Don't forget, I have thrown many coins in Fontana di Trevi. Therefore, I am bound to go back again and again and again...

More quotes

2006-02-27T01:42:00.000+01:00

"Who ever loved that loved not at first sight?"Christopher Marlowe

Listen to the song

Gocce di Memoria - Giorgia

Sono gocce di memoria
queste lacrime nuove
siamo anime in una storia
incancellabile

Le infinite volte che
mi verrai a cercare
nelle mie stanze vuote
inestimabile
e inafferrabile
la tua assenza che mi appartiene (che mi appartiene)

Siamo indivisibli
siamo uguali e fragili
e siamo gia cosi lontani (lontani)

Ah, ah

Con il gelo nella mente
sto correndo verso te
siamo nella stessa sorte
che tagliente ci cambiera
aspettiamo solo un segno
un destino, un'eternita
e dimmi come posso fare
per raggiungerti adesso
per raggiungerti adesso
per raggiungere te

Uh, ah, ah
Uh, ah, ah
Uh

Siamo gocce di un passato
che non puo piu tornare
questo tempo ci ha tradito
e inafferrabile

Raccontero di te
inventero per te
quello che non abbiamo

Le promesse sono infrante
come pioggia su di noi
le parole sono stanche
so che tu mi ascolterai (mi ascolterai)
aspettiamo un'altro viaggio
un destino, una verita
e dimmi come posso fare
per raggiungerti adesso
per raggiungerti adesso, mmm
per raggiungere te, yeah

Ah, ah
Ah, ah

Neuroblastoma

2006-02-21T03:10:00.000+01:00

Good deeds shouldn't be mentioned. But its a way to raise awareness to this cause.

The other day, I was checking on Samantha's page and I decided to help a bit with my own forces to the fight against Neuroblastoma. On Friday arrived the wristband with a card, a brochure about the foundation and a hand-written note. I honestly had tears in my eyes when I read it. It just said thanks but I felt like I really made a difference.

So I decided to make more. Since then, every night, before I get to bed, I write to a couple of little angels through postpals or sign their individual guestbook on their sites. I try to be there for them in this simple way. Trust me...they need it so much...

I won't say much. You can see the picture on the left. It doesn't cost much. Just some clicks and some coins from your pocket. But remember that you are helping little angels have a better life!

www.georgies-fund.com
www.postpals.co.uk

Oath

2006-02-16T20:11:00.000+01:00

I hereby do solemnly swear that I will always listen carefully and follow my own presentiments, premonitions and that I will follow my second sight as if it was my first.

The greatest thing...

2006-02-14T03:41:00.000+01:00

you'll ever learn...

is just to love...

...and be loved...in return....

Bonds

2006-02-12T14:13:00.001+01:00

Someone told me that "you can love your family, but you don't have to like them necessarily".

I can't do that... There are times that I'd wish I could though...

Health

2006-02-06T22:54:00.000+01:00

I wrote the poem because every word of it was just stuck in my mind on that moment.
Me and my premonitions....

I had a dream on Saturday... I emailed someone I hadn't talked to for ages... I got a cold response. I learned from someone else that that person had some problems... I just called. No room for embarassment.

Sometimes I hate my dreams...

Health is above all things...
I just wish for the best... I just wish...

I'll be there for you indeed...

I'll be there for you

2006-02-03T23:30:00.000+01:00

We were walking side by side.
You tripped and I gave you everything.
I tripped but you didn't help me get up...

Now you are far away.
I get nothing from you.
I expect nothing from you.
I never did.
You were cruel.
You had a great heart.
Proved to be heartless...

Try me.
I won't be like you.
I forgave you long ago.
F is just a letter.
It always was so much more to me.
Try me.

I am at your side.
Although at a distance.
I cannot wipe away half of my life.

When you'll need me,
I'll be there for you...

Haircut

2006-02-01T14:33:00.000+01:00

Yeap, I needed a haircut and I needed it badly! So, I went to the center of L'Aquila to have one. As I was walking, I realized that the last rays of the sun were hitting the snow-covered tops of the mountains around the town. It was a brilliant sight but unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me to capture it..

One of my favorite hobbies is photography, although I didn't have the chance to practice it until recently. When I reached the town I saw numerous moments that I could take a picture of.

Promise: From now on, when I go out, I will carry my camera with me. At least I'll try to.

Gr...8!!

2006-01-31T22:43:00.000+01:00

Isn't that great?

Brokeback Mountain received 8 nominations for the 78th Academy Awards! Including the most prestigious of the categories.

Best Picture
Best Director
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Cinematography
Best Score

March 5th is very very near my friends. I'll try to watch most of the nominated movies to "spy" the enemy. But I strongly believe that the triumph of BBM and Ang Lee, is assured.

Till then, stay tuned for more news about BBM and more reviews on movies. I know that I can be boring talking about the same subject so often. But movies is one of my passions. Imagine when it's combined with another one, Love..

Brokeback Mountain, Outstanding

2006-01-30T14:11:00.000+01:00

It's almost spooky how much can a movie affect the feelings of its viewers. You could say that it's the producer's effort to subject them to an unwanted succession of feelings from which they can never recover. I still cannot understand, in its creation, a love themed movie, has forced me-no wait, let me rephrase that-has led me to the point of not being able not to think about it every minute every day for a whole week.

Initially I thought that it was my often moody character. So I decided to read some reviews about this movie on the net. I can assure you that this, was the second best experience since the viewing of the film itself. It wasnt'me after all...

See what some other straight people said throughout the world.

Then with their very next nite together, despite my personal awkwardness and
hesitation in watching this gay encounter, I have now come to understand that
I just witnessed one of the most pure love scenes in cinema.

For those of you insistent that this movie is an "agenda" or that Hollywood
has a diabolical scheme to make all Americans turn gay, I highly recommend
that you please do NOT see this movie....you will hate it, and you will hate
yourself for wasting your time and money.....You simply will not "get it",
and you never will. Like a newly found buried treasure, this should only be
awarded to those fortunate few who will value it's raw power.

Nothing makes me cry - except this film

Lee makes it so that it is the SILENCES that really matter here, those moments between words when love and feelings are most completely communicated.

This is one movie that actually stays with you long after you've left the theater.

Οutstanding

As if love is being invented

You will be changed by this film.

It just felt like home.

Unexpectedly captivating.

However the phrase that gets repeated many many times is: "This movie will stay with you forever..."

Thus, I will just listen to others this time and I won't concider what I think. I will let this movie accompany me. To stand at my side as a memory. Like a sweet prelude to unfulfilled love. The "secret" in life is not having regrets. It's the only entrance to the labyrinth of happiness...

Fateless

2006-01-29T13:46:00.000+01:00

Awarded in the festival of Berlin 2005. Based on the literary masterpiece of the Hungarian, awarded with Nobel of literature 2002 for the same work, Imre Kertész.

The atmospheric photograph as well as the directional confrontation of the first timer Lajos Koltai lend in the film a particular, no absolutely violent, but simultaneously nor distinctly pure glance of concentration camps.

Distinguishable are the scenes where not with words but with the camera and the performances, the director attributes the martyrdom, the pain and the infelicity of people. Their desperate need to hang onto life with every way and every sacrifice. Risking even their life itself, no matter how oxymoron this is.

Many will simply say "another film about the same subject". Somehow I was thinking the same way when I went to watch it.. However -maybe it's to blaim the European production-it's a very particular, tender, adolescent and simultaneously so adult film. It is the glance of an adolescent that parts form his home without conscience of his religious identity, ending up to acquire an international passport. A passport with which no matter how many countries he visits, it will not be stamped or marked, because it was stamped indeliblily and deeply by the horror of the very need of survival. The very force and will for life.

Unfortunately as far as the performances of the protagonists are concerned I cannot write something because the projection of the film was dubbed and thus did not accomplish to indulge in this particular aspect of the film as long as, perhaps, it deserved. I will rectify reviewing it in its original language.

The tragedy is that ... the facts of the film are in fact a part of the History of human kind. Deplorable, abominating, instructive and I hope without possibility of repetition....

Gay fashion this year

2006-01-28T14:21:00.000+01:00

I'm sure you have noticed the different "styles" that conquer the Academy Awards each year. Awards so to speak, it all seems like a county fair where everybody gathers to give something like the Nobel prizes of cinematography...yeah right...Marketing...

In any case, every year has its main theme. Something almost picturesque. There was the year of Elisabeth and films of the middle ages, then came the aliens, then more destruction with comets and the end of the world as we know it, then afroamericans, minorities, boxing etc. Since the producers' wanton mind is quite imaginative and never runs dry, this year has got a whole new theme.

Traditionally, the presenter of the Academy Awards ceremony, is being as sarcastic and cynical as he can be, commenting on various aspects of the candidate movies. I can still recall Whoopi Goldberg, all dressed up in Elizabeth's costume, with her rococo dress and her collar and make-up, making her look paler than a Full moon, commenting on movies and making fun of them as well.

So this year's special, Gay! Brokeback Mountain, Capote, Transamerica... I wonder how, the producers of Hollywood, will find a way to be sarcastic and ironic about those kind of films? The reactions will be more than evident this time, in the case that they won't show the minimal respect and discretion that the stories deserve. Stories that the majority of people, because of their ignorance about the complexity of the matter, are already negative and critical about them.

We shall see then in the ceremony. The movies that are most probably being nominated are more than obvious even this time.

How The West Was Won Over

2006-01-27T16:33:00.000+01:00

It's a love story (sigh) between men (yikes!) and a western (yawn). So why is everybody talking about Brokeback Mountain?

By RICHARD CORLISS

In certain events that leave their mark on pop culture, there comes a flashpoint when everyone's talking about the same thing. Call it the Bennifer blitz, the Monica moment, the Janet Jackson distraction. Ground down and fed up by news that matters, Americans lock their vision on a movie-star romance, a sex scandal, a Super Bowl oops as tabloid headlines and talk-show hosts exploit and orchestrate the public's evanescent fervor.

In a more benign and constructive way, America is now experiencing the Brokeback breakthrough.

Brokeback Mountain, a western about two cowboys, Ennis (Heath Ledger) and Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal), and the convulsive, frustrating, 20-year love affair they endure, has quickly become the favorite topic of every late-night TV host. Jay Leno imagined Clint Eastwood and John Wayne as gay caballeros. Jon Stewart displayed a doctored Brokeback poster with Senators Ted Stevens and Robert Byrd. Letterman's website invited fans to submit their own "Top 10 Rejected Titles for Brokeback Mountain." (Among the winners: Oklahomo, Little Bathhouse on the Prairie and The Good, the Bad and the Fabulous!) Jack's plaintive cry to Ennis, "I wish I knew how to quit you!", is already on T shirts.

Critics' groups had heaped awards on the stars, director Ang Lee, producers Diana Ossana and James Schamus and screenwriters Ossana and Larry McMurtry. The scrolls gave way to statuettes, handed out at the Golden Globes in front of almost 19 million TV viewers. Brokeback won for Best Picture, Director and Screenplay. The film is the front runner for the Oscars. No film is even second. Brokeback has sucked all the helium out of the balloons.

The next step is to turn buzz into bucks, cachet into cash, and Brokeback has been doing just that. Opened in a mere six theaters Dec. 9, the film has expanded its screens each week, to 683 last week--still fewer than one-third of the number for Glory Road. Yet Brokeback outgrossed that movie and all others for three nights after the Golden Globes. Late last week, it had amassed $34 million--a take that could easily reach $100 million between the announcement of the Academy Award nominations (Jan. 31) and Oscar night (Mar. 5). It has now expanded to 1,190 screens, but theater owners are impatient. "They want us on 2,000 screens right away," says Schamus, sounding like the chef of a family restaurant that just got a four-star rave in a national newspaper. Schamus is double lucky. Besides producing the film, he is a co-president of the film's distributor, Focus Features, a Universal subsidiary.

The film has managed to carry the luster of its daring, as one of the rare Hollywood movies that are frank about gay sexuality, without provoking the sustained ire of social and political conservatives. Says Jack Foley, Focus' chief of distribution: "America didn't resist the film for a second." Well, maybe for a second: the other night on CNN's Larry King when conservative radio host Janet Parshall said, "What we're witnessing, Larry, is the homosexualizing of America." And there are plenty of liberal straight guys like Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who wrote a puckish Op-Ed in the New York Times, confessing, "Cowboys would have to lasso me, drag me into the theater and tie me to the seat" for him to see it. But most of those who disapprove of Brokeback--or think they would if they saw it--have curbed their outrage. They believe it's a serious, sensitive movie.

All that for a gay western art film--a triple whammy of unfashionable genres. Brokeback is slow and studied. Jack and Ennis, who come together on the range one cold night in 1963, are neither heroes nor villains--and never masters of their fates. They cannot articulate to each other or themselves the love and need they feel. They express their passion as often through roughhousing as with caresses and incursions. "I ain't queer," Ennis insists, and he weds the doelike Alma (Michelle Williams). "Me neither," Jack affirms, and he marries a take-charge Texas gal, Lureen (Anne Hathaway). But during the '60s and '70s, the men keep their furtive rendezvous, betraying their wives and kids. The movie doesn't judge any of that. It observes, compassionately, and that's the secret of its hold on audiences of all social and political persuasions. The movie is heartbreaking because it shows the hearts of two strong men--and their women--in the long process of breaking.

The process of making a movie of Brokeback was long as well. McMurtry and Ossana bought the rights to Annie Proulx's 11-page story soon after it appeared in the New Yorker in 1997 and have nursed it ever since. But for years it seemed one of those Hollywood dreams doomed to eternal turnaround. Directors Gus Van Sant and Joel Schumacher were attached to it, then cut loose. Finally Lee shook off his grief over his first Hollywood epic, the massive, leaden Hulk, and signed on. The Brokeback story is set in Wyoming and Texas, but it was shot, reportedly for a thrifty $14 million or so, in Alberta. Lee and Schamus submitted the film to the Cannes festival--where their martial-arts collaboration, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, began its stellar career--but were rejected. Not until the fests at Venice (where it won the Golden Lion for best film), Toronto and Telluride, Colo., did the Brokeback team get its first sniff of roses.

Focus had a marketing strategy that may be called a modified limited rollout. It released the film at a pace as measured as Lee's direction. The studio purposefully sent the movie first to urban cinemas, but not necessarily the gay neighborhoods, and relied on word of mouth. But it also spent big, more than the movie cost to make, on marketing, especially to women. It figured the men would go along if they "do not want to look like a complete troglodyte to [their] girlfriends," says Schamus.

The Focus folks didn't conceal the subject matter (as, for instance, Miramax did with The Crying Game). "We never tried to hide what it was, so we never had to play defense," says Schamus. Still, in some cities the ads showed the married couples rather than the two men, implying that the sexual action is mostly hetero. Not everyone is fooled. "Some straight friends said they want to see it, but it's not the type of movie you can go see with the guys," said G.P. Theriot, 31, after seeing the film with his girlfriend in Dallas. "And you can't go alone because people will think you're weird."

And, of course, the movie's stars are all hetero. "No one paying attention will fail to know that Heath Ledger just had a child by the woman who plays his wife," says Larry Gross, director of the U.S.C. Annenberg School for Communication, "and that Jake has been dating Kirsten Dunst." But then, every macho Hollywood star is straight--or must pretend to be. "The film says it's terrible that you couldn't be openly gay as a sheepherder in Montana in the '60s, but you can't be openly gay as a successful young actor in Hollywood in 2006," says Gross. "When an A-list romantic action lead comes out, that will be a Jackie Robinson moment."

So how much of a cultural shift does Brokeback represent? "This is the first sort of red-state gay movie," says producer Craig Zadan, who won a Best Picture Oscar for Chicago three years ago. "It's a movie with macho, masculine, acting-straight guys on horses, and it turns out to be a gay love story."

Schamus disputes that a chasm exists between big cities and God's country. "This whole red-state-- blue-state thing is absurd," he says. "The film has performed amazingly in Little Rock, Birmingham and Fort Worth, Texas. The fact is, Americans are Americans. There may be places where their politics in the aggregate tilt one way or the other, but do you cross a state boundary and turn into some other kind of animal? No. Americans talk to each other. Americans are listening to each other. And Brokeback is proving it."

Add it all up: Shock value. Curiosity value. Armfuls of awards. A lovely lead performance or two. A film that makes you think, lets you cry. It's no wonder Brokeback broke through.

With reporting by Adam Pitluk/ Dallas, Reported by Amy Lennard Goehner/ New York, Desa Philadelphia/ Los Angeles

I give it to you, just as I read it. Just spend some time reading it. It does worth the effort.

Climb every mountain

2006-01-27T14:38:00.000+01:00

Did time stop at Brokeback? Why, I don't know. I just don't feel like writing about anything else right now. I don't know why. You just have to tolerate that I guess. I'm listening again and again to the soundtrack. I just can't hold back my tears even to the listening to "No one's gonna love you like me", or to "A love that will never grow old".

There is one certainty about all this though. This movie made a tremendous impression to many people I've talked to in the last few days. The strange thing about this film is that you don't actually cry when you first see it. The tears come later. Back at home. In the warmth of your own house. A house that you thought that makes you happy, but actually, being there, all alone, cannot fill the bill after all.

A thought crossed my mind. A thought of transforming this blog to a Brokeback-dedicated-to one. Eventually this obsession of mine will pass. As they did many others. What it's left of them is a sweet memory of things. I'm not expecting impatiently the Academy Awards to prove the value of this film in my heart. If I could hug Ennis or Jack, the characters not the actors, just a friendly hug, I would...

Depicting Love

2006-01-24T00:00:00.000+01:00

Since I hate taboos, I will just cut to the chase and talk openly and in the way I feel about Brokeback Mountain.

I just finished watching it. Apart from the photography, the direction and the performances of the film, which by the way as a triplet were astonishing, I think that love stories like this one, have been a rarity in the big screen for a long time.

I don't mean the 2 cowboys. I mean the actual intensity of the feeling. The need of contact. The trueness of the devotion. They emptiness that ruled both of their lives while away from each other. How awful was the remote thought that everything could end. That even these drops of happiness that they had together could vanish into oblivion.

Oblivion? No they couldn't forget... People could talk about them. They could whisper and say things.. But they had Brokeback, standing there, forever, to remind them that what they lived together was true. That was there. That was alive throughout the years. Even if their lives took different paths. Paths at times shorter than others...
Call me whatever you want.. I don't actually care. In any case, nobody comments on what I'm writing here. I believe with all my heart, with all my strength, with my entire existence, that this kind of love, of...LOVE, exists... I don't know whether I may find it one day or not.. I must be a damned lucky son of a gun if I do...
They were...

Through my adolescence, I used to dream of a kind of Love that I couldn't express with words. I dreamt friendship in that kind of love. A kind of friendship that overrides all others. A kind of friendship that binds 2 people together and brings them to a level of relationship where each one completes another....Well what the heck...Just watch the film and you'll know what I mean by LOVE. I could never express it in words, but at last I could watch it being depicted by a most wonderful film...

New Birth

2006-01-23T11:46:00.000+01:00

Hey! A baby girl was born today, a couple of hours ago actually, while I was in the Hospital, visiting the gynecological clinic. She is the most teeny-weeny, microscopic, yet so complete thing I've ever seen in my entire life! She was moving her hands and making weird faces. Her eyes were moving even though she can't really see right now. I can't describe actually what I saw. She was just perfect!!!

Sleep With the Angels

2006-01-23T00:01:00.000+01:00

What a beautiful night wish in Portuguese...

Dorme com os Anjos...

Lack of answers...

2006-01-21T12:33:00.000+01:00

I was talking to a friend of mine yesterday, we were asking things to each other. At some point he asked me a simple most common question. "What do you like most in your life?"

I remained speechless... I should be able to answer that kind of question promptly. But I didn't. I remained there, thinking about what I like in my life. Of course I didn't look for simple things like going out or watching a film etc.

What I came up with was traveling, walking in the beach in the sunset, even driving while listening to some music. Ok, all these things have their fascination but, I couldn't find anything in my everyday life that I like... Isn't that sad? Isn't that unsettling? Well I don't know.

It was a quite puzzling question to me... And the point that, what set me thinking was not the answer itself. It was the actual lack of answers...

Earthly take-off

2006-01-18T22:55:00.000+01:00

When was the last time that you "wasted" a couple of minutes, moments, even seconds of your busy and workaholic life to look up to the sky? To just take a look at the random shapes and forms of the clouds?

I remember that, as a child, I often spent a large portion of my play time, just gazing at the sky. Trying to spot an airplane crossing a couple of clouds, even making an effort if I were in a silent place, to catch with my hearing the almost imperceptible sound of its engines.

Other times, I would just stare at the clouds trying to spot known figures out of their shapes. A circle, a triangle, or even more complex ones, like a face or an animal. A kid's wanton imagination
can weave many games and see many figures out of the simplest things.

Maybe all that sky gazing, gave birth to my love to astronomy. I forgot to mention that I didn't only stare at the sky on day time, but there were summers that I used to sleep out on the balcony, waiting for the moon to appear, or a meteor shower that was on schedule to happen late at night.

The point is, that we leave out of our life and forget things that were breathtaking when we were younger. And the reason is... well the reason is that we don't have time to spend for ourselves. I'm sure some may find cloud-hunting a silly and childish game, with no practical reason of even existing. But I'm sure as well, that many have a child lurking inside. A little kid that sometimes needs its time to "play" and become once again the kid we used to know. The kid we grew up with and never actually grew up. Ourselves...

Brokeback Mountain

2006-01-17T17:18:00.000+01:00

Since the 50's, many things have changed in the movie industry. Prejudices and taboos have been overcome and defeated little by little. The movies have taken baby steps almost by the decade.

At the 50's imagine that every bathroom didn't have a toilet seat. It just had a bath tub and a sink and ththhhh.. That's all folks. Depicting every day life in the big screen, or better, every aspect of it, good or bad, right or faulty, wasn't the main intention of film making. For those who have watched Pleasantville, I invite them to recall the relationship of ma' and pa', even their separate beds.

Since then, gradually every aspect of life was introduced in the films. Family problems, sexual problems, rapes, mental health problems with a far more better approach than before and as time went by many other subjects were added that were considered a taboo in the past.

I mean, who could imagine that a film like Brokeback Mountain could win 4 Golden Globes, considering its "strange" and for the sake of censorship, "forbidden" story.

But hey, the world goes on, each and everyone of us goes on. And films like Brokeback Mountain, even if I didn't watch it yet, are a vaulting horse for us to meet and get acquainted with a so called "another orientation". Yet that "other" orientation can also have and feel the serious and precious values of love and devotion too. Just because love is a feeling; everybody is capable of having it; it doesn't depend on the sex of the parts who live it; and a feeling has many aspects and many ramifications.

Wanna play fetch!?

2006-01-16T22:26:00.000+01:00

Wanna play fetch?!? Huuuh? HUH?! Do you wanna!? Please say you wanna play fetch!?! You really wanna play fetch!?! Huh??! HUH?!?!

With Honors

2006-01-15T12:45:00.000+01:00

A "shirt" that has marked my last 9 months..and still goes on..

Lucky

2006-01-12T00:07:00.000+01:00

Thus, the Christmas season is over..

As I was coming back to Italy, in the train that took me from the airport in Rome to the bus station, up came and sat in front of me a young kid, about 10 years old.
Soon it was followed by his father. At the beginning the kid kicked me, by accident. I didn't say anything.

As soon as the father sat in front of me too, he made a gesture towards me like saying "wait". I didn't get it right away. I saw him writing something on his cellular phone. He then turned it towards me. I read: "Termini" and then I realized that he was deaf-mute. I was taken aback and tried to explain that this train was going to another station. He then wrote again, "Tiburtina", I nodded yes and somehow I managed to explain that he had to take there another train.

Everything went ok, and we passed 6-7 stations. The 8th was Tiburtina. At the meantime he began signing with his child and I realized that the boy was deaf-mute too.
I finally wrote on my cell that he had to take the underground from Tiburtina to go to Termini. We all got off the train at Tiburtina he nodded "thank you" to me and we separated.
As they went away, father and son, in the crowded station, in all that fuss and noise, I began to think that it is amazing how they live in a world that everything has sounds, noises and yet they are in their own world, a world within the rest of the world, with no sounds, no noises, no whistles.

Somehow then I realized another thing, while thinking how lucky I am in my life. How privileged I am in many sectors..

I have some friends that are worth being called like that. Friends with a capital F. Friends that stand me, stand by me, that support me, that can tolerate me, my weird feelings, my weird moods, my shouting, my demands, that love me for what I am and for the person that I am. These friends know my worst behaviors, my worst nightmares, my worst feelings and yet are still there for me, in good or in bad.. During Xmas and especially the last days, I was in a state of panic to find someone I 'm in love with. A person that I don't know even how it's called. I can't explain in words the amount of support I had from my friends...I wish one day, I can give back even the slightest bit of what I got from them until now..

Isn't that luck..?

Καρό

2006-01-07T04:28:00.000+01:00

This post will be in Greek.

Μετά από 9 μήνες αναζήτησης, μετά από καρδιοχτύπια και αγωνίες, έκανα την πρώτη κίνηση...
Δεν ξέρω τι θα ξημερώσει, δεν ξέρω αν θα ξαναειδωθούμε πριν φύγω για Ιταλία, αλλά πλέον, ξέρει.... Ξέρει..........

Ithaka

2006-01-04T12:37:00.000+01:00

As you set out for Ithaka
Hope your road is a long one,
Full of adventure, full of discovery.

K.P.Kavafis

I will find the One. The most perfect! The most suitable!
YES! I will! I just have to be patient!

Opening Line of 2006

2006-01-01T18:15:00.000+01:00

In the Dusk of 2005...

Fall in Love!

Be Strong!
Be Independent!
Be Romantic!
Be Realistic!
Be Happy!
Be Selective!
Be Susceptible!
Be Decisive
Be Open!
Be Beautiful!
Be Crazy!
Be Reasonable!
Just...

Fall in Love!

Closing line of 2005

2005-12-30T01:29:00.000+01:00

Carpe Diem, Quam Minimum Credula Postero

more current than ever...

Remedy

2005-12-27T11:28:00.000+01:00

Ok, It was Christmas Eve.. Everyone was going out and as it seemed I would stay in.. Since I arrived I didn't go to any club or stay up late at night.. Moreover, I was about to stay in even that night..

In addition to that, some other thoughts that crossed my mind, that cross every single man's mind in these days actualy, loneliness, not finding one's other half, not having the chance to find it by staying in, I "collapsed". I won't mention the reasons I almost stayed in because it was quite a mix up at the bottom line..

Anyway, lucky as I usualy am with these things, another friend was going out, not to a club or anything but at that point, I just wanted to see some people around me rather than stay inside and cuddle with my pc for yet another time. Luck does not follow me in the sentimental section of my turbulent life though...

As a conclusion, I had a great time on Christmas Night, we went to a place with music and all where it was pretty nice but it was rather cold in there so I didn't enjoy myself as much as I would like. Then we went to a club where I danced and danced and had lots of fun. This Thursday on that place there will be an 80s party, so we said, my friends and I that we will go.

Did I mention that it's raining?

Another Xmas ruined...

2005-12-24T22:21:00.000+01:00

Just that..
I came in Greece to have fun, to forget about everything.. I'm not having fun...
I can't write anything else right now...
It sucks...

Landed

2005-12-22T06:17:00.000+01:00

I have arrived alive and kicking... Needless to say that everything looked great!... Just wonderful! Above is a sample of my mother's decoration. I didn't make many fotos because I was very tired. I just took a sample picture to make you want for more :o)

After I arrived, by the way the trip was ok and I found on the way many friends coming back home as well, my father, my brother and I went to the shops for a quick look. I didn't find anything that I liked realy. I 'll just keep looking starting today.

Although I was extremely tired and went to bed at about 10, I woke up at 6! Which is very odd for me. In the last few days I don't sleep very well.. It must have been the waiting for the trip I guess.

Leaving on a jet plane...

2005-12-19T09:21:00.000+01:00

As I told you the other day, I'm leaving on Wednesday for the holidays. I'm going back to Greece. Since I'm going to have as much fun as I can, I'm not sure that I will be able to keep you up to date with what I do or what I'm thinking of. I'll try to but no promises :o)

I think I'll post the night before I leave, because usualy I can't sleep the night before the flight. I'm not afraid of flying or anything. It's just the anxiety and the stress of the trip that keep me awake. I'll try to post from the airport but more than likely I won't make it.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a joyfull, happy but most of all healthy New Year!

Red spot

2005-12-18T01:09:00.000+01:00

It's snowing!!!

2005-12-17T21:58:00.000+01:00

Today it's my brother's birthday and my father's just 2 days ahead. My brother's birthday always was the day that the family entered officialy into the Christmas season.

Today my dear brother went to Alexandroupoli. He studies in Thessaloniki but he returned a bit early this year. I just called him this evening. After a quick nap, I realy don't know why I'm sleeping so much the last days, I woke up and remembered that we were going to go out to celebrate the birthday of a friend. She actually turns -- on Tuesday but due to some other things we all have to do on Tuesday, like getting ready for the trip :P she decided to celebrate it today.

Thus, on my brother's birthday, it began snowing! The celebration was cancelled but honestly, I got closer to Christmas, so I didn't care as much. I was all down and moody today. Again.. The F word just couldn't leave me be. But now, although again I remember how much the F person was fond of snow, litteraly like a 6-year old child, I'm all better.

Photo's are coming, so come back soon :)

Phrase of the Day

2005-12-16T14:13:00.000+01:00

In life, those who lose the roof, gain in exchange.. the stars!

What does F stand for?

2005-12-16T11:25:00.000+01:00

I would like to refer to a person that marked my life more than anyone I guess.. The world is very small.. Even the world of blogs..

I came up to this person's blog yesterday and as much as I hate to admit it, as a consequence I had a quite troubled night's sleep. I saw some photos that were taken when we still talked to each other.. They reminded me of things,of moments that we shared, of beautiful feelings, endless midnight conversations about everyone and everything though not alone, but that is another story that I shall come to later on.. I was also reminded, inevitably of the bad moments that preceded our so called "breaking up". Some should think of the reasons as pointless. I don't care. I thought and up to this day think that had a point. Even though that person didn't think so. Unfortunately, although your life may be connected to another's, no matter the years you passed together, at some point, people change.

Remember? Change? Oh I'm becoming so boring...

The whole fact brought changes in my life also. In the majority positive changes. Both physical and mental. Resolving this painful situation, at least for myself, even with the worst of ways but believe me, there wasn't any other way that I hadn't tried, brought some balance in my life. The balance that I needed to go on.

I change too. Everybody does. But some things, at least seen from my perspective, never change, no matter the pressure you receive, no matter the things you have to do. If you want to keep the bonds you have with other people, you TRY. You don't just wait and see. You don't just stay motionless. Time is fearsome.. And doesn't forgive nor forget things.. People get hurt when you forget them.. Do you hear that? People get hurt!! Their soul bleeds! It bleeds do you hear?!

The "JPG" image of above has a letter pictured. The letter F. F stands for many things. A flower, a field, a forest, a fire that devastates everything, the flower, the field, the forest or that leads to expurgation.. But this one, stands for one word alone..

Friendship...

Christmas in L'Aquila

2005-12-15T17:51:00.000+01:00

Finaly just one week and a half before Christmas, though as a friend would say, the later the better, the mayor, the town, I don't know who, but at least somebody made up their mind and put on some lights to remind citizens that it's Christmas actually...

Reminder : On Wednesday ... I'm leaving...on a jet plane...!!!

Wonder of wonders

2005-12-14T11:13:00.000+01:00

I found this photo of the famous Norwegian Geiranger Fjord on a site dedicated to photography. It was shot by a guy that went there.

How many of you can recall watching the Lord of the Rings? I was more than convinced that landscapes like those did not exist on the face of the earth. But nature time and again contradicts me. With its greatness, its imagination, its splendor. Just take a look at the boat. How small it seems to be, yet it is well above 40 meters long... Getting the analogies? Those steep mountains that submerge into the water, like walls, like a fortress ditch. A fortress placed above all... Overlooking all creation...

Let us not forget that it is the country of the Vikings, of God Thor and his hammer Mjølner and the Valkyries that when you died in battle escorted you to Valhalla. There, you could fight in battle during the day and in the night, feast and talk about your achievements in battle No wonder there was such greatness in their mythology... This type of scenery would trigger the minds of everyone making up stories about battles of gods, giants and humans.

How long till Christmas?

2005-12-11T23:16:00.000+01:00

Thus, it is Christmas after all. In one week and a half, I'll be returning for the holidays in Greece. I am practically counting the days.

This evening I went to the new mall that opened in the town and then for a coffee where there was this tree... It wasn't so great, but it made me think about Christmas at home. My father starting the fire in the fireplace. My mother baking apple-pie. Blinking lights on the trees in the yard. Even blistering cold that makes you wanna cuddle under the blankets sometimes.

This year my mother, the interior designer of the house, decided not to make a Christmas tree but to simply put decorations in the house, all over the place. I don't know the final result of it yet but I'm sure that she will do a great job for yet another time. Maybe I'll post some pictures.

Christmas time... My friends asked me yesterday what to do on Christmas night. I know that on Christmas Eve I'm going to be with my family. Maybe later on I'll go out for a drink or something. But on Christmas Night we are going to do something special. I just left the decision on them. Whatever we do, wherever we go, I'll have a nice time. The important thing is to be with the ones you love. Not what you do or where you go or even what you drink.

What I would like for Christmas? Apart from material goods? Health above all. And then, love. I wish to be with the ones I love and love me. I wish you'll be with the ones you love and love you. I don't want anyone to be alone this Christmas. At least on Christmas... I have tasted loneliness... And trust me, even though you'll never meet me, it merely sucks.

Material ... Boy

2005-12-10T17:34:00.000+01:00

Should I keep my money just in the remote case that I would travel back and forth those 700km? Even if in 2 days there was not even a sign of the "one" I have feelings about? Or should I just buy the foto camera I wanted?

Well.. I just bought the damn thing! And my mood is launched up high... Be realistic.. BE reasonable!!!

Random thoughts

2005-12-09T11:25:00.000+01:00

Trust... Can I trust? Or is it simply being in love that makes me blind? Makes me see want I'd like to see? Do I call that trust?

I agree that there is trust in human relationships. Family trust, friendly trust, even lovers' trust. But at least for the last, you can't be sure. (Oxymoron?) Isn't trust all about not being sure but just ... well, trust..?

I'm not making any sense, I know that. But when the one you're in love with, tells you suddenly that my ex just tried to kill himself, that I'm on pressure, don't press me more, that loves you but can't leave someone to die, what do you deduct from all this? And I need to remind you that you are 700km apart... You can't actually "control" what is going on. You just have to ... trust ... But can you? For how long?

I don't know for how long. I don't know if I can. I don't know if my ego and my weakness makes me believe that I can go on ... I don't know anything right now. The only thing I do know is that I need to love. I need to share this cup full of love that I keep in my heart... I just have to LEARN once and for all to do it with the one that deserves it... Who? Is there someone? Anyone? ...

Vertigo is not the fear of falling, it's the will to fly...

In Love vs Love

2005-12-08T14:41:00.000+01:00

I have written a whole article about this.. but I decided not to publish it after all.. Because you can't confront 2 completely different feelings, connected in some ways, but still, distinctly different.. I will just leave Life make its own turns and paint its own pictures on what I'm living right now..

Does it worth the risk? Actually you never know, until the end.. Provided that it ends..

Scream!

2005-12-07T11:54:00.000+01:00

Sometimes, it's better to scream, with all your forces, than remaining silent...

PS: It snowed last night. I woke up today, looked through the window and saw a strange landscape. Both grass and snow could be seen. Among the trees of the yard I could see the hill behind the house, covered with patches of snow, mostly like baby powder spread all over it. I can't even immagine the cold outside. In Greek there is a word about someone who likes to stay at home constantly. "Spitogatos" meaning, a cat that likes to stay home. I guess I'm like that in winter time...

El Mar

2005-12-05T00:12:00.000+01:00

¿Sabes por qué el mar es tan grande?
¿Tan inmenso?
¿Tan poderoso ?
Porque tuvo la humildad de ponerse
algunos centímetros abajo de todos
los ríos. Sabiendo recibir, se volvió
grande. Si quisiera ser el primero, muchos
centímetros encima de todos los ríos, no
sería mar, sino isla.
Toda su agua iría para los otros y estaría
aislado. La pérdida forma parte de la vida.
La caída forma parte de la vida.
La muerte forma parte de la vida.
Necesitamos aprender a perder, a caer,
a equivocarnos y a morir.
Imposible ganar sin saber perder. Imposible
andar sin saber caer. Imposible acertar sin
equivocarse. Imposible vivir sin saber vivir.

Act : Life repeats itself , Scene: Changes

2005-12-04T16:57:00.000+01:00

More now than ever..changes rule my life and not only mine..

I don't know what is happening.. This weekend is weird. Even treacherous in some ways.. People that I know mix up.. People that I just met show their real faces.. I constantly come back to my previous points.. Diversities.. Changes.. I guess because this is a blog.. a log.. a record of my thoughts.. and my thoughts originate from life itself. Thus, life is all about changes, about variety in people,in feelings and in situations on the whole.

In my life my struggle, what I'm striving for is to combat the everlasting notion of selfishness. The thing that forced man to exile from the Garden of Eden. The defect that has lead to the birth of many wars throughout history. But I also cherish the ideal of friendship more than anything in the world.

So although some of these modifications may affect my convenience, my being snug, I'm determined to sacrifice my leisure in the shrine of friendship and brotherhood.

Diversity

2005-12-03T14:52:00.000+01:00

I'm very attracted and fond of people that are different than the ones I am used to associate with.

People with fixations on their minds about things. People that can't go to the gym cos they can't look all those snobbish gym-freaks that use the mirrors as a narcicistic fetish. People that are trying to prove to themselves that are not promiscuous. And they realy aren't. They are just not strong enough to overcome their weaknesses. Aren't we all? People that are fixed about e certain singer, about e certain matter that could concern, minorities or foreign languages or christmas spirit. Or even not liking Christmas for a certain reason. People that are moody not because they are spleeny. I love those people. I respect them. I can fall in love with them.

Yearning..

2005-12-03T13:26:00.000+01:00

Crystal

Find a guy who calls you beautiful instead of hot, who calls you back when you hang up on him, who will stay awake just to watch you sleep. Wait for the guy who kisses your forehead, who wants to show you off To the world when you are in your sweats, who holds your hand in front of his friends, Wait for the one who is constantly reminding you of how much he cares about you and how lucky he is to have you. Wait for the one who turns to his friends and says, "...that's her." Renee's Quote

Naive...

2005-12-02T20:36:00.000+01:00

We shouldn't expect gratitude from anyone.. Strangers, friends, family, people we talk to over the net.. As a matter of fact, gratitude is something that was given to mankind, in order to forget all about it when time calls..

PREFACE: I declare that I'm just stating my feelings about this, and I'm not trying to praise or to disapprove myself about my point of view.

I'm just a person that needs to give. A person that is happy, when people around me are happy too. Call it egoism, it may be the young age which makes everything seem to be feasible, I just can't accept the fact that some situations are just helpless. I can't accept that someone, has a problem, and doesn't want to talk about it, just because "I'll be ok tomorrow", while on the same time is feeling miserable and unhappy.

Talking about problems, sharing, taking it out of our chests, saying it out loud, helps.. Makes us realize how tragic we sound about matters, or if it realy is something serious and overwhelming, it just helps us go through it. Overcome our fears by just admitting them.

When I'm willing to listen to you, your thoughts, enter your world, even intrude sometimes, in order to make you feel better, just to be a shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold to, simply let yourself go.. Don't be introvert at that point.. Everyone has the thirst to find someone to be a friend with.. Someone that can trust with their inner fears, their most intimate thoughts.. It's not my approach on people that scares them away.. It's their own fears of revealing how fragile they are to someone.. Their pride..

But how easily can we trust somebody? Anyone? Why am I so naive as to trust so easily people? I'm not stupid, but according to their sensitivities, our conversations, I think I can understand who is to trust and who's not.. And most of all, why do I expect for ANYONE to be like me? To trust and confide in me their secrets? Their problems?

Gratitude... A significant word... A word that isn't appropriate for what I am trying to say here... I don't expect gratitude from anyone... Simply because I don't think I am a missionary, or a saint, or a great benefactor. I'm just me... Solitary, romantic, silly, friendly, helpfull, me...

I just wish some people would think the same way as I do... It's a pity... I realy want to help you know.. 2 people thinking, are better than one.. Another point of view, is always helpfull to realize whether we are right or wrong at some point...

Am I so naive after all?

Mi Fido di Te
Lorenzo Jovanotti

Case di pane, riunioni di rane
vecchie che ballano nelle chadillac
muscoli d'oro, corone d'alloro
canzoni d'amore per bimbi col frack
musica seria, luce che varia
pioggia che cade, vita che scorre
cani randagi, cammelli e re magi

RIT:
forse fa male eppure mi va
di stare collegato
di vivere di un fiato
di stendermi sopra al burrone
di guardare giù
la vertigine non è
paura di cadere
ma voglia di volare

mi fido di te {x4}
io mi fido di te
ehi mi fido di te
cosa sei disposto a perdere

Lampi di luce, al collo una croce
la dea dell'amore si muove nei jeans
culi e catene, assassini per bene
la radio si accende su un pezzo funky
teste fasciate, ferite curate
l'affitto del sole si paga in anticipo prego
arcobaleno, più per meno meno

RIT

mi fido di te {x3}
cosa sei disposto a perdere
mi fido di te {x2}
io mi fido di te
cosa sei disposto a perdere

rabbia stupore la parte l'attore
dottore che sintomi ha la felicità
evoluzione il cielo in prigione
questa non è un'esercitazione
forza e coraggio
la sete il miraggio
la luna nell'altra metà
lupi in agguato il peggio è passato

RIT

mi fido di te {x3}
cosa sei disposto a perdere
eh mi fido di te
mi fido di te {x3}
cosa sei disposto a perdere

Repainting Life, Friendships, Relationships...

2005-12-01T01:53:00.000+01:00

Changes... Changes in life... Changes in people's behaviour... Changes in something that you thought it would remain in its form forever... A friendship, a relationship, a house, a neighborhood, a job...

Why is it so difficult for one to accept those modifications? Why are people so attached to things, places, situations? Are we unable to confront with the alteration of our own personal universe? Why even when we meet a person in our course of life we think that it will always be there, just as we met him?

Is it our denial of the new? The unknown? The unheard-of? Are we sitting comfortable in our couch leading quietly our lives? What happened to risk, adventure, and in case of relationships, overcoming obstacles in order to maintain a functional relationship regardless of the emerging difficulties? On the other hand, it may concern even our fear of ourselves. We dread the fact that we may not arise to the occasion of shifting from a situation that kept going for a long, or short - it doesn't matter as long as it was functional - time. We are not confident that the other one will keep his promises, his word of 'staying in touch, like nothing ever changed'.

However, change, is what it's all about. Fresh stimuli, new commitments in every day life, combined frequently with a new working or living environment, will slowly, but inevitably draw away that person and eventually convert it to a long and distant memory...

Unless...

Well, unless honesty, pride and true bonds exist... And that is a rarity nowadays. Relationships, either friendly or erotic, are becoming uninterruptedly superficial... Haven't you found yourself wondering about who's your real friend? Is this person I sleep with, my real love? My other half that would do anything for me?

No, it's not vanity, nor egoism. It's our need to be loved and love back in return. It's our congenital urge of company. Man is not a solitary being. And it might sound utopic or unrealistic saying that, everyone deep inside, after finding the right person, never looses contact, no matter how many changes occur, there will always be a way to feel together, to be together. Companionship. As long as everyone involved has the same passion and determination...And believe me when I'm telling you this, only time can reveal the actual results of that.. So don't be anxious, don't force things to happen. Patience pays extremely well in these situations.

Seed and then simply wait, to crop...

Blessed art thou who hast found true friendship, let alone, true love.

AIDS Combat Zone: World AIDS Day 2005

2005-12-01T00:00:00.000+01:00

AIDS Combat Zone: World AIDS Day 2005

What Dreams may come...

2005-11-29T14:45:00.000+01:00

Dreams..Premonitions..A world of mystery for some, of silliness for others..

Did you ever wake up one day, and just feel like you had a bag of rocks in your stomach? Did you have an unexplained inquietude? Or on the other hand, did you ever feel an inexplicable happiness? A joy that was coming out of nowhere? Ever had a dream that came true? Well if you had, then you should know that you've had a kind of premonition. Believe it or not. Yes! You did!

I'm usually down-to-earth. I believe only what I can control that exists. Well, with an exception of my religious beliefs.

However in those kinds of situations, where supernatural mingles with natural, I am just standing amazed and in awe. It may be the kind of awe that prehistoric man felt when he watched a bolt of lightening striking a pine tree. What is still unexplained, always staggers peoples minds. Yet it just may be indeed something supernatural. A 'message from another world'. Besides, theories about alternate and parallel universes are out for years now.. And in my humble opinion it's not just science fiction.

I know, some of you will say, dreams coming true isn't more than a deja vu, which is now explained scientifically. But is it? Are you 100% able to demonstrate to someone that swears he had a dream of something happening, and it really happened after all? I don't know..

Usualy the scientific way of thinking is based on one simple principle.. Ockham's Razor.. Pluralitas non est ponenda sine necessitate or Given two equally predictive theories, choose the simpler.

Does it work like this after all?

Goodbye Mr. Miyagi

2005-11-28T14:12:00.000+01:00

Pat Morita. I'm sure that this name won't ring any bells. But I'm confident you all know Mr. Miyagi, the character that established Pat Morita in our minds as the wise, affectionate and even ironic karate teacher.
I remember sitting on the sofa, my brother and I and watching over and over again 'Karate Kid' 1,2,3,4.. It doesn't matter. Mr. Miyagi will always be a great company, will always be a great actor, not only because he was nominated for an Academy Award as an actor in a supporting role, but simply because he was so characteristic and special figure in the world of cinema.

I just felt like saying..
Goodbye Mr. Miyagi - san

Where is the Fiddle and where is the Roof?

2005-11-28T05:31:00.000+01:00

Many things have changed since 59 in Greece. Traditions have been modernized(oxymoron?) quite a bit.Nowadays only in little towns or isolated villages traditions are maintained almost unchanged.

Traditions..What is right and what is wrong? What should be left just as it is and what should change dramatically in order for the society to move its gears?

As I wrote to another blog recently, Man in Greek is called 'Anthropos'.Which derives from 'Ano Throsko', meaning, looking always up,ahead.That's what we are supposed to do.That's what we need to do..

What would man have become if traditions ruled our life? If curiosity and risk wasn't in our blood? Because, let's admit it, curiosity, apart from killing the cat, also was the main engine power of mental evolution ever since Homo Neaderthalensis ''grew up'' to be Homo Sapiens.
Now in the era of Homo Digitalis more than ever, thrives the need of curiosity...It's not just the urge of finding the cure for Cancer.It's the curiosity to unravel how our organism is designed that will lead us to our goal.

And fortunately, or not, man is an animal that is never contented with what he possesses. There will always be another goal to achieve. Another ''something'' that will make our lives more tranquill to live and more pleasant. After all..Don't we all seek tranquility in life at some point? And tranquility is interpreted differently in every individual. Let's just say that we seek our own and personal tranquility and happiness..

Genesis...

2005-11-28T04:32:00.000+01:00

1 Εν αρχή εποίησεν ο Θεός τον ουρανόν και την γην.
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Hello my friends.
This is my personal blog about,well, just life...About you, about me, about us in general.
People meeting people, people having problems, people being happy, people being miserable, just people.

In the last 2 weeks a phrase is printed on my mind continuously,which goes : 'Mourn the loses because they are plenty, celebrate the victories because they are rare..
Isn't it so? You may find it difficult sometimes to externalize your feelings. Not because you are ashamed of what people are going to say. But because you are being too rigid and hard to yourself. Because you are under pressure. Because your pride doesn't leave you to taste the tiny moments of life that, put together, they give you happiness, in good or in bad..

See you soon...

PS: I have decided to keep this blog in English, even though I am Greek, even though I study in Italy, just because of a special person that, right now (cos in the future who knows..) doesn't understand Greek or Italian perfectly (i repeat!) yet!!