Old Kid On The Blogs

My God! It's been three months since my last blog.
Gone are the days I used to come in here every day and report my news to you.
I barely have the time to surf, let alone blog. When I finish work and come home (bloody freezing in London at the mo) all I want to do is relax and sleep. I don't watch TV, there are days I don't even switch it on. Instead, I watch Greek movies or series on the net, I read a lot, I work a little bit from home and that's it.

I went to Prague with a good friend in November and had a fantastic time. The city is gorgeous and we were very lucky to see the sunset on the Charles Bridge, a breathtaking spectacle.


It was very cold and on our last day it snowed. Fab! We had a lot of laughs about the service, which is minimal, good food and lots of shopping, as everything is ridiculously cheap...

After returning from Prague and for the next month or so until now, life at work was crazy: phones did not stop ringing, we were getting 10 emails per hour, 50 voicemails per day and endless queues of customers. Non-stop from the minute the store would open, till well after we closed. That's why I could not even think of blogging when I got home. I haven't been on your blogs for ages, only to Rachel's, but without leaving comments. But I have been thinking of you. I reminiscent the good old days when we had the ITA shows and we used to chat online-I do miss that very much.

My plans for Christmas are same as every year: lunch at my best friend's in-laws and recovery the next two days!
Honestly, I have no news to report.

My best wishes for a Bright Christmas and a Fantastic New Year to all of you!

Will visit you very soon.

Lots of kisses.
xoxoxo
M

Boo!

Oui, c'est moi.
Had a so so summer at Greece, what with the fires all around me and with friends being affected, it was rather sad.
But, the good news is, I fell in love!
Now, before clicking on "post comment" right away, I have to tell you that SHE is a little...bitch. AGAIN, don't go comment just yet... I haven't converted to lesbianism, after failed attempts to find a suitable male companion.
My love is a puppy, called Laura.
And here she is


My sister, who already had two dogs, found her outside our doorstep, and she kept her. We called her Laura, after a friend, or Patatoula, which means little Potato... I was playing with her all summer. Oh, if only I could take her with me here, but due to long hours at work and living in a flat, that's not possible. I have to tell you though that all three of us, my mom, sis and I, were fighting over who's going to keep her, at the beginning. My sister won, as she has a large garden, I lost due to the above facts and my mom due to her two cats (see last year's post about Aris & Zikos). So she is there now and I can hear her every time I call my sister. I miss her...

Other than that, I came straight to work and work long hours again. I twisted my ankle and it hurts badly, I am addicted to greek_movies.com, a website that shows greek movies and series and life is as normal as ever.
I have a holiday in November and I am going to Prague with a friend for three days. I am very excited!!! Will try and take the lapotop with me to write blogs and post photos.

Cheryl Ann has tagged me to say 8 random things about myself. I started writing them, but my life has not been very exciting, so instead (sorry Cheryl Ann) I will write about 8 things I would put in

ROOM 101
and this will tell you a lot about myself...

1) people who only read the sports section of the newspapers.
I find it dull and braineless. Plus useless-they've already seen the games on TV. For me sports are a lot of hard work plus a bit of luck, and it's very visual so no use of either describing or commenting about them. Turn the paper over to the front you bozzo!

2) earthquakes.
The earth has moved for me, several times, literary speaking and it's no fun at all. It is shitty scary and one of the main reasons I left my country and my family.

3) hip-hop and rap.
These cannot be called R&B, these cannot be called music. It's just sampling over men with heavy golden chains who say "Yo" a lot, and women who wail "Heeeee".

4) celebrities out of reality TV
I just pity them and find that they are being exploited. But they deserve it, so less pity and more repulsion. Big Brother is watching you and he is laughing.

5) drunks, beggars and weirdos who disturb my journey home.
There is a certain girl that comes into my train every day, with the same monotonous moaning and limping asking for money, and when she reaches Brixton, she jumps out of the train with a cunning smile. No other comment.

6) people who are cruel to animals.
If I could I would give up everything to help all animals that are being treated savagely for any purpose...

7) religious fanatics.
Any religion, any fanatic. Anyone who preaches passionately or does other more terrible things to force others to join their faith. We don't want to, and whatever you might do or say we don't get the message!

8) those bastards who set fire on my country's forests every year.
If you like fire so much, you can be with it forever at the eternal flames of hell.

If all of the above went to Room 101, my world would be a much better, if not, perfect place.

Tagging is free, so whoever wants to write their Room 101 picks can do so and let me know...

Kisses...

Goodbye Harry

Hey all, another long interval between my blogs I know, but if you knew my schedule you'd pity me. Working full time, twice a week until 9pm, and barely any time to do anything. I just pop round to Rachel's blog once or twice a week and that's it.
As entertainment or relaxation, I chose to read, I read a lot lately. Read two amazing books lately, one was blink!
The other one, just bought on Saturday and finished a couple of hours ago, was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Now, normally, as a serious 41 year old executive, I shouldn't be admitting of reading children's books. I never do, and rarely did in my youth, but Harry is an exception. He captivated me from page one of the first book, and when I finished the last one today I was dizzy with mixed feelings: euphoria, sadness, more questions, satisfaction, confusion, but amazement over all.
It was what I expected and it wasn't what I expected. Few questions remained for me, but a lot cleared.
If you haven't read it yet, relax, I am not going to give any spoilers. That's not my style.
All I can say is that for hours yesterday and today I travelled in the world of magic and mystery, beauty, sadness, joy, laugh, thrill and sheer pleasure.
There is one particular moment in the last chapters of the book, that made me cry as I haven't cried while reading a book. 'Nuff said.
There were some moments in the plot though that I had to go back a few pages, even to go back in previous books. You see, a younger person would remember more details, which I didn't. And if someone is a hardcore fan and has read the books five times, then the last one would close a lot of parentheses. I had to refer to previous books sometimes, but most of the times, JK Rowling's brilliance explained the details I was missing.
It was with a broken heart when I closed the back cover and the realization that that was it hit me...
Goodbye Harry and thank you for endless hours of adventure and thrill. I'll miss you.
Thank you too Jo, this was indeed an amazing journey...

Oh, my God has it been so long?

Well helloooooo!

I can't believe I haven't blogged since the 16th of April. That is the longest I've been without blogging. Tut, tut, tut.
But I'll tell you what's going on.

My family came here on the 31st of March and we spent a fabulous week going around London and eating in fantastic restaurants. Yum! The weather was unbelievably springy and hot and my sister and nephew had a great time.

After my sister and nephew left, my mother stayed here with me, as she does every year, and I went back to work. We always have great time together, we laugh a lot, eat a lot and of course, shout at each other a lot, LOLOLOL. Love her.
This year I made the mistake to mention a website that shows all the current Greek TV series and that was it! She only wants to watch this, she doesn't even let me take my emails, hahaha.
What torture... While she's watching this, I put my headphones on the TV and watch my shows and DVD's. So no internet, no blog, no emails, hahahaha. Even now as I write this she's over me saying "Let's do this, let's do that, can I watch that?" Oh, come on!

But I can't say no, since I love her dearly and a little accident happened to her about three weeks ago: she was walking down the street holding a bag with clothes she wanted to exchange in a shop and a motorcycle went by, grabbed the bag with the clothes (thank god she was wearing her actual bag across the chest like I've shown her...) and threw my mummy on the pavement.
I was at work and when she came to see me, she said it was nothing serious.
Five days later the pain at her wrist continued and I made an appointment with the doctor (me and my bloody work, I couldn't take her to the doctor earlier....) and then for an X-ray.

After the X-ray was taken the doctor came out and said:
-OK, she will be admitted tonight and the operation will be tomorrow
-Wait, what?
-She will be a d m i t t e d today and the o p e r a t i o n...
-What operation? No, no, no, not my mummy!

Ok, it wasn't like that, but it felt like that. She had broken her wrist, thankfully not severely, and she had to go through surgery. I called work and said:
- I won't be coming for the next two days, byyyeee!
Of course they understood, my bosses are fantastic!

Thank God everything with my mum's operation, went absolutely fine and now her hand is in a cast, which will be removed in a month's time. That means, she's staying for another month with me!!! Hurrah!

Oh, God! One more month of crap Greek TV, LOL.
I really don't care, as long as she's fine, you know.

So anyways, that is why I haven't blogged for so long and it won't be absolutely fully until me mom goes back to Greece at the end of June, sorry my friends...
I hope everything's well with you.

And see you a bit later
xoxoxoxoxoxo
M

Even...

Even when I have not been in here for a month and a half,
Even when I have the family around and I can't blog or visit anyone's blog,
Even when it's late and I'm tired and I want to go to bed - crying as I do now,
Even when I'm a Greek in London and USA and Virginia is too far away from me physically and mentally,

I can't ignore what happened and not write about how shocked, sad and speechless I am.

To the young people who lost their lives so soon, may you rest in peace.
To their families: may your pain be less by all the world sharing it.

In case you've been on another planet

Jimmy and Julia's first dance has been in the papers, on the TV and radio around the world and viewed on YouTube over 540,000 times. Some people have left very positive comments and some have discribed it as cringeworthy and have labelled Jimmy as gay.
The reason? Their first dance wasn't just another traditional slow dance, with the groom feeling a bit embarassed and the bride worrying about her hair and train.
Jimmy and Julia, from Wimbledon, had rehearsed for six months to do the Dirty Dancing routine. A suggestion by Julia, followed by dance lessons and countless rehearsals.

I think it's brave, innovative, fun and they both look beautiful. The video brought tears in my eyes. Does Jimmy have a brother?
Enjoy and tell me what you think.

OSCAR WHERE ARE YOU?

Ok, I am VERY PISSED OFF!
Over 40 channels on cable and none of them broadcasts the OSCARS. Not tonight, not any other night.
Boo-bloody-hoo :(

I remember the good old days, when I would make a large pot of coffee, get the video ready and anticipate for
"Live, from the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles is the OSCARS!!"

I have been recording the ceremonies since 1985, when my lovely Amadeus won Best Picture. I was hooked every time.
I don't care about the red carpet, pre-Oscar stuff. Loads of channels show that, including websites. What I love is the actual ceremony.

I love the beginning, the nominations, the clips, the life-achievement awards, the dances and most of all the minute that the presenter says:
"And the Oscar goes to...."

My sister in Greece is going to watch it, through satelite of course. I live in a block of flats and they wouldn't let us put a dish for SKY. But even if I had SKY, SKY 1 is going to show only the highlights, not the whole ceremony. Looks like I'm going to watch the highlights of the highlights on the news. And I'm sure the UK news will emphasize on British winners only...

Torture!
Bastards!
Aaaargh!

Courting London

I am having the time of my life!
Only the fact that I can sleep as much as I want is enough. Top it up with some friends, blogging, the unexpected Attic Show and lots of music, then you have my ideal way of fun.
But, this past week has been truly amazing for one reason only: London.
A few months ago I downloaded from iTunes a podcast called London Walks by Robert Wright, with the idea of using them when my mum arrives in April, so we could have a guided tour.
The podcast got updated every week and was silently waiting for me to use it. A few days ago I was mixing and fixing something on my iTunes when accidentally a soft music and a soft voice transported me into inner Kensington... I decided that with my days off coming, I would take that walk.
I did on Tuesday and it was absolutely breathtaking. I didn't know (well, yes of course I did, but not as much) London has so many beautiful buildings. I fell in love all over again. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me, so no photos. But the walk, lasting about an hour and a half was amazing. Little cobbled pedestrianised streets, alleyways, squares with bricked mansions, historic pubs and of course very posh people walking around... The narration and guidance by Robert Wright was so interesting and enjoyable I didn't want the walk to end.

Today I was meeting some friends downtown, so I decided to take another walk, this time armed with my camera. The walk today was Legal London and The Da Vinci Code.
What can I say? It was like a dream. A London I had no idea existed. The architecture and the preciousness of the buildings is beyond description. I went through numerous Barristers' Inns, Chambers and Courts via archways and alleys, I visited Temple Church, but unfortunately it was closed-so only from the outside, I went through the vibrant area of London School of Economics, with students all around and dozens of beautiful pubs. For almost two hours I was oooing and wowing from the unbelieveable sights.
The area is just a treasure, so on your next visit to London don't just go to Buckingham Palace and Picadilly Circus. Go to Chancery Lane and take the tour, with the company of Robert's soothing voice. I highly recommend you subscribe to his podcast.

Here are some pictures so you'll get a small idea of the beauty.
Click on some of them to experience the real thing.



A beautiful stained glass window



The Old Curiosity Shop made famous by Charles Dickens

The Royal Courts of Justice. You can't imagine how huge and majestic is this building!



The flames are burning next to the Royal Courts of Justice...




How old can this building be? And how much the new building is ruining the view...


A plaque opposite Temple Church


Temple Church and two Knights on a horse


Temple Church



A gorgeous archway leading to one of the numerous breathtaking courts


Shadows we are and
Like shadows we depart



The ellaborate entrance to Lloyds bank


And the entrance to one of the Solicitors' courts.

I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.
xxM

Can you believe it?

I have two weeks off!!!

Yes, finally I can rest and relax. Sleep late, do lots in the house, maybe a day trip to Brighton or Oxford, or somewhere else nice, BLOG!, finalise the re-mortgage papers, sort out my closet, see friends, go to the movies, listen to the radio all day and not only in the early morning, eat nice home-cooked meals and not junk food, do a bit of yogalates, go for walks around London, or.... do absolutely nothing!
It's the first time after six months I can just chill and enjoy myself. Happy!!!

Only, don't talk to me about the concert of the boys at the Royal Albert Hall. It coincides with the day my family arrives to London from Greece, and they will be knackered, all three of them. And of course, even if they agreed to go, all tickets are sold out. It would be impossible to find four good seats. I am not going and not taking the family if we have seats in the upper circle. And I'm not paying a penny to the b***ards who hog all tickets and selling them three times more expensive on Ebay. No, no, no.
So, unless a miracle happens and Pete invites us himself with four front row (ok second row, I'm not picky) tickets, I'm not going. Shite!

I'm sure I'll see them somewhere around Europe, even in a different London venue some time this year, though. I can always live in hope!

For the moment, let me enjoy my long overdue bliss...

Kisses and hugs to all.

At last! New (good) Blood!

Ok, no more gloom and doom.
I cave to Rachel's choices of guests and her new ITA CD on iTunes, which should be fantastic.
There is some good music around and finally, after many years of musical seclusion and refusals, I listen to contemporary music again and to the radio-although mainly Virgin Radio.
Even though I know that rap, hip-hop and the kind of crap so blaspemously call R&B is still around I chose to listen to the new "Indie", "New Wave", "Alternative", "Pop-Rock" combination bands that are storming the airwaves. And I love them.
Some of them were guests in the Attic, like the amazing Razorlight and the incredible Zutons.

They are young people who are inspired by the great music created in the 60's and 70's, gave way to electronica in the 80's, revived in the 90's with Oasis, Blur, Radiohead, the RHCPeppers, and the likes and finally evolved into something really unique into the 00's. There is so much talent around, it makes me very optimistic for the future of music, because before I thought it died in 1989.

The songs currently re-played again and again on my ipod are the following:

(please note: I only download from iTunes or my CD's
and not from free music-sharing sites.
If you call yourself a fan, then support your band to the full and pay for their music.)

• The Zutons: Valerie - there is something on the singer's voice that drives me nuts! This tune will take you to the Moon!!!
• Razorlight: America - soft and ear-pleasing, melodic and smooth, pure genius
• The Ordinary Boys: I Luv You - a bit silly, a bit happy-clappy, but it feels good and the music is excellent. And Preston is sooo cute!
• Editors: All Sparks - it was performed in the Attic and it stole my heart. The singer's voice is incredible.

And soon to be added, because it's not available yet: Kaiser Chief's Ruby - which for me tops them all, it is such a powerful song.
Also, just out and just straight to Number 1 from downloads only, MIKA's Grace Kelly.
The guy's a genius and has the hippest website.

Other bands like Franz Ferdinand, Kasabian, Keane, Snow Patrol, the Raconteurs, the Magic Numbers and many many more budding rockers, equally contribute to keeping the music standards high and are always welcome to my ears.

The 3-minute song is back and it sounds good!

Of course, let's not forget the band that in 2006 had a new come-back album and a sell-out Tour and still kick ass and sort of started it all: Take That!

You still alive? LOL. No, of course I meant our boys, the 'Orrible 'Oo, and I don't have enough words to describe the feelings when I listen to their songs. Any of their songs.

In a day and age where reality shows "manufacture" bands and musical styles, when all the good songs are "covered" or "sampled" sacrilegiously, it's very good to see, or rather hear, some original talent, which derives from the original talents of the golden age of music.

Rock On!

Losing the magic?

Hello all, it's been a long time.
I am still working like a maniac. I am doing three lates per week now, and rumours are that we will soon be staying open until 9pm, which means I won't have time to do anything, let alone blog.
It's nearly 2am now, but after sorting out some finances (there is no other time!) I decided to visit Rachel's blog to see how things are going on the other side of my La-la-land.

As I was reading Rachel's latest post about the new Attic Jam in Joe's pub in NY and I felt a pang (pung?) in my stomach for not being able to be there again, I couldn't stop thinking about how it was about 14-15 months ago...

• we had Attic shows every Wednesday - best time of the week!
• we had the chats during the shows - amazingly funny and sweet
• we felt close to our Pete, our Rachel, our Mikey, our Simon - but they were still our "idols", a bit unreachable, a bit of a dream...
• we were anticipating a live show, just to be there and hear them play
• in the Bedford Gig it was a pinch-me moment when I got a photo with Simon
• as for the first Attic Jam ever (Basement Jam) it was beyond words to describe, as I shook Pete's hand and them Mark, Jill and I were guests in the Attic! Absolute magic and very special

The Leeds concert was incredible, being at the front row of such an historical event... Our blogger friend Tony (Haribomort) got a pic with Pete and it was absolutely magical.
Then the Attic was flooded by guests... the Eels, the Kooks, the Editors, and many others whom I can't remember. All very good artists, but It wasn't the same for me. I was tuning in to watch Rachel and the gang and not Martha Wainwright (which, I am very sorry to say, I don't like at all). Out of politeness to Rachel and her generous soul I didn't say anything back then, but as time goes by and I see that the shows are more about the guests and not our beloved artists...I don't know, I feel it's losing its magic. But I would never discourage Rachel, if that is what she likes to do, I will listen to 20 Wainwright songs, just to hear one of Rachel's...

Now, about the meet and greet: I'd kill, steal and lie to be in one of them. I would punch people in the face (careful!) to have a photo with Pete, like a lot of you did. But then I would go away and the next person would come to have another photo with him, and I think he would feel a bit like a Tussaud's wax statue????? I am sure that our Attic gang are more than happy to meet their fans. Rachel has been so close to us and I truly appreciate that. Pete has been amazing with all of us. But sometimes I feel like we are asking too much?????? We take it for granted????? We expect it??????
As I said: not magic! "Oh! I got a photo with Pete and Rachel" , "Oh, yeah! me too" "and me" and so on and so on. Someone who did meet him and had a chat with him, was even talking very blazé about it. It got me a bit angry...
I am talking about someone who also deleted one of my comments on her blog, called me "someone" and has not visited my blog ever since... Long story, another time.

Please, please, please don't get me wrong. I am happy for everyone who got to meet and greet and take a picture with our prized personalities. Well done and good for you! I am not writing all this out of jealousy as you might think. I don't want you to think that "hey Marietta, you met them, we haven't so what's YOUR problem?" I am just expressing a concern, that we might be losing the magic here. And I think I agree with Pete's and Rachel's decision not to have a meet and greet this time. Keep the distance a little bit, keep the magic...

I will probably not take part at the competition for the tickets when Rachel launches her album. She will be sooo busy, what with the press being there and the promotion, she won't even remember my name. But, it goes without saying, good luck to all of my blogger friends who will.

I am not losing my faith, I have not idolized them in the point of God-like idols, I don't blame anyone who will go and have a pic with them, I'm still one of you... I hope you understand what I'm trying to say here...

Once again, for all my blogger friends who have met them, FAB!
For those of you who haven't: GO FOR IT!

But for me, it has lost its intimacy.

One last thing: When I was in Hyde Park I didn't manage to go backstage, fair enough... In one of the following ITA's I heard Simon say "Boy, we had a looot of people backstage" and you know what? I was glad I wasn't one of them!

TOO MUCH OF ANYTHING
IS TOO MUCH FOR ME..

Love to all

*** HAPPY NEW YEAR ***

Well the fireworks by the London Eye were amazing last night... I wonder how many thousands of tons that was..
I am still working non-stop, hence my absence from blogland. I have a day off on Thursday and I will probably pop up to say hi.
In the meantime have a fabulous 2007 and may your dreams be my wishes...

Lots of love
xoxoxo
M