What is the craziest thing you've done? Not an easy answer...

I had 4 couchsurfers last week in my house for a couple of days. God knows how we managed to fit in my tiny apartment... I do love to meet new people especially if they have the capacity to bond instantly, like we did with these guys....
So one of them wanted to interview me. Being the ego freak that I am, I said yes!!
He asked me a lot of questions and I was cool and the conversation flowed easily. Until he asked one question.

What is the CRAZIEST thing you've done?

I blocked completely. Sat in silence for a few moments and tried to think. But I had no answer.

The interview came to an end, the company moved on their journey and I was stuck with this question.

What is the CRAZIEST thing you've done?

Why could I not give an answer? What was bothering me? Days passed and this was still in my mind. I finally managed to give some answers.

First, I was bothered by the word "crazy". We tend to name our greatest fantasies, dreams and achievements as crazy. Crazy is negative, degrading. Crazy is a label I find bad. People tell me I'm crazy and I call myself crazy, but it hurts deep inside. To be crazy is to be abnormal, to not fit, to not go by the rules.

Second, once you do something, it's not "crazy" anymore. Things look crazy and difficult before you go out there and try them. Once you've done them they give way to a new "crazy" idea, the next big adventure.

Third, we tend to think as "crazy" our big adventures, our positive outcomes. Yes, I was in Italy picking up olives. Yes, I hitchhiked in Lesbos with my dog. Yes, I went to Cairo all alone for three days.

What about the everyday craziness? What about the adventure of seeing someone through illness and accompanying him to his death? Wasn't that a big adventure? What about the four year psychotherapy circle which helped me see inside myself? Wasn't that crazy? Am I not proud of these too? Of course I am!

Yes, I have done some crazy, memorable, wonderful things in my lifetime.... But next time, Daniel, don't ask about "crazy" ask about our biggest adventures.

Oh, and thanks for the inspiration, this is my first 2015 post.

PS. Team Podstel is a group of 5 boys and girls - and growing - who are promoting the creativity of travellers. Here is their FB page Good luck guys!

A wonderful journey: short film project

At the begining it was just an idea.

I had seen an advertisement about a short film festival.

Me and my new friends from the theatre where really exhited to be toghether, to learn about the art of the stage.

"What if we made a short film?" I thought.

I had no idea how to make a short film. But I did dare to dream and think about it. I even spoke out loud about it.

The idea was soon forgotten. But it was up there. Out in the open space.

Some days later, the idea confronted me again. My friend had come up with an idea for the plot.  She was going to write the screenplay. It sounded
really interesting and funny. The idea had grown a bit.

It stayed in the open space for a little bit longer.

Being the social bee I am, I met a photographer.We started talking about photography - I do love taking photographs. She had warm blue eyes and a big smile. She looked like a fairy princess. She told me she was also a film director, she had just finished her studies.

The idea grew even bigger when I asked her if she would direct our short film. She said yes!

The idea was a bright pink ballon on the sky now.

Months went by, but the idea was there and could not be ignored.

Fifteen actors had been cast.

It was time for the idea to come down from the sky. Become a reality.

Our budjet was tight, our time was limited. But then miracles started to happen. We found microphones and lights, we had our moms cook and friends helping us with little details. Our team was ready to proceed.

Filming started. One more journey. The traveller inside me was thrilled. A whole new world opened in front of my eyes! I felt like Alice in Wonderland! No. I WAS Alice in Wonderland....

There were days we felt exhausted. But there was this spark that gave us strength to continue.

Editing the film is another journey altoghether. Our wondeful director and the editor that came on board, are working overtime to give the film a final touch.

It has been a wonderful journey and it is not over yet.

I feel honoured to have such talented friends who know how to work as a team.

Thank you
Nadia, Evi, Aggela, Liana, Kostas, Stavroula, Lena, Lilia, Artemis, Athanasia, Greta, Ivi, Vaso, Rodoula, Mitsos, Giorgos, Apostolis, Dimitris, Dimitris and all the ones I forget now,

for playing such a big part in my life. For making my idea come true. For being such talented individuals. You are my creative family.

Thank you for the journey.

Ode to my friend

 Technology can sometimes be frustrating.

This morning I was ready to write my September post. Coffee, cigarettes, laptop. And then frustration. No you cannot go into Blogger. No you cannot write. An overwhelming super power was there not letting me write. Chrome, Mozilla, Blogger everything was telling me no. I talked to friends, laughed over my problem, uninstalled Chrome, installed it again, deleted torrents, waited for hours and hours.

Here I am. Forgotten what I wanted to write. 

Lets take things from the start.

I was inspired by a friend this past weekend. Her actions showed me what Jonah always says. You can change in one-thousand lifetimes or you can change in a minute. Well, she has made changes in so many levels. Her work, her love life, her mind settings... Really quick. She is such a brave soul, such a talented individual... And I am proud to call her a friend. You know who you are. You know you will make it. 

I do hope to have the courage one day to get rid of my fears the way you did. 

To make my dreams come true. 

Do beautiful people know they are beautiful? Do strong people know their strength? Then, why do beautiful and strong people make choices they do not deserve? When do they push the button and turn off all the bullshit? What does it take? 

It might take a tragedy. It usually takes a tragedy. But it does not have to. We know our theory. but what about actions?

In about a month from now, I'll be where it all started. And the journey will continue.

PS The photos are from a praying mantis that surprised me. It was on my artifacts last Sunday.

one hot morning

 A summer say on the beach.

A bunny rabbit on a tiny pebble.

Or is it a face?

The bunny rabbit has some friends.

Tiny fossils on a blue landscape.

Summer stories.

Hot July.

Words are poor, images are rich.

What did you look for on the beach?

What did you find?

on talent

"I decided to stop moaning and do something about it."
Lately, I hear this phrase very often.

Young, beautiful, prosperous. Deprived of dreams and hopes. Yet, they decide to get out. Meet others. Use their talents.

They form small groups.

They are farmers, photographers, actors, painters, puppeteers, writers... Whatever the talent, it is put to use. Not for money. For salvation. Our talents are a life vest. Many talents put toghether are a life saving boat.

In my reality, there are lots of life saving boats. Warm smiles. Clear, sincere eyes. The ocean is really hard. The waves are big and strong.

But we will make it.

these little creatures called applauds

Almost a week ago I read this question: "where do applauds go?"

It got me thinking.

Applauds are approval, reward to something that exhites us. See the picture: In a theatre, thousands of applauds fly away. Some of them fly into the heart of the performer. Some stay in the theatre and they become ghosts. Sit in an empty, quiet theatre and  you will hear the ghosts. Some might even fly out of the theatre into the street. Into the rain. One applaude might touch a bird, or even climb the birds' back and fly with it. Another applaude might fall on the pavement. It will get stuck underneath a sole. Another one might stay on the branches of a tree. From there it can look to the passers-by.

Applauds are funny little creatures. They fly around and then creep into our hearts. Can we hear them? Can we listen to these little applauds in our heads? Do we ever applaud ourselves? If we do, do we keep them inside, or do we let them fly away like they never existed?

Give applauds credit. Sit still and very quiet. You might hear one, two, three, five, ten, a hundred applauds surrounding you. They are for you. No one else.

this is my life. it's good

 Six days ago I met a virus. I opened the door and let him in, let him stay on my couch. He drank my coffee and slept in my bed. While he was making himfelf at home, I was feeling like shit and had really high fever. I could not consentrate on anything, could not read, could not see anything on facebook, I could only stay in bed with my virus.

It's been years since I had a virus and it was interesting to see how my body was reacting. I let it make it's circle, treating it with nothing more than paracetamol, soups and orange juice.

Meanwhile, life outside was continuing, my theatre classes continued, my friends met up... I guess I needed time off from the world.

Now for the good news. My book is finished and gone to the lawyer for copyright. I'm so exhited and scared that it's going to be published! The work continues. Find an editor, find someone to fill it with drawings... Besides what is a children's book without drawings?

I'm still driving. I'm good at it. Very relaxed, although these past two days a bit dizzy from the virus encounter...

Last but not least... My team. Back when I moved to this city, I would not believe it if you told me I was going to have the most incredible time of my life. But it is true. When I decided to join the theatre for amature actors of the city, I would never have thought I would meet such wonderful, creative people. At fisrt we were all intimidated, eyes looking down, not talking much, trying to figure out where everyone was coming from. Slowly we opened up, we got to know each other. Each one in this team for different reasons. To meet new people, to see what theatre is all about, to fulfill an old dream...

I do not exactly remember when the spark was lit. But there was a spark in every face, a spark in every soul. We danced and we drank and we laughed toghether and we became something special. A team of individuals. It might be too early to talk about a family, but it looks like one. Groups of people have special potentials. And they are hard to find. I am so greaatful to have stepped out of my comfort zone to meet them. I hope next year, to be able to talk with such warmth about each and every member of this team. For now I'm just greatful they exist and I keep smiling in these grim times.

Life is good and this is my life.

fairytales

Yes, the five-year-old inside me likes to make up fairytales about monsters and dragons and locked up princesses! The five year old gets stressed and the adult is not there. I would not have this blog if I did not like fairytales and stories. 

I do admit it.

My beloved monster was there and now it's gone back to its' cage. 

Two free mornings and the stress is gone. No, not free mornings. Mornings working for myself. Work for my classes. My beloved classes. Research. 

My Monday Art History class for adults. The difference between Baroque and Roccoco. Johannes Vermeer. My Friday Crafts class for kids. Leonardo Da Vinci. He drew the first parachute. So much fun. So much love. So much relief.

The smile is back on my face. 

Have a good day!

art, soil, theatre, colours

I have so much to say!

A couple of weeks ago I became a teacher for kids! One painting class, two craft classes. I was supposed tο teach art history, but I knew I would not keep the attention of 10-year-olds for two hours unless they created something while I talked to them. My subject was mr Vincent van Gogh... 

Painting class was easy. They saw "The Starry Night" and the "Vase with Sunflowers" and tried to copy them. In the mean time I asked them at least one hundred times for his name, his place of birth and other little trivia which were easy to remember. It became our little shouting poem! It amazed me how they grasped the colours and even surpassed the great dutch master in brushstrokes... I was so nervous, I forgot to take pictures...

The following week I was going to teach the craft classes. Mr Vincent again. I was terrified. A group collage of the sunflower painting. The class had to cut, colour, paste their flowers and paint the final background. One hundred times the mr Vincent poem. We just about made the two hours and all I was left with was a bombed class! I had to wash everything and tidy up after the storm! In truth I didn't mind! I had so much fun! The result was a bit intimidating and weak just like I was! Such a mirror! 

The next day I was less scared. This time they had to do a group collage of the starry night. I was ready. I separated them in teams. One team had to do the stars, the other the waves on the sky and a third team the tree in the middle. This time I was calmer, had learned the mr Vincent poem veeery well - we repeated it one hundred times... Once more, both classes amazed me with their sense of colour and understanding of hues. The result was simply breath-taking and I do hope they had as much fun as I had. This time I asked them to help me tidy up, wash the brushes and pick up their chairs. I'm kinda falling in love with teaching!

Next month it's Picasso month. I have to find an idea for the craft classes. They will be bored if they do a collage again... I am open to suggestions!

before

after

after two months

The other thing I have been doing for the past two months is a small garden in the back of the block of flats I live in. When I moved there, I saw these HUGE flower beds and I thought about all this free soil that had to have food grown in them. I planted parsley, dill, two kinds of lettuce, coliflower, broccoli and rocket. All this, next to the 2 big rose trees that where already there. I think the roses felt really happy because as soon as I cleared the soil from the weeds and started watering them regularly, they gave me the most amazing roses to cut and keep in my house! My little plants are growing and I find peace of mind when caring for them...

 Finally, I enrolled to the town's amature theatre classes. Every weekend I will be exploring the wonders of theatre - I'm not a newby on stage, but I've never done theatre before...

Meanwhile I enjoy the winter temperatures and the bright November sun that shines every morning! In my walks with Freeda I take wonderful photos... All these reds and oranges, all these trees and vines losing their foliage... Autumn is such a magic time of the year! 

Mind you, I do all these wonderful things which do not require money. The theatre classes cost me 30 euros per year and the seeds for my plants reached the astronomical amout of 10 euros. 

The classes I teach give me enough to get by. The gallery work is still voluntary and requires a lot of time and effort... I think I'll try and reduce the hours I spend there... On the other hand, I have so many wonderful things to do and I meet so many wonderful people!

Life is a wonder!

travellerlina revisited

When my teacher, Jonah, told me three years ago that my purpose in life is to be a traveller, I took the term "traveller" quite literally. For two years I named a blog travellerlina and set out to travel literally, no matter what the cost.

I did not hear my frends' voices who were saying that there is another meaning to travelling: travel gracefully through the coincidences and the deeds of life in a more general way.

Three years later, I come to consider and reconsider "travellerlina" the difficult name I have chosen for myself and no one can pronounce properly!

We are - I am - in constant movement. Life drives us here and there, we "travel" through the days and the months and the years... Whether we like it or not, we are not the same; moment after moment. Whether we get on a plane to fly somewhere or just day-dream looking at the ceiling, we are still on the move.

I still don't know what that teacher meant and I don't know whether I'll ever get the true meaning of his words. The one thing I have gained, though, is that I see eveything I do, every choice I make through the "travel" prism.

I always have my camera at hand. I am an eternal "tourist-traveller". In awe of my neighborhood. In awe of my city. I try to see everything as fresh and new as I would a foreign country. And believe me, there is beauty in the city I once thought as boring and ugly. I used to go through Athens trying to see it as a tourist would. And it gave me nice litte surprises always.

We are all travellers through life. So we may as well enjoy the process!

The Tap Experience

Creativity alert!

I don't know what's happening to me. There is a tap that opened and has flooded my heart, my soul, my senses... It is the tap of inspiration.

I have started writing a book. A book that I stoped writing because of Antonis's illness. I remembered it about a month ago. My small note book got lost. I left it back in Sifnos. So, I started all over again. And it's simply too much fun! I love it!

Have you ever thought of your creativity as a water tap? You keep it closed and look enviously at other people's taps flooding their lives. You read their interviews and look at their work. Slowly, you turn your tap on, just a tiny little bit. It just drips. One drop every day. The water is not enough. The bucket underneath the tap is still empty. You turn the tap a tiny little bit more. You are scared. What if the bucket fills up? What are you going to do with all this water? Steadily you turn the tap more and more. Your bucket is full, ready to water your garden plants. Along the way you meet peoplle who encourage you to open your tap a little bit more. You feel they want to drink your water.

It is a slow, but wonderful experience. Let's call it "The Tap Experience"!

So, let your tap open. Miracles will follow. Wet miracles! Ha ha ha!

Have a good day, love yourself for what you are, forgive yourself for what you were.