Skopelos This Summer

Yes there have been some major changes and outcomes and resolutions in my life for the past 4 months, which I would love to describe here shortly.

This summer was a "questioning summer". By means of family bonds, friendship bonds..bits and pieces that hold us like an anchor to our home town. What is a home town to me? Because Thessaloniki is just a reference point to me or even better, Thessaloniki is a middle station from somewhere to some place.

Ireland is past for me. Dublin is a beloved place, despite the difficulties encountered within those 3 years. Or maybe because of these bitter & sweat reminiscences! The freedom I gained. I am still trying to realize it though.

This summer I managed to go for a week to Skopelos with some friends from the 8th Gestalt workshop, Maria, Antonis & Eugenia. We went camping in Panormo, Antonis use to take us with his little boat to all those crystal clear & lonely beaches of the Island. Oh the days and evenings of nature and books and looong discussions and nostalgia of the workshop.

It was the first time that I managed to go for holidays with friends from Gestalt and I have to say I was very excited doing so. Rarely do I have this feeling of connection and honest behaviour with friends. Every moment had its essence, our late night discussions and stories, debates, our silence pure and original as our laughter it was!!

Yet, there were moments of question. You see Greece is only a point of contact, there is no future for me at this stage, yet again dear and childhood friends are here. Some of them stay some of them get married and form a life anew, some new ones are made on the way. It's all on the way after all. It's all a journey.

And I, have established myself and have at 27 strong wings to fly away from home for one more time. This time it has to be more careful, with perspective, with potential, with creativity and knowledge and fear of the unknown. A leap

A firm decision to hold me to my goal on the way to Brunel University where officially I was accepted at the end of August for studies in BSc Multimedia Technology & Design. I say a firm decision because it actually felt like a polarity rope pulling me from one side to the other. Factors such as family, friends and the fear of the unknown as I mentioned before where holding me down, nailing my thoughts. Away form the beauty of Skopelos. Then again the factors of a freedom, new beginning, potential, knowing what to expect did bring me to Uxbridge after all.

A few more words of the world out there apart from my tearing thoughts. It was a freedom and simplicity to be there, camping with my friends for 7 days. So far the longest actual holidays I have had so far! I marked my journey with my Canon.

The first photo to remember was while drinking some Greek coffee and enjoying the panoramic view of the Chora of Skopelos, the middle was a magical sunset in a small beach somewhere in Skopelos (where we had been waiting for Antonis to come and pick us up with his boat!) The night we were caught lighting a fire to warm us up and keep the mosquitoes away and the Marine Police caught us up and having Antonis climbing the steep rocks just for the craig!!! Yes adventure was on the list as well...!

And the last ended where it started, just to form a nice memorable circle and close it to form a nice "Gestalt-ish" shape. There at daytime and then at nigh time, same table, same coffee, with dear friends having become only dearer during co-existing together for these days.

Here comes a memory of a nice discussion with my friend Maria...So, we where walking along the harbour of the Chora, towards a tavern, when she recalled Nurid's question during the seminar, "Maria, what do you love in yourself?". And Maria started mentioning how generous and helping and good person she is, but Nurid was not satisfied. Maria was bewildered and so puzzled as to what it is there for her to love in herself...asking me to answer this question in return...We walked along the harbour in silence for a while....I thought of my graces and my wrong, I looked at the moon....we see the bright sight of the moon usually, but there is a dark side as well! I can't ignore my "dark" side, and I love it too though it made and it still makes my life so difficult. I do acknowledge it though, I have to...maybe this is the answer I don't know, I muttered to her. And there I saw this unique building divided in two, yet being one. A bright side with people living and a dark and spooky side with no windows or shatters. Here it is so...this is me I say! I felt like a wee child discovering and unveiling a holly mystery held secret for many years-Eurika!!

That was the outcome of my journey in Greece this year. This brought me here in Uxbridge and will follow me in good and bad days to come...

This article is dedicated to my dear Maria and my beloved Antonia,
for helping me find this treasure!!

Footprints on the sand

Footprints on the sand

Aug 9, 2006 - 7 Photos

Here in alone in Khalkidhiki, after a weird urge to go for swimming in the sea, when all my friends have gone their own way...me coming back from Dublin after 3 years. Yet again Greece is a middle stop on the way to London for a new course to come and yet new beginnings.

No matter how independent I am nowadays and no matter how much I can leave and enjoy my loneliness, it is always difficult to make a decision to go out alone in Greece; it's not yet in our culture. So one must be brave enough to brake out and trespass the threshold to follow your urge.

This is what I did that day so, I hopped into my mothers car, grabbed my lovely camera and a book, in my new swimming suit and off I go, I tell you!!!

Where to? Sani Beach resort. It really is sunny and light blue and full of music near the beach bar of the camping; the place was buzzing on Sunday evening still. Live Latin notes, frappe and splash!!! Yeeeesss, I did it! God do I love and worship human will?!

Yet again alone, not very lonely or maybe a little; after a long time. Such a funny feeling loneliness it is, see it has nothing to do with physically being alone. I was alone up there in Dublin, I could be with friends, and I could be alone out of my will and I would have things to keep me preoccupied yes. Here I was with family, doing nothing, longing to see my friends, exchange a warm glance to each other. Nobody around, they follow their own course in life and so do I. Will I bear to go for holidays alone? Or will I bear not go? Which one would be the most daring?

No, I did break through my dilemma and so I went for a test drive of a day. "Big miracles begin from within" (8th Gestalt Workshop 2006)- so do little, I say!

At last physically alone and yet not lonely, there with my camera, I perceive the summer colours of the beach, the children yelling, men playing volley, others sunbathing, drinking, dancing, flirting, Living! The warmth of the place... I was still upset and uneasy due to the fact that in less than a week I moved out of Dublin, left my friends there and introduced myself to the summer months of Greece, where nothing is working during the first two weeks of August.

So, there laid the footprints of people coming and going on the beach, near by the shore. People coming and going distances, places, moods, environments, cultures. Like me footprints or shoe prints in time and space. Time and space, uh!! That's what I need to re-establish myself back in Greece.

I decided to start taking photos after a certain theme as i realized that it helps composition and sequence of thoughts and focus. So footprints on the sand is my very first and wee gallery, depicting summer colours, warmth, and the leftovers of our passing time while

from here to there from past to present to future.

Is it the footprints that signify our intermediate stop or pause?

What are footprints to each of us?

How much should we take them into consideration or just accept them as yet another fact of life, like gravity and let life be?-.

The least we can do

This is not going to be just another philanthropy article, ecology is a secondary issue by far...this is my view point after a good few days of endless reading at the news about Lebanon.

So what is going on there? Is it an ongoing situation that will never end and we can't do anything about?

Is it a newly aggravated situation blending with past?
Out of the blue?
Maybe a good reason for disproportionate revenge?

Let's try and define it. People are being killed in both sides. Some are defending and some attacking. A child would be able to define it as a war. This is a war. And in every war there is a victim and a victimiser. Like in human relationships, it is never one mans fault or wrong doing. They both have a responsibility. The way I see it in its simplest form. It is like the wife forgotten to cook lunch once again and the infuriated husband is beating her till she bleeds to death! Therefore in my eyes this is clearly disproportionate and inhumane. No healthy humane human being would go that far. No animal would go that far to its race.

Ok. One might ask how serious is this now?- I read at the BBC website, that this immediate response from a great number of Prime Ministers in the world, is dictating how serious this is or can be. Yet, I really wonder why they are still contemplating on the issue, when they simply need to place buffer in between the fighting sides. Are they afraid to put soldiers in case they might die of the ruthless Israeli attacks? No, a soldier is like a pawn in a chessboard, dispensable hence. Then, why do they not make the next move?!

Today I was reading an Irish Newspaper. I am sorry I don't remember its title; I was subdued into the text. So this article was saying that poor ambulance drivers are trying to make a joke of the situation to keep their sanity. I was astonished to read this Lebanese man saying that anyone who things that this is exaggeration, might as well take a look at one of the 5 hit ambulanced so far. I was goose pimpled when I read that these drivers are everyday Lebanese people, students, plumbers who are not getting paid a penny to risk their lives in hope of saving others. Brotherhood...above religion, nationality, money.

Another day I heard that a Norwegian newspaper had comic cartoon of an Israeli-Nazi, shooting Lebanese people for fun. Who said that violence is not hereditary? However, this journalist who took the high risk of making this joke is facing the court soon. This is the freedom of speech and democracy in 2006 ladies and gentleman! Tell me that his joke has yet to cross your mind?

I had a friend who was in Lebanon since the beginning of the month. I met some wonderful Greek-Lebanese once. I wish them all the best. I have seen enough appalling pictures, have read a good number of hypothetical and political articles and reportaz photos. Again, this as every time I wonder, why I sit back writing this essay contemplating about the situation and depicting my emotions with regards to the situation, when I could be there and help out as much as possible? I feel little then. And little as I am, I am afraid that this is not a good sign. Another traumatised generation. Violence gives birth to more violence and fanaticism birth to more fanaticism. "Ενός κακού, μύρρια έπονται"
Neither for Europe, America, Russia... Christians, Muslims, Hebrews, Buddhists. We, the world are responsible for our passivity and we must bear this for future reference.

I really wonder what do everyday Israeli people are thinking about their governments’ retaliation war plan. If there is anybody out there who would like to share his opinion and reply to my innocent query, I would be glad to read, honestly.

All in all, I think that it doesn't feel comfortable for anybody to think that while your are dinning out, going to the cinema, sipping your drink or swimming in the sea carefree; somewhere in the back little drawer of your mind you have in mind that there are innocent, everyday people like you and me who are in danger. The feeling of it doesn't make me comfortable enjoying my day in full, I tell you.

Ok then, lets give some money and let's be done with the slightest guilt’s. I sent an email to any possible person I know who has an email. Some might not even consider that this might work. But either it works or not, 5 minutes of your time to sign the petition and click the link to verify your email address is not worth money... and it is not to wash away the guilt’s ( only) but to give a bit of hope for all of us on this little planet we call earth.

Adobe Lightroom Beta Version

This is an interesting new editing software, from a very interesting company called Adobe.
I came across it while looking for some new Photoshop techniques and I started exploring Adobes new idea! This software is advertised from photographers to photographers and more likely they are referring to the professional photographer who has a big volume of work, but wants snapy and professional results. Another cool feature of Adobe Lightroom is that it will make Raw files (or Digital Negatives) a pure little game to play and just as easy to edit like the famous jpeg files!

But while I was reading all that, thinking that this would be a dangerous area to step into, since I am not a pro in photography, I realized that this would help do the normal editing stuff into Lightroom, leaving Photoshop CS2 and Adobe Bridge for the hard ones! So, yes why not try out? After all this is a free beta version and it is even interactive through its forums. If you have an idea or you don't like something, you might as well express your opinion to Adobe.

Now, one of the reasons I decided to post about it is because I want to suggest it to my friends who might be a bit into digital photography, or others who would not be able to download Photoshop or simply because they cannot be bothered to do so. However, I would only recommend it to the brave ones, since it is always risky to install a beta software. Even if it is signed by a giant company as Adobe. There might be bugs and flaws. Note that the windows version was released after Macs and is still being improved to reach the latter...So all in all, try it if you can take the risk to experiment. Personally, I am going to search for some more info before I decide to register to install it.

Here is the link, where you can play the short, introductory video, get some initial or more thourough info about it etc. : http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/lightroom/

Last but not least, I would like to mention the name which has striked me great time...Light-room. Historically speaking, or even for the traditional photographer (if there is anyone out there...) The developing room for the analogue negatives, was dark and spooky, full of expensive and to some degree dangerous chemicals. Hence called Dark-room.

Nowadays, we have digital photos and digital software to process them, while sipping our coffee and having a cigarette. Out of the danger of the chemicals. The expensiveness of films and printing them. Nowadays we have the so-called digital darkroom. Or at least some say. But the work light room, is more eluminating and bright and warmly white and safer. Light-room! Don't you find it a wee more optimistic? Brilliant idea, I say. So, I go a bit further with my idea to meet past and present, old and new and the way we Europeans perceive the world and our obsession with new...
Past=darkroom
Now=lightroom
____________
old= dark
new= light

Are we forgetting the past, scorning it or just brightening it up. And if so why? Do we need to brighten our "dark" past? Do we need to name or past as dark and our future as light?...Just a few thoughts to contemplate on, in order to arouse yours on the topic ;-)

Anyway, if you want to take the risk of the beta version and joing the light-room and leave the dark-room to the past, you can always use the link. If you don't, and prefer to dwell in the darkroom, you can always express your opinion here, instead of clicking the link!

enjoy

PS: This is now the 26th of July and it appears that this software is being seriously reviewed by other serious photography websites as well. As I was going through my Gmail RSS feeds today, I found out that another respectable photography review website, dpreview.com has another and more thorough preview of the new software and some more information; so I thought I should let you know.

And here, because it's beta version it is free, it is adobe and it is userfriendly. Hence, I am downloading it first thing tomorrow!!

14 August 2006,

The beta version is working well, no crashes. Yet again, I don't seem to be able to save photo edits. Note: This software will expire at some stage.

So here is the link for you: http://www.dpreview.com/news/0607/06071901adobelightroomwindows.asp

Sofia in Dublin

I have always suggested my cousin in Manchester visiting me over the weekend some time, but it was until the last moment before I decided to leave Dublin that she took the decision, picked up a good Ryanair offer and visited me over.

So I thought I should make it special for her and really give her a chance to see Dublin and its surroundings. But to do that you need a car, I believe. So, there goes Argus car rental and our 4 days holidays in Dublin begins!!

Because I must confess that I felt like a tourist as well...She even brought my little Canon EOS 350D camera over from UK, which by the way I may from now on call Iris (deriving from the Greek goddess). Our trip included:

• Dun Laoghaire
• Bray Co. Wicklow,
• Glen Da Logh
• Dublin 2 City Centre,
• Dundalk Party at Catrionas and Michaels
• Dublin 1 City Centre
• North Bull Island
• Howth

Equipped with a Fiat Punto latest version and Iris we managed to see the harbour, the beach, the lake, Grafton street, halfway through Belfast and have a nice Irish history discussion with my dear Irish friends, drink, play pool, play with the cat, go shopping at Roches stores and then guess what....The weather became sunnier so instead of going home we decided to stroll by the quays of the Liffey River and ended up at the docks on the way to Clontarf, so what best, off we go to Howth!!! But wait what is that little bridge after those traffic lights?

- I have been in this city for 3 bloody years and have not seen this little island because everybody said " oh this is the golf island..." Well yes ti's indeed, however it has one of the loveliest views overlooking Dublin city and it's coast, it is serene and small but! There is a huge beach of thin, white sand, just like thin sugar. The Dollymount beach. There is something dramatic about this isolated little North Bull Island, which I would rather let my photos depict, than having me talking about it. After all, it is all about the feeling that emerges or even overwhelms you, something in the air of this island which should preferably be left unsaid, but felt.Iris is an amazing camera, indeed its response is so quick, by the time you lift the camera to your eye level, you can practically take 3-4 photos! This way going out for a 10 minute walk in a park makes you feel that you may end up with a good bunch of 20-30 photos...Easily!!!
To my amaze I realized that since the lens of this camera is considerably wider (in diameter) to the one I use to have, it kind of compensates for the loss of zoom (prior 10x, now 5x) for the light entering through the lens is so much more, making brighter and crisper images. A good example that made me realize this was when we visited my favourite Bistro bar inside a former Catholic church, opposite of Jervis Centre, for a snack with Sofia. I turned back to shoot the organ, just as I did with my Kodak few months ago, from the very same table we were sitting with Maria and Vaggelis, taking photos of the place like crazy Japanese tourists.

Well, mind you but this lens gave me a better image of the church organ with much less effort! ...Ok you might say it was day light Calliope, come on! But, even then I will say that this camera has a 1600 ISO, giving me a great chance to explore night photography.

Thinking about it now, I forget when was the last time that we saw each other with Sofia, I kind of loose it back in time...Enough to realize and explain my difficulty identifying my cousin at the airport! The years have changed us, beautified us, hardened us, our future agonies, I believe remain the same. And sharing our feelings and thoughts...Finding again our similarities and our differences as personalities.

For me I would call it the re-shaping a relationship. Take some old dry clay mix it up with some fresh one and some "water", put your "hands" carefully there and there you have a new pot!

This weeks wallpaper by National Geographic

Tenere desert, Niger, 1997

I have always been fascinated by the mysteries on earth, and here is a good example! An additional reason why I have decided to add this picture on my desktop is also because I loved the summery colours of it..

And here is the description of the photo:

Stark circle of rock measuring about 60 feet [18 meters] in diameter likes in the T?n?r? desert, desert below the massif of Adrar Madet in Niger. Roughly a mile away in each of the four cardinal directions, similarly crafted arrows point away from the circle, whose origin, purpose, and age remain a puzzle."

(Text and photograph from "Journey to the Heart of the Sahara," March 1999, National Geographic magazine)

Of course this is taken by National Geographic as it I received it in a newsletter. You can add it as a wallpaper to you own desktop simply by click the link above and either save it directly as a wallpaper or simply add it into you National Geographic image gallery pictures... have a splending and creative week.
_____________________________
PS: and for the Greeks boiling in 35 Celcius, I wish you manage to get at the nearest beach this weekend lads and lassies!!

For us up here, where we will be joining the scorching hot sun and the beaches and the sand the big blue of the sky after the beginning of August.

Yesh, yesh I can officially announce that I will be in Thessaloniki by August and for the whole of the month at least...preparing for holidays and open to any island suggestions you might have there for me.

For my dear Irish and other international good friends, you know that you are more than welcome to join the fun!!

"Rainbow" Spotted Over Idaho

Just a quick note today. I opened my emails as usual and received my National Geographic Newsletter and to my amaze I saw this rare rainbow! I quickly clicked the link to find out what it was and read that this is about a rare sky phenomenon which apparently takes a number of coincidences for it to occur and specific temperatures.

Like it takes a number of coincidences for us to be the ones to be born and not another sperm and a number of mesmerising coincidences happen, for us to have the characteristics that we have. DNA goes a long way to make things match. So we can be as unique and splendid as this heavenly phenomenon ! How many times have we thought of that?!

"It looks like a rainbow that's been set on fire, but this phenomenon is as cold as ice."
was the heading of the picture, which I associated to the burning sea sand during the summer, when as you might have experienced it is so burning hot that almost feels like frozen! Or like the an ice-cube in your mouth that is so freezing cold that is almost burning you!!

Here is the National Geographic Link describing what happened up there!

Picasa testing version

I have just received an invitation, after my request, to try the Beta version of Picasa. One of the great new things about picasa is that:

• it is giving you 250MB space for free to upload your pictures,
• organize them in as many files as you like (fear dear flickr)
• invite your friends to see your pics, without having to register if they don't want to, just send them your link
• you can download the whole folder, should you wish.
• Do you want privacy, mark it as privet then and please don't share it like I do!

It's great freedom, of course you have to download the picasa 17MB version into your hard drive. but hey, for those who don't have any photo tool or are not happy with the one they have Picasa has a really friendly interface; reminding me a lot of Adobe bridge... and is by far more user friendly. Less clicks to do my work.

So, here you go, just click the link to my online photography Gallery of Landscape, Marco & close up, telephoto zoom photography and miscellaneous Photography Gallery of Picasa. http://picasaweb.google.com/calliope8muse

If you wish you can always make comments, or send a message about the photo that you have seen if it reminds of something or in case you have any suggestions to make. You can do that either here, in flickr or Picasa.

Apparently it 's been 2 days of heavy work on Picasa beta version and it works fine. I had to restart it only once so far...let's see

This weeks wallpaper by National Geographic

A bit late and as I promised here is this weeks wallpaper...Yes yes a little late since I really enjoyed my earlier blossom on my desktop. But this is really eye-catching, of course you might say, its National Geographic.

Anyone interested in photography either more or less should be subscribed to its news letters, not to mention to be buying the monthly magazine, but since I prefer the digital than the beautiful prints...

Anyway here is the Photo of the Day direct link for more information. The title of the picture is: Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, South Carolina, 1983. You can either download it from here or directly from the website where you can get it customized according to your desktop.

Well now that I think of it, since I have bought my very first laptop, I had a dream to create my own National Geographic Gallery and view it as a screensaver, you can imagine what I have downloaded since December 2003...!!!

Wow it looks gorgeous on my 15" bright wide screen!! It's kind of preparing me for summer holidays, camping at a lonely beach in Chalkidiki and yet not so sunny, since the sky is quite dark,it feels like there is a serenity surrounding the summer; deep contrast in nature; is it me translating it as such, how do you see it?

...Ok I have decided to include the beauty here as well. Note: if you have a wide screen you definitely need to resize the pixels to make it look as it is really. You don't need to have Photoshop to do it, any photography software should do the job I believe.

By the way, let me know how you find it on your desktop as well...And have a good midweek!!

PS: This picture has put me in thoughts actually. To me this picture is "dead nature" theme. I will associate it with loss and grieve in everyday human life and as I have experienced it in Gestalt Therapy.
A term that I now take literally as it is. For example this tree is dead, there is no organism alive in this picture but the sea, if you may say so. It reminds me of one of the pictures I took while walking in the flourishing hill of Bray beach with Nikos my Greek friend, about a month ago. So, I was walking amidst the flowers we came up to a burn bushes area. I would like to mention that here in Ireland I have hardly ever seen burned forests or bushes or anything burnt. Something very common during the summer months in Greece, unfortunately.

There and then, I took the picture amazed by the colours emerging of something burned, destroyed and desolated. Dead! Loss-Bereavement-Grief-Pain. Of whatever is important to each of us. From the little leaf to the branch it is loss all right! One would say it's the end of this little bush, which was once brightly flourishing, shining with vibrant colours and juices and life! Still, there is harmony in loss, the harmony of burned colours, black and gold and an indigo sky. There will be life again. You know that even nature needs its time to make up for the loss, just as humans. That made me love this part of the human nature, the harmony and the silence this side of the human nature that needs its time to re-grow, all over, from scratch. My side... Your side!

Of course, one might say, we as humans are a part of nature and as such we behave; only in this case I have had the chance to remind myself of that or even regain the knowledge of that. Accept it and most important, come closer to nature meant that I came closer to myself!

Beloved camera sold on eBay

Indeed but it's about time I had a better tool for my increasing interest and potential in photography, hey!

I have already listed my birthday present to myself in the links below. What I am including here is my Kodak DX 6490 Zoom Digital Camera, which I have listed on eBay.ie

However is interested may gladly bid it or email me. So, here is my camera link on eBay

The item number is 7627267311

Besides, you might just want to have a look for the humor of it!

P.S: So far the bidding price is 220? ! and the time left is 3 days 16 hours...

By the way I forgot to give you the link for the Iogear USB Pocket Card Reader SD/MMC

Last update: my beloved camera is sold to a lad from Cork, tomorrow is shipping time and a few days later it will be buying Canon EOS 350D time, hey!! :-)

This weeks wallpaper is "Orchidee"

Is flowery because it's still spring time (officially last day of it!) it's bright and Graphic Design thrives in here. It also looks great on a brightscreen. If you want to look for more wallpapers have a look at my last link and visit the gallery of the website. Happy downloading!

By the way, I have a feeling next week is going to be a National Geographic wallpaper...see you then

Ithaca

By Constantinos P. Kavafis (1911)

When you set out on your journey to Ithaca,
pray that the road is long,
full of adventure, full of knowledge.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the angry Poseidon -- do not fear them:
You will never find such as these on your path,
if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine
emotion touches your spirit and your body.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the fierce Poseidon you will never encounter,
if you do not carry them within your soul,
if your soul does not set them up before you.

Pray that the road is long.
That the summer mornings are many, when,
with such pleasure, with such joy
you will enter ports seen for the first time;
stop at Phoenician markets,
and purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
and sensual perfumes of all kinds,
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
visit many Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from scholars.

Always keep Ithaca in your mind.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for many years;
and to anchor at the island when you are old,
rich with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.

Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would have never set out on the road.
She has nothing more to give you.

And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you.
Wise as you have become, with so much experience,
you must already have understood what Ithacas mean.

Dartington College of Arts Interview in Totnes/Devon

At the beginning of May I was to visit Totnes for an Interview at Dartington College. I had applied for Theatre Studies and Visual Arts sometime in February and I was really happy to be accepted for an interview at that place.

I did my research about the College which was literally in the middle of the fields and surrounded by nature. So was little Totnes, small, green and simple village. Sorry, but I don't think this is a town by no means! I should also add that little Totnes is far more eco-friendly and organic products based than Thessaloniki itself. Shame on us Thessalonikians...anyhow. It was exactly the kind of life I would love to have. In contact with nature, against ageism and access of knowledge and a combination of my past education with new interests, hey!

I had the luck to stay in an B & B somewhere 30 minutes from the centre of Totnes. Heather was a lovely host, taken care of a lovely cottage which took her 5 or so more years to build to look as beautiful as it does now. I was mesmerised, I have to say. I could not stop taking pictures of my the place! Heather noticed it and asked me to take some pictures for her website in return of money. Of course I grasped the chance to take pictures, but not money of course. For the Greek readers of the post... φιλότιμο ρε, έτσι λέγεται και ταπεινοφροσύνη! But in all good faith Heather pampered me all right! The warmth of this place, the hot coffee first thing in the morning and the organic breakfast waiting for me at the table, the yogurt and bananas at dinnertime and the chilled out chatting about her life stories and mine by the fireplace, was a beloved experience and learning process! Once I get the website, I promise to add it to my links. So, here is the website: http://www.organicbedandbreakfast.info/

So back to the interview, yes I was a wee anxious, even though I turned dissatisfied and even upset at the end of the day. Here's the facts. Dartington College is beautiful college and a prestigious one. The course is a vocational course, no theory there. All the students in and outside the campus are about 600, artists with different backrounds. During the first 2 years physical work is primary, 2 & 3 year you kind of get into practise and meeting the combined module. The accomodation, the usual boxed rooms, dear as well. Internet connection to communicate with the rest of the world, dearer. Work? part time job at the Milk factory nearby or the pubs of course. Careers office and statistics of people finding work after that? There I met the English discrete irony!

I realized the fairy tales I heard in Theatre and fair enough the fairy tales I believed or created myself. I prefer to have a quality of life and a life-long learning. By means of γηράσκω αει διδασκόμενος and not the forever student. I want to have something more concrete with reagards to my education and the job that will feed me.

So, after that revealing interview. Upset enough for "opening my eyes", I continued taking pictures for Heather and sharing our life stories and Iridology information with her.

I am very glad I went there. I gave myself the chance to see, critisize and balance out my needs. Without this little trip I would have never set out and sail away, nore would I have had the chance and the strength to say no to Dartington and their unconditional offer! Saying all these, I remember Ithaca by Kavafis. which I will post in another post for those who never read this elegant and meaninguf poem, bringing tears into my eyes...~

My flickr Gallery

This Flickr Flash Gallery is a competely new feature for me. I want to note that I am writting in html code for the first time! Hence some adjastment mistakes,whihc may occur.Sorry, this is a transition face or ongoing process, whichever you like to call it best!

So time to introduce my new post I guess... In this little flash you can see some of my public favourite pictures taken both in Totnes-Devon and Pilio-Volos Greece. I will speak for each of these trips and mind shaping experiences separately in new posts, which you are welcome to review. In addition to that, you can always post your comments, hey lets make this little page more interactive and communicational lads and lassies! For example I would like to know which one you liked most and what touched you in that specific picture. Did it remind you of something?

Enjoy

Spring Saturday at Newgrange

...Just an idea in mind brought Newgrange as a our Saturday runaway from Dublin. Some friends did make it some did not. So here is a one day excursion with Maria, patient John & little Dimitris in one car and... Alexander (not yet as Great, but beware he is an equally traditional Greek man!!) and Renata- the Crete girl, don't mess with her baby!!!
I tried to combine portrait, conventional photos along with a wee bit more artistic ones, besides spring time is full of colours, the Irish weather is ever so changing during springtime and full of dramatic, running clouds and shades.

Obviously I used Photoshop in some of the pictures, either to brighten up the image or just enhance the picture analysis, since my friend Maria, the μανούλα of little Δημήτρης-James, needs to print some of them, hey!

I have to say that Photoshop helped me a lot to depict the image exactly as I had it mind when I was framing it with my Kodak DX 6490 camera.

I have added my favorite and more artistic ones on Flickr along with a brief description
And if you want to see the whole bunch of 60 photos of that day, all you need to do is to go to my Kodak Gallery!!

Finally, I hope you enjoy them; feel free to comment on them or just download any of the ones you like best.

Γεια χαρά Παίδες!

Bring 10 photos

....Says the conductor of the photography workshop I have joint last Saturday and will finish in 3 weeks time. Yes indeed ever since I got my small SLR, I have turned into a Japanese photo-freak as my brother calls me...Well it was also his suggestion to join a workshop!!
By the way the workshop is at the Gallery of Photography and the workshop is an introduction to digital photography
Anyhow, here are the first 10 photos of mine. I regard them as some of my best so far, yet note that the white tower photo is going to be "photoshoped" for the means of the workshop.
That's it, you can always comment on that if you wish so...enjoy!