not in a mood to elaborate the title right now...all I can think of is my flight in a few hours to Athens, and then sailing with my friends to the Aegean sea on a boat
don't know when i'm coming back to London..
i hope you get a proper tan in your private heaven..
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Ping Pong Door
This door can be transformed into a table-tennis table where necessary. Ideal for small London appartments to play with your flat mates ;)
When everybody is leaving...not for holidays this time :(
During the last year, we've been living in the swing of 'credit crunch', 'recession' or 'crisis' as the media inform as. We thought that this impacts only the bankers, the brokers and the guys working in the City.
As it turns out, everybody was affected.
Redundancies and unemployment is now clouding the London sky, eating the real clouds for breakfast. Who cares about the weather when your job, your future is on the line?
It's the third incident, somebody close to me was made redundant. One of them was actually smart enough to have insurance against this scenario so he got away with it really smoothly, getting paid for 9 months without even working. Now he got a new contract and it's like nothing really happened. The second is now packing her luggage and leaving London, returning to Greece for good. The third is still in shock as the news are still fresh, so I don't know what will happen in this case...but it certainly doesn't look good.
This only shows how uncertain things are. How long-term planning does not mean much in the current climate. As I've written before, we are all passengers in this London train, and we shouldn't invest too much in this island. Cause investments (time, money, dreams, relationships, etc...) can go terribly wrong and we are left with nothing.
I'll come back to this 'passenger' theme as the messages I'm getting from other friends have the same kind of theme.
As it turns out, everybody was affected.
Redundancies and unemployment is now clouding the London sky, eating the real clouds for breakfast. Who cares about the weather when your job, your future is on the line?
It's the third incident, somebody close to me was made redundant. One of them was actually smart enough to have insurance against this scenario so he got away with it really smoothly, getting paid for 9 months without even working. Now he got a new contract and it's like nothing really happened. The second is now packing her luggage and leaving London, returning to Greece for good. The third is still in shock as the news are still fresh, so I don't know what will happen in this case...but it certainly doesn't look good.
This only shows how uncertain things are. How long-term planning does not mean much in the current climate. As I've written before, we are all passengers in this London train, and we shouldn't invest too much in this island. Cause investments (time, money, dreams, relationships, etc...) can go terribly wrong and we are left with nothing.
I'll come back to this 'passenger' theme as the messages I'm getting from other friends have the same kind of theme.
Monday, July 13, 2009
When everybody is leaving
Don't you just hate that feeling? When all your friends start to take off, going back to beautiful Greece for the summer? And you are left behind, waiting impatiently for your turn to pay a visit to Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted or Luton...
It's mid-July, and day by day, Greek Londoners are deserting the battle ground. Who can blame them? After the incredibly hot week we experienced in the City, the miserable weather is back. Rain every day. Having to pack in the tube to go to the office every day. Your iPod is full of summer tunes bringing you memories of the beach. Distant memories that you hope you will re-live soon.
But how soon is "soon"?
For me, it's tomorrow. Sometimes, I feel I just can't wait. I hear the sea calling me. But all I can see is a pale body which used to be so dark. And it will be again, just give me a couple of days on that beach.
For others, it's a couple of weeks. They were smart enough to 'break' their holidays in order to enjoy Greece 3 times, once every month. The problem with that is going back (see my previous post, "Returning"). Too many back and forths can cause serious problems in re-adjusting. The danger of staying mentally back is obvious.
Then, for some, it's in August! Typical Greeks (ellinares) who inevitably link summer holidays with 10-20 August, the busiest time of the year for the islands. It's one thing waiting for August when you are in Athens, and another when you have to put up with the shitty weather for 2 1/2 months before you actually touch sand. The only way to make it through that is to keep your mind occupied (call me work) and have something to look for. Something sweet. Something that will take all your frustration away.
Rare exceptions exist. Greeks that choose to travel to far-away destinations, thinking that it's their only opportunity to discover our planet. It's true, it's so much cheaper to travel from London. But in what inner cost? I guess, these exceptions are the loners, people who don't really have any real friends waiting for them in Greece. The ones that are fully integrated to the living-abroad lifestyle and they don't really miss home. After all, they think, we are going to spend the rest of our lives there, so why not exploring now? Good point, but arguable.
No matter what you do, take some time off and enjoy yourself.
You deserve it!
It's mid-July, and day by day, Greek Londoners are deserting the battle ground. Who can blame them? After the incredibly hot week we experienced in the City, the miserable weather is back. Rain every day. Having to pack in the tube to go to the office every day. Your iPod is full of summer tunes bringing you memories of the beach. Distant memories that you hope you will re-live soon.
But how soon is "soon"?
For me, it's tomorrow. Sometimes, I feel I just can't wait. I hear the sea calling me. But all I can see is a pale body which used to be so dark. And it will be again, just give me a couple of days on that beach.
For others, it's a couple of weeks. They were smart enough to 'break' their holidays in order to enjoy Greece 3 times, once every month. The problem with that is going back (see my previous post, "Returning"). Too many back and forths can cause serious problems in re-adjusting. The danger of staying mentally back is obvious.
Then, for some, it's in August! Typical Greeks (ellinares) who inevitably link summer holidays with 10-20 August, the busiest time of the year for the islands. It's one thing waiting for August when you are in Athens, and another when you have to put up with the shitty weather for 2 1/2 months before you actually touch sand. The only way to make it through that is to keep your mind occupied (call me work) and have something to look for. Something sweet. Something that will take all your frustration away.
Rare exceptions exist. Greeks that choose to travel to far-away destinations, thinking that it's their only opportunity to discover our planet. It's true, it's so much cheaper to travel from London. But in what inner cost? I guess, these exceptions are the loners, people who don't really have any real friends waiting for them in Greece. The ones that are fully integrated to the living-abroad lifestyle and they don't really miss home. After all, they think, we are going to spend the rest of our lives there, so why not exploring now? Good point, but arguable.
No matter what you do, take some time off and enjoy yourself.
You deserve it!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Cloud Umbrella by Joonsoo Kim
This would be cool in the rainy streets of London. A unique way to mark your territory and make a difference in the City :)
Read more
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