tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64335349508035455512011-09-25T05:11:07.461+01:00An Anglogreek relationship. An insight into English life through Greek eyesPenelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.comBlogger671100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-45878208133902898562010-10-12T09:36:00.012+01:002010-10-12T09:58:46.021+01:00

Ενα χρυσόψαρο μέσα στη γυάλα by Eleni Gika Το απίστευτο χιούμορ της Πηνελόπης-Ντία έπρεπε και από την επιλογή ψευδωνύμου να το υποψιαστώ! Αλλά χρειάστηκε αυτή η απίθανη φάρσα με τον Μπόρχες στο μπλόγκ μου για να βεβαιωθώ! Την είχα δεί στα σχόλια και στα πόστ της, αλλά οφείλω να ομολογήσω ότι διαβάζοντας πια το βιβλίο σε πολλά σημεία κόντεψα να πάθω ανακοπή!Ε ναι το χιούμορ, η επανάστασή μας στο

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-82486307774340355802009-01-15T06:48:00.002Z2009-01-15T06:55:32.199Z

Την Penelope τη γνώρισα κι αυτήν στα σχόλια της Ρίτσας –μια lady, που τα βράδια κλείδωνε τον Jonny στη ντουλάπα, και με το λάπτοπ αγκαλιά μιλούσε με τις φίλες της. Μιλούσαμε στα σχόλια και στα ποστ, για τον Χιού, τον Μίστερ Ντάρσυ και τον sir S… Μιλήσαμε και πιο «κοντά», για τα παιδιά μας, για τα ζόρια μας.. Από τους διαλόγους διέκρινα έναν άνθρωπο ξύπνιο, λογικό, προσγειωμένο, με τρομερό χιούμορ

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-80554951895643723912009-01-05T17:44:00.003Z2009-01-05T18:00:49.503Z

Μπορεί ένα βιβλίο να είναι διασκεδαστικό, χαριτωμένο, αυτό που λένε έξω φτώχεια και καλή καρδιά. Μπορεί, όμως, νάναι το ίδιο διασκεδαστική, χαριτωμένη κι έξω φτώχεια και καλή καρδιά η επίσημη παρουσίαση του ; Ναι, ναι, μπορεί και με το παραπάνω μάλιστα.Απόψε ( 1η Οκτ.) είχαμε την παρουσίαση του βιβλίου -ημερολογίου της dearest στο Pubic Για τους μη μυημένους, dearest είναι η Πενέλοπε (Penelope as

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-50351847531637771032008-12-17T16:07:00.005Z2008-12-17T16:21:48.445Z

A review by So Far Είναι ένα βιβλίο που το διάβασα με ένα χαμόγελο κρεμασμένο στην άκρη των χειλιών.Αυτό το νησί με τις συνήθειές του και τις ιδιορρυθμίες του, με τον τρόπο σκέψης του, είναι αφενός το αγαπημένο μου για όλα αυτά αφετέρου είναι πια οικογενειακή μνήμηΤα βιβλία έχουν πολλές αναγνώσεις και άπειρες οπτικές. Σε βιβλία ημερολογιακού χαρακτήρα εκείνο που προέχει είναι το ανθρώπινο

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-67782397116228498402008-11-18T17:14:00.004Z2008-11-18T17:21:35.308Z

Πάντα αναρωτιέμαι αν γι αυτά που διαβάζω, που βλέπω, που ακούω υπάρχει κάποιος που τον αφορά η παρ-ανάγνωσή μου, η παρ-όραση, το παρ-άκουσμά μου και η απάντησή μου βγαίνει πάντα αυθόρμητα: Όχι, κανείς, αφού στην πραγματικότητα αδυνατώ (κι ούτε που θέλω άλλωστε) να νομιμοποιήσω την κριτική μου, αδυνατώ να εμπεδώσω την ιδέα του κρίνειν, την ηθελημένη επιλογή ανάμεσα σε δύο πόλους τον θετικό και τον

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-46493197396713113982008-11-13T05:00:00.002Z2008-11-13T05:03:18.033Z

…της Ντίας-Μέξη Τζόουνς. Το βιβλίο αυτό σε μορφή ημερολογίου, εάν εκτιμώ σωστά η περίοδος είναι φθινόπωρο του 2004 με λήξη ημερολογιακού καλοκαιριού του 2005, περιγράφει την ζωή ενός ελληνοαγγλικού ζευγαριού σε μια κωμόπολη στην Αγγλία από την οπτική της Πηνελόπης Φωκά-Bennett (alter ego της συγγραφέως; ) την προσπάθεια προσαρμογής της στον περίεργο για τους Έλληνες αγγλικό τρόπο ζωής μέχρι το

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-57760130763539160662008-10-19T09:54:00.002+01:002008-10-19T10:28:11.713+01:00

ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΛΟΓΟΤΕΧΝΙΑ ΕΥΠΩΛΗΤΑ (BHMA)GREEK LITERATURE BEST SELLER (VIMA)1. Ματωμένα Χώματα της Διδώς Σωτηρίου (εκδόσεις Κέδρος)2. Ολα σου τα 'μαθα μα ξέχασα μια λέξη του Δημήτρη Μπουραντά (εκδόσεις Πατάκη)3. Το σπίτι δίπλα στο ποτάμι της Λένας Μαντά (εκδόσεις Ψυχογιός)4. Το φάντασμα της αξόδευτης αγάπης της Μάρως Βαμβουνάκη (εκδόσεις Ψυχογιός)5. Η άλλη πλευρά του νομίσματος της Λένας Μαντά (

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-5637761047868062382008-10-08T18:38:00.002+01:002008-10-08T18:41:45.890+01:00

Πολλαπλά ξαφνιάσματα by Manos KontoleonΚαι δεν ήταν ξάφνιασμα μόνο το ότι έγραψε, αλλά και το τι έγραψε.Αυτό το φρέσκο, το χαριτωμένο, το κεφάτο, το σαρκαστικό και αυτοσαρκαστικό κείμενο.Χάρηκα που το είδα, χαίρομαι που το βλέπω να κυκλοφορεί πια.Είναι ένα βιβλίο που με ανάλαφρο τρόπο λέει σοβαρά πράγματα.Μιλά για τις στρεβλώσεις δυο κοινωνιών, αλά και για τα ανοίγματα που η κάθε μια τους

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-88819575973649911902008-10-06T17:27:00.002+01:002008-10-08T08:30:23.612+01:00

Ενα χρυσόψαρο μέσα στη γυάλα by Eleni Gika Το απίστευτο χιούμορ της Πηνελόπης-Ντία έπρεπε και από την επιλογή ψευδωνύμου να το υποψιαστώ! Αλλά χρειάστηκε αυτή η απίθανη φάρσα με τον Μπόρχες στο μπλόγκ μου για να βεβαιωθώ! Την είχα δεί στα σχόλια και στα πόστ της, αλλά οφείλω να ομολογήσω ότι διαβάζοντας πια το βιβλίο σε πολλά σημεία κόντεψα να πάθω ανακοπή!Ε ναι το χιούμορ, η επανάστασή μας στο

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-28316598140415380992008-10-03T09:02:00.001+01:002008-10-04T08:43:18.720+01:00

Στο βιβλίο του Τζορτζ Μάικς «How to be an alien», που κυκλοφόρησε το 1946, ο συγγραφέας συνθέτει ένα εγχειρίδιο επιβίωσης στη Βρετανία:«Έγινε κάπως έτσι. Πριν από μερικά χρόνια έβγαινα με μια νεαρή κυρία που ήταν πολύ υπερήφανη που ήταν Αγγλίδα. Κάποια στιγμή, προς μεγάλη μου έκπληξη, μου ζήτησε να την παντρευτώ. ‘Όχι’, της απάντησα. ‘Δεν μπορώ. Η μητέρα μου ποτέ δεν θα συμφωνούσε να παντρευτώ

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-67529814480345699102008-09-23T18:07:00.007+01:002008-09-23T18:16:04.731+01:00

Mεγαλεία ο Τζόνι λοιπόν. Νόμιζε ότι μόνο εκείνοι έχουν αρχοντικά. Του έδειξα λοιπόν το κτίριο που θα γίνει η παρουσίαση και δεν έβγαλε μιλιά. Οχι παίζουμε …. ;) Λοιπόν το τοπίο ξεκαθάρισε. Eβγαλα εισιτήρια, βρήκα διαβατήρια( το ένα ληγμένο, το άλλο σε μια διαδικασία χ) και με τα νεύρα τσατάλια έρχομαι για την παρουσίαση του “Τζονι και εγώ” που θα γίνει στo ’Public’, Σύνταγμα την Τετάρτη,1

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-23740702514434069732008-08-17T04:58:00.008+01:002008-08-17T10:35:24.400+01:00

Penelope decided to change her address, leave her english home which is frozen, and move on to a more hot address. I'm going to keep my english home because it's my home and adore it but I'm going to post in this new and more cosmopolitan address pinelopi.wordpress.com.See you there then!

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-13252161120492927572008-08-07T19:02:00.048+01:002008-08-10T11:45:56.316+01:00

Arriving in NY is exciting by itself however arriving by boat was doubly exciting!Five days we spent in the Atlantic ocean without a trace of another boat or land, only some dolphins and two whales. The boat was the Queen Mary 2 the largest Ocean liner as the Master(the captain) was insisting to call it.QM2 is like a small town of 2600 passengers with a lot of restaurants, library, theatre,

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-43780734466817938312008-06-30T19:20:00.011+01:002008-12-09T09:54:53.903Z

Η Πηνελόπη είναι μία έξυπνη, σοφιστικέ Αθηναία, κληρονόμος τριών χιλιάδων χρόνων ελληνικής κουλτούρας, ιστορίας και δόξας. Όταν φεύγειστην Αγγλία για σπουδές, συναντά τον Τζόνι, γοητευτικό μεν, αλλά χωρίς αμφιβολία τυπικό Άγγλο.Τον ερωτεύεται, τον παντρεύεται και δημιουργούνοικογένεια. Μέχρις εδώ, όλα τέλεια! Πολύ γρήγορα όμως θα συνειδητοποιήσει ότι τώρα έχει νακάνει με έναν “ξένο” μέσα στο ίδιο

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-42791927697285089802008-06-29T20:29:00.015+01:002008-12-09T09:54:54.360Z

Were all going on a summer holiday.(by boat to NY Hamptons)No more working for a week or two.(a month)Fun and laughter on a summer holiday.No more worries for me and you.(blogging and posting!)For a week or two.Were going where the sun shines brightly.Were going where the sea is blue.Weve seen it in the movies (Great Gatsby)!Now lets see if its true.Everybody has a summer holidayDoing things they

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-40380995273917230382008-06-22T20:34:00.007+01:002008-12-09T09:54:54.537Z

1.What is your greatest fear?Electrical power cut for long period of time2.What is your favourite way of spending time?Make jokes for my own amusement3.When and where were you happiest?Early summer mornings in Greece with view of the sea4.What is the trait you most deplore in others?Not take a joke about themselves5.What is your favourite JourneyFlying from England to Greece and driving back to

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-62932620032097689132008-06-15T10:43:00.028+01:002008-12-09T09:54:55.390Z

On the road again ,Johnny and me, off to the Guardian’s Hay festival. Hay on Wye is a beautiful village on the border between Wales and England which twenty years now hosts the famous Guardian’s book festival. A festival which by virtue of its sponsor name explains why it is very popular among the British corduroy intelligentsia and Bill Clinton once called as ‘woodstock of the mind’. So Penelope

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-23959423996745063882008-06-07T19:15:00.010+01:002008-12-09T09:54:55.539Z

My dear friend and confidante Dia finished at last my autobiography which I think probably is the best Greek novel (so far) after Homer's Odyssey! For the simple reason Penelope's Anglosaxons's tribe is far more sophisticated than the Odyssey's Cyclopes and Sirens et al. and so far she managed to tackle them! There you are then, with the cover of the book which soon will be available in the

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-40791512640335964882008-06-03T21:21:00.022+01:002008-12-09T09:54:56.231Z

It’s no time for princes and princesses. First the prince Rashid (Queen Noor’s son of Jordan 1st photo player with blue left) is playing polo for charities in the posh polo clubs in the English countryside where Penelope & Co are avid spectators on account the sport is quite spectacular and needs multiple skills by the players, as well as is the only place where Penelope feels comfortable with

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-4520538388658158242008-06-01T09:29:00.005+01:002008-12-09T09:54:56.306Z

Another article about Athens in FT . It is a digest from the wallpaper city guide to AthensThe only thing I'm aware of is the Gallery Breeder from the Frieze Art Festival, everything else is new to me! As my regular visits to Athens are only three to four days , just to see my loved ones.And I feel that I've really missed my city ! The only comfort is by strolling around Athens virtually ...10am

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-68970445193165289332008-05-28T20:23:00.015+01:002008-12-09T09:54:57.004Z

SECRET : Penelope's and Johnny's wedding anniversary was looming! Johnny couldn't wait and resist the temptation to impress once more Penelope after so many years of marriage and he decided to sing 'Delilah' in front of the gobsmacked Penelope and the rest of the cafe's customers and staff (pict.1)! The Greek Penelope was over the moon where

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-35072307068823743572008-05-24T21:14:00.008+01:002008-12-09T09:54:57.753Z

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-13578783834677663752008-05-20T20:28:00.008+01:002008-12-09T09:54:57.872Z

These days I feel more and more pathetic when I am watching television or reading newspapers about issues like the environmental hazards, the human's carelessness with the environment, tragedies that inflict the human beings around the world, issues that sometimes can be avoided or stopped or even minimized by the man himself. Pathetic and helpless at the same time contemplating what I am doing

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-65816188097812798582008-05-18T10:29:00.000+01:002008-12-09T09:54:57.954Z

I like cycling he likes cricketI like toast he likes marmiteI like rain he likes sunI like white he likes blueI like mountains he likes seaI like tea he likes coffeeI like England he likes GreeceJohnny and me, two worlds in one!p.s1 Penelope's Sunday thoughtsp.s2 The Rhododendron is for Despina ...(Joneses syndrom)there in the small bench, sometimes Johnny is drinking his coffee and Penelope her

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-56193014191403039482008-05-13T19:24:00.008+01:002008-12-09T09:54:58.248Z

Johnny had a bad week last week. It was like a double defeat. The first disappointment was the mayoral election in London. He was expecting the ‘red’ Ken but unexpectedly the ‘toff’* Boris won the election. The second was the interview of Bori’s father about his famous son. He said «Boris speaks Latin and ancient Greek. What a classical education teaches you is to think, understand, to express

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-57634259771154555362008-05-09T19:42:00.007+01:002008-12-09T09:54:58.383Z

The Greek bloggers are an exquisite club their main characteristic is their voracious appetite for games. They like to play games and they are good at them. Enthusiastic, disciplined and organized. Yes, the Greeks are organized in Games see Athens 2004 Olympics, the best Olympics ever, as we say Tesco finest is Olympics finest. They make up games with rules and incantation by inviting a number of

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-27844597424809316962008-05-04T14:38:00.008+01:002008-12-09T09:54:58.707Z

The pictures above is where Penelope is working hard ! The spring is high season so she is quite busy during this time of the year.When the customers/tourists ask questions she doesn't know about, her answer is "I lost my 'marbles' because of you (Elgin/English)!. More history in the following posts.P.S. I would like to thank Ithacanews for putting my article about my blog and book "Johnny and Me

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-75061813654507324102008-04-28T20:58:00.004+01:002008-12-09T09:54:58.870Z

The connoisseurs say the relatives are good in a very small doses otherwise they start to smell. The life itself taught me to avoid strong expression like the latter and to say the truth it wasn’t really exactly like that, but close to, at least for Johnny . The Greek Easter was looming the nostalgia was escalating towards the need to repeat the things you were doing when you were young and you

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-86661476070202346352008-04-25T08:48:00.005+01:002008-12-09T09:54:58.934Z

Because the Greek Easter is looming and because the Greek Easter is a really quintessential Greek celebration and because these days I feel that I really miss my compatriots I dedicate to all of them a poem by George Seferis «Τhe Return of the exile»«My old friend, what are you looking for?after years abroad you’ve come backwith images you’ve nourishedunder foreign skiesfar from you own country.

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-35059406165795845322008-04-21T21:01:00.004+01:002008-12-09T09:54:59.110Z

There are certain times in my life that names, words, people come front of me with a scary coincidence. This week I came across the word ‘blue Jeans’. I was obsessed with the ‘concept’ from the moment I saw Johnny with his new light blue jeans and his light blue check shirt peeping out from his blue jumper and unconsciously exclaimed ‘darling you are so techno! Techno in Greek language means ‘

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com54tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-53842961158011667782008-04-16T11:46:00.007+01:002008-12-09T09:54:59.176Z

'The boy' as I decided to call my precious laptop has taken its place in the garden ! We shall see.. perhaps the fresh air will help..! The other day as I was contemplating about blogging my little Albion came in and started to sing"You put your whole self in,You put your whole self out,You put your whole self inAnd you shake it all about.You do the Hokey BlogyAnd you turn yourself around,That's

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com59tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-38570943471831988032008-04-11T13:58:00.005+01:002008-12-09T09:54:59.286Z

Blogging blogging blogging!!! Blogging in the morning blogging in the night blogging all through the day. Open the windows on my Laptop’s screen, write down the most genius,inspired comment, click on ‘submit’ to Rits , Despina, Petite Anglaise.... blogposts, reply to my blog’s comments , write down the most improvised stuff on my blog and back again to recycle all the previous. I have opinion

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-33715346608821921522008-04-07T10:48:00.003+01:002008-12-09T09:54:59.523Z

This is an old post but because I feel like this lately I posted it again...."Where are you from"? I am asked. More my accent rather than my colour complexion triggers this question. For me, Greek-raised, the question becomes one of torn loyalties. Trying to belong here, belong there, belonging nowhere. For a time I felt I was constantly shifting allegiances, searching for connection in groups

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-4844879254730413832008-04-05T09:59:00.003+01:002008-12-09T09:54:59.653Z

keep-up-with-the-Joneses syndromeThis picture is for Despina to see the size of my magnolia.... !!!!

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-33321530763374027702008-03-31T14:16:00.011+01:002008-12-09T09:54:59.795Z

Take it or leave it1. Humour but again English humour is not to be confused with good humour generally or cheerfulness.2. Modesty/self deprecation: as a counterbalance to their natural arrogance3. Recognition of achievement: no glass ceiling for the ‘hoi polloi’ see OBE....etc.4. Cricket : I have no idea what is going on in this game but I like to see all of them and mainly Johnny impeccably

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-23511996911729232882008-03-27T07:53:00.013Z2008-12-09T09:55:00.046Z

Carla Bruni was the reason that we came back home urgently from France and specifically from Ile de Re. Carla Bruni her mother and her husband ‘en famillie’ as they say were visiting Johnny’s homeland. For this obvious reason Johnny had to be in his base and to welcome Carla in flesh and bones who was dressed up as Nanny McPhee in grey, like a good girl!Anyway this event didn’t mess up with my

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-27272815820530160102008-03-20T13:26:00.011Z2008-12-09T09:55:00.380Z

I would never imagine such a small article in the newspaper about my blog and book could create such a mayhem, confusion even disorientation. The facts are the followings:Firstly: My mother was upset, because I bought a new house, I don’t have a proper address with a number and a name, but this incomprehensible and funny line http://www.johnny-and-me.blogspot.com/ as address, and even worse I

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-59187744552017584272008-03-16T09:41:00.015Z2008-12-09T09:55:00.503Z

" I would like to order twenty copies of the Greek Sunday Paper ETHNOS please!!" this was my conversation with the newsagent. The reason for above order was about an article in 'Ethnos tis Kyriakis' a Greek National paper about Me, My Blog and My Book "Johnny and Me-o Johnny και Εγώ" which is going το be published by Empiria Ekdotiki May/June2008 ! Hooray -Hooray. So there you are, The Article

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-56394834088215468732008-03-07T09:48:00.013Z2008-12-09T09:55:01.265Z

Bath is the most elegant city and the only 'world heritage city' in Britain. It is the classical architecture of the eighteenth-century that offers such a feast for the eye. There are more grade 1(Georgian Houses) listed buildings in Bath than in central London!!The Royal Crescent in the first picture is the most prestigious address in the world! There was a Spa in olden days and there is a new

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-83524190126886122882008-03-02T22:18:00.006Z2008-12-09T09:55:01.372Z

Martin Amis, Hugh Grant Johnny and Me! The combination is a little bit crowded. Martin Amis ,diminutative and quite aged, wearing a pink shirt with grey suit , was reading extract from his new book “the second plane” last night in a event which was part of the Literature festival in Bath. He was referring to Hugh Grant in his book as allegory for Tony Blair ! Halleluja , join the club of Hugh

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-81403145783939478442008-02-28T12:51:00.008Z2008-12-09T09:55:01.487Z

Manners matter everywhere. They make our life pleasant and facilitate our social communication. So there are some rules and standards how to communicate in the cyberspace . The author of these rules is Virginia Shea. You will find more information and details in her book "Netiquettes" published by Albion books.Let’s keep any eye to her suggestions about how to behave in the cyberspace then.

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-49601880765955501352008-02-24T09:39:00.016Z2008-12-09T09:55:01.714Z

What a coincidence, I and Ian Mc Ewan were at the same place, month and weather. On a chilly February McEwan set up the plot of his novel ‘Amsterdam’. I, I was gliding through the narrow streets along the canals with my 4x4 bicycle. The bravery of doing this was probably flowing from my Greek genes(absence of self-consciousness). Amsterdam is a friendly, relaxed, cosy and at the same time

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-62893402755395242782008-02-17T18:45:00.003Z2008-12-09T09:55:01.979Z

On the roads again Johnny and I. We went to ‘town’ to the National Portrait Gallery in London to see the glossy selection of the ‘best’ Vanity Fair portraits of celebrities by famous photographers , Helmut Newton, Annie Leibovitz, Mario Testino....etc. They had captured with their lens the vanity of 'la crème de la crème' of Hollywood , Royalty , Politicians .... In the entrance was Diana,

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-61268012415259505422008-02-14T06:18:00.005Z2008-12-09T09:55:02.079Z

Yessss!! Yesss!! I wanted to shout. I felt the same euphoria as somebody feels after a good orgasm. The reason was not Johnny who was lying next to me unconscious but James Owen. It was early in the morning and Johnny was still sleeping and I was reading the newspaper which the paper boy had just delivered. Despite his unconsciousness I couldn’t resist to ask him “Do you know James Owen”. Johnny

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-43005459381468217732008-02-13T09:54:00.003Z2008-12-09T09:55:02.265Z

H Δέσποινα μου ζήτησε να γράψω κάτι για τα δικά μου όνειρα ! Και εμένα μου ήρθε στο μυαλό ό περίφημος λόγος του Martin Luther King στην Washington το 1963 "I have a dream"Απολαύστε λοιπόν κομμάτια από το λόγο του Martin Luther KingI Have a Dream"I have a dream today""Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-60117459068171919242008-02-06T11:02:00.000Z2008-12-09T09:55:02.352Z

I love to read newspapers or better I am addicted to reading them! I am not sure yet, what attracted me first, Johnny himself or the newspaper he was reading! The first time I met him it was in the University’s restaurant, he was sitting next to me but I could not see him very well because he had buried himself in the Guardian. Some of my thoughts then, I don’t know which was first or second,

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-34904763390961201992008-01-29T21:38:00.000Z2008-12-09T09:55:02.411Z

How are the Sundays in England? The question came up on the screen as I was checking the comments on my blog. Rits was asking it! (typical journalist question). I looked at me, the crumbs from the croissant were all over my pyjama as well as on the top of my precious laptop, my get-away to the Greek world! Next to me, Johnny has buried himself in the Sunday Times; the only thing I could see was

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-67037134366037214822008-01-20T22:03:00.000Z2008-12-09T09:55:02.516Z

“No Country for Old Men” the adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's novella by the Coen brothers, was the film we saw last night. Cormac, Coen and I are a difficult combination. Cormac has hardly female characters in his books because, as he says, he doesn’t understand women! On the other hand, bad guys and violence is a common plot for Coens' films. For me, movie without man loves woman and generally

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-5842941447852229052008-01-17T22:03:00.000Z2008-01-18T12:01:00.283Z

IFBy Rudyard KiplingIF you can keep your head when all about youAre losing theirs and blaming it on you,If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,But make allowance for their doubting too;If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,Or being hated, don't give way to hating,And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:If you can dream - and not make

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-9354709487518560912008-01-13T20:56:00.000Z2008-12-09T09:55:02.664Z

Being in airport arrival halls is like being in a group therapy. People faces are full of agony, excitement, happiness ... There is no inhibition on showing their emotions.. So tears and laughs are everywhere like premenopausal women meetings. The last time I was waiting forJohnny’s arrival from one of those exotic places he likes to travel ,I was sharing my feelings with a man who had decided to

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-25101907832497764872008-01-06T21:02:00.000Z2008-12-09T09:55:03.063Z

My past few days were full of parties so I found the opportunity to engage in the sport most I like. I was gliding through social gatherings, listening and constantly accessing my surroundings: How people dress up, how they behave, flirt and talk. This time I concentrated on the sound of the language and once more I noticed that the English language can be exciting, it can be fun and chic. It is

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-51063951448325827442007-12-28T22:32:00.000Z2008-12-09T09:55:03.144Z

And now it’s over! And now the first glimpse of depression! The Christmas tree and decoration starts to look a little bit kitsch! This period between Christmas and New Year it’s a little bit puzzling whatever concerns the greetings, Merry Christmas wishes after the Christmas day seems to me a little bit odd, the ‘Happy New Year’ wish before the actual day doesn’t fit the bill either for a

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-32313431013570020732007-12-10T22:00:00.000Z2008-12-09T09:55:03.245Z

The electric cheer that possesses me during the Christmas period has the same urgency to it as a love affair. I do believe that Christmas is a time for going, well, insane! And England is the right place to indulge yourself in this love affair ‘insanity’. We start with the ‘war’ of cards. We send cards to everybody we know or not. The only prerequisite is to know name and address. Today I

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-83316536506249761712007-11-30T14:52:00.001Z2008-12-09T09:55:03.407Z

My relationship with my name ‘Penelope’ was always controversial I loved to hate it for various reasons. In Greece was a dated name from the Greek mythology. The children in school didn’t care about this detail and deformed it without mercy, penelo (brush in greek). When arrived in England I had the same flashbacks from childhood. The name I had nursed for so long and I though I had cured it, now

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-84666208358825129862007-11-19T21:00:00.000Z2008-12-09T09:55:03.668Z

"Where are you from"? I am asked. More my accent rather than my colour complexion triggers this question. For me, Greek-raised, the question becomes one of torn loyalties. Trying to belong here, belong there, belonging nowhere. For a time I felt I was constantly shifting allegiances, searching for connection in groups that inevitably excluded me for being different.I shuffled back and forth in

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-44179129696146966662007-11-13T13:36:00.001Z2008-12-09T09:55:03.930Z

The best classroom to learn a language is mother’s lap as the connoisseurs say. In that warm , secure place a child will learn anything, and very quickly, too. Next best they say –an improvement , they think after puberty – is the lap of someone we are sexually involved with.In my case my mother the only language ever taught to me was Greek.The English language came later in my ears through the

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-82960400110858419042007-11-03T19:19:00.000Z2008-12-09T09:55:04.069Z

AUTUMN IN ENGLANDWhen I arrived in England some years ago was autumn just like this in the photo. As the years flowed like a brook, two words come to my mind and I contemplate about them. The word "expat" and "immmigrant". The word "expat" evokes aloof, wealthy outsiders; high tech people, people working in big corporation, diplomats; people to whom the place they live remains foreign no matter

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-29626098642942353302007-10-26T19:43:00.000+01:002008-12-09T09:55:04.408Z

Last night was a night out with the girlfriends. It was magnificent, it reminded me of old days in Athens. We spoke about men, marriage and Hugh Grant... The mention of the latter made them start to have hallucination. The Natassaki (in Greece the diminutive suffix -aki is quite popular among women, gives a sense of tea and sympathy and probably it has replaced the old suffix -oula) was quite

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-57181328254876847892007-10-15T14:10:00.000+01:002007-11-01T20:09:10.596Z

We managed to arrive quite early at the coolest fair in Town the "Frieze art fair" in London. The crowd is totally different from those of music concerts. Maybe the slogan could be "show me the money" rich people, collectors, dealers and more... The British dressed down and the Europeans dressed up. The majority of galleries are based in London and New York. As always I managed to spot the only

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-14278821308299256312007-10-12T16:27:00.000+01:002007-11-01T20:05:22.844Z

Upset upset upset! Horrid criticism in the English newspapers against Greece,the Greeks... about the fires! Go downstairs, Johnny is diving into the newspapers...More angry grrrrrrrrrr...... Sit down next to him saying with a pompous style "Johnny darling, do you know Sophocle's is better than Shakespeare?" Thinking this will divert the subject of the conversation in favor of me and the Greeks (

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-23330646553584760182007-10-05T20:36:00.000+01:002007-10-06T21:47:58.527+01:00

To say the truth, I am never sure about Johnny's reactions. Every other day I discover something new about him and his habits. And I am suspecting this is the same, the other way around. He taps the side of his nose with his finger to show to me, he masters the subject he is talking about ,and I think he is suffering from nose's allergy. I heightened my eyebrows to indicate "No" and he thinks

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-72428375442263266162007-09-01T18:37:00.000+01:002008-12-09T09:55:04.574Z

Three are the big victories of humanity made in England: Magna Charta, Tzentleman, Shakespeare'Nikos Kazantzakis from "Traveling : England" Αthens - LondonThe aeroplane took off succesfully once more, despite my anxiety and ambiguity about the abilities of each pilot to manage this big metallic bird in the sky.At the moment it was turning around Evoiko I was looking down to in case I could

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-36579687004986399872007-08-27T19:58:00.000+01:002008-12-09T09:55:04.793Z

We had stopped visiting the gym. We didn't need it really, the bedroom had already been transformed to a private gym. Johnny had made the body, not without ofcourse the downsides. He had a backache lately. For me the things were more complicated,I had constantly the thermometer in my mouth, when the temperature was going up for a bit I was telling to Johnny "today is the day! we have to come in

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-17536440258660092082007-06-25T10:38:00.000+01:002008-12-09T09:55:05.094Z

Tick tock, tick, tock I felt that the fertility clock is striking with accelerated rhythme every month. I knew very well ,soon or later it wil stop forever. Quite a few months of trying have passed without any result. We had already started to think about visiting a specialist gynaecologist. Johnny has been literally squeezed. My personal conclusion from this experience is that men couldn't

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-44573325560117617142007-05-19T19:07:00.000+01:002008-12-09T09:55:05.246Z

The result of the external appearance will be quite impressive. Whatever concerns the temperament, things are getting more complicated, there are advantages and disadvantages in both sides of the two tribes. Day by day, slowly-slowly, I will illuminate our difference s- for example our gap in social behavior and cetera.... -----Εμφανισιακά το αποτέλεσμα θα είναι αρκετά εντυπωσιακό. Τώρα όσον

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-45109567038449115572007-05-12T21:19:00.000+01:002008-12-09T09:55:05.365Z

What else I can add, oh yes, height of course, this must be inherited, by any means from Johnny's genes. I hope she will get his tall streched body and legs. And if it is a girl with these tall streched legs, she will wear her tight blue jeans and the white T-shirt tucked in.So she won't have too tight a pullover around her waist to hide her weak points which her mother still has thoughtfully

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6433534950803545551.post-91498944020192756962007-05-07T21:38:00.000+01:002008-12-09T09:55:05.491Z

I try to imagine our baby's physical appearance. My preferred characteristics for my baby are those of Snow White (it seems to me I had read a lot of Snow White in my infancy and all her outloook and comlexion has been well established in my self conscience): Dark hair(Johnny's), I can't say anything about mine because after the endless attempts of highlighting my hair I have forgotten my real

Penelopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04783774085882000908noreply@blogger.com0