ARTIST

It was late. They have been travelling throughout the night.  They were very tired, however very excited to finally be arriving in a new country! Their hotel was a few kilometers away. They carefully followed the instructions as they were getting close.  At 3 in the morning, no one was around. The streets were empty. Only a few taxis were driving around the city center. The city was asleep.  The final turn was just around the corner.  The streets were getting dark.  Trees on the pavements and the street lights were dimmed to almost darkness.  They did not know what to expect and started questioning their choice of stay in this new country.  "Bip" the navigation signaled and they stopped outside a dark and old house.  "Is this our hotel?" - asked the woman. "Yes, this is what the navigation says" - the man replied.  They were skeptical, trying to size up their options. The place looked bizarre, it was 3 in the morning and there were no other o...

"The way you speak about them, makes you look bad and that is not you" - he told her. She paused. "Yes, but..." she tried to say "But what?" - he replied. "You seem to try to find the negative and wrongdoing in the situation but that is not like you" - he continued.  She paused again.  After giving it a thought she admitted. "I am saddened by the situation and disappointed. I feel that I am not good enough, not doing enough and not being appreciated." She paused for another second. "I am ok being around them, and I will always do the right thing. However, there will always be that one small part of me that is disappointed by their behaviour" "And that is ok" - he replied. "Until you are ready to forgive them and let go" - he continued. "That is when you will realize that the only person you were bringing down all along was yourself." 2026

She woke up early. The sun's rays were coming through her window.  It was one of those days where there was nothing planned to do.  She got out of bed and prepared for her morning walk. No headphones, just her and the sounds of her nature.  She walked through small neighborhoods and enjoyed the stillness of early mornings.  After a while, the bright blue and calm sea was appeared on the horizon. The sun rays were dancing on the water and she could hear the waves singing as she walked by.  She reached her favourite spot. Left her things on the sand and went into the fresh sea.  The cold water hugged her body and she laid on the water for a while enjoying the warmness of the sun.  She slowly returned to the sand. She took a few seconds to admire the calmness of nature and opened her book. She travelled into its pages for a while before coming back to reality.  The sun was stronger now, it was time to go.  She picked up her things and started he...

The lady walked down the street.  She was enjoying the sunny weather, however the breeze was still cold. Her white coat was long, bright and cozy!  She felt light and ready to discover the area of the city she had never visited before, even though she had been in that city many times.  She walked slowly admiring the architecture and trying to take in all the different scenery the city offered her.  Reading her map on the phone, she stopped at a crossroad. She focused on her phone, however when she turned to look back up, she noticed something strange.  A car she never saw before, seemed very familiar to her. She stopped and looked at it as if waiting for the car to give her an answer. She tried to look inside the car but the driver was not a familiar face.  The back seats were pitch black, not sure whether someone was sitting there.  She followed the car with her eyes.  Once the car left the street she continued walking. She tried to think about h...

With another year coming to an end, the time has come.  The goal to read at least 12 book in 2025, has been accomplished once more! Here is this year's list: The Diary of A CEO by Steven Bartlett I ❤️ You Dad by Minoas Publishing The Adonia Mysteries by George Siettos (Greek) My Apprenticeship by Maksim Gorky The Schoolmistress With The Golden Eyes by Stratis Myrivilis The Crime, The Criminal and Women Murders by Athos Erotokritou (Greek) The New Testament Baroque by Alkis Charalambidis Clear Thinking by Shane Parrish By Fire and Sword - Christos Mitsides (Greek) Persepolis - Ioannis Xenakis by Aram Yiardumian The War of Art by Steven Pressfield 2025

"I have found him" - the woman with the red hat said. "Yes, it is him" she continued as if she was replying to someone on the other end of the line. "I will get back to you with the rest" - she said and ended the phone call. The coffee house was unusually quiet today. The lady on the other end of the table heard everything. However the lady on the laptop did not realize that. "What's going on?" - the lady thought. "Are they following someone? Is this someone married? Do they want to see if he is seeing another woman? Why would they follow/stalk someone?" Everything felt so weird to her. Especially the fact that this lady was so loud, in a coffee shop, saying that she found someone.  "How strange..." she thought. "or maybe pathetic?" She gave it a thought but still did not know how to describe what she witnessed.  "Was she a detective?" - she thought. She gave a second glance at the lady with the red hat...

Everyone was in the dining room.  The house was full of people and as the dinner was getting ready, she asked to be excused so that she could prepare the essay that was due the next day.  She made herself comfortable in the living room's sofa and started working on her essay. At some point, two men entered the room. One of them was a bit older than her and very skinny, the second man was much older and looked as if he was in his sixties. They were laughing and being really loud. "They are probably drunk" - she thought. They approached her and started asking her questions. "Why are you not joining us in the dining room"  "I am studying for uni. Is the food ready yet?" - she asked but got no reply. "There you are" - the party's host entered the room with another woman. "We are trying to convince her to join you in the dining room" - the skinny guy said "Let's see if you can" - the host asked and started laughing. The...

They were sitting opposite each other. The place was almost empty. Some tables here and there but they were pretty much sitting alone. They ordered food and drinks. He asked the waiter to turn on the screen so that he could watch the football match. She ordered her food and was happy to spend some time with him. They talked a bit but not much was said while the place was filling up with people. She noticed a group of ladies and a couple of men seated behind her, but she didn't pay much attention. She saw him looking behind her. "He is probably looking at another woman" - she thought but strangely enough she didn't really care. "Nothing harmful in that action" - she naively thought. As the time went by however, she noticed the way his behaviour was changing. He took his jacket off and he was only left with his T-Shirt. He started stretching as if he was showing off. his muscles. "What is going on here?" - she thought and suddenly turned back to only...

"I do actually enjoy reading book" she said looking at the young man opposite her. "Do you?" he replied and started asking questions on the different genres and authors. He even asked her whether she likes hardcover books or paperbacks. Sitting next to the young couple, Celine noticed the way they talked, the sound of their voices, the way they moved their bodies and all the smiles, laughs and kind touches on each other's arms. Trying to be discreet but at the same time not being able to stop noticing the way they behaved, she realized that this was probably the couple's first date. Both of them looked very nervous but seemed very confident.  Different thoughts spiraled in Celine's mind while working on her laptop. The young couple continued their "battle of impressions". At some point, they both stood up. It looked as if their sate was coming to an end. The young man said goodbye to the young lady and left. "No goodbye kiss?" Celine ...

The goal to read at least 12 book in 2024, has been accomplished! Here is my list: What is Freemansory  by Andreas D. Stavrianou (Greek) I am the Warrior of the Book  by Soti Kythreoti The Murder at the Vicarage   by  Agatha Christie From the Earth to the Moon  by  Jules Verne The Secrets of a Royal Portrait  by Eleni Poyiadji Richter The Return  by Spyros Panayiotou (Greek) The Adventures of Huckleberry  Finn by Mark Twain Zorba the Greek  by  Nikos Kazantzakis The European Union  by European Commission The Business of the 21st Century  by Robert T. Kiyosaki The Generations of Silence  by Andri Polydorou (Greek) The Mind Management  by Dr. Steven Peters Think and Grow Rich  by Napoleon Hill (2nd read) Forbes - October 2023 issue The Psychological side of Money  by Giorgos Pinteris (Greek) Cyprus in the Past (Gravures)  by Andros Pavlides(Greek) Love & Friendship   by Jane Austen Don Giova...

She stood at the corner of the gallery room.  She watched people walk in and out of the exhibition space. She noticed the patterns they walked in, which artworks people spent more time enjoying and which ones were not so interesting to them. The room was tall which made is perfect for a middle level floor, where people could look down to the main gallery space from above.  She noticed people climbing up the stairs, reaching the middle floor, looking down at the main exhibition space and once they turned back to leave that tiny space, they all noticed the window by the wall.  A small wooden window, a traditionally designed masterpiece that was restored to fit the newly opened exhibition space. A perfect space to look out at the square, watch the children playing, the people walking by while admiring the buildings and cultural heritage.  Everyone followed the same pattern, entered the exhibition space, climbed up the stairs, looked at the exhibition space from above, t...

The goal to read 12 book in 2023, has been accomplished! Here is my list: 12 Rules for Life: An antidote to Chaos  by Jordan B. Peterson 3 Minutes de Philosophie pour redevenir humain by Fabrice Midal A drop of Sky by Niki Katsiapi (Greek) Dealing with Difficult People by Harvard Business Review Press It's Fine, It's Fine, It's Not  by Taz Alam Maria Callas: 30 Years after by The Hellenic Parliament Foundation (Greek) Salvador Dei by Nikos Kazantzakis Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth  by T. Harv Eker Stagnation Trip by Maria Kouvarou (Greek) Start with Why by Simon Sinek The Kyrenia Ship by Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport and Youth, Republic of Cyprus (Greek) The Lost Act of Being a Lady by Susie Foster The Mystery of Sound and the Harmony of Life by Hazrat Inayat Khan The Origin of the Turkish Cypriots and the Cyprus Problem by Kyriakou Hadjioannou (Greek) T...

  Are TV series inspired by real life people or is it just fiction?  These were her thoughts while watching her favourite show online. A show based on the usual battle between good and evil. The evil character is very rich, sneaky, cold hearted, manipulative, willing to destroy people for his own sake, never apologises, feels entitled for everything and considers other people to be his objects which he can use. He even detests his OWN SON! What kind of person detests his own child? But then again this is just a show and these kinds of people do not really exist in everyday life. Or do they? On the contrary, the lead character is a work of art:  A true professional who values justice and morals. Smart and charming. The ideal combination. Cold hearted when it comes to facts that do not align with his morals, while at the same time he is caring when it comes to the people he loves. But then again this is just a show and these kinds of people do not really exist in everyday l...

He was walking up and down the room.  Tall, athletic, with a fiery spark in his eyes.  She didn't expect to see him there but she was happily surprised.  They were looking at each other. His big brown eyes shinning and the way he looked at her was intense.  His aura clean and bright as if there was no darkness there at all.  She didn't want to mess this up.  The last time they were in the same room together it was almost 10 years ago.  "Are you ok?" - he mouthed to her from near by.  "I am good, how are you?"- she mouthes out.  Her heart was about to get out from her chest. She was excited. Her whole body pulsing to the beats of teenage love.   She felt like a teenager again.   "He is brave" - she thought. "Or we just grew older and we are both more comfortable in our own skins"  Their lives headed in different directions and she knew it. Their priorities were not the same But for that tiny moment she travelled back i...

  At the back of the room, they found a couple of comfortable chairs to sit on. They were both tired and wanted to rest.  The conversation was flowing but she thought that they were repeating old conversations all over again.  It felt as if they had nothing to talk about.  He was very casual, very simple and very straight forward.  While conversing she realised that he was actually quite busy with his phone. "I don't feel I can trust him" - she thought while turning around to give him the space he needed, when suddenly he saw him. Her teenage crush was passing by in front of her. Time stopped.  Wearing a pair of jeans and a blue shirt, he was walking past her.  She turned twice and looked at him trying to realise if it was truly him or not. He turned towards her and looked at her. Their eyes met and were held for several seconds.  He was tall, handsome, masculine, determined and lively.  His eyes threw sparks at her and she froze. The guy nex...

She stood in the middle of the crowd, alone.  He left for a minute and then returned.  They danced for some time. People around them were kissing, dancing and enjoying the moment.  She was looking at the performers, listening to the music and having fun.  She kept on thinking however, that he was a very nice guy but didn't really excite her.  "Is this what my life will be like?" - she thought. "Does this mean that I will either have to settle for someone that doesn't burn for me or stay single for the rest of my life?" Her thoughts started circulating in her mind while the music was getting louder and louder.  "He is a very nice guy and he is handsome, but he doesn't burn for me. Do I keep pursuing this? I mean, I am not young anymore..." Her thoughts were interrupted by him. He benτ towards her.  Said something funny. They both laughed.  Was that enough though? 2023

While lying in bed she closes her eyes.  After two months, it still bothers her.   The pride in his eyes when he announced to her that her contract is terminated. The pride in his voice and tone when he told her: "Here is your letter of termination" The way he slid the letter towards her. She picked up the letter, read it quickly without really processing the words and walked out of the room.  She cried a lot.  "You work too many hours" , "We don't see you anymore" "Set some boundaries" her friends and family told her, but she listened to no one. She loved her job and she knew she could thrive in it.  The mobbing, the bullying, the lies, the secrets, the "doing things sideways so we never get caught" was something she couldn't deal with and she didn't want to deal with. Her anxiety, the pressures, the thoughts...  Deep inside she knew that this letter was actually saving her!  For the past year she was looking into the dark ...

Zeno of Kitium was one of the great minds of the Hellenistic Period. He was born in Kitium of Cyprus (today Larnaca) in 344 B.C. and was the son of a merchant. Kitium had very close connections with Athens and Piraeus. Zeno was the founder of the Stoic Philosophy. He divided this in three chapters:  Ethics: morality. One's wealth is virtue and bad thing is wickedness. Logic: Derives from the person through experience. Physics: Materialistic  Zeno and the stoics believe that the perfect person is cultivated only through the struggle against passion.  "Antigonos from Karystos says that he (Zeno) never denied the fact that he was from Kitium. When the names of those (also Zeno's) who had contributed forthe restoration of the public baths were written on a pillar and Zeno saw that his name was written as "Zeno the Philosopher", he demanded that next to that, the phrase "of Kitium" to be added" - Diogenes Laertius "Zeno and Cleanthes did not accept...

Have you read Jordan B. Peterson's "12 Rules for Life - An antidote to chaos"?  Well, here are some quotes from the book: "What you aim at determines what you see" "Someone power hungry makes a new rule at your workplace. It's unnecessary. It is counterproductive. It's an irritant. It removes some of the pleasure and meaning from your work. But you tell yourself it's all right. It's not worth complaining about. Then it happens again. You've already trained trained yourself to allow such things,, by failing to react the first time. You're a little less courageous. Your opponent, unopposed, is a little bit stronger. The institution is a little bit more corrupt. The process of bureaucratic stagnation and oppression is underway, and you've contributed by, pretending it was OK. Why not complain? Why not take a stand? If you do, other people, equally afraid to speak up, may come to your defense. And if not -maybe it's time for a re...

Voices                                       conversations                         loud                                           screaming Cry                                     steps                       laughter                            heavy and soft Palm trees                      flowers                    cement  ...