TOAL: Athens!

Nothing cures winter blahs like visiting fond memories. Back to the amazing adventure.

We were really lucky with the weather on this trip. Never a cloudy day, pleasant seas and gorgeous skylines.


Here's Lindsay and I outside the 1896 Olympic Stadium in Athens. Athens was pretty magical for me; even though every place we traveled I felt was more amazing than the last - perhaps it was just the momentum. I could really feel the history here, which is why I insisted on touching things, mostly ruins and historical places.
Anyway, this place birthed the first Olympics of the modern era. Only fourteen countries competed and while there was a plan to hold every Olympics here, another wouldn't come back until the summer of 2004.

This amphitheater was restored at the base of the Acropolis. I am a geek for theater. It would be amazing to see a production on this stage. Its actual name is Odean of Herodes Atticus after the man who built it in 161 AD. At that time it was three stories tall of decorated marble. New goal on life list: to attend the Athens Art Festival to see a show on this stage under the night sky!

This is on the way up the many stairs to the Acropolis. It was packed with other tourists on a cloudless day. I didn't mind the wait behind folks, it gave me the opportunity to touch stuff.

The Acropolis under renovation. Awe inspiring.

On the bus trip back, noting the cute little shops and eateries. I wanted to go to there!

This city really lit up my obsession with foreign windows and balconies.


We also liked to impersonate. This guy's face was everywhere. I really need to find his ... music? We think he's a musician.

Next stop...Rome!

The Road: Grade A.

This film is wonderful - if I can use that term since it's sometimes unbearably bleak. But it is beautiful, not for the cinematography, but for it's deep concentration on human compassion. The Boy's obsession with being 'Good Guys' is such a simple and beautiful way to think about right and wrong. Granted, it's much easier in this setting to teach a child about good and evil. "No, we won't ever eat people. No matter what." Desperation can let us slip so easy to the 'Bad Guy' side, that is the message I loved from this film.



The most used phrase for "The Road" film's landscape is post-apocalyptic. I always figured the apocalypse would be quicker than months of a time allowing folks to wander and even hope. I imagined we had finally managed to kill ourselves with some kind of nuclear warfare. Apparently it's not explained in the book either.

I get very nervous when my favorite books are turned into films. Since the horrible Alexander Dumas into The Man in the Iron Mask fiasco - I won't read anything before a film I'd like to see comes out, if I can help it.

But I would like to read 'The Road' by Cormac McCarthy. It is supposedly even more gruesome and grim. I'll wait for summer.

Hung Up Some of My Own Art Today

The decorating process for my apartment have been coming along quite nicely. I'm all about having your own original touch in your homestead so I had a print of one of my photos blown up and framed.

This is a view from our balcony at port in Istanbul. It was a very 'Rear Window' moment for me. We were there for two days, so every journey back to the stateroom I got to check in on our neighbors.



It makes me happy.

I also got this great poster from my grandmother (oma) who's always begging me to take things from her house. This I found to be awesome and had it matted.



I love the colors in this!

Today I tried weight-loss yoga

I am a big fan of Jillian Michaels: 30 Day Shred DVD. Now that I'm back to doing that regularly my energy level and mood have both gone up. Plus it's only twenty minutes and I've felt it making a difference and I'm only in week two.

Oh, Jillian. You're good at your job.



To switch things up a bit, today I tried another Biggest Loser project: Weight-Loss Yoga with trainer Bob. I've always had knee problems so yoga is a good break from the intensity of Jillian. It's not easy though which is also good for me because boring work-outs make me inclined to quit. I was shaking! Tough, real tough.

I wish there was a way for me to get paid to work out without being a celebrity fitness trainer. Or work at Global Gym.

These abs aren't free!

Today I made a photo gallery in flash

Another Flash special. Also, simple again but still looks great, in my opinion. A photo gallery from my amazing Trip of a Lifetime - (more posts about that coming soon!) not every country though. Didn't want to make it too crowded.

Let me know what you think! Check it out...

Inspiration

This is a great idea from painter, Andrea Heimer to keep your art moving. Her project is called 30x30. She painted 30 watercolor portraits in 30 days and is now selling them for $30 each. Pretty brilliant.



Check it out.

Today I made a quiz in flash

It was really fun to make and really simple. I need examples of projects I can do in Flash.

Can you pass it? Contact me with any questions!

Check it out!