Hello, my name is Sophia and I am a teacher of English in Ancient Olympia, Greece. Welcome to my blog!

Thursday, July 28, 2005

Pocket PC applications

Ahhh... the amazing capabilities of pocket PCs!!! Combine with wi-fi access and solar powered devices, what life would be like (to quote Dimitri)!!! Anyway, while trying to figure out ways to invent the future in our immediate vicinity as the best way to predict it (anybody interested in a wi-fi network in the area????) check out my cousin George's applications for pocket PC, at his site. Hey, George, anything for us Palm OS people as well?? ;-D

Tuesday, July 26, 2005

Decoding the beach!

Taking one look around today on the beach, I realised that about half the people there holding a book were reading one of the Dan Brown novels, which is real fun, if you come to think it in terms of universality! Here we are, about more than a hundred people gathered in one place, from about 7 different countries of the globe, sharing something in common (other than the beach and the waves that is)! Someone is always bound to give you a knowing smile once they see you holiding either Deception Point, Digital Fortress and more so, Angels and Demons or the Da Vinci Code. Plus, it's so easy to strike a conversation: everybody is eager to share opinions and talk about the amount of fact versus fiction in all. Usually it's about the issues brought up in the Langdon novels cause practically everyone has read those, but, imagine the fired up conversations on the mathematics of the Digital Fortress and issues on cryptography over drinks with little umbrellas stuck in them!
Hey, I am even tempted to write an encrypted message on the sand, just to see who will pick up the trail!!! ;-D

Wednesday, July 20, 2005

Relaxing...

Relaxing...
Relaxing...,
originally uploaded by SophiaG..
Just sit back and let life go by....
(It actually works, even though in a roundabout way, I haven't managed to publish simultaneously via email to flickr and blog, so I have to figure out what it is that I'm doing wrong! Meanwhile, time to hit the beach!)
;-D

Trying out flickr

Well, what better way to wait for the day to pick up than trying fun stuff with blogs over a large glass of ice coffee!! Now, I'm into configuring my newly set flickr account to correspond with my blog. Pretty cool!! Hope this will work!

Sunday, July 17, 2005

Restoring old furniture

Ok, something you should really do outdoors, the chemicals and the dust is just way too much! And even though I think the cells of my hands will be dancing mambo for days (by the way, do you think this will improve the quality of frape??? Hmm...) by operating the sander, it wasn't really all that time consuming or tiring, plus the result was worth it! Just take care you don't get to breath the wood stain or any of the varnishes, or you'll be writing poetry under the moonlight!!! Which reminds me, gotta hit the road!!! Blogposting is not a good excuse for being late!! ;-D
Νικόλα, χρόνια πολλά!!!!!

Saturday, July 16, 2005

Time flies

when you don't try to keep track of it, when the moon is filling and the sea is whispering over cold drinks and smiles. Time is unkept, yawning and stretching.
O χρόνος περνάει αργά... Ο χρόνος περνάει γρήγορα... Ο χρόνος κυλάει... γλυστράει....σταματάει... αποτυπώνεται... χάνεται... κερδίζεται... Ο χρόνος... ο χρόνος...ο χρόνος... Είναι εχθρός... είναι φίλος... είναι εδώ... απουσιάζει...
Ο χρόνος σου ανήκει... for hours we argue, talk, and don't part... time stands still.....

Sunday, July 10, 2005

Turtle tracks

Leisure time on the beach, under the scorching sun, the water green, the occasional light breeze rippling the surface, the far sound of cicadas over the dunes. Dozing off to the sound of footsteps on the sand, the light patter of feet, children dashing in and out of the water, splashing. And later on, the stroll down the beach to check for caretta caretta tracks on the sand. Always on the lookout to trace down nests, report them and protect them so they'll be safe from predators, bipeds mostly...

It's a unique experience to watch the amazing primitive mass of a caretta caretta laying eggs in the dark. I've been lucky enough to go on a night shift -nothing like Stephen King's though, :-) only to the extent of unlimited respect to forces unknown- with the volunteers from Archelon and watched in awe these amazing creatures lugging their incredible masses from the depths of the sea. The memory of helping to measure them, check them out for injuries and tags will stay with me forever. The feel of their ancient skin, the sheer power of them, their purposeful moves, are as vivid now as they were then. And the wonderful sight of baby turtles heading for the water, only weeks later. Every year, it never ceases to amaze me!
But, no turtle tracks today... Well, same drill tomorrow! ("Constant vigilance!" Yo, kids! Trace that quote and have extra credit in English class come September!!!!)

Thursday, July 07, 2005

Sometimes

... the best answer is a more interesting question. -Terry Pratchett

No quote is more appropriate when it comes to intriguing reading!!! So, from novels, scientific reading and fun stuff which sort of fill in the time when I'm not busy catching up with life happening around me, what leaves a residual image in the back of my mind, is a "what if..."
Well, what if....

Friday, July 01, 2005

Summer holidays are here!!!!

Finally!!!! :-D