Normal blogging should resume shortly…

I wish you all a chance to feel what I am experiencing. Love to all.
DD

Spread the Word

Hide Sites

I am going through a very difficult period in my personal life. The love of my life lost his job six months ago because of the financial crisis and has been unable to find another one. This is not unique and I am not looking for sympathy. Everyone I know here in Greece is suffering. Pretty much all my friends here are losing their jobs or being forced to take pay cuts. We are, in fact, luckier than most. He at least got severance pay from his old company even though they are on the brink of disaster themselves. His former boss, who has become a good friend over the years, is facing bankruptcy but is one of the most honorable people I know. We are eternally thankful for that.

The problem for us at the moment is that the love of my life is too experienced, too senior for companies to offer him the work that they have. In these times of financial crisis, they are looking for young people who can work long hours (and by that I mean 80+ hours a week) for wages that are barely able to cover one persons living expenses. Only youngsters who live with their parents can really manage with the kind of pay they are offering.

This is not the first time either of us have been poor but it is the first time that we are losing hope of being able to sustain our life here. We are living on the bare minimum and please believe me, we are doing everything we can to minimise our expenses. I think all of us are sick of the sight of vegetable and lentil soup. The kid is fourteen and needs to eat healthily. We grown-ups may be able to skip a meal or two but he cannot and should not.

We are both desperately looking for work. We have asked everyone we can think of, sent CV’s, followed up every contact however remote the possibility of work might be. And we have come up with nothing. So now comes the big heartbreaker. We might have to leave the country and go back to Britain. It is not just about leaving a country, it’s about leaving a life we have built here. Our almost sixteen years together was built here. The kid was born here and knows no other place. Our friends are here. Our love is here. It feels completely devastating to even have to contemplate leaving. I am close to tears just writing it down.

I know some of you can relate to this feeling. This foreign country that has become your home. That has sneaked its way into your heart. That you can’t imagine having to let go. It’s not just about the weather, or the beauty, or the superficial things that people think you mean when you move to a place like Greece. This country may not be mine but it has adopted me and I have grown to love it in a way that is more meaningful than just loving a place because you were born in it. I chose it. Unlike a place you are just stuck with by birth.

I am sometimes infuriated by Greece. Frustrated by the complications of living here. Angry at the corruption and fraud that is a reality of life here. I am furious at the injustice that is perpetrated by the authorities here. And I haven’t been shy in saying so. But what people often don’t realise is the connection I have here. The fact is that I care about this place and want to stay. Desperately.

So. I realise that most people are in the same situation as me. Looking for work and finding it increasingly difficult to survive day to day. But I just want to put this out there. If anyone has any ideas, contacts or actual work offers, please let me know. I am looking for writing jobs specifically but will consider anything at all. The love of my life has 30 years of experience in the creative field (photography, graphic design, web design etc) but he is open to any opportunities too. Please email privately with any ideas.

Thanks for listening. It helps to write it down.

Spread the Word

Hide Sites

Via CBC News

A synagogue on the Greek island of Crete was hit by arsonists for the second time in three weeks, police said Saturday.

The attack happened in the city of Chania when an unknown number of people entered the building, broke through a first-floor door and started a fire, police said.

Fire officials said the blaze partly destroyed the synagogue’s wooden ceiling, as well as many of its archives, computers and CDs.

Police say about 2,500 books, many of them rare editions, were destroyed in this attack and a previous arson attack three weeks ago.

For a personal account of what happened and photographs of the destruction, please visit the blog of the Etz-Hayyim synagogue.

Technorati Tags: greece, synagogue, arson, attack, crete

Spread the Word

Hide Sites

Doctors without Borders need help setting up emergency clinics after their own was damaged. Donate by secure server here

There is a warning on the site:
Alert: Due to reports of fraudulent activity, we are asking all donors to please be wary of third-party solicitations for Haiti relief. To ensure that your donation goes directly to Doctors Without Borders, please use our secure website or toll-free phone number 1-888-392-0392.

Please be aware that there will be people out there using this tragedy to make money. Be careful and make sure your money reaches the victims in Haiti.

Spread the Word

Hide Sites

I am going to take a few days away from my blog, to enjoy the holidays with my family. I wish you all a happy, hopeful and loving time.
Enjoy, be well and see you in a few days.
Peace
DD

Spread the Word

Hide Sites

Secondly, my laptop monitor has died so I am sharing a computer. Although, this is a trivial problem and I appeciate that I have been lucky enough to have my own machine, it is a tricky problem to adjust to. The love of my life uses his machine for work so I have to fit my schedule around his. No big deal but annoying anyway. Our sole computer is also on the blink, at a time when we could well do without the financial headache of even repairs, let alone replacing it.

So that’s me at the moment. If anyone has ANY ideas about getting our hands on a new or second-hand Mac (desktop or laptop) cheaply, please contact me by email. I am also looking for work so if anyone has any ideas in that department, please let me know.

I hope you will continue to read my rather irregular postings and at some point, I am sure I will be back to my usual form.

Thank you all and all my best wishes to everyone for the coming holiday season.

Peace
DD

Spread the Word

Hide Sites

I just wanted to make one thing clear for now. I do not think that Greece is a more racist country than any other. My problem with Greece is its complete denial of racism. Over the last four years, I have been called racist by a few people here because I “pick on” Greece. Let me just state this again…

I live here.
I love Greece.
I have so many amazing Greek friends and have met so many incredible Greek people that I find it hard to imagine living anywhere else.

BUT…

Because I live here

Because I have experienced racism here

Because I expect something more from a country that COULD have used the mistakes of other EU countries to be better

Because I believe that being part of the European Union should be more than financial

…I started this blog.

I felt passionate about the call for human rights in Greece four years ago. I had hope. I am losing some of that hope now. I am losing hope because of the Greek government/authorities complete disregard for law and (in the end) for humanity, not because I hate Greek people.

There are MANY, MANY examples of Greek people coming together and helping disadvantaged Greeks, children, the homeless, immigrants and all those less fortunate than themselves. If I have failed in one area (and there are others), it is because I have not focused enough time/posts on them.

If you look back on my early posts you will see that what I am saying is true. I am not saying this in hindsight: My main problem with Greece is it’s denial of racism.

I will update you on my personal situation when I know more. I will really try to respond to your comments but if I don’t, please don’t take offense…. I have grown to like many of you here and I appreciate that those who hold unpopular views have made this blog quite popular (sorry cyd! lol)

I’ll be back when I can. Thank you for your patience…. again!

Spread the Word

Hide Sites

Wildfires are raging all across Attiki and are threatening to reach Athens. People are being evacuated. Houses are burning. The children’s hospital in Pendeli has been evacuated and is surrounded by flames. I have close friends in three of the critical areas. We have been on the phone back and forth. They are all OK.

UPDATE: The fires reached the house of a friend of mine. They managed to stop it reaching theirs but the next door house is gone. They will evacuate if it gets worse again but at the moment they are having to stay around to save their home themselves. They are all OK for now.

UPDATE 2: Another friend is waiting to hear if she and her family will be told to evacuate…

UPDATE 3: The friend mentioned above has now evacuated.

UPDATE 4: I just spoke to my friend (update 1). He told me that most of the surrounding houses in the village are gone. His and four others are the only ones that survived unscathed. It’s heartbreaking. The other families in the area have lost everything. it’s not just their homes, it’s their possessions. The small but priceless things that they have collected over a lifetime. Their memories. I can’t imagine how it must feel to have lost all your family photographs. Pictures of your childhood, your family, your friends, events that have shaped your life… it’s simply heartbreaking.

I will update you as I hear more…

Follow updates on Twitter using #grfires

It’s just criminal what is happening.There are not enough fire engines, firefighters, planes, helicopters… not enough of anything. What happened to the promises made two years ago ? Where are the firebreaks ? Where are the new planes? Why has it taken the government two days to declare a state of emergency so that Greece can get help from other countries ? We have about three hours of flying time left (firefighting planes can’t function in the dark) and then the residents of these areas are on the own with the few professionals they are “lucky” enough to have nearby.

It’s tragic and unbelievable.

I am sitting here shaking with rage at the lack of foresight the authorities have shown and at the downright lies that people were told after the huge wildfires in 2007.

It’s disgusting.

And you know what’s even more disgusting ? No matter how this all turns out. No matter how many injuries and even deaths. No matter how many homes and businesses are burned.

Absolutely NOTHING will be done to prevent this happening again.

Technorati Tags: greece, wildfires, fires,

Spread the Word

Hide Sites

The DD live chatroom is permanently open but Thursdays are the scheduled chat day.

The room is password protected, so to get access for the first time, send me an email saying who you are and I will send it to you. I only consider people who have commented here before or at other blogs I frequent and those I feel would be good community members.

Once you have the password, it will be the same each time you visit. I will only change the password if people start misbehaving! In that case, I will send well-behaved members the new one! I will just say the following, for the record.

Please treat the room with respect and be very careful who you invite in. I do not want to have to block the invitation facility but I will if necessary. I would like to see this place as being a cosy, cool place for us to meet up in from time to time, to talk about anything that’s on our minds or just to chill out in and have a bit of fun.

This might all sound a bit harsh but I tend to approve most people who ask so please don’t be put off by the process. I am simply trying to protect our space from trolls and idiots.

See you all there one of these days.

Regular meet-up on Thursday Nights at the following times:

18:00 – Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo
20:00 – London, Dublin, Lisboa
21:00 – Rome, Paris, Madrid, Tirana, Berlin, Lagos
22:00 – Athens, Cairo, Beirut, Amman, Minsk, Johannesburg
23:00 – Nairobi, Baghdad, Moscow
23:30 – Tehran
00:30 – Mumbai, Delhi
04:00 – Beijing
12:00 – Los Angeles, Vancouver
13:00 – Denver, Edmonton
14:00 – Chicago, Dallas
15:00 – New York, Toronto, Kingston
16:00 – Halifax, St Johns

The check-in is here

Spread the Word

Hide Sites

Back to normal blogging tomorrow…

Spread the Word

Hide Sites

I have two requests:

STOP (once and for all) ALL the personal attacks against each other. That means letting go of past arguments, insults, rudeness and grudges. Let’s remember that this blog is NOT about YOU. It is about real issues that are affecting real people’s lives. Most of you know that I very rarely swear (on this blog. In real life that’s my business !) and I am not a big fan of cursing and I really detest name-calling. It solves nothing. Adds nothing. It only serves to anger and hurt other people. And has no place on this blog. If you find that your comment goes into moderation (from today onwards) and never appears, perhaps you need to rethink what you are writing and the words you use.

STOP detracting from the issues. This ties in with my first request of course, but I am also asking you to understand that we have some real issues here in Greece that are affecting many many people. They may not be as severe as elsewhere but they are still real and serious. I am originally from England. You all know that. That does not mean that I do not have the right to comment on issues that occur in other countries just because England has a hideous track record on human rights around the world. I acknowledge that the issues affecting Greece right now are occurring everywhere in Europe but that shouldn’t take away from the seriousness of the fact that it is happening here too.

I welcome interesting links and articles to relevant subjects but NOT to the extent that it detracts from the seriousness of what is happening here. I have always believed that Greece was in a position to do things better because it could look at the mistakes of other European countries and learn from them. It is not helpful to look at those mistakes and say “Well, at least we’re not as bad as England or France or Italy” It’s lazy at best.

I am not naming names. I don’t think that is necessary because you all know who you are. I am asking you to be bigger than you might feel given the past on this blog. I am asking you to be better than those who have insulted you and really make a difference. I am asking you to forgive and forget past mistakes and start again to make this a more positive, friendly place to visit and participate in.

Please remember: I have no problem with disagreement. Arguing our opinions and views help us clarify our thoughts and positions. But we can do it in a better way. With kindness, hope and positivity. So please… let’s leave the hatred behind and enjoy lively discussions without threats, insults and childish taunting.

Thank you.

Spread the Word

Hide Sites

Today is Thursday and it’s DD live tonight. Drop by if you can…

The regular Thursday meet-up is my private chatroom (details at the top of the page under DD Live) where you need a password from me to enter. For those of you who have visited before the password has stayed the same. If anyone else is interested in joining in tonight, please drop me an email at thedeviousdiva@gmail.com and I will let you know what the password is.

Times around the world:

18:00 – Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo
20:00 – London, Dublin, Lisboa
21:00 – Rome, Paris, Madrid, Tirana, Berlin, Lagos
22:00 – Athens, Cairo, Beirut, Amman, Minsk, Johannesburg
23:00 – Nairobi, Baghdad, Moscow
23:30 – Tehran
00:30 – Mumbai, Delhi
04:00 – Beijing
12:00 – Los Angeles, Vancouver
13:00 – Denver, Edmonton
14:00 – Chicago, Dallas
15:00 – New York, Toronto, Kingston
16:00 – Halifax, St Johns

Hope to see you there!

Spread the Word

Hide Sites

18:00 – Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo
20:00 – London, Dublin, Lisboa
21:00 – Rome, Paris, Madrid, Tirana, Berlin, Lagos
22:00 – Athens, Cairo, Beirut, Amman, Minsk, Johannesburg
23:00 – Nairobi, Baghdad, Moscow
23:30 – Tehran
00:30 – Mumbai, Delhi
04:00 – Beijing
12:00 – Los Angeles, Vancouver
13:00 – Denver, Edmonton
14:00 – Chicago, Dallas
15:00 – New York, Toronto, Kingston
16:00 – Halifax, St Johns

You can pop out the chat window which is in the right sidebar. Please put a name in the box to prevent confusion. See you online!

Spread the Word

Hide Sites

I guess I’m going against the current grain by saying, that although it’s very sad that he’s dead, it hasn’t torn me apart in the same way as it has his fans. I’m shocked only because he was way too young to die.

The one short phase when MJ really got to me was when I was pregnant and he brought out “Earthsong”. Every time I heard it, I cried. Something to do with bearing a child that would grow up in the world we were destroying. And I’m sure one of the lines was ” What about baby boys?” and I was carrying one. I probably got the lyric wrong as is often the case with MJ but I still like to believe that that is what he sang. (Please don’t spoil it for me!) Anyway, it was the one Micheal video that made sense to me. The one time when I felt he was truly angry and honest.

I also loved “They don’t really care about us” (not the prison version!) and how (seriously) amazing are the drummers!

See the video here

The rhythms and the passion. Apart from that, I recognise the huge impact Jackson had on our lives in terms of pop music but his anger and honesty in these two songs are what I will always remember about him. Not the rest of the pointless ramblings. I can’t say I loved his music anymore than I can say I hated it. I’m sad that he died, in the same way that I am sad that anyone that young dies.

It is human to mourn famous people dying. It reminds us of our own mortality. I cried when Princess Diana died although I am completely against the monarchy. I’m sure this post will upset a few Michael Jackson fans out there but this is how I feel…

Sad that he’s dead but looking forward to getting back to talking about other current news…

Technorati Tags: michael, jackson, pop, music, video

Spread the Word

Hide Sites