Anastasia

End of School Year 2011-2012

So, another school year has come to an end. Funny how I feel sad and already look forward to the new school year beginning in September. I guess this is not normal but I know in my heart of hearts that I'm going to miss my kids for the next two and a half months. I've been jam-packed with work lately, having to mark exam papers, type Final Reports in addition to extra classes for the students who enrolled to the Cambridge ESOL Examinations. English Today.my online course of English as a second language - will be breaking up for the summer soon.

I still can't believe I'm on holiday for the next two months. All I know is that I'm going to make the most of my summer break. I'm going to read books, that's for sure and, perhaps, publish my book on T.S.Eliot on TypePad. Considering that during the school year I work from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm, I'm certainly going to hang out with my girl friends for a coffee at Finicoudes, go out with Alkis more often, cook his favourite dishes , such as Beef Stroganov. And I'm going to take a holiday, as always somewhere in the Greek Isles. I can't imagine spending a summer holiday anywhere else. I've been fascinated by the Greek Islands since I was a little girl and to this day I still think they are magical.  

I'll love you and leave you with one of my most favourite songs. Hope you enjoy it!

 

TypePad is Shutting Down

This is what I got in my mail yesterday and, I must admit, I was quite alarmed.

After almost eight years of severe financial problems, TypePad has finally decided to shut down its blogging website on May 1, 2012. TypePad Pro users now have until April 30, 2012 to move all their blogs and profile information to Blogger, if they wish. However, TypePad is not going to do this for you.

 This is what you can do:

 

 

• Log into your TypePad profile.

• Save and download to your computer  anything  you have on your TypePad profile that you want to keep.
• Go to Blogger and upload your photos and other information. Then make your new Blogger profile look how you want it to look.
• Move your TypePad blog(s). If you have anything on your TypePad blogs that you don't want to lose don't forget about it. Blogger will help you through.
• Save information from your TypePad profile, RSS feeds, tags, or your custom theme. These items will not be supported by Blogger, but if you have use for them somewhere else, you'll need to save them yourself.
• Change your privacy settings. TypePad will be setting all your privacy settings to "Private". If you want to utilize the social networking aspect of your new Blogger profile, you'll need to go and change your privacy settings first.

HAPPY APRIL FOOL’S DAY!!!!  

September 11, 2011

I don't think the world will ever forget this unprecedented act of cowardice - the terrorist attack on America at the World Trade Centre Towers in New York City and The Pentagon in Washington. Ten years later, I remember things so clearly.... September 11, 2001 was a Tuesday, the second day of the new school year.. At 4:00 pm (NY time 9:00 am) I was in class with my Pre-Intermediate kids (11 year-olds). The class finished at 4:30 pm. My Intermediate kids had already been waiting in the hall. They looked pale and scared. I thought it was the back-to-school-shock- after- the- summer- break. I smiled at them and said:

Photo Credit

"Hey!!!  It's not the end of the world...just another school year! And summer will come again!".

Then one of my students solemnly said:

" Miss, it's the end of the world for some people.... You know, I saw it on TV ... the Twin Towers in New York fell down and many people were killed!"

That student - one of the best I've ever had - is a bright boy with a vivid imagination , so I certainly did not believe him. I smiled again and said:

" So,  aliens from outer space attacked the USA.....Right?"

"No, Miss", another kid said " Not aliens...terrorists! It's on TV"

And as I rushed into my office, a girl asked:

"What's a terrorist?"

"A terrorist", I answered, "is a very bad person who wants to scare innocent people and sometimes kill them."

I turned on the TV in my office ..... I couldn't believe that was real! I cried my heart out and  still have tears in my eyes 10 years later.. I don't have the words to express the horror, the shock and the revulsion I felt while watching briefly on TV what was happening in the USA.

Let us not forget and let us pray for all the innocent victims. May they all rest in peace.

 

Photo Credit

Ironically enough, September 11 is also a birthday celebration: my great friend Walid's birthday but also the birthday of this blog.. On September 11, 2004 I joined TypePad - the best blogging plarform ever and have never regretted it since then : 765 posts and 4,683 comments in addition to your visits. Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart.

 

Folders, Subfolders and Other Organisational Issues

It seems that my biological clock hasn't been set to summer-break-time yet, so I got up at 6:00 this morning, as I always do on Saturdays when I work. After a hearty breakfast taken on the veranda with Alkis, Alkis went to work and I was left to decide what to do with the rest of the day.

I decided to spend the day at the beach, but I suddenly remembered my long-forgotten "Things-to-Organise" list in My Documents. I opened the file and here's what I found:

THINGS TO ORGANISE  BEFORE SEPTEMBER 2011

• My Pictures
• My Documents
• File Manager on TypePad
• Categories on TypePad
• My Videos
• My Bookcase – dvds and books
• Kitchen cupboards
• Wardrobe(s) and Shoes
• Drawers in my study
• The wires in my study
• Drawers in general
• Store  Buttons and sewing stuff in ONE box
• My printed photos (must get a new paper photo album)
• My paper-oriented electronic diary
• Store shoe polish in ONE drawer
• Store keys in a box.
• Organise my beauty stuff in categories – eye shadows / eye pencils / nail polish etc

However good I am at organisational issues at the workplace, I'm rather negligent, in this respect, when it comes to organising my home computer and the house in general. I'm not trying to make excuses, but this happens because of the bulk of work during the school year. At work, everything is in the right place and I never have to hunt for it. If you could see my computer at the office, you would be impressed by my organisational skills in file management. Often one click is enough to find in a flash specific documents, students' files, homework assignments, absentee lists, teaching material, audio and video files, test / exam results and many more - all updated without delay. I've never taken up computer lessons - I sometimes wish I had - but learned the basics by clicking on Help or by asking questions online.

I am well aware that we should never postpone for tomorrow what we can do today. So I finally abandoned my plans for the beach today, printed my list and got down to work. To begin with, I set myself the task of organising My Pictures. I have more than 10,000 photos on my computer and, although I created a folder per upload, I came up with more than 150 folders. More often than not, it took me ages to locate a certain photo - I often forgot where I had put it! Today, it took me only 2 hours to create folders and subfolders in such a way that I can now locate a photo...by the pricking of my thumbs!

Next task: My Documents. I partly organised my documents as you can see in the photo below, but I know I can do better! Any ideas are more than welcome.

Then I moved on to the File Manager on TypePad. It is in such a terrible mess that it will take me days to organise it properly. I guess most of you know perfectly well how to organise your File Manager, but assuming that some others might be new on TypePad or computer illiterate like myself, here's how to organise your File Manager efficiently as explained in TypePad for Dummies by Melanie Nelson and Shannon Lowe. This is by no means a sponsored post as I have purchased their book and found it extremely helpful.

A. To Create a Folder

• Go to the File Manager (in Library)
• Click in the textbox under Create a New Folder (in the right sidebar)
• Click the Create button.

B. To Create a Subfolder

• Click the folder you'd like to open.
• Click in the textbox under create a new folder.
• Type the name of the new folder.
• Click the Create button and you are done.

Having finished with the computer, I noticed that many of my books and dvds were lying all over the room. I had a coffee break, took a deep breath and ..tidied up the shelves of my bookcase.

Carrying my precious list, I went into the kitchen to organise my cupboards. As you can see, the cupboard with the glasses looks neat and tidy, but I made a mental note to re-arrange the glasses according to utility - a kind of ..."folders" and "subfolders" . For instance: wine glasses / red wine glasses / white wine glasses, then water glasses / juice glasses / soft drinks glasses and so on. See what I mean? I do hope I won't break any in the process!

Finally, I organised my wardrobe and one of the two places where I store my shoes. I put sandals and summer shoes on the lower shelf, so that I can reach them more easily and winter shoes on the upper shelf. But , to be honest, I envy my friend Bing's immaculate organisation of her wardrobe as described in her post Mission Organization and Surprise No2 . It was this post that reminded me of my "Things-to-Organise" list!

Most of the items of my "Things-to-Organise" list still remain unchecked. But I hope to check them all by the end of August - such as the drawers in my study  and the kitchen cupboard where I am supposed to keep pans, cake tins and various pots and dishes. I guess I'll need some kind of "folders" and "subfolders" in this area as well.

WARNING! THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS MIGHT CAUSE SEVERE SHOCK TO WELL-ORGANISED PEOPLE.

Are you organised or disorganised? Do you know where everything is in your house or do you need to hunt for it in order to locate it?

If you are in doubt take the following quiz and find out!

Are You Organized or Disorganized?

 

P.S ~  It's not like me to write such long posts. Hope you enjoyed it, anyway!

Blog Lurking And Comments

" Lurking isn't quite ominous as it sounds; it simply means that you read a blog without letting the blogger know you're there.It's not inherently rude to lurk at a blog. Most of us lurk at blogs from time to time - maybe we don't feel we have much to contribute to the conversation or we think the bloggers already get so many comments they'd never notice ours, or maybe we're just plain busy. That's all understandable, so don't feel guilty about lurking from time to time." ~ excerpt from TypePad For Dummies by Melanie Nelson and Shannon Lowe p.345

To be honest, I rarely lurk at blogs. I usually find something to say to the blog owner and, I think, it's a courtesy to the blog owner to let him/her know I stopped by - even if my comment is something like "I love this post!" But I don't usually leave this kind of comment as I almost invariably have something more to say. I only lurk when I can't relate to the blog content or when I feel my comment will repeat what other bloggers before me have already said. I am never discouraged by bloggers who receive lots of comments. I don't expect a reply - unless I ask a question. I comment because I feel like doing so. And I'm very glad to read so many interesting blogs on TypePad.

A few years ago, on the ex Yahoo360, I came across a Brit who had received 670 comments in 3 days! My comment was the 671st! The post was the shortest I had ever come across. Just a question: "Where do you come from?" You had to put in the comments your city and country of origine and then the blogger posted all comment entries - names/ cities/countries. That was fun. And I greatly appreciated the fact that he did reply to all his comments.Yet, I prefer to write!

On the other hand, I hate people who send emails such as this one: "Hey! Come visit my blog (link). I've got 76 comments!"  Now, I'm asking you. Isn't that stupid? I like to interact with my readers and I do reply to their comments when I'm not too busy.at work! I don't mind not getting a reply to my comment or a comment back. To me blogging is a pleasure in itself. It does not depend on comments or stats. But I value the great conversations I sometimes have with my friends in the comments.

Occasionally, lurking at blogs is fine but as Melanie Nelson and Shannon Lowe put it in Typepd For Dummies :

" There's another side to that coin, though. You're likely well aware of how encouraging a good comment is at your own blog, so don't hesitate to leave comments (at least occasionally) at the blogs you most enjoy."  p. 345

TypePad: The Old and the New

Photo Credit: Everything TypePad

The TypePad Team has recently announced the retirement of the old interface at the end of May. However much I loved the old interface - that's where I started blogging after all - I was so thrilled with the new TypePad right from the start that I never switched back to the old - not even when I occasionally felt nostalgic about my good old online hiding place. When the new TypePad was first announced, I thought I'd give it a try although I am not really adventurous! But I thought I had nothing to lose since I could switch back to the old. At the beginning, I was lost! I couldn't find where everything was. It had taken me a long time to figure out how TypePad worked in the first place, back in 2004, that I didn't feel like starting all over again from scratch! Thanks to the precious help from the TypePad team, I soon realised that figuring out the new TypePad was a piece of cake. And I felt like Alice in Wonderland!

No wonder, the new TypePad largely contributes to enhancing the blogosphere by offering great features that no other blogging platform has to offer, such as blogging on Facebook via TypePad which has allowed me to keep in touch with many of my Facebook friends. Blog It is yet another revolutionary feature that any TypePad blogger can enjoy not to mention the search box that you can add to your blog, the threaded comments which allow a real interaction between commenters, the wide variety of incredibly beautiful one-click designs at Pro level.... and the list is endless.

But most importantly, on the new TypePad your voice is heard and your opinion matters. As no one is infallible, problems may occasionally arise. However, the TypePad Team people do their very best to resolve them effectively and if they can't do that, which is rare, they will send your help ticket to the TypePad engineers. It happened to me and I was very impressed!

So far, my personal experience on the new TypePad has been a wonderful journey which I thoroughly enjoy. I believe that we all ought to move with the times because the essence of progress lies in change.

TypePad For Dummies

When I first heard of that book, I only wished it had been published when I joined TypePad in September 2004. I only had a vague idea then of what a blog was and, most importantly, I was unable to post a photo. All I managed to do on that first day was type out my post. And that was because TypePad had made it very easy for computer illiterate people like myself, right from the start!  I was also naive enough to ask for help from other more experienced users!! Naturally, I got no answer! So, I learnt the hard way - by clicking TypePad's Help section. At the beginning, I didn't even know I could submit a help ticket. I also discovered that through Help.

TypePad For Dummies is written by Melanie Nelson, founder of BloggingBasics101 and Shannon Lowe, author of Rocks in My Dryer. Written in layman's terms and, when necessary, explaining every single technical term, this book is a real jewel not only for TypePad members but also for any blogger. The book is divided in 18 chapters and  two Appendixes including Domain Mapping and Third Party Stat Counters. You are not supposed to read through the book; you can use it as a guide and skip chapters. Well I have read it through from beginning to end within 24 hours. I was really hooked. I could have skipped some chapters but I didn't as they also contain some useful information on how to use the new TypePad. Besides, it was a good review for me!

This is a great book- sold at a very reasonable price  $16.49- which I warmly recommend to all bloggers and to all TypePad members.  After all, we are all beginners on the new TypePad and there are great tips on Touring the TypePad Dashboard. You will also find tips on How to Write a Great Blog Post (p.104), on Podcasting Equipment (p.173), on Twitter Etiquette (p. 186) or on ...how to encourage readers to step out of the woodwork!(p.122) - to mention only a few.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading TypePad for Dummies and I honestly believe that this book is not just for Dummies! It's very useful to all bloggers whose inspiration derives from humility. As my illustrious ancestor Socrates once said: " Γηρασκω αει διδασκομενος" - I live and learn.

 

Love is All Around

Love is All Around: Valentine's Day Interview with Susie Bright

Susie Bright is an author, editor, blogger, podcaster, performer, and lecturer on all matters of sex, sexuality, and erotica. And she's been an extremely popular TypePad blogger since 2004. Out of personal and professional interest, we asked her a few questions as we scramble get ready for Valentine's Day.

What makes Valentine's Day special?
SB: It's a pre-Christian Holiday with such a dramatic history you can't help but throb and weep!

Here's a glimpse from one of my favorite books, Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things:

"In Rome in A.D. 270, Valentine had enraged the mad emperor Claudius II, who had issued an edict forbidding marriage. Claudius felt that married men made poor soldiers, because they were loath to leave their families for battle.

Valentine invited young lovers to come to him in secret, where he joined them in the sacrament of matrimony. Claudius learned of this "friend of lovers," and had the bishop brought to the palace.

The emperor attempted to convert him to the Roman gods. Valentine refused to renounce Christianity and imprudently attempted to convert the emperor. On February 24, 270, Valentine was clubbed, stoned, then beheaded.

But while Valentine was in prison awaiting execution, he fell in love with the blind daughter of the jailer. Through his unswerving faith, he miraculously restored her sight. He signed a farewell message to her "From Your Valentine," a phrase that would live long after its author died."

Now is that romantic or what!

How should people keep the sparks of Valentine's all year long?

SB: The traditional gifts of Valentine's tell you everything you need to know. Surprises that smell good, taste good, silky and sensual, declarations of affection, flirtations, and most of all, generosity of spirit.

I also think of Valentines as a family and children's holiday. There is nothing more fun that throwing a Valentine party for a bunch of scissor-and-glue-happy kids. —Of all ages! 


What would you change about Valentine’s Day?

SB:The "swan/consumer" role model of  romance. It's not a day for bitterness and comparisons. It's a hot pink 24 hours to embrace sensuality, let your freak flag fly, love for love's sake.

 

I also miss my mother's valentines, now that she's passed. She was the first one to ever "send" me a Valentine card and her exuberance was contagious...Never missed a year.

What’s your favorite Valentine’s Day story?
SB: Erotic: Well you'll have to visit my blog for some of those stories.

Mommy/Baby: My daughter's mushy valentines to me, every year. She writes a poem, draws a picture of me, and I melt.

Parties: My friend Scottie throws a massive crafty Valentine Party each year, turning his whole house and garage into a Warholian Love Factory. It goes on all night; there are people welding outside and glue-gunning, water-coloring in the kitchen, glitter-spewing, collaging with old National Geographic's and National Enquirer's. You bring your own scissors and stuff to add to the 20-year supply closet. Love is All Around, baby!

OK, it’s last minute, and I don’t have anything for Valentine's. Help! What should I do!?
SB: Two ideas:

• My lover game, 

via everything.typepad.com

Well, I'm in the spirit of the day and loved this interview!Right now I'm looking forward to my very special Valentine night 2010!

Susie Bright is an author, editor, blogger, podcaster, performer, and lecturer on all matters of sex, sexuality, and erotica. And she's been an extremely popular TypePad blogger since 2004. Out of personal and professional interest, we asked her a few questions as we scramble get ready for Valentine's Day.

What makes Valentine's Day special?
SB: It's a pre-Christian Holiday with such a dramatic history you can't help but throb and weep!

Here's a glimpse from one of my favorite books, Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things:

"In Rome in A.D. 270, Valentine had enraged the mad emperor Claudius II, who had issued an edict forbidding marriage. Claudius felt that married men made poor soldiers, because they were loath to leave their families for battle.

Valentine invited young lovers to come to him in secret, where he joined them in the sacrament of matrimony. Claudius learned of this "friend of lovers," and had the bishop brought to the palace.

The emperor attempted to convert him to the Roman gods. Valentine refused to renounce Christianity and imprudently attempted to convert the emperor. On February 24, 270, Valentine was clubbed, stoned, then beheaded.

But while Valentine was in prison awaiting execution, he fell in love with the blind daughter of the jailer. Through his unswerving faith, he miraculously restored her sight. He signed a farewell message to her "From Your Valentine," a phrase that would live long after its author died."

Now is that romantic or what!

How should people keep the sparks of Valentine's all year long?

SB: The traditional gifts of Valentine's tell you everything you need to know. Surprises that smell good, taste good, silky and sensual, declarations of affection, flirtations, and most of all, generosity of spirit.

I also think of Valentines as a family and children's holiday. There is nothing more fun that throwing a Valentine party for a bunch of scissor-and-glue-happy kids. —Of all ages! 


What would you change about Valentine’s Day?

SB:The "swan/consumer" role model of  romance. It's not a day for bitterness and comparisons. It's a hot pink 24 hours to embrace sensuality, let your freak flag fly, love for love's sake.

 

I also miss my mother's valentines, now that she's passed. She was the first one to ever "send" me a Valentine card and her exuberance was contagious...Never missed a year.

What’s your favorite Valentine’s Day story?
SB: Erotic: Well you'll have to visit my blog for some of those stories.

Mommy/Baby: My daughter's mushy valentines to me, every year. She writes a poem, draws a picture of me, and I melt.

Parties: My friend Scottie throws a massive crafty Valentine Party each year, turning his whole house and garage into a Warholian Love Factory. It goes on all night; there are people welding outside and glue-gunning, water-coloring in the kitchen, glitter-spewing, collaging with old National Geographic's and National Enquirer's. You bring your own scissors and stuff to add to the 20-year supply closet. Love is All Around, baby!

OK, it’s last minute, and I don’t have anything for Valentine's. Help! What should I do!?
SB: Two ideas:

• My lover game, 

Friday's Top Ten Tips on Blogging Love

My blog tonight is inspired by Show Some Blogger Love posted by The TypePad Team.

10. Read through someone's blog before leaving a comment - including videos or links.

9. Don't be arrogant. Close your comments if you are not likely to visit your readers' blogs. Personally, I don't mind. I leave comments if I like a blog regardless of whether the blog owner leaves a comment on my blog or not. Most people won't do that, though. And this is a pity because there are so many great blogs around from which you can derive so much knowledge..

8. Don't leave a comment because you expect a comment back. This is childish.

7. Do not offend anyone in your comments even if you disagree or don't like a blog . Offensive language hinders communication.

6. Make time to visit your friends' blogs even if you have nothing to say. We all write to be read!

5. Blogging is fine but don't get addicted to it!

4. Even if you have nothing to say about a friend's blog , send an email and say hi.

3. Out of courtesy and in an effort to be simply polite, use English in your comments on a friend's blog whose friends come from different countries even if some of them include your own. Everyone should understand everybody else's comments.

2. Learn not to ignore anyone who leaves a comment on your blog. Respect the time they have spent reading your blog and leaving a comment. Learn to be humble and say "thanks for dropping by" even if you hate their blogs and even if you get 350 comments daily.

1. Show some blogger love. If you have time to blog you should make time for your readres as well.

Blog It!

Blog It is what I now consider TypePad's coolest tool! When it was first introduced, I wasn't very tempted to use it as I usually write my own blogs, and then as most of you know I'm not computer literate! But then, on second thoughts, and after Zalary's recommendation on a help ticket, I thought I'd give it a try. It works perfectly with Firefox , not with Internet Explorer 8, though. In layman's terms, all you have to do is log in to your TypePad blog and drag the Blog It button to your toolbar! Cool, right? Then go to any website you like, highlight text from that website and click...Blog It! A window opens with the high lighted text and if you like you can add some notes, then click publish and ....voilà! Without leaving your favourite website, you have posted to your TypePad blog. You can also post your favourite photos or videos...before you say Jack Robinson! 

However, TypePad warns that this may turn out to be addictive - especially because it saves time and you can blog within minutes and with 2-3 clicks. And yes, we're all busy, aren't we? I don't think Blog It will be addictive for me as I usually type out my blogs. Yet, I sometimes blog material from the Web and have often forgotten to quote my sources. No way to forget through Blog It. I would like to thank TypePad's very cool team and Six Apart for endeavouring to offer their members the very best in blogging.