Bookworm…

Yes, that’s me. I have a soft spot for books. Ever since I can remember, me and my brother, we had a big bookcase in our shared bedroom with lots and lots of books. I remember collecting Disney comic books, ‘Asterix le Gaulois’ or Popeye. We also had some books of Greek mythology, Grimm’s Fairy Tales or Aesop's fables. Both my parents encouraged us and frequently read to us stories.


After I grew up a bit, I had a saying in which books I had to read. I remember visiting my small bookstore of my home town and I had this lovely tickling sensation of anticipation to find my next book. At first I loved writers like Enid Blyton, Penelope Delta and then Agatha Christie. Growing up I switched to classics with breaks of writers like Stephen King or Tom Robbins when I also discovered Marvel comic books.

Reading comic books was a bit of a struggle. My mother hated them. She insisted that I should be reading proper books and not ‘junk’ as she called them. She was saying that comic books are not educational and for unintelligent, uncharismatic and uncultured people! We had a ‘war’ going on in the house for years when she was throwing away every comic book she could find hidden in the most bizarre places of the house. I know that I lost some great value editions of the ‘80s and ‘90s like that. Other people in their teens hide porn; I was hiding ‘X-Men’. It’s a bit sad, I know, but true! However, she didn’t manage to get this idea out of my mind.

lost in 'Limbo'

Growing up in a small town, I didn’t have many options and the available stores were limited. I remember vividly in one of my first visits in London, I was amazed by the multi-storey bookstores and dedicated places like ‘The Forbidden Planet’ where I could find anything I needed to satisfy my geek self. Even now, I can spend ages browsing through selves, checking books and deciding what to get. I don’t think I’ve read lots of books compared to other people. OK, I might not be as knowledgeable as ‘Stephen Fry’ for example but who cares? I only wish I could remember more of the books I’ve read in the past.


My love for reading is unquestionable. I also believe that it is very important, if not essential to a man’s growing up. It broadens your horizons. It can be educating but very entertaining at the same time. That is why I was very surprised to read that ‘one in three children in London doesn’t own a single book’! A research indicated and I quote that:

‘The study also found almost 40 per cent of those aged eight to 17 live in homes with 10 or fewer books – although 85 per cent of those aged eight to 15 own a games console, and 81 per cent have a mobile phone.‘

And for that, the only people to blame are the parents. It’s not like books are hard to find in a place like London. These children do not live in the middle of a desert or a rain forest. The reason I was extra happy for the success of books like ‘Harry Potter’ or even the ‘Twilight Saga’ is the fact that it was making youngsters read. However, apparently that wasn’t enough. Of course I'm not saying that everybody should finish 'War and Peace' but...

I love this satirical article by 'The Daily Mash' called: 'Books Making Children Gay' (If you read it don't take it seriously, it's the Mash after all)

One and a Half.

Today I have one and a half anniversary. I met JJ exactly 18 months ago. It doesn’t say much as a number I know. Since I was in high school with my then girlfriend, I had decided that after the first year, the next anniversary to be celebrated would be the next. I wasn’t a big fan of teddy bears, silly cards or radio song dedications anyway. To avoid all that, I decided not to celebrate silly things like half anniversaries that she wanted. I know that some decisions are very important, especially the ones you made at 16, but some rules are meant to be broken… So, I asked JJ out for a date tonight and I bought him a small present. I even thought of making a theme out of it but the only thing I could think of was getting one a half cake. You can't wear 1.5 t-shirt or make love 1.5 times etc... Can you?

At first he said yes. The plan was for us to go out to a nice place for dinner. I spent some hours trying to find a nice place with a twist. Meaning I’d like us to do something different or something we haven’t done in a while. We like trying out stuff like a very good Thai restaurant I know or a Korean bbq where the food is grilled at your table or an amazing Italian place with a vulgar name but massive portions of great food. I had decided on a nice Turkish restaurant where you sit on massive cushions and share food in a cosy friendly environment under the candlelight. That is the reason I totally love London. There are so many options its mind blowing.

However, that plan was not to be realised because ‘JJ’ pulled a muscle. It may sound simple but it is very painful and frustrating. He managed to pull his neck so much that he can’t twist his head, make sudden movements or lift his right arm too much! For a person like him who doesn’t know how to sit down, rest and do nothing, the situation is maddening. I had to talk to him to make him realise that he needs to take some time off work. He wasn’t easily convinced though. He had to sneeze while we had that conversation to feel the excruciating pain to actually agree with me. He’s started seeing a chiropractor and he will get better soon. What I do for the time being is take care of him and make him laugh, even if it causes him pain… The other option is to keep him sedated with drugs.

Chronos!!!

Wow. We’re in June now, the sixth month of this year! I don’t know about you but this year is flying by so fast! I was talking with a friend about when was the last time I saw him. I thought it was fairly recently, but it turned up it was end of January! OK, I have been very busy working, travelling, getting ready for my race in March or doing new stuff on my evenings and spending lots of time with ‘JJ’. However, I can’t but feel sad at how time flies. Chronos can be a total bitch.

Chronos (time in Greek) personified was the ruler of the Titans, the elder gods. They ruled the world before the arrival of the Olympian gods. Don’t get confused from movies like the ‘Clash of the Titans’. Movies like that or series like ‘Hercules’ are totally, absolutely and utterly mythological incorrect. Don’t get me wrong, I do like sometimes watching them (especially if Sam Worthington is in them) but Greek Mythology is a bit different.

So, let’s get back to the story of Chronos. He was the son of Uranus (sky god and first ruler) and Gaea (Earth goddess). Chronos became the ruler of all the Titans by overthrowing his father, in details by castrating him. That story about how this happened is a bit long and had many effects on the world. What I mostly remember is the fact that from Uranus’ testicles the goddess of beauty, love and sexuality Aphrodite emerged!

Chronos mutilating Uranus by Vasari and Gherardi 16th century

Anyway, Chronos became the king of all Titans taking as his queen, his sister Rhea. There weren’t many candidates to choose from! His rule was impeccable and mankind lived in a world without immorality and corruption. There was no need for laws and rules and everybody lived happily! However, Uranus and Gaea predicted that Chronos would be overthrown by his own son. I bet Uranus was very happy about this. This prophesies really shocked the power hungry Chronos. As a result he decided not to let any of his children live. To be sure he was swallowing them at birth.

Goya's Saturn (Chronos) devouring his children (1819 - 1823)

Rhea not being too happy that her dear husband was eating her children, she decided to hide one of them from him. So, with the help of her mother, Gaea, she went to the island of Crete and on Ida Mountain, in a cave, she gave birth to Zeus (I’ve been to this cave). Zeus was raised by a goat called Amalthea. When he came of age, he declared war on his father. He even made Chronos disgorge all Rhea’s sons and daughters.

Together with his brother and sisters and some other mythological creatures like the Cyclopes, Zeus overthrew his father and the other Titans, in a world shaking battle called Titanomachy. The defeated Titans were imprisoned in the underworld, in Tartara. Zeus then became the god of the skies and ruler of the Olympians.

1st Century Bronze statue of either Zeus or Poseidon

To sum everything up, Chronos even though he was a good ruler of the world, he was power mad devouring his children and castrating his own father. That’s what I call bad karma…