It's the most wonderful time of the year!

A small, dusty-pink, candy-adorned, silver-lighted Christmas tree, with a big magenta bow on top, has been put up in the far-left corner of my living room since the 25th of November. At the far-right a twinkle-lit red and green gift box gives off a subtle glow. On the inside of my front door hangs a white wreath with pink and purple ornaments and on the outside a silver "Merry Christmas" welcoming my guests(well, my one stable guest anyway) and serves as a gentle reminder to my neighbors that "Last Christmas" and "Santa Baby" will be playing non-stop, at an audible yet not borderline-noisy volume. Yes, as you might have guessed I'm one of those annoying people who start celebrating and decorating for Christmas before you can even finish saying "but it's still October". My usually non-enthousiastic self is uncharacteristically jolly and it is indeed the most wonderful time of the year! After a terribly stressful and hectic week I am glad to say that I am finished with work and ready for my "-20 and snowy, with a chance of polar vortex and seeing Patrick Swayze outside a resort in the woods, with a bear" Canada adventure. Well not really an adventure(unless Patrick Swayze does show up a la Dirty Dancing, preferably riding a bear or moose), since I was in Toronto last year so I know what to expect at least for the most part. This year my mum decided that we would go to a friend's cabin(somewhere in the woods,no joke) and spend Christmas there, which is fantastic cause that way we can stay in where it's warm and day-drink(which is the only way I'm getting through 10 days with my mother). I'll be back in time for my annual New Year's tradition with my best friend which will then result in going to some party or gathering that will ruin all expectations of a good time, get violently drunk and/or run into the worst ex in the history of all exes, because New Year's Eve always sucks balls.
 However, as it happens, my birthday is right around the corner, on the 10th of January(mark your calendars) which I vigorously plan a year ahead(because I'm a freak) and makes up for any 1st of the year debacle... and it seems it came early this year. My boyfriend already got me a spa treatment as a present so I can go get pretty before the big day(more like a long-weekend really) and my fairy godmother Jess got me tickets to the Black Keys who are playing in Athens this May(I cried and I'm not ashamed to say it). Best birthday gift ever, and it's not even my actual birthday yet! No offense to everyone else who's getting me something, but you know, thanks for trying, maybe next year. Also my two best friends are getting me a surprise birthday cake, which I am sure is going to be ridiculously obscene and possibly offensive to all parties present,  and my other best friend made some kind of weird dog analogy and all I said was "please don't get me a dog"(unless it's your dog that's basically a cat).
You, know though, in the true spirit of the holidays-consumerism-, the only thing better than getting presents, is giving them. I often get more excited as I'm watching someone else open my (perfectly wrapped, magnificently thoughtful) gift, than when I'm opening mine. So, I'm happy to say I'm bringing back gifts from Canada for my all friends and am especially ecstatic to watch the look on their little faces as they tear open the package and see their colorful onesies( I'm not even shitting you, that's what you're getting).
Until next time Happy Holidays everyone!!! Stay drunk and merry!

Hugs and Kisses xx E.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFtb3EtjEic

Dear Diary...

Good evening, greetings to all, yo! "How have you been ?", I wish I could say and actually get a reply. I've been fine, I suppose. No, actually that's a lie. I've been mostly depressed, and isn't it sort of the definition that you never really know why? I got the Sunday blues last week after having an actually delightful weekend. Then the Sunday blues became Monday blues, until they were entire week blues. Most of my thoughts have been "dear diary" ones, which is why I haven't posted anything. I refuse to make this blog that kind of diary-like nonsense and I doubt anyone would be interested in reading about it anyway. Instead I can tell you, I spent last weekend at a place by the sea, called Sounio, and dreamed about a cat with a black mustache that was actually me. The reason I'm telling you this is because I thought it extremely odd and wondered intensely about what it could mean. I also played Monopoly which brings out my seriously scary, competitive self, even scarier this time due to the fact I was drunk! What must be noted is that there are probably four people that I can call my favorite in the entire world and whom I love to bits and I got to spend two days with 2 of them. Yet I came back full of melancholy. All I wanted to do was listen to Ed Sheeran, which then turned into eating a large pizza by myself, that made things somewhat better. Still, I felt like a pile of crap, just waiting to be stepped on and ruin someone's day. Not even the Black Keys could make me smile. I had been planning for months to go see them in London and then the opportunity to see them in Paris came. I swore they would never ever come to Greece anyway. A few days later they announced they were playing in Athens in May. I was almost in tears and secretly thought to myself that I willed it to happen! Even Christmas, though I put up my adorable pink Christmas tree, seemed futile! I'd been a while since I felt this bad and had forgotten what it feels like. It's surprising how easy you get used to it again. Functioning as if everything is normal, getting work done, when actually you have difficulty standing up straight let alone walking, where every breath you take is physically exhausting and all you want to do is stay in bed and watch "When Harry met Sally"(well that part is optional but you get the point). It's quite easy to find yourself in this situation, and whether it's just sadness or depression to you it might feel like the end of the world, at least that's what it feels like for me. It's truly devastating and it takes time to re-introduce yourself to being, well, okay, I guess. Personally when times get tough as it were, I like to talk, even to myself, just to get it all out. I'll cry and I'll scream and I'll get angry and then sad again but that's alright. I figure that as long as I feel better at some point and as long as I still find things to laugh about it's okay to feel miserable at times and even to try and self-diagnose(even that is part of a human need to label or explain things that are happening to them). This horrid week is coming to its curtain call and I'm glad to say I survived, maybe not completely sane but lighter somehow. And in my scrambling for myself I discovered a video in which they've synced Taylor Swift's "Shake it off" with an 80s gymnastics video and found myself laughing uncontrollably and aspired to be more like that one black guy who you know is just having the time of his life! It's silly really but it did get me smiling again! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlJI-GqB-6Y

I hate rudeness, close-mindedness and peas...

I truly do hate these three things (more than all the other things I hate anyway) and generally the people who carry them (quite literally in the case of peas). The only thing I might despise even more, for the sake of this argument, are stereotypical phrases such as "tell me what you like and I'll tell you about yourself " (I don't know who says that, but they sound like an obnoxious prick). "Yes well, I love the summertime(when the weather is hot, la la la, la la la), long walks on the beach and ponies." Wrong! Wrong mostly cause everyone knows winter is better, for it is the season of Christmas and snow and Santa Claus(yes, I'm an adult who believes in Santa, sue me!) and those who don't suck balls. Yes, your favorite things may tell their tales about your personality and when you ask someone what kind of music they listen to it's a just matter of phrasing really -cause most people will say I listen to everything, which is bullshit, cause once you say "well I don't like that particular something", they're all like "I don't like that either, and you think "this is so meant-to-be", it's not- but let's be honest what you dislike is a lot more specific, therefore... Tell me what you hate and I'll tell you what I think. For instance, rudeness seems to me to be the equivalent of a yuppie with a superiority complex paired, though in contrast, with the self-esteem of a fifteen year old girl. It is the disgusting and sickly love-child of stupidity and crassness. Narrow-mindedness on the other hand, is the uncultured and emotionally crippled cat-calling bully that impressively combines the maturity of a delinquent minor with the mentality of a fascist middle-aged cab driver. As for peas, they are the single most nauseating example of how bland and aesthetically atrocious the world can be. But that's just me.Those of you reading this, you probably already know what you like, life's tiny pleasures you enjoy, so just take a moment to think about the little things that annoy you, traits you hate in another person and things you believe the world would be a better place without. The big picture here is created by the minutiae combined likes and dislikes that make up our social DNA. Take the first months into a new relationship, the phase where you love all the same things and think everything the other person does is just adorable. Give it time! Soon you'll probably hate each other! Not because of huge unsolvable differences. No. Your undoing will be the little things, the socks on the floor, the toilet seat that's up, the fact that she actually can't stand that band you like to blast in the morning or the fact that he won't pour water on the plates in the sink, so in result food will stick to them making them harder to wash(I mean seriously, how hard can it be?). There's no way of course of predicting these tiny yet significant details. Even I, obsessed with the dislikes, when meeting a new person my first question will usually be "Do you love(not like, looove) the Black Keys?" and second "do you like cheese?", if not don't talk to me, for you are not to be trusted. But often times I think what I should probably be asking is "are you a meticulous cleaner, are you open-minded and polite and do you hate peas?" if yes, we should probably get married(just kidding, not before I see you pouring water on the dirty dishes). 

Just don't do it!

It's been one of those afternoons, where I sat around and did nothing. Don't you just love those? I generally feel so much better than when I'm doing a bunch of stuff and feel like I've accomplished nothing or worse haven't accomplished enough. Cause that's the trap, when you have work stuff to do or studying or whatever obligations weigh on you, you start doing them and no matter how well you complete a task you never feel like you're quite there. When that happens to me, it's like my brain goes into this hyperactive mode like a kid on too much sugar and when I stop and start coming down from the high I often get this intense feeling of underachievement. This may be true for a short period of time, like one day, or even months at a time. It's a terrible thing to keep busy but feel as if you aren't doing anything of actual value and time just wastes away. Because I'm such a fucking perfectionist, very little is ever up to par with my expectations, mostly the ones I have for myself. However the days I stay home and watch my shows and curl up idly in front my laptop, I feel like I escape myself and any expectations I may have. The trick of course, again, is to keep busy and not let my mind wonder towards all the "productive" things I could be doing, and just enjoy the non-doing. Ok, if you do this everyday obviously you're a lazy bastard, but once in a while isn't it nice to just be? For some this may mean going for a walk or a jog, for others sleeping in or getting up early to spend the day with family and friends. Some like to read, some like to play music. Each person spends their free time differently and that's the beauty of it, it's free, for you to do as you please. For me, the house cat, it's being in my home(preferably after I've cleaned it and it's all tidy and perfect) and binge-watch TV series. Hannibal, Sleepy Hollow, The Blacklist, Scandal, American Horror Story, The Voice, Suits, Game of Thrones(how fucked up is R.R Martin amirite?), The Walking Dead(Ugh Daryl-swoons-also hoping season 5 doesn't suck to goddamn much), Sons of Anarchy, Criminal Minds...I mean I could go on! Over the years there's probably very few shows I haven't watched. Movies too. It's my thing. I've always been fascinated by cinema and when I discovered series it was a whole new world. Obviously I download, I mean I don't even own a TV. But the themes and plots are endless, so is the amount of information if you're really paying attention. Mostly though I get to mute thoughts about jobs and money and people who are being cunts and people who I need to call and things I need to get done. I get to worry about the cliffhanger, wonder about the genius of Dr. Lecter, get excited when the Black Keys are playing in the background of another Sons episode and research that mental disease I heard about on Criminal Minds. And getting excited for the return of Twin Peaks(yay!)
My point is sometimes doing something that seems lazy and pointless is good for you. Whether you have the luxury of a whole day or an hour in the day, find time to do what you enjoy, even if that means laying in bed and staring at the ceiling. Slowing things down for yourself, even if for a little, may prove more therapeutic than you think.