Hello to the ones who read, comment and especially those who vote for my posts. The rest of y'all can kiss my ass. What a nice intro, isn't it? I feel like a second Aristophanes when I use this kind of prose. Such a nice feeling....Almost liberating!
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Too bad no publisher is willing to pay me for writing such pieces, but instead they prefer the "proper" ones with the heavy research. That shows how boring the world we live in really is.
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Truth be told, I write this post for myself first, like I usually do. I want to do a personal retrospect of 2018 and I didn't feel like writing this long ass post on Facebook. This place is full of "spies." Some will befriend you only so they can invade your personal life. Especially those who will never like or comment on anything you post there, but when they meet you in person know exactly when was the last time you did this or that, creep me out!!! Don't they know the Cold War is over? Talking about the Cold War, you can read a superb article I once wrote about it for Today I Found Out by clicking here. Over 4,5 million views (and counting) can't be wrong ;)
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Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately from a business point of view, I can't write personal essays for my blog anymore as I recently got two very generous sponsors (thanks to AMEX and HC) that are kind enough to pay me for promoting articles (including mine) from certain websites. That's like the coolest deal I made in 2018. Or in any year for that matter. It feels like Santa visited my blog this Christmas and loved it or appreciated the hard work I've put into it all these years.
So, what do I think of 2018? Definitely not the best year in my life so far; but then again not the worst either. I would rather describe it as an indifferent, quite of boring at times year. Didn't travel as much as usual, didn't fall in love, didn't read as many books as I wanted to, didn't discover as many new artists and music as I would like, didn't meet any interesting people throughout the year and I took an unnecessary break from the best job I ever had - until the next one of course. I could have done way better and in so many different fields.
Furthermore, I didn't eat as healthy as I wanted, I didn't work out as much as I should, I had a bad injury that kept me in bed and inactive for nearly 40 days, kept gaining and losing weight like a roller coaster and the most "fascinating" (furrrr) woman I met during the year will be remembered only when the conversation is about awesome drones.
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However, 2018 wasn't all that boring or dull. The past four, maybe five months were really good. The highlight of the year was definitely the gig I did with Gold Visa Japan and the special we did for Athens. It has been a MASSIVE hit in Japan. Six million copies of the magazine are gone already, while the show broke some annual TV rating records when it aired. I finally got my honorary copy a month ago or so. You can see me here in one of the four photos they included of me in the 18-pages special, with the likes of legendary Dr. Tassios and Acropolis museum's president.
Why I am wearing a "Venice Beach California" tee while narrating the history of Athens in all of Japan is a very funny story, but let's not talk about it now. Instead, admire the superb job the photographer did with his camera....
And here's the cover of the magazine. Cool beans!!!
But yeah, this was definitely the highlight of the year for me! Well, this and the fact that I managed to make my dad famous in America. Not too long ago, I was commissioned by the most popular Health NGO website in North America to write a special about quitting smoking.
I decided to use my own dad's story as the intro-theme of the article, and the editor-in-chief at Pens & Needles did fall so hard for my daddy's younger version (truth be told, dad was a STUD and played for AEK too, which gives him extra points for obvious reasons) to the point she insisted that he should be on the cover image of the article. All the fan mail and tweets that followed the article's release (click here if you wanna check it out) was especially dedicated to my dad! And how couldn't be?
I won't include in the highlights the WONDERFUL and BLESSED time I had the chance to spend in England and here in Greece with my son during 2018, as in my mind this is and SHOULD BE the norm for every father and son, mother and daughter and so on. I don't want this to be any year's highlight, but part of my life until the day I die. Same goes for all the time I spend with my wonderful parents, siblings, and those very few friends I have for life. My family and true friends, with my son and dear mother being on the top of everyone and everything, will never be "highlights" as they are the reason I breathe.
Conclusively, was 2018 a good year? Hmmm, not really. Am I mad it's leaving soon? Nope! Actually, I am looking forward to a much, much better 2019. No matter how cliché it may sound, all I am asking from God is good health for me and my loved ones (and the whole world really) and the rest will follow. Not just for 2019, but 2020, 2021 and so on. Even though we should never take anything for granted in this life, some things, such as health, love, peace and happiness, should always be our main priorities when we pray and should never have an "expiration date'' until the ONE decides so.
Is there something specific that I want to come and conquer my life in 2019 though? Hmmmm, not really. I am very grateful and happy with my life as it is really. I would just like to spend more time for myself instead of working so much. Make my life more exciting again.
Travel more, listen to more music, watch more films, read more books and all the nice stuff I mentioned above. I wouldn't say no to a special lady and a special love...But when I say special, I don't play around! A kind of love that will have some gravity man! Shite!!!!!!
