Toula

Ok, where does one begin? I'm Greek-Canadian, even though there are times when I feel neither Canadian nor Greek; simply a human being in this crazy/wonderful/frustrating universe, looking to figure out what it's all about. I've got news for you all: it's all about NOW!!
I work as a journalist/ assistant editor for a newspaper in Montreal, Canada. I have also recently started working as a researcher and reporter on CH, a local Montreal TV channel. It's a job I didn't go after; it fell into my lap; which, in turn, pushed me to accept it, because.. let's face it.. everything happens for a reason, right? I LOVE to write. I write a weekly column and it's the best part of my job, hands down. I write because I have to, NEED to and would probably do it for free.. (just don't tell my publisher). I love to travel, experience new places, meet new people, laugh and act silly.
"You might have heard that I run with a dangerous crowd. We ain't too pretty. We ain't too proud. We might be laughing a bit too loud. But that never hurt no one" :)
I swear like a sailor and have the "don't f%..k with me" attitude of someone who was a jock all her life, but I know how to detect genuiness and kindness in people and --most importantly-- know how to appreciate it. When you become my friend, you have me for life. I love to party and act crazy, but a quiet evening with good friends, good wine and good conversation is my version of heaven on earth.
Although involved in sports my entire life, what I truly value in people is their intellect. I admire intelligence, wit, self-depracating humour and the ability to analyze a situation. I live for debates; I think it's the Greek in me. Everyone's a goddamn philosopher back home. Creative people, writers, musicians, artists of all sorts have my undeniable support and my respect because it takes an unbelievable amount of courage not to listen to conventional wisdom and follow your own desires and dreams. But it is, after all, the soul's duty to follow what makes it happy. Stifling that desire is to blame, in my opinion, for the majority of discontent in todays' world.
I love to travel and agree with travel writer Ralph Potts that "you can read all you want about a place, but there's no substitute for smelling it". I have yet to encounter a city or country that didn't have something to offer me; something that made me smile and something that ultimately made me sad to leave it behind. I sometimes worry that I won't have enough time in this lifetime to see and experience everything I want to... A famous Buddhist saying states that "We see as we are" and I believe that 100%. If you are open to the world, the world will be open to you. It's all in the way you perceive your reality and your perception has the ability to shape your reality.
I believe that life is too short to spend on being petty or hesitant. I believe that the more you give, the more you receive. I believe that we usually regret the things that we don't do; not the things that we do (even though it took a few regrets of my own to figure that one out... )
I believe in karma; in "what goes around always coming around", in some shape or form". I believe that what ultimately defines you as a person is not how you act in life, but how you REACT to what life will bring your way. I believe that Buddhism is the closest thing I have ever come to calling a religion/philosophy my own, because all existing forms of religion have to be the biggest scam perpetuated on mankind.
I believe that money does not make the world go round and that a U-haul does not follow you to your grave and that people who win the rat race are still rats, so enjoy this life while you can and love while you must and dance while no one is watching.. but if someone is watching and you can't dance... think twice. ;)
"The only constant is change" is one of my personal mottos in life. I believe in it so much that it is tattooed on my back in ancient Greek. I do believe that the only thing that is constant in life is that nothing is constant. The tattoo is there to remind me of that... so I can appreciate life when it's amazing (which it so often is..) because things are bound to change, and so I can take heart in the fact that things will change, when things are shit (which they sometimes are..)
"Keep your wits about you. It is not necessary to barter your talent, your self-esteem and your youth for the chance of pleasing. It is more frightening, but it is not less productive to go your own way. You are not one of the myriad of interchangeable pieces, but a unique human being, and if youve got something to say, say it, and think well of yourself while you are learning to say it better" -- David Mamet
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