When the Cheshire emerges...

Doing some weekend reading led me to the latest from the Eurozone crisis.

I was not surprised, but still extremely saddened to read that Greek unemployment has risen to a record 27.6 per cent.

That's more than one in four. Just thinking of it in those terms is scary enough. It's more than double the eurozone average of 12.1 per cent...

But then I read that 64.9 per cent of the 15-24 age group were unemployed. 64.9 per cent. That's mind-boggling. What hope does that give to a generation otherwise known for their "me, me, me" attitudes? They will be starved of growth, of well-being and of any confidence in being able to earn a solid living.

I've been looking for a new job for some time, and have been close on a few occasions only to be let down. Sometimes things just get put in perspective like a slap to the face though, don't they?

***

Everything in your life is a miracle to be cherished. A grain of sand, a bee on a flower, a sailboat, a cup of coffee, a wet diaper, a caterpillar, are all miracles. When you learn to view life and everything in it as a miracle, you soon see that complaining is a waste of the miracle that you are.

Loving relationships work because there is no work.

The only limits you have are limits you believe.

Time for a Europop lesson.

Some non-Europeans might remember Greek singer Sakis Rouvas as the dude who swung into the Athens 2004 Olympics Closing Ceremony (literally) before falling mid-routine. Others remember him more fondly as performing one of Eurovision's best songs in recent years with 2004's Shake It (quite frankly, as the favourite that came third he was robbed). He of course also represented Greece again in 2009.

He is also quite possibly one of the world's most prettiest men. #justsayin'

I bought his latest album six months ago when I was in Athens as a tool to help me improve my Greek should I start taking proper lessons. While that's currently a work in progress, I finally listened to the album all in one hit last week.

If anyone survives the Greek economical crisis it will probably be him. Damn, his songs are catchy.

Sakis Rouvas performing Shake It for Greece at Eurovision 2004

I haven't been this excited to listen to a full album repeatedly in some time. He doesn't sing any English tracks on Parafora (Madly), but on hearing more than his Eurovision fare I totally see why this guy is Greece's king of pop. It's damn good stuff.

Even if I don't understand a whole lot of it.

It makes me wish I could understand more, which is the point. That's good. Yet the words swirl around my head for much of the day as I'm trying to work, eat and watch TV. I've taken it further to listen through all the other Greek songs on my iTunes as I cook each night, and vow to understand it all fluently one day. Especially for the sake of Mr Rouvas and what he is trying to sing to me.