Tag Archives: calendar

Day to day on Symi

Calendars, Birthdays, AI and Stuff

A few bits and pieces in the parish notices today.

First, our copy of the new Symi Dream calendar arrived yesterday and has been put away ready for when it is needed, which will be, er, next year. There’s a link to where you can get hold of one if you want 12 images of the island on your wall through 2024. They include pictures of Pedi, Nimborio, St George’s Bay, Horio, Panormitis, Yialos and a goat, among other Symi classics.

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Secondly, it’s the birthday/anniversary/returning time of year. Today is Ian H’s birthday, tomorrow, it’s Neil, Claudia, and Justine, our wedding anniversary (me and Neil, not me and… you get the idea), and the anniversary of arriving on Symi to live, 21 years ago, plus many regular Symi visitors are returning for the popular month of September.

Strange then, that one of today’s photos shows the harbour yesterday when it looked like it was completely empty. I wasn’t, it’s just that I can only see a part of it from up here, and later, the quayside was again lined with boats.

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Thirdly and onwards, today, Neil is off SCUBA diving with Blue Lagon Dives and is down for another dive tomorrow, so he’s happy. Yesterday, he joined the gym and went for his training session, yet was still able to collect our calendars from the post office and a package from ACS which was a present for Harry; a mounted, canvas photo of H underwater on his birthday (the day after, actually), which we dropped off to the not-so-wee chappie in the afternoon.

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Meanwhile, I was beavering away on a piece for an online magazine I write for and used a thing called ChatGTP for the first time. This is something to do with AI, and, so far, looks quite remarkable. I was using it for research only as it’s faster and more detailed than Google (and more polite), and I’ll tell you about my experiences with it in more detail one day when I’ve had some time to check it out. It has the potential to write plots or even books for you, but I have no intentions of using it for that, simply to ask it questions, like a typewriter version of Alexa. Early days, so, more news to come on that.

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As for me, once I’d sorted out an email abuse issue, I spent most of the day doing the usual typing, editing and pottering around with no great achievements apart from finishing an article, working through another chapter of the next book, and some general admin, all while wearing a tee shirt in the house for the first time in weeks. Actually, it’s such an old tee shirt there are more holes than shirt, but it’s just the perfect thickness for this time of year when I’m between full above-waist nudity and all-over autumn respectability. We’ll have the duvet back on the bed soon, no fans going, and will have to think about closing windows when the wind gets up.

Enough chat. Back to the typowriter for me and a day of creativity while the husband goes exploring underwater.

Day to day on Symi

Symi Dream Calendar 2024

It’s four in the morning, the festivities continue down in the harbour, and I am setting about a full day of writing what I want to write, starting with today’s blog. Two, actually, as I write one on my author website www.jacksonmarsh.com every Wednesday and Saturday. I may go for a stroll around the village later to stretch my legs, and that light fitting in the laundry may finally get seen to (unlikely), but otherwise, I’m looking forward to going back to the past and putting together another chapter in the second book in a new historical mystery series.

That’s me, and here’s the other news.

It’s a way off yet, but it’s never too late to start planning for next year. Around this time, Neil puts together a Symi calendar, and next year’s has just been uploaded and is available to order.

There’s one large image per month, a grid-style layout for each month with boxes large enough for quick notes and reminders, and no pre-marked special days cluttering your pages. Locations appearing next year include: Yialos, Horio, Nimborio, Pedi, Panormitis, and St George seen from above.

You can only buy this online from this one outlet. We’ve managed to keep the price to under €20.00 (which is what they were available for back in the days of the shop), though postage isn’t included, and prices vary slightly according to your country.

Click this link to get to the Symi Dream Calendar 2024, or click the image.

'Symi Dream Calendar 2024' - www.lulu

Day to day on Symi

Stars, Fans, Covers and Rubber

August has started with more visitors arriving from the mainland, standard temperatures (rather than the excess of July), and the Symi Festival, which has its official opening tonight with Helena Paparizou on the main stage in Yialos town square/amphitheatre.

In our house, we have a couple of pinups for the month…

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The same pair will be at it again later in the month when Neil takes H for his birthday dive with Blue Lagoon Divers. This year, as he’ll be older, H will be able to dive deeper than the last time they went two years ago. And yes, they did dive deeper than you see in the photograph. Don’t be clever. If you fancy a dive either as a PADI card holder or as a newbie, you can contact BLG through their website or Facebook page, but my advice is to do so early, because it’s a popular Symi activity, and often booked up.

The photo, in case you hadn’t realised, is of our copy of the Symi Dream calendar. Neil creates one and sells them online every year, usually between October and December, and I’ll announce here when the next one is ready. I know of several people who have collected one every year since he started them when he had the shop. I can’t remember exactly what year he started them, perhaps a collector can remind me, but it’s become something of an institution. Look out for a link in a couple of months.

The images in the calendars are always of Symi, and not always of men dressed in rubber. In fact, August 2023 is the first time there has been such an image. He’s featured traditional dancers and public space scenes before, but never a duo like this. You never know, you may get another one for August in the 2024 calendar – watch this space.

While you are watching, you can have a look at another fan worm. This photo, Neil took while snorkelling at Pedi.

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And if you want to see another image, and one you have never seen before, then I’ve got a cover reveal coming up on Saturday on my other blog, www.jacksonmarsh.com A cover reveal is a bit like one of those ridiculous gender reveal parties, but without the party, and without the institutionalised colours, accidental balloon let-offs, and other nonsense. Basically, I’ll blather on a bit about the new book, the first in my latest ‘must read’ series, and show you part of the cover. Then, you click the image at your leisure and get to see the full cover. You’re meant to go, ‘Wow!’ and remember to buy a copy when the book gets released. I know, but we indie authors need all the publicity we can get, and a cover reveal constitutes a major event in my life these days. All you have to do is click www.jacksonmarsh.com and bookmark the page somewhere, so you can pop in and check on me in my other world where I do, now and then, talk about what’s happening on Symi —  and it’s not talk that I put on this blog.

Right then, off to do something useful, and think about what to tell you tomorrow.