I get done with classes at 1 on Tuesdays and Thursday and then I take the city bus back to the apartment. I got back here and decided to do a solid nothing for a while, reading and checking facebook and the like. But I finally decided I’d go out, figuring I’d go down to the record store or maybe get a crepe. It’s been a gloomy past two days here in Thessaloniki, but it hadn’t actually rained today so I didn’t worry about it at all. So I put on my headphones, turned on some Clapton, and started walking. I walked further south than I needed to in order to go to the record stores and the little square they were in and I decided I’d just walk around and explore, and find my way back. I knew where I was; I was not worried. I saw a number of clothing stores with very cute clothes in them, but much like at home, clothes that would not come in my size. I was not trying to shop anyway so I wasn’t upset by it, but still. I wasn’t seeing a lot of stores that were for me (unless you count the guitars I drooled over in one store window). I hit a crosswalk and my eyes landed on something completely different though. White and Black vertical stripes with a giant SE… the rest of that word couldn’t be PHORA could it? Yes, yes it could. I found a Sephora in Greece. So of course I pulled my headphones out and wandered in with a “Ya sas” (english spelling of the Greek “hello”) to the woman standing at the door. It was like being in a family friend’s house after they’ve remodeled- it feels familiar but there’s newness. I found some brands I like (Sephora’s actual brand and Too Faced) and missed some (Urban Decay) and wanted to check prices. Pretty similar to at home on the brand nae stuff, but the Sephora stuff is jacked way up. So I left with another “Ya sas, efkareesto” (again, English spelling “good bye, thanks”) and wandered some more. I found a Harley shop. Once again, I went inside to check prices… 46 Euro for a T-shirt?!? Even for Harley, that’s effing steep, so I left there rather quickly. I’ll have to find another Harley place or find a different shirt or something. I also saw a nike store, but passed that one. I made it to the record store after a few stops in jewelry places and ended up getting nothing (but I did find an original printing of Electric Mud… for 75 Euro. Sorry Muddy Waters, but no way.) because I can buy records at home, it’s just fun to look. I wandered into another store before going to head home, one that reminds me of a Hot Topic type of place (except not so highly commercialized) and while in there looking at jewelry, I had the thought “I want my eye brow pierced.” Then the thought “I’d like to not be killed by my mother” occurred. (Sorry, Mom)
But as I’m heading back home, it starts to sprinkle a little. And it’s that time of night where it’d be getting dark anyway, but it’s a different look because of the rain. And I’d put my iPod on shuffle by this point. A crosswalk light turns green and BB King’s “There Must Be a Better World Somewhere” starts up. It just hit me as this absolutely movie-esque moment and I was in love with it. It didn’t matter that I was wearing flats on a walk, getting rained on. It was sort of beautiful to me, that I walked by the Galerian Arch at this moment, and knowing that it doesn’t actually matter if the title of that song is right. This life is pretty awesome. It seems like it’d be a little rude to expect that much better.
I’ve just appreciated today a lot. I live a rather amazing life and that moment reminded me of that fact.
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