Helloooooo buns! Welcome!

At some point during April, when the weather was sunny and summerish, I had some coffee and chocolate cake in 'The First Floor' / 'Proto Patoma' Cafe (in Thessaloniki Greece) with my cute, smart, funny, beauuuutiful friend Katerina! Yaaaay!!

I know Katerina since she was a schoolgirl, walking around carrying a huge backpack. I love this girl because she is SO unique. She is very artistic, very imaginative, creative, she smiles a lot, she is so soooo SO funny, plus she is restless, I mean she has so many ideas and she won't stay back and wait for them to happen. She makes them happen (no surprise there, I mean, I know who her mom is hahaha). Katerina plays a musical instrument, sings, draws, loves cinematography and she also READS BOOKS! :O She has created 'Books and Moons' on Instagram and the way she describes herself is the following:

• A spaceman who loves reading among the stars
•  Musician
• Traveler
• Dreamer
• ...and also a Slytherin"

So our girl was there, we've ordered some caffeine (we are both addicted to it) and we were complimenting each others' hair, outfit etc etc. Let the positivity flow!

FHB: Sooooo Katerinaki, I hear you've created a page on Instagram called 'Books and Moons'. Tell us more about it.

Katerina: Yes. Well I love reading. So I read books and I share them with my followers. It doesn't have to be a masterpiece for me to share, I read a book and I just share my opinion about it. My goal is to put new writters or titles on to my followers and maybe they are interested on some of them. I also post photos of the books, a small summary, my opinion about it and I copy a small phrase from the book that I like or means something to me.

FHB: But why Books and Moons?

Katerina: Well I love books and planets and space...So, that's that hahaha

FHB: Was there anyone who asked you to read a specific book and share your opinion about it?

Katerina: No not yet haha.

FHB: Have you met people via your page? Do people respond to the page?

Katerina: Yes, I've met lot of people online. We communicate our ideas, we are talking about our readings and we often disagree hehehe. The truth is most of my followers are also bookworms like me hahaha. But you know, I'm very happy that some of my followers don't even have an account on Bookstagram!

FHB: Have you met more women or men..? Give us a feedback hahaha

Katerina: Oh it's definately more women..I've met few men reading and the ones I've met they kinda like theater, they are artists etc..Also, there are lots of events about reading, they gather over coffee and share their opinions..I haven't joined any yet though.

FHB: Oh nice...so I guess your followers do communicate with you or...?

Katerina: Yes yes, we interact...They mainly comment on the pictures though. For example if the picture is vintage and brings memories to them or when they feel nostalgic (which happens mainly when I post children's books) they post comments.

FHB: So Instagram IS all about pictures hahaha

Katerina: Yeah yeah The picture is what tempts them to give a chance to a book...

FHB:Have you ever thought of an actual 'Books and Moons' book club? I mean physically meeting with people..

Katerina: That would be cool...and they might respond! hahaha

FHB: Or you could go on tour to different cities meeting followers and be like a book club on wheels Because you love traveling

Katerina: That would be interesting!!

FHB: Actually, how do you disagree with your followers about books? Do they message you when they disagree to your opinion?

Katerina: We don't disagree...We exchange opinions politely hahaha... Yes they tell me so hahaha.

FHB: Well, your books are in Greek...Are your followers only Greeks?

Katerina: No actually I have people following me from other countries as well!

FHB: Wow I wasn't expecting that! How does this work?

Katerina: Yes! Well, I always write the book's title in english so everybody can check on it.

FHB: So I guess your followers post comments, or  you chat in personal messages? What do you talk about?

Katerina: Oh yeah all the above...

FHB: Oh ok, so you talk about the books...Just books?? No flirting??? hahaha

Katerina: Oh yeah,sometimes there is some flirting hahaha. Well you have common interests with someone, you know Reading & Instagram help you fall in love hahaha

FHB:Yeah yeah I know hahaha.So, Instagram, Bookstagram or Facebook..oh there are a lot and I wonder how is it you talking about books and reading in a social media platform that is so fast-moving and mainly visual?

Katerina: Ohh actually I'm not that much of a social media person hahaha... I mean I always want to say more, to express my thoughts more thoroughly than I eventually do. Mainly because you know, people won't read a HUGE summary. But the good thing is that my followers respond directly and there are so many different personalities and all these accounts eventually interact pretty nice to each other. Now the fact that Instagram works mainly with pictures and images actually helps me a lot because a nice image can be imprinted to people's mind. And that's why I try my best for every book's picture that I upload. I want them to be thoughtful and nice I also enjoy taking pictures! But I also believe that the followers realize you are serious about your page or your content when you take care of your pictures, when they are polished, under the appropriate light and color or background combination.

FHB: I love the pictures you take! And I know there is a funny story containing the words "morning-forest-police" hahaha. Would you like to share? Don't worry nobody reads us!

Katerina: Hahahaha. OK! It was an early autumn morning and I think it was around 8:00 o'clock so I had this idea to grab few books and go to Florina's river (that's where Katerina studies) in order to take some pictures for the covers. Book covers' aesthetic matched the fall background.

FHB: So did you have lots of books with you?

Katerina: Uhm..like 5 hahaha

FHB: Oohh ok ok..I feel I want to ask what time  the sun was rising at that point in Florina hahaha

Katerina: Yeah...you know, there is a high mountain on the east part of Florina so the sun beside the river rises after 8:00 am.

FHB: Hahaha oh well....

Katerina: Hahaha. Yes. So, there was sooome light but not bright and shinny I was walking by the river, there were some people running, exercising etc so I thought "let's walk into this small path which leads a little bit further into the forest" . I walked half the way down the path and I started gathering rocks so I could put my books next to them and take some pictures. I was kneeling trying to do that and fix the background, the light etc.

FHB: Like digging a hole to burry something...? Oooor like you had just burried it and now you were placing rocks on the spot to mark it...? hahahahah

Katerina: Hahahaha yes, it MIGHT  have looked pretty much like that from some distance!

FHB: Or maybe like you were planting that 5-leaf tree you brought with you? Just so the books look nicer next to it...???

Katerina: NOOOOO! Hahahaha. Listen, at some point while me doing that I heard a car engine's noise kinda approaching me, but I didn't pay more attention to that as I was pretty occupied. I remember  I turned around once and I saw that there was a police jeep coming down the path and stopped  at some distance behind me. And I thought "Oh well" and I kept taking pictures of my books while kneeling. After while the car's doors opened and two policemen were coming towards me.

One of them came right next to me and he was like "Goodmorning. What are you doing here that early?" and I was like "I'm taking pictures of the books." And then he asked me if he could take a look in my backpack while he was trying to hide his laugh hahaha. I replied "yeah sure", he asked for my ID (thank Holy Caffeine that I had my wallet with me just in case I wanted to get some coffee later). And while one policeman was checking on my ID the other guy opened my bag (in which I had more books, two pine cones, and some twigs that I wanted to plant back home) and he started laughing . So after that they thanked me and got back in the car but they wouldn't leave hahaha. Me? I took pictures of the rest of mybooks, after that I got up and started walking slowly around while taking more pictures of the trees, some branches, the flowers etc.  and they were still THERE!

FHB: Hahaha so those five books were photoshooted by the presence of the police! :O You must tell us which these books were!

Katerina: Let me think. One was E. Durschmied's 'Whisper of the blade', F. Nietzsche's 'Twilight of the idols',  Ch. Baudelaire's  'Le spleen des Paris'... I don't remember the rest of them sorry!

FHB: Well...I loved this story when I first heard it. To be honest I was surprised of how early you woke up just so you take pictures of the books!

Katerina: Haha yes...I needed the morning light! hahaha

FHB: But how come you decided to start the "Books and Moons"? That significant moment you said "I'm doing it" ? 

Katerina: You know, I wanted to do it for sooo long but I wouldn't make up my mind. I was skeptical thinking "why would anyone respond to that or how would that work?" And also the "who am I and what is it I have to share to the public?". Then I realised I was thinking B@llsh!t! And that's how I grabbed 'The little prince' by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and I started taking pictures of it...It was a November's night around 11:00 pm 

FHB: Hahaha very cinematic So I know that you read, we all know that now, but I want to ask you WHY you read? What is reading's benefits for you?

Katerina: I read since I remember myself and I kinda "blame" my mother for that. I have memories of her reading and while doing that she looked so calm and peaceful. But she never forced me into reading although she was gifting me books. I think it just seemed natural after watching her doing it and because she did I love reading as well.Basically by reading I improve my speech quality, I 'live' new experiences which probably I won't be able to live, ever. But the biggest gift is expanding my imagination's limits...

FHB: So what kind of books do you read?

Katerina: Oh what I choose to read depends on my mood at the current moment...For example if I feel bored or dull I would read fantasy novels, or if it's a period when I am dragged into deep thoughts my best choice would be philosophy.

FHB:Do you like all the kinds of literature?

Katerina: Uhm, it appears I can't read crime fiction. For some reason I am not appealed by it at all. Oh I can't read Harlequin books neither hahaha

FHB: Hahaha good to know! I know that you like fantasy books though? You mean dragons, elves etc or...?

Katerina: Yes. Dragons, lost civilizations, elves, dwarves, magic. In my mind the reality, like the fact that cars have 4 wheels and are red, green etc is boring. I would love if fantasy worlds were real.

FHB: Which one is your favorite book?

Katerina: Oh my favorite book lately is Guenassia's 'The club of incorrigible optimists'. This book was the reason I skipped classes once hahaha.

FHB: Just once?

Katerina: Yes yes. Hiiii mom! hahaha. The book has 700 pages and I finished it in 3 days.

FHB: !!! How long do you need to read let's say 100 pages?

Katerina: Mmm it depends. I can't tell for sure cause it depends if the book is easy, if I like it etc...Actually after reading for so many years,I have reached a point where reading a 'difficult/heavy' books is now easier for me. But in general I avoid fast reading so I am able to picture what I read better. Because that's the beauty of reading.

FHB: Ok yeah...So what is your favorite book about?

Katerina: When I saw this book I thought it would be a happy optimistic book, sending happy messages and it turned out that it was not even close to that hahaha. It's about a 15 years old boy in Paris during 1960s who loved reading books and he also participated in a chess club in which many famous historical figures were participating as well. So the book is about kid's life, his relationship with his parents and the everyday life during 1960s. The kid is way more mature of his age and the messages you get are about how to accept life and its problems or how to resolve them. It has many information about music, about historical figures' lives etc.

FHB: So this is your most favorite book. Just this one?

Katerina: This and H. A. Faciolince's 'Oblivion: A memoir'. It's about his father,taking place in Colombia during 1960s until 1987 .His father fights for human rights, women's rights, for liberty and goes against his government for that. This book was so affecting... I read it while traveling and I was crying on the bus. The father believed that when we die we become an oblivion and we should do good while being alive so people remember us after our death.

FHB: Is there a book that you don't like at all? Maybe it schocked you, or made you miserable hahaha

Katerina: Yeeees...I know what I'm about to say it looks like blaspheme to some people, but I can't read Stephen King hahaha. I tried to read 'The Shining' but I just couldn't finish it. That happened while I was on high school, and the only spare time for me to read back then was in bed right before I sleep. Bad timing hahaha. For a long period I had nightmares, I was sweating in my sleep, I wasn't sleeping well at all hahaha. I tried really hard to finish it but I just couldn't...

FHB: Ok yeah I can see why haha! But do you try to finish the books you read even if it's difficult to 'digest' ? I mean were there 'difficult' books that you made extra effort to read and you pushed yourself through it?

Katerina: Yeah, there was this book about Art's necessity in our life. Basically the book says that us humans wouldn't differ to the rest creatures alive if  we wouldn't create art. The humans express through the arts ( painting, maths, theater etc) their spirit, their soul. I really reaaally liked the book but there were too much information in the text, it was an old book written in polytonic system, written with complicated words...and its sentences were SO long! You wouldn't meet a foolstop for many lines ahead! So I had to read the same paragraphs over and over just so I understand their meaning. That's why I got tired by it.

FHB: Really, what's the difference between old and new books? I mean in the way they are written.

Katerina: Basically, in the older books the information or the knowledge they wanted to pass to the readers weren't filtered or given clear for you to digest. You had to read whole pages of maaany other informations just so you end up at page #100 to the conclusion. Nowadays the books are written in a simpler, clearer way so it's easier for the readers to see the point. Smaller sentences, simpler words... In the older books the meaning were actually hidden behind the words so you had to look for it. Now everything is given clear so it's faster for you to read and find what you need. It feels like this is the reason, you being able to reach the knowledge/ meaning faster so you don't 'waste' time looking for it.

FHB: So what is your position when you don't like a book? How do you say that publicly on Instagram?

Katerina: I just say my opinion politely. If you like a book or not is so subjective. Some books are just not for me, I'm not ashamed to admit it and I definately don't think that if I don't like a book the book is not good! For example I tried to read Kafka's 'The Metamorphosis'. It's a famous book, famous writter and for so many people the book is a masterpiece. Well I couldn't read it. I felt very uncomfortable and the pictures of what I was reading were so not appealing in my mind.

FHB: Never finished it?

Katerina: No... I don't like me leaving unfinished books, I always try to finish them, maybe later at some point when I feel more ready. An example of that is T. Robbins' s  'Still life with woodpecker'. I started this book back when I was 14 and I stopped reading it at some point. I grabbed it again later when I was 17 and I couldn't finish it neither. And then during me studying at the university I gave it a try and I loved it! Sometimes we are just not ready to read a specifiq book. That's ok. Nothing weird there.

FHB: Are all the kind of books beneficial? What do you think?

Katerina: Everytime I read a different kind of book, the way I approach its content differs. For example, I've noticed that whenever I read psychological books I get to analyse what I read in a more critical way. Let's say based on logic. At some point I tried to read only psychology/philosophy related books for two months ( I love both kinds). For some reason that helped me at that level to resolve a personal problematic situation I was in back then. I actually acted on it because of what I read in the book. I personally get different benefits from all the different kinds of literature. When I get tired and I need fun, I read Fantasy books.

FHB: Reasons for someone to start reading...? What would you tell people to convience them to grab a book?

Katerina: Hmm...you know when you read a book it's you and this story. It's kinda a relationship you create with the hero and the person who wrote the book. It's your thoughts and emotions and somebody else's thoughts- the author's. You might see yourself in a character, think about yourself under the certain circumstances. Maybe you find solutions to your own problems, thoughts, needs. In a book you might find fears you avoid to face in real life. In a book you could read whatever you are afraid to admit to the person next to you or whatever you afraid to go after.

FHB: Ok, so I want to begin reading. Where do I start? How do I choose my first book?

Katerina: Weeeeell....mmm many movies are based on books so...

FHB: NOOOOOO!!! It's SO annoying to read a book after a movie or the other way around! It's never good enough!

Katerina: No wait! Listen! If you don't know what you are interested in, a safe way to start reading is by reading something you know you liked in the past. Let's say you like Harry Potter movies, there you have the beginning to the world of reading. You start with those books. A book is always way better than a movie and there are always details and stories that are not included in the movies. That way is easier for someone to start, it's something he already knows and he is gonna enjoy. Otherwise you can always look at the back cover for the summary or look for book recommendations online and see if you like something.

FHB: What kind of books would you recommend for beginners?

Katerina: You know, teen novels and books would be a nice start. There are so many teen books which could easily be read by adults as well. I remember I read Alki Zei's 'African diary'. I read it once when I was 12- 13 years old and then I read it again when I was 17 and then I discovered its value. Both times I cried on the final chapter!

FHB: I know that you loooooove music and cinema as well. Could you be able to choose between those 3?

Katerina: Oh no...I love music as much as I love books and a great movie. I can't imagine myself in the absence of any of those. I get different emotions by each one of them.

FHB: Oh, do you listen to the music while reading?

Katerina: That depends...if the book demands me being 100% focuse don it then I need absolutely quietness (the drama is so real yeah) hahaha.

FHB: So when you do listen to the music while reading what would that be?

Katerina: You know I prefer songs that I don't know so I don't start singing along hahaha. That wouldn't work for reading at all, I would just end up singing hahaha. Another option would be orchestral music. NO LYRICS! But mainly I prefer silence so I am able to concentrate to what I read. When I am among people and noise then I would use my earphones listening to the music.

FHB: So you go outdoors to read? Where do you actually go to stay focused and enjoy reading?

Katerina: Well I need no distraction...I can read for hours when I'm home at Florina,where I live alone. I can't stay focused at my parents' house, too much things going on all the time. I also like the Cinema Museum library at the Port Area in Thessaloniki (Apothiki Α'), an amazing place for bookworms and students. And it has an amazing view of the Thermaikos Sea. In general I enjoy quiet cafes, Tom's in Tsimiski str. Thessaloniki...Oh on the train as well! I would also go outdoors to sit and read but only during early morning hours when there isn't lot of people and traffic and noise...

FHB: OOOH wait! you said the magic word! LIBRARY.....I know you love libraries, it is a thing for you I want you to tell me more about libraries and you hahaha.

Katerina: Hahaha! YES! I loooove libraries! You know what gets me excited is the fact that there are thousands of books, titles gathered in one place.What is in the libraries is the proof of how amazing the human mind is!

FHB: Do you want to live and work in a library??? Maybe someone reads and offers you a job hahaha You can hug and kiss books non stop that way !

Katerina: YES I DO! hahaha.

FHB: Ok so do you go and read in a library? Looking for books? Unfortunately less and less people would go to a library because everything is in google now...Obviously if you study you need to go to a library, but when we were kids you could actually go and read books, get them for free etc...

Katerina: Well I don't go just so I read...But I used to do that when I was a kid! My mom was working until late and I had to wait for her to finish so we go home together. There was a small library in Neapoli back then and I was spending a lot of time reading there. Unfortunately it kinda collapsed at some point.

FHB: Were there other children while you were there?

Katerina: Not really hahaha

FHB: Maybe that's why hahaha

Katerina: Yeah but there were mainly teachers searching for books, information etc.

FHB: You know what I haven't asked you yet and I'm curious to ask? Do you read everyday? How often do you read? Because you are young, you have friends, you go out...

Katerina: Nah, I'm not reading everyday...I'm not in reading mood all the time which I believe is normal. And even the hours I spend on a book depend on how much I like it. I finished those 700 pages of  'The club of incorrigible optimists' in 3 days but another book of 300 pages took me more than a week to finish...

FHB: Have you dodged your friends or meeting with people because of a book? You told us you skipped one day's classes for the Optimists' Club...

Katerina: Hahaha you know the answer that's why you ask! Yeeeeees sometimes I did prefer a book over a coffee with friends   It is like you watching your favorite TV Show, you need to see the last episode asap! If there are like 100 pages left I prefer to finish the book and go out to find my friends bit later.

FHB: What excuses do you use for that???

Katerina: Oh no excuses hahaha I just tell them I need to finish my book hahaha

FHB: They are familiar with the concept.

Katerina: Yes, totally.

FHB: So tell me about your friends? Do they like reading in general?

Katerina: I think in my friends' mind I am 'old school' or 'weirdo', or 'sopfisticated' just because I love books...But I don't think myself of that. Unfortunately not all of them responded or got interested in books. BUT I am excited that I 'dragged' three out of seven people that we hung out with, into the dark world of reading hahaha!

FHB: Oh do they say that to your face??

Katerina: Well yeah my close friends are pretty honest with me. Also they love teasing me and I don't mind! But I've heard weird stuff as well, like a friend was saying that I will end up an old single lady with books hahaha.

FHB: Hang on there, the 'old lady with plants' is the new 'old lady with cats'. Wait and at some point you'll be in fashion 'old lady with books' !

Katerina: Hahaha...But you know, the weird thing is when I read outdoors where there are always people looking at you with curiosity, kinda awkwardly. Once, I bought a book and few minutes later I entered the bud, and I was so anticipated to read the book that I sat down and started reading. And they were looking at me like I was doing drugs right in the middle of the bus hahahaha. Another weird reaction is when you disagree with someone and you express your opinion based on a book, and you actually say "I read it on the X  book" and they think you are showing off !

FHB: Hahaha so books help you backing up your opinion??? You don't say!

Katerina: Hahaha yes! Amazing?? But yes seriously, books help you expressing your thoughts and opinion better. You learn the right words, the right way to build your speech...And it's so great because you basically don't need to do any extra effort! While we are reading, we are repeating the text in our head, the actual words which are saved unconciously into your brain. The more you read the less effort you need to take to learn new words. Also it helps you with the spelling, again effortesly. Your brain through your eyes gets familiar to how the word is spelled so from now on you just know it! You get the right image of how an essay should appear, how to construct it...all that just by reading a lot making no extra effort to learn! It's crazy not to do so!

FHB: How do your friends react to 'Books and Moons' ?

Katerina: Oh, you know they were very supportive on the Instagram page. I messaged them asking to join the page, they did but they ALSO passed the link to their friends! So they helped so much, it was kinda easy for me to approach followers because of their support as well. Whenever they like a picture of mine they even repost it having my page tagged!

FHB: WOW!! You are so lucky! That IS very helpful! It's descent advertisement!

Katerina: Yes I know! I am lucky, I know. And  I have this friend of mine, who was arguing with me over a book, who helped me taking pictures of my books! I was using him as a hand-model holding me books hahaha. He helped a lot!

FHB: So have they read any of those books you upload on Instagram?

Katerina: Ah yes, this friend I just told you about! He never reads ( he is like reading one page and he is already tired) and he is also very intransigent, stubborn hahaha...He always thinks he is right! So I uploaded A. Schopenhauer's book 'The art of being right' and he said " I'm gonna read this one!". The book's main message is that someone can always be right even if he has the wrong opinion. And you know, the book suggests not to get angry or raise your voice while disagreeing or expressing your opinion. So guess what, now everytime we fight my friend looks at me and he is like "Why are you shouting? Maybe cause you are WRONG???" Hahahaha! The whole thing just back fired to me!

FHB: You know I'm gonna write this on the blog,right?

Katerina: Hahaha yes go on! I don't mind, I also tell him that straight to his face! Hahaha

FHB: But ok, you must be very happy that this friend of yours started reading because of your 'touch'.

Katerina: Oh I am! I wasn't expecting him to do so! And I also want to mention another story, when at some point I suggested these Fantasy books, on which a faaamous video game is based - Assassin's Creed. So one of my friends who actually played the game saw the books and started reading them as well.

FHB: WOW! So the whole thing is actually working! I mean your effort to create the Instagram page and present/suggest books to the followers has actually fulfilled its goal. If you go to somebody and just tell him "read this book" he probably won't even remember the title. But doing it the way you do, is actually very tempting!

Katerina: Yes it works...Sometimes I enjoy grabbing a book and going to Tom's so I have some coffee and read alone. So, I have this friend who actually tried the same thing and she discovered that she enjoys that a lot! Now she gets new books and goes there to read!

FHB: Do you discuss books with your friends?

Katerina: Well yeah it happens sometimes. It's like when you go to the movies and you talk about the film afterwards. But you know...not like deep conversations analysing everything hahaha. We are not a book club. No

FHB: Yes ok, it's not that easy to share all the essence and emotions or thoughts you got from a book. It needs time or gathering  just to do so, prepared with notes, thoughts etc. I get the sense that people don't like reading anymore. Do you agree on that?

Katerina: I refuse to accept that people don't read anymore! But yeah it seems that the numbers have dropped. But you know, I don't believe that reading is for everyone. And by saying that I don't imply it is just for  'smart' people. What I mean is that reading needs time, clarity of mind, and you have to love it...And yeah in the past people were more into books but there weren't so many ways of entertainment back then. Now we have PCs, TVs, cinema...If all those were invented earlier I believe a big number of people would prefer those to reading. Just like nowadays.

FHB: Yeah I think you are right...Do you think the parents are a significant factor whether their kids like books or not? I mean your mom induced you in a way.

Katerina: Look, I don't think it's easy to tempt kids to hold a book rather a tablet nowadays. It needs more effort to do so. The tablet shows you so many pictures, motion, noises, plus all that happen so fast. Of course it's easier for children to watch stories on a tablet and not reading stories themselves. But if the parents read I believe the kids are used to that image, to that habit and they won't be unfamiliar to books and to actually spending time reading. Maybe it won't appear like an extra effort to them...they will know how it happens...they will know that IT happens! hahaha...but I do have friends whose parents read but they don't like it. Also the opposite happens of course!

FHB: Tablet and Kindle and all those electronics that replace the old classic book. Thoughts? Because it's easier to just find an e-book and buy it at that instance rather walking to the bookstore or wait until it arrives to you.

Katerina: I love the procedure of going to the bookstore, touching and searching the books. I like changing the pages...

FHB: Is it easier to understand what you read when you read a book instead of using a tablet or phone etc?

Katerina: Definately. The screen itself gets your eyes and mind tired, way faster than reading a book's page. When you hold a book there are no incoming messages, no weird side highlighted texts, no screen- brightness...

FHB: Katerinaki, it was really great meeting you, talking to you about something that you love...Please give us your favorite line from a book and tell us which is your favorite song these days

Katerina: My favorite song for this period is the 'In my dreams' by 4 Non Blondes!

FHB: Thank you so much baby...See you in  'Books and Moons' waiting for the next book you have for us!

Katerina: Thank you! It was fun!

My dear hunbuns, I hope you enjoyed this post! For me it was so fun to talk to Katerina because I really like talking to people about what they love, their passion or hobby. You always get great positive vibes by that!

You can always follow Katerina's page on Instagram, and maybe meet her in person on the Book Club on wheels hahaha.

Leave a comment to this post and let us know what you think about books. Or moons! Astronauts and astronomers are always welcome

I cyber pat pat your head and leave. See you next time with a new friend of mine who is kind enough to talk to me!

You can follow me on Instagram at fun_hun_bun, join my page on Facebook @FunHunBun, and you can always subscribe to this blog and get small notification msgs everytime a new post is up!

Byyyyyyyyye!

Helloooooo Buns! Welcome!

This is NOT a post about The Collector, Marvel's fiction character.

This is a post about our friend and Best Man of our wedding, aka:'the Model', like some people said, (he looked THAT good!).

He is Stergios's oldest friend, and lately he paid a visit to us in Vienna...Austria...did you know that Austria is the Swarovski Brand's birthplace? More accurately the actual headquarters are in the city called 'Wattens'. If you are not familiar to Swarovski Crystals I will share few general information I found in wikipedia.

"...Daniel Swarovski was born in northern Bohemia (now the Czech Republic), 20 km from the current border with Poland. His father was a glass cutter and owned a small glass factory. In 1892 he patented an electric cutting machine that facilitated the production of crystal glass.In 1895, Swarovski, financier Armand Kosman, and Franz Weis founded the Swarovski company.The company established a crystal-cutting factory in Wattens, Tyrol (Austria), to take advantage of local hydroelectricity for the energy-intensive grinding processes Daniel Swarovski had patented. Swarovski's vision was to make "a diamond for everyone" by making crystals affordable..."

But why am I writing about Swarovski?

Swarovski has an AMAZING collection of jewelleries, watches, accessories and DECORATIONS. You can take a look here  what I'm talking about. They have themed detailed amazing decorative sculptures, famous figures, movie figures, Disney heroes, classic fairytale figures etc etc (the list is huge) all made of crystals!

And still I haven't answered your question. What's all about it? Well...their Beauty forces you to waaaant one...two...all of them! And that's how you become a COLLECTOR!

And now I will connect the two stories, The Swarovski and our Best Man, 'The Model'.

Our conversation started over a cup of coffee at Cafe Hawelka. We needed access to some caffeine after spending some serious time in the Swarovski shop in Vienna's centre.

At that point Stergios arrived  wondering why we record ourselves on camera instead of using the recorder on my phone (low battery), and why the camera is focused to the table next to us instead of our faces (we didn't feel like taking a video of us), then he ordered a cafe macchiato and a cheesecake -the amazing Cafe Hawelka's Buchteln weren't baked yet. After while the whole place was smelling sugar and buchteln and it was time for us to leave before we size up

My thoughts over collecting something you like are mixed.

Clearly you never know what will 'click' your mind and when you'll decide to start a Collection of items...Although me personally should firstly deal with my impatience and then maaaaybe I will be able to start a Collection of SOMETHING ...I don't know if everybody is capable or has the right mindset to stay focused on collecting...(hoarders is a whole different topic ). But, you know, I sure admire my friends who do that. I admire how commited they are and how they discovered a way to create joy for themselves. Oh and I envy their patience. Or any patience existing in this world I own non

And don't forget, happiness most of the times (if not always) is a state of mind and something you create for yourself!

And by saying that last important thing I cyber pat pat your head and leave. See you next time with a new friend of mine who is kind enough to talk to me!

P.S.: I'm not paying them, they are very COOL people!

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Byyyyyyyyye!