Ekrem...

just wanted to give a shout out to

Ekrem Serdar Berk

who i've been having a most interesting conversation with for the last couple of hours (comment boxing and email)...Ekrem is a Turk, i'm a Greek-American...not that that should matter but for some it does, for Ekrem and i it also does, but in the most productive sort of way...topics included: Greek/ Turkish foods (the scandal!), Greek gyros/ Turkish gyros (our collective frustration with finding either/ or), Murat Nemet-Nejat, Siarita Kouka/ Demosthenes Agrafiotis, antagonism among our cultures, tsatsiki sauce, Turkish/ Greek coffee (decidedly Turkish, come on now...), our parents/ where they're from/ how that affects their outlook on things political, translator's symposiums, folk music, feta cheese (yes!), raki or ouzo (the conundrum), the historical movements of purifying the Greek language of Turkish influence (called Kethurevisa)/ purifying the Turkish language of Greek influence (or is it just Western influence?), Cyprus etc etc...

i really want to share a drink with Ekrem...Yamas (Greek for cheers!) and Serefe (Turkish for to honor!)...

yamas/ serefe,
xo-john

...currently listening to Frederic Chopin Masters Of Classical Music Vol. 8...wishing i were listening to some Pontic Greek folk music...Pontic is drum heavy (the hyphy'est of Greek folk music) that shares more than a little in common with traditional Turkish folk music...in fact, the picture of me and my brother with our arms up, shoulders thrust forward, is the traditional Pontic style of dance...