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Known as 
(ka-ran-nis) or " The Happy Maker" in Greece, my ancestors produced some of the finer spirits (okay, they had a traveling distillery) on the Island of Lemnos, located in the beautiful Aegean sea.
The stuff was so good that when my great-great-great-…(way back)…….grandfather would come to town, the villagers would say: "here comes the happy-maker!"
So he changed his name to (ka-ran-nis) meaning happy-maker.
When my Grandfather came over from Greece to the USA he changed his name from to James Charanis and I was named after him. Here is the house where he was born:
I have not forgotten that tradition of keeping my customers happy.
Years of experience working with corporate clients of all types has taught me how to help my customers find solutions to their information management problems.
Here is another article of someone who traced their roots back to this lovely island
Pictures and info on the town: Lemnos Villages
We spent the day at the Botanical Gardens
Gotta love a warm summer afternoon and wonderful kids!
Short Article on Anthony Charanis: The Mort Pye Scholar’s Teacher - NJ.com: Scholars
Anthony Charanis is my second cousin - or something like that. He is my Dad’s cousin. He is the son of my great uncle - Peter Charanis. My dad is also a Peter Charanis, I’m a James Charanis - named after my grandfather, Anthony’s uncle. And my middle name is Anthony.
Dad, my Dad, often speaks fondly of his Uncle Peter - how brilliant he was. He also jokes about being a kid around him - as he always “gave books” for presents. Now here lies the dynamic - Great Uncle Peter was “the smart one” and my grandfather knew that from the start. Its sort of a family whisper. My Grandma Sophie was a bit crazy - a true Spartan - and therefore made my Uncle Peter’s family uncomfortable. My grandfather was a successful furrier. How Grandpa Jimmy supported Peter through college and maybe even bought them their first house. It can be misunderstood though - some family members might think its boastful but it really was about brotherly love. Imagine two boys coming to America on a boat as pre-teens. Its a bit of a mystery really - I’ve heard stories from my Dad. And from Anthony’s sister Alexandra who lives in Greece and minds the family home in Lemnos during the summers. We went to visit her 12 years ago before Maia was born. A short visit made an impact. Maia’s middle name is Alexandra.
Congratulations on a great career Cousin Anthony. You have done a good thing. Even if I wouldn’t have been in your class - I’m a deep thinker but not a good student. If I had gone to Rutgers (and I almost did) I would have audited one of Uncle Peter’s classes - but wouldn’t have survived one, I think. Its all good though. Family is family. Come to think of it - I came so close to meeting Uncle Peter, and I didn’t and I wish I had. I remember when he passed away - I missed my chance. I am my father’s son though. My this was a rambling rant.
Remember Sept. 11, 2001.  The other day Maia (my 12 year old) was doing an assignment on this terrible event for school. She had hit the site September 11 Digital Archive and was reading some stories and/or pictures to find one that most “moved” her. I came down to see her crying and Daniel (her brother) not really understanding what was wrong.  She had read a story about 11 firefighters that had died in the rescue attempt and she was devastated.  I love my children and can only protect them for now but give them what they need to make it in the world - whatever world its like when they are in my shoes.  I hope we all do what we can to change things so this never happens again, whether its at a national level if you have the power or in your home teaching what is right and wrong - to change your world. Peace.Â
The kids love to torture each other - My “literal” Daniel cannot stand that song Cupid’s Chokehold by Gym Class Heros because they sample the Supertramp song - Breakfast In America and what is worse they blend two different parts of the song - putting the “badadadum” right after the “take a look at my girlfriend” - and it is a hoot to watch Maia torture him when I sing the original supertramp version and she simplyl floats in a “badadadum” right after that part.
got me thinking of the standard - we all worked hard to learn the lyrics to. It would work today just as easily…The Logical Song
Supertramp - The Logical Song Lyrics
When I was young
It seemed that life was so wonderful
A miracle, oh it was beautiful, magical
And all the birds in the trees
Well they’d be singing so happily
Oh joyfully, oh playfully watching me
But then they sent me away
To teach me how to be sensible
Logical, oh responsible, practical
And they showed me a world
Where I could be so dependable
Oh clinical, oh intellectual, cynical
There are times when all the world’s asleep
The questions run too deep
For such a simple man
Won’t you please, please tell me what we’ve learned
I know it sounds absurd
But please tell me who I am
Now watch what you say
Or they’ll be calling you a radical
A liberal, oh fanatical, criminal
Oh won’t you sign up your name
We’d like to feel you’re
Acceptable, respectable, oh presentable, a vegetable
At night when all the world’s asleep
The questions run soo deep
For such a simple man
Won’t you please, please tell me what we’ve learned
I know it sounds absurd
But please tell me who I am, who I am, who I am, who I am
We were working in the basement and I said, “Hay kids, lets listen to some of dad’s old music.”
I have a turntable in my office in the basement. Sophia innocently asked..”Why are the CD’s Giant?” Never seen a record album before. People like to look back at baby boomers and my grandparents - regarding teh stuff they never had. Like color TV or TV at all. We remember when there were the first microwaves, personal computers, vcr’s, and cassette tapes. Yes - in the 4 years in college I went from a typewriter and learning COBOL on a Prime Mainframe to an Apple IIe where I learned BASIC and then an IBM PC where I learned WordStar. But Sophia didn’t even know what she was looking at. The bigger kids had since They have seen DJ’s and my records before. She is 6, time flew by and I hadn’t introduced her to those old songs yet, well those old albums, we have DaveFM here that plays all my old songs (over and over and over). Keep looking folks, it all changes fast.
Daniel only wanted to run two miles today. He joined me for the first mile up the hill and we ran back home, then I went back up it a little further and back home. I was Sad he isn’t into it as much anymore. He is concerned about play time with friends after school. Homework, running, friends, - not enough time during the school year. Choices for a 10 year old “dad, I’m a kid!”
He doesn’t practice his football, never really did with Soccer. I don’t know how these other kids do it; playing with friends must involve sports all the time. No way they can be that good at this age without it. When does the committment start for those that achieve greatness, is it an instinct to compete and an early maturity to do the work early to get there? Is it a lack of other choices, in the poor neighborhoods? Is it a gift from God?
When does a parent push, back off, go with them, leave them alone? Nobody wants thier kid to hate them, nobody wants thier kid to look back and say why didn’t you push me? This is true of Maia’s Ballet, Sophia’s Gymnastics - homework, whatever! My work is a breeze compared to being a leader for my kids.
