Monthly Archives: July 2009

do-it-yourself doctor

16 Thursday Jul 2009

Posted by in cancer, chemo, food & drink, friends, health & happiness, hospitals, tapas

≈ 10 Comments

diy doctor

Just call me Dr az.

I went to see the oncologist yesterday. Dr Ana is on holiday so I saw one of my original colon cancer oncs. As I mentioned in my summer holidays post, I’ve had very bad reactions to the last three infusions of Oxyplatin and so I decided that for the sixth and final round of chemo I’d just take the Xeloda chemo pills and forgo the infusion. When I told my friend/student/GP Agustín this the other day he went all doctory on me and said this wasn’t a decision I should make without the advice of my oncologist. So I gave that a shot and I’m not surprised at all how things went…

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cat grass!

15 Wednesday Jul 2009

Posted by in animals & pets, friends, home

≈ 12 Comments

cat grass

It’s not as if da boyz need any help throwing up, but …

A couple of months ago my yoga buddy Flor insisted that since Sunny & Azar were indoor cats I should grow some grass for them to eat.  And then one day during our after-yoga brekky she gave me a packet of “cat grass” seeds and said I could grow them on my balcony.  I finally got around to planting them the other day and was surprised yesterday to see the grass had virtually shot up overnight. Cool, eh?

Has anybody else ever planted cat grass? That’s actually what it was called on the packet. I’m going to move the planter down to balcony floor level later on today and see what happens. I’m pretty sure that Azar will go for it because he eats any plant he can reach, even those that seem impossible for him to get at (no doubt he shape shifts during the night, the little sneak). Though perhaps after being spoilt with fresh asparagus they will both turn their noses up at a bunch of grass. We shall see…

forgiveness

14 Tuesday Jul 2009

Posted by in change, friends, health & happiness, life stuff

≈ 24 Comments

forgiveness

“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.”
~ Lewis B. Smedes

Mudhooks posted that quote on Twitter this morning and it really resonated. With my personal history of family violence and abuse as a child I am left with a lot of trust issues even after all these years, which is probably not surprising.  And so I got to thinking about how crap I am at actually forgiving people.  And then I wondered if forgiveness is always the best policy. I know that harbouring grudges does no good, but does one always have to forgive in order not to feel bitter or resentful about a past breach of trust? Does everyone actually deserve to be forgiven? Is it possible to truly forgive and forget?

What are your thoughts on forgiveness?

summer events

12 Sunday Jul 2009

Posted by in culture, dance, sevilla, summer

≈ 14 Comments

sara baras

While out for a walk this afternoon I spotted a poster announcing a Leonard Cohen concert in Granada in September! And I thought – hey, I should be working by then so maybe I’ll be able to go. Just checked out a couple of ticket sales websites … 150-200€ ! Sorry Leonard. I shall just add this to the list of summer events I won’t be attending.

My dear friend Lizzie insists that Bruce Springsteen is good for both the soul and the red blood cells (she’s just seen him at Glastonbury) and for some bizarre reason da Boss will be performing in Sevilla at the end of July … but again, outrageous prices.

Meanwhile, the concert I had really wanted to see was the amazing flamenco artist Sara Baras at the Italica International Dance Festival, being held in its original setting – Italica’s roman amphitheatre – for the first time since 1993. I was sure it was going to cost a small fortune and put it out of my mind after seeing this wonderful poster the other day,  but when I was checking out Leonard Cohen tickets just now I decided to have a look at the Italica prices … and I almost wept. They were only 15 euros and, of course, are now sold out. Well, unless you’re headless (at least, I assume that’s what discapacitado means…)

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