13 Tuesday Mar 2007
Posted in blogging, health & happiness, life stuff, musings
Yet another entry for engtech’s 5 things contest.
How about you?
23 Friday Feb 2007
Posted in health & happiness, life stuff, musings
From today’s Grauniad.
Illness – even cancer – is the body’s way of communicating, but doctors don’t have time to listen. Psychoanalysis may take years to make you better, but it beats quick-fix therapies.
My GP in Canada was fond of saying that he treated people, not just symptoms, and it’s true that I’ve never met another doctor like him. He was well-known for being an excellent diagnostician and I think the main reason for that was that he took time to listen to what his patients were actually saying to him.
I think the article raises some good points about how health care systems tend to pigeon-hole patients far too much, though I’m not sure that everyone would benefit from psychoanalysis. Still, sometimes just being able to talk and feel like someone is really listening can make a world of difference in how we feel both physically and emotionally. It’s odd how in most western societies we often ignore the obvious connection between physical and mental well-being.
22 Thursday Feb 2007
Posted in health & happiness, life stuff, musings
Do you get them?
Back in November it was suggested that the other “dreich” month of the year was February. Do you agree?
It’s a bit different here in Sevilla because, although it can be a bit rainy in February, it also starts warming up and feeling quite springlike.
What’s February like where you are?
10 Saturday Feb 2007
Posted in health & happiness, home, life stuff, rants
Gaaaaaaa! I hate incense!
Or to be more accurate, I am incensed about being incensed to distraction, making my eyes water and the vile stink of it making me feel totally nauseous. Perhaps it’s a throwback response from being forced to go to church as a child? Whatever.
The problem is that there is a souvenir shop directly below me (I live on the third floor – fourth floor US/Canada). Last spring they started selling incense burners and put a table outside and suddenly clouds of incense started wafting into my living/diningroom. Okay, it depends on which way the wind is blowing, but some days they may as well be burning that shit on my diningroom table!
So I spoke to the owner of the shop, asking him to please either use less incense or at least not burn it during ‘lunchtime’ (in Spain this is approx 2-4pm) as when I have my balcony doors open it makes it impossible to eat. He basically told me to piss off. So I did – and called the police.
The police came over and I explained that I’d tried being reasonable with the shop owner but, in fact, I didn’t think he had any legal right to place things outside his shop on public property that might annoy the neighbours. And the police actually said I was right and said they would talk to the shop owner. After that the problem subsided.
Until today.
The first really spring-like day of the year – it’s 21ºC and sunny and I opened up all the balcony doors to let in some lovely fresh air . . . and got a noseful of fucking nauseating incense instead! So I’ve had to close the doors and it’s awful feeling so shut in like this. 
(though I do think those little dragon-egg incense burners are rather cute)
28 Sunday Jan 2007
Posted in health & happiness, life stuff, musings
This is the beginning of WEEK 13.
Cool, eh? It was quite hard at first, for both of us (Nog and I both quit smoking on the same day – November 5th). And we do still get occasional ‘jonesing’ moments. But the benefits are far outweighing the difficulties.
For example, what we didn’t spend on cigs for two months paid for our posh hotel in Barcelona. Also, we both feel so much better physically, mentally and emotionally.
I think Nog has had the harder battle as he was dealing with a 37-year-old habit. I didn’t start smoking until I was 36 (duh!) and so for me it was more about changing behaviour patterns than actually feeling addicted to nicotine. Still, we both went through quite a rough time at first and appreciate that we could never have done it alone.
You know what they say – misery loves company. 😉
But more than that it’s been the daily mutual support that has kept us going.
So . . . yay for us! 
casa azahar 