Day 15 of Movember

I know... For the past 10 days my MOsista duties have been neglected. My sincere apologies but -you will see- I've been busy with Life and Awesomeness.
I had been writing my posts from my computer at school during breaks but we've been told to limit the use to educational purposes only. Still not sure if my blogging is educational so I decided not to risk it and leave this for my laptop at home.

But then , of course, Life interfered by taking me away from the computer or by sending all sorts of welcome and, at times, totally unwelcome distractions while at it. Truth is, I lose focus easily but I'm working on it and I intend to get better at concentrating on the task at hand.

Anyway, I also mentioned Awesomeness as an excuse earlier on and I wasn't exaggerating one bit: my life is full of wonder and my name should probably be changed to Alice. You can blame social media for that ( I guess you can call it my 'White Rabbit'): ever since I joined Twitter one-and-a-half years ago I've been chasing that white rabbit through incredible worlds new to me and I have met fascinating people who are helping me embrace and enjoy this random, chaotic existence of mine.

Like Alice, I've had my core values and principles disputed by a few, tested by some, praised by others and thankfully reinforced by many. I've been at mad-hatters tea-parties but managed to avoid serious burning (and flying saucers) Met Red and White Queens and Cheshire cats. Now I wonder if my trial is approaching. Not that I'm worried to lose my head... that may have happened awhile ago. 

Two wonderful universes appeared before me behind those misterious doors I dared entering: that of the global fight against cancer is one of them. The Drive, Joy and Hope embodied in each and every one of the survivors, co-survivors and advocates I've met in the last year fill my heart with awe and this little Alice wants to grow up to be like them. Wouldn't you?

I mentioned 3 roles in the world of cancer: with 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women who will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime... which one will you play? Very likely, at least one of them so wouldn't it be better if you chose advocating and helped reducing the chances to become one of the other two?

Please join the fight. Start today by supporting the MOvember efforts. You won't regret it.

Day 4 of MOvember

Last night, I told @MOvember on twitter that today's post would be oustanding ( yesterday's lacking length and substance, maybe) but, as it turns out, today's may be even worse.
I'm extremely tired, sad and preoccupied with a dear friend's health: tired because I went out last night ( not asking for pity here) and slept very little; sad because I just heard of 11-year-old Shannon Tavarez's death from leukemia and preoccupied because it is of new pre-cancerous cells ( my friend is already an amazing cancer survivor) we are talking about here.
So no jokes today. All I want to ask of you is to discuss cancer, all cancers ( well, maybe male cancers in particular) with your loved ones and encourage them to get involved, to join the fight. Remember to mention AWARENESS, EARLY DETECTION and DONATIONS (both of cash for RESEARCH and, more importantly, of BONE MARROW)

Help save other lives. Tomorrow it could be yours in need of saving.
We are 2 days too late for Shannon and time is ticking for so many others

Day 3 of MOvember

3 is the magic number... or so the song goes.
I'm writing this from my school desk, during lunch break... and this is what I call DEDICATION!!
Well, you are all worth it, specially if you are a MO bro with an itchy upper lip. I love you. I truly do.
If I sound a bit nuts today is because I've looking for information on Testicular Cancer to add at the end of this post... if you catch my drift ;)
(Some hours later...)
Remember boys: with all the info out there, your excuses for not taking better care of yourselves are just BOLLIX!!!
I must run. Going out for some... ehem.... donors!!?? ;)

Day 2 of MOvember

Rain, rain, rain, rain, rain...rain. Then again, this is Ireland and spirits remain high in spite of the low-pressure front's efforts to rain on my parade.
On day 2 of MOvember I have to report that I'm a little bit wiser than yesterday... yet a lot more ignorant than I suspected (around the same time?) and ...guess what!!??: SO ARE YOU!!
Anyways, I thought I would share some random facts on Prostate Cancer here in Ireland:

Irish Cancer Society consumer research has shown that only 20% of Irish men know that they have a 1 in 3 chance of developing cancer during their lifetime and only 26% go to their GP for regular check-ups. Research also tells us that an Irish mans life expectancy is almost five years lower than that of an Irish woman

The Irish Cancer Society revealed some 2,758 new cases were confirmed in 2009, a rise of 85% over a decade.

Frequent urination, inability to urinate or a burning sensation when urinating are the symptoms which indicate it is time to seek medical help. These symptoms are due to an enlarged prostate gland but are coincidentally associated with prostate cancer only if the tumour is large. Most cancers of the prostate are initially too small to cause any symptoms.

For more information visit MOvember or Action Prostate Cancer 

Also, I'm happy to inform that  the first annual prostate cancer seminar will be held at the O’Callaghan Alexander Hotel, Dublin 2 on Saturday, November 6th, 2010 from 9.00am. Register here

Finally, please don't forget to visit my MOspace and leave a kind message and/or a donation, however small.
Thank you :)

1st of MOvember... again!!!

Yes, yes, yes. It is the 1st of MOvember and the Face of Men's Health in Ireland is about to take a turn... for the hairier.

This year is somehow different for me with no Glam Parties to report from, no red carpet or free booze but the same old buzz that has seen me jumping up and down with anticipation and jealousy (green envy) for the last three months as our American and Canadian friends (foes for the month) geared up for the occasion with tales of gatherings and good times.

Let the Games begin. May the best MO in Ireland be crowned in Dec and may the best MO sista become the rightful queen.

BUT... whatever you get up to, don't forget to talk about Prostate and Testicular Cancers. Get the men in your life to visit their GPs and discuss screening (if over 40 or if suspicious of something 'not being quite right' with their general health)
We love our boys. We need them healthy.

P.S.: If you wish to donate, any contributions will be greatly appreciated. All proceeds go to the Irish Cancer Society

Odds

I don't know if you are the type that has to read anything containing a text, any text, put in front of them. I am. I read the cereal box info while having breakfast. I read facial cream directions while doing my business in the bathroom. I read every sign put up in a public place if I'm around... You get the picture.
Most of the time, it's not even a concious decision. I'm half-way reading it by the time I catch myself in the act. I just HAVE TO do it in case I'm missing out on something valuable to me.

In computers, if you know the Scribus program, you will be familiar with the sample texts it uses to help you configure your choice of a lay-out for a newspaper/magazine type of page. For each language, there is a different text- or so I gather from the ones I can make out.

Well, when I first used Scribus I, naturally,  came to read the sample text in English I was using to create an in-shop fashion magazine for my doomed clothing company as a farewell memento for my colleagues. At the time, I remember thinking I should find the book that text came from: I was intrigued about the type of books the Scribus programmer would have chosen to include in his program. This particular one seemed interesting enough.

But I went about my business as I had an impending deadline: the closing date of a business after 25 years of trading. Sad and uncertain days ensued. Days of too much time in one's hands and nothing much to do but read. Glorious reading to keep me sane -much needed reading as the days went by and insanity loomed.
I forgot about Scribus and its sample text but one day I decide to download Acrobat Reader and see which PDFs might be available for free. I went for Alice in Wonderland, a favourite of mine I had only read in Spanish before, and Dracula, a book I'd never read despite having lived in Bram Stoker's city of birth for over 9 years.
Logic had me turning to Dracula first -the novelty of it being too powerful to resist. As I opened the PDF file, there it was: the long time forgotten now sample text from Scribus. Spooky?? Wait until I tell you that the 'One city, one book' campaign by the Dublin City Library, which runs every year during the month of April, started the following day. Do I have to tell you which book featured that  year? I guess not ;)

Eco House

Tiny feet running around -Wipe the silly smile off your face. This isn't about children- . Little jumps. Bathroom. False ceilings. Creepy noises. Squeaking. Rats. Old house by the Canal. Old woman. Forget pest control. A subtle invitation to abandon ship. Hell no! Old woman travelling. Girl left to face the ... rats. Mata-hari eyes through the kitchen vent. No. Not the kitchen, please! Nightmares. Silence next. A dying ground for a poisoned rat? Honoured. First comes the smell. Crescendo. Disgusting flies. One. Three. Six. Windows closed. A fly struggles inside a ceiling-lightspot. Mistery solved: the vent. Smell diminuendo. Old woman returns. Rice grains in the bathtub, moving. Escaping through the gaps in the skylight: maggots. No point in throwing up. Let the old woman deal with them. She does. Episode never mentioned. A dried-up corpse above their heads.

mammoths and hairdressers

A foreign city. Darkness. Rain in buckets. Soaked feet. Narrow streets. Open doors leading to a patio. Mammoths. Unisex hairdressers advertising male cuts for €16. Two strangers go in. Three languages spoken at that improvised Tower of Babel. Boy needs a haircut. Girl seats on spare chair. Hair is washed. Boy is quiet. Scissors next. Boy instructs girl. Girl instructs hairdresser. Boy looks serious, focused. Girl thinks she's never been waiting at the hairdressers for a boy before. She might never do it again. Fishnet tights and a short dress. A pull in the fine mesh. Girl plays with it and smiles at the boy, reassuringly. Hairdresser's doing a good job. Boy remains silent. He is quiet, maybe shy, and looks sad - not at all the girl's type but she's at the hairdressers with him. Girl wonders what that means. Job is done. Boy asks the girl what she thinks. She wants to run her hand through the recent haircut and kiss him. Girl smiles: ' I love it'. Rain is taking a break as a boy and a girl walk out into the dark, narrow street holding hands.
It happened a hundred years ago. It happened today.

Iniesta, the man from La Mancha

Looking for some way to pay hommage to the man of the hour, I've come accross this sweet documentary where Iniesta himself talks about his origins.
Fuentealbilla, in Albacete, is the small village were he spent most of his childhood and where he started playing football from a very early age.
I really enjoyed this intimate portrait of a quiet, humble man who has taken us all to the top of the World for at least four years. I hope you do, too
P.S: This is part 1/4. Watch the rest, too, if you have a chance. ;)

ESPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAÑA!!!

I have stolen this video from the blog of a Twitter friend (@spanishcycling). It made me laugh a lot. I hope you like it, too.

The Queen of Spain pays a visit to the Spanish Football Team after the match to congratulate them. See what happens

Still looking for a four-leaf clover

I found a four-leaf clover once and I read somewhere the odds stand at 10,000/1. The funniest thing, at the time, I wasn't even looking for one.  It was the summer of 1997. I had just qualified as a leader for outdoor activities and I had helped create a non-profit dedicated to provide more access  for young people to such activities. It was our first weekend away in an idyllic location and we were taking a  break from teaching orientation techniques to the group.

I remember laying on the grass, face down, trying to cool down in a hot summer's day while we listened to all kind of silly jokes from our CEO, a showman and a great entertainer at all times. 'Not a care in the world' is how one could best describe the general mood of that assembly.
Then, out of the blue, our CEO claimed he would give 5,000 pesetas (around $37 today but not too bad a sum back then) to whoever found a four-leaf clover.

I didn't have to move, not even an inch: from my face down position I could clearly see the most perfect four-leaf clover, standing less that a foot away from the tip of my nose. I told so to my sister, who was sitting next to me but she would not believe me so I stretched my arm and grabbed it. I stood up and moved slowly towards our CEO, asking him to repeat what he had just said. He was more than happy to. He even said it louder, this time. I simply smiled and produced my treasure. He went pale. Pleople cheered.

He never gave me any money, of course, but... who needs 5,000 pts when you own a four-leaf clover??!!

That same day, on our way back to the hostel, the whole group walking in front of me went over, stepped onto and totally missed a 5,000 pts note on the path leading to our accomodation quarters. In total disbelief, I picked it up and, as no one ever claimed it, I got to keep.

For nearly two years I kept the clover in my wallet. Showed it to people upon request and I, jokingly, made it responsible for whatever bit of good luck that came my way. Then, one day in early spring as I searched for a book in the library at Bath College, my wallet was taken from the front pocket of my backpack.

There was next to nothing in there: twenty-three pence, if memory serves, was all the cash. No bank cards. Not even any ID papers, that could have proven difficult to replace abroad, inside. Just twenty-three pence, the keys to my house and a four-leaf clover I would never get to see again.

It had been payday at work: $238 (a week's wages) had been sitting in a white envelope next to the wallet in the pocket of my backpack. They were still there when I returned to find my wallet gone.Still, I was distraught by the loss of my lucky charm.

My boss in Bath, when I was about to leave for Ireland, had a silver pendant specially made for me in the shape of a four-leaf clover because the jewellers in town didn't have any pendants with that design.I choose to believe he never used that design again and that my pendant is, therefore, unique. I still wear it most days and, certainly, whenever I feel a bit superstitious 

Today, as I walked along the Canal on my way home, I realized I continue to search for that elusive 1/10,000 real four-leaf clover (mine was a 'trifolium repens', it seems). I walk staring at the grass. I even slow down at times to take a closer look. I have been doing it ever since mine was stolen but I never really wondered why I keep doing it. Not until now. I don't think I have an answer, either. 

I mentioned Superstition before when I don't consider myself a superstitious person, yet I search for a green talisman in a sea of clovers. Would my luck change if I found a second one? I don't think so. Should a self-confessed atheist have any hope for a bit of magic in her life? Probably not but I suspect I will continue searching for a four-leaf clover till the day I die.

The Dublin Writers Festival 2010

If you know me already, chances are we met after I volunteered at some event you are connected to somehow. That is pretty much what I do these days (tomorrow marking 15 months of unemployment) and, I'm happy to report, the experience is always unique and very rewarding. I could not recommend it enough.

The latest in my agenda was the Dublin Writers Festival that took place last week.

The best thing about being on Twitter is how people can echo your cry for help in real time so, if you have any last minute hiccups, it is very possible that someone out there can solve your problem straight away.

The Festival counts on a base of volunteers, mainly the same people every year but, sometimes, prior engagements lead to vacancies and opportunities for newcomers. And that is how I got involved with this Festival: @darraghdoyle tweeted the need for volunteers and I jumped right in.
The program was packed with writers, poets and singer-songwriters and I got to work four out of the six days it lasted (although you cannot really call it work since it is more like a treat... you get to meet wonderful people and have lots of fun along the way)
The highlights for me: meeting Ian McEwan and Steward Brand... and attending Neil Hannon's (*sigh)  intimate interview with John Kelly (...and we got the coolest t-shirt!!! ;))
Definitely, signing up for next year... if they'll have me!!

''This Time's A Charm''

How does a grown-up man afraid of needles become a four times (five times now, actually) cancer survivor? Well, Donald Wilhelm's book, 'This Time's A Charm', answers that and many other questions which may arise as one gets to know about his extraordinary battle against Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
After a 'persitant sinus infection' misdiagnosis becomes the grim reality of Cancer, Wilhelm applies his professional mental skills to set up the strategy that put him in charge of his own treatment key issues, the quest for the right oncologist being the first step. Armed with all the information available and tons of 'attitude', he navigates through recurrences and 'intermissions' for five years, learning but also teaching others along the way.
Physically, we witness a young body going through unbearable pain and suffering, yet resilient. Mentally and emotionally, there is lot of growing up happening within those pages and the newly acquired wisdom is selflessly  shared with the rest of us.
A compelling read, Donald's book is full of honesty, humor, useful information for the 'newbies' (both survivors and co-survivors) and, above all, bucketloads of PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) to face the challenges all cancer survivors and their loved ones encounter after diagnosis.

You can buy the book at Amazon

http://www.thistimesacharm.com/

Watch here an interview where Don talks about his book.(Added 10th Sep)