Team Stewart riding for a cure

Team Stewart riding for a cure

Please Support My friend Roy Stewart who is undertaking a challenge..
Raising awareness for Cancer and Hepatitis

http://myepicride.blogspot.com/2012/01/team-stewart.html?showComment=1325993078478#c3486974495078019714

Following your Bliss

A friend recently started a web Project for a few creative friends to share, stories, knowledge, ideas, just to keep our juices flowing and our brains glowing.. As always a wonderful inspiration to me so thank you Eva for sharing your Bliss and fuelling my near dormant creative juices.

I have been busy myself living the experience of following my bliss, since last my posting.

A very wet start to 2011, and many decisions to make, left me feeling very uncreative, focussed on only the practical elements of life, after much contemplation, I knew this is not the place for me and  I decided to return to the home of my heart North Queensland, and am now very happily living in Cairns.

It was important for me to not only talk it but to  also walk it, and as I have discovered since my arrival following your bliss creates a fertile environment for all else to become blissful..

After being flooded in Brisbane, then arriving only days before the biggest Category 5 Cyclone Yasi I was in  equal measure excited and terrified at the same instance. Fortunately I survived both.

 The hardest choice was to stay in the familiar reaches of the Tablelands and endure another cold winter but be closer to friends or to brave it and return down the mountain to Cairns itself and begin the process of establishing a life, where I really did not know many people at all anymore.

I have been in Cairns for one month now, have reconnected with some old friends and made some new ones;  It is a challenge at times but Following my bliss is a challenge I can endure....

The End in Site..2010 the end is nigh.19 Days Until New Years Day 2011

We all end the year in different ways with varying rituals. here are just some of the traditions from around the world.


New Year Traditions

Australian New YearIn Australia they celebrate the New Year on January 1. This day is a public holiday and many people have picnics and camp out on the beach. They have parties that start on December 31 and at midnight they start to make noise with whistles and rattles, car horns and church bells. To ring in the New Year. In Australia New Year is a day for outdoor activities such as rodeos, picnic races and surf carnivals.

New Year Traditions

Scottish New YearThe Scottish New Year is known as Hogmanay and both New Year's Eve and New Year's Day were also known as Daft Days. The first Monday in January is a holiday and is referred to as Handsel Monday. In Scotland New Year's Eve is called Hogomanay or Night of the Candle. Foods such as three cornered biscuits called Hogmanays are eaten. Other foods that are special at this time of year are wine, cordials, cheese, bread, shortbread, oatcake, currant loaf and scones. After sunset people are known to collect juniper and water to purify the home. The Scots prepare for the New Year by cleaning their houses. This was believed to have been a purification ritual. They would perform a ritual of burning juniper branches which they carried throughout the house so as to remove any lurking germs and diseases. The food they would eat at New Year was Haggis, shortbread, scones, oatmeal cakes, cheese, whisky and wine as well as traditional New Year black buns. The first person to rise in the morning used to take Het Pint spiced ale to those members who were still in bed. In Scotland an old tradition that still is relevant today is that of the first footer which is said, that whoever the first person to set foot into your home on New Year's day decided the family's luck for the rest of the year. This was based on the belief in the magic power of beginnings. The start of the New Year controlled its future course. The person most welcome on new year's morning was a tall, dark haired man and especially if he bought a gift as this was considered magical as his handsome features would make the year a pleasant one and his gift of a loaf of bread, or a shovel of coal would ensure that there would be no lack of food or warmth in the household. Any other type of person who was to set foot in your home on New Year’s morning would spell disaster. Therefore people would subtly arrange for the right person to arrive. They would light bonfires so as to dispose of the old year and sometimes a straw figure known as "the Auld Wife" which represented the old year would be thrown onto the bonfire. One method used in the old days to remove evil spirits was to banish the evil to a cat or dog and scare them away. On New Year's Eve they all link arms in a circle and sing the traditional New Year songAuld Lang Syne. After welcoming the New Year, all the people of the household would wait to see who the first person to enter the house after midnight will be, as this person would indicate whether they would have good luck or bad luck for the coming year. The first person must be a dark haired male, young virile, good natured and prosperous. He should not be empty handed and was supposed to bring with him a small gift such as a piece of coal, bread, salt as they were symbols of life. On New Year's Day children from Scotland rise early to make the rounds to their neighbors singing songs. They are given coins, mince pies, apples and other sweets for singing. This must be done by noon or the singer will be called fools. In some Scottish villages barrels of tar are set on fire and rolled through the streets. This is done to burn up the old year and to allow the New Year in.

Opinions

Opinions........My thoughts on them.

everyone has one, an opinion that is, on pretty much everything.

There is an art to having an opinion. I have an opinion on anything you may wish to converse about, my opinion could be  knowledge based, or it could be that in my opinionI don’t know enough on the given subject to have any opinion at all, still an opinion.

If I express my  opinion on any given topic, then that is exactly what it is, ‘my opinion’; if you have similar thoughts or value systems you may agree  or disagree with my opinion, to any extent dependant on your own knowledge being more or lesser to mine.

Then again you may wholeheartedly disagree with my opinion. Does that make either of our opinions wrong? I think not, that is why it is yours or mine to own as our individual opinion.

I accept with respect your opinion as yours, even should it differ from my own. Can you say the same?

If I give my opinion and it differ from yours, accept my opinion as mine, I own it and have no expectation of you to change your own opinion to suit mine nor do I have the expectation that if yours differs from mine you should become angry or defensive as if my opinion has attacked you.
This is why it is an opinion.

12 days to Christmas

The Twelve Days of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the ninth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Twelve drummers drumming,
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree! 

A new phase beginning

I have moved from my cosy country cottage, with engaging in the wider world as the plan. I am set up and am in the process of collecting all my writing’s and putting them on this blog. I started this  blog but have not followed through, time to do so. I’ve much to share and I hope to find some one who cares, enough to read my ramblings at least. So if that is you with naught else to do, enjoy be entertained and leave a comment so we know you were here...

There will always be thoughts on dragons to slay, but also of fun, sun, laughter and play...

So tomorrow with thoughts anew some more writing I will bring to you.

Response to a fellow writer and dragon slayer

http://www.facebook.com/notes/eva-day/the-gift-of-fire-by-eva-day/482899083178


This is my reply to a fellow writer who is on the home run


Like a bear we hibernate, alone in in our cave of despair. Waiting for the sun of our lives to reappear.. The golden rays to shine down on us, to renew and energise.

our distorted mind tells lies, says we will never feel those rays, we are changed for all our days, and nights will never bring respite. We are warriors, we are champions we tell ourselves, why then can we not win this fight.

We have battled with with more monsters than the Dragon on his own for he brings with him compadres we have never known, the creatures that he brings his partners in crime, fear pain,doubt just to name a few, itching twitching a dreadful brain ague..

I know the battle for I have fought it twice, both times I fell at the feet of this dragon crowing my defeat.. No Surrender No Retreat Is my warriors call.. I will kill you, destroy you, I will make you die. Alas he says you have no chance for I live strong within you.

There are more ways to kill a dragon that fill it up with drugs, I decide my next battle will be to kill the beast with love.

I love my Dragon with all my being, He is unclear uncertain he thinks about fleeing..Love you say... Is not my way, I feed upon your pain, you have nothing to win and nothing to gain, go on, go on, take those drugs again let me feel your anguish fear & Pain.
But I will not subscribe to the dragons deep desire, I will take another tack to get this monster off my back..

I laugh I smile I fill my world with Joy, for the dragon hates the brightness of laughter love and Sun. he quakes and shakes and withers in the light of joy, his warriors post a swift retreat. To neat, to sweet, to light to fill their bellies.. They need the pain they want our fear, to decimate us.

Victory we cry as we withhold the repast they desire.. I am a dreamer, a high wire flyer... So as you count these last days down. fill the space with smiles again, use your loving wiles to deny this dragon his last repast starve him of anger, of fear of pain. feel the sun coming back and learn to smile and feel joy again.
This is the last battle of the dragon you fight, perhaps the hardest, definitely the most light..So open the curtains, arise from the couch, remind yourself what it was like when your world was bright, smile at your man and start a new day for you soon you will have the energy required to play...

The campaign is done, you amongst us have won, you have fought in the trenches, battled at the front line..Rise up Rise up...The War you have won........A new life for you is waiting to be done....Practise your skills and make yourself smile...30 days or less my beautiful child....

Home, Homeless and back again

this is a link to a story I wrote about my journey during treatment,

I want to publicly thank two  of the very important women I met on that journey, for if I had not met them I doubt I would be here today, for they were and still are my role models and the angels I kept in my head with the thought that if they could come out of this still sane,  compassionate and still have a sense of humour then I could also....

Sharon M... that morning for the first time in what seemed like eternity you made me laugh with your tales of phobias, fears and pubic hairs;  you gave me hope that I to would one day be able to laugh at the insanity we call medication and treatment. But more important you helped me to see that life did go on, we could still be productive and that WE ALL could make a difference... I thank you for these gifts...<3 <3 <3
And to Ms Rose...... well honey, I know you know how much your friendship and support has meant to me as I have been fortunate enough to tell you in the flesh more than once. I  pray I can return the favour a mzillion times over......You know my heart is with you on this most difficult day and that I love you muchly.

And to Miss Dotty who is totally technophobic and has read the story in hard copy but will never get here. You are the world to me, as you have been since the day I met you 23yrs ago. You were my spiritual mentor, my doorway to a different way of thinking, and even though we were lost to each other for some years Swami (Satythia Sai Baba) brought us together again just when I needed you the most...

You show everyday that UNCONDITIONAL LOVE is possible, and you practice what you preach....
I know this because I have been blessed in this lifetime to be a recipient of your love and acceptance..

Yours were the arms that held me and allowed me to heal...


And last but not in the least, to Tracey Grace not only for inspiring me to write but also for posting the story on her Blog (link below) and most important for all that she does to raise awareness on the issues of Homelessness..Thank you Tracey...




http://traceygrace.wordpress.com/

Curra Country Cottage

This is Curra, My lovely convalescence in the country.

Just one of the lovely creatures that I share my day with

My little Cottage

I have been so blessed to be surrounded by not only peace and quiet but the beauty and divinity of Mother Nature.

Glass half full: Looking for the upsides in Treatment

I wrote this earlier this year, but still relevant today

We are constantly looking at all the negatives that treatment bring to our worlds.

We share all the horror stories on our respective journey's, in the hope that someone will hear us crying out for help, that others will understand the hell we go through on a daily basis or that someone else will benefit from our struggle.

I would like to share some of the positive experiences I have had on treatment, some will say bah there is nothing positive in this, and that may be so for you. I have gained much from this journey and not all of it has been Yuckky.

please note that some of it is quite personal & some of the people will know who they are but i have not named them as they did not share with a view to being posted on FB. (love you)

One of the very first light moments was during my very 1st meeting & conversation with some other Hep C ladies who had done treatment & are a lot more knowledgeable than I am or was, particularly at that time, a great positive was actually meeting and sharing with them in the 1st place, however we were chatting as ladies do about all things Fem and one of those angels made a comment about hair, my ears pricked up and soon discovered that it was not age as i had perceived that was making my hair go straight but TX, went home very happy in the knowledge that I would ' curl up" again.

In my previous life it would be safe to say that I was a fairly impatient person, It has to happen now, get out of the way i will do it myself. Know what I mean? thanks to Tx I am now one of the most patient people I know. It is a gift I will be eternally grateful for.

As a Geminian child of Mercury the communicator and a thinker, I have cursed Tx many times for taking away my capacity for rational thought, for my inability to string a sentence together, for removing my ability for sequential thinking, however in retrospect it has also removed my capacity to think or worry about things that really are meaningless in the grander scheme of things and for this I will also be eternally grateful..

This round of treatment has given me the opportunity examine my life and all that was in it and to see what is really important and what is just crap. It also gave me the strength and courage to educate myself on MY disease.

It has allowed me to touch many peoples lives & support them, and it has brought many wonderful people into my life to support me.

I have made friends because of hep C & treatment that will be my friends until the end theirs or mine whichever comes first.

It has inspired me to speak out and act for myself and for all those who are unable for a plethora of reasons to do so for themselves.

treatment took all that I perceived was important to me, but in return it gave me the gift of freedom, which is allowing me to now live my dream and my life for the first time ever fully for me.

This morning I made myself some food and I ate from my "special" Dinner set ( all the ladies get it), after all if I was saving it for a special occasion what more special occasion is there than me & actually feeling like eating at all. And i drank my juice from Swarvoski cut crystal glasses, in the past reserved for entertaining..

So you see dear ones there is always a positive in everything somewhere, we just have to search harder because the negatives are always so in our faces...

So in this Global week Of awareness let us look at some of those brighter moments as well as all the crap..

So please share some of the positive moments on your journey. and keep this thread going so we don't scare all the people who are thinking about going down this road and show them that we can still laugh, still love, still engage in life and still feel like there is hope for us all and a brighter future..

Make my page look interesting

I think if I want my blog page to look like I want it to with all the bells and whistles then I better go back to the instruction book and start reading the details section........

Hepatitis C TREATMENT Support and Information Network Australia

It is always helpful to have a support system when going through complicated elements of life. People who have generally been through the same experience or have empathy through knowledge, quite often can provide us with not only information but emotional understanding.

I have had Hep C since the 1980’s but until 2009 I had not actually ever had a meaningful interaction with another with the virus, and definitely not anyone who could tell me about treatment from firsthand knowledge. In the late 90’s I did a three month stint on what they call mono therapy, which consisted of three shots per week of Interferon, I was alone, afraid and very sick as the prescribing doctor had no clue that the side effects were so debilitating. He told me I would experience mild flu like symptoms, that these would pass in a few days.... 

This was NOT the case at all and after three months of hell my tests showed that it had not had any real effect, I was devastated, all that pain for no gain on the one hand but glad it was over. There were no support groups no networks and certainly no-one in my small town that I could share with.

in Australia Combination Therapy had just finished it’s last phase of clinical trials and I was told that to be eligible I had to have had a certain level of success which I had not so. Life went on, I recovered and thought that was it. Until I started to get ill again, by 2008 the doctors in their wisdom decided I was eligible for Combo treatment. It was 2009 by the time I started.

I was still living in my small town and still very isolated. If you think being gay and coming out is traumatic then try revealing you have a blood born virus in you that the general population brands as a “druggies disease”..

Fortunately technology had made many advances and information and online support services where available, but still I felt isolated; I had discovered FaceBook and decided to make a group page where I could post information I found and with a hope I may encounter others who had or were going through  what I was experiencing. 

When I started I thought if I could get ten other people to share with or provide support to that would be great... Today that page has over 100 members and much information from many sources and many people... 

If you are considering undertaking treatment for Hepatitis C or are currently on Treatment please share your knowledge with us or simply know there is support and up to date information there and many individuals who will be willing to support you.

The Writer

I am a writer an author, a literary fart.

Pen in hand thought in mind, spread the paper out

and let a tale unwind.

My brain is full of words, of consonants and vowels;

 of grammar syntax and how it all sounds

up  down and around.

I am a writer a purveyor of the literary arts

Have a thought, write it down

twist the words around and round

I am a writer, I like the way it sounds

some tales to fill your brain

Some stories to make you think again

Tales of truth and fairytales

thought provoking, word evoking 

Tales to make one think

I am a writer, an author, a queen of mercurial arts

So let me tell you a story, of dreams future and past

Let me tell you a tale that will only minutes last.

Some with adventure, loss or gain,Some with laughter, tears or fame

Let me entertain you and share this literary fart.

 For I am a wordsmith,  and this is my art.

Becoming a Blogger

After much deliberation, it is official. I have become a blogger. Here I will post some of my writing, thoughts and ideas.
 I am a survivor of two attempts of treatment for the Hepatitis C virus. I write about my own journey with this dreadful virus and support of others going through living with it and fighting via the dreadful thing the medical world calls Combination Therapy. They call it that due to the coupling of injections of Interferon and Ribavarin Tablets.. It is avery debilitating journey, in fact many would say the attempt at cure is worse than living with the disease; Until of course you get to the end stage where and when you are heading into Liver failure and possibly transplant.

Anyway enough for now, back to learning all about blogging...