The Ultimate Medicine Cabinet

There are four types of pills that my grandma and many other old people take.

1. Prescription Pills
2. Nutritional Supplement pills
3. Back-Home Herbal pills
4. The underground old people exchange pills
(often expired and often misdiagnosed)

The following is her monthly Prescription pill order only

1. Diovan 160mg
2. Novo-Rabeprazole EC 20mg
3. Cromolyn Ophth 2% DRO
4. Senokot 8.6mg
5. Apo-Indomethacin 50mg
6. Novo-Gesic Forte 500mg
7. Apo-Atenol 50mg
8. Apo-Lorazepam 1mg

Cocktail party anyone??

You name it, I got it!!

3 comments

Updated about 3 weeks ago

Brook Thorndycraft wrote at 9:50pm on April 1st, 2008 Random, Faisal. Guess I wouldn't expect anything else. Delete

Glynis Vas wrote at 1:03am on April 2nd, 2008 Lots of thoughts: (1) Has she shared with her dr about the non-allopathic drugs? (in terms of her possibly knowing about bad interactions b/w the allopathic drugs and the others) (2) Not a new thought and I'm not against all drug use, but: drug companies risk putting themselves out of business by actually curing ailments...what do we think of them simply managing symptoms? This is quite a black-and-white statement b/c some drug companies encourage prevention techniques in addition to promoting their products. (3) Not that I'd know which, if any, of the above drugs are psychotropic, but some psychotropic drugs zone ppl out so much that they're fairly asexual. Some argue for this being a case of eugenics, purifying the human race... Some ppl diagnosed with mental illness are legally required to take medication while living out in the community (vs. being in the hospital acutely) (4) Don't know how valid this is, but I heard that maybe Lilly (?) took Prozac (?) and changed the Delete

Glynis Vas wrote at 1:06am on April 2nd, 2008 color of the pill to pink and then repositioned it as some sort of PMS medication. I know that was a lot of '?"s and "maybe"s but if this is true, then it's bologne (sp?). That's enough for now :)

By Now, your health is...

"By now... you have complete responsibility for your health.." says a fitness trainers to a bunch of 20 something girls on TV

True... And yes, I do agree but...

Are we also completely responsible for...

1. The chemical cocktail experiment that is perpetrated on our body (plastics anyone)
2. The massive media manipulation in favour of 'unhealthfulness'
3. Cities organized to create stress and induce false commerce

Perhaps we need a little help from our favourite gangsta rap buddies Dead Prez

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTAhSJt_8x8

My animal humanity

This summer, like previous summers.. I will do several things that will re-orient my living experience

1. I will drop my slacks and piss where I want!

2. I will plant thousands of baby trees that will grow and nurture life!

3. I will skinny dip in every body of clear water deeper than my ankles!

4. When possessed, I will howl my call of the wild with no restrain!

5. I will sleep in a tent for as long as I can FOR as long as I can!

6.I will have the carbon footprint of a earthworm!

Come along, if you want...

4 comments

Padraic Ryan (Carleton CA) wrote at 12:15pm on February 5th, 2008 If by "grow and nurture life", you mean, get cut down in the pursuit of profit, then you're right. As for the carbon footprint - remember those diesel generators running 24/7? Delete

Faisal Moosa wrote at 6:09pm on February 5th, 2008 Hey Paddy, If you must de-romanticize my attempt at being way cooler than I actually am, then you are right. the flip side is quite noxious... 1. Every time I drop my pants, a few thousand mosquitoes will bite my balls off. 2. The trees will get cut down for profit and are in fact quite harmful to the ecosystem as they are genetically bred to be pesticide resistant and sprayed quite heavily 3. The water that I will try and swim in will be way sub-zero and I will get hypothermia and bronchitis 4. A bear or a poisonous spider will probably decide to sleep in the tent with me 5. And I will probably end up buying an SUV with the money that I make from planting. Delete

Alexandra Edmonds-Bayliss (Ryerson) wrote at 4:36pm on February 6th, 2008 "5. And I will probably end up buying an SUV with the money that I make from planting." I don't believe you. I don't believe you for a second. Delete

Andrew Woodill (Carleton CA) wrote at 7:31pm on February 6th, 2008 you should see Faz at planting. he's a changed man. We call him "two steaks." Certified mosquito massacring carnivore.

PodCasts on the tightest rotation in 07-08

1. VeganFreakRadio - A couple of animal loving - Bush bashing americanites (unstoppable!!)

2. Urban Dharma - A Buddhist monk from downtown LA who plays the blues harmonica and rides a motorcycle.
(So LA, So hilarious, So Good)

3. CBC Tapestry - Mary Heinz is a religion unto herself.
( kinda cool)

4. Amy Milan - Just pour me another of this happy sad folk country goddess.
(She has an ode to Thoreau song!!!)

5. Eionn Finn - Follow-along Audio yoga from outer space.
(Everything is so positive)

Honourable Mention
CBC's The Hour - Strombo!!!!!


ALL OF THESE ARE FREE DOWNLOADS ON ITUNES - ('cept Amy Milan)
(you don't need to own an IPod to use ITunes)

What are some of your fave podcasts??

1 comment

Padraic Ryan (Carleton CA) wrote at 6:40pm on January 30th, 2008 Faz, I am so pleased that you are into podcasting. Some of my favourites: -CBC Radio 3 -CBC Dispatches -CBC Best of Ideas -CBC Spark -CBC Search Engine -CBC The National At Issue Panel -TVO The Agenda -TVO Big Ideas -ABC Big Ideas (that's Australian Broadcasting Corporation) -PBS Supreme Court Watch -NPR It's All Politics -Indiefeed.com -WILCO podcast -Wikipedia Weekly -The Economist wew...yeah, I spend a lot of time listening to podcasts. Delete

Hey Boss, I'lll be leaving now

F: Hey Boss, you know I told you last year that I was going to leave... well now I am leaving..

B: Whaaaaaaaaatttt?? You're kidding!! Why??

F: Well you know, I just don't want to work for money - I tried to live as lavishly as I get paid but the cheap ass simpleton inside me is too strong...

And besides I wanna be some kind of healer.. You know - help people in a meaningful sort of way....yeah..

B: Come on.. you help people here.. They all love you... You make such a big difference in their lives..

F: (In my head: Yeah - Fixing peoplez PC's so that they can do their jobs better and make exponentially more money for the nameless faceless corporation on its path to exactly what?? - Its not even Macs that I am fixing - at least that would have some cool redeemable points)

Yeah Boss, and I like them too but I want more - I demand more - and computers just ain't part of my life orientation...per say...

B: Thats cool - I remember when I was your age - you just have little pieces of your puzzle that you need to fill in - You need to go and see things and have adventures...So what are you gonna do??

F: Im'ma just go walkin', yes Indeed... Perhaps out the east coast way or down in Mexico... I like burritos..alot - or maybe go planting and meditating in the BC interior.. I once heard a monk, when asked about what to do about the world being destroyed in the next 50 years, say 'just plant trees'.. works for me

B: What about a leave of absence... You can take a few months - I can see if HR will go for that - the summers are slow anyway...Besides you need to be sure about what you are going to do when you leave here.

F: I'll keep that in mind Boss, but I am pretty sure about this. Because I take responsibility for my actions, I rarely regret any decision that I take.

B: You're giving up a lot

F: Yeah, I suppose...But think of all the cool stories I will have to tell when I get back..

8 comments

Karim Virani (Ottawa, ON) wrote at 2:42pm on January 27th, 2008 Cute. Although, I agree far more with you than your boss. I think PCs are particularly unpoignant. There are more windows to life than Microsoft has to offer... Delete

Greg Broadworth wrote at 6:06pm on January 27th, 2008 Wow Faz, good for you. I hope you enjoy the adventures you're going to take. Delete

Alexandra Edmonds-Bayliss (Ryerson) wrote at 7:48pm on January 27th, 2008 Ah! I am so proud of you :) Delete

David Troy Cochrane wrote at 10:21am on January 28th, 2008 I don't tell people often enough that they're amazing. Faisal, you're amazing. Come over for dinner. Soon. We'll feed you dal and rice and aloo gobi. You can drink water, or wine or juice. We'll listen to rock, or folk or folk-rock. You can dance with our babe. Delete

Padraic Ryan (Carleton CA) wrote at 12:02pm on January 28th, 2008 You're my hero. Delete

Imtiaz Fazal (Ottawa, ON) wrote at 8:33pm on January 29th, 2008 Stop being a bum and get back to work, bum. Delete

Faisal Moosa wrote at 9:26pm on January 29th, 2008 Imtiaz, why you gotta go and spoil a perfectly good party... But I guess you are right - I am a bum... :() Delete

Imtiaz Fazal (Ottawa, ON) wrote at 10:02pm on January 29th, 2008 oh it was just a joke, ure no bum.......yet, tho i see you are fixed on gaining the required experience to receive your bum diploma =) Delete

Insaan

Insaan wo hai jisko dusray insaan ki chhot mehsus hoti hai

Flame Extinguisher

As he pulled the oxygen pipe out of her nostrils and watched her gasp one last time for sustenance - He released her. She died then. The nurse came to make it official. The angels came to make it religious. And the family came to make it sacrificial.

Special she was indeed... Not like others but still fallible and human... Yet different... A little bit more caring, a little bit more loving, a little bit more understanding... A light for many... A worthy nemesis... Her complexity so easily betrayed by her simplicity... Her suffering so easily betrayed by her smiling eyes and her courageous words...

I cry for her... I love her, My Aunt, My Mother, My Friend, My Sister....Peace

Faisal (5) - Shah Bano (zero)

The thousand levels of LOSS that Grandma experiences this instant.

1. Loss of mother, father, husband, sister, daughter, close friends, relatives, political heroes.

2. Loss of eyesight, hearing, taste, mobility, body, mind

3. Loss of pleasure, desire, fulfillment, happiness, satisfaction, will to live...

My most arousing trees of 2007 list

1. The Grand Sycamore tree in Allen Gardens that gives me tears of joy and wonder every time i hug it.

2. The majestic Weeping Willow on McGill st that encompassed a fence into its trunk and created metal branches out of it.

3. The badly aged red maple on the 4th floor roof deck at my building that doesn't mind hiding behind the superficially alluring Lilac.

4. The tree that David planted as a dedication to Marcella with the inscription
"I will always love you".
I don't know if she is alive or dead but the tree will live as long as love itself..

Go ahead and SECRETE me

How are you?

You mean after you dumped me even though we were'nt even going out?
Oh fine, took a day or two: some comfort food, couple sappy movies, but mostly I just sweated you out at the gym...How are you? Meet any creepy psycho stalkers lately?

My MOST UNDERRATED BODYPARTS of 2007 list

Calves: For the mileage and poundage they un-protesting-ly helped me accumulate

Elbows: For showing me a thousand different ways that they can provide support and balance while I was twisting and contorting through my yoga classes

Heart: For opening up every so often and letting me peer into its many depths

Nose: For the beauty of my herbalicious garden this summer was most understood through my sense of smell

One Day..

One day, I was just sitting on my rug crocheting a scarf for my nephew zee and when I reached through the loop to hook the yarn I pulled out a 60 foot speckled perch!!! I became vegetarian on the spot and to this day I can't spell my last name...

My MOST DELICIOUS people of '07 list

Lori - Goddess/My incredible yoga teacher

Grandma - My companion and reveler in the joys and suffering of getting old

Michael - My hilariously compassionate co-worker who put up with me all year

Sister - For being so consistently caring that being taken for granted is an understatement

Mom - A stellar companionship working through our inadequacies and illnesses

Honourable Mention: Alanna of the indomitable spirit who only gets an honorable mention because she was not around but for only a short time.

Singular Engagements

After being in Toronto for one year... I've caught up with several old friends.... but mostly we've met only once... We meet, hang out for hours like we were best friends... and then we part and thats it... no phone calls or emails... just silence...

Like as if we got our fill and then are satiated for another few years. In a wierd way, that is totally cool... but I wonder what it is that takes place in that one meeting... that determines the length of separation till our next meeting... that creates a feeling of closeness but then of silence..

Is the evaluation so bad that nobody wants to hang out a second time or maybe we are just on some crazy different trips that can't reconcile...maybe we are just that busy...hmmm...

The Fire Sermon

“Bhikkus, all is burning. And what is the all that is burning?

The eye is burning, the ear is burning, the nose is burning, the tongue is buring, the body is burning, the mind is buring; also whatever is felt as pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasa

nt that arises with contact as its condition, that too is burning.

Burning with what? Burning with the fire of greed, with the fire of hate, with the fire of delusion. I say it is burning with birth, ageing and death, with sorrow, with lamentation, with pain, grief and despair.”


~Buddha

Week-ness

5 days as a worker ant drone - physical and emotional exhaustion
1 day of recovery through mother and grandmother-ly attention - recharging
1 day of life affirming creative outbursts of exploding heart matter - worth it???

Awkward Crimes

Every conversation with my mom ends with ' bye bye, see you, take care, be good, be happy, say hi to everyone'. Once, she mumbled "I love you" but then immediately retracted it by giving a concise diatribe on how meaningless those words -- thrown around like stale bread for birds to eat... I agreed.. yet..

After every long walk and talk with my troubled uncle in which we achieve self-congratulatory cathartic revelations on the state of the family and humanity, we do a mix between a handshake and a fist dab and say good bye 5 times. Once we attempted a hug but he quickly drew back as if there were steel spikes attached to my clothes... I did the same .. yet..

Every time I leave the room after yoga class, I wave good bye from a distance at my teacher who gave so fully of her knowledge and compassion and back pedal out of the room, my heart exploding with gratitude and so much more. Once I made the motioned to bow in appreciation of her teachings but quickly disguised it as an attempt to blow my nose... She laughed unknowingly.. yet..

Damn... could someone teach us how to say what needs to be said without the self aware awkwardness of a child peeing their pants for the first time!!

6 comments

Andrea Rimbault wrote at 6:52am on November 4th, 2007 I'm certain that you are looking for more profound advice than this... however, as a keen observer of human behaviour and a die-hard sociologist at heart, I must admit that I thing slowly, with each new generation, the whole human race is becoming autistic. Perhaps it is a result of the distruction of our natural environment (and then consuming the food products produced in this environment), paired with an addiction to artificial communication and electronics (computers, TV) that have a side effect of radiation. I don't know... but I do know that you have a point. Interpersonal communication skills are no longer marketable and appreciated. Social skill and Character Education as well as Daily Physical Education have become ministry mandated parts of the Ontario Curriculum (because children are lacking these skills and have created a need for behavioural programs within schools). What has become of our society? Delete

Heidi Thomson wrote at 10:00am on November 4th, 2007 My gosh. It is so important to tell people that you love them, and touch is essential to wellbeing. Neither are taboo or small jestures. Why don't you break this cycle. Give a hug, say I love you. You may receive some resistance at first, but I am sure that your loved ones will come around. For a warmup, you could rent anything by Dr. Leo Buscaglia (check the library). My neighbour lent me a tape and it has the following lectures: Together, Giving Love, Speaking of Love, Politics of Love, Campus Lecture (don't know what this is about yet!), Sounds of Love. Watch this with your family. He speaks a lot about the need for hugs and about how isolation and the lack of physical human contact leads to depression and mental illness. Really worth watching. Lots of food for thought. You may get some ideas of your own. In your case, I think a leap of faith would be good! Love and Hugs! Heidi ;) Delete

Julie Blais (Montreal, QC) wrote at 4:20pm on November 4th, 2007 Hmmmm.... Here's the interesting thing: Everytime I get off the phone with my parents, we say "I love you" and things like "I miss you" over and over again, to the point that I sometimes wonder what we are trying to say, what is really 'going on' behing these expressions of love. When we see each other, we hug each other tight, and give each other inumerable signs of affection, and yet... These things we say and do, they aren't lacking in the awkward self-awareness that you mention. They aren't even the opposite of inhibited. In fact, they often feel rehearsed, put on. Because despite all of these loving behaviours, there is such emotional distance. Sometimes, even, it feels like these rehearsed, agreed-upon as acceptable forms of communication act as barriers to real communication, real expressions of feeling. They are 'safe', and we hide behing them. Delete

Julie Blais (Montreal, QC) wrote at 4:56pm on November 4th, 2007 This is not to say that we don't genuinely love each other, or that we aren't truly affectionate people. But in having these behaviours posited as the norm they become almost coerced. So, in your family, saying "I love you" is seen as unecessary and maybe too saccharine sweet (if I get the picture), while in mine, saying the words and demonstrating the proper amount of earnestness is what's expected. Both situations lead to somewhat stilted emotional exchanges, don't you think? But what does this mean? Maybe, that to show any real, raw emotions such as love, gratitude or hurt (when not masked in a protectice layer of aggression) makes us feel too vulnerable, and so we are always driven to find ways to diminish the risk involved in expressing them, whether that is in avoiding it altogether or in setting up strict parameters for their expression. If that's the case, is the answer found in learning to be okay with the risk and to open up anyway? What do you think? Delete

Alexandra Edmonds-Bayliss (Ryerson) wrote at 8:44pm on November 7th, 2007 I think the 3 ladies above make such excellent points! I like to leap into things head first. I don't even worry about the consequences, most of the time. I'm a very emotional person. If I'm sorry, I say so. If I love, I tell. I express my feelings. It is sooooo important to have that contact with other people and to put away the fears of whether or not you'll scare them or make them back off. If they care enough back, they'll accept your feelings and be willing to reciprocate. To me, words speak loudly. Especially since I stared university in a new city and had to make new friends, I have learned to express myself in new ways. Sometimes, if you don't adapt, you'll get left behind. Scary. I think the best thing to do sometimes is to surround yourself with people that you are comfortable with, that inspire you and that you can express yourself to. Not everyone is able to open up as much as we'd like, but it is possible to help others start to feel close enough to do so. Delete

Alexandra Edmonds-Bayliss (Ryerson) wrote at 8:44pm on November 7th, 2007 P.S. I'm always here to talk. I really love deep, open conversation :)

Yesterday

Missed you the day before,
A little heartache,
NO TEARS.

Saw you Yesterday,
A small heartache,
2 TEARS.

Left you today,
My Love denied...
Faz, Time to change careers!

When enough is not enough

I don't want to be rich, I just wanna be comfortable - says my Brother to me. Pay my bills, take some vacations, have a nice car and never have to ask anyone for money.

Its a fairly common perspective and a pretty decent way to live but, boy, does it ever trap you so bad... why?? cuz enough is never enough!

Anyway, I say to my brother - That's cool but its not the way I do things... I know I will never be pretty enough, happy enough, satisfied enough, loved enough etc...

Besides they steal you with fear - what if you have flakes on your shoulders or a pimple on your face? What will happen when you get old and nobody will take care of you...What if What if What if.......

But have you ever stopped "Trying" and see how things really are...hmmm

How will you get yours without "money power respect". How will you fulfill your desires and pleasures and whimsy's. How will you wine and dine and entertain your legions...???

Things I do that allow me to step away from the race

Step 1.

Cultivate sources of fulfillment not based on financial exchange..
For pleasure, I walk
For peace, I meditate
For happiness, I yoga
For love, I love

Step 2.
Explore the daily activities that trap you..and convert them into artistic expressions

Cut your own hair (not for everyone :)
Grow your own food (at least learn how to)
Stop being Served and Serviced for money (tips, anyone)
Make your own clothes (once again, at least learn how to)

Step 3.

Simplify...

OK, so the architecture of my cosmology is neither complete nor original but at least it is an alternative my Brother... That you do have choices, will you please consider..

On Recycling

"I'm reminded of efforts a few decades back to deal with garbage problems by promoting the hierarchy of rethink, refuse, reduce, reuse and only after all these failed, recycle.
Of course, recycling, the most expensive and least pollution-reducing action, became the one and only, because it found champions who figured out a way to use recycling to sell, rather than eliminate, more commodities"

wayne roberts

Just call me Hype

I think you might be mistaking my fuckery for some kind of tomfoolery
but you gots to know that I ain't some fart named Zachary
I got skillz iller than the best
I make noize sweeter than Kanye West
Im the mad grillz big poppa
making ya jump to my hip-hoppa
from woodstock to lalapalooza
they be screamin my name fazzadamamooza
.. yea aight....

Please Give This Seat to an Elderly or Disabled Person

Please Give This Seat to an Elderly or Disabled Person

I stood during the entire journey:
nobody offered me a seat
although I was at least a hundred years older than anyone else on board,
although the signs of at least three major afflictions
were visible on me:
Pride, Loneliness, and Art.


Nina Cassian (b. 1924)

Lacking the mystical

"The nights, they are tough" says my Grandma to I. As we sit watching the horizon fade from a 10th floor appartment in Scarborough.

Specially, when the sun is setting below the horizon...

When I was a wandering urban monk-type, I would sit with others of my kind on the docks in Victoria and watch the sun set into the pacific; the wind picking up briefly, the sky losing its colour and the weather systems that rushed on by... And would study what was happening inside myself

In all this, there would come a time when I would just become so agitated that I could sit still no more.... Then would surface the almost primal fear that lies within, and I would rush off to chapters to hide behind a book until it was time to go to sleep in my secret hideout.... Took a long time to get over that.

Well now as a city dweller, I notice a bit of the same.. My Grandma and half the world rush off to social prayer at this time, some hit the gym and other find themselves in the embraces of a loved one.. etc etc..None of these seem the really work for me that well...

I feel a lack of the mystical sense that so surrounded me in those days of past.... And I feel myself losing ground on the daily. Its kinda sad, I guess..but not a unique experience. And latelyI have met more than one person who talks of a similar occurence...

I would love to hear your stories or what you think of this??

• 1. Being really 'connected' at one point of your life vs where you are now.


• 2. How you deal or even consider the time between day and night and how it effects you.

Life as experiment

Life as experiment... I heard of a fella once who stayed in a room and punched in his time card every hour for a whole year and then tied himself to another person with a ten foot rope for a whole year and then lived outside for a whole year and then remained in silence for a whole year etc.... And I met this girl who cooped up with a bunch of friends in a room for 2 weeks but every day slept one hour less and one hour earlier - and then wrote a zine about what started happening to them...

So I said thats cool.. Setting up constraints for short periods of time just to see what would happen -- becuase the results are just not obvious... You have to go through it to know what will happen... I can handle that!!

In the hope of shattering all preconceptions and socialized behaviours, cultural configurations and mass deceptions... I too set off on my merry way... And fought the fight of ages old.. And broke through a few barriers and gained a few insights and learned a bucket full...

Here are the things I experiment with while trying to live an Alt life...

Fear -- not useful..
Food -- Too much and Too little
Shame -- How useless
Homelessness -- Sleep where your feet land when you are tired
Isolation -- Pretty common experience
Living without money -- Threw my last quarter in the Juan De Fuca
Pain - Ouch
Living without ID -- So complex
Love -- As an antidote to fear
Sex -- Too much and Too little
Pride -- In what??
Meditation -- Yesssss.... so peaceful
Yoga -- Its good....
Giving -- till it hurts

Nothing is as it seems and there are far too many ways to do things to think that this is all there ever was.... Do you have any experiments that you have
tried??? I would love to hear about it!!