If Webster's New Dictionary can still have a crew haircut, a pipe and sport a yellow slicker, I can make an attempt to entertain myself and the casual reader. No one is captive as we all have the option to ignore anything in black and white and green and red that comes into plain sight... So, I can't say much about this blog...just that its about me and the every day occurrences of "moi." Cheers!
Me: I am an illustrator, I am a cantor. I am one more citizen of the world. I was once a political refugee. I live in a city where the sun shines year round (except when it rains.) I cannot complain. Life is good and definitely interesting.
Nancily's Cupcake Shack/ Sister Blog
Follow me on another blog to my cousin Nancilys decadent sweetness...
A place you leave is a place that lives forever...
On a personal note, I am humbled to be a creative collaborator in this pastiche, metaphor, clever turn and final lament of this layered musical journey representative of so many. This thoughtfully wrought and Iberian-Island influenced product that opens on October 18th has been a smooth sultry sail especially when working with the finest artists such are Jose Ignacio and David Pereira.
In the production of this alternative concert, we dug deep into memories of family and migration to this country. We tapped into this singular theme of living with "Cubaneo." 'Melancolia de Una Ciudad Perdida' became a Shangri-La; a place that lives in the imaginations. The life left behind; no more.
Juxtaposed to this Lost City is the idea that a place you leave lives forever. This was the foundation that influenced the chords and scales that would shape mood and rhythm for 'Melancolia'. This was also the foundation of a migration that we personally lived and that of so many we know.
As the behind the curtains guy, I felt ardently that this was the best place for music to travel. Jose Ignacio and I fervently exchanged substantial ideas as to how to deliver a solidly rooted yet lyrical saga; 'Melancolia' was born from our collective experiences.
When I was five years old my grandmother Mercedes would walk me to school to Twin Lakes Elementary and say, "Hialeah esta creciendo! " I was always perplexed.
In my child's mind, I envisioned a stretch of land that was actually growing in size, like the ice age or a spontaneous growth much like the way your stomach looks after a five course meal. She was in fact, describing population and businesses. If she were alive today, she would not recognize this City of True Progress. She would be pleased to see the tribute in plangent tones and insouciant expressiveness to life and art that we have created.
On behalf of Jose Ignacio Diaz Gravier and myself, we thank The City of Hialeah, Mayor Carlos Hernandez, City Council Members and Staff, Sedanos, Leon Medical Centers and Coca Cola for entrusting us with a piece of this 2013 Hispanic Heritage Musical Project. A special thanks to Caragol for his constant smile and support. David Fernandez you rock the house; the City is fortunate to have you.
A mi querido Santiago de Las Vegas, de calles angostas, techos de tejas y palmas coquetas, donde al atardecer, vuelan las palomas, juegan los niños y en cada esquina se respira la historia de esta tierra tan maravillosa.
Admission compliments of The City of Hialeah
RSVP Required - Please call 305-889-5713
Lite fare provided
For Artist management and future event bookings please contact
Ana Barbosa at 305-804-2630 or visit www.joseignaciodiazgravier.com
After a not so pleasant and unplanned hiatus in August, last Saturday was my first attempt in ten days to return to normal life. I invited my son to join me at the office for a spin and later we would enjoy a mother and son lunch.
We propped ourselves into the car and began to drive into Miami city (Florida). About five minutes on the road, we noticed a dime sized object crawling towards us steadily. It took about three seconds before we belted out in unison inaudible sounds followed by the word - Spider! I jerked the car into a parked position and my son proceeded to beat the life out of it.
Eureka and boom-boom-pow!!! We found the catalyst that launched my life into the unplanned, chaotic, hiatus days before!
'Brown recluse spiders usually bite only when they become trapped next to the victim's skin. Bites occur either when sleeping humans roll onto the spider or put on clothes into which the spider has crawled (Vetter and Visscher 1998). Typically bites occur under clothing, mostly on the thigh, upper arm, or lateral torso, less often on the neck (Anderson 1998) [Dr. Philip C. Anderson is a physician and medical researcher who has worked on brown recluse bites and venom for 40 years].'
Ten days earlier: Day 1: Tuesday,: July 30th, 2013...
Enlightenment...having spent the weekend cleaning spaces long forgotten around the house, I must have invited a creepy creature with teeth from out of his/her dust bowl.
The Tuesday that followed, I was gazing at the circular beauty below located an inch or so beneath my belly button.My new tattoo.
Startled to discover this anomaly on my lower abdomen, I made an agitated phone call to my Doctor. I couldn't tell if it was a blister or a tumor, initially. I really did not know how I had acquired this 'thing.'
Day 2: Wednesday, July 31st, 2013
I was kindly slipped into the appointment book for a perusal of my new acquisition. By the time I arrived at the appointment, what appeared to be an Araneae tattoo began to change in color and size.
After a quick review and a grimaced expression by the physician assistant, I was referred to another Doctor the following day and told that if the wound deteriorated to go straight to the nearest hospital Emergency Room.
Just like a tattoo I'll always have you (I'll always have you)...says the spider...
Day 3: Thursday, August 1st, 2013...
The next day, my good friend and health partner Patricia and I visited another Doctor. This time, I was given strong antibiotics typically used in the treatment of MRSA.(Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) No bueno! Again, I was told if the condition deteriorated to go the a hospital. This was just the beginning...
Day 4: Friday, August 2nd, 2013...
The next morning, the wound appeared angrier and uglier. I waited ..this was going to get better.
Day 5: Saturday, August 3rd, 2013...
Saturday morning arrived. After several calls to Patricia and many IPhone text images, my dutiful Dr. companion and I decided to visit the Urgent Care unit at Baptist Hospital. We were met with yet, another confused expression from a Doctor. This time, a secondary antibiotic was assigned every six hours. A time to wait...
Day 6: Sunday, August 4th, 2013...
...waiting some more...
Day 7: Monday, August 5th, 2013...
The antibiotics were taking a toll. I became chronically lethargic and decided to sleep until this ordeal came to an end. I slept the entire day.
When I woke up, I received a text message from my colleagues at the office. They collectively decided that I was going to see an infectious disease specialist the following day and they made the appointment. I was deeply moved by their attention and concern for my plight. I submit, that my inner circle of friends have been an amazing source of comfort and support - for this I am eternally grateful.
Day 8: Tuesday, August 6th, 2013...
Patricia and I once again marched ourselves to the final specialist. This time, the news was not so bad; it would seem that the event may be almost over. My marking is still very unattractive, but the medicine seems to be working.
I just finished the last dose of antibiotics and my spidery tattoo is still not a popular image to behold as you can see.
Day 15: Wednesday August 14, 2013...
Waiting to exhale..I understand that spiders love warmth and when female spiders bite they do so because she is trying to lay eggs.I truly hope that is not the case.
Today this is me...waiting for an alien uprising...
Game not over ...yet! Bites!
Post Data: I am not crticial. I am still sleeping it off.
About the Recluse:
Description of the symptoms is from Wingo (1960), Gorham (1968, 1970), Anderson (1982, 1998), and Vetter and Visscher (1998). Reactions to a bite vary from no noteworthy symptoms to severe necrosis or systemic effects. Discomfort may be felt immediately after the bite, or several hours may pass before any local reaction to the bite occurs. In one study, only 57% of the patients realized they had been bitten at the time of the bite. It must be realized that there are at least two significant variables affecting the outcome of a bite. The first is the amount of venom injected by the spider. Like some venomous snakes, spiders are known to sometimes give "dry" bites, with little or no venom injected. The second variable is the sensitivity of the victim. Some people are simply more prone to have a severe reaction in instances where another person might only have a slight reaction.
Typical symptoms are as follows: Symptoms start two to six hours after the bite. Blisters frequently appear at the bite site, accompanied by severe pain and pronounced swelling. A common expression is the formation of a reddish blister, surrounded by a bluish area, with a narrow whitish separation between the red and blue, giving a "bull's-eye" pattern. By 12 to 24 hours, it is usually apparent if a Loxosceles wound is going to become necrotic because it turns purple in color; if necrotic symptoms do not express by 48 to 96 hours, then they will not develop. If the skin turns purple, it will then turn black as cells die. Eventually the necrotic core falls away, leaving a deep pit that gradually fills with scar tissue.
Experimental antivenin (Rees et al. 1981; not commercially available) was very successful when administered within 24 hours, but many times a victim does not seek treatment until after necrosis is well underway (more than 24 hours), after which the antivenin is less effective. Systemic effects usually take two to three days to show symptoms. Bites that become systemic usually do not also become necrotic; it is thought that in necrotic wounds the venom is localized in the tissue whereas in systemic reactions the venom is distributed quickly into the body without necrotic local effects. The wound is usually free of bacterial infection for the first two to three days but may be contaminated by patients due to pruritis (itching) leading to scratching. Recluse venom can exhibit extended necrosis in adipose (fatty) tissue of thighs, buttocks and abdomen of obese patients; there is also a gravitational flow of the venom effects, at times leading to satellite pockets of necrosis. Healing can take weeks to months and may leave an unsightly scar, although scarring is minimal in most cases. Skin grafts may be required to complete healing in the worst cases, but should be considered a last resort.
The following technical analysis is condensed from the medical literature. Persons who suspect they have been victimized by a brown recluse spider bite are strongly encouraged to consult with a physician.
In medical terms (Vetter 1998), bites from Loxosceles can be unremarkable (requiring no care), localized (requiring some care but usually healing without intervention), dermonecrotic (a slow- healing, necrotic ulcerated lesion needing supportive care), or systemic (vascular and renal damage, sometimes life-threatening). Within 10 minutes of venom injection, there is a constriction of capillaries around the site of the bite. A major venom component is sphingomyelinase D which causes hemolysis (destruction of red blood cells). Recluse venom has a strong disruptive effect on endothelial tissue. Polymorphonucleocytes (PMN) are activated (by the patient.s immune system) and infiltrate the bite site; in test animals where PMN activity was suppressed, degree of necrosis was lessened. General symptoms are edema (swelling), erythema (redness caused by blood being brought to the surface to counteract the damage), pruritis (itching), pain at the site, and mild fever. A pruritic or painful eruption can occur within a few hours of the bite and persist for a week, ending with scaling and peeling of the hands, and a truncal papular rash, that recalls pictures of scarlet fever rashes; the pruritis may be worse for the patient than the painful focal necrosis. The skin may feel hot and tender to the patient. It may be advisable to treat the rash and pruritis symptoms with Prednisone (Anderson 1998). Treatment with corticosteroids does not appear to affect either the skin necrosis or the hemolysis (Anderson 1998).
Dermatologic expression varies. In mild self-healing wounds, the bite site may not progress past an edematous erythema; these wounds do not become necrotic and non-intrusive care is sufficient. In more serious wounds, a sinking blue-gray macule on the skin contains a "bull's- eye" pattern formation where a central erythematous bleb (blister) is separated from a peripheral cyanotic region by a white zone of induration (red-white-blue). If the bite becomes violaceous within the first few hours, this usually indicates that severe necrosis may occur and more supportive measures are necessary.
The initial bleb gives way to ischemia (localized temporary blood deficiency). A central eschar (hardened scab similar to that made after burns) forms, hardens, and within seven to 14 days the eschar falls out leaving behind an ulcerated depression. The necrosis may continue to spread from the bite site possibly due to an autoimmune response (see above). Normally, the wound limits begin to recede after one week as healing begins. Unnecessary removal of tissue often leads to greater scarring than would result from normal healing. Extirpation of damaged skin is only recommended in severe cases and only after the limits of the wound are strongly demarcated at six to eight weeks. Most wounds self-heal with excellent results.
Systemic conditions that might manifest in severe cases are hematoglobinuria (hemoglobin in the urine), hematoglobinemia (reduction of useful hemoglobin, resulting in anemia-like condition), thrombocytopenia (reduction of clotting platelets in the blood), and/or disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) (precipitation of platelets causing mini-clots all over the body). The presence of sustained coagulopathy with hemolysis indicates severe systemic loxoscelism. Fortunately, less than 1% of cases exhibit these symptoms. Although rare, if death occurs, it is most often from hemolysis, renal failure and DIC; children are most adversely affected due to their small body mass. Anderson (1998) noted, however, that none of the fatalities were proven to have been caused by a brown recluse spider.
Lectura Poetica con la autora Acompaniamiento musical : Jose Ignacio Diaz Gravier - piano Gillian Cura - soprano Jose Alfredo Arauz- guitarra
Emily Dickinson (1830–86). Complete Poems. 1924.
Part One: Life LXXXIX
A WORD is dead
When it is said,
Some say.
I say it just
Begins to live
That day.
'Dickinson insists that the internal world of a word, the unuttered word's meaning, is limited by the cultural and intellectual perspective of the thinker. Only when spoken does a word come alive, its meaning brought to life by the listener, the listener's input, the listener's interaction with the word and the speaker."
I submit, this applies to music and the arts. Life begins with the sharing of thoughts, sound and visual accompaniments.
Perhaps it was the hour. Perhaps it was us. Perhaps we had entered the Twilight Zone.
Patty P. and I strolled across the plaza around noon today over to Books n Books for an any kind of strawberry frozen treat. Our local frozen yogurt bar was no longer there. Poof! It just disappeared like many yummy businesses in the area.
About three farmers market weeks ago, we had sampled some frozen something at Books n Books and we decided to return to quench our fancy .
Lately, I measure time according to the Thursday Farmers Market day just like my family and friends back home in Portugal. The farmers market fury arrived to the S.E. Financial Center Plaza for the first time this spring. Each Thursday, tenants come from all over downtown Miami to buy orchids, veggies, spices and farmers market type goods; we joined the celebration.
In any event, off we marched through the Plaza to get a taste of frozen delight. I was ready. Something strange happened from the moment we arrived at the shop. There was either an air of mendacity or miscommunication. Were were speaking a different language? Something did not feel right.
I happily requested, "Can I have two small cups of the strawberry frozen cup? This one is on me, Patty."
A tall Brillo haired man responded, " Sure, pick a juice and we can blend it for you."
I retorted with a doubtful grimace, "No, ugh, I didn't pick a juice the last time I ordered this. You see, it's this bright strawberry frozen creamy mixture in a cup and then you throw some blueberrys." I proceeded to explain.
The workers behind the counter hustled to and fro preparing what seemed to be two small portions; for a moment it appeared they understood our interpretation of our icy craving.
Finally, the girl behind the counter pours out into one large cup a smoothie; a liquid that she blended.
I blurted it out, "This is not what we had the last time we were here!"
Patty P. agreed and sported my same confused look.
We made a few comments back and forth until the burly guy probably tired of hearing our discontent chided, "I am the Manager and we have not served what you are suggesting for four months."
Four months? Not possible! I tried to behave, but I couldn't resist and suddenly I squealed," I am the customer and I had this three weeks ago - tops!"
Patty P. and I sneered like two spoiled school girls denied recess. For a brief moment, I venture to say, we even doubted ourselves. Had we been there three weeks prior? Yes, indeed, we had been there. I am still not sure what happened, but this might have been a warning suggesting:
We were traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land of imagination. Next stop, the Twilight Zone!
And so many died dancing on the rim of danger. I could think of nothing else as I sat before this heartwarming yet difficult to watch movie about Consul Perlasca especially in the final stirring moments of the film.
Giorgio Perlasca
January 31, 1910 - August 15, 1992
Consul Perlasca was later thought to have been one of the 36 just men, although he did not know it - they never do.
'Lamedvavnik is the Yiddish term for one of the 36 humble righteous ones or Tzadikim mentioned in kabbalah or Jewish mysticism. According to this teaching, at any given time there are at least 36 holy persons in the world who are Tzadikim. These holy people are hidden; i.e., nobody knows who they are. According to some versions of the story, they themselves may not know who they are.
For the sake of these 36 hidden saints, God preserves the world even if the rest of humanity has degenerated to the level of total barbarism. This is similar to the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Hebrew Bible, where God told Abraham that he would spare the city of Sodom if there was a quorum of at least 10 righteous men.'
Now, on DVD for the first time, is the story of an Italian Schindler. His story was long overdue. In 1944, Georgio Perlasca was a businessman who, like Schindler, found himself in a position to assist Hungarian Jews in Budapest during the war.
Unbelievable, but true in an almost cinematic Cecil B. Demille-ian account, Perlasca took on the persona of a Spanish consul and for a period of 45 days went about saving the lives of more than 5,000 Jews directly under Adolf Eichmann's watch .
A must see...197 minutes of remembrance, courage and strength. Perlasca, Schindler, Wallenbourg and many others continue to inspire as their story is unveiled to the world - never forget.
Already powerful pianists Diaz-Gravier and Kent are ready to set sail under the Florida sky and break the boundries of sameness in an evening of musical gymnastics.
The evening will be weighted heavily on Schubert, Mozart, and Brahms. The duo will chew up the piano with energetic marches and gifted melodies.
I sometimes wonder if everyone is as lucky as I am to have such fine neighbors. I have the finest on two continents.
Above you will find Exhibit 1. - the bane of my existence; a recycle garbage dispenser. This item is used once a week for the purpose of ridding our homes and yards of glass, plastic, card boards and other waste items. This receptacle is rather large and accommodates our needs to perfection and apparently that of our neighbor.
Epochal news! The lodger ("Jeeter 1") to my right covets our recycle garbage dispenser. How is that possible? Once a week, he waits for us to take our garbage out by the sidewalk. Then, boom boom pow, he makes his sinister move. This sneaky resident of the West carefully and quietly loads his waste into our bin.
Note: there has been occasion that said bin was so overloaded that it tipped. How fortunate was I to be the person in charge of the clean up?
This combative trash picker has been asked not to satisfy his urge to have his way with our bin once a week. Regretfully, his memory is challenged and he continues to practice the art of waste sharing. Lightning will most assuredly strike him some day while violating this tenth commandment.
Exhibit 2.
Next, are the "Jeeters 2" to our left. This special breed of neighbor has perfected the art of throwing out old furniture onto the sidewalk one week prior to the large waste pick up. This event takes place on the second Friday of the month. You will find in Exhibit 2, old furniture embellishing the neighborhood while in the rain. Once a "Jeeter" always a "Jeeter."
Let us now visit my charming Portuguese neighbors...is the grass greener?
One fine glorious day last summer, I was gazing out of my kitchen window when I noticed nefarious activity at the far edge of our property. I quickly ran for my camera to capture the moment.
Shut my mouth! There she was the notorious "Peixeira!" (Peixeira means the seafood saleslady.) This master of misdemeanor is a business woman with a singular agenda - fish fowl play!
At the end of our street sits a majestic dumpster intended to service the residents that live just behind it. Without regard to the will and wish of the inhabitants of the block, Ms. Peixeira, license tag 39-27XI, began to dump a truck full of fish remains into the dumpster. This fishy woman enjoys the company of a twin dumpster by her home, but chooses ours so that we can enjoy the fish-orosity! Is that even legal?
Believe it or not, that very same afternoon I perched myself behind the same window a little while later when I discoverd Beatriz in our yard!
Beatriz lives across the street and is known universally for her loud and abrasive personality. Apparently, her cows like our grass/ weeds. Who knew? She and her assistant rolled into our property with a wheelbarrow and helped themselves to our field of dreams for over one hour. Mi casa, tu casa??? This is what happens when you live in another country. People make themselves quite comfortable...
The good news is that we fenced in our property this year and they will never stroll in uninvited again...
...The bad news is our U.S. jeeters and
Ms. Pexeira remain rogue neighbors!
Some people have all the luck...bad neighbor luck!
Accoding to About.com, Veganism is a type of vegetarian diet that excludes meat, eggs, dairy products and all other animal-derived ingredients. Many vegans also do not eat foods that are processed using animal products, such as refined white sugar and some wines. Most vegans also avoid the use of all products tested on animals, as well as animal-derived non-food products, such as leather, fur and wool.
Vegan refers to either a person who follows this way of eating, or to the diet itself. What do vegans eat? This is perhaps the most common question about veganism. A vegan diet includes all grains, beans, legumes, vegetables and fruits and the nearly infinite number of foods made by combining them. Many vegan versions of familiar foods are available, so you can eat vegan hot dogs, ice cream, cheese and vegan mayonnaise.
With all this said, I have a funny to tell...
Anyone that knows my daughter and son in law know that they are practicing Vegans. Recently they were asked a favor and they happily complied. As a result, the person they did the favor for was so very grateful that in return she gifted them a turkey. End of story.
"I’m glad we had the times together just to laugh and sing a song, seems like we just got started and then before you know it, the times we had together were gone."
“Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.”
" You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go..."
With Ali and City of Hialeah Mayor Carlos Hernandez
Dr. 'D' and City of Hialeah Mayor Carlos Hernandez
Coming soon..t.b.a.
How did it get so late so soon? It’s night before it’s afternoon. December is here before it’s June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon? ~Dr. Seuss
"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."
Slow and fractured tales from Madame Dragonfly's nest - a pocket compass while fluttering along on the Road...to The Way of St. James; Le chemin de St. Jacques; Jakobsweb; Il cammino di Santiago; O caminho de Santiago; Ruta Xacobea; El Camino Frances; The pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela and Life.
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