Hey! Rey!

Taught 90 minutes of Silat this morning to end two weeks of endurance.

Rey Diogo was in to teach BJJ on Thursday to a sold out seminar. It was apparent that everyone enjoyed his teaching. He presented me with my purple belt and several others got promotions or stripes as did Caz.

It had been intended that i would go out to LA last October and train with him in which he had given me the incentive to get my purple then. As I fell ill and couldn't go that was delayed to his recent visit. As i get fitter it will be a responsibility to carry that will keep me sharp.

All week I've been tired and after driving Rey to Edinburgh for his flight, we visited Rob, Steph and Sam (Abbie was out!) before Caz drove home. It was an early night.

Sunday will be a chill out day. My body needs it as i've pushed the boundaries.

Chelsea won their semi final game v Arsenal and now appear at the Cup Final on May 30th! At least they didnt induce the potential heart attack as on Tuesdays 4 -4 thriller!

Joan Didion, an American journalist, novelist and essayist:

"To free us from the expectations of others, to give us back to ourselves - there lies the great, singular power of self-respect."

UFC 97: Redemption.

- Middleweight champ Anderson Silva vs. Thales Leites: PREDICTION: Silva

- Chuck Liddell vs. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua: PREDICTION: Liddell.

- Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Brian Stann: Soszynski

- Cheick Kongo vs. Antoni Hardonk: Kongo

- Luis Cane vs. Steve Cantwell: Cane

Setanta, despite advertising are not showing it live. Guess who's cancelling his subscription!

snAp!

After the trip with Tuhon McGrath, I'm very tired and irritable. On top of the medication I'm snapping like a rabid dog. Rey Diogo flies in today and i'm looking forward to being in his company.

Today is the 20th anniversary of Hillsborough, which i drove past as it happened. Last night Chelsea won against the scoucers in a thrilling 4-4 draw which saw us go through 7-5 on aggregate. No-one should go to football in fear or to their death, but nor should we be treated as guilty hooligans either. With the footage of the G20 demonstrator being attacked it's apparent the use of the Police has become divisive in the UK and the football fan has felt this for a long time.

I wish the club would stop putting flags on seats, it's an artificial atmosphere. Commentators keep going on about how the scoucers don't need free flags. They are right, if the supporter wants to dress up like a bunch of christmas trees then go and support the bin dippers. We support our way and we don't need to immitate to please the TV companies to show our allegiance.

Arsenal next, at Wembley!

The government has released a list of 11 sites in England and Wales where new nuclear power stations could be built.

Bradwell, Essex

Braystones, Cumbria

Dungeness, Kent

Hartlepool

Heysham, Lancashire

Hinckley Point, Somerset

Kirksanton, Cumbria

Oldbury, South Gloucestershire

Sellafield, Cumbria

Sizewell, Suffolk

Wylfa, north Wales

A new generation of nuclear reactors simply won't deliver the urgent emissions cuts needed to tackle climate change. Even the most optimistic estimates suggest that a new generation of nuclear power stations will only reduce our emissions by four per cent by 2024: far too little, far too late, to stop global warming or address the predicted energy gap. a new generation of reactors will create tens of thousands of tonnes of the most hazardous radioactive waste, which remains dangerous for up to a million years. It will establish new targets for terrorists, including nuclear waste trains carrying deadly cargoes along our public rail network for decades to come. It will keep the threat of a nuclear reactor accident hanging over us and risk the proliferation of weapons-grade plutonium. And it will render the public liable for the enormous cleaning up costs.

But the most imminent threat that a new nuclear age poses is to the real energy solutions to climate change.

Investment in nuclear energy and its infrastructure is a dangerous and expensive distraction from the real solutions – energy efficiency, renewable technology and decentralised energy.

By decentralising our energy system and producing energy locally, the UK can meet its energy needs in a much cheaper, cleaner and safer way, slashing our climate change contributions.

=== JKrishnamurti.org - Daily Quote ===

Light is light; it does not ask for more light.

Always to seek for wider, deeper, transcendental experiences is a form of escape from the actual reality of 'what is,' which is ourselves, our own conditioned mind. A mind that is awake, intelligent, free, why should it need, why should it have, any experience at all? Light is light; it does not ask for more light.

Eater Monday

Tuhon Bill McGrath and Ewen Campbell (UFA European Director)

After the weekend of training where on Sunday i did pretty much the full 8 hours bar a few sit downs, I'm exhausted.

Tuhon Bill McGrath (Tuhon meaning teacher) is a big guy who loves life, enjoys jokes but is a heavy hitter, a deadly exponent of edged weaponry and well versed in stick fighting. Whilst many simply didn't take the opportunity to take part, the participants who did and who make up the UFA (Unified Fighting Arts) including those who travelled from Aberdeen, were given a master class in weaponry. I'm exceedingly proud of the guys of the UFA who led by example, training every minute with the respect that Bill deserved.

It is also an example of why AMAG is one of the leaders in the cross training field. It is this reason why experts such as Bob Spour are involved with us. I also was presented with a certificate which makes me the PTI UK Director.


We saw Bob on Friday and talked about NLP and how to keep focused on areas of the predicament I'm currently in. His dog Snip had a say in the matter!

Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday, which celebrates Jesus’ resurrection, according to Christian belief. Many Orthodox Christian churches in the United Kingdom often observe Easter Monday at a later date than the Easter Monday date observed by many western churches. There's no Pagan alternative.

Good Friday

We'll its been a busy few days. I flew down to Birmingham on Wednesday, to be met by James MacDonald who has moved to Coventry from Aberdeen. We walked around the centre of Birmingham killing my feet as i haven't quite broke those new shoes in. Then Tuhon McGrath flew in so i said bye to James and hello to Bill and we drove to Northampton.

Thursday i took him to Cambridge which is a beautiful city and we walked around on my sore feet for quite a few hours taking loads of pictures, some of which Bill will use in his next book. Fortunately my friend Ewen Campbell gave me a pair of shoes that helped a lot! We had a nice meal in the evening as well.

Today i am about to head off to see Bob Spour and have some therapy from him. I'll let you know how it goes. With all this running around i've forced myself to eat more and so i have more energy.

It would be rude of me NOT to mention Chelsea's magnificent performance at Anfield, beating the scoucers 3 goals to one. All we had heard for weeks was how they would win the competition, but humble pie is being served up right now. Second leg still to come so i won't count the easter eggs quite yet but it was great to hear the biased commentators shut up.

The week ahead

I travel Wednesday down to Birmingham to Welcome Tuhon Bill McGrath who is in to conduct a weekend seminar that I have organised. So today and tomorrow will involve a bit of prep and packing. I have to also organise all my medication. I am also collecting my urine for 24 hours to see what the impact is on the kidneys with the current schedule. It's all go. I look forward to seeing friends such as Ewen Campbell and Bob Spour during my trip.


When i get back next week, Rey Diogo is flying into town fresh from winning his division at the Pan American Championships, so it will be all go then as well! Life is for living!

CT Scan results

This morning I went for a CT scan. By 10am i was out and off to meet up with Paul McIntyre for breakfast on Rose St. Since then i finished hanging scaffolding from an I Beam to hold punch bags at the gym, met Dod Law fresh from his knee surgery for a cup of tea before returning to the gym for a light workout.

I have now got the results for the CT Scan. Bear in mind that they expected it to have hopefully stopped growing further and it would be some time before reduction took place. I have been visualising it getting smaller all the time.

here is the communication i received around 4pm:

Compared with December 2008 CT, there is a slight decrease in the tumour in segment 6 of your liver (66x63mm compared with 68x70mm), a significant reduction in the amount of fluid (ascites) in your abdomen, and the gland near the pancreas is 24mm compared with 32mm. You still, of course , have the appearances of the cirrhosis and the portal hypertension (varicose veins
near the liver).

We should continue with the Sorafenib at the same dose (200mg twice a day). Please keep an eye on your blood pressure a couple of times daily and if it is sitting above 150/90 then we
would need to increase slightly your ramipril. We also need to re quantify the protein in your urine with another 24 hour collection on Monday.

Well done!

I recall the words said by one Doctor that "it's good to be positive but you need to be realistic". The treatment so far has stopped the growth and turned it around. I expect a significantly greater reduction with the momentum next time.

I may have cancer but cancer wont have me!

April fool

CT Scan first thing tomorrow morning so better read my instructions they sent me. Results not known till next week when they will call me whilst I'm hosting Tuhon Bill McGrath. Have to be there at 9am so I'll go on the bike to filter past the traffic jams. That will put a smile on my face.

Caz and Kali are in Inverness celebrating her mums birthday and i'll join them Saturday. After two nights sleep disturbed feeling nauseous, i will grab some extra sleep before then!

At least eight people have died after a helicopter with 16 people on board crashed into the North Sea. I have one pal due to come onshore today so i pray they are ok.

1984
an alternative view to the media drivel