No Wonder They’re so Confident, I thought — French women. The phrase connotes images of sophistication, savoir faire and understated beauty. They don’t wear tons of makeup or baubles. They smoke and eat fatty cheese. They talk in husky voices like Edith Piaf. Whatever they do, they are sexy. Those are all stereotypes, of course. I’ve been to…

Debating what is selfish in my situation — About three weeks ago I collapsed; turns out I had a brain tumor. They did surgery, removed the tumor and now I’m recovering. The tumor was a stage IV brain cancer. It has metastasized. Since mobility is an issue, a friend is looking after my German Shepherd Snowy. I miss…

Quick, cheap, flavorful, and healthy — what’s not to like? — I am on a tight budget these days, something I am sure others can relate to. I also have dietary restrictions due to cancer. Again, this is something I think others can relate to, either because of medical conditions such as diabetes, or because of issues like gluten intolerance, or…

Made with veggies from my garden and Mom’s home-made garam masala — I picked up a couple of yellow squash from my garden this morning, and yet more vine-ripened tomatoes. Also a green pepper and cilantro. I decided to make a vegan stuffed squash that I could share with my Mom, who is a vegetarian. She does eat yogurt on a pretty…

Sharing space and life together — My mother loves Indian music. I don’t. Well, that’s not completely true. I like some of the purely instrumental stuff. I like the older film music — from the 1960s and 70s. It reminds me of my childhood, and the lyrics and music tend to be softer, sweeter, more elegant…

Breaking cancer without breaking my wallet — I have cancer. That means I have two requirements that create added expenses in my life, and there is nothing I can do about them. I need to pay for medical care. That means whatever insurance doesn’t cover (which in my case, is a lot) as well as co-pays, medications…

An example that highlights hurdles that need to be overcome — Once upon a time, China was one of the world’s most advanced civilizations. They invented several products that people still use today, including paper, printing, gunpowder, and the compass. Their medicine (along with India’s) was far more advanced than that of Europe. Yet in the modern era, China is better…

Truth is stranger than fiction. — Elmer Gantry was a fictional, narcissistic cult leader created by Sinclair Lewis. Donald Trump is a real life narcissistic cult leader whose on-screen persona is largely fictional. He has been portrayed in many works of actual fiction, such as his cameo appearance in Home Alone. The most bizarre of these…

It’s great to give, but be careful to set boundaries — Thanks to my upbringing and faith, I think it is better to give than to receive. That doesn’t mean I’m not selfish at times, or mean, or even b*tchy. I’m human, and dealing with cancer can make me cranky at times. When I’m in pain, it’s harder to control my…