Aromatherapy has been added to the list of ways with which I make people feel awesome! I'm using Young Living Essential Oils and Blends in my massage and Reiki sessions, now. Small cost for added benefit and enjoyment - just $5.00.
I have a website for anyone wanting to get info on the product line: https://www.youngliving.org/karenearls. Some of the tabs aren't fully functional yet, but I'm working on it. (But I think the ordering tab is working, so if you see something you want, go for it!)
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Edge
Sometimes, I am such a genius that I scare myself.
Sometimes, I am such an idiot that I scare myself.
The good news about both of these facts is that when you spend so much time scaring yourself, it's hard to create a comfort zone, so you spend a lot of your life on the edge.
The scary news is that you hardly ever know on which which edge you have placed yourself this time.
But it all turns out alright in the end.
Sometimes, I am such an idiot that I scare myself.
The good news about both of these facts is that when you spend so much time scaring yourself, it's hard to create a comfort zone, so you spend a lot of your life on the edge.
The scary news is that you hardly ever know on which which edge you have placed yourself this time.
But it all turns out alright in the end.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Such a Sacrifice
What a day! I got to start my day receiving a Thai massage from a girl who is actually from Thailand, who was already doing it there for 9 years before she came to the USA. (I'm so excited that she's joining our team, and that I'll get to learn from her!) Then I got a facial because our back-up girl wanted a practice session with our product line. Then I got to get my lip and chin waxed!
I told Samantha that these are great sacrifices I'm making for her. :-) I really love my job.
I told Samantha that these are great sacrifices I'm making for her. :-) I really love my job.
Sunday, September 08, 2013
Strip It to the Core
Yep, it's Sunday morning, and I've been up and about way too long already. I had to get up and go to Walhell to get my oil changed and price tires for the rear of my car. Oil change wasn't too painful, but I killed time by shopping and that wasn't the best for my pocket book. It's not that I didn't need anything I bought, I just know those tires are going to cost me, and I really, really need them so that I can get to work and back, and so that I can keep my tiny mobile business mobile. Tax write-off for business is great - at tax time - but I still haven't quite reached a steady flow of enough business to keep up with bills and necessities.
These facts bring me to my topic this morning. While I think the USA is a great nation, having lived in it my whole life, and only having seen snippets of life in other countries and cultures, I do still have a few things I think could be improved. Yes, I know the whole deal about responsible voting, but do you really think that has any effect in today's political world? No matter how carefully you weigh past actions, personal lives, hidden business pacts, etc., when you're voting, you are placing your trust in someone you really don't know at all, and choosing them over someone else you really don't know at all. And this is a big country with a lot of different political views and pretty much every political figure has an agenda that may or may not agree with any given individual's hopes and plans.
Our nation, however magnificent it may be, is very broken and in desperate need of an overhaul. Do I know how to fix it? Hell no! Do I know who to call to fix it:? Again, hell no! I think it has become too large a monster to overcome without tearing it all the way down to the dirt, and maybe further than that, and starting over from scratch. That, unfortunately, requires aggressive and horrifying actions that could only be viewed as terrorism by the mass populace, myself included - or revolution...again. And I am most definitely not willing to see anything that extreme happen here.
But this plays very deeply into a theme I have observed (and mentioned) over and over again in my life. The USA is the current Roman Empire. And we all know what happened to that. Think about it. We place a high value on our celebrities - athletic stars, movie stars, people who are famous simply for the sake of being famous, even political figures are celebrities, whether or not they started out that way. What's worse is that we value these figures much more than the truly valuable members of our society - teachers, law enforcement, fire and rescue, military (low ranking, especially), and the every day joes who do jobs no one else wants to do. Do you think that celebrity would be caught dead trying to handle the waste management station for a high school? He or she isn't really above that sort of work, but has been made to seem so (and thus to think so) because we, the people, have placed them at a higher station.
And even while we place these largely undeserving figures on a pedestal, we romanticize about such figures who are actually capable of and willing to do those unpopular chores. Forever counterbalancing life in our vast imagination, we take the already high-and-mighty and teach them humility by having them slop the pigs, or conversely, taking street hoodlums and turning them into scientific geniuses who cure the world's ills. But this only happens in stories, in fantasies. When someone does seem to be the essence of one of these fantastical beings, we immediately distrust the idea, and the media step in to dig up all the dirt that can be found so that this person no longer shines like the hero we thought we'd found.
Not only are we upside-down in our beliefs of who is important and who should be important, we are decidedly undecided about the whole affair. And this isn't the only area where we, the USA at large, is confused. Fast is more important than good - another theme that constantly repeats itself around me.
I've had a number of jobs where the speed at which I produced the result was made more important than the result itself. While there is value in being able to work fast, it is thrice as important, in my mind, to work accurately and thoroughly. Even in my new industry- massage therapy - scheduling is given much more importance than being able to thoroughly handle everything that needs to be handled. I find myself having to skimp on the legs in the interest of being sure I work that knot out of the shoulder blade, because my time is limited to 60 or 90 minutes. I don't like working that way, even when the recipient has said it's alright. I would much rather say, I will spend a minimum of 60 minutes on your issues. I will charge $1 per minute above that to provide the most thorough service for you. The next person waiting should understand that this same consideration will be provided for them, and that everyone will receive the absolute best I can provide. Then I could schedule a larger gap between massages to allow for time overages, and still have enough time to clean and reset for the next recipient. I shouldn't have to always move towards the fastest solution, when that solution doesn't work for everyone. I should always be able to choose whatever is the best solution for that person, no matter the amount of time involved. That, to me, would make my massage the most valuable thing I can give.
I understand that fitting more massages into the day brings more money to the business, and I make it very important to ensure that the quality of the massage I give is very high so that the recipient wants to come back to me. But here's where I see the biggest failing in our society, all the way around. Money is the most important factor of all. We live and die, yearly, daily, hourly, and even minute-by-minute trying to make money to live. If we were strip it down to the core again, the first thing I would get rid of is money, then politicians, then celebrities. Service for service, goods for goods, goods for service. Each individual is responsible for finding an honest way to get what is needed. If you can't grow it yourself, trade something that is valuable to the person who can. I see no reason why a person shouldn't be able to eat a meal for a song, quite literally. If that's the thing you have that is of value to someone else, by all means, sing that song for all you're worth and enjoy that life-sustaining meal. And nods to both the singer and the cook for being intelligent and wise at the same time!
I've seen a number of children's stories where a person needed something that he or she could not afford to buy. The plot takes the cast through a series of situations where a number of people need something that someone else has or can do for them, but they don't have or can't do something for the other. What resolves the situation is a sort-of interweaving of everyone's needs so that each person gets what he or she needs through one or another of the story's cast. Why is this lesson so valuable when we are children that it is taught to us over and over again, but when we reach adulthood, the absolute only thing that will get us anything is money? I love the barter system and use it whenever/wherever I can. There's just no other way I'm going to get some of the things I need, because I don't have enough money, and I'm not willing to sell my soul or my body to get them. They've both been through quite enough, thank you very much.
Again, I say that I have no idea how to fix our country, because the only way to bring the changes we need around is to not be a big country at all. These kinds of ideals only work in very small groups of people - small communities, not cities, states, or countries. Not unless the entire population is of like mind, and that's just not going to happen, because we are merely human, and subject to all that adjective entails. But I can wish, and hope, and send all the positive energy I can muster out to the universe to make it so. And I do all of the above.
Namaste.
These facts bring me to my topic this morning. While I think the USA is a great nation, having lived in it my whole life, and only having seen snippets of life in other countries and cultures, I do still have a few things I think could be improved. Yes, I know the whole deal about responsible voting, but do you really think that has any effect in today's political world? No matter how carefully you weigh past actions, personal lives, hidden business pacts, etc., when you're voting, you are placing your trust in someone you really don't know at all, and choosing them over someone else you really don't know at all. And this is a big country with a lot of different political views and pretty much every political figure has an agenda that may or may not agree with any given individual's hopes and plans.
Our nation, however magnificent it may be, is very broken and in desperate need of an overhaul. Do I know how to fix it? Hell no! Do I know who to call to fix it:? Again, hell no! I think it has become too large a monster to overcome without tearing it all the way down to the dirt, and maybe further than that, and starting over from scratch. That, unfortunately, requires aggressive and horrifying actions that could only be viewed as terrorism by the mass populace, myself included - or revolution...again. And I am most definitely not willing to see anything that extreme happen here.
But this plays very deeply into a theme I have observed (and mentioned) over and over again in my life. The USA is the current Roman Empire. And we all know what happened to that. Think about it. We place a high value on our celebrities - athletic stars, movie stars, people who are famous simply for the sake of being famous, even political figures are celebrities, whether or not they started out that way. What's worse is that we value these figures much more than the truly valuable members of our society - teachers, law enforcement, fire and rescue, military (low ranking, especially), and the every day joes who do jobs no one else wants to do. Do you think that celebrity would be caught dead trying to handle the waste management station for a high school? He or she isn't really above that sort of work, but has been made to seem so (and thus to think so) because we, the people, have placed them at a higher station.
And even while we place these largely undeserving figures on a pedestal, we romanticize about such figures who are actually capable of and willing to do those unpopular chores. Forever counterbalancing life in our vast imagination, we take the already high-and-mighty and teach them humility by having them slop the pigs, or conversely, taking street hoodlums and turning them into scientific geniuses who cure the world's ills. But this only happens in stories, in fantasies. When someone does seem to be the essence of one of these fantastical beings, we immediately distrust the idea, and the media step in to dig up all the dirt that can be found so that this person no longer shines like the hero we thought we'd found.
Not only are we upside-down in our beliefs of who is important and who should be important, we are decidedly undecided about the whole affair. And this isn't the only area where we, the USA at large, is confused. Fast is more important than good - another theme that constantly repeats itself around me.
I've had a number of jobs where the speed at which I produced the result was made more important than the result itself. While there is value in being able to work fast, it is thrice as important, in my mind, to work accurately and thoroughly. Even in my new industry- massage therapy - scheduling is given much more importance than being able to thoroughly handle everything that needs to be handled. I find myself having to skimp on the legs in the interest of being sure I work that knot out of the shoulder blade, because my time is limited to 60 or 90 minutes. I don't like working that way, even when the recipient has said it's alright. I would much rather say, I will spend a minimum of 60 minutes on your issues. I will charge $1 per minute above that to provide the most thorough service for you. The next person waiting should understand that this same consideration will be provided for them, and that everyone will receive the absolute best I can provide. Then I could schedule a larger gap between massages to allow for time overages, and still have enough time to clean and reset for the next recipient. I shouldn't have to always move towards the fastest solution, when that solution doesn't work for everyone. I should always be able to choose whatever is the best solution for that person, no matter the amount of time involved. That, to me, would make my massage the most valuable thing I can give.
I understand that fitting more massages into the day brings more money to the business, and I make it very important to ensure that the quality of the massage I give is very high so that the recipient wants to come back to me. But here's where I see the biggest failing in our society, all the way around. Money is the most important factor of all. We live and die, yearly, daily, hourly, and even minute-by-minute trying to make money to live. If we were strip it down to the core again, the first thing I would get rid of is money, then politicians, then celebrities. Service for service, goods for goods, goods for service. Each individual is responsible for finding an honest way to get what is needed. If you can't grow it yourself, trade something that is valuable to the person who can. I see no reason why a person shouldn't be able to eat a meal for a song, quite literally. If that's the thing you have that is of value to someone else, by all means, sing that song for all you're worth and enjoy that life-sustaining meal. And nods to both the singer and the cook for being intelligent and wise at the same time!
I've seen a number of children's stories where a person needed something that he or she could not afford to buy. The plot takes the cast through a series of situations where a number of people need something that someone else has or can do for them, but they don't have or can't do something for the other. What resolves the situation is a sort-of interweaving of everyone's needs so that each person gets what he or she needs through one or another of the story's cast. Why is this lesson so valuable when we are children that it is taught to us over and over again, but when we reach adulthood, the absolute only thing that will get us anything is money? I love the barter system and use it whenever/wherever I can. There's just no other way I'm going to get some of the things I need, because I don't have enough money, and I'm not willing to sell my soul or my body to get them. They've both been through quite enough, thank you very much.
Again, I say that I have no idea how to fix our country, because the only way to bring the changes we need around is to not be a big country at all. These kinds of ideals only work in very small groups of people - small communities, not cities, states, or countries. Not unless the entire population is of like mind, and that's just not going to happen, because we are merely human, and subject to all that adjective entails. But I can wish, and hope, and send all the positive energy I can muster out to the universe to make it so. And I do all of the above.
Namaste.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Emotional whiplash continues. Breathing. Generally still at peace with myself. Now to get the rest of the world in line. :-) Love, love, love.
Mom's back in hospital - pneumonia. She was supposed to be getting out of rehab this coming Friday and coming home. The doctor's going to continue her rehab at the hospital once the antibiotics kick in. Hopefully she'll be able to come straight home from the hospital. But if not, we are not putting her back in the same rehab facility. We are moving her to the new one come hell or high water.
Having said that: Love, love, love. Be happy, everyone. Work is busy, bills are paid, and my contact lenses are on the way.
Mom's back in hospital - pneumonia. She was supposed to be getting out of rehab this coming Friday and coming home. The doctor's going to continue her rehab at the hospital once the antibiotics kick in. Hopefully she'll be able to come straight home from the hospital. But if not, we are not putting her back in the same rehab facility. We are moving her to the new one come hell or high water.
Having said that: Love, love, love. Be happy, everyone. Work is busy, bills are paid, and my contact lenses are on the way.
Tuesday, August 06, 2013
The Chaos Sisters united today in their efforts to ensure Mom's safety and well-being. She's been transferred back to rehab to try (again) to get the strength back in her legs before she can come home. Not only did the usual duo (Ann and me) wreak mayhem upon the administrative staff, but apparently our oldest sister had also called the facility this morning before we got there, and she gave them an earful as well. I guess they know, now, that they don't stir up trouble with a nest of Earls Girls. We may have made a little bit of history - at least in the small realm of this particular convalescent center. And I don't mind that one bit.
In the meantime, the three sisters are still united in the intention of moving Mom from this one to a fancy new one that just opened up. We've got her on a waiting list and can't wait to get her in there.
In the meantime, the three sisters are still united in the intention of moving Mom from this one to a fancy new one that just opened up. We've got her on a waiting list and can't wait to get her in there.
Thursday, August 01, 2013
Loop the Loop
Around and around and around we go. We try to keep positive - all of us; not just me. She's in the hospital again. After she came home, she did great. She made progress: she could walk short distances more easily, she could stand for a short time unassisted, as long as she was in reach of support. She could trust herself getting onto and off of the toilet. She ate like a champ. We all rejoiced to see these changes.
Then her doctor said, "No. You cannot stand up without your rollator. No. You cannot walk without your rollator. You are too sick to do these things." Then Mom didn't just regress; she leaped backwards, and with whiplash force. Within a week she was convinced she had to go back to the emergency room. She was admitted again. She stayed several days and was once again released into rehab for physical therapy.
She didn't really make progress this time. Then she started sliding backwards further. She started getting tired quickly and sleeping more, and then she started being confused all the time again. I would give her hugs and smile at her, but I knew she wasn't right. The nurse came to weigh her one day when I was there. She noticed how out of it Mom was and requested the doctor to approve a urinalysis. Mom started running a high fever - from her normal 96.7, she was at 103 by the time they transferred her back to the ER for "evaluation."
She was admitted. Again. UTI. No sign of pneumonia, kidney failure or any of the other usual suspects. But I found out a couple days later that there is an infection in her blood from the kidneys. So, not kidney failure? They had her on a liquid diet. At first it made sense because she was nauseous all the time, but they didn't show signs of putting her back on solids even after the nausea subsided. Her mood started degrading and she didn't speak when we visited and she just looked away from us and cried.
Today she refused to take her pills and still wouldn't speak to anyone. My sister and I went to see her, and Dad was still there, still sitting talking to a wall because she wasn't even acknowledging him. He left a few minutes later hoping that she'd talk to us if he wasn't there. All she said was that he couldn't even stay until the doctor came. Ann and I corrected her immediately on that point - he had been there for over three hours with her behaving like that. We hope she apologized later.
I tried to cajole her into saying something - anything - else but she clammed back up. I let her know that we were there for her. That it's only fair for us to be there for her since she was there for us all those years. That we love her and we know she's tired of being in institutions and just wants to come home. We know. We know. But we can't bring her home until she's well enough and until she reaches her physical therapy goals - the ones that she set for herself.
My sister went to find her doctor while I was trying to talk Mom into talking. I told her that I sensed a lot of fear and a lot of anger in her behavior. I said again that we are with her, that we are there for her.
The doctor came, and brought along the nurse on duty and the hospital's chaplain. The doctor gave her the "team-player" talk without actually using the term "team-player." He's a young man, and I was impressed with how smoothly and easily he got her to work out of her funk. He finally asked her what it would take for her to do her part. She responded angrily, but clearly: "Get me some damn food! You have me on a liquid diet!"
The doctor asked why she was still on liquids and no one could answer so he said, "Well that's something I can fix right now. You can eat whatever you want - just EAT! Then take your meds. Then you will start to improve and we can move on to the next steps."
My sister left immediately to get her a cheeseburger and a kid's size frosty from Wendy's (one of Mom's favorites). The doctor talked to Mom a few minutes more, then the chaplain sat and prayed with her while I spoke to the doctor. I told him how much importance Mom places on food that tastes good. He reiterated that she can eat whatever she wants as long as she gets better. She is not the text book patient. No doubt about that!
After everyone else left, and before my sister came back, Mom said, softly, "I was having a temper tantrum." I replied that she was, and that it happens sometimes. I was about to continue when I heard a paper bag jostling in the door. The food had arrived!
Mom ate the sandwich - all but two bites - and was 1/2-way through the frosty when she remembered her other instruction from the doctor. She asked for her pills. I could hear a choir of angels singing in joy for her. I might have been singing with them. She took her pills without hesitation and when she finished the frosty she told us, "You can go now." We took that as dismissal, but we made sure to tell her that we love her and we'd be back as soon as we could. She finally said, grudgingly, "I love you, too."
We weren't even out of the parking lot when my cell phone rang with her asking for something to tidy up her hair. Sigh. I'm glad she felt well enough to care about her hair. But seriously - emotional whiplash over and over again.
Then her doctor said, "No. You cannot stand up without your rollator. No. You cannot walk without your rollator. You are too sick to do these things." Then Mom didn't just regress; she leaped backwards, and with whiplash force. Within a week she was convinced she had to go back to the emergency room. She was admitted again. She stayed several days and was once again released into rehab for physical therapy.
She didn't really make progress this time. Then she started sliding backwards further. She started getting tired quickly and sleeping more, and then she started being confused all the time again. I would give her hugs and smile at her, but I knew she wasn't right. The nurse came to weigh her one day when I was there. She noticed how out of it Mom was and requested the doctor to approve a urinalysis. Mom started running a high fever - from her normal 96.7, she was at 103 by the time they transferred her back to the ER for "evaluation."
She was admitted. Again. UTI. No sign of pneumonia, kidney failure or any of the other usual suspects. But I found out a couple days later that there is an infection in her blood from the kidneys. So, not kidney failure? They had her on a liquid diet. At first it made sense because she was nauseous all the time, but they didn't show signs of putting her back on solids even after the nausea subsided. Her mood started degrading and she didn't speak when we visited and she just looked away from us and cried.
Today she refused to take her pills and still wouldn't speak to anyone. My sister and I went to see her, and Dad was still there, still sitting talking to a wall because she wasn't even acknowledging him. He left a few minutes later hoping that she'd talk to us if he wasn't there. All she said was that he couldn't even stay until the doctor came. Ann and I corrected her immediately on that point - he had been there for over three hours with her behaving like that. We hope she apologized later.
I tried to cajole her into saying something - anything - else but she clammed back up. I let her know that we were there for her. That it's only fair for us to be there for her since she was there for us all those years. That we love her and we know she's tired of being in institutions and just wants to come home. We know. We know. But we can't bring her home until she's well enough and until she reaches her physical therapy goals - the ones that she set for herself.
My sister went to find her doctor while I was trying to talk Mom into talking. I told her that I sensed a lot of fear and a lot of anger in her behavior. I said again that we are with her, that we are there for her.
The doctor came, and brought along the nurse on duty and the hospital's chaplain. The doctor gave her the "team-player" talk without actually using the term "team-player." He's a young man, and I was impressed with how smoothly and easily he got her to work out of her funk. He finally asked her what it would take for her to do her part. She responded angrily, but clearly: "Get me some damn food! You have me on a liquid diet!"
The doctor asked why she was still on liquids and no one could answer so he said, "Well that's something I can fix right now. You can eat whatever you want - just EAT! Then take your meds. Then you will start to improve and we can move on to the next steps."
My sister left immediately to get her a cheeseburger and a kid's size frosty from Wendy's (one of Mom's favorites). The doctor talked to Mom a few minutes more, then the chaplain sat and prayed with her while I spoke to the doctor. I told him how much importance Mom places on food that tastes good. He reiterated that she can eat whatever she wants as long as she gets better. She is not the text book patient. No doubt about that!
After everyone else left, and before my sister came back, Mom said, softly, "I was having a temper tantrum." I replied that she was, and that it happens sometimes. I was about to continue when I heard a paper bag jostling in the door. The food had arrived!
Mom ate the sandwich - all but two bites - and was 1/2-way through the frosty when she remembered her other instruction from the doctor. She asked for her pills. I could hear a choir of angels singing in joy for her. I might have been singing with them. She took her pills without hesitation and when she finished the frosty she told us, "You can go now." We took that as dismissal, but we made sure to tell her that we love her and we'd be back as soon as we could. She finally said, grudgingly, "I love you, too."
We weren't even out of the parking lot when my cell phone rang with her asking for something to tidy up her hair. Sigh. I'm glad she felt well enough to care about her hair. But seriously - emotional whiplash over and over again.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Old McWorky
Mantras are great. You can positively change your world in any number of ways simply by using positive thought. I've been really peaceful and happy (in spite of some more hospital "fun" with Ma, and the usual shortness of funds) because I've been choosing to focus on the positive things that are being built in my life right now. And it's been an amazing change for me.
Of course there's still stress, and I'm not saying that picking a mantra and using it will keep stress from happening. I know the possibility exists that I won't make enough money to pay my bills. I know the possibility exists that one of Ma's hospital visits may be her last, and for all the wrong reasons. I know that Dad might go downhill (probably is going downhill) because he's putting all his energy into worrying about Mom and not taking care of himself. All of these things are indeed a great source of stress for me.
BUT. I can still breathe. I can still work. I can still say "I love to you" to both of them repeatedly; give them hugs; do what I can for them. And because I can do all of those things, I make sure that I do do all of those things. As far as their health, well being a Reiki master, I send them healing as often as I can, and when I hug them, I send a little extra push of Reiki along with it.
As for work/money, I have devised a mantra that seems to be working out very well so far. In fact, the first day I tried it, I had a full day booked that day, when only one session was booked when I got up. That pattern has continued to evolve since I began the practice a couple of weeks ago. I had a meeting with a chiropractor who met me and the owner of Elements Massage and Bodywork LLC at a networking event last month. She wanted a massage therapist to work out of her office one or two days a week so her patients could get a massage after their adjustment. I originally declined because the only day I could give without leaving Samantha short would be Wednesday - my one day off from Elements and one of my available days for Serenity.
When we met again at her request, I went ahead and took the deal. I made it clear that there would be at least one Wednesday each quarter that I would not be available so I can see to my regulars for Serenity, who have been sticking to a quarterly schedule with me. Her practice is located in a high-income area of an already high-income city/county. Lots of disposable income. Today is my first day there. My first appointment is at 1:45 this afternoon. I am excited to see how this plays out.
My mantra is very effective, and I will continue to use it, with little modifications here and there. It's also silly and fun, and when people hear me do it, they laugh at me like they think I'm joking. That makes me sad for them, because if they'd just let go and give in to the silly, it would work for them, too. But you can't force someone to learn that - it's something that they have to learn for themselves. All you can do, is just keep doing it yourself, and hope they figure it out.
For those who are open to a little silliness and are willing to make some awesome positive changes, have a go at this: To the tune of "Old MacDonald", and pointing to yourself whenever you say ""Old McWorky" (or whatever you substitute there - your goal may not be the same as mine). The thing about this is, it's something that sticks in your head. So you sing it once, and it's stuck there the rest of the day, working in the background as you go about your business.
Old McWorky had some work.
Work work work work work
And at that work she made lots of money.
Money money money money money
With a work work here
And money money there
Here some work
There more money
Everywhere work and money
Old McWorky had some work.
Money money money money money
Go ye, have fun, reach goals, and be merry. And remember to love. Always remember to love.
Of course there's still stress, and I'm not saying that picking a mantra and using it will keep stress from happening. I know the possibility exists that I won't make enough money to pay my bills. I know the possibility exists that one of Ma's hospital visits may be her last, and for all the wrong reasons. I know that Dad might go downhill (probably is going downhill) because he's putting all his energy into worrying about Mom and not taking care of himself. All of these things are indeed a great source of stress for me.
BUT. I can still breathe. I can still work. I can still say "I love to you" to both of them repeatedly; give them hugs; do what I can for them. And because I can do all of those things, I make sure that I do do all of those things. As far as their health, well being a Reiki master, I send them healing as often as I can, and when I hug them, I send a little extra push of Reiki along with it.
As for work/money, I have devised a mantra that seems to be working out very well so far. In fact, the first day I tried it, I had a full day booked that day, when only one session was booked when I got up. That pattern has continued to evolve since I began the practice a couple of weeks ago. I had a meeting with a chiropractor who met me and the owner of Elements Massage and Bodywork LLC at a networking event last month. She wanted a massage therapist to work out of her office one or two days a week so her patients could get a massage after their adjustment. I originally declined because the only day I could give without leaving Samantha short would be Wednesday - my one day off from Elements and one of my available days for Serenity.
When we met again at her request, I went ahead and took the deal. I made it clear that there would be at least one Wednesday each quarter that I would not be available so I can see to my regulars for Serenity, who have been sticking to a quarterly schedule with me. Her practice is located in a high-income area of an already high-income city/county. Lots of disposable income. Today is my first day there. My first appointment is at 1:45 this afternoon. I am excited to see how this plays out.
My mantra is very effective, and I will continue to use it, with little modifications here and there. It's also silly and fun, and when people hear me do it, they laugh at me like they think I'm joking. That makes me sad for them, because if they'd just let go and give in to the silly, it would work for them, too. But you can't force someone to learn that - it's something that they have to learn for themselves. All you can do, is just keep doing it yourself, and hope they figure it out.
For those who are open to a little silliness and are willing to make some awesome positive changes, have a go at this: To the tune of "Old MacDonald", and pointing to yourself whenever you say ""Old McWorky" (or whatever you substitute there - your goal may not be the same as mine). The thing about this is, it's something that sticks in your head. So you sing it once, and it's stuck there the rest of the day, working in the background as you go about your business.
Old McWorky had some work.
Work work work work work
And at that work she made lots of money.
Money money money money money
With a work work here
And money money there
Here some work
There more money
Everywhere work and money
Old McWorky had some work.
Money money money money money
Go ye, have fun, reach goals, and be merry. And remember to love. Always remember to love.
Monday, June 24, 2013
Sunday, June 09, 2013
Mom has spent a lot of the last month in the hospital. Not all at the same time; sometimes in telemetry so they could just monitor her, but most of it in ICU. The first batch of visits were focused on her heart, because she was tired and weak and has atrial fibrillation issues. The last stretch was the longest and scariest.
Even though the emergency room sent her some from the previous visit without admitting her at all, she remained very weak and couldn't support her weight, even with assistance. She had Dad take her back to the ER, even after we all discussed it and made sure she understood she would most likely end up in a home where people could care for her better than we can. That's when we knew she was terrified of what was happening within her.
At the ER, they decided to do bloodwork that was ignored on the previous visit. The bloodwork showed that she had been in renal failure (kidneys) for five days - if they'd done the bloodwork on her previous visit, they would have caught it immediately. They put her in Telemetry again because they wanted to get her phrenologist in on the case, which meant she'd have to wait until the next morning. During the night, the a-fib decided to have a go, and they moved her back into the ICU.
Lots of doctors looked at her; lots of tests were run; lots of blood was drawn frequently. They were trying to get her INR down (she's on blood thinners and you have to bring the level down below 1.5 something or other or you risk a bleed-out during surgery). They wanted to install a pace maker. The heart was evidently the most urgent issue, so the kidneys were simply monitored while they tried to get her to where she could have the surgery.
Meanwhile, her body started filling with fluid because she couldn't move around and keep things circulating out. So her lungs also filled with fluid and she developed a terrifying rattle. Seriously terrifying. My Dad's immediate response on hearing it was, "Oh, no, that's not a death rattle!" This is actually what we were all thinking and trying not to talk about it. Mom was not really very lucid during that first couple of days; sometimes, but usually not. It was really frightening. I can't say that enough. We had conversations in the waiting room about what would happen if she didn't make it. Dad wanted to make sure we were prepared. It was very difficult to keep from crying.
The pile of doctors conferred some more and started her on a major Lasix drip to clear the fluid out of her body. She started coming around, and so did her kidneys. Her lungs started clearing up; the rattle steadily improved and she began staying lucid more often and longer. They started her on breathing treatments to help her lungs regain strength, and then she began improving faster. Her INR was still a little high, but they have a platelet procedure they can give to thicken the blood when it's close enough, so they eventually decided it was a good and necessary risk.
Almost two weeks after being admitted, they were finally able to perform the surgery to install the pace maker. She made it through that just fine and recovery took on an even faster pace. Within a day she was moved back up to Telemetry and a day or two later was moved to a rehabilitation facility just 10 minutes from the house. The hospital was a 30-minute drive each way, so the nearness of this facility is appreciated by all! They expect her to be there about a month.
All I can say is that she is so much more like the Mom I know and love that I get a little teary when I think about how far from that she was. And her behavior is much more in line with normal. I still fear that Alzheimer's will get a grip on her, and I really hope that once she is cleared from rehab, she and Dad will seriously look into it with her primary physician. I told Dad what I thought, and he agrees with me. So maybe there's a chance.
So I visit her for a while every day. So does Dad, so does Ann; though Ann is staying away right now because she's sick. I have so many hopes for her recovery, but the biggest one is that she won't follow the same pattern she usually does - puts up with the dietary restrictions until she gets home and immediately starts frying everything in bacon grease. I know she loves flavor, and fat and salt have tons of flavor. I understand that after a 70+ lifetime of eating that way, it's no fun trying to stay out of it. But maybe this time she'll remember just how close it brought her to the end, and will be a little more careful for a little longer.
Even though the emergency room sent her some from the previous visit without admitting her at all, she remained very weak and couldn't support her weight, even with assistance. She had Dad take her back to the ER, even after we all discussed it and made sure she understood she would most likely end up in a home where people could care for her better than we can. That's when we knew she was terrified of what was happening within her.
At the ER, they decided to do bloodwork that was ignored on the previous visit. The bloodwork showed that she had been in renal failure (kidneys) for five days - if they'd done the bloodwork on her previous visit, they would have caught it immediately. They put her in Telemetry again because they wanted to get her phrenologist in on the case, which meant she'd have to wait until the next morning. During the night, the a-fib decided to have a go, and they moved her back into the ICU.
Lots of doctors looked at her; lots of tests were run; lots of blood was drawn frequently. They were trying to get her INR down (she's on blood thinners and you have to bring the level down below 1.5 something or other or you risk a bleed-out during surgery). They wanted to install a pace maker. The heart was evidently the most urgent issue, so the kidneys were simply monitored while they tried to get her to where she could have the surgery.
Meanwhile, her body started filling with fluid because she couldn't move around and keep things circulating out. So her lungs also filled with fluid and she developed a terrifying rattle. Seriously terrifying. My Dad's immediate response on hearing it was, "Oh, no, that's not a death rattle!" This is actually what we were all thinking and trying not to talk about it. Mom was not really very lucid during that first couple of days; sometimes, but usually not. It was really frightening. I can't say that enough. We had conversations in the waiting room about what would happen if she didn't make it. Dad wanted to make sure we were prepared. It was very difficult to keep from crying.
The pile of doctors conferred some more and started her on a major Lasix drip to clear the fluid out of her body. She started coming around, and so did her kidneys. Her lungs started clearing up; the rattle steadily improved and she began staying lucid more often and longer. They started her on breathing treatments to help her lungs regain strength, and then she began improving faster. Her INR was still a little high, but they have a platelet procedure they can give to thicken the blood when it's close enough, so they eventually decided it was a good and necessary risk.
Almost two weeks after being admitted, they were finally able to perform the surgery to install the pace maker. She made it through that just fine and recovery took on an even faster pace. Within a day she was moved back up to Telemetry and a day or two later was moved to a rehabilitation facility just 10 minutes from the house. The hospital was a 30-minute drive each way, so the nearness of this facility is appreciated by all! They expect her to be there about a month.
All I can say is that she is so much more like the Mom I know and love that I get a little teary when I think about how far from that she was. And her behavior is much more in line with normal. I still fear that Alzheimer's will get a grip on her, and I really hope that once she is cleared from rehab, she and Dad will seriously look into it with her primary physician. I told Dad what I thought, and he agrees with me. So maybe there's a chance.
So I visit her for a while every day. So does Dad, so does Ann; though Ann is staying away right now because she's sick. I have so many hopes for her recovery, but the biggest one is that she won't follow the same pattern she usually does - puts up with the dietary restrictions until she gets home and immediately starts frying everything in bacon grease. I know she loves flavor, and fat and salt have tons of flavor. I understand that after a 70+ lifetime of eating that way, it's no fun trying to stay out of it. But maybe this time she'll remember just how close it brought her to the end, and will be a little more careful for a little longer.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
CHEESY
If you've been near me when eating, you know I am a major cheese fiend. Seriously. If the name of the food has the word "cheese" in it, I expect cheese to be the primary ingredient. In fact, I have been heard to say on more than one occasion that there is no such thing as too much cheese. (This may have something to do with my extra curvy shape, but that's another story for another day.) If you've had my lasagna, you know it is at least as much cheese as everything else combined. That stuff will give you a coronary if you eat too much at once.
I've just eaten lunch for today, and I had to sneak down to the kitchen to get it, because Ann and I have an ongoing battle to be the one to get the last of her "Smacks and Cheese". This delectable delicacy earns the use of the word "cheese" in its name several times over. It is a cheater version of Ann's homemade baked macaroni and cheese and it is awe inspiring for the taste buds. What is this magical food? It's a Staufer's frozen macaroni and cheese done up in Ann's special way. By itself, it has adequate cheese and tastes quite yummy. But when Ann gets hold of it, it gets MORE cheese and gets baked MORE and it's creamy and crunchy and CHEESY. Cheesy like a Cheshire cat's biggest grin.
That said, I think I'll stop by the store today and pick up some more packages so she can make more of it. You can never have too much cheese. :-)
I've just eaten lunch for today, and I had to sneak down to the kitchen to get it, because Ann and I have an ongoing battle to be the one to get the last of her "Smacks and Cheese". This delectable delicacy earns the use of the word "cheese" in its name several times over. It is a cheater version of Ann's homemade baked macaroni and cheese and it is awe inspiring for the taste buds. What is this magical food? It's a Staufer's frozen macaroni and cheese done up in Ann's special way. By itself, it has adequate cheese and tastes quite yummy. But when Ann gets hold of it, it gets MORE cheese and gets baked MORE and it's creamy and crunchy and CHEESY. Cheesy like a Cheshire cat's biggest grin.
That said, I think I'll stop by the store today and pick up some more packages so she can make more of it. You can never have too much cheese. :-)
Monday, May 13, 2013
Interior Spaces
Moments go by:
Dreams, Memories
Wishes, Promises
Victories, Accomplishments
I hold them close,
Keep them close,
They need to be kept.
Kept safe, secure
Not hidden, only guarded, protected.
Keep them here to fill the spaces;
In between spaces,
Not gaps, but spaces.
Spaces inside for holding -
Not grief, not anger, not fear.
Holding love. Only love.
That's what the Interior Spaces are for.
Dreams, Memories
Wishes, Promises
Victories, Accomplishments
I hold them close,
Keep them close,
They need to be kept.
Kept safe, secure
Not hidden, only guarded, protected.
Keep them here to fill the spaces;
In between spaces,
Not gaps, but spaces.
Spaces inside for holding -
Not grief, not anger, not fear.
Holding love. Only love.
That's what the Interior Spaces are for.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Massage Is Not A Luxury!
From my business webpage: http://serenitymassagetherapyllc.abmp.com/.
Too many people in our culture have come to think of massage as a
luxury - as spoiling themselves. While a great massage can actually feel
like you've just been spoiled, it does so much more. See the
"Benefits of Massage" tab for more details on this point.
At Serenity Massage Therapy LLC, my goal is to bring all the
benefits of massage to anyone within my reach who needs it. I understand
how hard times are for everyone right now. For many, it's hard to justify
spending money on ourselves, especially when we think it's for something we can
do without.
I believe that the majority of our health issues and several types
of injuries find their roots in stress. If we can reduce or alleviate the
stress, the body can learn (or re-learn) how to heal itself without the use of
pain medications, drugs for this issue, other drugs for that issue... Once we
start taking drugs for one thing or another, we start depending on them.
Then we start needing more drugs to counter the effects of the other
drugs. Our bodies end up spending all their efforts filtering out all the drugs
we are taking for things we could have resolved ourselves if we could just kick
out the toxins caused by stress.
I'm not saying that no one should ever take any drug. I keep
a bottle of OTC pain meds handy for "just in case." There are
also medical conditions and injuries severe enough that drugs are a vital part
of the recovery process. Using massage to reduce stress and relieve muscle pain
(and thus joint pain) can aid the work of the prescribed medications by helping
the body to relax, help lengthen the muscles, and help push the toxins out of
the system by increasing circulation.
Consider yourself a machine that requires fine tuning to keep
everything running smoothly. You need fuel, oil, WATER, a good pump and
some good filters: fuel = food; oil = the synovial fluid in your joints; WATER
= WATER; pump = heart; filters = lungs and kidneys (with help from the liver).
You don't consider it a luxury to get regular maintenance on your
vehicle, do you?
It is never too late to start treating your body better. You
may have a long way to go to get back to a smooth running machine, and you may
not be able to get all the way back to where you were before. But that
doesn't mean you shouldn't try to bring yourself back as close to that state as
you can get. I want to help you realize that you can heal, and I want to
help you remember how to heal. And by doing so, perhaps, I will help
bring you that Serenity.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Ghetto AND Hillbilly
So, research showed me that buying a true Thai mat for my business was going to be somewhat costly. Rather than drop a ton of money on just the mat, and still have to buy kneeling cushions and pillows and coverings, etc., I went to Wal-Hell. As much as I dislike shopping there, it definitely served its purpose for me on this occasion. (I'd already been to Target, JCP, and a few other places, but it was still going to cost too much to make my own.)
So instead of paying $140 for just the mat, I paid $85 total for: 1 Queen size 1.5 inch memory foam mattress topper; 4 rag rugs, 2 flat Full/Queen sheets, and 1 travel size memory foam pillow. Oh, and 2 small picture holders which are being used to display info cards when I go out marketing myself.
So how is this both ghetto AND hillbilly? Well, right now, the two flat sheets are on either side of the mat (one under and the other on top), and everything gets wrapped up inside this mat/sheet combination, then wrapped in a ... piece of rope. We're going high-class here, folks.
However, I have given two massages on this set-up so far, and both people really enjoyed the massage and were moving better afterwards. So, I guess Ghetto Hillbillies must know what they're doing, huh? (Oh, and the two flat sheets will soon be sewn together into a home-made duvet, with snaps to close it around the mattress topper.)
So instead of paying $140 for just the mat, I paid $85 total for: 1 Queen size 1.5 inch memory foam mattress topper; 4 rag rugs, 2 flat Full/Queen sheets, and 1 travel size memory foam pillow. Oh, and 2 small picture holders which are being used to display info cards when I go out marketing myself.
So how is this both ghetto AND hillbilly? Well, right now, the two flat sheets are on either side of the mat (one under and the other on top), and everything gets wrapped up inside this mat/sheet combination, then wrapped in a ... piece of rope. We're going high-class here, folks.
However, I have given two massages on this set-up so far, and both people really enjoyed the massage and were moving better afterwards. So, I guess Ghetto Hillbillies must know what they're doing, huh? (Oh, and the two flat sheets will soon be sewn together into a home-made duvet, with snaps to close it around the mattress topper.)
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Today I spent some time eating lunch with my parents and listening to them talk about events that happened during their youth. My Father's from the mountains in Kentucky and my Mother's from Illinois (sort of city area, but not like Chicago). Their lives were very different, but each had a much harder than I had growing up (thanks to them). Their lives were harder by a hundred-fold than the lives of most kids growing up now. If a child from this time were tossed through a time warp and ended up back in the earlier half of the 1900's, I doubt that child would survive a week. So, folks, make sure you listen to your elders, spend time understanding what they have lived through - or trying to understand. I'm not saying I don't get frustrated with them sometimes, but wow. I don't think I could have survived in their time, either.
I appreciate them all over again every time I think of all the things they've survived; things I didn't have to survive because of them.
I appreciate them all over again every time I think of all the things they've survived; things I didn't have to survive because of them.
Tuesday, April 09, 2013
At Peace
I feel my world changing again, and this time it feels really, really good. And I think this time, instead of trying to direct it where I think I should be going (like I think I'm the boss or something), I will ride along with it like a friend and take some pleasure in the journey. I'm in a good place right now, and I'd like to enjoy it as long as possible.
In other news, this weekend I took a 2-day course in Thai Massage. Oh. My. God. I am still tingling from all the amazing energy and just the magical experience I had. I feel a breath of fresh air has just infused me and brought along a whole new world filled with healing magic. Sounding a little crazy, I know, but hey, it's me, and I get that way. And I really am excited that I will be offering this beautiful practice to people who are open to it.
I just can't describe how amazing it is. But I can describe how effective it is. In layman's terms, I went there with chronic lower back pain, chronic shoulder blade pain, and a recently acquired pain in my neck, which seriously limited the range of motion for turning or tilting my head. I left with all my muscles relaxed and elongated.
During class each day, the presenter would ask us each to give a word or two description of how we felt. The first time was before we did everything, and most of the replies were "excited", "nervous", etc. Mine was "ready". As we progressed, she asked again. My answer was "relaxed". The next time, it was "more relaxed." At the end of the class, she asked one last time - this time she allowed us to use as many words as we needed. My response was "at peace". If you've read my posts over the last 2-3 years, you know that has not been present in my life much. So, whether the others in the class knew it or not, this was a huge response for me.
And it's true. I am so much more at peace than I was before I left, and I know it's because of what a Thai massage does. It lines up the energy fields in your body in such a away that everything starts remembering how to work together. It all starts remembering it's place, and pushing out all the crap we dump on it through what we eat, drink, inhale, feel, think, and do.
It is that amazing. And I am eager to share it.
In other news, this weekend I took a 2-day course in Thai Massage. Oh. My. God. I am still tingling from all the amazing energy and just the magical experience I had. I feel a breath of fresh air has just infused me and brought along a whole new world filled with healing magic. Sounding a little crazy, I know, but hey, it's me, and I get that way. And I really am excited that I will be offering this beautiful practice to people who are open to it.
I just can't describe how amazing it is. But I can describe how effective it is. In layman's terms, I went there with chronic lower back pain, chronic shoulder blade pain, and a recently acquired pain in my neck, which seriously limited the range of motion for turning or tilting my head. I left with all my muscles relaxed and elongated.
During class each day, the presenter would ask us each to give a word or two description of how we felt. The first time was before we did everything, and most of the replies were "excited", "nervous", etc. Mine was "ready". As we progressed, she asked again. My answer was "relaxed". The next time, it was "more relaxed." At the end of the class, she asked one last time - this time she allowed us to use as many words as we needed. My response was "at peace". If you've read my posts over the last 2-3 years, you know that has not been present in my life much. So, whether the others in the class knew it or not, this was a huge response for me.
And it's true. I am so much more at peace than I was before I left, and I know it's because of what a Thai massage does. It lines up the energy fields in your body in such a away that everything starts remembering how to work together. It all starts remembering it's place, and pushing out all the crap we dump on it through what we eat, drink, inhale, feel, think, and do.
It is that amazing. And I am eager to share it.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
An Important Message
Hey. You. Come here. I have something to tell you. It's important. Are you paying attention?
Good.
I love you.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
I have decided the next vehicle I purchase will be a Bradley tank. Not only will weather and our gravel driveway become a non-issue, but it's the perfect solution to annoying tourists (and slowpoke locals) on the Colonial Parkway. And I can do 360's while my gun turret remains pointed in one direction. I haven't decided on a proper decor scheme for it, though. I mean, I could go with Tank Girl's designs (from the movie), or I could camouflage it as a colonial period building, or maybe a pirate theme... Or go all girly: paint it pink and purple with frills and fluffy stuff. Nah. Pirate is the mood of the day. :-)
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Thursday, February 21, 2013
I love her. I really do. But she wasn't coughing until the news mentioned the flu shot. And then, not only did she cough continuously through dinner without covering her mouth, but she managed to cough directly into the bowl of broccoli and cheese, knowing that it had not been all the way around the table yet.
Yes, she had the flu. It's been 3 weeks at least since she got on the meds, and since then she only coughs when she doesn't think she's getting enough attention. Truly. I've actually watched her and made mental notes that she seems to be doing well, and seen her change quite suddenly to being in pain, or coughing, or being frozen, etc. And it happens when one or both of us are in the room but doing something other than paying attention to her. Or when we are specifically paying attention to someone else.
I'm alternately taking care of a toddler and a moody teen. And quite often, both at the same time. I'm not sure what I expected for the old age of my parents, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't this. You know that whole parent's curse where they wish you have to raise one just like you? Yeah. I don't think she planned it to be herself.
Yes, she had the flu. It's been 3 weeks at least since she got on the meds, and since then she only coughs when she doesn't think she's getting enough attention. Truly. I've actually watched her and made mental notes that she seems to be doing well, and seen her change quite suddenly to being in pain, or coughing, or being frozen, etc. And it happens when one or both of us are in the room but doing something other than paying attention to her. Or when we are specifically paying attention to someone else.
I'm alternately taking care of a toddler and a moody teen. And quite often, both at the same time. I'm not sure what I expected for the old age of my parents, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't this. You know that whole parent's curse where they wish you have to raise one just like you? Yeah. I don't think she planned it to be herself.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Blessing High
Sounds weird, but it's the best way I can describe how I feel right now. Good things are happening in clusters and it's making me a little giddy.
All the effort I've put into getting into the massage industry is finally coming through. In addition to the position at Elements, I am also talking to a salon/spa location in York County. We keep missing each other and having to reschedule our appointment, but I'm hoping we actually do connect and I can really check it out. It would be better for me to get completely away from Subway if I can. I've already stepped down as Assistant Manager there, and am only working 2-3 days a week, so that in itself is a help. And there's a more local place I want to talk to about renting out space so I can get a couple of local clients who would like a place to come to me instead me coming to their homes.
But there's good stuff outside of my career path, too! I have just become a grandmother. Years ago (don't ask me to tell the date - I'm just not good at keeping track of that sort of info - my older stepson DJ got married. On his wedding day, I told him and Sara, his new wife, that they should take their time getting to know each other and living as a couple before they start making babies. It was a completely selfish recommendation, to be honest - I was too young to have grandbabies! But they assured me that they were in no rush and that was that.
I was very happy for them just after Mother's Day when I learned that they were expecting a baby. After being broken in as a great-aunt by my niece January, I feel a little better prepared to take on the role of a grandmother - but only a little. So, my grandson David was born on Feb 9. I haven't met him yet, but am eager to see him for myself and cover him with kisses, and to let him know that there is one more person out there who wants all the wonderful shiny life for him that he deserves.
On a side note: it's a little weird to me when I wake up from dreams of both husbands in the same night. The dreams of Yaw were good, happy dreams. The dreams of Dave were kind of neutral but had a feeling of promise in the background. No idea what that's about, but if it actually means something, I'm sure I'll find out eventually.
All the effort I've put into getting into the massage industry is finally coming through. In addition to the position at Elements, I am also talking to a salon/spa location in York County. We keep missing each other and having to reschedule our appointment, but I'm hoping we actually do connect and I can really check it out. It would be better for me to get completely away from Subway if I can. I've already stepped down as Assistant Manager there, and am only working 2-3 days a week, so that in itself is a help. And there's a more local place I want to talk to about renting out space so I can get a couple of local clients who would like a place to come to me instead me coming to their homes.
But there's good stuff outside of my career path, too! I have just become a grandmother. Years ago (don't ask me to tell the date - I'm just not good at keeping track of that sort of info - my older stepson DJ got married. On his wedding day, I told him and Sara, his new wife, that they should take their time getting to know each other and living as a couple before they start making babies. It was a completely selfish recommendation, to be honest - I was too young to have grandbabies! But they assured me that they were in no rush and that was that.
I was very happy for them just after Mother's Day when I learned that they were expecting a baby. After being broken in as a great-aunt by my niece January, I feel a little better prepared to take on the role of a grandmother - but only a little. So, my grandson David was born on Feb 9. I haven't met him yet, but am eager to see him for myself and cover him with kisses, and to let him know that there is one more person out there who wants all the wonderful shiny life for him that he deserves.
On a side note: it's a little weird to me when I wake up from dreams of both husbands in the same night. The dreams of Yaw were good, happy dreams. The dreams of Dave were kind of neutral but had a feeling of promise in the background. No idea what that's about, but if it actually means something, I'm sure I'll find out eventually.
Tuesday, February 05, 2013
Elements
More excellent news! I will be contracting with Elements Massage and Bodywork starting just over a week from now. I am very excited to start this part of my journey, working with and learning from other professionals with similar interests and experience.
http://www.elementsmassageandbodywork.com/
http://www.elementsmassageandbodywork.com/
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Coming Soon
My mobile massage business is slowly being pieced together. The LLC has been formed and I need to get the local business license and a couple of other things set up. Then, find a way to quit Subway and not lose the car that makes the mobile part possible so that I can actually be available to schedule appointments. In the meantime, here's the link to my webpage! :-)
http://serenitymassagetherapyllc.abmp.com/
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Friday, January 11, 2013
Living with aging parents can be very good for one's conscience - being there in case they need you, having more time with them when you know that time is becoming limited.
It is also very challenging to keep one's sanity, for pretty much the same reasons.
This morning I once again comparing life with my Mother to life with a toddler. I couldn't even stop to take a poop without being needed for something, and then not appreciated for having stopped pooping to clean up her mess - not that I needed appreciation, but it's kind of stretch to say that they don't see me unless I need the wash machine or the microwave.
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