Sue Edwards

Happy Blogging about Whatever . . .

Massage Conference

Posted by Sue in Massage

This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending the AMTA MD annual conference in Ocean City. I found it to be extremely informative and enjoyed meeting and networking with other massage therapists.

On Thursday evening I took the 4 hour Yamuna Body Rolling class with Nina Wendt. Using a specially designed ball, approximately 8” in diameter, we learned a number of routines to allow us to release and elongate our own muscles from origin to insertion. Target areas of the body were gluts, hamstrings, quads, back, neck, shoulders, and arms. The program was designed as a therapeutic self-care routine to assist bodyworkers in extending their careers and to work with less pain. It also allows us as bodyworkers to experience and understand in our own bodies how tissues release. A little time was spent demonstrating how to use the ball on someone else, as an additional massage tool.

On Friday I participated in 2 classes – Practical Anatomy of the Shoulder with Bob McAtee and Therapeutic Essential Oils and their Practical Massage Application with Anita Benedictis.

In Bob McAtee’s class we had a review of the 14 muscles which attach to the scapula and then dove right in to learning and practicing 5 protocols for working on and releasing shoulder restrictions and/or pain. The protocols incorporated slow active joint movement on the client’s part, and primarily fairly deep compression on the therapist’s part. It was very interesting and I’m looking forward to practicing the techniques on my husband, who suffers from work-related shoulder pain.

I really loved and was amazed by the Essential Oils class. Anita reviewed and gave us sample vials of her “Top 6” essential oils for massage therapists – lavender, thieves, purification, peppermint, valor, and peace and calming. She taught the various methods to use therapeutic oils (ingestion, neat, inhalation or mixed in with massage oil or lotion) and gave testimonials of healings accomplished by incorporating the appropriate essential oil(s) into a massage, or used on their own. I’ve almost used up all my peppermint sample already – I gave some to a painter who worked with me on Saturday to help clear up his congestion, and then used it on Ryan to help with his seasonal allergies – I gave him a 20 minute foot massage using the Vita Flex Technique, which Anita taught us. Vita Flex means “vitality through the reflexes” and originated in Tibet thousands of years ago. It uses essential oils massaged into reflexology points on the foot.

Even though I can’t use the CE credits I am very glad that I went and wish I could have stayed to take more classes on Saturday. I’m seriously considering working down the ocean next summer at one of the upscale hotels that offer massage, so will definitely attend the conference as a licensed practitioner! Ryan may come down with me and work the summer as a busboy or whatever and make lots of money – doesn’t that sound like fun???

We Are The World 25

Posted by Sue in Videos, World Peace

I’d like to share this fabulous video re-make of We Are The World.  Filmed on February 1, 2010 it sends a powerful message about our obligations to all mankind in need.  Please donate if you can! (It may take a little while to load but is well worth waiting for!)

Updating

Posted by Sue in About Ryan, About me, Family

It’s been quite awhile since I’ve posted on this (or any) blog, so I decided to write today about what’s been going on in our world.

Ryan started 9th grade at the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts in August.  His major is the cello and he’s the only cello player in all 4 grades, which makes his life a bit challenging.  He’s made new friends and is doing fabulously in all of his subjects.  The first report card already came home and he received all A’s!  He’s taking piano classes every day in school so now he’s studying the guitar with his private teacher on Friday nights.  We’re very proud of him.

We’ve been attending a wonderful church every Sunday - Lifehouse Church East.  Ryan actually started us going because it’s a “rock n’ roll” service.  The people are very open and welcoming, the church does a lot of outreach into the community of Hagerstown, and the sermons totally speak to my heart and soul.  It has really helped me to solidify my relationship with God and my spiritual path.

I made a major, life-changing decision about a month ago and as a result, last week I began attending the Synergy Healing Arts Center and Massage School!  It’s a year-long program and at the end I will be eligible to take the National Boards to become an RMT - Registered Massage Therapist and work in a spa, open a private practice or work on a cruise ship.  If I go on further and get an AA degree I wil become a CMT - Certified Massage Therapist, which will allow me to practice in medical facilities such as nursing homes, hospitals, clinics or doctor’s offices.

My growing desire to live a more meaningful life, guided by God’s will for me, was what brought me to this decision.  I believe that if I can help just one person touch the divine that lives within them, help them to heal themselves and feel better, so that they leave after a therapeutic massage session a happier and more grounded person, then I can contribute to positively changing the world we all live in.

The other change in our family is that I’m now officially working with Jim in his business, D & E Remodeling and Repair Services.  My duties include marketing (please check out our new website!), bookkeeping (I’m doing my best but it is a huge challenge for me!) and providing an extra set of hands and unskilled labor on the jobs.  So far, we’ve been working pretty well together, and now I have his permission to nag him!

That’s about all the time I have for now as i have homeowrk to do!  I’ll try to post further updates at least once a week.  Have a fabulous day!

Have all your kids read this!

Posted by Sue in Uncategorized

Went to a party Mom

I went to a party,
And remembered what you said.
You told me not to drink, Mom,
so I had a sprite instead.

I felt proud of myself,
The way you said I would,
that I didn’t drink and drive,
though some friends said I should.

I made a healthy choice,
And your advice to me was right.
The party finally ended,
and the kids drove out of sight.

I got into my car,
Sure to get home in one piece.
I never knew what was coming, Mom,
something I expected least.

Now I’m lying on the pavement,
And I hear the policeman say,
the kid that caused this wreck was drunk,
Mom, his voice seems far away.

My own blood’s all around me,
As I try hard not to cry.
I can hear the paramedic say,
this girl is going to die.

I’m sure the guy had no idea,
While he was flying high.
Because he chose to drink and drive,
now I would have to die.

So why do people do it, Mom
Knowing that it ruins lives?
And now the pain is cutting me,
like a hundred stabbing knives.

Tell sister not to be afraid, Mom
Tell daddy to be brave.
And when I go to heaven,
put ‘Mommy’s Girl’ on my grave.

Someone should have taught him,
That it’s wrong to drink and drive..
Maybe if his parents had,
I’d still be alive.

My breath is getting shorter,
Mom I’m getting really scared
These are my final moments,
and I’m so unprepared.

I wish that you could hold me Mom,
As I lie here and die.
I wish that I could say, ‘I love you, Mom!’
So I love you and good-bye.

In honor of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers)

Are Women Born This Way? Apparently SO!

Posted by Sue in Uncategorized

Funeral Flowers

Posted by Sue in Family

I rarely question the prices charged for things.  I’m not a bargainer or negotiater and I generally don’t “shop around” for the cheapest price.  I guess I just trust that merchants will give a fair value for the money I pay them.

However - I must say that I am appalled and incensed by the prices charged for funeral flower arrangements!  My husband’s mother recently passed away and it was several weeks before we had the Memorial Service for the dear woman.

Jim loves flowers, and wanted to send flowers to the funeral home to honor his mother.  He ordered the arrangement from a florist here in Hagerstown that we patronize on a sporadic basis, and arranged for them to be delivered to the funeral home in Baltimore on the morning of the service.

I was a bit “taken-aback” when he told me they cost $170, but figured they would be beautiful so didn’t think much more about it.

When we arrived at the funeral home I (discretely, I hope) checked all the floral arrangements to see which one was ours.  It wasn’t there!  So, after much ado with the funeral home staff, our flowers were finally located (just as the guests were being seated to start the service).  They were pretty BUT SO NOT WORTH $170!!!  There were maybe 4 or 5 pretty major flowers, plus carnations and the other filler stuff, in a white urn-type container, which I thought was ceramic so maybe that jacked up the cost.  IT WAS PLASTIC!

I used to organize parties on yachts and also worked a LOT of catered events and I know what floral arrangements cost.  The reason I am so upset about this is that I feel like the floral industry must know that people are mourning and probably won’t question the pricing of “funeral flowers” so they take advantage of these poor people by charging way more than they would for the same flowers in an arrangement for a dinner party or birthday arrangement!

So, next time I need funeral flowers, I’m going to order just a regular arrangement - I’m not going to tell them someone died, so I can be charged a fair price!!

A Hysterically Funny Letter for Women

Posted by Sue in Uncategorized

Hysterical Letter!
This is an actual letter from an Austin woman sent to American company Proctor and Gamble regarding their feminine products. She really gets rolling after the first paragraph. It’s PC Magazine’s 2007 editors’ choice for best webmail-award-winning letter.

Dear Mr. Thatcher,

I have been a loyal user of your ‘Always’ maxi pads for over 20 years and I appreciate many of their features. Why, without the LeakGuard Core or Dri-Weave absorbency, I’d probably never go horseback riding or salsa dancing, and I’d certainly steer clear of running up and down the beach in tight, white shorts. But my favorite feature has to be your revolutionary Flexi-Wings. Kudos on being the only company smart enough to realize how crucial it is that maxi pads be aerodynamic. I can’t tell you how safe and secure I feel each month knowing there’s a little F-16 in my pants.

Have you ever had a menstrual period, Mr. Thatcher? I’m guessing you haven’t. Well, my time of the month is starting right now. As I type, I can already feel hormonal forces violently s urging through my body. Just a few minutes from now, my body will adjust and I’ll be transformed into what my husband likes to call ‘an inbred hillbilly with knife skills.’ Isn’t the human body amazing?

As Brand Manager in the Feminine-Hygiene Division, you’ve no doubt seen quite a bit of research on what exactly happens during your customer’s monthly visits from ‘Aunt Flo’. Therefore, you must know about the bloating, puffiness, and cramping we endure, and about our intense mood swings, crying jags, and out-of-control behavior. You surely realize it’s a tough time for most women.

The point is, sir, you of all people must realize that America is just crawling with homicidal maniacs in Capri pants… Which brings me to the reason for my letter. Last month, while in the throes of cramping so painful I wanted to reach inside my body and yank out my uterus, I opened an Always maxi-pad, and there, printed on the adhesive backing, were these words: ‘Have a Happy Period.’

Are you f—— kidding me? What I mean is, does any part of your tiny middle-manager brain really think happiness - actual smiling, laughing happiness, is possible during a menstrual period? Did anything mentioned above sound the least bit pleasurable? Well, did it, James? FYI, unless you’re some kind of sick S&M freak, there will never be anything ‘happy’ about a day in which you have to jack yourself up on Motrin and Kahlua and lock yourself in your house just so you don’t march down to the local Walgreen’s armed with a hunting rifle and a sketchy plan to end your life in a blaze of glory.

For the love of God, pull your head out, man! If you have to slap a moronic message on a maxi pad, wouldn’t it make more sense to say something that’s actually pertinent, like ‘Put down the Hammer’ or ‘Vehicular Manslaughter is Wrong’,

Sir, please inform your Accounting Department that, effective immediately, there will be an $8 drop in monthly profits, for I have chosen to take my maxi-pad business elsewhere. And though I will certainly miss your Flex-Wings, I will not for one minute miss your brand of condescending bullshit.

And that’s a promise I will keep.
Always. . ..

Best,
Wendi Aarons
Austin , TX

Our New Pet Bunny

Posted by Sue in Family

If I had known what a great pet a rabbit was, I would have gotten one years ago!

Here’s our new pet, Sir Simba Poops A Lot.  We got him on February 13, and he was between 4 and 6 weeks old at the time.  We got him at Tractor Supply.

We named him Simba because he’s a Lionhead breed.  He actually looks like a long-haired gerbil with long ears!  The Sir Poops A Lot is pretty self-explanatory!  Luckily the poops are easy to clean up,

They say you can litter-train a rabbit, and he’s finally starting to catch on (I think).

He is cute, cuddly, and frequently does what is known as “the happy bunny dance” where he runs around like a spastic and then jumps up in the air and turns around in mid-air.  He loves to snuggle up under my chin and will let me hold him for hours at a time, which I have heard is unusual.

Our little (submissive) dog, Salty, is afraid of the bunny - no great surprise there.  And Midnight, our shepherd, is very intrigued by Simba - probably thinks he would make a nice snack!  But alas, Midnight only gets to see Simba behind the cage bars.  And, the 4 zebra finches could care less about the bunny.

All in all, I highly recommend getting a bunny as a pet, especially for people in condos or who don’t like the smell of cat litter boxes or don’t want to take walks with dogs.

Great “Quote of the Day”

Posted by Sue in Inspirational thoughts, Oprah

I recently subscribed to daily email updates from the Oprah Magazine website.  So far it hasn’t “wow”ed me as much as I had hoped.  But today’s “O’s Quote of the Day” really spoke to my soul and to some things that are going on in my life right now, so I wanted to share it!

Christopher Reeve said:

“We can either watch life from the sidelines, or actively participate… Either we let self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy prevent us from realizing our potential, or embrace the fact that when we turn our attention away from ourselves, our potential is limitless.”

Without doing too much self-disclosure here, I can say that focusing our attention on ourselves definitely severely limits our potential and our ability to participate passionately in life - ours and others’.

This is one of those quotes that deserves to be written on an index card and reflected on daily!

3 Tips To Help You Start Manifesting Your Dreams & Desires Like a Pro!

Posted by Sue in Inspirational thoughts

Do you remember that first spark of hope you felt when you watched the movie “The Secret”?  I clearly remember the excitement that filled my heart, knowing that – Yes, I can make my dreams come true – FINALLY!

But how many of us soon saw that hope dwindle into frustration?  How many of us (and let’s be honest here) started muttering things like:

• “It seems to work for other people, but I just can’t get it right.”

• “I’m frustrated that sometimes I can get it to work, but sometimes I can’t. What’s the trick?”

• “Why am I having so much trouble?”

• “I think the Universe must just be against me.”

• “I’m trying really, REALLY hard but still nothing is happening!”

Don’t worry, you’re not alone.  About 97% of people couldn’t make the “Law of Attraction” work for them the first time round.  Think about it, just like anything else, you have to practice things many times before you see successful results.  A toddler doesn’t learn to walk without falling over a couple of times, right?

But in practice, implementing the Law of Attraction is easier said than done.  When you’re frustrated, it’s hard to stay positive.  And it’s especially hard to stay positive when the evidence all around you is screaming negativity  - like the unstable economy or high crime rates or world hunger.

But do you know what happens when you fail to stay positive?  That’s right – you start attracting negative things directly in to your own life.

So how can you make the Law of Attraction work for you – without getting frustrated?  How do those who successfully implement the Law of Attraction do it with such confidence and finesse?

Well, here’s three quick tips so you will never again feel frustrated or get tired of begging from the universe, because you’ll know how to start manifesting like a pro.

1) Allow Yourself to Receive

Just like a lost child who approaches a police officer and asks, “Excuse me Sir, can you tell me how to get to the police station? Can you? Can you? Can you? Can you? Can you?”  Well, if the child goes on and on asking and talking, the police officer can’t get a word in to give his answer, right?

Well, it’s the same way with your mind.  If the only thing your mind is doing is transmit, transmit, transmit, the universe — which is trying to respond — can’t give you a single thing because you’re not allowing yourself to receive!

So, have faith in yourself and stop exhausting yourself by running around person to person begging for riches, and then wondering why nobody is dropping a penny in your cup.  (Hint: It’s because you’re running away too fast from them - before they can even reach for their wallets).

Just think about your desires and leave them out there, then go away and trust that your cup will be filled with gold coins (or whatever it is you asked for) when the time is right.

2) Be Patient With Yourself

Receiving takes time.

Sadly, many people give up just a couple of steps before the finish line because they’ve decided that if it’s not working by now, it’s never going to work.  Worse still are those who throw in more and more energy because they think that with more resources, the results will come faster.

You can’t bake cookies in half the time by doubling the temperature. You’ll incinerate those cookies to ashes!

In simple terms, everything in this world has a natural development cycle, and this fact will not change no matter what resources you throw at it.

So relax and be patient.  Remember that you, as part of the universe, are also governed by the laws of the universe, and you cannot change the natural development time.

If you remember this, you are less likely to work yourself up into a state of frustration, or worse, push yourself into a downward spiral of negativity.

3) Support & Educate Yourself

Like the child who is learning how to walk, you need support.  You also need expert guidance on how to do it and the role models to look up to and emulate.

Many people give up because they think that “The Secret” is the “be all and end all” solution.  Well, it’s NOT. “The Secret” is just a small portion.  It has never been and was never intended to be the whole answer.

Drawing the conclusion that the Law of Attraction doesn’t work, when all you ever did to educate yourself was watch “The Secret” 19 times (without looking at changing the habits of other areas of your life) is like coming to the conclusion that exercising is not an effective way to lose weight because all you did was run on the treadmill for 2 hours a day (but continued to stuff yourself with fried foods and cheesecakes).

So seek and be hungry for new knowledge.  Also, make an effort to be among people and communities where you can support each other, learn from each other and share new knowledge that you have found.

While the Law of Attraction is not an overnight delivery service, it will indeed deliver, if you do your part too!

To learn more go to www.The11ForgottenLaws.com.