The big news in the paper today was a "landmark study" on cholesterol lowering statin drugs, namely Crestor. This study supposedly proved that even people without signs of heart disease should take a statin drug to prevent heart attack. Not because it lowers cholesterol, (we now know about 60% of heart attacks occur in people with normal or low cholesterol), but that it helps reduce inflamation and this prevents heart attack. Next they quoted a 20% reduction in death. The article also stated that, well, you'd have to put 120 people on this drug for 2 years to prevent one heart attack.
Let's think about that for a minute.... The people already had no signs of heart disease, but yet it helped prevent heart attack. Who actually funded this study? Well, come to find out it was Crestor, the company that makes the drug and wants to sell it to everyone. Drug companies don't quote total mortality data, if so, it would probably be less than 1 %. So where does that 20% come from? They usually only quote relative risk data on preventing heart attack, and not only that, they don't quote the difference between the placebo group and the group who took the drug. So 20% sounds totally exaggerated and if you do the math on 120 people and only 1 heart attack was prevented, that's less than 1 %, right?
It's preventing death that most people care about. Statin drugs have never shown to prevent death to any significant degree (total mortality), but how can this be? Studies have shown all statin drugs cause cancer in laboritory animals, and at prescription doses. If you doctor wants you to take this drug, first I'd do some homework on the side effects of statin drugs. Next, I'd tell him to take a class on how to read drug study data and learn what it really means.
Think I'm making this up? Read these articles:
http://www.newswithviews.com/Ellison/shane17.htm
http://www.ti.ubc.ca/pages/letter48.htm
http://www.theheart.org/article/823819.do
http://www.newswithviews.com/Ellison/shane14.htm
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/08/31/healthscience/fishoil31.php
Conclusion - Statin drugs do not reduce mortality significantly when used for primary or secondary prevention. Fish oil is actully more effective to protect your heart after a heart attack. Statins may cause cancer in humans at prescription doses.
Robert Conroy
Wishing Wellness Massage
http://www.wishingwellnessmassage.com/
Monday, November 10, 2008
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Lava Shell Massage
Hot Stone Massage is very popular, but many spas and massage businesses don’t offer it because of the hassle of 45 minutes to preheat the stones before a massage. Also because it’s labor intensive to have to clean each individual stone after their use. Another problem is the stones rapidly lose their heat once they are taken out of the warmer, so many stones are needed for just one massage. Now there is a revolutionary new green technology that takes care of these problems – Lava Shell Massage. These are shells from the ocean that have a mineral, seaweed, and kelp mixture that is activated with sea water and heats to 130 degrees F. The shells are ready in 5 minutes and they actually increase in heat rather than decrease like stones. So no electricity or warmer is needed and it’s all natural and as green as it gets! This low tech technology will revolutionize the massage industry.
History of Lava Shells
The Tiger Clam. It may not seem like much at first, but this little guy has quite a history. Over millions of years, the Tiger Clam has evolved to truly become one with the environment. Born with their shell, the clams spend their lives carefully filtering the nutrients they need from the sea water around them, and then patiently building their home as they grow and thrive. In doing so, they filter CO2 out of the water, meaning more can be pulled from the atmosphere and into the ocean, so that the clams are a natural reducer of greenhouse gases.
For hundreds of years, native villagers in the Philippines have had their own relationship with the clams, gathering what they need as part of their basic diet. The clams are first collected by free divers, and the shells removed so that the animal can be prepared. The Islanders then sort through the shells, previously left out as waste, looking for the right size, shape and symmetry. Once a shell is found that will fit the specifications, it is cleansed, then carefully sanded and polished to remove any imperfections or rough edges, and then rejoined. The clam’s natural shape makes it a perfect tool for massage, with a narrow edge along the mouth for targeted deep work and a smooth, rounded surface for even pressure and comfort and long strokes. The end result is a beautiful, all natural tool that both you and your clients will love.
The system consists of the Lava Shell, the Lava Gel, an easy to use sachet consisting of minerals, dried sea kelp, and algae. The cap is removed from the shell, the Lava Gel is placed in shell, the activator packet liquid, (salt water, green tea, and mango) is poured in the shell and the cap is replaced. The shell then begins to heat and within about 4 minutes, is ready to use.
Ten seconds to prep, 4 minutes to heat, 10 seconds for cleanup and no other equipment is required except for a small bowl of water to periodically cool a stone if required. Only two shells are required for a whole one hour massage.
Wishing Wellness Massage (wishingwellnessmassage.com) sells a Retail Kit of 1 shell, 4 activator charges, and massage oil is only $20. These also make great gifts for anyone – Christmas, Mother’s Day, Valentines Day, Birthday, a fellow massage therapist, etc. Additional Charge Kits with massage oil are available – 4 charges for $10. So rather than wasting 45 minutes of your time heating up hot stones, you can be ready to go in under 5 minutes. You can take your shells anywhere without the hassle of carrying the hot stones, the warmer, and waiting minutes for the stones to heat. Massage therapists - throw away your turkey roasters and your crock pots, you don’t need them anymore!
At Wishing Wellness Massage we offer a complete 6 hour Lava Shell CE Certification class. You will receive a certificate in Lava Shell Massage and 6 CE hours credit toward your Texas massage licensing Continuing Education requirements. You’ll leave this class armed with the skills to make this new modality a successful new opportunity for your massage business. You can charge more for your new services and your clients will benefit from the effects of this highly therapeutic new technology, while making a commitment to incorporating green products in your business!
For more information about Lava Shell products or our Continuing Education classes:
Robert Conroy L.M.T., M.T.I., C.E.P.
Wishing Wellness Massage
www.wishingwellnessmassage.com
History of Lava Shells
The Tiger Clam. It may not seem like much at first, but this little guy has quite a history. Over millions of years, the Tiger Clam has evolved to truly become one with the environment. Born with their shell, the clams spend their lives carefully filtering the nutrients they need from the sea water around them, and then patiently building their home as they grow and thrive. In doing so, they filter CO2 out of the water, meaning more can be pulled from the atmosphere and into the ocean, so that the clams are a natural reducer of greenhouse gases.
For hundreds of years, native villagers in the Philippines have had their own relationship with the clams, gathering what they need as part of their basic diet. The clams are first collected by free divers, and the shells removed so that the animal can be prepared. The Islanders then sort through the shells, previously left out as waste, looking for the right size, shape and symmetry. Once a shell is found that will fit the specifications, it is cleansed, then carefully sanded and polished to remove any imperfections or rough edges, and then rejoined. The clam’s natural shape makes it a perfect tool for massage, with a narrow edge along the mouth for targeted deep work and a smooth, rounded surface for even pressure and comfort and long strokes. The end result is a beautiful, all natural tool that both you and your clients will love.
The system consists of the Lava Shell, the Lava Gel, an easy to use sachet consisting of minerals, dried sea kelp, and algae. The cap is removed from the shell, the Lava Gel is placed in shell, the activator packet liquid, (salt water, green tea, and mango) is poured in the shell and the cap is replaced. The shell then begins to heat and within about 4 minutes, is ready to use.
Ten seconds to prep, 4 minutes to heat, 10 seconds for cleanup and no other equipment is required except for a small bowl of water to periodically cool a stone if required. Only two shells are required for a whole one hour massage.
Wishing Wellness Massage (wishingwellnessmassage.com) sells a Retail Kit of 1 shell, 4 activator charges, and massage oil is only $20. These also make great gifts for anyone – Christmas, Mother’s Day, Valentines Day, Birthday, a fellow massage therapist, etc. Additional Charge Kits with massage oil are available – 4 charges for $10. So rather than wasting 45 minutes of your time heating up hot stones, you can be ready to go in under 5 minutes. You can take your shells anywhere without the hassle of carrying the hot stones, the warmer, and waiting minutes for the stones to heat. Massage therapists - throw away your turkey roasters and your crock pots, you don’t need them anymore!
At Wishing Wellness Massage we offer a complete 6 hour Lava Shell CE Certification class. You will receive a certificate in Lava Shell Massage and 6 CE hours credit toward your Texas massage licensing Continuing Education requirements. You’ll leave this class armed with the skills to make this new modality a successful new opportunity for your massage business. You can charge more for your new services and your clients will benefit from the effects of this highly therapeutic new technology, while making a commitment to incorporating green products in your business!
For more information about Lava Shell products or our Continuing Education classes:
Robert Conroy L.M.T., M.T.I., C.E.P.
Wishing Wellness Massage
www.wishingwellnessmassage.com
Monday, August 18, 2008
Thai Massage
I’ve done deep tissue massage for 7 years but it doesn’t come close to Thai massage. Nothing I’ve seen does. It’s yoga, Rolfing® , acupressure, tapotment, Reiki, deep compression work, myofacial release, with herbs and the power of spirit, all rolled into one. At the same time, it’s none of those things. Because those aren’t Thai and the truth is, Thai massage really is Thai. It’s not a new brand of Ayurvedic medicine or a twist on Chinese meridians, it’s seriously Thai, and it’s serious medicine.
In 1970 and 1971 I spent 6 month in Thailand learning about the culture and the language. This is what got me really interested in Thai massage. Thai massageis traditionally performed fully clothed on a mat laying on the floor or even outside on the gound. Thai massage is sometimes called Thai Yoga Massage, and for good reason. Its origin can be traced back 2,500 years ago to India and the spread of Buddism. The founding father of Thai massage, Jivaka Kumarbhaccha, was a celebrated yogi and a doctor in the ancient Indian healing tradition of Ayurveda. His unusual skill as a physician and surgeon was so well known that he was called upon to treat kings and prince. He is also venerated as the source of Ayuvedic practices within Thailand.
Want to learn more about the fastest growing modality in massage?
At Wishing Wellness Massage in Austin TX, we are now offering an Introduction to Thai Massage class for licensed massage therapists. This is a 6 CE hours accredited class that covers the history of Thai massage, soft tissue techniques, the Thai massage stances, rocking techniques, how to massage the various Thai Sen lines on the body, and training on a one hour Thai massage routine. Also, how to use Thai massage for Therapeutic massage treatments - how to locate referred pain patterns and what Thai massage techniques can be used for these particular problem areas. Book and video references are provided for advanced study and therapeutic session planning.
In 1970 and 1971 I spent 6 month in Thailand learning about the culture and the language. This is what got me really interested in Thai massage. Thai massageis traditionally performed fully clothed on a mat laying on the floor or even outside on the gound. Thai massage is sometimes called Thai Yoga Massage, and for good reason. Its origin can be traced back 2,500 years ago to India and the spread of Buddism. The founding father of Thai massage, Jivaka Kumarbhaccha, was a celebrated yogi and a doctor in the ancient Indian healing tradition of Ayurveda. His unusual skill as a physician and surgeon was so well known that he was called upon to treat kings and prince. He is also venerated as the source of Ayuvedic practices within Thailand.
Want to learn more about the fastest growing modality in massage?
At Wishing Wellness Massage in Austin TX, we are now offering an Introduction to Thai Massage class for licensed massage therapists. This is a 6 CE hours accredited class that covers the history of Thai massage, soft tissue techniques, the Thai massage stances, rocking techniques, how to massage the various Thai Sen lines on the body, and training on a one hour Thai massage routine. Also, how to use Thai massage for Therapeutic massage treatments - how to locate referred pain patterns and what Thai massage techniques can be used for these particular problem areas. Book and video references are provided for advanced study and therapeutic session planning.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
CE Classes Start at Wishing Wellness Massage
Having a reputation for the best massage in Austin, we've decided to develop massage classes for massage therapists who need to fulfill their continuing education credits as required in Texas. We've just received certification from the State of Texas for Robert to provide massage therapy instruction and to provide Continuing Education Classes (CEs) for Licensed Massage Therapists (LMTs.) The first class we're providing is: Hot Stone, Deep Tissue, and Trigger Point Massage Techniques (6 CE credit hours.) We're offering this as our first class because we've discovered there is a great demand for this combination of modalities, especially for the just licensed therapist who would like to get up to speed as soon as they graduate from massage school. Most massage therapists who have graduated from a massage school soon find out there is not much demand for the Swedish relaxation massage routine they learned in their massage school. The public is demanding actual therapeutic modalities to relieve problem areas. Very few people now come in for a relaxation massage, most often they have issues and need a therapeutic massage session.
Many massage therapists advertise that they do deep tissue massage, but reality is very few have had any real training in the deep tissue modality and they are spreading myths about deep tissue massage due to lack of knowledge. Most think deep tissue is just using much more pressure in a massage and they also worry about how their bodies can hold up using much more effort in their already taxing work. Reality could not be further from the truth. Deep tissue massge is not just going deeper in a Swedish massage routine the therapist learned in massage school. First, deep tissue should never be used for a whole massage. This is the first clue you are not dealing with a trained therapist. Deep tissue should be used when required, like you are out driving on a country road and you encounter a steep hill, you downshift to easily get up the hill. Same with deep tissue massage. In deep tissue you survey the condition of the muscles and when you find a very contracted area, you work with different levels of muscle tissue to get the desired results. Another myth is "no pain, no gain." Massage should not be painful, and if you are sore the next day and you don't have a condition that could cause this, the therapist was not doing their job. If your therapist is bruising you or causing you pain, you need to communicate this to your therapist and/or the establishment where this therapist works.
Most massage therapists know only how to treat referred pain rather than the cause. The cause is very often a trigger point in a muscle somewhere that refers pain to this currently painful location. So you get a massage, you feel a little better, but the cause of the discomfort causes the pain to comes right back because that trigger point is still there. A combination of hot stone and deep tissue massage is the very best therapy we've found here at Wishing Wellness Massage. This combination allows the muscles to easily lengthen and relax with a minimum of pressure from the therapist. Using too much pressure can actually cause a muscle contraction to worsen or it can damage your body's lymph system. The therapist can't force a muscle to relax, only your own body can do this. So it's not so much the pressure, it's where and how the pressure is applied, and what tricks your therapist's body can communicate directly to your body to make make your muscle release.
Another favorite myth you might hear from an uneducated massage therapist is you need some therapy to get those toxins out of your muscles because that's what is making your muscles so sore, usually following some type of vigorous activity. This is a flat out lie. What they will usually say is it's the lactic acid buildup in your muscles that's causing this discomfort and they need to work this out of your muscles. Again, another myth perpetuated by uneducated massage therpists. Unfortunately, Low quality massage instruction is the source of many of these types of myths about massage.
When I first started my massage career I'd heard about hot stone massage. I figgered this was just a gimmick to lay hot stones on someone and charge them for it. I didn't see any value to doing this and people that I spoke with, that had this kind of therapy, said they tried it but it made them sick. Pressing further, they said it was probably just getting overheated that made them sick. I got a session from a friend and discovered the best part was them actually using the stones in their massage therapy. The additional heat seemed to relax and lengthen the muscle and seemed to have the ability to decrease really bad muscle contractions. After much trial and error I developed a methodology that not only worked, all of a sudden I had many athletes coming to me because this was so effective for sports massage. Then I started getting referrals from doctors and insurance companies as these techniques really worked for repetative motion injuries, car accident victims, and many other types of problems. Soon I added hot stone to all my massages and had a new slant on various modalities such as Swedish, deep tissue, Shiatsu, chair massage, Thai massage, etc. I figured this was as important as doing deep tissue so I made the decision I would not charge extra for deep tissue or hot stone massage like other massage businesses were. This would be a value added service for my business.
Trigger point therapy is finding the referred pain and what's causing it, usually a trigger point. This is a bit of detective work to find the trigger points actually causing the referred pain. After extensive research, I found really good information on locating and treating trigger points. It now seems we all have trigger points to some varying degree, our whole lives. These can lay dormant for a long time and then all of a sudden an cause acute referred pain. These resulting contractions and pain can make your life a living hell. The common medical treatment can be muscle relaxers, pain pills, and even injections of steroid drugs. These can have a varying range of efficacy, usally not much and let's face it, just about all drugs have some toxicity to our bodies. A research doctor once told me when a new drug comes on the market, as many as 50% of the adverse reactions from that drug are not known yet. You get to be the laboratory rat and you and your medical insurance company gets to pay for this bit of research!
The other value added we've added for our customers at Wishing Wellness Massage is a highly therapeutic hot tub. We don't charge extra for this service and include it with the 90 minute or longer session. This is not like a hotel spa, it has specialized jets to relax your upper back, lower back, hamstrings, calves, neck muscles, ankles, and reflexology jets for the feet. Also small Shiatsu jets at different stations (7 stations total in the tub) give you a deep invigorating massage in those areas no other type of hot tub gets to. The water temperature is controlled by a microprocessor for accuracy. This can be set for any required temperature for different types of hot tub session. 103 degrees is considered minimum therapeutic temperature, but if someone is advised by their doctor to not exceed 100 degrees, we can accommodate this with an advanced request for a particular temperature or temperature range. There is no experience on earth like getting a 15 minute therapeutic hottub session followed immediately by a 90 minute hot stone deep tissue massage. Better bring someone to drive you home!
At Wishing Wellness we also offer couples (or friends) massage in a non-strip mall environment. This is two massage tables with two therapists in a single room. We don't charge any extra for this service, we only charge our regular per minutes / per person price. A one hour double massage is just $130 and the 90 minute double is just $180. The latter includes a dip in the outdoor hot tub at no extra cost! Compare these prices to other massage and spa service providers.
Many massage therapists advertise that they do deep tissue massage, but reality is very few have had any real training in the deep tissue modality and they are spreading myths about deep tissue massage due to lack of knowledge. Most think deep tissue is just using much more pressure in a massage and they also worry about how their bodies can hold up using much more effort in their already taxing work. Reality could not be further from the truth. Deep tissue massge is not just going deeper in a Swedish massage routine the therapist learned in massage school. First, deep tissue should never be used for a whole massage. This is the first clue you are not dealing with a trained therapist. Deep tissue should be used when required, like you are out driving on a country road and you encounter a steep hill, you downshift to easily get up the hill. Same with deep tissue massage. In deep tissue you survey the condition of the muscles and when you find a very contracted area, you work with different levels of muscle tissue to get the desired results. Another myth is "no pain, no gain." Massage should not be painful, and if you are sore the next day and you don't have a condition that could cause this, the therapist was not doing their job. If your therapist is bruising you or causing you pain, you need to communicate this to your therapist and/or the establishment where this therapist works.
Most massage therapists know only how to treat referred pain rather than the cause. The cause is very often a trigger point in a muscle somewhere that refers pain to this currently painful location. So you get a massage, you feel a little better, but the cause of the discomfort causes the pain to comes right back because that trigger point is still there. A combination of hot stone and deep tissue massage is the very best therapy we've found here at Wishing Wellness Massage. This combination allows the muscles to easily lengthen and relax with a minimum of pressure from the therapist. Using too much pressure can actually cause a muscle contraction to worsen or it can damage your body's lymph system. The therapist can't force a muscle to relax, only your own body can do this. So it's not so much the pressure, it's where and how the pressure is applied, and what tricks your therapist's body can communicate directly to your body to make make your muscle release.
Another favorite myth you might hear from an uneducated massage therapist is you need some therapy to get those toxins out of your muscles because that's what is making your muscles so sore, usually following some type of vigorous activity. This is a flat out lie. What they will usually say is it's the lactic acid buildup in your muscles that's causing this discomfort and they need to work this out of your muscles. Again, another myth perpetuated by uneducated massage therpists. Unfortunately, Low quality massage instruction is the source of many of these types of myths about massage.
When I first started my massage career I'd heard about hot stone massage. I figgered this was just a gimmick to lay hot stones on someone and charge them for it. I didn't see any value to doing this and people that I spoke with, that had this kind of therapy, said they tried it but it made them sick. Pressing further, they said it was probably just getting overheated that made them sick. I got a session from a friend and discovered the best part was them actually using the stones in their massage therapy. The additional heat seemed to relax and lengthen the muscle and seemed to have the ability to decrease really bad muscle contractions. After much trial and error I developed a methodology that not only worked, all of a sudden I had many athletes coming to me because this was so effective for sports massage. Then I started getting referrals from doctors and insurance companies as these techniques really worked for repetative motion injuries, car accident victims, and many other types of problems. Soon I added hot stone to all my massages and had a new slant on various modalities such as Swedish, deep tissue, Shiatsu, chair massage, Thai massage, etc. I figured this was as important as doing deep tissue so I made the decision I would not charge extra for deep tissue or hot stone massage like other massage businesses were. This would be a value added service for my business.
Trigger point therapy is finding the referred pain and what's causing it, usually a trigger point. This is a bit of detective work to find the trigger points actually causing the referred pain. After extensive research, I found really good information on locating and treating trigger points. It now seems we all have trigger points to some varying degree, our whole lives. These can lay dormant for a long time and then all of a sudden an cause acute referred pain. These resulting contractions and pain can make your life a living hell. The common medical treatment can be muscle relaxers, pain pills, and even injections of steroid drugs. These can have a varying range of efficacy, usally not much and let's face it, just about all drugs have some toxicity to our bodies. A research doctor once told me when a new drug comes on the market, as many as 50% of the adverse reactions from that drug are not known yet. You get to be the laboratory rat and you and your medical insurance company gets to pay for this bit of research!
The other value added we've added for our customers at Wishing Wellness Massage is a highly therapeutic hot tub. We don't charge extra for this service and include it with the 90 minute or longer session. This is not like a hotel spa, it has specialized jets to relax your upper back, lower back, hamstrings, calves, neck muscles, ankles, and reflexology jets for the feet. Also small Shiatsu jets at different stations (7 stations total in the tub) give you a deep invigorating massage in those areas no other type of hot tub gets to. The water temperature is controlled by a microprocessor for accuracy. This can be set for any required temperature for different types of hot tub session. 103 degrees is considered minimum therapeutic temperature, but if someone is advised by their doctor to not exceed 100 degrees, we can accommodate this with an advanced request for a particular temperature or temperature range. There is no experience on earth like getting a 15 minute therapeutic hottub session followed immediately by a 90 minute hot stone deep tissue massage. Better bring someone to drive you home!
At Wishing Wellness we also offer couples (or friends) massage in a non-strip mall environment. This is two massage tables with two therapists in a single room. We don't charge any extra for this service, we only charge our regular per minutes / per person price. A one hour double massage is just $130 and the 90 minute double is just $180. The latter includes a dip in the outdoor hot tub at no extra cost! Compare these prices to other massage and spa service providers.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Wishing Wellness Massage
After providing massage services for 6 years in Austin, Lake Pointe Massage became a thriving massage business. I'd learned many marketing techniques that proved successful and some that that weren't effective at all. Massage referrals proved to be the best source of new clients and I found targeting those who would repeat visits on a regular basis, was the most successful. I had a Microsoft Access database of all my clients and clients visits. This proved to be a valuable tool to look at trends of client visits and to keep track of referrals, birthdays, and client history of problems leading to requests for massage visits.
After taking many hours of massage training, I decided I'd like to become a massage instructor to help teach therapists the techniques I used in my successful practice. Many fellow massage therapists had told me that if I ever became an instructor, they would like to take a continuing education massage class from me. I looked up the requirements to teach massage in Texas and started to plan for getting my certification to teach. To teach hands on massage Texas required a Massage Therapy Instructor certification and also a Continuing Education Provider certification.
After receiving both the required certifications, I decided to poll massage therapists about what types of classes they would really be interested in taking. Many providers offer the same type of general classes but I wanted to do something different. So it will take some time to assess this and create the classes I would really like to teach. Some areas I've found lacking is in areas such as learning how to not injure yourself performing massage, how to market your massage services, how to setup your business from an accounting, record keeping, profitability perspective. Also about new massage modalities such as hot stone massage, Thai massage, Kodo, and one of my favorites - hot stone, deep tissue, chair massage.
After taking many hours of massage training, I decided I'd like to become a massage instructor to help teach therapists the techniques I used in my successful practice. Many fellow massage therapists had told me that if I ever became an instructor, they would like to take a continuing education massage class from me. I looked up the requirements to teach massage in Texas and started to plan for getting my certification to teach. To teach hands on massage Texas required a Massage Therapy Instructor certification and also a Continuing Education Provider certification.
After receiving both the required certifications, I decided to poll massage therapists about what types of classes they would really be interested in taking. Many providers offer the same type of general classes but I wanted to do something different. So it will take some time to assess this and create the classes I would really like to teach. Some areas I've found lacking is in areas such as learning how to not injure yourself performing massage, how to market your massage services, how to setup your business from an accounting, record keeping, profitability perspective. Also about new massage modalities such as hot stone massage, Thai massage, Kodo, and one of my favorites - hot stone, deep tissue, chair massage.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Lake Pointe Massage
In the year 2,000, after a long period of medical testing and evaluation by no less than 4 different doctors, I finally was diagnosed with type II diabetes and peripheral neuropathy. I started reading everthing I could get my hands on about diabetes and nutrition. I was laid off from a high tech job and my wife, Sara, said I should go to massage school as I always had an interest in massage. I completed the massage school course and received my massage license for California. Right after completing massage school I was hired for another high tech job which lasted about 8 months and then got hit with another RIF (reduction in force) from that company as well. I had practiced massage in California on a part time basis, but we were thinking of moving to a city that would be nice for preretirement, had good job opportunities and had lots of things that we liked to do.
I've had many occupations over the years, most all dealing with some type of systems - Jet Aircraft Mechanic, Electrician, Security Systems Technician, Manager of Electronic Security for U.S. Bank, Computer Hardware Technician, Software Implementation Consultant, Business Process Consultant, Human Resource Systems Consultant, and now Massage Therapist/ Massage Therapy Instructor/Continuing Education Provider.
Austin Texas kept coming up as a possibility as it had high tech jobs, lots of live music, plenty of water for fishing, kayaking, and camping, as well as really friendly people. We decided to take a trip there to check it out and fell in love with "the little California" stuck right in the middle of Texas! It had the largest college campus in the US and the label of "Live Music Capital of the World." We quit our jobs, sold our town house in Walnut Creek California, and packed up the two cats in our van for the drive to Texas. I told Sara I really didn't want to work in Fortune 500 corporate any more, but would like to do massage, music lessons, and some kind of a wellness or nutritional business. We'd never really had any kind of small business before, but it sounded really creative and exciting. So the plan was to have Sara get another HR Systems related job and I would go into more of a wellness venture with massage, music, and maybe nutrition.
We found a really large beautiful house in South West Austin in a development called Lake Pointe. I decided to go to massage school in Austin as the licensing requirements required 300 hours to take the test and in California I had only 150 hours. I went to school for 5 months and then took the state test and received my R.M.T., (Registered Massage Therapist) for Texas. Lake Pointe Massage was born.
Sara and I have visited many bed and breakfasts over the years and now we are seriously considering buying a property and creating a wellness bed and breakfast. Wellness is a concept that is really catching on with the general populace. "A proactive preventative life style that helps prevent disease" is my personal definition of wellness.
I've had many occupations over the years, most all dealing with some type of systems - Jet Aircraft Mechanic, Electrician, Security Systems Technician, Manager of Electronic Security for U.S. Bank, Computer Hardware Technician, Software Implementation Consultant, Business Process Consultant, Human Resource Systems Consultant, and now Massage Therapist/ Massage Therapy Instructor/Continuing Education Provider.
Austin Texas kept coming up as a possibility as it had high tech jobs, lots of live music, plenty of water for fishing, kayaking, and camping, as well as really friendly people. We decided to take a trip there to check it out and fell in love with "the little California" stuck right in the middle of Texas! It had the largest college campus in the US and the label of "Live Music Capital of the World." We quit our jobs, sold our town house in Walnut Creek California, and packed up the two cats in our van for the drive to Texas. I told Sara I really didn't want to work in Fortune 500 corporate any more, but would like to do massage, music lessons, and some kind of a wellness or nutritional business. We'd never really had any kind of small business before, but it sounded really creative and exciting. So the plan was to have Sara get another HR Systems related job and I would go into more of a wellness venture with massage, music, and maybe nutrition.
We found a really large beautiful house in South West Austin in a development called Lake Pointe. I decided to go to massage school in Austin as the licensing requirements required 300 hours to take the test and in California I had only 150 hours. I went to school for 5 months and then took the state test and received my R.M.T., (Registered Massage Therapist) for Texas. Lake Pointe Massage was born.
Sara and I have visited many bed and breakfasts over the years and now we are seriously considering buying a property and creating a wellness bed and breakfast. Wellness is a concept that is really catching on with the general populace. "A proactive preventative life style that helps prevent disease" is my personal definition of wellness.
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