Archive for April, 2009

I thought I might go out and get some flowers, go to the library, check out the local garden shop for some spring plants. Then I remembered it was Good Friday and wondered allowed “what if I get out of my track pants for nothing, what if the stores are closed?”

Should this be a day off? Should I be blogging today? Was it bad that I did laundry? Is there something I’m supposed to do, or not do on this day? I’m confused.

Some people have the day off, others do not. Some stores are open, some are not. Like most days of observance, I’m having troubles determining what to expect out there. As a result of my indecision and lack of knowledge about the protocol for such a day, I chose instead to remain in my home and observe nothing but a good book, my husband who is battling a flu and a fire both of us have been trying to get going for oh…two hours now.

When we did open up our fireplace to load in the paper and wood we came upon a very large, and I mean large, bee. I was prepared to get out my vacuum cleaner and suck it up, (is that bad to do on Good Friday… vacuuming?) but then my husband, thinking sanely, felt we should capture it and set it free. I got the glass and cardboard and that is what we did.

I feel better about that,  as my first response was out of panic. I’m normally even setting flies free. I hate to see them crashing constantly up against the window trying to find their way back out.  Getting back to my story, our freeing of the bee must count for something right? That has to be in the spirit of something, we saved a life!

The first lady Michelle Obama had a lot of focus on her while her husband  President Obama attended the G20 summit. A friend of mine who lives in England and I were talking about the coverage of her visit. She sent me a link to an article that spoke about a visit Michelle Obama made to Islington’s Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Language College.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/apr/05/michelle-obama-school-london

The speech she gave really appeared to resonate with the students, I especially enjoyed both the power in the message and the simplicity of the language. All too often politicians or their representatives tend to speak too much and say very little of value or they clumsily dance through the photo op and leave the site soon after. This was not the case. Michelle Obama, by all accounts, was very present and her words gave a glimpse of the girl in the woman, memories from her own years as a student.

More importantly she inspired the girls attending that school. That is exciting to me; one, five, ten or 100 more girls feeling good about themselves, affirming the importance of their own education, caring about today and looking optimistically toward their future!

Empowerment is a beautiful thing.

I have just come to the end of my day from hell!

Stuck in my office on a beautiful sunny day, getting together all that my accountant needs to file my taxes. This sucks! I look out of my office window to watch the walkers and cyclists doing healthy things, while I have minor little breakdowns pouring through my files.

Usually I’m more together than this, but for some reason this year I decided to adopt the procrastinators way of thinking. “I’ll do it next week”…”OK, next week, I’ll do it”…”OK all ready, I will get it done!” I thought of the speech I give to my students on how bad procrastination is and then I realized I too have been lured into its evil domain.

Tomorrow, I will hand these files happily over to my trusted accountant; feeling completely comfortable with the thought that it will be one year from now that I may face yet another day from hell. Of course, I will be far more organized, I really think I learned my lesson this time.

When I heard the news of a new Shia law that had been backed by President Karzai, further restricting Afghan women, I felt as though my heart had to stretch from my country to theirs. My arms needed to wrap around my sister on the other side of the world to support her in her grief. The most basic of human rights  seemingly ripped away yet again.   I pictured a girl hanging her head, feeling as if her life was slipping through her fingers like grains of sand.

My thoughts went to how dejected any of us can feel on a day when all our plans seem to crash. Those times when what makes sense to us or what was giving us hope seemingly was snatched away. The frustration, anger, sadness, despair and confusion that engulfs us as we try to comprehend what has happened and question “what will happen from here?” Well, most of our daily struggles don’t even come close to what some of our Afghan sisters face.

It is hard to taste freedom and then have it taken away as there have been small celebrations and progress for women in Afghanistan over the last few years. Looking at the yard stick on the wall and measuring the growth; gender equality initiatives, women turning out to vote, increased access to health care and more girls in school. However, this is only the beginning and middle stages of implementing rights for women. Multiple people inside and outside of Afghanistan are trying so hard to make that happen including our Canadian troops.

If a women can not deny her husband sex, walk out of her home when she pleases, choose to be educated, leave a marriage and have custody of her own flesh and blood children if divorced, then for most women the hope may have left.

I am sending what energy I can to all those girls and women in Afghanistan who are feeling like their dreams may have been dashed, that hope is lost, and their lives and voices are about to be silenced. My energy goes your way as my body can not, but I feel your loss and remain hopeful that one day you to will live as you wish. Secure in your choices, a full participant in your future, the architect of your own destiny!

Due in large part to Fibromyalgia my muscles can seize up quiet a lot and massage therapy is the primary source of relief. I refuse to take medication and believe strongly that diet, exercise and a more positive outlook are essential to my pain management.  Everyone is the best judge of what works for them and so it is no surprise that there are multiple therapies from which to choose.

My massage therapist, Candice, is fabulous! So, I asked her to share with you some points about Registered Massage Therapists and what to discuss before your make an appointment. (This information may also be helpful to those who are considering a career in this field.)

CANDICE:

The Registered Massage Therapy program is a 3000 hour program in British Columbia, Canada. BC has the highest accreditation for Massage Therapy training in North America.  Although the program is an extensive amount of work, we come out of it highly qualified and with clinical experience. It is interesting that all Registered Massage Therapist’s (RMT’s) in BC receive the same training and have the same clinical hours but all practice so differently. I have yet to experience the same treatment from two different RMT’s.

RMT’s in BC are required to obtain a certain amount of credits every year to remain registered. There are a magnitude of courses to choose from including craniosacral, sports injury, systemic illnesses, reflexology, pregnancy and so many more. This is where we extend our knowledge and experience in different directions for our individual practices.

With so many people giving treatments I think there are a few important things a person should discuss before booking an appointment:

1. Are they registered? A person who is considered a RMT has completed the 3000 hour program in BC and passed the board exams. They are a member of the College of Massage Therapist of BC. You can contact this association to check if someone is a RMT in good standing with the college.

Many places, generally spas, offer massage but they may not be registered. The training for a spa massage is different than an RMT. RMT’s are trained to treat conditions specifically and safely for each individual. There is nothing wrong with spa massage treatments, I am simply stating the difference in the two types.

2. Tell the person the general reason for booking an appointment. Although we are trained on all conditions we often focus on an area of interest or have particular strengths. Giving a brief description on the condition you have, insures you will be put with the appropriate therapist. Ultimately, it’s our goal as RMT’s to ensure you receive the best care for your condition that we can provide. This means listening to your concerns and booking you with the most suitable person.

3. If your RMT isn’t the right fit, seek out another. All therapists are different and all patients are different. We do not get offended if a combination doesn’t fit, or if a patient sees another RMT. Look for someone who has a particular interest in the treatment of your condition.

It is the combination of preventative health care along with rehabilitation that leaves people feeling healthy and cared for. Our main focus is to ensure that all patients receive the attention and care that they deserve.  When a patient doesn’t need to book any more appointments and is feeling healthy, we consider the treatment a true success!

Candice works in South Surrey, BC at Karen J. Smith and Associates.