Nearly time to spill
SOOOooooo.... how long ago was the last entry? Can I just tell you how glad I am that this is NOT happening in June? Having to wrap this all up AND close out a school year at the same time would be a BIT too much!
We had our last class day today. I'll only have to put on the scrubs one more time next Saturday when I go to have my final evaluation. Just like the last eval I wrote about I'll have to massage the instructor. This time there isn't a whole lot of new technique to demonstrate, it's more about integrating the various modalities we've learned in the last 17 months and customizing a full hour massage to address a client's needs. After that, graduation on the 26th (and in case you didn't already know, that's what the countdown is in my status).
Although I still have a fair amount of written work and studying to do this week I need to start writing, daily if I can, about the massage school experience. I've volunteered to be the spokesperson for our class and I need to start putting down words and ideas, memories and observations... so that I have a big enough (cess)pool of work to draw from for public presentation. Some of what will appear here will seem kind of random, there may be the occasional entry that I lock (which is unusual for me - I've never felt the need to do that here before).
In other words, a copious amount of verbal diarrhea is about to appear here and I don't really expect anyone to wade through it, but on the off-chance that you do then the feedback I'm looking for is about what you think should be included in my presentation.
So having said that, let the flow begin...
There's five of us. We started out as seven: five women, two men. Within the first month two of the women had to drop out to care for sick family members. One came back but missed enough coursework that she picked up with the class behind us in the instructional sequence. The other came back but only for a day or so, then her husband was laid off - so her massage career just wasn't in the cards for now.
We are Lynn, Suzanne, Kristen, Brian and Brian. The "Other Brian" is half my age, has hair, is taller and has about 50 pounds of muscle more than I. Nonetheless, I am certain no one can tell us apart because we have the same name.
Sitting in the lecture room last Wednesday, the same one in which our very first class was held, felt entirely different. That first class, so reserved still (well, no, not me. I'm not shy in those situations). It's difficult to recall what was on my mind back then.
====
October 1, 2008. There's a journal entry here written on the first night of class. It's brief, doesn't say much about the experience. I am definitely going to have to pull quotes from the journal - some of them are fairly amusing to me, if not to anyone else.
Like this comment I made to the entry of December 8, 2008:
"Random useless fact stuck in my head that will do me absolutely no good on the test tomorrow: there are 639 named muscles in the body. Which begs the questions, "how many un-named ones are there?" and "can I name one?" I'd call it Bob."
====
Or this one for February 7, 2009
"
Had a SERIOUS case of the giggles in anatomy class this morning. It all started with the splenius capitis, the splenius cervicis, and somewhat the scalenes. No, get your minds out of the gutter, there's nothing dirty about those, they are just some of the muscles in your neck. I was fine until the professor uttered the plural of splenius. Got it Latin majors?
Splenii.
So? So it's PRONOUNCED "spleeny-eye"
"I dunno Doctor, it's the worst case of Spleeny-eye I've seen in years. We'll have to operate."
"I got the powder and spray for the scalenes, but I'm going to have to start on drops for the spleeny-eye."
"Poor old spleeny-eyed dog, can't see much anymore."
"Will you STOP making the spleeny-eye faces and let me take a SERIOUS picture of you for once!?!?"
I've had the giggles about it all day.
====
Or the delightful discovery that Suzanne already knew George... Feb 17, 09
====
Or having scientific evidence to validate who I am and describe why I'm good at what I do: "The Gift of My Gay Brain" - August 12, 2009
====
More reminisces from the journal later. One last thought for tonight. In class after a review for the eval we had "Closure." The instructor read a lovely poem written by one of the others, sat us in a circle and we shared.
Yes, it was very touchy-feely and weepy. A bit cathartic. Lynn had been leaking tears all day. Kristen on and off. Mine came at the very end. When it was MY turn I said (after making indistinct noises that made no sense at all):
"...and usually I'm so ARTICULATE! I don't know what to say. I don't think it's really struck me yet, that this is the end. It probably won't hit until the next Wednesday or Saturday when I don't have class and I think 'what's missing?' [here's where **I** choke up]
...it will be you."
I think we're going to stay connected, the five of us. I hope we do. We're talking about meeting up once a month. Some of us will be taking the national certification exam over the summer so there's also a plan to study together as well.
Much more to ponder.
We had our last class day today. I'll only have to put on the scrubs one more time next Saturday when I go to have my final evaluation. Just like the last eval I wrote about I'll have to massage the instructor. This time there isn't a whole lot of new technique to demonstrate, it's more about integrating the various modalities we've learned in the last 17 months and customizing a full hour massage to address a client's needs. After that, graduation on the 26th (and in case you didn't already know, that's what the countdown is in my status).
Although I still have a fair amount of written work and studying to do this week I need to start writing, daily if I can, about the massage school experience. I've volunteered to be the spokesperson for our class and I need to start putting down words and ideas, memories and observations... so that I have a big enough (cess)pool of work to draw from for public presentation. Some of what will appear here will seem kind of random, there may be the occasional entry that I lock (which is unusual for me - I've never felt the need to do that here before).
In other words, a copious amount of verbal diarrhea is about to appear here and I don't really expect anyone to wade through it, but on the off-chance that you do then the feedback I'm looking for is about what you think should be included in my presentation.
So having said that, let the flow begin...
There's five of us. We started out as seven: five women, two men. Within the first month two of the women had to drop out to care for sick family members. One came back but missed enough coursework that she picked up with the class behind us in the instructional sequence. The other came back but only for a day or so, then her husband was laid off - so her massage career just wasn't in the cards for now.
We are Lynn, Suzanne, Kristen, Brian and Brian. The "Other Brian" is half my age, has hair, is taller and has about 50 pounds of muscle more than I. Nonetheless, I am certain no one can tell us apart because we have the same name.
Sitting in the lecture room last Wednesday, the same one in which our very first class was held, felt entirely different. That first class, so reserved still (well, no, not me. I'm not shy in those situations). It's difficult to recall what was on my mind back then.
====
October 1, 2008. There's a journal entry here written on the first night of class. It's brief, doesn't say much about the experience. I am definitely going to have to pull quotes from the journal - some of them are fairly amusing to me, if not to anyone else.
Like this comment I made to the entry of December 8, 2008:
"Random useless fact stuck in my head that will do me absolutely no good on the test tomorrow: there are 639 named muscles in the body. Which begs the questions, "how many un-named ones are there?" and "can I name one?" I'd call it Bob."
====
Or this one for February 7, 2009
"
Had a SERIOUS case of the giggles in anatomy class this morning. It all started with the splenius capitis, the splenius cervicis, and somewhat the scalenes. No, get your minds out of the gutter, there's nothing dirty about those, they are just some of the muscles in your neck. I was fine until the professor uttered the plural of splenius. Got it Latin majors?
Splenii.
So? So it's PRONOUNCED "spleeny-eye"
"I dunno Doctor, it's the worst case of Spleeny-eye I've seen in years. We'll have to operate."
"I got the powder and spray for the scalenes, but I'm going to have to start on drops for the spleeny-eye."
"Poor old spleeny-eyed dog, can't see much anymore."
"Will you STOP making the spleeny-eye faces and let me take a SERIOUS picture of you for once!?!?"
I've had the giggles about it all day.
====
Or the delightful discovery that Suzanne already knew George... Feb 17, 09
====
Or having scientific evidence to validate who I am and describe why I'm good at what I do: "The Gift of My Gay Brain" - August 12, 2009
====
More reminisces from the journal later. One last thought for tonight. In class after a review for the eval we had "Closure." The instructor read a lovely poem written by one of the others, sat us in a circle and we shared.
Yes, it was very touchy-feely and weepy. A bit cathartic. Lynn had been leaking tears all day. Kristen on and off. Mine came at the very end. When it was MY turn I said (after making indistinct noises that made no sense at all):
"...and usually I'm so ARTICULATE! I don't know what to say. I don't think it's really struck me yet, that this is the end. It probably won't hit until the next Wednesday or Saturday when I don't have class and I think 'what's missing?' [here's where **I** choke up]
...it will be you."
I think we're going to stay connected, the five of us. I hope we do. We're talking about meeting up once a month. Some of us will be taking the national certification exam over the summer so there's also a plan to study together as well.
Much more to ponder.
Replies
At least you get to put on scrrubs and not a cheeky hospital gown. Getting my hip boots on now as I excited await your series of thoughts. (Yes, good start to begin with how many were involved; this wll be about progress and change. This is also about what you have experienced so \"feeling\" is good) Anicdotes are great. the give additional info without getting mired in tedium.
As I get to the end of your entry, I can\'t help feeling delightedly happy for you. It\'s seems like it\'s been an incredibly positive experience for you.
I am so proud of you ... this has been a wonderful journey to follow ... thank you for sharing it with me. I can\'t wait to read your commentary of the experience. I think that there are mixed emotions of happiness of being done and sadness of something coming to an end.