Reflections

I went wandering in the garden this morning and found a tomato hornworm

 In fact I touched it.

It was an ucky moment.

. .


However, I know that hornworms turn into hummingbird moths and I love  watching them in the garden.  Ya know, I can't have hummingbird moths without the ucky of the hornworm.  This was an inspirational moment.

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/INSECT/05517.html

I read Laura Allen's Blog about the Alliance and she gives a much better report of the meeting so check it out. I on the other hand am contemplating hornworms and hummingbird moths.  Most people like butterflies but they start out as a caterpillar too.  Here is the monarch butterfly caterpillar that is also in my garden. Why do I not think it is ucky?

In the midst of this introspective and enlightening moment I found one of my cats- Gary named by my little granddaughter after Spongebob's snail- in the clothes dryer.   Thankfully I had not dried him with the clothes but left the door open after taking laundry out of the dryer. This event made me giggle.   A bit later Gary and my other cat smokey were snarking at eachother over who would get to play with the wasp they had trapped in the corner.  The winner may get stung. 

Yes I am rambling but this is part of the way I process an event like the Alliance meeting.  There were a couple of moments that were ucky for me-I describe them in the previous post. However-almost all of the meeting was beautiful like the hummingbird moth. I will get a hold of the NCBTMB leaders and share my observations and opinions. In fact--as I was contemplating my actions this morning Smokey the cat walked on my phone and believe it or not dialed Paul Lindamood CEO of the NCBTMB. I let it ring and left a message.  We must participate in the evolution of our profession. The Alliance is like the monarch caterpillar- in process and I love monarchs-caterpillars and butterflies.  Anyone who may be following this blog spread the word that change is occurring and support is important.  Be part of the process. Read the information on the various websites that represent the massage profession.  If you like what is going on then let the leaders know. When you don't like what is going on also state why and offer suggestions.  So much is happening right now. Start by sending focused intention for collaboration and cooperation to the organizational representatives at the meeting in St. Louis in September.  It will a difference.

At the airport

I am at the Charleston SC airport waiting for flights to take me home.  I have been at the Alliance for Massage Therapy Education second conference.http://http://www.afmte.org//. My brain is really tired and busy with so many things.  I have been supporting the Alliance for this year both with my dollars and volunteer time. I now believe that this may be a good investment.  The organization has grown and actually produced valuable contributions  to the massage community.  Anyone involved in massage therapy education should join.  Highlights for me at the conference we getting to know Ryan creator of massagenerd.com a really great website. All should check it out.  Myself and many others did a short interview with him and he will be posting to his website.

I got to see and laugh and collaborate with the "ole timers", those massage therapists and educators that just keep showing up.  I had the chance to get to know Laura Allen- master blogger and advocate for massage as well as fellow author and a real character. Great lady. One of the most gratifying things for me was seeing one of my graduates who is now in charge of the massage therapy program at a chiropractic college move into a position of leadership at the Alliance. He is young, committed and capable. And---there were other young excited and capable people there also willing to step forward and boy do we need them.  Remember the "ole timers" statement. Now I plan on being around a long  time and have no intentions of stepping anywhere but forward yet I have been concerned about who the future leaders will be.

There were really great moments and one for me was when Jan Schwartz talked about a group she is with called the Academic Consortium for Complementary and Alternative Health Care (ACCAHC),http://http://www.accahc.org//.  I need to learn more about this organization so won't expand just yet but she did point out that three important organizations that must be in place for a profession to be considered a member are: a school organization which the Alliance is stepping up to the plate, an accrediting body which we have in COMTA and a certifying body which we also have in the NCBTMB.  But-- NCBTMB is not a member of this organization and should be and without them massage therapy will not qualify to participate in very important discussions about the future of  CAM.  I am not happy.  In addition representatives were not in the audience at the time that the information was provided about how very important the viability of the certifying body is. I am not happy.  I have been a vocal advocate for the certification  process especially the advanced certification initiative.  I still am and will be.  To move forward as a profession we need this organization to be viable and I did speak to that issue.  Those who carry baggage about the past and want the NCBTMB to disappear need to take notice. And the NCBTMB needs to be present.

There is also a concern about the Alliance being including in the MTBOK Stewards meeting in Portland at the next AMTA convention. So  Stewards come on and invite the Alliance and Alliance ask to be invited and included.  We are the new kids on the block for goodness sake. A little humility here.  And Stewards why the hesitancy for bringing in the Alliance as one of the Stewards?? I will be in Portland and expect to here great things about the participation of the Alliance at the Stewards meeting.


I am interested in the results of the gathering in St Louis mentioned in my last post. Many are watching carefully for the desired collaboration, cooperation and commitment to the massage profession.

So here I sit at the airport full of hope and expectation. Lets get on with it.  It is time!

There is Hope

I just checked out Laura Allen's blog and found out that all the massage organizations are going to meet at a summit in St Louis in September. Here is the link so go check it out.  Send good energy ya all.


http://lauraallenmt.com/blog/laura-allens-blog/

Reunion

me on way to class reunion

I attended my 40th year class reunion last night. Ha- and it was really fun to see everyone.  One of my graduates was there and came up to me and said "when is Health Enrichment Center going to have a reunion.  Well- that's a good question.  I will have to puts some plans together for that. We have planned reunions before with little attendance.  At the high school reunion last night there were only about 30 of us out of 190 but I realize that it is about those that do show up so I will plan a Health Enrichment Center reunion and let everyone one know.

Last week I was at Steelers training camp.  I meet other massage therapists there and enjoyed the interaction.  The Pittsburgh School of Massage was there with students providing massage and that was fun to watch.  I got after a couple of the guys I work with and told them to make sure players took advantage of the services because the students need to be able to have the experience of realizing the football players are human beings after all.  I thought the instructors there did a very good job. After seeing about 6-8 football players a day for 7 day- mostly grizzled old veterans who really do need massage-I was reminded how important it is for us to practice effective body mechanics.  I really do work efficiently as well as effectively and was not sore or tired at all.  It makes me sad when I hear massage therapists saying that they hurt or can't do more than 4 massage sessions a day.  Maybe I can combine the topic of body mechanics into a reunion. 

I was thrilled to find a monarch butterfly caterpillar in my garden. I have worked hard to create the habitat that would both attract and nurture the next generation of butterflies.  As I attend the Alliance for Massage Therapy Educators meeting next week my hope is that this same commitment will occur for our future generation of massage therapists. I know I am committed but I am only one and can only personally nurture a few.  One year in an attempt to "help" a caterpillar I placed it in a protected cage.  I made sure all the food was fresh and appropriate.  I watched every day and was thrilled when the crystallise was formed. Some how the butterfly emerged when I was gone and was trapped and died.  What a lesson for me.  Yes I kept the caterpillar safe but failed to free the butterfly. We need to remember this as we strive to prepare the next generation of massage therapist.