When I massage, my teachers are all there with me:

Mary Bryan, I think of you every time I'm leaning over someone and my back starts to ache. Bend those knees, I hear you saying, horse stance, dance, sway, make it smooth and beautiful. It helps.

Leigh, because of your fine tutelage, I see within and through the tissue. I know where things live, and I can work smarter. Your voice is in my ear, saying, that's how you isolate the infraspinatus. Caution here; love 'em up there.

David Christian, I think of you when I'm touching someone's ESGs. I was so impressed the day you taught us paraspinal friction. It felt good, it looked good, it was good. You are still the radiant love of Christ to me, and I'm not even a Christian. Well, I grew up one, and I get it.

Tammy, because of you I am not afraid to engage. And I hear you telling me to take care of myself! I promise I'll take Quick Release someday. Bernie talked it up pretty well. Every time my glutes hurt, I think of you. It's all good.

Erin, sister, I bring it every day. Karaoke in the fall, I promise.

Michelle McCoy, darlin', you're there in every stroke of petrissage I apply. Open C, Closed C, it's all about the petrissage.

Dr. Brian, your dry wit and total detachment from making other people's problems and excuses your own has let me draw appropriate boundaries for myself. And I am doing really well keeping my sarcastic commentary as an internal monologue, shocking as that may be.

Ms. MM Perry, aka Peg, WTF with the video forwards? :) Thanks for all the advice/suggestions about the emotional root of pain. I'm slowly working through it, with the last two days being very good. CoffeeBoy is stellar, endowed, and affectionate. A great combination. When I think of you, I get a smile on my face, because we have the same Nasty-O-Meter and Bullshit Filter.

Mary Soule, when I find something in the shoulder, it's because you taught me to. Your requirement that we palpate you during kinesiology was amazingly effective.

Jason, I just miss your mischievous smile. There's always more going on there than meets the eye, I would guess.

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If I've forgotten someone, I apologize. This was just what was on my mind today, as I sit in this beautiful place and wonder why there were no bookings today. Father's Day weekend. It's slow. It will pick up drastically in a few weeks. It had better, or I'm heading for financial chaos.

But that's not the reality today. Today it's sunny, beautiful, and peaceful. I wish those things for all of you, too.