In tribute to John

Tribute

It's funny how we can meet someone for the first time and feel like we already know them, somehow. Maybe it's just because of contagious smiles and laughter. Perhaps it's a subtle peculiarity that makes us familiar or inviting. I recently had the pleasure of this occurrence with Mr. John Malinowski. He seemed very warm and open, telling us of his wife's illness and showing unashamed concern for her. He was on his way to visit her in the hospital.

Imagine my dismay to hear that John passed away suddenly last Saturday. Below is a copy of the obituary posted this week in the Pensacola News Journal.

JOHN MALINOWSKI
1932-2007

John Malinowski, age 75, of Pensacola, passed away Saturday, December 15, 2007. He was born January 27, 1932 in Erie, PA, and had been a resident of Pensacola since 1985.
John was a Teacher and Practitioner of Touch for Health, and a Professional Kinesiologist.
He was an avid Bowler, member of the Unity Church of Pensacola, was a veteran of the Korean Conflict serving in the U.S. Army. He was a Good Kind Man.
Survivors include his wife, Bernice F. Malinowski; two step-daughters, Pat and Denise Gary; step-son, Larry Friedman; two sisters, Annie Walters and Mary Smith; three brothers, Ray, Ed and Stan Malinowski; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be held 7:00 p.m. Thursday, December 20, 2007 in the Unity Church of Pensacola with the Reverend Jamie Sanders officiating.
BAYVIEW FISHER-POU FUNERAL HOME is in charge of arrangements.
The family will receive family and friends Thursday, December 20, 2007 in the Unity Church of Pensacola from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, please make contributions in memory of John to the Memorial Fund of Unity Church of Pensacola, 716 N 9th Ave., Pensacola, FL 32501

To sign the guestbook, please follow this link.

Massage Nerd

I found this info-site massage nerd a while back.

Actually, my beautiful web-savvy wife Becca (too fashionable and gorgeous to be nerdy--> disclaimer), showed me it.

Developed by a massage instructor, this index holds a wealth of knowledge. For anyone interested in massage therapy/practicing massage. It also follows the stars & universe of massage, check it out.

Sorry, no sci-fi news is posted on the site.

Blessings.

"It's kind of a big deal"

Today's my 30th Birthday! Three decades?! What if I don't want to feel thirty?!


More on this later.

Balancing Act--counteracting gravity

Keeping in shape and keeping myself fit is necessary for me to continue as a massage practitioner. The tendency of humans is to use and misuse the same muscles while doing our routines of work and life. Rarely do we exercise our remaining muscles.

Yes, the activities of daily living become our undoing when constant bad posture and body mechanics start to wear and tear at us. My hands get a great work out every day, so I must use different tools to help get the job done i.e. forearms, elbows, and the occasional jackhammer of sorts for mountainous knots :). More than anything though, my back and shoulders take the brunt of the work in my week and I have to combat that. I have to stretch out, yes. But mainly I have to bring balance back to my hunkered over posture. The core muscles on my gut (abs, quads, hip flexors) can get short and weak if I don't give them any attention.

Really, the reason I write all this is to remind myself to keep in shape or shape it up. Fight gravity! Do all I can to stand strong every day (mentally, physically, spiritually). I tend to get focused in on the task at hand and neglect other real needs. The idea, we know, is to break an old habit by adopting a better one. For as my pastor would say, Sow a thought reap a...destiny.

The law of the harvest is to reap more than you sow. Sow an act, and you reap a habit; sow a habit, and you reap a character; sow a character, and you reap a destiny.
~George Dana Boardman

Local Food in Pensacola?

Here is a short article from Steven L. Hopp. It is excerpted from the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.

It gives me an idea of how American votes in the marketplace can make a difference. Even though the Pensacola area does not have a real farmers market, the local natural food store does offer locally grown seasonal produce when they can get it. And then over in Elberta, Alabama, there is Sweet Home Cheese Farm. I don't drive by there very often, but I want everybody to know you can meet these fine cheese artisans and the dairy cows in the pasture. I want there to be a local cheese farm still in existence, so when I am out that way I can still stop in and take some home.

Oily Food

Americans put almost as much fossil fuel into our refrigerators as our cars. We’re consuming about 400 gallons of oil a year per citizen – about 17% of our nation’s energy use – for agriculture, a close second to our vehicular use. Tractors, combines, harvesters, irrigation, sprayers, tillers, balers, and other equipment all use petroleum. Even bigger gas guzzlers on the farm are not the machines, but so-called inputs. Synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides use oil and natural gas as their starting materials, and in their manufacturing. More than a quarter of all farming energy goes into synthetic fertilizers.

But getting the crop from seed to harvest takes only one fifth of the total oil used for our food. The lion’s share is consumed during the trip from the farm to your plate. Each food item in a typical U.S. meal has traveled an average of 1500 miles. In addition to direct transport, other fuel-thirsty steps include processing (drying, milling, cutting, sorting, baking), packaging, warehousing and refrigeration. Energy calories consumed by production, packaging and shipping far outweigh the energy calories we receive from the food.

A quick way to improve food-related fuel economy would be to buy a quart of motor oil and drink it. More palatable options are available. If every U.S. citizen ate just one meal a week (any meal) composed of locally and organically raised meats and produce, we would reduce our country’s oil consumption by over 1.1 million barrels of oil every week. That’s not gallons, but barrels. Small changes in buying habits can make big differences. Becoming a less energy-dependent nation may just need to start with a good breakfast.

Steven L. Hopp

AMTA's National Massage Therapy Awareness Week Event

Makes you wish you lived in or near Crystal River, eh?

Presented by AMTA's Heart of Florida Chapter

The AMTA Heart of Florida Chapter is celebrating National Massage
Therapy Awareness Week by teaming up with Habitat for Humanity and
providing FREE CHAIR MASSAGES to the general public. The goal is to
raise awareness of the Massage Therapy profession and educate the
public about the benefits of massage, while raising funds for a great
cause Habitat for Humanity.

When: October 25th, 2007

Where: Crystal River Mall

1801 NW Us Highway 19

Crystal River, FL 34428

Time: 9:00am until 1:30pm

Who is Massage Buzz?

Massage Buzz is James A. Fritschle, LMT located in Pensacola, Florida. James has been practicing massage therapy for 7 yrs. With several years of experience as a Chiropractic Assistant, James is thoroughly versed in sports injury therapy and deep tissue work. Currently, James is a member of the 12th Avenue Massage Group, located in the heart of historic Pensacola.



12th Avenue Massage Therapy Group
2100 N 12th Ave Pensacola, Fl 32503

My current office hours are:
Mon.-Fri. 9am to 11:30am and Saturdays 9am-5pm.

By appointment (850)485-0552

Gift Certificates available!

MA# 48259 MM# 9764

Massage Research

Here is a link to one the leading massage research institutes.

Touch Research

Although massage research is lacking in mainstream US, likely b/c of financial incentives. Most of the doctors and therapists involved volunteer their time and give their services to the cause. Many people know that massage is more than a luxury.

I will be sure to pass on valid studies when I come across them.

Be Well.

Blue Angel Buzz

On Site/Chair massage is the main way I get out in the community and spread the good news of the benefits of massage. Although a good hour session can't compare to a ten minute pick me up massage, the benefits really show on the smiling faces of those having just received a brief back massage. Ahhhhhh stress-break.

One of my associates, Sue Shannahan LMT, and I had the opportunity last week to help out at a health fair. The technical aircraft crews of Pensacola NAS(home of the Blue Angels) and Whiting Field NAS (helicopter-craft "low and slow" training field). The crimpt-up necks and tired backs of computer workers and jet engine tweekers got some much needed attention. And you wouldn't believe it; right inside the hanger bays with the "blue and gold" F18's parked right behind us, we set up our massage chairs in awe.

Woo hoo! I really love this job. I get to work "hands on" with the most amazing people and way interesting places. Soon it will be the governor's mansion, then maybe I do a little work at the White House.

WIC-ked Massage

Monday was "Spa Day" at the Escambia County WIC Department. The director, Versilla Turner, planned a brief get away in one the clinics conference rooms to pamper the hard working hands and tired backs of the dietitians and staff. Manicure, chair massages, and rejuvenating music were in order to soothe away the days. The Spa Day was put together to sort of kick off the WIC Dept.'s quarterly planning meeting where they put their heads and hearts together to consider how they might serve our area's women and young children better.

Pictures of yours truly in action, coming soon.