The Massage Diaries

So yesterday I had the pleasure of massaging a 96 year old woman from the UK.  The meeting was set up by a lady I had massaged the other day.

I love old people.  No bullshit.  Just the truth.  Old people and kids are so similar.  They tell it like it is.  "How did you get so tall?" I got yesterday. 

It was an honor to give this woman only her 2nd massage in her life!  We talked for almost 30 minutes about what I could and couldn't touch on her body due to whatever reason and then with that reason, came a story of course.

And besides her operations and injuries and cancer etc, her muscles felt pretty good!  Why?  Because she was active her entire life and she still walks everywhere she can here in Chiang Mai with the help of her "stick."  Oh yeah, and she can only see out of 1 eye and only about 50%.  She is amazing.

She still gardens at her home in the UK and walks up and down the stairs in her house.  "There are 26.  I walk 13 up, 13 down."

So if you needed a reminder or a kick in the pants to get moving, think about what kind of independence you would like to have as you age.  As you reeeeeeeealy start to age.  It's like putting money in the bank.  Your independence bank.  What you do now, will pay off huge late. 

Oh yeah, and she's giving me the gears about asking her all the questions on my client information form that I have people sign.  Ummmmm sorry lady, you of ALL people have to answer this form!  "Ohhhh just answer NO to all of the questions" she says with a big sigh.  Hahahha
Honestly, she's in better condition than some of the other folks I have seen who are 30 years younger.

I gotta rant...

Ok. 
At the gym this afternoon. I'm resting in between sets and glance around the gym and notice this Thai chick sitting on the leg press pushing ONE plate (which is like 10 pounds and even this scrawny Asian could push more than that), and she's on her phone.

I need people to explain to me what the hell people are doing on their phone ALL THE TIME!!!!?!??!?!?!?!?

Help me friends.  What, what could you possibly be doing on your device, at what seems to me to be all the friggin time, that is so important.  Tell me.  Help me understand and deal with this new way of life and interacting that I am seriously struggling to accept. 

I see this same chick in the change room, not a bead of sweat on her of course, and she's still on her phone.
Are you serious.  Could people survive a day if they left their house without their phone!  GASP!  I know, the thought!  It's like leaving the house without your pants on.

I don't want to hate on technology, cause hey, I'm on my computer, I love it, it does many great things for me but man, I feel like the use of the cell phone has gone to a whole new level.  A place that has changed the way we communicate with each other, or don't communicate.  I love when there is a family gathering or you see people out for dinner or coffee and no one is speaking, everyone is on their device.  WTF is that!!??!?!  Most of my friends know that if we are sharing a meal or going for coffee, phones are OFF unless you are expecting a VERY important call.
Now you have to interrupt someone that is on their device while in a store to be served, where the person massaging you, MASSAGING you has their cell phone beside them and yes, I've had massages where they have actually been texting and have answered their phone while attempting to give me a massage.  Nice intention.  
Where people answer their phone in yoga class, love that one, in the hospital, in the movie theater, during a meeting etc etc etc.  You get it.
People have let connection and information take them away from being fully present and immersed in what they are doing.  From being completely into your workout, into that yoga class, into that conversation you are actually having with another REAL human over coffee.
Every time I look around all I see is heads down, focused on a screen.  Zombies.

Ok, that's enough.

But please friends, tell me what keeps people SO busy that they feel that they have to have their phone with them at ALL times.  (Reasons that are not work/business related.)
And I am fully aware that it is I that needs to accept and adapt to this changing way of communication and me getting fired up about some chick at the gym on her phone and why isn't she working hard, doesn't make any difference and is not going to make people do it any less.  I know this.
But I just needed to get that out.  Does anyone else feel like this!?

Big Fun in Little Malaysia.

In small town Malaysia where I spent 5 days with my friend Laurie whom I'd first met in Korea about 5 years ago.
Our days and nights were filled with fireworks right outside her window, Scrabble, popcorn, more popcorn, Raising Hope (which now I am addicted), walks, aerobics, Batu caves, Indian food and strange glances and comments from the local men.

We had a great time!

 Curry House.  Eat with your hands on your banana leaf.  A little too salty for us but still yummy.

 Laurie's best friend in Kuala Klawang, her small town.

Traaaaaaaain

 Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur.

 272 steps to the top or something.  After that climb of 1,200 steps in Krabi, this was nothing.

 Hanuman

 A sleepy train ride home.

 Spilling coffee on her nice, new white shirt.

 6 Ringgit haircut which is $2 bucks.  Nuts.
My first "real" haircut since shaving it in April.

Oh, and Malaysia has lots of great magazines in English for super cheap.  About 2-4 bucks!!

Fitness Thailand

Some pics from my gym.  They LOVE to take pictures of everything.
Here's us sweatin' it out in spin class on Valentine's day.  I didn't get the memo about wearing a pink or red shirt though.

 These guys flirt.

 The guy closest is also the step aerobics instructor that has magic feet.

Sweaty group photo.

The guy on the left, in black is the Spin-spaztic guy.  "Tick, tick, BOOM!."

Welcome Massaaaaaage

Back in Chiang Mai for my last month of travel with the specific purpose and intention to learn and practice massage so when I come back home to you all, I will be as bad ass as I can be!

I've put this note on my door and have had a busy last couple of days.

With my free massage offer, I have also received my first "tips" as well. 

My first being 50 baht which is about $1.71 but will buy me dinner! 
Next, the cup of coffee from the daughter of the owner of the hotel, who makes a mean cup and then another cup of coffee from the 50 baht friend today.

Under my door this morning I found a lovely note from the super tanned Italian man I gave a Thai massage to yesterday.  Made my day.

I will be in the classroom for the next 2 weeks learning and practicing lots of good stuff.

I really look forward to making you all feel goooooooood!

SPIN-SPAZTIC!

So I'm back in Chiang Mai and back to Fitness Thailand the gym we joined last year.
It's a great place.  All classes are included with membership (which never happens at home) and they have good ones!  Yoga, spin, aerobics, Body Pump, Hip Hop etc etc. offered in beautiful studios.

Here is a collection of interesting gym/workout experiences I've had in the past couple of days.

Starting with yesterday morning.  I decided to check out Step Aerobics class.  I was pretty pumped for it.  (TAG Jen McDougall)  Change things up a bit.  It said it was Beginner/Intermediate class so I thought, ok, I got this.
Ummm no.  All I "got" was basic step and basic step with leg curl.  What just happened.  It was insane.
I think you have to be a member of MENSA to take this step class.  It was funny for a while and then I just started to get a bit pissed off.  This is NUTS, WHO can do this?  THIS is my workout today, bitch, bitch, bitch.  I sucked it up and made it to the end of class, barely.

The night before this amazing step class, I went to spin class which I had to been to before and enjoyed.  I especially enjoyed the energy emanating from this one guy.  Picture thin but muscular Thai guy with glasses and a little nerdy.  Spin class is clearly his thing and something he loves.  The other night I came to class a few minutes late and got the bike right beside this dude.  He knows the words to ALL of the songs and probably pisses off the instructors by shouting out the command that is about to come from them.  "MORE GEAR", "ADD MORE GEAR" and my personal favorite from the other night., picture this if you can, "TICK, TICK, BOOM!" complete with fist pump.  Oh man.  I was laughing so hard.

If you have never experienced Asia spin class, it's a bit different from what we know in North America and is awesome.  TAG Erin Shaw.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbHEfpvmaLs

This video is a little more extreme than what class is like in Thailand but you get the just of it.  TAG Andre Blais.  And I must say, I enjoy these crazy dance/spin classes more than the classes at home.
So yeah, I was beside crazy spin-spaztic guy and it was funny.  His energy is great though, you can really feed off of him if you don't get annoyed with it.  I do wish I had my bike shorts though!  Ouch.

Muslim Aerobics.
While visiting my friend Laurie in her small town in Malaysia, she took me to her weekly aerobics class.  At least I could do this class and was given compliments so this was a much more enjoyable aerobics experience!
To preface, Muslim woman are interesting to me.  Mostly because I don't know anything about them!  Well, I didn't know anything about them.  Why do they wear the head scarf, what does it mean, what if you don't want to wear the scarf, are you independent etc etc.
Many of my questions were answered during my 2 week stay in Malaysia but back to the Muslim aerobics class...
We're in class with all of these Muslim women and Laurie had told me previously that there are 2 instructors.  A skinny one and a chubby one.  The skinny one had led most of the class but with about 20 minutes left to go in class I notice this middle aged woman enter with her full "gear" on.  Head scarf, long sleeves, long pants etc.  She takes off her scarf and her dress thing to reveal her shiny aerobic tights underneath and relieves the skinny instructor.  She starts throwin' down and amps it up a bit for the last few minutes of intense work before coolin' it down.
It was such an awesome moment.  She's just a normal chick underneath all that material who likes aerobics and isn't a slave to her husband and all of these other misconceptions I have/had of these women.
It was just awesome. 

I wonder what will happen at the gym tonight!

Oh, another one... picture chubby Thai man sitting on the bench where people who say they are going to "workout" just sit and play on their phones, is laying on his back looking up at his phone and lets a big fart go.
Really?  You didn't notice me stretching just a couple feet away from you.  Oh man.

Farts.

A week in Penang, Malaysia. Highlights.

Georgetown Street Art. 

This dude has outdoor street art in Singapore, Malaysia and parts of Europe from what I can tell.  It is very cool.  I especially love that cats make it into his art!  (Not all of these pieces are done by this guy)
http://www.zachas.com/index.php/murals/

Chinese New Year

Georgetown hosted a huge CNY party that demonstrated traditions of the holiday.
We watched Tai Chi, participated in Tai Chi, watched some amazing lion dances and martial art performances, drank tea, ate Indian, watched people balance giant flags on their shoulders and head and I had my face threaded.  Now I have no hair on my face.  It was a little painful but worth it!

Hike to Turtle Beach

We took our time to hike through the National Park and made our way to Turtle Beach.  The hike and beach were lovely.  Unfortunately, swimming around Penang is not ideal due to the high population of Jellyfish and some areas with heavy boat/ship traffic.  We still had a quick, refreshing dip after the hike.

Seeing turtles is always a treat.  I love them.  They are dinosaurs!  They are cute. They work SO hard in their life to maybe make it 
to adulthood.  They are cute.

After our wavy boat ride back we enjoyed shopping at the Spice Garden, a good coffee and a nice dinner on the beach.  Great day.

Random Photos