I'm Rubbin' It!
Yeah, I know I said I was gonna post more, but jeez! I'm busy y'all!
Actually, mostly I've been busy fighting off the crud that attacked my sinuses last week, and I refused to let it get to my chest. Lots of rest, lots of fluids, taking it easy instead of partying like a rock star off the wagon.
In the meantime, been pretty boring overall. But there has been one recent development, and I've been hesitant to share it, for a number of reasons. But, it's all I've got, blog-wise, so here goes:
Two weeks ago, I started as the new "resident" masseur at our local dance club, Bearracuda. Matt(accuda) had been talking to the resident masseur Paul (ca_thunder) about who was going to replace him, while Paul moved out to Salt Lake City to continue his coursework in Mad Massage Skills. Paul told Matt to ask me, thinking it would be great experience for me as I complete my coursework in my Swedish Massage course. Matt asked me on New Year's Eve, and I reluctantly said yes. I was reluctant mainly because I am not yet certified, and still working through school. I know there are a ton of masseurs out there, and a few of the bearish persuasion that I initially thought might be better fits than I would be.
Matt pooh-poohed my nervousness and reluctance, saying that there would be lots of guys who would want me to put my hands all over them. Funny, yes, but unfortunately that didn't make me feel any better about taking on the position. I definitely want to help people feel good through touch, but have been struggling to deal with the crossover that touch can mean, from an erotic perspective. And I know it's there and unavoidable, but it doesn't make it any easier. So I told Matt that would I do it for the dance on the 17th, but that I would do so only on a trial basis, and that I was really looking for feedback, particularly if I wasn't delivering what he was looking for.
So, I packed my table and lotion, a little tip jar (the massages are free, but tips are always nice!), and headed out to Bearracuda. Pete pulsecub was spinning that night, and made me promise to give him a massage before he went on. Pete's been going to school for some time now as well, and his states' requirements are much more lengthy than San Francisco's, so I felt (and feel) like a complete novice in comparison. My nerves got the best of me as I worked on him (and I'm always feeling like I start out weakly, and get better as I go along, so it didn't help that he was my first), and afterwards, Pete was very sweet and gave me a couple of moves to use as the night went on, which helped tremendously.
I worked on 14 people that night in the course of 3 and a half hours. I had to turn people away, because you can only do so much in one night without wearing out. I used my iPhone to track the length of the massages I was giving, setting the alarm to go off at approximately the 10 minute mark. This meant I ended up giving about 12-13 minute massages all told on each person, just because I didn't want to stop in the middle of doing something. I didn't really intend on going that long, it was more an exercise in my timing the work. I'm trying to get myself down to about 10 minutes for the upper body routine, but I'm not forcing it right now. Right now, it's all about getting bodies on the table and working in different ways depending on who I'm working on at the moment.
It went well, all told, and the tips were generous enough for me to feel like I was doing work that was appreciated, and enough for me to feel like it was a good way to lose a few hours (when I would normally be dancing and socializing).
I should mention that this was the first night I did this.
Last night, not so much. I ended up working on 12 people, doing about 15 minutes on each person (just trying new things, and again, not rushing anyone so both of us could get something out of the work), and the tips I walked away with made me quietly question to myself if it was worth doing the work at Bearracuda. I was telling a friend last night that bartenders make roughly a buck a drink in tips for every drink they serve (if not more), so what the hell is up with not tipping someone who just exerted strength and pressure on you for 15 minutes? (I'm not saying bartenders don't work hard, but the effort of pulling a draft tab takes about 30 seconds. Mixing a gin and tonic takes less than a minute. Quantify that.) Let's just say that if I hadn't had a ride home, I would have lost half of my tips taking a cab ride home with my table.
Meh.
On one hand, I am really appreciating the opportunity to work on people, and I love the feeling when someone gets off my table feeling like they got some release in such a short amount of time. Some people asked me for my card, which I can't give because I'm still in school. I do recognize it as a good opportunity to get my name out there. I don't want to complain, but I kind of couldn't help it with the breakdown last night. I did notice myself frustrated a couple of times while I was working on folks, looking around and seeing so many of my friends laughing and having a good time. I wanted to be able to go up and give hugs, say proper hellos, but I was working. So, yes, I was jealous. But then I would refocus and go back to enjoying the work, despite people walking right off the table and going to get a drink! I DO enjoy it. And yes, next weekend, I'm going back to do it all over again!
But, I'm taking IBR weekend off (when there are three Bearracuda's planned over that weekend). Balance.
And hopefully, they will keep asking me back.
Did I mention how sore I am today? I woke up this morning and immediately hit the hit tub. I may need to do so again shortly.
Actually, mostly I've been busy fighting off the crud that attacked my sinuses last week, and I refused to let it get to my chest. Lots of rest, lots of fluids, taking it easy instead of partying like a rock star off the wagon.
In the meantime, been pretty boring overall. But there has been one recent development, and I've been hesitant to share it, for a number of reasons. But, it's all I've got, blog-wise, so here goes:
Two weeks ago, I started as the new "resident" masseur at our local dance club, Bearracuda. Matt(accuda) had been talking to the resident masseur Paul (ca_thunder) about who was going to replace him, while Paul moved out to Salt Lake City to continue his coursework in Mad Massage Skills. Paul told Matt to ask me, thinking it would be great experience for me as I complete my coursework in my Swedish Massage course. Matt asked me on New Year's Eve, and I reluctantly said yes. I was reluctant mainly because I am not yet certified, and still working through school. I know there are a ton of masseurs out there, and a few of the bearish persuasion that I initially thought might be better fits than I would be.
Matt pooh-poohed my nervousness and reluctance, saying that there would be lots of guys who would want me to put my hands all over them. Funny, yes, but unfortunately that didn't make me feel any better about taking on the position. I definitely want to help people feel good through touch, but have been struggling to deal with the crossover that touch can mean, from an erotic perspective. And I know it's there and unavoidable, but it doesn't make it any easier. So I told Matt that would I do it for the dance on the 17th, but that I would do so only on a trial basis, and that I was really looking for feedback, particularly if I wasn't delivering what he was looking for.
So, I packed my table and lotion, a little tip jar (the massages are free, but tips are always nice!), and headed out to Bearracuda. Pete pulsecub was spinning that night, and made me promise to give him a massage before he went on. Pete's been going to school for some time now as well, and his states' requirements are much more lengthy than San Francisco's, so I felt (and feel) like a complete novice in comparison. My nerves got the best of me as I worked on him (and I'm always feeling like I start out weakly, and get better as I go along, so it didn't help that he was my first), and afterwards, Pete was very sweet and gave me a couple of moves to use as the night went on, which helped tremendously.
I worked on 14 people that night in the course of 3 and a half hours. I had to turn people away, because you can only do so much in one night without wearing out. I used my iPhone to track the length of the massages I was giving, setting the alarm to go off at approximately the 10 minute mark. This meant I ended up giving about 12-13 minute massages all told on each person, just because I didn't want to stop in the middle of doing something. I didn't really intend on going that long, it was more an exercise in my timing the work. I'm trying to get myself down to about 10 minutes for the upper body routine, but I'm not forcing it right now. Right now, it's all about getting bodies on the table and working in different ways depending on who I'm working on at the moment.
It went well, all told, and the tips were generous enough for me to feel like I was doing work that was appreciated, and enough for me to feel like it was a good way to lose a few hours (when I would normally be dancing and socializing).
I should mention that this was the first night I did this.
Last night, not so much. I ended up working on 12 people, doing about 15 minutes on each person (just trying new things, and again, not rushing anyone so both of us could get something out of the work), and the tips I walked away with made me quietly question to myself if it was worth doing the work at Bearracuda. I was telling a friend last night that bartenders make roughly a buck a drink in tips for every drink they serve (if not more), so what the hell is up with not tipping someone who just exerted strength and pressure on you for 15 minutes? (I'm not saying bartenders don't work hard, but the effort of pulling a draft tab takes about 30 seconds. Mixing a gin and tonic takes less than a minute. Quantify that.) Let's just say that if I hadn't had a ride home, I would have lost half of my tips taking a cab ride home with my table.
Meh.
On one hand, I am really appreciating the opportunity to work on people, and I love the feeling when someone gets off my table feeling like they got some release in such a short amount of time. Some people asked me for my card, which I can't give because I'm still in school. I do recognize it as a good opportunity to get my name out there. I don't want to complain, but I kind of couldn't help it with the breakdown last night. I did notice myself frustrated a couple of times while I was working on folks, looking around and seeing so many of my friends laughing and having a good time. I wanted to be able to go up and give hugs, say proper hellos, but I was working. So, yes, I was jealous. But then I would refocus and go back to enjoying the work, despite people walking right off the table and going to get a drink! I DO enjoy it. And yes, next weekend, I'm going back to do it all over again!
But, I'm taking IBR weekend off (when there are three Bearracuda's planned over that weekend). Balance.
And hopefully, they will keep asking me back.
Did I mention how sore I am today? I woke up this morning and immediately hit the hit tub. I may need to do so again shortly.