Just a quick writeup re: school $$$$...

I just ordered a few of my books today on Amazon, and some supplies at Massage Warehouse. It's been awhile - I'm old. (Also, I geeked out on gear on the MW website. I kept picturing myself running around with a little massage oil holster. I think I'm going to like being an LMT.) The last time I was in school was 2003, and I didn't order my books online then even though I could have because my school let you use advances from your financial aid refund, and my broke ass couldn't have afforded to buy them otherwise.

Flip to today. My school publishes a booklist, with prices, and half the teachers tell you to not even buy the books because they're just mandated by the main campus curriculum (my school has 3 locations, San Diego, Chicago, and New York). I looked them all up and found that all but the most expensive (Anatomy - $140 bucks through the school and at least $170 online... eeek...) can be had for much cheaper online. So I plunked down my money for a few necessities this morning, plus massage oil ($10, with $7 shipping, so I threw in some Biofreeze to get my shipping money's worth because I love that stuff...) and a future purchase of "kung fu shoes" in Chinatown for my Tai Chi class (according to the instructor, this should run around $5). My total expenditures have been minimal - I was thinking I'd have to spend $300 - $400 on books, but now I'm thinking I might get away with $250 or so, which is fantastic considering that several of the books are going to be used for multiple trimesters.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this, other than to say to all of the eager beavers out there, "Go to class first!" And (you already know this, probably, and / or are never going to need this info again) under no circumstances should you go out and buy all the books before you even start classes. Even if you never crack the cover, they'll still buy it back at a majorly reduced rate, so why throw your money away? OK, this back-to-school tutorial by some 37 year-old lady is over. I guess it'll be useful when Kiernan starts college, right?


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I had my first massage class yesterday, and my second is this afternoon (yes, Saturday. I'm doing everything in my power to avoid this in my future scheduling endeavors). It was the first time since I've started that I got really really excited about my program. I think this is mostly because it's been a lot of Chinese medicine stuff so far, which isn't really why I'm there, but I have to take the courses. This instructor was all, "Don't tell people you want to work with energy. They will think you're a lunatic, so just keep that shit to yourself," and I melted in joy because I had finally found my people, not the hippy-dippy lovers and healers and energy workers surrounding me in all of my other classes. Don't take that the wrong way - so far, the material has been really interesting and my fellow students have all been really friendly, welcoming, wonderful people, and I have no complaints about them - but they're not really running at my cynical speed. I haven't heard any sarcasm in at least a week. I think I was having withdrawal until I hit this guy's class. Let's just say I'm approaching the coursework from a medical massage, sports and orthopedic perspective, and the vast majority of students are coming from a very different mindset. There's nothing wrong with it, but it's a lot less empirical than I like - or at least, it's a whole new paradigm that I haven't yet adjusted to.

Anyway, I'm in no position to judge, since I haven't even attended two of my seven classes.  But this instructor's bitter, pragmatic outlook warmed the cockles of my cold little heart and made me feel at home.

Now, training.... what training? As I mentioned in some prior post, I ran. A little bit. That was about it. I have the NYC Century tomorrow. I'm supposed to do the 55 mile. At some point in the rosy hued past I thought I might be able to swing the 70 mile but as I sit here this morning 35 sounds much more appealing. I also have no laundry, which I don't think is going to just do itself while I sit here typing, and the shorts I have clean are much more suited to 35 miles than 55... does that sound convincing? Ha! Rationalizing is fun! This week has shown me that I'll have plenty of time to train and build a monster base once I'm settled with this schedule. I'm thinking maybe spring half marathon and spending a lot of time on the bike when possible and in the pool when not. It's just been kind of a whirlwind to come home from vacation and then go straight into student life. However, if I'm working and attending school? That's going to take a little more creativity and commitment.