Sit Up Straight! (and play nice!)

It's easy to forget about posture. So easy that we do it every day, hunched over a computer or desk, gripping a steering wheel, picking up heavy or bulky objects. Hell, I know better and I do it.

It's easy to forget until the middle of your back is twitching the wrong direction or screaming at you. And then you wonder what you did to annoy it so badly.

So what. You can still feel it, right?

When you do remember to sit up straight, do so. When you do remember to roll your shoulders back, do so.

That little bit of remembering helps.

When you kill the engine on your bike and finally lean back, how does that feel?

Like a good long stretch, right.

That's all your body needs in most cases.

Because on a bike you're leaning forward, no matter a sport bike or a cruiser, you're leaning forward into the curves and into the wind, holding your body upright with just your arms. We'll get to the arms at a later time, but for now, just go stretch out your back.

Roll your shoulders back, take a few moments to stretch your arms up over your head and lean as far back as you dare to without falling. If you're in for the night, lay down and place a folded pillow behind your shoulder blades to stretch back for a few minutes. If you're really daring, hang your head and arms off the side of your bed or couch... but that's only till the blood rushes to your head and suddenly you feel like dancing on the ceiling.

Your body will thank you in the long run, you know.

~

New Tires!

This feeling has hit me before, also with Pirelli Diablos, but it is still a dramatic change. Going from the 7,000 mile old Bridgestone Battlaxs that came with the bike to new Pirellis was amazing.

I’ve never had faith in those old Bridgestones. The rear has come out from under me once and maybe I’m just gunshy. I was making a left out of a gas station, and accept the possibility that some spilled gas or oil could have gotten on the tire, or even (no, not that!) rider error. All I know is my rear tire lost traction and went down before I felt anything: one moment I was upright, the next I was sliding along the pavement. Since then I’ve gotten back on, ridden somewhat aggressively, and continue to enjoy the Gixxer. Just didn’t have any faith in the tires.

The Pirellis, on the other hand, stick to the asphalt like two round strips of Velcro rolling across pile. Leaving the parking lot without even warming them up was still a tremendous difference from the Bridgestones. I found myself taking the long way home, searching out turns, and enjoying more than just the straight line acceleration I’ve come to expect from the bike.

I also went from a 180 rear to a 190. Cornering felt a little different at first, but going from an old squared off rear to something new and shiny is going to feel different anyway. Not bad, just different.

Almost a month later, I still love these tires, searching out entrance/exit ramps and turns and any excuse to lean just a little.

Heather claims I’m giddy over these tires, and maybe I am. The difference is that dramatic. It’s worth it. I can’t praise Pirelli enough.

~

Where I play Dictionary and say No to Massage Envy

I believe in just a handful of things that I'll really get passionate about and stand up for, and most of those can be whittled down to the basic "Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto you" (even though I'm not entirely sure about that whole 'unto' part).

I've stood up (when I was like 8, I think) and said "No, don't tear that house down to make a parking lot, just move it somewhere so someone else can live in it!" or something along those lines. I had this heart-pumping, scared in the gut but I gotta say something feeling.

Eh, they tore it down anyway.

I quit my job when they accused my best friend and co-worker of stealing from the business. She didn't deserve that attitude and it felt wrong to be there after that.

Eh, they had replacements for both of us within the hour.

I could bore you with short stories of what I feel is important in this world, but I won't.

Instead I'll start the latest story about massage, art, and Massage Envy. (Which I am also choosing not to link to because I don't care that much and if you want to go visit one, then you're on your own to find it.)

1. I take great pride in my hands and what I can do with them - carving, painting, shadow puppets and massage.

2. I'm continually fascinated by the human body and what it can do.

3. I loathe 'hot-stone' massages as a way for a spa to up-sell a ridiculous 'treatment' for people who are willing to pay for it when all it does is burn my hands so I can't give an effective massage in the end.

4. I believe in damn good customer service. To a point. There are some customers that should be shot & drowned, but since I don't believe in shooting & drowning I just ignore them till they go away. But for everyone else I've ever dealt with I do my damndest to make sure they're taken care of. (See also: People Pleaser)

~

Let me begin by saying they contacted me. Massage Envy promotes the availability of massages at mid-rand prices. The local one opened several months ago and has sent out postcards to area licensed therapists to ask if they want a job. I got a card and ignored it. I heard the rumors in the massage community, that they work a therapist hard for low compensation.

So I recently got a phone call from someone in their office who tried her hardest to sell me on coming to work for them. I said I'd come check it out and we'd see from there.

I wandered in, introduced myself, got the "Look how pretty our offices are and how nice the rooms are!" tour. It's nice. It's very nice. It's a great set-up, if they actually had the therapists to fill the rooms. But they don't and that's why I was one of the therapists they called.

Low pay. Sure, they'll clean the sheets and book the appointments and provide the lotions, but I would have to give a Deep Tissue Massage to anyone who wanted one for $39 bucks.

HaHa.

(I'm not really laughing here, just so you know.)

It's corporate. It's all pressed pants and polo shirts and 'same-same' so every client gets the same treatment in a familiar place no matter which Massage Envy they go to.

I have a hard time with that too. About as much as the silliness of hot stones. But that's another story/rant.

When she told me I'd have to cover my tattoo? That was the deal breaker. I got the scared in my gut but I gotta say something feeling and I said "Thank you, but I like my body art and don't want to cover it. Goodbye."




See? This tattoo is on my wrist. It says "Respiri", which means "Breathe", "Spirit", "Inspiration" - Inspire: to provoke ideas and to draw breath in. (It's a multi-functional tattoo that way.)

Breathing is essential for massage. Something that's said quite often, really. To cover this up in a place that promotes massage and relaxation would be just plain wrong.

That and it looks so much more silly to put a band-aid over a tattoo or like the girl at the front desk, her nose ring. Many therapists enjoy and encourage alternative lifestyles because they feel something different in this human shell than most do. So let them. Let us.

5. I'm not covering up my body art or putting hot rocks on your back. But I'll get those knots out and show you how to breathe easier. And that's all I really want in return.

~

A little about me

39. Aquarius. Fairly good looking (so I’m told). Committed relationship. College degree. Smartass.

And I love motorcycles.

Currently I own a Suzuki 07 GSX-R750 and a Suzuki 03 SV650S. Bikes I have ridden (by myself as a big boy, not including riding with Dad as a kid): Honda Trail 70, Honda XL 125, Kawasaki Ninja 250, Suzuki Bandit 600, Hyosung GT650, Harley Davidson Ultra Classic, Harley Road King, Harley Sportster, Harley Nightster, Harley V-Rod, Harley Street Rod, Harley Night Rod SE, Honda VLX, Honda VFR 800, Honda 919, Honda VTX 1800, Suzuki Boulevard C50, M80, M109, Triumph Bonneville, Triumph Speed Triple, Kawasaki Mean Streak, Kawasaki Z-1000, Buell Ulysses, Lightning 9 and 12, Firebolt 9 and 12, and some others that just don’t stick out in memory at the moment.

Cruiser- Favorite- Harley Special Edition Night Rod. Least Favorite- Harley Nightster.
Sport(y)bike- Favorite- Still liking the Gixxer, when I can get out of 2nd gear. Least Favorite- Hyosung (sorry Greg).

I lean a bit more towards the riding part than massage therapy, but between the two of us Heather & I should be able to provide some good info. Or just random thoughts. We'll see how this progresses.

Used Bike Shopping

We've rung in the new year and I'm still pushing buttons on this keyboard to see if I can make this website thing work. I've got so many applications I've lost track of which one seems to be working and which one doesn't. So, this is just the latest incarnation. We're trying it out.

But today we went wandering the used bikes to see what caught my attentions. Found a purple 2003 Honda Shadow that was pretty nice, but it had the dents of being dropped. There was a 2001 Kawasaki 800 that was going for a good price. And a 2004 Honda 599 that really struck my fancy.

Right now it's a matter of pricing and location as much as it is long term riding potential.

I like the lower seat and feel of the Shadow, this I already know. The 800 would be a bit more power and still pretty nice to ride. The 599 just intrigues me. It's lower than most sport bikes, a bit more upright. It's called a Naked bike, and I'm still figuring out what all this means.

We'll see which directions the winds blow and what might fit the best.