What a week this is shaping up to be! Business is booming (for a change) and Suzi is out of town for a week.
My massage practice is one of the most interesting things that I have done in my 41 years on earth. I say this not from exaggerated modesty, but out of an attempt to be realistic. I'm not disappointed with my life—far from it! Still, it would be a little delusional to think that my quiet little life has been particularly noteworthy. Just because it is unspectacular does not mean it is unsatisfying.
Four years (and some small change) ago, I left the stressful world of graphic arts in order to pursue a zany dream of doing something for the good of all ... or something noble sounding like that. Fact is, I hated making advertisements and never felt very good at it. I asked myself how a guy with a bachelor's degree in neuroscience wound up there and realized that it might be possible to make a living doing something that makes people feel better.
Several years and a lot of financial worries later, things may just be looking up. In 2004, I made about one-third of the money that I earned in a year at graphic arts work. I had to borrow money from friends (never a good idea!) twice and take a part-time job to make ends meet. But my job satisfaction has never been higher. I never dread working anymore. I love my job—and I dearly want to prove to myself that I can do something this crazy and actually succeed.
Yesterday, two new clients and a few regulars made for a pretty successful day. I have one booked for this afternoon and one for tomorrow. Since I usually get a few quick walk-in chair massages on Saturdays, this is shaping up to be the most lucrative week I've had in all of 2005 so far!
In other news, the significant other took an airplane ride Wednesday to make the annual pilgrimage to the ancestral homeland of Los Angeles. It seems like all is well out there with her parents. For a week or so, I get to be cat and ferret dad all by myself. I adore Suzi, but it is nice to occasionally spend a little time apart. Tonight, my friend Chris and I will likely get together, maybe get dinner and watch a movie or something—but not a guy flick, Suzi usually likes those. More likely something with men named Nigel and Colin arguing about who owns the manor ... or possibly something with college coed women in sleepwear having pillowfights. Either is good really.
I've also been experiencing a bizarre phenomenon. I keep hearing songs or bands on the radio after thinking of them or mentioning them in conversation (it has happened about ten times in three days). A few times this has happened with listening to CDs as well, but I think that is a little more explicable.